Many Illinois shoppers will still be paying a one-percent grocery tax in 2026. Capitol News Illinois reports that Illinois Municipal League data show about half of Illinois municipalities passed ordinances to keep the grocery tax in place.

City Water, Light and Power said the federal grant will be applied toward the 1.6-million-dollar project. Work will include upgrading real-time monitoring with the ability to automatically locate faults, and replacement of circuit breakers and switches.

The "Makers on the Move" tour stopped at Capital Area Career Center and Ace Sign Company in Springfield on Monday. CACC Principal Lacy Glenn said the tour bus wrap was designed by one of the center's students.

Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher says city officials and stakeholders are working to make downtown viable as the business landscape changes.

Budzinski has written a letter to the Tower Capital Group General Manager saying the property's mismanagement has "directly undermined the city's growth and prosperity".

The area jobless rate was 4.5 percent, up from 4.4 percent in August 2024, while the city of Springfield reported 5.1 percent unemployment in August, two-tenths of a percentage point higher than one year earlier.

Although the workshop series was planned to support growth for minority entrepreneurs, Springfield Project leadership stress it is open to all members of the public.

The total number of nonfarm payrolls in Illinois decreased by 13,300 in August according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security

The survey is part of the Our Region Our Vision Future Growth Plan. Residents via the survey are welcome to share their perceptions of the community and thoughts on quality of life, transportation and infrastructure needs, and growth priorities.

New jobless claims increased to nearly 11,300 in the week ending August 30, up about 400 from a week earlier.