Minorities disproportionately stopped and searched

ACLU wants federal investigation of racial bias

‘I see a whole lot of opportunity here’

Improving Springfield’s future in the global economy

Henrik Rasmussen calls himself a “Springfielder by choice.”A native of Denmark, Rasmussen moved his family to Springfield in 2009, seeking opportunity, freedom and space to innovate. Now a

I killed my mom

After a life of abuse, Terry Payton, 16, is charged with murder

By all accounts, Terry Payton is a quiet, shy 16-year-old with a brilliant mind and a penchant for Pokémon. Family, friends and neighbors in the Edgar County community of Paris say Terry is mee

Veterans help out at Jubilee Farm

Volunteer outreach focuses on PTSD

More than 8,000 miles and three decades separate the quiet fields at Jubilee Farm west of Springfield from the violence and death of the Vietnam War. But for Richard Tapia, a Springfield veteran of th

Fired worker sues state over medical privacy

Fake bomb threat tied to fight over doctor-patient confidentiality

Summer with the blind in Bolivia

Springfield teacher volunteers her skills

Molly Clesen may be 4,200 miles from home, but she’s still in a familiar environment: the classroom. Clesen, a 26-year-old teacher of blind and visually impaired students in Springfield School D

Police arrest 60 on drug war anniversary

About 60 alleged criminals in the Springfield illicit drug trade face charges after a multi-agency sweep of arrests on June 21 and 22, marking the 40th anniversary of the U.S. War on Drugs. But some r

Some people get all the breaks

Loopholes allow Springfield man to drive after four DUI arrests

Just after midnight on Nov. 6, 2010, a Riverton Police officer noticed a blue pickup truck speeding down the street by Riverton High School. The truck slammed on the brakes to avoid rear-ending a car

Overcrowded Illinois prisons could be next

Supreme Court decision on California’s overcrowded prisons should serve as a warning to Illinois

A U.S. Supreme Court opinion ordering the State of California to reduce its prison population should serve as a warning to Illinois lawmakers, says an Illinois prison watchdog group.In a 5-4 vote, the

The free ride is over for ethanol

Subsidies, under attack, are likely to be modified or eliminated

A push to eliminate federal subsidies for ethanol production could affect Illinois farmers and consumers, while more moderate efforts to adjust the subsidies are gaining momentum. Ethanol is an alcoho