Dave Bretz, chief financial officer of Heartland Credit Union, will retire from his position effective May 1, after more than 33 years of service to the organization. Bretz joined the HCU Board of Directors in February 1991 and served on the board until June 1998. Following his tenure on the board, Bretz was hired at […]
Newsletter – Biz Bites
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Building permits – April 15 – April 21
Roger H. Jennings received a commercial remodel permit for 4501 Wabash Ave. Contractor is Smoky Jennings and the project is valued at $2,000. Washington Street Mission received a commercial remodel permit for 408 N. Fourth St. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $328,643. RR Family LLC dba Raymond E. Roland received […]
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Brian Barstead to retire
Brian Barstead has spent most of his professional career helping clients learn to manage their money and plan for retirement, and now he’s preparing to take his own advice. “I’m retiring from Ameriprise and financial planning and have transferred ownership of my franchise to Jennifer Sylvia,” Barstead said. “My last official date is still tentative, […]
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Man arrested by FBI owns property with an Illinois state trooper
A 60-year-old man charged in federal court with operating six “houses of prostitution” in Springfield wants to transfer his ownership interest in an office building to an Illinois state trooper who jointly owns the building. Gregory L. Fraase of Springfield asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught for permission to transfer his interest in a vacant […]
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Lights out for Olde Towne Apartments
Dennis Hull is losing his home of 18 years through no fault of his own. “I always paid my rent on time – every month. I never missed a month and now this happens,” he said as he glanced down the entrance to Olde Towne apartments at the intersection of Bruns Lane and Jefferson Street. […]
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A self-serve farmers market
The tiny Scott County community of Riggston, 50 miles west of Springfield, with a mere 18 residents, is drawing national attention for a self-serve operation in a small building that is addressing the issue of rural American food deserts. “There is not another one like this in the United States,” said Jenny Sauer-Schmidgall, the owner […]
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Wm. Van Coffee Café to open April 19
The wait is almost over for fans of Wm. Van’s, with the relocated and revamped coffee shop scheduled to open at 7 a.m. on Friday, April 19, in Vinegar Hill Mall. The original Wm. Van’s Coffee House at the corner of Seventh and Jackson streets closed in April 2022 and 7th Street Cidery later opened […]
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Building permits – April 8 – April 14
Cherry Hills Baptist Church received commercial permit for 2125 Woodside Road. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $4.1 million. City of Springfield received a commercial demolition permit for 1613 North Grand Ave. E. Contractor is GreenTrac, LLC and the project is valued at $9,375. City of Springfield received a commercial demolition […]
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Making downtown Springfield more marketable
Doubling the Bank of Springfield Center’s size would result in a similar increase in conventions coming to the capital city, and construction of a new 300-bed hotel adjacent to the center would maximize the expanded facility’s potential. Those were two of the major conclusions from a recently completed feasibility study of the potential impact of […]
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Grand opening for The Railyard
Following a brief soft opening in November, The Railyard reopened for the season April 12-14. The outdoor food venue at 2442 S. Sixth St. is based around shipping containers. It opened Nov. 3 and operated for several weeks before closing for the season. The brick-and-mortar building on site, Zuba’s Café and Creamery, has remained open […]
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Jason Knoedler appointed CEO of Bank of Springfield
Jason Knoedler has been appointed as the new chief executive officer for Bank of Springfield (BOS), effective immediately. Knoedler has been with BOS for 18 years. “Jason’s proven track record of leadership and his ability to inspire those around him make him the perfect choice to lead BOS into the future,” said Mike Pence, president […]
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County bars to close earlier
The Sangamon County Board opted not to allow for more public comment and instead voted 21-5 on April 8 to eliminate 3 a.m. liquor licenses for bars in unincorporated areas outside Springfield and other municipalities. The decision will affect four taverns with 3 a.m. liquor licenses, effective July 1, and will require those establishments, if […]