The Sangamon Mass Transit District Board of Trustees packed a lot into this meeting, from big construction projects to dollars and cents (and a bit of personnel drama at the end). Highlights: If you care about how Springfield’s buses are funded, improved, and managed, this is a good snapshot of where the system is headed […]
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Posted inSpringfield City Council
Springfield weighs crime reduction against surveillance concerns
The Springfield City Council just spent significant time on whether to keep paying over $500,000 for Flock license plate reader cameras — and the conversation went way beyond crime stats. In this meeting: If you care about both safety and privacy in Springfield, this debate is worth watching.
Posted inSchool Board Dist. 186
Track champions, graduates and superintendent farewell
The Springfield District 186 Board of Education turned this meeting into a celebration. First up: a whole lineup of state track and field standouts from Southeast High, Springfield High, Grant, Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln Magnet, and Ball Charter. Watch the certificates, team shout-outs, and a rare moment where middle and high schools all share the spotlight. […]
Posted inSchool Board Dist. 186
New student supports and changing school ratings in Springfield
The Springfield District 186 Board of Education meeting started like the last day of school feels: celebrations, diplomas on the way, and summer plans taking shape. Highlights from this week’s reel: If you care about how Springfield handles expelled students, how our schools will really be judged next year, or what support is available for […]
Posted inSpringfield City Council
Springfield storm siren fallout and future preparedness
The Springfield City Council meeting got heated after last week’s severe weather — especially when Ward 4 Ald. Larry Rockford challenged the fire chief on why the tornado sirens stayed silent and said the city was “lucky nobody’s dead.” That tense back-and-forth turned into a bigger push to fix warning protocols before the next storm, […]
Posted inSpringfield City Council
Data centers, policing and remembering Sonya
At this week’s Springfield City Council meeting, residents raised some heavy questions — and some hopeful invitations. Lori McKiernan, a local utility watchdog challenged the council over changes to large-load electric rates, warning that removing this section of code could be tied to undisclosed data center deals. They pointed to similar patterns in other Illinois […]
Posted inSangamon County Board
Courthouse heroism and calls to honor Sonya Massey
The Sangamon County Board packed a lot into this meeting, starting with something rare: a unanimous vote to appoint a new member and an on-the-spot swearing in at the front of the room. Right after, the board paused regular business so the sheriff could publicly recognize court security officers and a civilian whose fast CPR/AED […]
Posted inSpringfield City Council
Council discusses jail conditions and police conduct
The Springfield City Council heard some hard truths this week. Ken Pacha called out the city’s big bet on tourism and a higher hotel tax, asking why leaders keep chasing “grand slams” like new hotels while food bank lines grow, downtown storefronts sit empty, and people sleep on the sidewalks. Tiarika Sullivan shared how a […]
Posted inSchool Board Dist. 186
Jerome TIF deal and teacher safety concerns
The Springfield District 186 Board of Education packed a lot into this meeting: – A cyberattack hit Canvas, the district’s learning management system. Hear why district leaders say emails and passwords weren’t exposed — and what protections are in place.– Graduation is almost here. Get the times, what you *can’t* bring (sorry, cowbells), and what […]
Posted inSpringfield City Council
Hotel evictions, tenant rights and police limits
At this week’s Springfield City Council meeting, a strange hotel incident turned into a bigger debate about how our laws actually work at the door of a room. Alderman Roy Williams Jr. pressed the city’s top lawyer and police leadership about an officer who allegedly “taught” a hotel guest how to use the 30 day […]
Posted inSpringfield City Council
Racist letter, power struggles and east side investment
At this week’s Springfield City Council meeting, tensions over race, power and money were impossible to ignore. Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory read a racist letter he’d just received about Ward 2 — attacking east side residents and businesses — and linked it to years of stalled investment and the city’s lack of a real […]
