Sustainable Springfield Incorporated has announced its newest sustainability program for area small businesses, The Greenest of Springfield Awards. The program aims to raise awareness for businesses that are already nurturing the environmentally friendly development of our city, and champion their successes to encourage other businesses to take up the cause as well. The pilot program […]
Special Issues
Posted inSpecial Issues
How to build a disaster-resilient house
Extreme weather events in every season now are thrashing, burning, flooding and flattening many homes into rubble, and such storms are making many homeowners wonder what would happen to their homes if they were in the path of such destructive winds. The frequency of severe storms is giving us one more reason to build with […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Add value to your home with these renovations
Finding space to install an extra bathroom in a home can be a worthwhile investment. Homeowners choose renovation projects for a variety of reasons. Although many improvements are made to increase functionality and comfort of a home, several others are seen as worthwhile investments. These investments can add up to a higher resale value when […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Renovating a historic home
Historic-home renovations require additional planning and a bigger budget than newer homes. Living in an historic home can be a labor of love. The history and the distinct architecture of historic homes draw buyers to such properties, but what historic homes have in regard to history they often lack in the conveniences of modern life, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
A haven for Japanese maples
David and Gale Myers have some 400 varieties of Japanese Maples and other cultivars at Davidsan’s 22-acre nursery. PHOTO BY GINNY LEE For tree lovers and connoisseurs of Japanese maples in particular, Davidsan’s, at 919 S. Farmingdale Road near New Berlin, is a paradise. David and Gale Myers’ 22-acre tree farm is the largest Japanese […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Transplanting trees is no small task
An alluring landscape can make a home that much more enjoyable. Many homeowners devote considerable time to their lawns and gardens, and that devotion can pay both instant and long-term dividends. A well-groomed landscape can make it more enjoyable to relax in the yard, and such a property will be more attractive to prospective buyers […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Home & garden events calendar
Get Your Roses Ready for the SeasonApril 16, 5:30pm. Barney Bruzetti on getting your roses off to a good start and keeping them beautiful all summer. 30 minute presentation followed by Q&A session. Free to public. Gardens in front of Building #30, Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave., 782-1698. Grow Springfield Annual Spring EventApril 16, […]
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Helpful hints to land your first job
Employers plan to hire more graduates, but the job market remains competitive. PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION Though the job market for newly minted college graduates has proven less than ideal in recent years, members of the class of 2014 entered a job market that was on the rebound. According to the “Job Outlook 2014” […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Crafting an effective cover letter
An effective cover letter is often the first step toward securing a new job. PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION A strong cover letter may not guarantee that you land a good job, but a poor cover letter may guarantee you won’t. On its own, an effective cover letter can catch the eye of hiring managers […]
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How to give your resumé a facelift
Effective resumes for today’s job market are not what they used to be. PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION The process of finding a new job has changed dramatically over the last decade-plus. Whereas professionals once printed their resumes and mailed them to hiring managers in response to job postings, nowadays resumes and cover letters are […]
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How to get noticed in a crowded job market
Keep calm and use hyperlinks. PHOTO BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION Finding a new job is never an easy task. That task grew even more difficult over the last half decade, when a struggling economy forced many companies to lay off workers and institute hiring freezes. As a result, unemployment numbers rose, and many out-of-work men […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Switch jobs with grace and decorum
Women leave jobs for various reasons. Some women cite disparities in pay, an inability to advance through the company or incompatibility with a particular place of business as their reasons for seeking new employment, while others leave jobs to take time off for family obligations, only to re-enter the workforce at a later time. The […]
