GLT's Sound Ideas

There's rain ahead in the forecast, but weeks of drought increase fire risk for communities preparing their July 4 fireworks displays. WGLT talked to officials from the Town of Normal Parks and Recreation and Fire Departments to get the skinny on how they mitigate risk.

It took more than a week longer than expected, but Illinois lawmakers wrapped up their spring legislative session early Saturday with a budget and hundreds of measures that passed. The spending plan and bills now go to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

A student foreign exchange program for Bloomington-Normal has returned after a delay that began with the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers hope the program can grow to where it was decades ago.

2023 McLean County History Makers Willie and Charles Halbert were selected for their social justice activism and tireless advocacy for equity and inclusion.

Fathers in McLean County are often underrepresented or marginalized within organizations and programs that serve children and families, according to the results of a new survey.

A Bloomington City Council discussion about whether to apply prevailing wage rules to a private development if there are government incentives at stake is spreading beyond the apartment project in question. That's according to deputy city manager Billy Tyus who said in a WGLT interview the ongoing dialogue is not just about wages.

A social service agency with roots in Bloomington-Normal for more than a century has changed its name: Children's Home & Aid now is Brightpoin, which kicked off its rebranding campaign this week. Two of its leaders talked with WGLT about the changes.

WGLT's Lauren Warnecke stopped by the Corn Crib earlier this week as final preparations were being made for opening day, including Corny's Big Summer Blowout on Saturday night. A few staff members took a brief break in the shade to talk about what goes into creating great game day experiences.

Illinois State University has won a Department of Defense-sponsored rocket competition for the second straight time. The U of I Laboratory for Advanced Space Systems hosted the competition in Rantoul.

More women go to Illinois State University than men — a lot more. The same is true of Bradley University and Heartland Community College. It's part of a nationwide trend that began in the 1980s and has grown since then.

District 87 superintendent David Mouser said he supports an incentive plan to build a high-end housing complex in Bloomington, despite the potential loss of future tax revenue.

The McLean County Museum of History and Not In Our Town partnered to create an interactive website based on their long-running Social Justice Walking Tour. The D-I-Y tour includes locations pivotal to various social movements related to gender and racial equality, immigrant rights and organized labor.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Supreme Court justices can't argue that separation of powers shields them from ethics laws.

Catholic dioceses in Illinois failed to disclose hundreds of abusive clerics before the state opened what would become a yearslong investigation into sex abuse within the church, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday.

Peg Shea of Bloomington says she's recovering well after being one of the first in the area to receive a new treatment for stroke patients.

Attorney and Lincoln historian Guy Fraker settled in Bloomington in 1962. He's been a key figure in documenting and promoting Lincoln's legal career in central Illinois, and fell into an avocation in land conservation by accident. Fraker is profiled as part of WGLT's series on the 2023 McLean County History Makers.

Robbie Osenga, the developer of a proposed $18.5 million housing project near downtown Bloomington, said he remains hopeful despite Monday's city council decision delaying approval.

In two weeks, State Farm's auto insurance customers in Illinois will see their rates go up again – for the fourth time in less than a year. Together they've raised the average cost about $200.

McLean County officials are studying the results of what they call an eye-opening survey on rural residents' level of satisfaction with their internet service.

Community Players Theatre presents the company premiere of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Sweat." The production runs Jan. 6-15 in Bloomington.

In an ultimate example of students going above and beyond, WGLT profiles two Normal Community High School students in January and February who transformed a sociology project into arts events at the Coffeehouse for all to enjoy. The catch? It's got to make an impact.

The new president of the McLean County India Association wants to bring the group back to life after nearly three years of dormancy due to COVID-19.

The top federal prosecutor in central Illinois says his office is ready to bolster enforcement as part of a national environmental justice initiative.

The new $1.7 trillion federal spending plan just signed into law includes millions in earmarks for projects in McLean County, including Illinois State University's nursing college, a new pedestrian and bike path along College Avenue, and a sewer project in Heyworth.

Last summer, Fitch Ratings projected Geico and Progressive would overtake State Farm in auto insurance premium volume in 2023.

The McLean County Nursing Home in Normal is seeing growth that has significantly improved the finances for the county-run facility.

It could be time to discuss one of the proposals in a 2019 Connect Transit special working group report, says Normal City Manager Pam Reece, because it's an unusual development — an organization asking for less money instead of more.

OSF HealthCare has launched a remote patient monitoring program for people with RSV. It's similar to the model the hospital system leveraged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A group of Bloomington-Normal college students is trying once again to bring a grocery store to the Uptown Normal area.

Central Illinois congressman Rodney Davis says former president Donald Trump's endorsement of his opponent likely made the difference in his re-election bid.

Looking for last-minute gift ideas? Two new poetry collections by Bloomington-Normal artists may be just what you need for a cozy holiday at home.

Today, Ryan Denham talks to some more Bloomington-Normal experts to build sample itineraries for older visitors, foodies, and those who love craft beer.

Just this month, employees at a battery plant in Ohio voted to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union – an apparent first for an electric vehicle or battery cell plant not owned entirely by the Big Three legacy automakers. The UAW would very much like Rivian to be next.

Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason and Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe said 2022 has been a good year for the city with COVID largely in the rear-view mirror and the city starting to get past the 50% to 100% COVID-related cost increases in materials and projects.

For Bloomington-Normal's many new residents, this year may be their first time hosting out-of-town visitors for the holidays. And yes, the weather may be frigid, but there's still plenty of ways to show off your hometown – no matter how long you've lived here.

For those in need of a last-minute holiday gift — a stocking stuffer, gift card, or even a place to spend some Christmas cash — here's just a few options of the many in both Bloomington and Normal.

You may know White because his name is on your driver's license or you've seen his tumblers at parades. But there's a lot more to White's legendary political career as it comes to an end.

Six years later, there's increasing pressure to measure Rivian's record by more than just its headcount. Some former and current workers tell WGLT the plant is a challenging and, at times, unsafe place to work.

The Bloomington Post Office on East Empire Street has a new machine for holiday shipping — but there's still a human element for every online purchase made.

The Illinois Symphony's popular "Holiday Pops in the Heartland" comes to Illinois State University's Concert Hall Saturday with a combined orchestra, joining players from Bloomington-Normal Youth Symphony, Springfield Choral Society and more.

Bloomington-Normal's next big thing in playgrounds is all but complete — a $5 million, 16-acre natural playground at Colene Hoose Elementary School in Normal.

Too often, the conversation turns too quickly to whether an aging parent should move into a long-term care facility, said Susan Real, executive director of the Bloomington-based East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging.

Those living on Bloomington's south and east side have a new state representative representing them in Springfield. His name is Dan Caulkins, a Republican from Decatur.