If its aldermen were running Springfield’s fire stations, the city would have burned down years ago. On Oct. 18 the Springfield City Council passed a complex new ordinance that stiffened the penalties for owners of dilapidated buildings. The vote came a mere nine years after consultants urged that such action was necessary to slow the […]
east side
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New election district may benefit Springfield’s east side
A new election map approved by the Illinois General Assembly could result in better representation for Springfield’s east side. Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner testified at a May 24 hearing of the Illinois House and Senate redistricting committees, telling lawmakers that a new election district joining Springfield’s east side with much of Decatur could aid […]
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Census shows more minority businesses
When Michael Pittman first began publishing the Capital City Courier newspaper in Springfield in 2006, he wanted to address issues facing an African-American audience – issues he says often aren’t important to mainstream media. “It was something I always wanted to do,” Pittman says. “The emphasis for me was being an alternative source of news […]
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East side murder brings call for change
A slightly tense and confrontational passion filled the air of an old meeting room at Union Baptist Church on Springfield’s east side. Gathered there on a humid Thursday evening last week were more than 50 activists, neighbors and business owners – all concerned about the state of their neighborhood. Their meeting was precipitated by tragedy, […]
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East side wins housing grant
The sounds of nail guns and power saws filled the air in a section of the east side of Springfield last week. Men with tool belts worked feverishly to build a new home at the corner of 12th and Edwards streets, raising walls and covering the frame with plywood. Right next door, a rundown, boarded-up […]
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Fighting for space
In a flurry of precise motions, the young boy’s gloved fists shoot forward like a barrage of missiles, seeking an exposed cheek or unprotected stomach. The older, taller boy throws a hook, but 12-year-old Michael Turner-Bey ducks and lands a triple jab in the other boy’s ribs. “I like the training and the exercise,” Michael […]
