Page 12 - Bloomington Normal News Today

The city of Bloomington has some unpleasant choices ahead. The city council has five options to close a million dollar deficit but is a long way from clarity. Many of the lawmakers in Springfield werent even born the last time there was a House Speaker NOT named Mike Madigan. Hear an assessment of the new House and Senate leadership performance in the spring session. State Senator Jason Barickman blames the Governor for an evictions moratorium that may cause a spike in evictions when it goes aw...

Nearly half the federal money for Bloomington Normal pandemic rent help has yet to go out. The reasons are a mixed bag. More than a thousand buildings in Bloomington have water damage. An expert in restoration tells you how rare that is and what can be done about it, even the nasty smelly, sometimes dangerous sewer backups. The city of Bloomington Public Works Director lays out why sewer backups are happening during heavy rain events.

The watch stretches through most of Central Illinois, covering Christian, De Witt, Logan, Macon, Mason, Menard, Sangamon, Shelby, Tazewell and Woodford counties. It also is in place for East and

The pandemic may have eased in Bloomington Normal but a lot of residents are still frantic about the danger to family members in India. Listen to south Asian community concerns about whats still a global problem. Plus the retiring head of the Center for Human Services in Bloomington says need for mental health services in the community outpaces supply by more than two to one. A week long series of activities marking Juneteenth begins. And legislators and advocates hope to make Illinois the seco...

The pace of vaccinations has slowed dramatically in McLean County and the health department may soon end mass clinics. It's still a long road from the current 40 percent inoculation rate in McLean County to herd immunity at 70 or 80 percent. Plus, it's garlic season in central Illinois. Learn about the ancient nutritious, even antiseptic herb and how to save your taste buds and tummy from the smelly thing. The identities of creative people can never truly be separated from the things t...

Illinois and Bloomington Normal businesses prepare for phase five...with no capacity limits for stores. The new legislative map splits up Bloomington Normal into five house districts and several senate seats. Some think that'll help community interests in Springfield. Others say no. The Miller Park Zoo has survived not one but two pandemics and 130 years. It's celebrating an anniversary this weekend. The State of Illinois is giving the town of Normal $1.2 million to extend the Constitu...

The Bloomington Normal tourism picture is getting better, but better is a relative term. Yet, major events and meetings are going back on fall calendars. Hear from the McLean County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Plus, crypto currencies and digital art based on blockchain technology are moving into the mainstream. They even had a Saturday night Live Skit, and they're also being developed in central Illinois. Digital artists make NFTs. Illinois Wesleyan University has won back to back natio...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — In the summer of 1952, the International Amphitheater in...

/ As the price of lumber and other building materials rises, the National Association of Home Builders says Americans are paying about $36,000 more on average for new construction homes. More people are looking for housing than homes are available in the Bloomington Normal market. That has caused new construction to rise sharply—but not without hiccups. Supply shortages are causing delays. And steep prices on materials are blowing budgets by thousands of dollars. The burden is heavier for t...

Published May 13, 2021 at 4:46 PM CDT Listen • 26:12 The world of farming is a place where mental health issues can be difficult to tackle. So much of what farmers experience is out of their control. Plus Bloomingtons new Mayor says the federal infrastructure bill could be important for the city. And businesses can require workers to get vaccinated or say whether they have received the vaccine, but in Bloomington Normal most are leery of doing that. Community supp...