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 […]
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UIS students win $10K in business pitch competition
A group of five University of Illinois Springfield students won $10,000 in seed funding for their startup business, TredBase, during a pitch competition hosted by Innovate Springfield on Oct. 28. The competition featured three entrepreneurial teams pitching innovative ideas. Kayode Ojedele, CEO and co-founder of TredBase, describes it as “a global edtech solution focused on […]
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Meeting the financial needs of a multigenerational workforce
A recent survey found that 78% of U.S. employers say their workers are financially stressed, as compared to 71% in 2023. Meanwhile, survey findings also show that employers are continuing to feel the squeeze financially with the increased costs of benefits, worker retention and recruiting. PNC Bank released findings from its second annual Financial Wellness […]