A chain of central Illinois pawn shops with two Springfield locations functioned as a criminal enterprise, fencing stolen goods and buying silver bullion to launder the proceeds, the Illinois attorney general alleges. The owners of Monster Pawn and some employees appeared in court Thursday in Sangamon County. Charged were Monster Pawn’s owners, Edwin Pierce, 65, […]
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Olde Towne demolitions on hold
Demolition of several uninhabitable Springfield apartment buildings is on hold despite a local judge giving the green light to raze the structures. The five structures are part of the 23-building Olde Towne apartment complex, located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Bruns Lane. Shortly after a judge ruled in the city’s favor, the financial […]
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Adams Street at a crossroads
In recent years the section of downtown known as the Adams Family has been a vibrant focal point of revitalization efforts. But following a devastating fire over the summer, there are now concerns about demolition plans, failed efforts to showcase spaces in need of renovations and a stalled project that could serve as a catalyst […]
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Hemp regulation bill stalls amid Democratic infighting
A bill that would have imposed regulations on new types of intoxicating substances derived from hemp stalled in the Illinois House Jan. 7, dealing a political setback to Gov. JB Pritzker after he strongly supported the legislation. “I was tremendously disappointed,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday, after it became clear the bill […]
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Illinois’ minimum wage increases to $15 an hour
The minimum wage in Illinois has increased to $15 an hour as of Jan. 1, completing a six-year transition period since the increase was approved in 2019. Illinois workers making minimum wage will see wages rise by $1 and tipped workers will see their paychecks bump to $9 an hour. Youth workers under 18 who […]
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Q&A with Molly Berns
Molly Berns is a Sangamon County native who is retiring this month as executive director of the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission. She joined the SSCRPC in 2008 as the senior planner for land use and was promoted to her current position in 2018. Berns has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree […]
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Best Places to Work alumni spotlight: Resource One
Resource One, 321 E. Adams St., is a full-service contract office furniture dealership established in 1987 by Cindy Davis. She serves as president of the company while her son, Chris Davis, is vice president of operations and her daughter, Lauren Nevius, is vice president of sales. The business was recognized as one of Springfield Business […]
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Renovations continue at Illinois Capitol
A massive $300 million construction project is underway at the state Capitol. The entire north wing, including the Senate chamber, is being renovated. A beautiful new feature of the Senate chamber is an 18-foot square stained-glass ceiling with skylight, consisting of 105 individual panels and 6,566 pieces of glass. During construction the Senate met in […]
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50 years of Massie Massie & Associates
Kent and Sue Massie found a surprise when they designed and oversaw the renovation of the Lincoln Park lagoon in Springfield. “We needed to excavate the ponds because they were filled with silt, and we discovered old bicycles and park light fixtures at the bottom of the lagoon,” Sue said. “The old light fixtures had […]
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Nearly 300 new Illinois laws take effect in 2025
Time to study up, Illinois. When the clock hits midnight on New Year’s Day, 293 new state laws will take effect. Those include some of the defining bills of the 2024 legislative session and others that will change how people get IDs, evaluate job postings and even cancel gym memberships. In addition to the laws […]
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UIS Performing Arts Center to close temporarily
Sangamon Auditorium and the UIS Studio Theatre, housed within University of Illinois Springfield’s Public Affairs Center building, will temporarily close starting in June 2025 for an extensive, state-funded, 15-month plumbing improvement project that will address ongoing issues with the facility’s 50-year-old infrastructure. Plans call for the auditorium and theater to reopen following the completion of […]
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217 Comfort Food Week takes place Dec. 9-15
217 Comfort Food Week takes place from Dec. 9-15, featuring homemade classics such as chicken and noodles, shepherd’s pie, country fried steak, southern chicken and dumplings and more. Or for something a little more adventurous, try shrimp n’ grits with blackened shrimp tossed in a Cajun cream sauce and served over white cheddar grits, or […]