As the workforce shifts in response to changing trends, Springfield staffing agencies are navigating these changes across a variety of industries. Changing government regulations, remote work, artificial intelligence, immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion are forces prompting change in local agencies this year. New legislation for temporary workers Temporary staffing agencies are regulated by the […]
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Changes proposed to state’s biometric privacy law
It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On April 11, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that, approving the first major change to Illinois’ Biometric […]
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Additional raids on Asian massage parlors
Greg Fraase apparently wasn’t involved in the ownership of two massage parlors raided on April 11. And unlike the February raids of Fraase’s properties, which were conducted by the FBI, the recent raids were handled by the Springfield Police Department. A news release from the police department said search warrants served at Golden Relax at […]
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Man arrested by FBI owns property with an Illinois state trooper
A 60-year-old man charged in federal court with operating six “houses of prostitution” in Springfield wants to transfer his ownership interest in an office building to an Illinois state trooper who jointly owns the building. Gregory L. Fraase of Springfield asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught for permission to transfer his interest in a vacant […]
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Lights out for Olde Towne Apartments
Dennis Hull is losing his home of 18 years through no fault of his own. “I always paid my rent on time – every month. I never missed a month and now this happens,” he said as he glanced down the entrance to Olde Towne apartments at the intersection of Bruns Lane and Jefferson Street. […]
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Springfield-area native wants to redesign global supply chain logistics
Matt Salefski, an entrepreneur who grew up in the Springfield area, recently launched Rectangle, a freight cargo logistics communications company. He reached out to Illini Angels as part of his quest for early-stage venture capital. “When you look around your home, or at store shelves, probably everything you see moved through a global supply chain […]
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Merch madness
Thanks to ingenuity and fortunate timing, Campus Ink has become a sensational example of small business expansion, with the assistance of Illini Angels investment capital. Founder Steven Farag isn’t a coach, player or official, but he and his team logged many miles on the road to the Final Four. When rules changed in 2021, allowing […]
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A self-serve farmers market
The tiny Scott County community of Riggston, 50 miles west of Springfield, with a mere 18 residents, is drawing national attention for a self-serve operation in a small building that is addressing the issue of rural American food deserts. “There is not another one like this in the United States,” said Jenny Sauer-Schmidgall, the owner […]
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Making downtown Springfield more marketable
Doubling the Bank of Springfield Center’s size would result in a similar increase in conventions coming to the capital city, and construction of a new 300-bed hotel adjacent to the center would maximize the expanded facility’s potential. Those were two of the major conclusions from a recently completed feasibility study of the potential impact of […]
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County bars to close earlier
The Sangamon County Board opted not to allow for more public comment and instead voted 21-5 on April 8 to eliminate 3 a.m. liquor licenses for bars in unincorporated areas outside Springfield and other municipalities. The decision will affect four taverns with 3 a.m. liquor licenses, effective July 1, and will require those establishments, if […]
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Bill ending state’s tipped wage advances but prospects uncertain amid pushback
An Illinois House committee advanced a measure that would end the state’s subminimum wage for tipped workers amid bipartisan opposition this week, but the bill’s sponsor said she’d seek further compromise before presenting it for a vote. Current Illinois law allows employers to pay their tipped workers 60% of the state’s minimum wage. That amounts […]
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Talking trash
Dave Allen encounters familiar sights as he drives down alleys in Springfield’s Harvard Park neighborhood. Some alleys are relatively clean while others are filled with overflowing bins of garbage that haven’t been emptied for weeks, half-open bags of trash on the ground, trails of garbage blowing into yards and streets, discarded furniture and old mattresses. […]