Ad Astra to open café
Ad Astra Wine & Tapas Bar is expanding its operations to include extended hours and a more expansive food and drink menu. “We’ve gotten a lot of requests from people who work downtown who wanted someplace casual to take coworkers for lunch or a drink,” owner Kristina Barbee said. “And a lot of people who…
William Rios joins Hanson Professional Services
William Rios recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s Springfield headquarters as a project administrator. He will assist project managers in all areas of the project process, including planning, startup, execution, monitoring and closeout, as well as the financial aspects, such as invoicing, budget reports and accounts receivable tracking. Rios previously was an administrative assistant for…
Businesses hoping to enter cannabis market face significant challenges
While Illinois’ cannabis market is booming and the state has made progress in diversifying new licensees, significant hurdles remain for businesses hoping to enter the expanding market, according to an independent review of the industry. Celebratory news releases have marked several industry successes in recent months – the state saw the opening of its 100th social…
A Taste of Seoul opening downtown
Seoul 4 Soul has closed less than nine months after opening, but one of the owners is launching a new Korean fusion bistro in its place. In January, Kimsimone Manning and Emily Tylman teamed up to open a restaurant in the upper level of Buzz Bomb Brewing Company at 406 E. Adams St. Manning had previously…
Horace Mann names new CFO
Ryan Greenier has been appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer of Horace Mann Educators Corporation, effective Oct. 1, succeeding Bret Conklin. With this appointment, Greenier joins the company’s executive officer team and will report to CEO Marita Zuraitis. Conklin will remain with the company through 2025 to ensure a smooth transition before his…
Building permits – Sept. 16 – Sept. 22
Springfield Clinic LLP received a commercial remodel permit for 350 W. Carpenter St. Contractor is P.H. Broughton & Sons, Inc. and the project is valued at $200,000. Thomas F. Winkler received a commercial remodel permit for 1426 Sangamon Ave. Contractor is Tony Truong and the project is valued at $30,000. George T. Coontz Sr. received…
Six east-side businesses receive grants
Six businesses were awarded $280,000 in grants by the Springfield City Council on Sept. 17 from the city’s share of sales taxes on adult-use cannabis sales. The unanimous vote on the allocations, which were part of the council’s “consent agenda,” came more than two years after the first round of allocations and after a September…
Sweet Basil owner addresses sudden closure
Billie Dent was waitressing at Sweet Basil Café last month when she and about 20 coworkers learned they were out of work the hard way – Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies arrived and evicted the restaurant from the building. “We had one table of customers in there at the time; we asked if they could finish…
Joyner Construction to build new apartment complex on west side
After receiving zoning approval from the Springfield City Council, developer Corky Joyner has more than 250 additional apartments in the works for the west side. Joyner is president of Joyner Construction Services Inc., a Springfield general contracting and construction management company. “We have a pretty long waitlist on our two projects on the west side,”…
The Railyard closes for the season
The Railyard, an outdoor food venue based around shipping containers, has closed for the season. Located at 2442 S. Sixth St., just north of the newly constructed overpass on South Sixth Street, the four shipping containers situated around a 3,000-square-foot outdoor dining space each offer a different menu. There is a taqueria, Texas-style barbecue, Japanese…
Noonan team joins Morgan Stanley
Christopher Noonan, Chris Noonan, Trevor Noonan and Tara House have joined Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management office in Springfield at 3201 W. White Oaks Drive, Ste. 201 as a financial advisor team. Formerly with Merrill Lynch for many years, the Noonans and House are natives of the Springfield area. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides access to…
Sixth Street County Market closing, but other grocery options in the works
The County Market on South Sixth Street is closing soon, but the parent company may keep a presence in the shopping center in some other form. “Our lease is not being renewed,” said Gerry Kettler, director of consumer affairs for Niemann Foods, who said the store will be closing in about six weeks. “All employees…
Building permits – Sept. 9 – Sept. 15
DL Kelley’s Properties LLC received a commercial fence permit for 204 W. Allen St. Contractor is Marcus O’Neal and the project is valued at $2,000. The 8th Street Gym Inc. received a commercial accessory structure permit for 1401 N. Eight St. Contractor is Midwest Garage Builders and the project is valued at $29,000. Westminster Presbyterian…
HSHS names system vice president of managed care
Jeff Sterling has been named HSHS system vice president of managed care, effective Sept. 3, to join the executive leadership team and oversee all aspects of managed care services. “We are pleased to have Jeff join our organization,” said Damond Boatwright, HSHS president and CEO. “His deep understanding of both the health care and payor perspectives…
Filipino street food coming to Springfield
The Lumpia Truck is set to launch in Springfield, and the owners say a brick-and-mortar location serving Filipino street food may not be far behind. Rolando Cabral and his wife, Myrna Balabag, moved to Springfield to work in the medical industry, but their first love is cooking and sharing their favorite native dishes with others.…
Parent company of three area senior living facilities files bankruptcy
Three Springfield-area facilities that serve seniors have been listed for sale as part of a recent bankruptcy filing, but representatives from the parent company say no closures or immediate changes are planned. Midwest Christian Villages, Inc., doing business as Christian Horizons, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced plans to restructure. The St. Louis-based…
General manager hired for SCHEELS Sports Park
As construction continues, SCHEELS Sports Park developers and The Sports Facilities Companies have hired Brandon Doherty to serve as general manager. Doherty will oversee the operations of the planned 70-acre multisport outdoor and indoor sports park, which will be located behind the SCHEELS superstore on South MacArthur Boulevard in Springfield. Doherty comes to Springfield from Starkville,…
Dan Wilcoxen joins Bank of Springfield
Dan Wilcoxen has joined Bank of Springfield as senior vice president, effective Aug. 26. Dan brings 16 years of extensive banking experience to BOS and most recently served as president at United Community Bank. In his role, Dan will work closely with the management team on growth strategies and overall bank goals. Prior to banking,…
Salt & Light Wellness under construction in Parkway Pointe
Two medical practitioners are opening Salt & Light Wellness, a facility that will offer a variety of services for those who prefer to focus on preventative measures. “I’m a physician, so I believe in medicine, but I also believe that prevention is the best thing to do,” said Dr. Deepa Cyriac, who is a radiologist with…
Building permits – Sept. 2 – Sept. 8
David Dang received a commercial remodel permit for 50 Adloff Lane. Contractor is David Dang and the project is valued at $24,170. WEC 2000A-11 LLC % Altus Group US Inc. received a commercial remodel permit for 2001 W. Washington St. Contractor is Shamrock Development, Inc., and the project is valued at $275,000. First & Madison…
Former Aviatori Coffeehouse sold to new owners
Aviatori Coffeehouse has been closed since April, but the property changed hands as of today, and the new owners have big plans. Juliana Turchetti opened the aviation-themed coffee shop at 311 E. Logan Ave. in 2022 and ran the business while also continuing to work as a pilot. But when she accepted new employment based…
Greg Pacelli joins MB Heating & Cooling
Greg Pacelli is the new marketing director for MB Heating & Cooling. He most recently worked for Apartments.com, and prior to that spent 10 years in various positions with Midwest Family Broadcasting, including digital sales manager and general sales manager. Pacelli had worked with MB Heating & Cooling over the past decade in various marketing…
Isringhausen Imports breaks ground on new Porsche dealership
Isringhausen Imports has broken ground on a new Porsche dealership in downtown Springfield. The new building at 100 E. Madison St. will be located across from the existing BMW facility. During construction, Porsche sales and service will continue to operate at the current location, 229 E. Jefferson St., with an anticipated transition to the new facility…
Stakeholders work on cannabis equity efforts
Medical marijuana patients can now purchase cannabis grown by small businesses as part of their allotment, Illinois’ top cannabis regulator said, but smaller, newly licensed cannabis growers are still seeking greater access to the state’s medical marijuana customers. Illinois legalized medicinal marijuana beginning in 2014, then legalized it for recreational use in 2020. While the…
Building permits – Aug. 26 – Sept. 1
Jonus Ajdini and Azbi Elezoski received aa commercial remodel permit for 2500 Sunrise Drive. Contractor is Outdoor Living Solutions and the project is valued at $41,500. Springfield Motor Boat Club received a commercial accessory structure permit for 17 Club Area. Contractor is B&R Construction, Inc. and the project is valued at $10,150. Illinois Association of…
Cured Catering to purchase Arlington’s
Arlington’s Catering and Historic Venue is changing hands, but the new owners say they plan to keep a good thing going. “We’re pretty good friends with Ebben (Moore), so he approached us first about wanting to leave the area,” said Melissa Reilly, who co-owns Cured Catering with her husband, Brian Reilly. “He’s got such a…
Out of the ashes
The 911 call came in at 10:29 a.m. June 19 – someone in one of the apartments near Café Moxo smelled smoke. Two Springfield firefighters arrived and wandered about the apartment but couldn’t detect anything of concern. They ended up leaving after 20 minutes. About 45 minutes after the initial call, the building at 413-415…
CWLP announces exam dates for apprenticeship electrician positions
The City Water, Light and Power Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee is announcing its next round of 2024 exam dates for those interested in starting a career as an apprentice electrician at CWLP. The CWLP Electrical Apprenticeship program includes on-the-job training and coursework to provide knowledge and technical information related to the various positions offered. CWLP…
Erin Sommer joins Security Bank
Erin Sommer has joined Security Bank in the role of vice president of human resources, effective Aug. 26. She will be working out of the downtown branch at 510 E. Monroe. Sommer has more than 20 years of experience in management, talent acquisition, marketing and leadership. She most recently spent more than 10 years in…
Real estate commissions have changed
Important changes to the way real estate agents are paid went into effect Aug. 17, but will buyers and sellers be affected significantly? In the past, the seller of a property has generally paid the entire commission, which is typically a percentage of the property’s sale price. The commission is then split between the seller’s…
Fairgrounds Cafe
I love diners, and the closing of the Ritz’s Jefferson Street location hit me pretty hard. Thankfully, two former staff members from Chatham Café decided to go out on their own to open a new diner in the former Jungle Jim’s space on Peoria Road. They delivered exactly what you expect – basic but good…
Q&A with Dan Mahony
Dan Mahony is originally from New Jersey and worked for higher educational institutions in South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky before becoming president of the Southern Illinois University System in March 2020. He began his career in public accounting and later worked in intercollegiate athletics before holding faculty and administrative positions. He and his wife, Laura,…
Colors of Health Fashion Show planned for Sept. 6
The Alliance for Women in Medicine and Science will host the Colors of Health Fashion Show and Community Engagement Awards on Friday, Sept. 6, at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St., Springfield. This annual event celebrates the vibrant intersection of community engagement and health through fashion. The evening will begin with…
Springfield doctor returns from mission to simulate Mars
Back from a 378-day NASA simulation of life on Mars, Dr. Nathan Jones says the mission at Johnson Space Center in Houston was a success, and he has no regrets about the time away from his family in Springfield. “I missed out on a lot, but I still believe it was worth it,” Jones, an…
Scoop and run
Today, the sick and injured are transported in mini-emergency rooms on wheels with staff trained to care for traumas. But in the old days, ambulances were horse-drawn wagons, and later, hearses with a driver who couldn’t do much more than give a bandage. In much of the country, from the late 1800s through the 1960s,…
Hands-on mental health training
The recent revival of a program at Packard Mental Health Center that gives young doctors hands-on experience treating patients in a state psychiatric hospital will benefit the public in Springfield and throughout Illinois, supporters of the relaunch say. “This will help create that pipeline of future psychiatrists to serve both in our state-operated facilities and…
Illinois expanding Medicaid to nonmedical services
Many people enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program will soon be eligible to receive a host of nonmedical services that could improve their overall health, including housing and nutrition assistance, violence prevention services, and services to help them transition out of incarceration. Under a new policy that the Biden administration launched last year, state Medicaid programs can…
Medical students get practice through Standardized Patient Program
Eight private exam rooms, each with a large, one-way mirror, line a curving corridor. On the other side of the mirror is a room where instructors watch what is happening in the exam room while listening through headphones. In the exam room is a patient dressed in a gown awaiting the entrance of a medical…
The Samaritans of HSHS St. John’s Hospital
Volunteers can be the life force of an organization. HSHS St. John’s Hospital’s volunteer group, the Samaritans, provide vital services that add to the comfort of patients and their families while offering an opportunity to give back to the community. Katie Sundby, who until recently served in the Children’s Miracle Network at HSHS St. John’s…
Ensure the future of your small business
Imagine building your small business over a period of 20 or 30 years of hard work, then, a few years ahead of your planned retirement, a health scare takes you away from work for several months. During your time away, your team doesn’t know how to handle all aspects of the business, customer service suffers…
New You Body & Soul opens to offer non-invasive cosmetic procedures
Katrina Bollard says her new business, New You Body & Soul, was originally launched because of her own desire for self-improvement. “It was a service that I was interested in for myself. I didn’t have time or the funds to be able to go under the knife, or the downtime that I could take to…
Josh Roughley leaving city to open his own architecture firm
Josh Roughley, who currently works for the city of Springfield’s Building & Zoning department, is opening his own architecture firm. His last day with the city is Sept. 2. Roughley & Associates will be located at 524 S. Second St., a building owned by EMS Midwest LLC, which is operated by Springfield businessman and EMS…
Bistro Verde, student-led café at LLCC, reopens Sept. 3
Bistro Verde, Lincoln Land Community College’s student-led café, reopens Sept. 3 and will serve customers Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The café is open as Bistro To Go, a counter service concept, from Sept. 3-Oct. 3, offering soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods, coffees and drinks. From Oct. 22-Nov. 21 (closed…
Sweet Basil Cafe closes following eviction notice
Sweet Basil Cafe in Prairie Crossing closed as of Aug. 23, with an eviction notice taped to the front door the only explanation offered. The company’s website still lists the Springfield location at 4241 Conestoga Drive, along with other restaurants in Champaign, Peoria, Rockford, Skokie and Hanover Park. However, Sangamon County court records show that a…
Building permits – Aug. 19 – Aug. 25
Illinois-MAP II, LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 211 S. Fifth St. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $459,776. Wheedo Properties LLC % Scott Wheeler received a commercial remodel permit for 206 Pin Oak Lane. Contractor is Commercial Installation & Construction and the project is valued at $95,000. SIU School…
SIU looks to Springfield for aviation school, law school
Southern Illinois University has committed to expanding its pilot-training program to Springfield, enabling future aviators to earn bachelor’s degrees without leaving the capital city, SIU President Daniel Mahony told Illinois Times. “Aviation is one of our most popular programs, but because of the space issues we have (in Carbondale) we really can’t expand that program.…
