The Sangamon County Zoning and Land Use Committee discussed ways to regain more local control over renewable energy projects, such as solar and wind farms, in light of a recent state law that restricts authority of municipal governments to veto such developments. At the June 18 meeting, lawyers gave the committee a laundry list of […]
News
Posted inNews
Crowd reacts to Christian County data center plan
Facing strong opposition to a proposed $6 billion data center near Taylorville, a founder of Eagle Rock Partners told the Christian County Board he wouldn’t want to live next door to the center his firm wants to build. But Ken Loeber added that the center, on farm ground two miles southwest of the Christian County […]
Posted inNews
Show me the job losses
Across the nation, economists have expressed concerns about the reliability of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not because of political bias or thumbs on the scale, but rather a lack of manpower amongst the scaled-back federal agency tasked with fielding data about the country’s economic health. That concern stretches to Springfield, according to Ryan McCrady, […]
Posted inNews
Springfield Memorial Hospital CEO to resign
The president and chief executive officer of Springfield’s largest hospital is resigning after fewer than two years at the helm. Jay Roszhart, 41, who was promoted to lead 500-bed Springfield Memorial Hospital on July 1, 2024, will leave on June 12, according to a statement June 9 from Drew Early, senior vice president and chief […]
Posted inNews
Illinois seeks two Crest Hill prisons, leaving Lincoln out of Logan Correctional Center rebuild plan
The Illinois Department of Corrections is officially planning to rebuild both Logan and Stateville correctional centers in Crest Hill, dashing locals’ hopes that the state would rebuild Logan at its current Lincoln location. The June 5 announcement comes two years after Gov. JB Pritzker and IDOC originally announced the state would rebuild the Logan and […]
Posted inNews
Downtown Springfield bill fails to come to fruition
In the waning hours of legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly got close, but failed to pass a bill that would create multiple government boards to promote redevelopment of downtown Springfield. Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter said he expects elected officials to keep working on the proposal. The Senate approved an amended House […]
Posted inQ & A
Q&A With Brian Brennan
Brian Brennan has now been at the helm of HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield for a year, having been named HSHS Central Illinois market president and CEO, as well as president and CEO of St John’s, in May of last year. As market president, he oversees strategic and financial operations at HSHS hospitals in […]
Posted inNews
LifeStar Ambulance fights suspension
LifeStar Ambulance Service officials say they will continue to press their case in court after failing to convince a judge May 22 that the company shouldn’t be kicked out of Springfield and Sangamon County’s 911 emergency response system. “We will continue to contest it until hell freezes over,” LifeStar owner Roger Campbell told Illinois Times […]
Posted inNews
Wyndham owner settles lawsuits with insurance company
Legal proceedings between the owner of the vacant Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel and the hotel’s insurance company may be nearing resolution, but no details about what that resolution may look like have been made public. The lawsuit between plaintiffs Full Service Hospitality LLC and Tower Capital Group — entities both associated with Wyndham owner Al […]
Posted inNews
Local cannabis businesses receive state funding
Four Sangamon and Logan County marijuana businesses received a total of nearly $2 million in direct forgivable loans last month from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as part of the Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program. Two craft grow businesses received $750,000 each in forgivable loans – Lincoln Labs and Rt. 66 Rec. […]
Posted inNews
“Electrons instead of ethanol”
A proposed 1,730-acre solar development south of New Berlin is drawing growing opposition from residents, local officials and business owners who fear the project could permanently alter the rural character of western Sangamon County, even as developers argue the project could provide clean energy, stable tax revenue and economic diversification for farmers. The project, which […]
Posted inNews
“A lot of things are getting confused”
The only revenue Springfield city government might forfeit to help pay for the proposed BOS Center expansion and new hotel next door would be the city’s share of hotel taxes on room rates at the site and part of the expected increase in city sales taxes. Those were guarantees that Sangamon County Board Chair Andy […]