Five candidates are running, but only one will win the race to represent parts of Springfield and Decatur in the new 96th Representative District. The first leg of the race is the March 20 primary election that will eliminate all but two candidates. To this point the Republican candidates are running a clean campaign, while […]
Neil Schneider
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Senators say nursing home rule not followed
When Gov. Pat Quinn signed a nursing home reform bill last year, it was supposed to make sure nursing homes had enough actual nurses. Quinn approved the law on July 26, 2010, mandating that nursing homes kept a minimum ratio of nurses to patients. But that hasn’t happened, according to state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago. […]
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Fourth District appellate judge rated ‘highly qualified’
The Illinois State Bar Association has evaluated Illinois Appellate Court Justice Carol Pope as “highly qualified” in its judicial advisory poll and evaluations. Justice Pope of Petersburg, a Republican nominee running unopposed in the Fourth Judicial Appellate Court District which includes Sangamon County, is one of three Illinois justices who received the rating of “highly […]
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Trains, buses and stores
Just imagine. A one-stop transportation facility in downtown Springfield filled with the buzzing of incoming and outgoing travelers looking for the quickest and most efficient methods to reach their destination. This type of proposed facility was unveiled by the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission on Feb. 8 to show what a “multi-modal” hub could look […]
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Bill aims to stop copper and scrap metal thieves
Legislation to make it harder for thieves to receive payment for stolen copper and scrap metal passed through the Illinois House Judiciary Committee Feb. 8. House Bill 3825, which was originally filed in October 2011 before being amended, is a bill designed to make it harder for thieves of copper and scrap metals to sell […]
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Families and legislators left in the dark
Illinois lawmakers left a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 7, with few financial details on how the state plans to close the Jacksonville Developmental Center. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability held the meeting at the Capitol to hear the Quinn administration’s plan for potentially closing the center. Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, said […]
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Consolidating townships may not save money
According to a report released this month for the Township Officials of Illinois, consolidating local governments such as townships could lead to more financial problems than it would solve. Bryan Smith, executive director of the Township Officials of Illinois, with offices at 3217 Northfield Drive in Springfield, said that the common misconception about consolidating townships […]
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Destination Dinner Table brings together families and good food
Parents looking for a way to prepare healthier meals on a budget, while also bringing family members together for dinner may find answers in the Destination Dinner Table program. On Wednesday, Jan. 18, the DDT program was officially announced during a ceremony for the genH (generation Healthy!) Coalition at Springfield Christian School, 2850 Cider Mill […]
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Is debtors’ prison making a comeback in Illinois?
Illinois citizens worrying about paying off their debts might now have to also worry about being thrown in jail if they do not pay. Despite it being illegal in Illinois to put someone in jail because of their debt, collection agencies may have found a way to do just that. The problem is twofold. First, […]
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Sheila Simon school reform group moves on to classroom efficiency
Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon’s Classrooms First Commission is entering the second stage of its process to improve classroom efficiency, with the commission now being broken into four work groups. The Classrooms First Commission was formed as a result of HB 1216, which passed Aug.23. The 20-member commission is to recommend ways Illinois school districts can […]
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Ameren Illinois launches 10-year modernization plan
Ameren Illinois, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, took its first step in implementing its Modernization Action Plan (MAP) on Tuesday, Jan.3. The plan will provide customers with a more reliable and modernized electric distribution system. In a press release, Ameren said that over the next decade an additional $625 million will be invested in updating […]
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Career center gets a teaching windmill
Students at the Capital Area Career Center now have a new opportunity to learn about wind technology, thanks to a new wind turbine erected on Friday, Jan. 6. Jim Gain, CACC’s electrical/HVAC instructor, said that he became inspired to get the students of CACC involved in putting up a wind turbine after seeing them during […]
