News | Thursday, November 1,2012

Jail doctor in good standing despite deaths

What’s a leg worth?Ten thousand dollars, at least in the eyes of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which in August fined Dr. Stephen Austin Cullinan of Peoria tha

News | Thursday, October 18,2012

Look for the union label

SJ-R organizes after empty promises

By Bruce Rushton

The mood was upbeat last Friday at Floyd’s Thirst Parlor as State Journal-Register journalists gathered to celebrate the newsroom’s new status as a union shop.The 26-4 vote earlier that da

News | Thursday, October 18,2012

We’re ‘bars,’ clubs say, but gaming board says no

By Bruce Rushton

When is a bar not a bar?When the watering hole in question is located within a social club. That, at least, is how the Illinois Gaming Board, which is sitting on gambling applications from clubs throu

Sports | Thursday, October 11,2012

Scrumming in Springfield

The Celts are looking for a few good men

By Bruce Rushton

It is easy to imagine the Springfield Celts as third-graders.These are the guys who loved dodgeball, the ones who laughed and screamed “Whoa!” when balls found their mark in particularly v

News | Thursday, October 11,2012

Coming clean

Jerome reveals investigation

By Bruce Rushton

Under pressure from Illinois Times, the Village of Jerome has acknowledged that it is under federal investigation for suspected misappropriation of funds and has signaled that it will release records

News | Thursday, October 4,2012

Trash talk

Springfield mulls garbage changes

By Bruce Rushton

Springfield has long had trouble figuring out how to dispose of things.Leaves, for example. Back in the 1980s, the city council passed a ban on leaf burning in the spring, then formed an 11-member lea

News | Thursday, October 4,2012

Unions not worried by residency referendum

By Bruce Rushton

Representatives from two of the most powerful unions representing rank-and-file Springfield municipal employees didn’t sound worried last week at a panel discussion on a proposal to reinstitute

News | Thursday, September 27,2012

No jackpot

Video gambling gets off to a slow start

By Bruce Rushton

The best way to curb gambling might be for the state of Illinois to legalize it.The going has been slow since lawmakers more than three years ago approved video gambling outside casinos. Only last spr

News | Thursday, September 27,2012

Prosecutor faces voters

By Bruce Rushton

Ron Stradt says he’s running for Sangamon County state’s attorney to restore trust and integrity to government.“If you work in the county building, you can get away with just about a

News | Thursday, September 20,2012

Downtown prepares for life without TIF

By Bruce Rushton

Promoters of downtown Springfield are looking toward the day when the area’s tax-increment financing district is scheduled to dissolve, leaving the city’s core without a dedicated funding