We Are Making a Positive Difference, Together!
“I am Lakeisha Purchase, your Ward 5 Alderwoman. This website serves as the opportunity for me to better serve you on the Springfield City Council. It allows me to keep you informed and gives you direct access to me for your questions and neighborhood concerns.
The many citizens who have reached out to me have had a big impact on the service I have been able to provide to Ward 5. Watch for my Quarterly newsletter and notices of interest to you. Working together, we are making a positive difference!”
Sincerely,
Ward 5 Alderwoman Lakeisha Purchase
Forty Under 40 – Lakeisha Purchase
June 30, 2026 Lakeisha Purchase Lakeisha Purchase is a Springfield leader, entrepreneur, and Ward 5 alderwoman recognized as one of the Springfield Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 honorees. She is the owner of 5th Street GEM, a downtown event venue, a lobbyist, and a real estate investor. With a degree in political science, she has […]
Apartment complex with 22 permanent supportive housing units opens
April 14, 2026 by Dilpreet Raju “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 […]
“Black Family Wellness Expo” brings health resources and community support together
March 16, 2026 By Hannah Flayhan https://www.wandtv.com/community/black-family-wellness-expo-brings-health-resources-and-community-support-together/article_fb371f8b-682f-4436-9641-383e1e0e7d12.html SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Tri-County (IL) Chapter of The Links Incorporated hosted its annual Black Family Wellness Expo in Springfield Saturday. The event is free and families had access to health education, screenings and community resources. Ward 5 Alderwoman and The Links Incorporated member Lakeisha Purchase said that […]
Springfield city council looking at future during budget season
March 1, 2025 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — As Springfield’s city council navigates the newly approved budget, concerns loom over the declining corporate fund, which has decreased consecutively since 2023. Alderpeople, including Ward 9 alderman Jim Donelan, emphasize the need for caution in future financial planning. Ward 5 alderwoman Lakeisha Purchase highlighted the alarming trend, stating, […]
Springfield city leadership celebrate diversity achievements
February 28, 2025 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND)- For Black History Month, Springfield city leaders met to celebrate achievements the city has made. Among the list of recent achievements, the city currently has the most simultaneously serving alderpeople of color, the most people of color in a mayor’s cabinet, and the most Springfield police officers of color. […]
Postal Union Awaits Word on Consolidation, Possible Privatization
January 16, 2025 By Scott Reeder https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/postal-problems-19628953 Springfield postal workers are bracing for bad news as federal officials ponder moving some functions of Springfield’s packaging and distribution center to St. Louis. The move would be part of a national effort to consolidate functions within the nation’s mail system. In May, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy paused plans […]