The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce is looking for area professionals to join its new Career Connections program to work with high school students exploring their future opportunities. Career Connections is a database hosted on the Chamber’s website where area students and counselors can find a local professional to interview about their career and educational path. Students will be able […]
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Doris Turner joins Mid-Illinois Medical District
The Mid-Illinois Medical District has a new, but familiar, member in state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield. She was nominated to serve on the commission by Mayor Misty Buscher and approved unanimously at the Aug. 5 Springfield City Council meeting. Turner tried and failed, through a total of five separate bills in the current General Assembly, […]
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FitClub acquires members from closure of LA Fitness
When Springfield’s only LA Fitness location abruptly closed last month, locally owned gym FitClub added about 1,700 new members to its books. FitClub acquired LA Fitness’ membership base and equipment when the national fitness chain closed its gym in the White Oaks Mall on July 31. Local LA Fitness memberships transfered to FitClub as of […]
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Memorial gets approval to develop west-side property
The Springfield City Council has approved the reclassification of 40 acres of vacant farmland on the southwest side of the city, clearing the way for future development by Memorial Health System. The property will now be zoned as a highway business service district meant for commercial establishments. The property is located near the intersection of […]
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Legends Entertainment to open
A new entertainment complex in Legacy Pointe, Legends Entertainment, is slated to open on Friday. The 46,000-square-foot complex at 1250 Lincolnshire Boulevard has a food court with five local restaurants, three bars, a 12-lane bowling alley and gaming for both kids and adults. The food court has a mix of seating such as long tables, […]
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Isringhausen transitioning to second generation of leadership
Isringhausen Imports, 229 E. Jefferson St. in downtown Springfield, was founded 45 years ago by car enthusiast Rob Isringhausen. His brother Geoff joined him as the company’s fourth employee in January 1984. The business has remained family owned and operated throughout its history. Below is a Q&A with Geoff Isringhausen regarding plans to continue that […]
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Preserving a legacy
Allstate has been a part of Lisa Plumb’s life for nearly 40 years. Her father, Jack Readicker, was an Allstate agent operating at a kiosk inside Sears at White Oaks Mall in the late 1980s. From a young age, Plumb watched her father in action and eventually followed his footsteps to join the insurance business. […]
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Women of Influence alumni spotlight – Dr. Charlotte Warren
In her third year as president of Lincoln Land Community College, Dr. Charlotte Warren was honored as one of the 2009 Women of Influence. At that time, she was preparing to grab a shovel and “dig in,” with groundbreaking ceremonies scheduled for three major construction projects. Her two decades of stable and effective leadership have […]
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Urban League has ambitious development plans
“At a time when it’s easy to take a step back, the Urban League is stepping up.” Those were the words of Springfield Urban League President and CEO Dr. Marcus Johnson during a Dec. 2 Springfield City Council meeting. Johnson was trying to convince the alderpersons to sell eight city-owned parcels of land on Springfield’s […]
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Bill to regulate homeowners’ insurance rates could reemerge this session
Illinois lawmakers are poised to make a second attempt at passing a bill that would give state regulators more authority to control the rising cost of homeowners insurance. Gov. JB Pritzker called for the legislation last summer after Bloomington-based State Farm Insurance announced it was raising premiums in Illinois an average 27.2%, citing years of losses in […]
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The future of affordable housing
One way Illinois is promoting the development of affordable housing is by giving young entrepreneurs a boost. Fifteen up-and-coming affordable housing developers recently completed the second cohort of the Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative, or Next Gen. The program, sponsored by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, is designed to […]
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Springfield is an overlooked gem for short-term rentals
How does a $35,000-a-year profit from a side hustle sound? According to AirDNA, a research firm that analyzes data of short-term rental markets in the U.S., that’s the average profit margin for property owners of Airbnb, and smaller competitors such as Vrbo, in Springfield. That put the city at No. 5 on its latest list […]