Bloomington
LATEST NEWS
Bloomington-Normal unemployment rate tops 5%
Unemployment in Bloomington-Normal rose to 5.3% last month, more than a full point higher than it was in May [4.2%]. Data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security [IDES] show statewide unemployment in June increased to 6.1%. The Bloomington-Normal labor market, which includes McLean and DeWitt counties, added 900 jobs...
Bloomington Police to Address False Alarm Burden with Updated Ordinance and Penalties
The City of Bloomington is taking a firm stand on the pervasive issue of false alarms, which local law enforcement finds themselves responding to with increasing regularity. According to the Bloomington Police Department, officers answer the call for upwards of 2000 alarm system activations each year. Half of these, the department notes, are false alarms, a significant drain on resources. An updated ordinance, last revised in 2000, and a reinforced penalty structure are in the works to tackle this area of concern.
Roger Bedeker to run for Bloomington City Council in Ward 9
A State Farm employee has announced he is running for Bloomington City Council in Ward 9. Roger Bedeker said in a news release he will focus on reducing taxpayer burden, promoting economic development, addressing aging infrastructure, and keeping residents safe. “I am passionate about what lies ahead for our community....
Man sentenced to 123 years in prison for his role in Bloomington shooting
A Chicago area man has been sentenced to 123 years in prison for his involvement in a fatal shooting that occurred on Bloomington's west side in 2020. Malcolm J. Johnson, 31, of Riverdale, was convicted in May of killing 20-year-old Jaleel Johnson, who was a father and concrete worker. The shooting also resulted in injuries to two other people who were in their 20s.
Gonzales Joins CSC Executive Board of Directors
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The College Sports Communicators Executive Board of Directors announced the addition of Illinois Wesleyan University's Assistant Athletic Director of Athletic Communications Katie Gonzales as the 2024-25 College Division Representative, Friday, July 26. The CSC finalized its 2024-25 Board of Directors in a special meeting, Thursday, July 25 meeting its need to fill one open position due to a previous member stepping down following a job change. Gonzales, who is also the second vice president of the CSC Division III Cabinet, will serve in the role for one year and will be able to run for a full...
Miller Park Zoo set to open historic animal building for first time since 2020
BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) - For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bloomington’s Miller Park Zoo is reopening the historic Katthoefer Animal Building to the public. The building was closed to visitors in March 2020 because the big cats, primates, and members of the weasel family...
Local sports recap for July 25, 2024
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — Normal West beat Normal Community in the summer renewal of an intercity volleyball rivalry. The Wildcats beat the Iron in one of the opening matches of the third night of the Illini Elite Summer Volleyball Tournament on Thursday in Bloomington. Morton and Dee-Mack were multiple-match winners in the high school league. […]
Details yet to come after Bloomington council approves housing package, TIF district
One of the wrinkles in the downtown Bloomington Tax Increment Financing District the city council has just created is that if it doesn't perform, half the property tax money generated will go back to taxing bodies like Bloomington schools. City Manager Jeff Jurgens said the standard included in the intergovernmental...
Five Men’s Golfers Named Cobalt All-America Scholars
NORMAN, Okla. - The Golf Coaches Association of America announced the Cobalt All-America Scholars Thursday, July 25. The Illinois Wesleyan University men's golf team was well-represented as five Titans garnered the distinction, tying for the second-most across NCAA Division III. Receiving the accolade were sophomores Juney Bai (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) and Michael Spitzer (Hinsdale, Ill.-Hinsdale Central), juniors Quinn Clifford (Chicago, Ill.-Brother Rice) and Griffin Pohl (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township), and fifth-year Bobby Beaubien (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington).
The House on Garling is nearly done — again
The first thing to know about the house at 1905 Garling Drive in Bloomington is that you cannot miss it. Tucked within a nondescript neighborhood of mid-century ranch homes is the house Tom Kirk built. Several years ago, Kirk, the former co-owner of Henson Disposal, started adding scrap metal sculptures to his home and yard.
Choir Tour of Europe Unites Students, Alumni for Ferguson’s Final Performance
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A shared devotion to music and the legacy of a retiring choral professor united Illinois Wesleyan University alumni and students for an award-winning Collegiate Choir tour in Europe this summer. Fern Rosetta Sherff Endowed Professor of Music J. Scott Ferguson is retiring after nearly 30 years...
Brightpoint raises funds to support doula services for B-N's Latinx community
A nonprofit agency wants to expand its outreach to Bloomington-Normal's Latinx population, specifically expecting mothers. Brightpoint has dozens of programs to serve McLean County families at every stage of family development. The agency is working to broaden the population it serves by providing tools to make its services more accessible to non-English speaking families.
McHistory: 'Cousin Emmy' was a pioneer of country and roots music
Bloomington-Normal and McLean County are not really known as a cradle of country music. But there was this one time...in the 1930s. Cynthia May Carver, better known by her stage name “Cousin Emmy,” was a pioneer in country and roots music during the golden age of radio from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Driver ordered to pay $1M restitution after speeding car crashed into 2 Illinois State University students
NORMAL (25News Now) - A Chicago-area man must pay $1 million restitution to one of two Illinois State University students badly hurt almost two years ago when his speeding car crashed into them near a popular Uptown Normal bar. Aidan McCain, 22, pleaded guilty on Wednesday in McLean County to...
Kroger-Albertson's merger halted; future of 35 Illinois Mariano's, Jewel stores uncertain
The Kroger-Albertson's merger has been halted.The state of Colorado has filed a lawsuit to permanently block Kroger and Albertson's business plans until a court rules on the "megamerger," the state's attorney general said. Friday.ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchThe block on the merger puts the future of 35 Mariano's and Jewel Osco stores in Illinois into uncertainty. Kroger and Albertson's had previously released a full list of all the stores they would sell off if their merger is approved, which included the 35 Illinois stores.The two grocery chains had committed in September 2023 to selling more...
Our Newest Redbirds: Nursing student decides she can still go far at her hometown university
Mallory Witzemann grew up in Normal, so when it came time to pick a college she was set—like a lot of her contemporaries—on going to a school many miles from home. Illinois State University was not on the short list for this incoming freshman. “Honestly, choosing to go...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.