News across Sangamon County
Haley Williams interview
Haley Williams, co-founder of The Culture Experience, talks about why she started the project and what she hopes it will become. At the heart of this work is a desire to bridge racial and cultural division by creating spaces where people can come together, share stories and get…
Williamsville’s Aaron Kunz Talks Loss to Olympia
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Welch should apologize to Benton’s former staffer
Last month, House Speaker Chris Welch told WGN political editor Tahman Bradley during an interview, “I’m going to apologize for making her feel uncomfortable.” The woman he was referring to was former Rep. Harry Benton’s district office worker who quit after she said she was…

Local officials tackle election misinformation
Election officials sought to address election myths and disinformation during the Citizens Club of Springfield forum held at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Friday. Kent Redfield, a retired professor of political science at University of Illinois Springfield, moderated the…

Bus Stop bar back on track after flooding
The grand opening of a new bar at the corner of Fifth and Monroe in downtown Springfield was set for Aug. 28 but had to be scuttled when a water main broke and flooded the entire block of Monroe between Fourth and Fifth streets the night before. Undeterred, the owners of The Bus…

Dispose of hazardous waste properly
The city of Springfield’s Public Works Department, in collaboration with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, will host a voucher-only residential Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Chamberlain Park, 319 McCreery…

Night Glow Festival returns to Southwind Park
The Night Glow Festival returns to Southwind Park from 5:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, featuring 10 hot air balloons lighting up the evening sky. The family-friendly event hosted by the Springfield Park District will also feature food trucks and music provided by DJ Blake.…

Springfield researcher awarded SIU’s 2026 Inventor of the Year
Springfield-based microbiology researcher Andrew Wilber, a director of cell biology and hematology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, was recently named SIU’s 2026 Inventor of the Year for his work on developing gene therapies for rare blood disorders such as…

Data Center Revolt bus tour stops in Lincoln
Data centers have become a hot-button issue for virtually every politician in the country as proposals for the hyperscale server warehouses continue to spark arguments amongst community members. President Donald Trump has repeatedly backed the idea of developing data centers,…

Local organizations receive AEDs through HSHS St. John’s Foundation
Ten local organizations now have access to a lifesaving tool that can help respond to sudden cardiac arrest, thanks to the Community AED Program. HSHS Prairie Cardiovascular and the HSHS St. John’s Foundation presented automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to representatives…

Building a community where systems work together
Effectively addressing homelessness requires our community to do more than solve individual crises. We have to build deeply connected systems of care with the whole person in mind. In many communities, physical health, mental health, behavioral health and homeless services…

The Stunt Driver has heart, Charlie Harper almost bearable
The quest for validation propels Driver Ken Polsjek lived his life with a well-earned chip on his shoulder. Abandoned by his father, brought up in poverty and likely struggling with an undiagnosed learning disability, the cross-eyed young man was bullied and ostracized, desperate…