Maria Gardner Lara

A majority of Springfield voters support the city adopting a landlord registry with nearly 70% voting “yes” for the referendum on the Nov. 3 midterm election ballot. “Shall the city of Springfield adopt a landlord registry, inspection, and licensing program similar to other Illinois cities?” read the advisory referendum. The measure is nonbinding, and depends […]

Incumbents in the two congressional districts that include parts of Sangamon County – the 13th and the 15th — both faced challengers but easily won reelection. U.S. Rep. Mary Miller won her reelection bid for a fourth term against newcomer Democrat Jennifer Todd with 66% of the vote. The ardent President Donald Trump supporter won […]

Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray said everything was going well so far on Election Day at the 81 polling sites in the county.  “Outstanding,” Gray said regarding the administering of the elections. He said polls opened on time, are fully staffed and there have been no issues with their equipment, as of a late morning […]

Voters may find federal agents at their polling site on Election Day. Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray said his office was informed that representatives from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice will monitor 19 polling sites in the county.  The announcement comes as the DOJ plans to deploy about 1,000 people […]

Some members of Springfield’s Latino community say they are rattled after agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained several individuals earlier this week. Community members and immigrant rights advocates estimate four to six people were arrested by ICE agents in Springfield between Sunday, Oct. 25, and Monday, Oct. 26, as part of President Donald […]

Monday was the last day to file candidate petitions to appear on the ballot for the April 6 municipal elections, and several previously unannounced candidates joined the race. City Clerk Chuck Redpath held his cellphone out in anticipation of the time reaching the 5 o’clock hour, the deadline for filing candidate petitions. No candidate filed […]

William McCarty filed his candidate petitions Monday to join the Springfield mayoral race, the last day of the municipal filing period. He’ll face incumbent Mayor Misty Buscher and former alderperson Gail Simpson in the April 6 election. McCarty, 51, said he has received a steady flow of calls from people encouraging him to run for […]

Ward 6 Ald. Jennifer Notariano received an expenditure report for the Springfield Police Department on Friday after voicing her frustrations during last week’s Springfield City Council meeting about obtaining data from city officials. Illinois Times previously reported Notariano aired concerns during an Oct. 13 city council discussion on an ordinance to purchase new police department […]

The current Springfield city clerk is not seeking another term, leaving the seat open for either a government veteran or a newcomer to fill the seat. City Clerk Chuck Redpath said he has mixed feelings about stepping away. “I’m glad it’s over, but it’s going to be bad because I’ve been involved in politics my […]

Parts of Sangamon County are included in two congressional districts – the 13th and the 15th. The nationwide outcome of the mid-term election will determine whether the Republicans will keep control of Congress. Some political pundits predict Democrats are likely to gain a majority of the House and Senate, as President Donald Trump’s approval rating […]

ShotSpotter, an acoustic system that detects gunshots, will be up for debate and possibly a final vote by the Springfield City Council at the Oct. 20 meeting. The ordinance for a three-year renewal totaling $1.1 million is slated to be reintroduced after being taken off the agenda at a September council meeting. Springfield Mayor Misty […]

Monday marked the first day to file candidate petitions for the municipal elections this spring, and hopeful candidates lined up outside the Springfield City Clerk’s office waiting for the doors to open. Ward 7 Ald. Brad Carlson, who usually presents a closely shaven face during city council meetings, looked as though he may have skipped […]