“This is a milestone accomplishment for people with disabilities across Illinois,” said Ryan Croke, first assistant deputy governor, of the state’s decision to end subminimum wage. On Nov. 21, the Senate took a bipartisan vote and passed legislation known as the Dignity in Pay Act, sending it to Gov. JB Pritzker for signature, who has […]
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LLCC to host informational sessions for workforce programs
Lincoln Land Community College will host information sessions for students interested in the college’s high-demand workforce programs including commercial electrical and industrial maintenance, construction occupations, diesel technologies, hospitality management and culinary arts and welding. All sessions will be held at the Workforce Careers Center on the LLCC campus, 5250 Shepherd Rd., Springfield. Each information session […]
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Hemp growers push back against proposed new regulations
A legislative committee and the Illinois Department of Agriculture agreed recently to delay finalizing new regulations governing hemp production amid an outcry of protests from small, independent producers. Those proposed rules have been in development for at least two years. But the most recent draft, submitted in September, contained significant changes from earlier versions that […]
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Building at Fourth and Adams could get $3 million makeover
Martin and Laurie Haxel keep increasing their footprint in downtown Springfield. The couple started with 310 E. Adams St., which houses offices for their own businesses, Haxel Law and Haxel Consulting, but over the past five years they have acquired four adjacent properties. Now, they are hoping the Springfield City Council will approve a TIF […]
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New look for Town and Country Shopping Center
The Town and Country Shopping Center on MacArthur Boulevard may be on the brink of being transformed into an upscale apartment complex and retail area. The Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission is slated to consider the proposed transformation of the strip mall in the 2300 to 2500 blocks of MacArthur Boulevard on Nov. 20. The […]
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Judge dismisses biometric data privacy lawsuit
A clarification to Illinois’ biometric data privacy law made by state lawmakers earlier this year limits the size of damages that can be claimed in lawsuits over Biometric Information Privacy Act violations, a federal judge ruled last week. It’s an early indication that the courts are willing to apply a recent amendment to the biometric privacy […]
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New life for Poplar Place
Tameika Thurman says she has enjoyed living in Poplar Place the past five months with her 11-year-old daughter and their dog, Coco. “It’s peaceful. I don’t have any problems,” said Thurman, 27, a single mother and Lyft driver who was born and raised in Chicago and moved to Springfield a year ago. The lack of […]
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Adams Family Fire fund issues final payments
Residents, businesses and an art/history endeavor affected by the June fire at 613 E Adams in downtown Springfield have received checks from the INB Benefit for the Businesses Affected by the Adams Family Fire fund. Through this fund, the community raised nearly $30,000 to support those people and entities impacted by the fire. Donations came […]
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Democrats seek to “Trump-proof” some state statutes
Back in 2018, about midway through President Donald Trump’s first term, the Illinois Senate passed a bill that was designed to prevent “the weakening of Illinois environmental and labor regulations in response to a weakening of federal regulations,” according to an Illinois Environmental Council press release. Some state rules are tied directly to federal rules, […]
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Unions lead the way on funding state elections in Illinois
This year in Illinois, there are no statewide elections. There are no fights over a Supreme Court seat. There are no constitutional amendments. At the Statehouse, more than half of general election races are uncontested. And yet, political campaigns in Illinois raised about $600 million in itemized individual contributions, according to a Capitol News Illinois […]
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Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology to host Industry Day Event
The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT), Office of Supplier Diversity, has announced its first-ever Industry Day Event. This event will bring together technology industry leaders to showcase their innovative solutions and discuss their expertise in key areas such as improving resident experience, digitization, accelerating cloud adoption, and automation and modular solutions. The Industry […]
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A roadmap for future development
Creating more affordable and market-rate housing, developing areas currently set aside for surface parking and catering more to walkers and bicyclists are among scores of suggestions in a newly released master plan for downtown Springfield and the Mid-Illinois Medical District. The costs of those suggestions aren’t included in the 278-page document, the first-ever long-term plan […]