For nearly 40 years the percentage of American adults who consume alcohol has consistently remained in the low 60s. However, over the past two decades, Gallup reports that alcohol consumption has been steadily declining amongst younger adults aged 18 to 34. Indeed, specialty non-alcoholic (NA) drink offerings have become commonplace in both fine dining restaurants […]
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City pursues legal action against Olde Towne Apartments
The city of Springfield is seeking court orders to take possession of eight vacant, dilapidated apartment buildings so that they can be demolished. The structures are part of the 23-building Olde Towne apartment complex, located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Bruns Lane. City officials are also seeking to have the owner rehabilitate four […]
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Nominations open for Good as Gold awards program
Nominations are now being accepted for the Good as Gold awards program, recognizing those that make Springfield a great place to live and thrive through their spirit of service in the Springfield community. The University of Illinois Springfield, the Junior League of Springfield and United Way of Central Illinois will host the 16th Annual Springfield […]
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Trying to hire more drug counselors
Amid five straight years of record overdose deaths in Illinois, a new state program aims to alleviate a shortage of professionals who work to prevent substance use disorders. Illinois’ behavioral health counselor workforce “is aging while new entrants are declining,” according to a 2019 report to the General Assembly; 56% of certified substance use disorder […]
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City-operated ambulance service to be considered
Springfield City Council members will consider spending $280,000 in the next fiscal year on what could be the first step toward a multimillion-dollar, city-operated ambulance service to supplement privately operated ambulances and shorten response times in medical emergencies. The money to buy a single ambulance appears on page 165 of the city’s 400-page budget proposal from […]
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Springfield Clinic, Blue Cross make a deal
After two years of financial and emotional stress for thousands of central Illinois patients, those covered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois regained in-network access to Springfield Clinic medical providers on Jan. 1. Chicago-based Blue Cross and the clinic issued statements Dec. 22 that they have reached a new five-year agreement allowing the […]
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Rail improvement project delayed
Completion of Springfield’s rail improvement project will be delayed beyond 2025 because the project failed to secure $138 million in funding from the federal government. Springfield and Sangamon County backers of the years-long project had hoped 2025 would be the last year of construction on the massive project to alleviate rail congestion in the city’s […]
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Scheels Sports Park development on track “There is no delay in any of the financing”
Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe remains on track to be fully operational by spring 2025 on Springfield’s south side despite recent questions from City Council members about the way public money will flow to the project and the viability of private financing scheduled that will cover half of the total $67 million in costs. […]
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Notable engineering and construction projects of 2023
Engineering the future: moving Springfield forward The work of Moving Pillsbury Forward, the nonprofit created to take ownership of the former Pillsbury flour mill complex at 1525 E Phillips St., is to prepare for environmental cleanup and future redevelopment and is key to the story of the biggest engineering project in Springfield, spanning more than […]
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Sangamon County could see first wind farm soon
A German clean energy company plans to file applications with Montgomery and Sangamon County officials early in 2024 for approval to construct the first phase of a four-county, $450 million wind farm development known as Grand Prairie Energy Park. UKA Group’s North American affiliate, based in Stuart, Florida, would build about 60 wind turbines in […]
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Q&A With Eric Klinner
Where were you born and raised, and what was your career experience before joining AIA Illinois? I was born and raised in Quincy and went to Quincy University. I worked in retail management and sales, then I worked for an association management company running five to seven associations on a daily basis. What made you […]
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Best Places to Work alumni spotlight: B&B Electric
Named one of the Best Places to Work in 2020, B&B Electric, a licensed electrical contractor that delivers electrical solutions to commercial, institutional or industrial projects, is unique in that it has been a family-owned and operated business for four generations. Tim Brinkman, partner and executive vice president, is a member of the fourth generation […]