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Look to modern manufacturing for high-paying, high-impact careers
Look to modern manufacturing for high-paying, high-impact careers Did you know that manufacturing plays a significant role in our local, central Illinois economy? From small- and medium-sized local businesses to national brands employing almost 1,000 people, the effect of these businesses is critical for our area. However, after spending much time talking with these employers,…
Route 66
The 100th birthday of Route 66 is Nov. 11, 2026, and the Mother Road has obviously seen better days. Once chock-full of busy, neon-lit motels, gas stations and greasy spoons, good portions of the original 2,448-mile Chicago to Santa Monica, California, route are now tumbleweed ghost towns. But if it’s true that, at some point,…
Coltin Cunningham launches Alpha Dog Inspections
Coltin Cunningham says he hopes his new business, Alpha Dog Inspections, will help others avoid the challenges that his family had to face. “It was a seven-year saga with our little girl,” Cunningham said. Shortly after he and his wife brought their youngest child home from the hospital, she began experiencing numerous health problems and…
Springfield Chamber announces Small Business Award winners
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce hosted the 40th Annual Small Business Awards on June 24 at the Crowne Plaza Springfield Convention Center. The event recognized outstanding community entrepreneurs in the following four categories: Not-for-Profit Director of the Year, New & Emerging Business Owner of the Year, Small Business Owner of the Year and Lifetime…
Jerk Shop Go closes
Jerk Shop Go has been through several changes during the five years the business has been open, but now the Caribbean restaurant is ceasing operations. “We will be closing our doors as of June 23, effective immediately,” owner Kadejia Berkley told SBJ. Berkley originally opened Jerk Shop Go in a small space downtown at 213…
Building permits – June 16 to June 22
The Rev. Theo T. Rose and Pastor Paul W. Davis received a commercial building permit for 1000 S. 19th St. Contractor is Joyner Construction and the project is valued at $1.3 million. Acree Company LLC received a commercial permit for 720 South Grand Ave. W. Contractor is Michael Von Behren Builders and the project is…
State budget includes $4.5 million for Capitol Airport
Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, has secured $4.5 million in capital project funding for Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in the state of Illinois’ 2026 budget that was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last week. These funds are dedicated for airport capital improvements including aircraft maintenance and flight training facility development. Over the past decade, the Springfield…
Memorial Health names chief information officer
Suresh Krishnan will join Memorial Health as chief information officer effective July 28. Krishnan most recently served as chief technology officer at Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is very familiar with Illinois, having spent more than 30 years with health care organizations in the Chicago area earlier in his career. He graduated with…
Wellman Financial Services and Cornerstone Financial Services merge
Three certified financial planners have joined forces to create Navigator Wealth Strategies, a Springfield-based financial planning firm serving central Illinois. Brandon Wellman opened a new Prudential Financial office in 2017, originally operating out of leased space on Wabash Avenue. Four years later, he purchased a building at 6300 S. Sixth St. to allow for expansion…
Pritzker signs $55.1B state budget reliant on $700M of new taxes
Gov. JB Pritzker signed Illinois’ fiscal year 2026 budget into law Monday, taking shots at President Donald Trump’s budget management to defend hard choices state lawmakers were forced to make this year. The $55.1 billion spending plan set to take effect July 1 is the largest in state history and is supported by $55.3 billion…
Maureen Faller joins Brown, Hay & Stephens
Maureen Faller has joined the law firm of Brown, Hay & Stephens. She focuses her practice on trusts and estate planning, fiduciary representation in trust and estate administration, banking, real estate, commercial transactions, employment law and the rights of minors as a guardian ad litem. Prior to joining Brown, Hay & Stephens, Faller served as…
Joey McLaughlin leaving WTAX
Joey McLaughlin, the longtime Morning Newswatch radio host on WTAX, is leaving to join the Illinois Department of Public Health communications team. His last day on air is June 25. McLaughlin worked in radio in Alton, Carbondale, Vandalia and Decatur before moving to Springfield in 1998. Initially, he hosted a morning show on the station…
Vondra Social House to open this fall
A former restaurant in a historic Springfield neighborhood has new owners who plan to reopen it with a different focus. Eric and Sierra Ferrell purchased the property at 724 E. Edwards St. in April for $110,000, according to Sangamon County tax records. The historic two-story building just south of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site…
Building permits – June 9 to June 15
Friendly Tract B Inc. received a commercial addition permit for 2500 Prairie Crossing Drive. Contractor is the Redmond Company and the project is valued at $4.3 million. TC Investment 4 LLC received a commercial accessory structure permit for 3901 Wabash Ave. Contractor is Traube Tent Company and the project is valued at $45,000. David Dang…
Simplex sells to Canadian company
Simplex, one of Springfield’s largest manufacturing companies, has been sold to a Canadian-based company for $28 million. Simplex was founded in 1934 in Burlington, Iowa, by Michael Debrey, according to the company’s website. A Hungarian immigrant and self-taught inventor, Debrey introduced multiple innovations to the electrical engineering field. The company later operated out of East…
Entertainment complex with food court under construction in Legacy Pointe
A new entertainment complex and indoor/outdoor food court is under construction in Legacy Pointe. A group of local developers has broken ground for Legends Entertainment, a 46,000-square-foot complex that will house a food court with five local restaurants, two bars, a bowling alley and gaming for both kids and adults. While plans for the new…
Groundbreaking for Friendly Honda expansion
Friendly Honda of Springfield will hold a groundbreaking ceremony June 20 for a major renovation and expansion of the dealership at 2500 Prairie Crossing Drive. The year-long renovation aims to modernize the dealership’s facilities, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics. Key aspects of the renovation include a modernized showroom, upgraded service center with additional service bays…
New ownership for Turasky Meats
Kris Sterbinsky, a longtime employee of Turasky Meats, has purchased the business founded in 1949. Sterbinsky said he is already familiar with both small business ownership and the meat industry. “I grew up as part of a family lawncare company,” he said. “And I’ve been in the meat industry for 21 years now. Prior to…
Armory renovation plans detailed
The nearly $500 million effort to improve the Capitol Complex, including a major renovation of the long-vacant Illinois State Armory, continues to take shape in downtown Springfield. State officials presented updates about the project at a Citizens Club of Springfield gathering May 24, sharing details on completed segments, current construction efforts and secrets found. The…
Building permits – June 2 to June 8
City of Springfield received a commercial accessory structure permit for 1309 S. 11th St. Contractor is Heights Tower Services and the project is valued at $15,000. Wal-Mart Rea Estate Business Trust received a commercial accessory structure permit for 3401 Freedom Drive. Contractor is Wal-Mart and the project is valued at $1,000. Walker Martin LLC received…
Jay Shanle joins SAAC
The Springfield Area Arts Council has hired Jay Shanle as its new program director, effective May 27. His position will primarily focus on organizing the 2026 Levitt AMP concert series under the direction of SAAC’s board of directors and with the guidance of former Levitt AMP organizers. SAAC has assumed direction of the 2025 Levitt…
A plan to save downtown
Four development groups have told Sangamon County officials they may be interested in building a 200- to 300-bed hotel on a county-owned parking lot along South Ninth Street and collaborating with the county to double the size of the BOS Center. County officials declined to reveal names of the groups that expressed interest through responses…
Illinois bill aims to lower cost of prescriptions, rein in pharmacy benefit managers
A bill that seeks to control the rising cost of prescription drugs while also offering financial help for many small, independent pharmacies in Illinois cleared the General Assembly May 31 and has been sent to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature. The bill, known as the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, would put new regulations and…
New ownership for The Track Shack
The Track Shack has been owned and operated by the same family since 1959, but that is about to change. Joe Jannazzo, who has owned the iconic bar and grill at 233 E. Laurel St. since 1979, told SBJ that he is selling the business to Todd Rauthenberg. Rauthenberg most recently served as the general…
Fourth Springfield location for Club Car Wash
Club Car Wash is preparing to open its fourth Springfield location in four years. A “coming soon” sign is on display at 1700 W. Jefferson St. But unlike the first three locations, this one will involve remodeling an existing car wash rather than new construction. Niemann Holdings LLC purchased the property in April 2021 for…
County Market to permanently close pharmacies
The pharmacies in all three of Springfield’s remaining County Market locations, as well as one in Chatham, will permanently close as of June 12. All ongoing prescriptions have been purchased by CVS. Customers will be able to fill their prescriptions at any CVS location in Springfield, according to a spokesperson for Quincy-based Niemann Foods, which…
Cowork Springfield opens on west side
Cowork Springfield has launched to provide flexible workspaces for small businesses looking for an alternative to working from home or in traditional offices. “We saw a growing need in Springfield for a space that offers both flexibility and a sense of connection,” said John Curry, CEO and founder of Cowork Springfield, 2532 Farragut Drive. “This…
Two Springfield attorneys have law licenses suspended
A Springfield lawyer faces a two-year suspension of her law license after a state commission cited her recently for unethical conduct during her time employed by the Illinois Attorney General and the city of Springfield. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, or ARDC, investigates complaints against lawyers and makes recommendations to the Illinois Supreme…
Building permits – May 26 to June 1
Tiny Hands LLC c/o Rachel Cox received a commercial remodel permit for 1510 N. 15th St. No contractor listed. Project valued at $1,000. The Windsor Development Group received a commercial permit for 201 W. Mason St. Contractor is Windsor Homes, Inc. and the project is valued at $1 million. The Windsor Development Group received a…
Myers Building sells at auction for $500K
The Myers Building in downtown Springfield will celebrate its 100th anniversary in September, and the historic property now has a new owner after three generations of ownership by the Myers family. Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate firm, initially announced plans to auction the property in December, but it was later extended to allow…
Public meeting for Third Street Corridor redevelopment project
The city of Springfield will host an open house from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, at the Dana-Thomas House to share plans for the proposed Third Street Corridor through Springfield. This project is planned to be developed following the relocation of the Third Street railroad tracks to the 10th Street rail corridor. Explore the latest…
Lana Shovlin joins Lincoln Library
Lana Shovlin, the new public relations manager for Lincoln Library, describes the role as her dream job. “I’m an avid reader, and I love the library,” she said. “I was not actively looking (for employment), but a girlfriend of mine sent me the job listing.” Shovlin said her love for libraries dates back to her…
From blight to benefit
What Jacksonville needs most is a few more good homes, and that’s the aim of a new development in the center of the city that will turn dilapidated properties into new single family residences and brownstone-type condominiums. A partnership has been formed between local developer Rabbi Rob Thomas, his wife Lauren Thomas, and Springfield-based commercial…
Addressing the shortage of affordable homes
U.S. Rep Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, and U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, a Democratic congresswoman from Washington, have reintroduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act to support the financing and development of affordable housing locally and nationwide. LaHood told SBJ, “Just weeks ago we reintroduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act using the same language (as the…
Woodside/Iron Bridge Road project begins
A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 12 marking the start of a significant project at Woodside and Iron Bridge roads – a major infrastructure investment aimed at reducing traffic congestion and enhancing travel safety in this part of Sangamon County. The $53.3 million project, awarded to Freesen, a division of UCM, Inc., began in mid-April…
Tragedy leads to benevolence
Following the tragic accident April 28 at the Chatham YNOT after-school program that resulted in the death of three children and a teen, the community held vigils and sought ways to help all involved. Those killed were Ainsley Johnson, age 8; Kathryn Corley, 7; Alma Buhnerkempe, 7; all of Chatham, and Rylee Britton, 18, of…
Building permits – May 19 to May 25
Madison Park Place LTD Partnership & S.H.A. received a commercial remodel permit for 1156 E. Reynolds St. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $97,000. Madison Park Place LTD Partnership & S.H.A. received a commercial remodel permit for 410 N. 13th St. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at…
Future of Wyndham is uncertain
It may be many months before the Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel can reopen. The 370-room, 30-story hotel at 700 E. Adams St. in downtown Springfield was damaged by internal flooding on March 27 and has been closed since then. An initial estimate from the Wyndham’s owner that the hotel would be closed for up…
Jacksonville biomedical company has worldwide reach
Tucked away on the north edge of Jacksonville, surrounded by farm fields, sits a large facility where a small team assembles the Sensory Sentinel, a game changer in the field of biomedical research. “It’s the only instrument like it in the world,” said Dr. Jeremy Turner, founder and CEO of Turner Scientific and former faculty…
