Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How will District 186’s e-learning renewal change snow days?

Coming up: The Elegant Wedding Expo-Springfield, IL on the Springfield Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Tuesday January 6th Patch AM
Tuesday January 6th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good morning Springfield! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☕️️

Before we get to what's happening, a big thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Springfield PatchAM possible. Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

  • Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
    Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

Find out what's happening in Springfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

In today's newsletter:

  • How will District 186’s e-learning renewal change snow days?
  • Springfield welcomes its very first baby of 2026
  • Could Springfield soon fly to Chicago on hybrid-electric planes?

Also on today's calendar: The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show – Springfield.

Find out what's happening in Springfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did the hair spray say to the hair when it got back from vacation? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high of 52 and low of 34 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 55, low: 44.
  • Thursday: Mostly cloudy, showers around, with a high of 55 and low of 46 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Springfield District 186 approves e-learning program renewal (wandtv.com) — Springfield District 186 has renewed its e-learning program for three more years, meaning students can keep learning from home on dangerous weather days instead of losing instruction time. The move helps families avoid added makeup days and gives the district flexibility to respond to unpredictable winter storms while keeping instruction consistent through the 2027–2028 school year.
   

2. Meet Springfield's first baby of 2026, Theodore (sj-r.com) — Springfield’s first baby of 2026, Theodore Barker, arrived just after midnight on New Year’s Day at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, making his local parents unexpectedly first-time parents of the year. Amy Dhabalt-Barker and Matt Barker of Springfield say they’re eager to bring their healthy, vocal newborn home to meet family and settle into life together.
   

3. Hybrid technology could be coming to SPI (capitolcitynow.com) — Hybrid-electric planes could eventually fly in and out of Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, with officials pursuing a pilot program that might launch near the end of the decade. Backed by the airport’s existing solar farm, the concept could offer multiple daily flights to Chicago on legacy airlines, potentially landing closer to downtown destinations than O’Hare or Midway.
   

4. Over 600,000 of Illinois patients' info exposed due to IDHS error (mystateline.com) — From its Springfield headquarters, the Illinois Department of Human Services reports that mapping data errors exposed addresses and other details for tens of thousands of rehab clients and hundreds of thousands of Medicaid-related cases. Officials say the data was publicly viewable for years due to incorrect privacy settings but report no known misuse so far and are notifying affected residents.
   

5. Passport registration event coming to Chatham this weekend (wandtv.com) — If you need a passport, you can apply locally at the Sangamon County Circuit Clerk’s Office in Springfield on weekdays, or at a special registration event in Chatham this Saturday, Jan. 10. Passport agents will be at the Chatham Area Public Library that morning, and applicants should bring key documents like a certified birth certificate, photo ID, and payment by check or money order.
   

📸 Around Springfield

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Springfield

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Springfield Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Looking for my packages that were delivered to the wrong address by fed ex!!
    The name on one is zyanya Martinez from temu, Louis miller on the other from walmart. It was supposed to go to an address on s glenwood but fedex… (Nextdoor Woodside)
  • I had some pretty big shrubs removed today I am very pleased with the results every time I pull up to my home.
    All smiles good price also 309 252 7683 -Rosari Brothers (Nextdoor Rochester Rd)
  • Illinois Staffing posted a job opening for Inventory Specialist in Springfield. Apply here.
  • Sinceri Senior Living posted a job opening for Activity Assistant in Springfield. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Springfield here.

Ok Springfield! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I mist you!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Springfield