Good morning, Springfield.

City council approved $75,000 from the general fund on Tuesday night for a study on History Across the Tracks, a plan to restore four Black historic sites on the east side to boost heritage tourism through potential STAR bond funding.

Illinois schools, transportation providers and state officials eased bus driver shortages by relaxing licensing rules (and streamlining training) to maintain safety standards; First Student has opened 40 part-time positions statewide to attract a diverse workforce.

A new report from the National Institute for Early Education Research shows Illinois stalled in expanding preschool as flat funding held back growth despite Gov. Pritzker’s Smart Start initiative adding seats to serve more children (the state ranked fourth for 3-year-old enrollment but lagged for 4-year-olds).

The Sangamon Experience at the University of Illinois Springfield launches 'Beyond City Limits', a summer initiative running May through August to digitize history + create classroom materials in a central Illinois county.

Historical societies and teachers can apply by May 15 with help from the Land of Lincoln Community Foundation.

Springfield Education Association President Aaron Graves raised concerns during Monday's school board meeting about teacher cuts affecting 45 union members and reminded officials of the upcoming Teachers Appreciation Week.

Superintendent Jennifer Gill said four teachers were cut — for lacking qualifications — while the board re-elected Dr. Erica Austin as president.

Illinois officials released a study on April 16 that shows drivers with poor credit pay over 2.7 times more for auto insurance even with clean records.

Senate Bill 1486 will move to the Senate to add oversight and fairness to rate-setting in the state.

Illinois state agencies are boosting work zone safety through Work Zone Safety Awareness Week from April 20-24; new measures include sharing work zone updates with mapping apps & deploying photo enforcement vans and extra troopers on construction routes statewide.

Landmark bridges will light orange to remind drivers to stay careful.

Sixty new citizens (from 18 countries) were sworn in as Americans yesterday at the Old State Capitol, marking 40 years of naturalization ceremonies at the site where Abraham Lincoln once delivered his House Divided speech.

Mason Street Apartments opened today to house 22 Springfield residents in need of supportive housing, with on-site services provided by Fifth Street Renaissance and Helping Hands of Springfield.

The complex at West Mason Street and Rutledge Street (close to downtown and hospitals) offers furnished units.

Sam Antonacci, a Sacred Heart-Griffin grad, hit his first MLB inside the park home run Tuesday, April 22 for the Chicago White Sox against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 3:08 p.m. CT when interference was not called & he circled the bases in 15.36 seconds to secure a two run score.

Highland Cow Paint Night with Ashley Blake

2-4 p.m. — Harvest Market — No cost info provided — Unleash creativity as you paint a quirky Highland Cow masterpiece under expert guidance.