News | Thursday, September 20,2012

Agreement paves way for juvenile justice reforms

A federal class-action lawsuit settled last week requires Illinois to improve conditions for incarcerated youth, but the state agency overseeing the facilities says many reforms are already in place.T

News | Thursday, September 20,2012

DiCenso tries to unseat battle-scarred Libri

By Bruce Rushton

After two decades in elective office, it’s safe to call Tony Libri a survivor.The Sangamon County circuit clerk has won more than a few and lost a couple, notably the 2003 race for Springfield m

News | Thursday, September 13,2012

AFSCME under siege

Union faces unprecedented challenges, even from allies

By Patrick Yeagle

What would drive a crowd of unionized state employees to boo the very governor they helped elect? The answer is about $83 billion of pension underfunding, a broken labor contract and a lot of jobs in

News | Thursday, September 13,2012

Payday loan law doesn’t apply to TitleMax

By Bruce Rushton

Debate over short-term loan businesses on MacArthur Boulevard has erupted anew three years after the Springfield City Council restricted the proliferation of businesses that profit from making install

News | Thursday, September 13,2012

Judging the judge

Appointed judge John Schmidt faces challenge at polls

By Bruce Rushton

The race for a Sangamon County Circuit Court judgeship is not, the participants readily acknowledge, a particularly sexy one.“I don’t think the judicial race is a big draw,” says Tim

News | Tuesday, September 11,2012

Parsons declares bankruptcy

Filing comes under pressure from judge

By Bruce Rushton

Jeffrey Parsons, apparently failed entrepreneur, has declared bankruptcy under pressure from the judge in his pending divorce case.

News | Thursday, September 6,2012

Garbage time

Trash talk in Springfield

By Bruce Rushton

In between debates about the merits of tanning beds and switcheroo votes on residency requirements for city employees, the Springfield city council has managed to avoid talking about garbage collectio

News | Thursday, September 6,2012

A Rolex shows up at Goodwill

By Bruce Rushton

Want a bargain on a Rolex?Check out Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, where a gold Rolex watch showed up as just another donation left at the Wabash Avenue store in mid-July.“The production m

News | Thursday, September 6,2012

Do not pass go, do not collect $200 – no, wait

By Bruce Rushton

Jeffrey Parsons, owner of a failed business empire built on buying and reselling gold and silver, has dodged a stint in jail for defying a court order to declare bankruptcy and disclose, under oath, h

News | Thursday, August 30,2012

Canoe dig it

Springfield man taking dugout canoe down Illinois and Mississippi rivers

By Patrick Yeagle

Dean Campbell of Springfield says ideas are cheap. Putting them into action is what matters.On Sept. 1, the 78-year-old former teacher will launch a 1,200-pound dugout canoe that he fashioned out of