It was a recent weekday afternoon in Springfield when Erin Washington was hanging crystal prisms from a neon-pink geodesic dome. The dome is outside of Springfield Art Association (SAA) in the Enos Park neighborhood.

Washington's work is part of this year's Terrain Biennial, an effort to make art more accessible to the general public and create community-based conversation and celebration. Every two years, artists partner with residents in neighborhoods and create artwork that can be seen outdoors.

Teachers and coaches leave such an impact on the lives of their athletes across the U.S. and globe.

Sunday at St. Charles, Mo., 26.2-Mile Cowbell Marathon, Edwardsville High School head girls, and boys cross country coach George Patrylak and University of Illinois Springfield head men’s and women’s cross country coach Tyler Pence, didn’t forget their athletes who are now going on to stardom in post-college events.

Community leaders and experts held a webinar on Wednesday about the housing challenges in Springfield.

This was part of a series through the University of Illinois Springfield and the Citizens Club of Springfield called Confronting Inequities.

Wednesday's webinar focused on housing disparities within the community.

They touched on the housing issues facing people of color and immigrants to include the access available to stable housing and possible solutions.

Another big construction project is planned for UIS.

University of Illinois Systems trustees have approved $35 million for a library and “success center.” Associate vice chancellor Chuck Coderko tells WTAX news it’s a library — and more.

The University of Illinois Springfield Survey Research Office has released the results of the 2021 Sangamon County Citizen Survey. The survey is funded by the United Way of Central Illinois, the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln and the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership.

The survey aims to establish benchmarks and evaluate changes in residents’ assessments of quality of life in Sangamon County.

The University of Illinois Springfield women’s cross country team was only 10 points from perfection at the Prairie Star Invitational. 

Lexi Throne, a Litchfield graduate and member of the women’s team, was the seventh, and final, UIS varsity team member to finish. She was 12th overall, touring the 5,000-meter course in 21 minutes, 27.0 seconds. 

It was hosted by UIS, who finished with 25 points. Greenville University took second with 51 points. 

Tyler Pence didn’t come into the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon thinking he was going to run his fastest time ever.

He also didn’t expect the two runners from Kenya who were far out in front of him through the first half of the race to be disqualified for running the wrong route.

But both things happened Sunday in the 23rd running of the marathon.

The University of Illinois Springfield hosted a webinar Friday regarding animals’ ability to transmit infectious diseases to humans.

The “bats, monkeys and dogs, oh my!” was a free virtual webinar presented by Dr. Connie Austin.

According to Dr. Austin, there have been several cases of animals catching COVID-19 from their close contact with humans. However, there has been no cases of humans getting COVID from animals.

This story appeared on WCIA on Sept. 17, 2021.

Springfield’s class of 2020 was honored Saturday afternoon in two separate commencement exercises, deferred because of the pandemic.

UIS Chancellor Emerita, Susan Koch, conferred diploma covers to approximately 150 graduates. COVID protocols were in place for both ceremonies held at the UIS Sangamon Auditorium.

This story appeared on WTAX on Sept. 18, 2021.

Read the entire article online.

Joey McLaughlin talks with Vickie S. Cook, who is the Acting Associate Provost for Enrollment Management and Associate Vice Chancellor for Online, Professional and Engaged Learning about a new ranking by U.S. News and World Report and about the UIS adopting the Common App, and waiving the application fee.

This interview occurred on Sept. 17, 2021.

Listen to the entire interview online.