Confessions of a bad gardener

It looked so easy. After all, how hard could it be? You bury a few seeds, dump some water on them and wait, right? Apparently not. I must confess that I have failed at one of the most basic and essent

State Police can’t keep track of their stuff

U of I credit cards out of control

An audit of the Illinois State Police released April 7 shows problems with inventory control, information security and more, but ISP says it lacks the resources to address some problems. Meanwhile, a

Minorities press for representation in redistricting

Lawmakers urged to avoid splitting up minority communites

UI tuition hike follows raises for selected faculty

$22 million in tuition increase; $9.7 million in raises

Certain University of Illinois employees together received $9.7 million in raises this fiscal year, according to an Illinois Times analysis of UI salary data. Meanwhile, the state’s largest publ

State’s power buyer under fire

Audit shows problems at Illinois Power Agency

Who will bring Springfield together?

Leading a community means more than balancing the budget

Every day, the rusty steel rails of the 10th Street railroad tracks carry trainload after trainload of coal, manufactured items and raw materials through Springfield. But those tracks carry more than

Minorities, women poorly represented on city payroll

White workers make up 92 percent of work force

Minorities are poorly represented in the City of Springfield’s work force, according to an Illinois Times analysis of city employment data, which shows that white workers make up more than 92 pe

Illinois death penalty repealed

Advocates say work isn’t over

The death penalty has been abolished in Illinois, but advocates say the fight isn’t over.On March 9, Gov. Pat Quinn signed Senate Bill 3539, which abolishes the death penalty and redirects money

Mayor candidates break from the past

Proposals to increase minority hiring, cut spending and promote economic development

Reform is the theme in the race for mayor, as the candidates begin outlining their plans to change how the city operates. At a public forum on March 3, three of the four candidates for Springfield may

Houston calls for better enforcement on blight

Mayoral candidate vows to address vacant properties

Springfield has too many abandoned buildings, according to mayoral candidate Mike Houston, but he says he has a plan    Standing in front of the dilapidated, boarded-up house at 826 N.