6+ hour, 23+ min ago  (839+ words) Driven by expenses mandated by the federal and state governments, the City of Bloomington is proposing a $370.5 million overall budget for 2027. That represents an increase of 16.6% over what was originally approved for the previous fiscal year, and is up 6.8% over…...

6+ day, 11+ hour ago  (650+ words) The Rev. Jesse Jackson was known for his soaring oratory, but Carla Campbell-Jackson with the Bloomington-Normal NAACP remembers Jackson more for his personal touch. She said a man who had been through so much " including the assassination of his mentor…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago  (498+ words) The Salvation Army of Bloomington is celebrating a $130,000 increase in fundraising over the holiday season. But the campaign fell close to $180,000 short of its target and left the social service agency pondering whether it will need to reduce services at…...

3+ week, 12+ hour ago  (203+ words) A Twin City real estate developer has been arrested and charged with allegedly embezzling money from a Bloomington language academy. Rathnakumar Ramachandran, 51, of Bloomington, is accused of stealing up to $500,000 over a four-year period. Prosecutors charged Ramachandran with theft greater…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago  (252+ words) Bloomington Police have begun using artificial intelligence [AI] as an investigation tool. The department recently combined AI and automatic license plate reader [ALPR] technology to recover a stolen rental truck with a snow-covered license plate. Lt. Jim Clesson said the…...

1+ mon, 10+ hour ago  (782+ words) Bloomington's first non-congregate shelter village, The Bridge, is open in time for the deep freeze affecting Central Illinois. Home Sweet Home Ministries [HSHM] held a ribbon-cutting for The Bridge on Jan. 6 while waiting for a certificate of occupancy permit from…...

1+ mon, 1+ day ago  (250+ words) Bloomington is looking to join a growing number of Illinois communities that have banned the sale and possession of kratom. The city council on Monday will consider the proposed ban on kratom and synthetic alternative drugs during its 6 p.m. meeting at…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago  (673+ words) Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said the downtown business community largely drove the city's decision to scale back on First Friday promotional events. The city will now pick its spots to promote First Fridays, tied to happenings such as the Route…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago  (527+ words) The City of Bloomington is making adjustments to regulations governing sidewalks and storefront doorways in portions of the downtown area, potentially allowing some businesses to expand their entry areas. During a brisk, 40-minute meeting Monday, the city council unanimously adopted…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago  (183+ words) Contractors will replace the existing concrete beams with steel ones with a crane in order to improve the safety and functionality of the parking structure. The work will leave the deck and affected areas inaccessible to vehicles. Sections of the…...