The Springfield Police Department says it is actively recruiting entry-level police officers to join the force.

The deadline to apply is Sunday, July 24, at 11:00 p.m.. The information packet, salary, benefits, and eligibility requirements are available on the City of Springfield’s website, www.springfield.il.us/policetesting.

Anyone interested must first apply online through the website for the Police Patrol Officer opening.

Applicants are also encouraged to attend one of the upcoming information sessions offered by the City’s Human Resources Department and Springfield Police. These sessions provide insight into the application process, ways to prepare for the exams, and an opportunity to meet SPD officers and ask questions.

Thursday, June 30 at 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 9 at 10:00 a.m.
at the Springfield Police Academy NAACP 3501 Color Plant Road 801 S. 11th Street.

Individuals may sign-up to attend one of these sessions thru email at humanresources@springfield.il.us or call 217.789.2446

Gov. Pritzker signed a series of bills into law in an effort to address the nationwide teacher shortage.

The bills will simplify the licensing process for teachers, lower licensing fees, and are aimed at creating more opportunities for prospective teachers.

Efforts Pritzker’s administration have taken so far to address the shortage include raising the minimum wage for teachers to $40,000 per year, increasing funding for the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship program by 120%, a $200 million investment in early childhood education workforce development programs and increasing funding for teacher preparation programs.

There’s more redistricting talk in Springfield. The legislature is trying to get new maps to the governor within the next couple of months. And minority groups are concerned about whether their elected bodies look like them.

“We want to ensure the fair election process,” said Springfield and state NAACP president Teresa Haley at a House Redistricting Committee hearing Monday. “We want to ensure that anybody who is interested in running for office (is) equipped with everything that they need to be successful in the election process.”

State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), the top Republican on the committee, echoes the concern.

“We have a very vibrant and engaged African-American community here in Springfield,” Butler said. “Unfortunately, we have not had African-American representation until recently through an appointment process, when Sen. Doris Turner (R-Springfield) was appointed.

Butler repeats the example of Springfield being drawn and quartered such to have more than one representative in each of the state House, state Senate, and Congress.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 6,652 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 88 additional deaths.

– Adams County: 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s, 3 females 90s
– Bond County: 1 male 80s
– Bureau County: 1 male 50s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
– Clark County: 1 female 70s
– Cook County: 1 male 50s, 3 females 60s, 1 male 60s, 4 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
– DeWitt County: 1 female 70s
– Douglas County: 1 male 90s
– DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
– Edgar County: 1 male 70s
– Effingham County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s
– Franklin County: 1 male 70s
– Fulton County: 1 female 90s
– Henry County: 1 male 80s
– Jefferson County: 1 male 70s
– Kane County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
– Kankakee County: 1 male 80s
– Knox County: 1 female 60s
– Lake County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
– LaSalle County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s
– Livingston County: 1 female 80s
– Macon County: 1 female 80s
– Madison County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s
– McHenry County: 2 females 80s
– McLean County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
– Mercer County: 1 male 80s
– Monroe County: 1 male 70s
– Ogle County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
– Peoria County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s
– Piatt County: 1 female 90s
– Pike County: 1 male 70s
– Richland County: 1 male 70s
– Rock Island County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s
– Sangamon County: 1 male 50s. 3 women 1 man 80s, 1 female 90s.
– St. Clair County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
– Tazewell County: 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s
– Vermilion County: 1 female 70s
– Warren County: 1 female 80s
– Will County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s
– Winnebago County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,052,682 cases, including 17,928 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 118,036 specimens for a total 14,457,620. As of last night, 3,511 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 742 patients were in the ICU and 382 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

A man accused of killing another in a shooting is officially facing first-degree murder charges.

Police say Shoen Russell, 48, shot and killed Darin Mitchell after they began arguing with each other at about 9 p.m. on Aug. 23. They say it happened outside of the American Legion Hall, located at 704 N. Hickory Ave. in Champaign, when the two hit each other before Russell took out a gun and shot Mitchell in the stomach.

Mitchell died from his wounds in the hospital. Police found him at the scene.

Officers in Waterloo, Iowa, caught Russell on Oct. 2. Law enforcement in Champaign County had issued at $5 million warrant for his arrest.

Russell faces four counts of first-degree murder in Champaign County. He requested time to hire a private attorney in a Wednesday court appearance.

Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz says he could face between 45 and 85 years in prison if he’s found guilty.

Cold weather has arrived in Central Illinois, and with that, the City of Springfield has announced several locations around town that will serve as warming centers.

Some of the locations include Helping Hands on East Washington Street, the Illinois Department of Human Services Building 500 on East Ash Street, Kumler United Methodist Church on North 5th, The Lincoln Library on South Seventh Street, and the city’s Municipal Center East and West on Monroe and South Seventh; both buildings have lobbies.

Other locations include all three War-Mart stores in Springfield; all of those locations are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Sangamon County Jail which is open 7 days a week from 8am-5pm; Senior Services of Central Illinois on West Mason Monday through Thursday from 8am to 5pm, and St. John’s Breadline on North 5th, Monday through Friday from 8am to 10am, then again from 2pm to 4pm.

A complete list of this year’s warming centers is available. Call 217-789-2200 for more information.

The southeast corner of Logan County may have some new landscape features.

Up to 80 wind turbines could be erected by next winter if the Logan County Board approves Re-Light’s proposed project.

The company, based in Italy, says their first US project will bring jobs and green energy but some residents are worried about noise levels.

“Is it 90 decibels, will it be 70,” asked Mount Pulaski resident Dawn Kitchen. “It is going to be a thousand feet from my house, will I hear it?”

Others expressed concerns about the possible hazard to migratory birds but Re-Light project manager Michele Milani says the towers his company has erected around the globe are built as to not interfere with migrating flocks.

Springfield Ward 7 alderman Joe McMenamin says he is not opposed to helping out neighboring towns with fire protection, but says the city council is being blind-sided with a new contract.

“We weren’t given a copy of the contract,” says McMenamin.  “It appears somethings are getting swept under the rug.”

The Springfield Fire Department has been providing coverage in the Lake Springfield, Southlawn, Woodside, Southside and South Oak Knolls districts for the last three years without a contract but has been getting reimbursed a little more than 500-thousand dollars a year. The contracts were approved at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Fire Chief Ken Fustin says the city will also seek to negotiate inspections into the contracts…..this coming after a fire at an auto shop in Jerome resulted in an oil spill from improperly stored materials.

More than 500 Springfield School District 186 students were sent home for the first few days of school last year because they did not receive their required immunizations, and school officials do not want a repeat this year.

The SIU School of Medicine along with the Sangamon County Public Health Department are teaming up to ensure area children are up to date on their shots and physicals.

“We will be providing physicians on August 4th from 11am until 6pm and then on 5th from 8am until 2pm for students, free of charge, who have not gotten their medical care,” says Dr. Tracy Milbrandt.  “We find that alot of times it may be an issue of access to healthcare.”

She adds the service is not need-based and will be held several schools in the district.

Paul Palazzolo, opening his campaign headquartes for Springfield mayor, says a top priority of his administration will be to increase the population.

“While other comparable-sized cities in central Illinois have enjoyed growth over the past decade, Springfield has only seen imperceptible  growth of 0.6%.  I want to see our city hit of poplulation 124,000 by 2020,” says Palazzolo as he opened his campaign headquarters.

Palazzolo says the city seems to enjoy the status quo rather than expand job growth and economic opportunities.

Others rumored to run for mayor include Alderman Cory Jobe and City Treasurer Jim Langfelder.  Mayor Mike Houston has not yet officially announce his intentions.

More than 100 people turned out Wednesday night to get a preliminary look at plans to give a make-over to South MacArthur Boulevard.  Alderman Joe McMenamin acknowledges the project to improve the area will take a few years.

“It is about the fourth step in a long process but we have the TIF funding in place and we have Hy-Vee coming.  That itself was a huge effort but, MacArthur is having a big come-back and that is reflected by the enthusiasm (tonight)” says McMenamin.

The project will study traffic signals, drainage, street-scaping, and mass transit accomodations.  A feasibility study should be conducted by the end of this year with road construction starting in 2015.