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 […]
Don Norton
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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 […]
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Panhandling defended
Don Norton of Springfield has been homeless before, and he expects to be so again. Norton and his partner, Karen Denene Otterson, live with a friend who is planning to get married, meaning their welcome will wear out soon. “Unless I can find substantial support to get into another home or an apartment, I may […]
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Aldermanic candidates quizzed for answers to community problems
Doris Turner says that 65 percent of the people within the Third Ward do not have sidewalks, something she hopes to change if elected to the alderman post in the April 5 election. Infrastructure and public safety were only a few of the hot-button issues that gained traction at the Citywide Aldermanic Forum March 3. […]
