BY VAL YAZELL PRESIDENT OF LOCAL FIRST SPRINGFIELD “Think local first.” You have likely heard this phrase used by the independently owned businesses in our community. It is the calling card for Local First Springfield, a not-for-profit group of local independent businesses in the greater Springfield area. But what exactly does it mean to you, […]
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More than it seems – Inside Hope Inclusion Café and Play
By Patrick Yeagle A young worker circles pictures of bread, meat, cheese and toppings on a colorful laminated sheet as he takes a customer’s order at Hope Inclusion Café and Play. It’s one of the very few clues that this is a special place, and it’s supposed to be that way. The cafe opened on […]
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Anheuser-Busch sues Chick Fritz in distribution dispute
BY MONICA STABILE Springfield business Robert ‘Chick’ Fritz Inc. is being sued by Anheuser-Busch for refusing to give up the right to distribute several European brands of beer. The federal lawsuit and a counterclaim by Chick Fritz question the application of a state law regulating beer distribution. Anheuser-Busch filed its complaint at the end of […]
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Medical cannabis industry sees room to grow
BY MONICA STABILE Employment in Illinois’ medical marijuana industry has more than doubled in one year, resulting in millions of dollars in annual economic output for the state. One industry group says the program is capable of even more. The Illinois medical cannabis pilot program has generated $147.8 million in annual economic activity, in addition […]
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Substitute medical marijuana for opioids, supporters say
BY MONICA STABILE Supporters of medical cannabis hope to expand the number of conditions currently covered under Illinois law to help reduce the number of people who overdose on opioid drugs. There were more fatalities in Illinois from opioid drug overdoses than from homicides or car accidents in 2014, according to the latest data from […]
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A new vision for an old block
BY PATRICK YEAGLE Dan Senftner practically bursts with excitement when talking about Main Street Square, the public space he helped develop nearly a decade ago in Rapid City, South Dakota. “It’s been over the top – far more than we ever dreamed,” he said. Senftner is president and CEO of Destination Rapid City, a combination […]
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Women of Influence – M.T. Vann
BY PATRICK YEAGLE She grew up the only girl with five brothers. Maybe that was where Mary Therese Vann first learned to hold her own. Known as M.T. to many, Mary Therese Vann of Springfield died Dec. 31, 2016, leaving a respected legacy of making her own way in the worlds of business and social […]
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Women of Influence – Dr. Tracey Smith
BY COURTNEY ENLOW HALL As the director of population health and community outreach for the SIU Center for Family Medicine, Dr. Tracey Smith has devoted her professional life to providing access and equity to people in vulnerable situations. “When I look at something, I always look at it in terms of a system,” she said. […]
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Women of Influence – Rasha Said
BY COURTNEY ENLOW HALL Necessity is the mother of invention, and Rasha Said is a mother whose invention was born out of necessity. When her young son started to lose his vision, Said began to realize how important it was for him to remain independent. On a family trip to Disney World, she found herself […]
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Women of Influence – Margaret “Boony” Luparell
BY ROBERTA CODEMO The odds were stacked against Margaret “Boony” Luparell of Dawson from day one. Born on the south side of Chicago, her family moved to Springfield when she was about four years old. She grew up on Springfield’s north side, the youngest of five children. “I come from very humble beginnings,” she said. […]
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Women of Influence – Dr. Susan Koch
BY ROBERTA CODEMO Dr. Susan J. Koch always looked up to her mother, who worked full-time while raising five children in a rural South Dakota town. “She was a very courageous and dedicated person,” Koch said. “She had high expectations for us. I didn’t want to disappoint her.” Whenever she left the house, Koch’s mother […]
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Women of Influence – Molly Berendt
BY COURTNEY ENLOW HALL Molly Berendt was 23 years old when she started the program that would change both her life and the lives of Springfield’s homeless children. Beginning as a ministry at Douglas Avenue Methodist Church, the Compass program – now Compass for Kids – sought to support homeless children at Dubois Middle School. […]