Mayor Jim Langfelder announced today that appointments will be required to meet with any department at city hall starting Monday. “With the potential increasing spread of COVID-19 because of Thanksgiving Day travel and gatherings, we are taking additional precautions while continuing our services to the public,” Langfelder said in a written statement. “The decisions we […]
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Open for business
Some local restaurants are reopening what looks like indoor dining, with the blessing of the Sangamon County Department of Public Health. “We just got updated from the Health Dept. that since we can open 50% or more of our front windows, like the last outdoor dining sanction months ago, we are able once again to […]
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Hitler posting draws judicial attention
On Tuesday, Nov. 17, Tim Timoney, a Springfield lawyer who runs a west side tavern, posted a doctored photo of Gov. JB Pritzker on his Facebook page that included a toothbrush mustache, a Hitler-style haircut and a reference to “der Fuhrer.” Within a day, judges in the 11th Judicial Circuit, where Timoney is employed as […]
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Bar owner, lawyer depicts governor as Hitler
A local lawyer and tavern owner has compared Gov. JB Pritzker to Adolf Hitler on a Facebook posting that depicts the governor, who is Jewish, as the German dictator. “Achtung!” reads the posting by Tim Timoney, owner of The Corner Pub and Grill, “der Fuhrer has spoken!” The posting includes a doctored photo of Pritzker […]
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Fire chief announces retirement
Springfield Fire Chief Allen Reyne will retire effective Dec.1. The chief, who has led the city response to the pandemic, announced his decision at tonight’s city council meeting. In an interview, Reyne said that the stress of responding to the pandemic hastened his decision to retire, which he said was his decision alone.
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Titans set to depart SJ-R
A pair of heavyweights are leaving the State Journal-Register. Political writer and columnist Bernard Schoenburg and statehouse reporter Doug Finke have accepted buyouts and will be departing the paper on Dec. 1. Finke has worked at the SJ-R since the 1970s; Schoenburg’s first byline appeared in the paper in 1990. Their departures will leave the […]
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County and city continue to defy COVID-19 mitigation measures
The city of Springfield and Sangamon County continue to defy state COVID-19 mitigation measures that were to go into effect on Sunday. During a Tuesday press conference, the county announced and released a temporary rule that a county spokesperson said goes into effect on Friday at 12:01 a.m. Instead of restricting indoor service at bars […]
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Letter threatens Springfield woman over politics
Lindsay Evans lives in Springfield, where she and her family have been under quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. On Monday, she said she received a letter postmarked Oct. 31 that threatened “severe consequences” based on her support of presidential candidate Joe Biden. Evans said she had a Biden sign on her lawn before her homeowner […]
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Coronavirus hits Sangamon County jail
The Sangamon County jail has been placed on lockdown due to an outbreak of covid 19 that has infected five employees and an inmate. The outbreak was confirmed this afternoon, Sheriff Jack Campbell said. In addition to not allowing visitors in the jail, Campbell said he expects courtroom proceedings will be impacted, with heavier reliance […]
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Hazy skies
Springfield air quality was reported as “unhealthy” as of noon on Friday according to a government system tracking wildfires and air quality. A spokesperson for the Illinois EPA told Illinois Times the smoke is “being transported from wildfires.” A city spokesperson also said Friday that there has been misinformation about controlled burns in the area. […]
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Statehouse statues slated to go
Statues of Illinois figures who profiteered from slavery will be removed from the Statehouse lawn. The decision was made when the Office of the Architect of the Capitol board voted unanimously for statues of Stephen Douglas and Pierre Menard to be removed and put in storage. Capitol architect, Andrea Aggertt, said discussions with contractors are […]
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Springfield school board to decide whether to begin year remotely
Springfield Public Schools is set to discuss whether to begin the school year remotely. A special District 186 school board meeting was announced for Thursday night to discuss the plan. Families had been asked to choose between registering students either for remote-only, or for a hybrid model that would have them attend school on certain […]
