It’s been a tough month for Sam Cahnman. The Ward 5 alderman and attorney lost his re-election bid on April 7, and on April 16, he faced an extended hearing by the state panel that disciplines lawyers. The allegations against Cahnman stem in part from his representation of Springfield blogger Calvin Christian in a handful […]
city
Posted inNews
Ward 2 candidates support residency requirement
Candidates for alderman in Springfield’s Ward 2 say they would fight for a residency requirement and to make sure their ward gets a fair share of money from video gambling. The two candidates survived a six-way primary in February and now face off in the April 7 general election. Springfield NAACP president Teresa Haley and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Go with the green
Rain or shine, the 22nd annual Earth Fair will take place at Lincoln Park on Saturday, April 26. Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day with the family. There will be environmental information, games, giveaways, a children’s tent of activities, refreshments, a reused art fair, music and more. Bring your bike and ride with the Bike […]
Posted inNews
Panhandlers appeal lawsuit setback
Don Norton panhandles in Springfield. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Two well-known panhandlers in Springfield are appealing an initial defeat in their lawsuit against the city. Even if they lose the appeal, however, they’ll likely have another chance to make their case. The panhandlers seek to have the City of Springfield’s ban on panhandling downtown struck […]
Posted inNews
Panhandlers sue city
Two Springfield panhandlers filed a federal class action lawsuit against the City of Springfield and a handful of city police officers on Tuesday, alleging the city and the officers violate panhandlers’ right to free speech by ticketing and arresting them. Don Norton and Karen Otterson, both of Springfield, often panhandle for money in and around […]
Posted inNews
Lanes on Lawrence?
The City of Springfield is considering widening two accident-prone intersections and adding turn lanes, but nearby residents may put up a fight. In April, the city submitted a pair of grant applications to the Illinois Department of Transportation, asking for $1.2 million to study options for making the intersections of Lawrence Avenue at MacArthur Boulevard […]
Posted inNews
City proposal could spur action on civil union benefits
The City of Springfield is one step closer to an agreement on health benefits for civil union partners of city employees and retirees. A committee composed of representatives from the city and labor unions previously decided to allow civil union partners of city employees and retirees to get city health insurance, but a judge’s ruling […]
Posted inNews
Study recommends 10th Street rail
Springfield’s long-awaited railroad consolidation study calls 10th Street the best option, but the project’s fate remains murky as the federal government examines a new alternative and the availability of funding. Prepared by Hanson Professional Services of Springfield with a summary released by the City of Springfield on its website last week, the consolidation study analyzed […]
Posted inNews
City seeking minority police recruits
The Springfield Police Department hopes to hire new patrol officers in the coming months, with minorities to comprise a quarter of the new hires. On Aug. 4, Mayor Michael Houston announced the city would begin in September the recruitment process for new police hires for the first time in two years. Houston also took a […]
Posted inNews
Minorities, women poorly represented on city payroll
Minorities are poorly represented in the City of Springfield’s work force, according to an Illinois Times analysis of city employment data, which shows that white workers make up more than 92 percent of city employees. Data filed by the City of Springfield with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission show that as of June 30, […]
Posted inNews
Mayor candidates break from the past
Reform is the theme in the race for mayor, as the candidates begin outlining their plans to change how the city operates. At a public forum on March 3, three of the four candidates for Springfield mayor addressed issues of transparency, political patronage, minority representation and more, each saying their administration would represent a break […]
Posted inNews
CWLP readies for greener future
A contract requiring Springfield’s public utility to be more environmentally responsible doesn’t expire for another six years, but local activists are already urging the city and its residents to start thinking now about how today’s decisions can determine City, Water, Light and Power’s seemingly distant future. In 2006, the Sangamon Valley Group of the Sierra […]
