Author: joeward7

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

The owners of Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery and Eatery plan to open a new barbecue restaurant in the former Free Press Coffee building at the southeast corner of MacArthur Boulevard and South Grand Avenue.

Officials with Conn’s Hospitality Group, which operates the popular downtown microbrewery along with The Inn at 835 and Wm. Van’s Coffee, confirmed

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

In May, Springfield city elected officials were due their first raise in nearly a decade. But, citing the potential hit from COVID-19 on the city budget, more than half turned down the increase they were owed.

Budget director Bill McCarty confirmed that Mayor Jim Langfelder turned down a $1,944 raise and Clerk Frank Lesko and Treasurer Misty Buscher each declined $1,333 raises.

Alds. Doris Turner, Andrew Proctor, Kristin DiCenso, Erin Conley and Jim Donelan each turned down the modest $232 increase they were owed. Alds. Chuck Redpath, Shawn Gregory, John Fulgenzi, Joe McMenamin and Ralph Hanauer took the increase.

Currently, Langfelder’s salary is about $129,600. Lesko and

Bruce Rushton
The Illinois Times

Springfield’s Police Community Review Commission rarely meets, hears few cases and needs an overhaul, critics say.

The civilian commission, which is supposed to consider complaints from citizens, last met about a year ago, according to Kelvin Coburn, commission chairman, and has considered two cases in the past four years. The problem, he says, is publicity: People don’t know that the commission exists, so few complaints are filed.

Others say that problems run deeper. On a unanimous voice vote, the city council last week tabled a request by Mayor Jim Langfelder to reappoint Benjamin Schwarm to the commission. At least two city council

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

The Springfield City Council is bringing the hammer down on habitual code violators. Council members voted unanimously Tuesday evening to slap property owners and renters with fines for noncompliance that progressively increase with each offense.

Under the new language, those who violate city code will be fined $150 for a first offense if the problem is not dealt with within the time the property owner or renter is given by Public Works inspectors. If there’s a second violation within a 24-month period, violators will face a $300 fine. A third violation and every one thereafter within that span will lead to an automatic $500 fine.

Violators would also be responsible for any costs if Public Works crews have to fix the problem.

The ordinance, brought forward by Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer, earned the support of

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

It may have started with the youth of Springfield, but the cause of Black Lives Matter has found new allies in city government in the past few days as leaders search for the proper response to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

As they basked in the sweltering heat in front of the State Capitol Sunday, the young activists found themselves joined by a cadre of local elected officials, including Sen. Dick Durbin, Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder and five of 10 sitting city council members.

The politicians showed up to listen, march and, in the case of Langfelder, join protesters in kneeling

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

Members of the Springfield City Council took on one of their favorite targets at their committee-of-the-whole meeting Tuesday evening: property owners who are habitual violators of city code. The committee discussed an ordinance proposed by Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer that would put the proprietors of problem properties on notice by progressively increasing penalties for noncompliance.

As written, those who violate city code would be fined $150 for a first offense if the problem is not abated within seven days. If there’s a second violation within a certain time frame, they would have four days to fix the problem or face a $300 fine. A third violation and everyone thereafter would lead to an automatic $500 fine.

Violators would also be responsible for any costs associated if Public Works crews have to

Steven Spearie
The State Journal-Register

Dan Frachey of Rochester said Sunday he likened the state of conversation about racial injustice to taking an off-ramp at a high rate of speed. “We’re feeling the force of the turn,” said Frachey, who is president of the Greater Springfield Interfaith Association. “We’re feeling the pull. But I see a lot of potential.”

Frachey was one of the speakers at “Manifesting Our Momentum” at the Illinois State Capitol. Part teach-in and part rally, the event was put on by John Keating II, an independent community organizer from Springfield.

The day included U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, of Springfield. Durbin met with teen organizers of last week’s Black Lives Matter rally that drew 1,000 to 1,500 to the Capitol Saturday at Union Baptist Church.

Also featured Sunday were

Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register

Mayor Jim Langfelder showed a rare flash of anger Tuesday as members of the Springfield City Council voted down his attempt to consider several long-stalled appointments to a city commission meant to make recommendations on housing policy.

It was among many moments packed into a three and half hour meeting that also saw the council approve a plan to distribute federal COVID-19 relief funds, table a proposal from Langfelder that would have barred city employees from having an interest in cannabis-related businesses and the approval of a stuffed zoning docket that included changes to city code regarding adult-use cannabis.

The Housing Policy Advisory Council was established in January with the aim of developing

Jon Edwards
The State Journal-Register

SJ-R May, 5: “ShotSpotter … agreed to provide the service for $643,750, a significantly-reduced rate from the original $838,750 price tag. The city will pay $75,000 in the first year and $284,375 in both years two and three.

″ … some aldermen, fearing the oncoming budget crunch brought on by the pandemic, questioned whether it was an essential purchase. Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath, Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin and Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer voted no.”

My sincere thanks to Chuck, Joe and Ralph for showing common sense. If a house

Bruce Rushton
The Illinois Times

The Springfield City Council on Tuesday approved a $643,000 deal with a California firm that promises to detect gunshots in part of the city for three years.

ShotSpotter, which has contracts with about 100 cities across the nation to detect gunfire, lowered the three-year cost by nearly $200,000 after aldermen last week raised concerns about costs amid a pandemic that threatens to crater city finances. Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath, Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin and Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer voted no in a 7-3 result. The technology will cover a 4.25 square mile area, primarily on the city’s east side.

A ShotSpotter representative was available to answer questions during the meeting, but none were posed before