Dilpreet Raju
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Articles by Dilpreet Raju
Mental Health Board faces forks in the road
Some community members, including the former Massey Commission’s managing director, say the inaugural Sangamon County Mental Health Board has to better address the communities it is attempting to support if the board wants to be successful. Since the Mental Health Board began meeting monthly at the end of May, some of the specific asks have included streaming meetings, having meetings take place somewhere other than the county complex and changing the monthly meeting time.
Hazardous levels of lead found in Taylorville park
The Illinois Department of Public Health found a baseball field in Manners Park, located in Taylorville, had “high detections of lead.” IPDH’s Sept. 1 report, published with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, warns of elevated lead exposure for children and summer league baseball players who played on Field One of Manners Park prior to 2023. Lead poisoning is a life-threatening affliction.
Doris Turner joins Mid-Illinois Medical District
The Mid-Illinois Medical District has a new, but familiar, member in state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield. She was nominated to serve on the commission by Mayor Misty Buscher and approved unanimously at the Aug. 5 Springfield City Council meeting. Turner tried and failed, through a total of five separate bills in the current General Assembly, to pass legislation that she and Springfield business leaders say would help revitalize downtown.
Retired doctor donates $1M to HSHS NICU
Former HSHS anesthesiologist Dr. Babu Prasad has donated $1 million to St. John’s Children’s Hospital to celebrate his 80th birthday. Dr. Beau Batton, director of newborn services at HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital, said the donation will fund upgrades to specialized respiratory and temperature control equipment that’s critical for transporting newborns in need of medical care.
State Journal-Register partners with Palantir
The nation’s largest newspaper chain turned heads Aug. 6 – in what would otherwise be a traditional, jargon-filled earnings call that garners few headlines – when USA Today executives announced its papers would be using Palantir to “collect, connect and activate audience data to drive more effective and faster monetization.” Executives said the move is necessary as website traffic from Google and other intermediaries continues to sink.
State Journal-Register partners with Palantir
The nation’s largest newspaper chain turned heads Aug. 6 – in what would otherwise be a traditional, jargon-filled earnings call that garners few headlines – when USA Today executives announced its papers would be using Palantir to “collect, connect and activate audience data to drive more effective and faster monetization.” Executives said the move is necessary as website traffic from Google and other intermediaries continues to sink.
Retired doctor donates $1M to HSHS NICU
Former HSHS anesthesiologist Dr. Babu Prasad has donated $1 million to St. John’s Children’s Hospital to celebrate his 80th birthday. Dr. Beau Batton, director of newborn services at HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital, said the donation will fund upgrades to specialized respiratory and temperature control equipment that’s critical for transporting newborns in need of medical care.
Keeping the peace
The Illinois State Board of Elections has been paying off-duty Springfield police officers to provide security for records examinations, including the validation of candidate petitions. Andrew Finko is a lawyer for Byron Sigcho-Lopez, a Chicago alderman who is suing the State Board of Elections in an attempt to get onto the November ballot for Illinois’ open 4th Congressional District seat as an independent candidate.
August 13-19, 2026
“At the risk of establishing a precedent,I take my pen in hand! About detasseling,we are letting out most of the boys but keeping on 7 or 8. They are older this year,high school seniors. The corn has come outall at once and we are getting it detasseled cheaper and better than usual. There is nothing new of course,…
Retired doctor donates $1M to HSHS NICU
Former HSHS anesthesiologist Dr. Babu Prasad has donated $1 million to St. John’s Children’s Hospital to celebrate his 80th birthday. Dr. Beau Batton, director of newborn services at HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital, said the donation will fund upgrades to specialized respiratory and temperature control equipment that’s critical for transporting newborns in need of medical care.
Identifying brownfield sites for redevelopment
The Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission is seeking public input as it begins assessing contaminated brownfields in areas that are difficult to redevelop after being awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
August 6-12, 2026
As we gear up for the first full weekend of August, the live music scene is in full throttle mode. With the pedal to the metal, the race is on to get to the Illinois State Fair, but first, let’s take a pit stop for upcoming shows happening in the here and now. Thursdays will…
Powered by private equity
A Chatham solar project approved by the Sangamon County Board in late 2021, on the same evening the Board approved the 4,100-acre Double Black Diamond Solar farm, is finally expected to begin construction in August. At least one-fourth of the approximately 650-acre solar field’s power will be directed to CWLP. Its owner and operator, AES Corporation, could soon be owned in part by Global Infrastructure Partners, a part of BlackRock, which also owns CyrusOne.
Mental Health Board seeking executive director, lawyer
The Sangamon County Mental Health Board, still in its infancy, is seeking an executive director and lawyer to help guide the new organization. The board is responsible for funding mental health services in the county through a 0.5% sales tax levy approved by voters in March, which the county estimates will bring in roughly $14.7 million in its first year. The group’s third meeting, held July 22 in the Sangamon County Complex, had around two dozen people in attendance.
Solar company, landowner sue Sangamon County
For the second time in as many weeks, the Sangamon County Board was served a lawsuit seeking to overturn a Board zoning decision. In June, the board’s legal adviser and assistant state’s attorney, Joel Benoit, warned the board of potential legal action from Summit Ridge Energy. He said the petition for a 20-acre solar farm on Lenhart Road submitted by the Virginia-based company, which has more than 100 solar farms in Illinois, follows legal guidelines.
Solar company, landowner sue Sangamon County
For the second time in as many weeks, the Sangamon County Board was served a lawsuit seeking to overturn a Board zoning decision. In June, the board’s legal adviser and assistant state’s attorney, Joel Benoit, warned the board of potential legal action from Summit Ridge Energy. He said the petition for a 20-acre solar farm on Lenhart Road submitted by the Virginia-based company, which has more than 100 solar farms in Illinois, follows legal guidelines.
Residents sue Sangamon County, CyrusOne
Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or less from the site recently approved for the CyrusOne data center filed a lawsuit against Sangamon County and the Sangamon County Board July 6 seeking to overturn the county’s approval of the project. Chloe Russell, a Plainfield lawyer, filed the case that claims the county’s approved resolution from is misdated as March 23, the prior month’s meeting, when the proposal was actually tabled after hours of public comment.
July 16-22, 2026
HE’S TRYING Someone trying their best to take care of themselves should be allowed by law (“Man fights city hall,” June 25). He owns the lot and obviously knows what he’s doing. If this isn’t OK with zoning, we need to change the zoning laws. The numbers of unhoused people continue to increase, and we…
Residents sue Sangamon County, CyrusOne
Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or less from the site recently approved for the CyrusOne data center filed a lawsuit against Sangamon County and the Sangamon County Board July 6 seeking to overturn the county’s approval of the project. Chloe Russell, a Plainfield lawyer, filed the case that claims the county’s approved resolution from is misdated as March 23, the prior month’s meeting, when the proposal was actually tabled after hours of public comment.
An unlikely alliance
Democrat candidate Marc Bell, who dropped out of the Sangamon County sheriff’s race prior to the March primary and rejoined the race in April, is now being endorsed by David Timm, a former Republican candidate. Bell held a July 14 fundraiser in Springfield where the two men made a joint appearance and Timm praised the idea of bipartisanship in Bell’s campaign.
Residents sue to stop Sangamon County data center
This is a developing story, check back for updates. Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or less from the site recently approved for the CyrusOne data center filed a lawsuit against Sangamon County and the Sangamon County Board July 6 seeking to overturn the county’s approval of the project.
Data center details
Sangamon County’s average residential electricity bill has increased by more than 52% in the past five years when comparing seasonal data, according to a database constructed by Heatmap News and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That’s nearly 15% more than Cook County, and almost 10% more than the state, experienced over the same time frame. Despite utility costs soaring over the past five years, grid operators keep approving more data centers.
Sangamon County seeks more local control
The Sangamon County Zoning and Land Use Committee discussed ways to regain more local control over renewable energy projects, such as solar and wind farms, in light of a recent state law that restricts authority of municipal governments to veto such developments.
New Mental Health Board meets
Sangamon County’s recently convened Mental Health Board agreed on a job listing for an executive director position and started discussions about how to organize the Board’s grant structure during its June 24 meeting. Former Massey Commission staff and members also implored the board to avoid filling governmental budget gaps with the nearly $15 million it’s expected to disburse for community mental health support.
Future data center tax breaks on hold
Despite the governor mentioning a pause on data center tax breaks at his budget address in February and a massive swell of political will to regulate the energy-hungry centers since then, Illinois lawmakers did not meaningfully address data centers during their spring session. Gov. JB Pritzker, less than a week after legislators left Springfield, ordered a pause on all future data center tax break agreements starting July 1.
Divided over data centers
“The U.S. is now spending more on data center construction than public transportation infrastructure,” Bloomberg reported earlier this month. The data center boom has upended the American political landscape, connecting people from all kinds of ballot leanings while shining a light on local politics like never before.
June 25-July 1, 2026
Our annual Summerguide has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for local theater, musical performances, outdoor activities or family-friendly events – many of them free of charge – we’ve got all the details. Plus, there’s an expanded three-month calendar of activities to help you keep track of everything. The International Carillon Festival is being held…
Show me the job losses
Across the nation, economists have expressed concerns about the reliability of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not because of political bias or thumbs on the scale, but rather a lack of manpower amongst the scaled-back federal agency tasked with fielding data about the country’s economic health.
Restorative justice in Sangamon County
The seventh floor of the Sangamon County Complex is busy on Wednesday afternoons. Mental Health Court participants wait in the hall overlooking downtown Springfield. They talk about their pets, their commutes, some shared music tastes. Others find a seat and pull out a book to dive into. A black Labrador assistance dog calmly walked between participants silently seeking attention before eventually lying down in the middle of the hallway.
Denial for Springfield solar project
The Sangamon County Board voted 15-8 to reject a proposed 20-acre solar farm adjacent to a residential subdivision on the west side of Springfield, even as the board’s lawyer warned Summit Ridge Energy, the petitioner, may be able to sue the board and get the solar panels installed anyway.
New Mental Health Board convenes
Retired judge Steve Nardulli was elected chair of the Sangamon County Mental Health Board at its first meeting May 27 and said the board will need to invite more public input. Overall, administrative duties and the Open Meetings Act took center stage at the inaugural meeting as the board appointed officers and considered hiring an executive director. A job description for a Mental Health Board executive director is expected to be discussed at the June 24 meeting.
Downtown Springfield bill fails to come to fruition
In the waning hours of legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly got close, but failed, to pass a bill that would create multiple government boards to promote redevelopment of downtown Springfield. Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter said he expects elected officials to keep working on the proposal. The Senate approved an amended House Bill 4496 around 10:30 p.m. May 31 but the House never called the bill for a floor vote to concur with the gut-and-replace amendments that Sen.
Downtown Springfield bill fails to come to fruition
In the waning hours of legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly got close, but failed, to pass a bill that would create multiple government boards to promote redevelopment of downtown Springfield. Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter said he expects elected officials to keep working on the proposal. The Senate approved an amended House Bill 4496 around 10:30 p.m. May 31 but the House never called the bill for a floor vote to concur with the gut-and-replace amendments that Sen.
Jury awards $38 million to woman injured by operating room equipment
A Sangamon County jury awarded $38.4 million to a former HSHS St. John’s Hospital employee who was injured when a defective operating room boom collapsed on her, finding the medical equipment manufacturer to be liable. The several-hundred-pound boom, used for docking medical equipment on a swivel arm, injured Stacey Brown to the point of requiring two shoulder surgeries. She can’t use her right hand and requires the use of a cane. She said her neck and right ankle still have issues.
Sangamon County wrestles with land use issues
A proposal to amend the Sangamon County’s data center ordinance remained tabled following the county’s May 21 Zoning and Land Use Committee meeting. The two-page ordinance, of Sangamon County Code, was quietly introduced last spring and passed the County Board without issue in July.
Logan County enacts 12-month data center moratorium
Logan County officials approved a one-year moratorium on data center projects through a 6-4 vote May 19. That vote occurred less than a month after the Champaign County Board voted to enact its own yearlong moratorium with an 11-3 vote. The project proposed by Hut8, a publicly traded company from Florida, would have been smaller, and utilized less power, than the approved CyrusOne data center for Sangamon County but provided more than seven times the annual amount of revenue for Logan County.
Growing financial strain
As prices for gas and necessities keep climbing, the Illinois General Assembly is considering closing corporate tax loopholes and taxing offshore accounts or Illinois billionaires’ net worths while the state continues to rely on a growing share of personal income tax to fill the state’s general revenue fund. For Illinoisans just trying to get by, increasing financial strain has been beset by an unstable oil economy after the U.S. began striking Iran earlier this year.
An AI anniversary logo
Sangamon County officials revealed an artificial intelligence-driven logo concept to commemorate America’s 250 years of independence and 100 years of Route 66 at the May 12 county board meeting. The logo, which District 17 board member Annette Fulgenzi said has some things to clean up, appears to depict Sangamon County with Christian County’s borders appended to the capital county’s southeast corner and only has 12 stripes for its colonial flag background.
Wyndham plywood gets a paint job
More than six months after the Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel had its first-floor windows boarded, city workers began painting those coverings to keep the property compliant with a city ordinance. David Fuchs, director of Public Works, told Illinois Times the city had asked the Wyndham owner to paint the coverings, as required by the city’s ordinance requiring property owners to maintain enclosures of vacant buildings, but the owner had not complied.
Sangamon County appoints Mental Health Board
The Sangamon County Board appointed seven members to the county’s newly formed Mental Health Board during a May 12 board meeting. Members will decide which programs the county’s upcoming limited 0.5% sales tax levy will fund. The levy goes into effect July 1 but funding is not expected to be disbursed until October, giving the mental health board time to establish procedures, consider initial program applications and decide if it wants to hire administrative staff.
Landowner leans on school districts
Dowson Family Farms, which has four parcels of land under contract to CyrusOne for construction of a $500 million data center project in Talkington Township, contacted area school officials to tout “a once-in-a-lifetime tax revenue opportunity.” Darrel Thoma, chief financial officer of Dowson Family Farms, sent a follow-up email April 3 to Becca Lamon, superintendent of Ball-Chatham School District, to bolster support of the CyrusOne project.
Sending the wrong message?
A sharp cough came from the BearCat’s engine as it struggled to start. After another try, the massive bulletproof vehicle outfitted with a turret booth and remote battering ram for bashing in doors and windows came to life. The driver, who asked not to be identified or photographed because he is “working in an undercover capacity,” pulled the armored vehicle around the Springfield Police Academy parking lot and found a spot to park it closer to reporters and other officers.
April 30-May 6, 2026
Downtown Springfield has been slowly bleeding retailers, office tenants and cobblers-to-kitchen installers since 1951 when Sears, Roebuck & Co. moved its store from Adams Street downtown to South Grand Avenue. Weakened but tenacious, downtown has been “revitalized” more times than the Batman movie franchise thanks to tourists, state workers, apartment dwellers and visiting urbanism experts…
Health care leaders convene at Citizens Club
The Citizens Club of Springfield hosted Springfield’s health care leaders April 24 to discuss the industry’s future in the capital city and central Illinois at large. CEOs from four major pillars of Springfield’s economy who are responsible for more than 10,000 employees – Memorial Health, Springfield Clinic and HSHS Central Illinois, in addition to the executive associate dean of SIU Medicine – joined Citizens Club president Joyce Nardulli and a full room of attendees.
“A good step forward”
A three-building apartment complex with 22 affordable housing units for people exiting homelessness is opening where the Sportsman’s Lounge once stood. The longtime tavern, which had operated under various names for more than a century, closed in September 2023, around the same time the Springfield City Council approved the rezoning necessary for the redevelopment project in the 200 block of West Mason Street to proceed.
Sangamon County approves data center
Sangamon County Board members voted 17-10 to approvea $500 million data center project on April 7, just weeks after the board tabled the proposal following hours of constituents’ complaints. Once again, the meeting was moved to the BOS center with hundreds of residents turning out, many holding signs or speaking in opposition to the project.
County Board could approve data center 15 days after tabling propsal
Pushback from citizens and threats of voting out board members might not prevent the Sangamon County Board from approving a $500 million data center that supporters argue would bring in construction jobs and substantial property tax revenue. The County Board will again have an opportunity to vote on the proposal April 7. It would first need to pass a vote to remove the item from the tabled agenda, which any board member can make a motion for during its next three meetings.
A battle for control
At the March 31 Springfield City Council, several members expressed discontent with what they feel is a lack of sufficient city representation for a potential new government authority that would be responsible for managing the construction of a new downtown hotel and expanding the BOS Center. Earlier that day, a bipartisan group of elected officials held a press conference at the BOS Center to support Senate Bill 3499, introduced by state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield.
Mass text message
Many Sangamon County residents received a text message around 4:45 p.m. on April 1, promoting the proposed CyrusOne data center project and the jobs it would create. Recipients were asked to add their names to a support page, sangamonjobsnow.com. The text message featured a video of the Central Illinois Building & Trades Council and its affiliates, almost 20 separate unions from bricklayers to boilermakers and asbestos workers, asking for public support.
Sangamon County Board still considering data center proposal
One day after the Sangamon County Board voted March 23 to table a data center proposal, the city of Aurora, about 175 miles northeast of Springfield, enacted some of the nation’s tightest restrictions on future data center developments after years of citizen complaints. The next Sangamon County Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, and has been moved to the BOS Center to accommodate public turnout.
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