Business News

The City of Springfield has announced the recipients of the city's Small Business Assistance Grant program. The Office of Planning & Economic Development awarded $5,000 grants to 126 Springfield businesses through a program that was rolled out in November in response to economic hardships caused by COVID-19. The city made $630,000 in funding available through [...]

A significant expansion is planned for the Illinois Presbyterian Home Communities in 2021, utilizing the existing 27-acre campus at the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Chatham Road. Fair Hills Residence and Fair Hills Apartments currently provide assisted and independent living for seniors. Sixteen cottages will be constructed in the next phase, along with Fair Hills [...]

On Dec. 1, the Springfield City Council passed an ordinance to provide utility rebates to small businesses that have been impacted by COVID. The COVID Relief - CWLP Small Business Program uses money from the Environmental and Regulatory Initiatives and Relief Fund (ERIRF) to assist eligible small businesses with utility rebates of up to $3,000 [...]

By Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois More than 107,000 Illinois workers filed first-time unemployment claims last week, a 45% increase over the week before as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the state and national economies. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported that there were 107,616 new claims filed during the week [...]

Citizens Equity First Credit Union (CEFCU) has entered into an agreement to purchase four Simmons Bank branches located in the Metro East area. Select loan and deposit accounts, along with non-deposit product relationships, are included in the purchase. CEFCU’s purchase of the Simmons Bank locations in Edwardsville, O’Fallon, Godfrey and Columbia is subject to the [...]

By Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker warned Monday of another looming economic crisis for the state and nation if Congress does not act soon to reauthorize extended unemployment benefits for people displaced from their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I can’t overstate the implications of this,” Pritzker said during his [...]

By Sarah Mansur, Capitol News Illinois Four restaurants in Sangamon County that continued to offer indoor dining in defiance of Gov. JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 mitigation plan were ordered to shut down temporarily Tuesday. The order from a Sangamon County judge states that the four restaurants — Charlie Parker’s Diner, D&J Cafe, Sweet Basil Cafe and [...]

Kim Dixon, owner of The Wardrobe, has decided to try retirement again. Three years ago, she announced that she had sold her building at South Grand and MacArthur to Michelle Tjelmeland, owner of District 23, and planned to wind down operations in January 2018. The Wardrobe, a women’s clothing and accessories boutique, first opened on [...]

The City of Springfield will begin accepting online applications for a newly created Small Business Assistance Grant program beginning on Monday, Nov. 16 at 8:30 a.m. and continuing through Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. Eligible small businesses can receive a one-time grant of $5,000 for reimbursement of business expenses incurred from March 17-Dec. 31, 2020. [...]

By Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois restaurant owners are asking Gov. JB Pritzker to rethink the state’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 as yet another region was placed under enhanced mitigation measures on Friday. “We want to collaborate with the state of Illinois on a different path, one that addresses the [...]