The Springfield Area Arts Council has hired Andrew Schneider as program director, bringing together his experience as an entrepreneur, creative practitioner, community arts leader and statewide policy advocate. As SAAC’s program director, Schneider will take a leading role in the production and long-term development of the Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series, a nationally recognized program […]
Columns
Posted inColumns
A third Scooters Coffee for Springfield
Local franchise owners Marcus and Lauryn McGlasson are opening a third Springfield Scooters Coffee location on Sangamon Avenue. The McGlassons have purchased the former PNC Bank building at 1949 E. Sangamon Ave. and plan to retrofit it to become a Scooters Coffee shop. Lauryn McGlasson said they are expecting a quick turnaround on the building […]
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New owner for Cocoa Blue Chocolates
Cocoa Blue Chocolates has a new owner — someone who is a familiar face to regulars at the Rochester chocolate shop. Joshua Becker, who opened Cocoa Blue in 2013, has sold the shop to longtime employee Mary Boesdorfer. Boesdorfer has worked at Cocoa Blue for nine years, starting at the store’s former Springfield location in […]
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Hickory Point Bank being acquired
The parent company of Hickory Point Bank and Trust is being acquired by an Indiana-based bank in a $111 million deal. First Illinois Corp., the Decatur-based holding company for Hickory Point, will be merging “with and into” First Financial Corp., the holding company for First Financial Bank, according to an announcement from the companies. Hickory […]
Posted inBuilding Permits
Building permits – Aug. 24 to Aug. 30
Mary Bryant Home for the Blind received a commercial roofing permit for 2960 Stanton St. Contractor is Central Roofing LLC and the project is valued at $353,603. IL-Springfield Parkway LLC received a commercial roofing permit for 3405 Freedom Drive. Contractor is Jonathan Schilling and the project is valued at $51,000. Xing Fu Ga LLC received […]
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Bob Barber sells Sandler franchise
After more than two decades training business executives across the region, Bob Barber has sold his local Sandler Training office to an Indiana-based associate. Wilcox and Associates of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has acquired the Barber and Associates Sandler franchise. Sandler Training is a global provider of sales leadership and customer service training. The deal officially […]
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Springfield Red Lobster to close
Springfield’s only Red Lobster restaurant will soon be closing. An employee confirmed to Springfield Business Journal that the restaurant at 2696 S. Dirksen Parkway would be shutting down. The employee said Sunday was scheduled to be the Red Lobster’s last day in business but that it could potentially close even sooner. The Springfield restaurant is […]
Posted inRestaurant review
Clock Tower Cafe
Restaurants come and go, but some spaces seem destined to remain restaurants forever, like the space occupied since early 2024 by Clocktower Cafe at 751 S. Durkin Drive in Springfield. To the best of my memory, it previously housed several restaurants including Nico’s Homestyle and, more recently, Brunchfield Café. Clocktower Cafe is advertised as an […]
Posted inPhilanthropy
Wooden It Be Lovely expands
After 10 years of operating from Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church, Wooden It Be Lovely, a nonprofit that assists women transitioning out of difficult life experiences, has moved to its new location at 1140 W. Governor St. in the building previously occupied by Temple Israel. Women participating in WIBL’s program are taught how to refurbish […]
Posted inAsk an Attorney
Who owns your medical records?
This is a question that sounds simple but has quite a complicated answer that raises a whole host of questions. Who is responsible for maintaining the records? How long do they need to be retained? Who owns the records? And, perhaps most importantly, who has access to them? Illinois law draws an important distinction between […]
Posted inMedical News
“DOGtors on Call” at Memorial Hospital
Springfield Memorial Hospital has expanded its animal-assisted therapy program with four newly certified therapy dogs, thanks to a $4,500 grant from the Springfield Memorial Foundation. The program, called “DOGtors on Call,” pairs hospital staff members who volunteer their time and their dogs to interact with patients. “We were delighted to help fund the DOGtors on […]
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Usher employees safely through times of change and uncertainty
Change is a leadership job: Help people get to the other side Years ago, I had the opportunity to be part of the change management effort for a large enterprise resource planning implementation. I wasn’t responsible for making software decisions or solving technical challenges — thankfully. Instead, my responsibilities were on the people side: user […]