Kevin Greene of Springfield still remembers getting his first bicycle as a child. “It took me a long time to figure out how to ride a bike, but once I learned, I never looked back,” Greene said. “That bicycle meant freedom.” Greene, chairman of the Springfield Bicycle Advisory Council, hopes the adoption of a bicycle […]
Patrick Yeagle
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Bringing people back downtown
When Jasper Madonia started working in downtown Springfield in 1939, the downtown was a different place from today. He describes a bustling place so busy that he had to push his way through the crowds of people during his lunch breaks. His favorite memory of working downtown is the Fannie May chocolate store that used […]
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State suspends doctor, finally
When Jasper Madonia started working in downtown Springfield in 1939, the downtown was a different place from today. He describes a bustling place so busy that he had to push his way through the crowds of people during his lunch breaks. His favorite memory of working downtown is the Fannie May chocolate store that used […]
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School district seeks to rebuild trust
The Springfield School Board took the first steps on Monday night toward rebuilding parents’ trust in the district, following the leak of test data from a besieged middle school. The board unanimously voted to accept the resignation of two district employees involved in the test score leak, providing a measure of closure for parents who […]
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Citizens’ Efficiency group questions state fire tax
If you bought fire insurance from an out-of-state company, you indirectly helped pay for health club dues, parking fees and shoes for the Springfield Fire Department. That’s because an obscure state tax routes millions of dollars directly to fire departments around the state each year. The Citizens’ Efficiency Commission for Sangamon County issued recommendations last […]
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Seeking a transformation
Around age six, Emma Todd of Springfield began to feel like something wasn’t right. Born genetically male, Emma says she wasn’t comfortable growing up with her assigned sex. “I just felt different, and it took me a while to figure it out for myself,” Todd said. Now, at age 18, Todd says she feels more […]
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Abused wife freed from prison after 26 years
When the Springfield-based Illinois Innocence Project hosts its annual fundraising banquet this weekend, they’ll have a fresh victory to celebrate. Peggy Jo Jackson of Shelbyville was released from prison in Lincoln last week after serving nearly 26 years for a murder her brother admitted to committing. Gov. Pat Quinn approved Jackson’s clemency petition on March […]
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Wrongly convicted man wins settlement 26 years later
After more than 26 years of fighting, Randy Steidl is ready to put the past behind him. The Paris, Ill., man spent 17 years on Illinois’ death row for a double murder he didn’t commit, but last week Steidl finally got some closure. His lawsuit against those who allegedly conspired to frame him and another […]
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Group pressing school board candidates on CCPA closure
A group of Springfield parents and educators is hoping to prevent the closure of a popular middle school, despite two unfavorable votes by the Springfield School Board. Their main tactic? Elect a different school board. Shelley Tulipana of Springfield spearheads the effort to keep Capital College Preparatory Academy open. Tulipana leads a group of about […]
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Springfield small business owner lobbies in Washington, D.C.
If there’s a stereotype of a men’s clothing salesperson, Brandi Tolley of Springfield isn’t it. A work-from-home single mother and a military veteran, Tolley started her online eBay-based business about 10 years ago, and she quickly found her niche: buying and selling “big and tall” men’s clothes, sometimes even acting as a personal shopper for […]
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Education to suffer most under next state budget
Illinois’ public pension costs will eat up nearly a fifth of state spending in the coming fiscal year, with education largely absorbing the impact. “This is the most difficult budget I have ever submitted to you,” Gov. Pat Quinn told lawmakers on March 6 during his annual budget address at the Illinois Statehouse. Quinn’s proposed […]
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Illinois starts giving prison inmates release credits
Certain Illinois inmates have started to receive early release credits under administrative rules adopted this month by the Illinois Department of Corrections. The move follows a state law passed last year in response to public outcry over a previous early release program. Well-behaved inmates who show potential for rehabilitation can receive up to 180 days […]
