Canoe dig it

Springfield man taking dugout canoe down Illinois and Mississippi rivers

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

Neighbors must pay damages for delaying hog shed

An appellate court in Springfield says opponents of a pig farm outside Rochester must pay for delaying the project. However, neither side is overly happy with the outcome.“It’s a mixed bag

One last spin

Your guide to the State Fair’s final four days

For Amy Bliefnick, the Illinois State Fair is like a party with 815,000 of her closest friends. Bliefnick has been manager of the fair for eight years, making her the longest-serving manager in the fa

Right and wrong on Route 66

Researcher says wrong road designated in Springfield

Carl Johnson grew up traveling part of historic Route 66 in central Illinois as a child, but it wasn’t until he stumbled upon a weathered highway placard on a deserted strip in New Mexico that t

Ameren: Pollution rules threaten jobs

Environmental groups push for enforcement of agreed limits

Dozens of people in bright yellow work vests fill seats in the drab blue meeting room at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s building on North Grand Avenue. Many wear expressions of c

Banning tanning for teens

Springfield debates safety vs. freedom

Clocking in at three and a half hours, the July 17 Springfield City Council meeting was one of the longest on record. The majority of the meeting was devoted to one topic, and emotions ran high as ald

Springfield father cleared of shaking infant daughter

Three-month-old recovered after apparent seizure

Richard Britts of Springfield told the police again and again that he never harmed his then three-month-old daughter, Saniya. “Right now, I know all fingers are pointing at me, man, but I love m

Video gambling comes to Springfield

City council approves gambling measure 7-2

Springfield bars, restaurants and fraternal organizations will soon be able to offer video gambling legally, thanks to a 7-2 vote by the Springfield City Council on Tuesday.The nine aldermen seemed we

IEPA withdraws Tenaska Taylorville permit

U.S. EPA urges state to consider allowing ‘clean coal’ plant

Congress candidates clash on health care

One says reform law is too much, the other not enough

As the Republican-controlled U.S. House continues its crusade to repeal the federal health care reforms passed in 2010, two candidates seeking to represent Springfield in the House take to the campaig