Mane Moxie opens in West Iles Business Center
Whitney Kotowski has opened Mane Moxie, a hair salon at 3270 W. Iles. “I’ve been doing hair for 20 years,” Kotowski said. “I wanted to do my own thing and have a more intimate atmosphere for my clients.” Kotowski looked at various locations but settled on the remaining 2,200 square feet in the West Iles…
Lisa’s Boutique has opened in Enos Park
After sitting vacant for decades and undergoing an extensive renovation, a historic storefront in Enos Park is now home to a new tenant. Lisa’s Boutique opened on Dec. 13, offering a selection of women and men’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories. The business also sells and rents floral arrangements for special occasions or home décor,…
Building permit roundup – Dec. 7-Dec. 13
Bishop Properties, Inc. obtained a commercial remodel permit for 816 and 820 S. 11th St. The contractor is Solid Ground Solutions and the project is valued at $30,000. Memorial Health System obtained commercial building permits for both 320 E. Carpenter St. and 2950 S. Sixth St. for a temporary drive-thru at each location. O’Shea Builders…
CWLP to begin accepting applications for small business utility rebate
On Dec. 1, the Springfield City Council passed an ordinance to provide utility rebates to small businesses that have been impacted by COVID. The COVID Relief – CWLP Small Business Program uses money from the Environmental and Regulatory Initiatives and Relief Fund (ERIRF) to assist eligible small businesses with utility rebates of up to $3,000…
Tacology 201 to open Dec. 16
After a brief closure to allow for a transition to a west-side location, Tacology 201 will open on Dec. 16 at its new location, 3266 W. Iles Ave. Tacology 101 closed its downtown location Oct. 17 to focus on the final renovations of the new space in the West Iles Business Center. At 3,800 square…
Don Cave buys former fire station on North Grand Avenue
After falling into disrepair, the former fire station at 601 North Grand Ave. is getting a facelift. Don Cave, who purchased the property in October, has already redone the façade and says he plans to continue working on the building in the spring. “I didn’t want to see it torn down, it’s a neat old…
CEFCU names Matt Mamer as next CEO, replacing Mark Spenny
Matt Mamer has been named the next president and CEO of Citizens Equity First Credit Union, replacing Mark Spenny, who plans to retire May 1, 2021. CEFCU is headquartered in Peoria but has three branches in Springfield, in addition to other locations, and total assets of $6.8 billion. Mamer began his career at CEFCU 25…
Mary Starmann-Harrison, president and CEO of HSHS, to retire in 2021
Hospital Sisters Health System has announced that Mary Starmann-Harrison, president and CEO of HSHS, will retire in the second half of 2021. Starmann-Harrison has led the system for almost 10 years and will assist in transitioning her successor prior to her retirement in 2021. Korn Ferry has been retained to begin a national search for…
New jobless claims surge in Illinois
By Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois More than 107,000 Illinois workers filed first-time unemployment claims last week, a 45% increase over the week before as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the state and national economies. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported that there were 107,616 new claims filed during the week…
Advocates tout economic benefits of renewable energy investment
By Jerry Nowicki, Capitol News Illinois While advocates in Illinois were optimistic that a series of measures reforming the state’s energy landscape could pass in 2019, various factors caused the legislative package to stall while most of Gov. JB Pritzker’s first-year agenda eventually became law. At the time, advocates behind the Path to 100 Act…
Karen Whitney’s term as interim chancellor to be extended at UIS
Karen Whitney began serving as interim chancellor at University of Illinois Springfield in June, and now it appears she will continue in that capacity through June 2022. On Monday, University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen announced that he is recommending that Whitney’s appointment be extended by one year. The university’s board of trustees will…
Building permit roundup – Nov. 30-Dec. 6
Jade Illinois Properties, LLC obtained a commercial accessory structure permit for a rooftop solar system at 3125 S. Cockrell Lane. MB Heating & Cooling is the contractor and the project is valued at $619,490. Fallingbrook Condos obtained a demolition permit for a pool house at 39 S. Trailridge Lane. BPI Development Group, LLC is the…
CEFCU to acquire four bank branches in the Metro East
Citizens Equity First Credit Union (CEFCU) has entered into an agreement to purchase four Simmons Bank branches located in the Metro East area. Select loan and deposit accounts, along with non-deposit product relationships, are included in the purchase. CEFCU’s purchase of the Simmons Bank locations in Edwardsville, O’Fallon, Godfrey and Columbia is subject to the…
Official grand opening for Springfield Portillo’s
Portillo’s Springfield location, 3400 Freedom Dr., officially opens at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, becoming the 66th restaurant for the fast-casual restaurant based in Oak Brook, Illinois. The brand has existing central Illinois restaurants in Peoria, Champaign and Normal. Mayor Jim Langfelder specifically requested that the Springfield location be the 66th to open, leading Portillo’s to…
Alice Campbell Staffing to close at year end
After nearly 40 years of serving Springfield-area employers and job seekers, Alice Campbell Staffing is closing effective Dec. 31, 2020. Founder and president Alice Campbell estimated that the firm has worked with more than a thousand Springfield employers in both the public and private sectors and placed tens of thousands of candidates in temporary and…
Building permit roundup – Nov. 16-Nov. 22
Kathleen Knox Hoogland Living Trust obtained a commercial remodel permit for at build out at 1614 S. MacArthur Blvd. Larry Pedigo is the contractor and the project is valued at $150,000. 2222 South, LLC obtained a commercial remodel permit for 2234 S. Sixth St. The owner is the contractor and the project is valued at…
LLCC awarded $1.2 million to continue Open Door Workforce Equity Initiative
Lincoln Land Community College has been awarded $1.2 million by the Illinois Community College Board to continue the college’s Open Door Workforce Equity Initiative for another year. The Open Door Workforce Equity Initiative will allow approximately 150 low-income students to enroll free of charge in short-term training programs leading to immediate employment, including truck driver…
Jordan Powell to join Illinois Health and Hospital Association
Jordan Powell will join the Illinois Health and Hospital Association as senior vice president of health policy and finance on Dec. 14. Powell will be responsible for providing analytical leadership on strategic policy, payment system, health equity and health care reform issues affecting hospitals and health systems. “We are excited that Jordan Powell is joining…
Pritzker warns of looming crisis if jobless programs aren’t extended
By Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker warned Monday of another looming economic crisis for the state and nation if Congress does not act soon to reauthorize extended unemployment benefits for people displaced from their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I can’t overstate the implications of this,” Pritzker said during his…
