Heavy rain and booming thunder did not stop protesters from showing up to the Illinois State Capitol for a rally Saturday honoring the legacy of U.S. Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis. Cheered on by the honking of passing cars, the crowd donned umbrellas and signs as they gathered in front of the statue […]
Maggie Dougherty
Maggie Dougherty is Chicago-based state government and politics reporter for Capitol News Illinois. She previously served as a summer intern with Illinois Times while finishing her master's degree with Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Posted inOpinion
Minority Business Institute coming soon
The city of Springfield is developing a new program to provide training and resource education to minority business owners and nonprofit leaders. Plans for the new Springfield Minority Business Institute were recently announced by Office of Community Relations Director Ethan Posey. The institute intends to serve Black and other racial or ethnic minority, female and […]
Posted inOpinion
Springfield City Council passes amended TIF ordinances
The Springfield City Council passed two ordinances amending existing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts last night, putting an end to a weeklong debate. The ordinances each passed 9-1, with Ward 7 Ald. Brad Carlson as the dissenting vote in both cases. The ordinances will make $800,000 available for use with no match requirements in the […]
Posted inOpinion
Mental health is a community responsibility
“It is not ‘them,’ it is ‘us,’” Jill Steiner said, addressing an audience at Hoogland Center for the Arts last Friday. She asked attendees to approach the morning’s discussion with listening and empathy. “Put aside the belief that it’s just ‘pull yourself up by the bootstraps,’ ‘get over it,’ ‘move on,’ or ‘it’s just that […]
Posted inOpinion
City Council has a tiff over TIFs
The Springfield City Council engaged in a heated debate Tuesday over grants for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts. Frustration mounted as supporters of the ordinances questioned why their fellow council members sought further discussion on this initiative but not others, suggesting that it came down to the demographics of those who would benefit from the […]
