David Hilst’s family struggled when he was a child. His father had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and died when Hilst was only 8 years old. In spite of medical bills making finances tight and having a brother with Down syndrome, Hilst said, “My mom raised three boys with grit and grace. So things were […]
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A throwback to the days of small, independent pharmacies
Potter Drug, which opened on the west side of Springfield last year, is a throwback to when people knew and could talk to the pharmacist who owned the local drugstore. Even its logo is “an homage to what a pharmacy was 20 to 30 years ago as far as service,” said Tim Gleason, Potter Drug […]
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Community health workers help address disparities
An apartment fire put Willie Taylor out of his home two years ago on Springfield’s east side and threw his life into chaos. A survivor of two strokes who deals with high blood pressure and other health problems, Taylor, 71, is on more stable footing these days. He attributes the improvement to Derek Rimelspach, a […]
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Federal cuts to impact medical pipeline, research
Sen. Dick Durbin, joined by members of the Southern Illinois University medical network, warned at a press conference in Springfield of the federal administration’s decisions that will impact aspiring doctors, rural hospitals and scientific research. Discussing provisions within the new federal tax law and the decision to cap federal education loans, Durbin said medical students […]
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Sick of absenteeism?
Absenteeism isn’t just a human resources headache. It’s often a larger symptom of an unhealthy organization. When it gets out of hand it can become a business problem: chronic, unplanned or prolonged absences hurt morale, slow productivity, damage customer relationships and can hurt your bottom line. But how can you address it without making problems […]
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Mennonite College of Nursing Springfield graduates inaugural class
Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing has graduated 25 students in its first cohort of nursing students in Springfield, More than 30% of the graduating class have signed on with Memorial Health. “This momentous occasion is the culmination of a great deal of planning and collaboration between our two organizations,” said Dr. Marsha Prater, […]
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UIS launches $42.5M Library Commons project
Excitement is growing at the University of Illinois Springfield as construction is underway on the new Library Commons building. The publicly funded project was made possible by a $42.5 million investment from the state of Illinois. The three-story, 52,000-square-foot building is being built next to the Student Union and is expected to open in 2027. […]
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A civic center for Jacksonville
A Jacksonville organization has signed an option to purchase the historic Illinois Theater building in the city’s downtown and has embarked on an ambitious three-month, $8.8 million fundraising campaign to finance the purchase and pay for the building’s transformation into a new multipurpose civic center. “This civic center will become not only a cultural hub […]
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Proposed rail merger raises competition concerns
Some transportation groups are skeptical and some ag groups are seeking more information about the implications of a planned merger between rail rivals Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. DTN reported both companies’ boards of directors unanimously agreed to a deal July 29 in which Union Pacific will acquire Norfolk Southern for $85 billion, resulting in […]
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City Council approves third round of cannabis grants
Former Ward 2 Ald. Frank McNeil, lead plaintiff in a federal court case that resulted in Springfield switching to the aldermanic form of government in 1987 and electing its first Black members of the City Council, wants to restore the city’s first Black-owned doctor’s office. “I look at this as a community enrichment project,” McNeil, […]
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Two health insurers leave Illinois market
Only two health insurance companies are slated to offer marketplace health plans in central Illinois next year, halving the amount of insurance issuers the region currently has as Aetna and Health Alliance announced they will be exiting the insurance marketplace in 2026. However, Aetna will still offer Medicare plans next year. In addition, health policy nonprofit […]
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RISE to host Give & Take Professional Clothing Drive
Have good quality, professional clothing you don’t need any more or looking to update or build your professional wardrobe? RISE, the young professionals group of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, is holding a Give & Take Professional Clothing Drive on Aug. 22-23. All clothing donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. -7 p.m. on Friday, […]