Good morning, Springfield.

The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight carried more than 90 veterans from central Illinois on a trip to Washington D.C. that departed Tuesday at 6 a.m. — they will return at 9:30 p.m. and three more flights are planned for next year.

A local resident explored downtown last Saturday and enjoyed the new Schlee’s bakery—coffee shop and wine bar, the vintage charm at Whimsy Tea Company, and the lively Old Capitol Farmers Market.

Downtown Springfield continues to grow as holiday events and boutique shops renew its friendly, vibrant spirit.

From January to September, Springfield hotels sold 597,159 room nights — nearly 9,000 more than last year — which raised revenue per available room by 4.9%.

The strong tourism numbers come from events like the State Fair and Route 66 Festival and the city expects tens of thousands more visitors in 2026 when new attractions open.

UIS is expanding its courses by strengthening its Legal Studies program with new transfer pathways for paralegal training and by launching a Public Leadership minor for all undergraduates.

The expanded programs use transfer agreements with Lewis and Clark Community College, City Colleges of Chicago, College of DuPage, Joliet Junior College, and South Suburban College + feature hands-on leadership workshops to build career skills.

Focus groups begin today in the search for a new District 186 superintendent based on survey results from Jim Helton that show the qualities the community wants.

Superintendent Jennifer Gill said new ID badges include a panic button that saved lives in Georgia and the SCOPE program now serves 897 children with a waiting list of 191 and earned a profit of about $37,000 — facts the board will use to guide its next steps.

University of Illinois Springfield students will take part in the Trick-or-Treat for Canned Goods drive on October 26 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. to collect 9,000 pounds of food for the UIS Cares Food Pantry—11 teams will cover 2,916 homes and prizes will be awarded to the top collectors.

Springfield has launched the BEACON Project to improve crisis response by linking police, fire, and mental health teams—using national opioid settlement funds.

The project will also deploy a mobile treatment unit to give residents faster help in emergencies.

The Sangamon County Circuit Clerk’s Office will host a passport registration day on Saturday, Oct.

25, at the Rochester Public Library—located at 1 Community Drive, Rochester. Passport agents will be available from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and usual fees will apply.

Makenna Cox, an outside hitter from Springfield (a redshirt sophomore studying Mathematical Sciences), was named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week Monday after she helped the Prairie Stars win at the Midwest Regional Crossover with 20 kills in one match and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

The Illinois Springfield women's basketball team has released its 2025–26 schedule, which will begin on Nov.

14 at Hillsdale and include a home opener on Nov. 22 at TRAC against Ferris State (GLVC play starts on Nov. 29 and ends with the GLVC Tournament on Mar. 5).

Illinois Springfield’s men's golf team sat in fifth place at Far Oaks Golf Club after play was suspended Monday evening due to darkness, with the Prairie Stars posting a 295 in the opening round to reach a total of 504 strokes.

Play resumed Tuesday morning in Caseyville—Julien Babineau led his team with a 1-over 73 in round one.

Dads to Doulas Workshop

3-8 p.m. — 3000 S Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield, IL — Free entry — Empower fathers with vital knowledge for maternal health and infant advocacy.

Wicked Which? Paint Night with Ashley Blake

1-3 p.m. — Harvest Market — All ages welcome — Unleash your creativity at a Halloween-themed paint night with Ashley Blake.

Flight Instructor Refresher Course

10:00 AM – 7:30 PM — Northfield Inn Suites and Conference Center — $65 — Enhance your aviation skills with this comprehensive refresher course for flight instructors.

Ansar Shrine Circus

7-8:30 p.m. — Bank of Springfield Center — Tickets required — Prepare to be amazed by death-defying acrobats, amazing animal performances, and hilarious clowns.

Springfield Marathon, Harvest Wind Half Marathon & 10K

8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. — Danenberger Family Vineyards — Check website for registration — Experience a thrilling day of running with a Boston Marathon qualifying course amidst beautiful vineyards.

Firefighters' Lake Club Trivia Night

7-10 p.m. — Firefighters Lake Club — $10 entry — Challenge your knowledge with general trivia and compete for cash prizes.