News across Sangamon County
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…
Mental Health Board picks executive director
The Sangamon County Mental Health Board chose a Springfield native and nonprofit leader to fill the executive director position at its September monthly meeting, as criticism of the board’s proceedings persist. Dr. Tatyana Gardner grew up on the city’s east side and currently…
Local surgeon inspires new law
A Chatham native decided to be the change he wanted to see in the world when he reached out to his state representatives in an attempt to better healthcare in Illinois. One year later, Dr. Brandt Whitehurst’s conversation with state Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, has brought…
County Board defends data center approval in court
The Sangamon County Board defended its April zoning approval of the county’s first hyperscale data center in court on Sept. 11, as Circuit Judge Adam Giganti set the stage for an Oct. 9 hearing about a motion to dismiss. Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or…
Letters to the editor 9/24/26
We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com. POOR CONDITIONS The open letter in the Sept. 3 Illinois Times concerning conditions at the Lincoln Tomb followed just two weeks after…