Farmer faces $250K fine after pesticide drift near Morton school

A Morton farmer faces a potential $250,000 fine by the Illinois Department of Agriculture [IDOA] for allegedly applying pesticides on a farm near the Bethel Lutheran School while the school hosted an outdoor event.

New Department of Early Childhood launches full operations

As Illinois enters a new fiscal year Wednesday, a new state agency is officially taking charge of a wide range of programs for infants, toddlers and their families. The Illinois Department of Early Childhood officially takes over Wednesday as the agency in charge of programs ranging from in-home vi…

Realtor group will study west Bloomington to recommend revitalization moves

The City of Bloomington will get some help from the public service arm of a Realtors organization to revitalize several west side neighborhoods. The Counselors of Real Estate Consulting Corps will send a team to survey a broad batch of community stakeholders and write a proposal on how to regenerat…

A potent weedkiller can drift for miles, killing crops and trees. EPA’s new rules may not stop it

New federal rules for dicamba aim to help cotton and soybean farmers control weeds. But the herbicide, which can kill other crops and trees, remains controversial.

With ample sandwiches and a lot of luck, a Bloomington-made film shares one woman's story of resilience

Nan, a 16-minute independent short film by Stevi Zabawa and Lily Ellora Newton, was produced and shot entirely in Bloomington-Normal. Zabawa said making a period film complicated her maiden voyage as a producer. The film employs private homes, including this one's vintage bathroom, the McLean Count…

Apples are a democratic fruit in the Midwestern imagination

There will no doubt be apple pie on the menu at many July 4 celebrations this year. There is every year. This quintessential American fruit, however, has varying cultural weight in different regions of the country. That's according to folklorist Lucy Long, author of the new book, "Sweet, Tart, & Go…

Fourth of July weekend takes off with a 300-drone light show at the Interstate Center

Bloomington-Normal is kicking off its Fourth of July celebrations with a 300-drone light show, set to take place at 9 p.m. Thursday at the Interstate Center. The show is the first of its kind for Bloomington-Normal and its hefty price tag was covered through support from State Farm, O'Brien Auto Gr…

Toni Tucker retires from Ewing Cultural Center, finishing to-do list years ahead of schedule

Toni Tucker departs after 14 years as the primary steward of the estate's home and gardens in Bloomington, part of a collective 38 years with Illinois State University.

Sen. Durbin says president holding housing bill hostage won't last

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says a national housing bill is likely to become law even though President Trump is holding it hostage. The president last week canceled a signing ceremony for what's called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act until Congress acts on his voting security bill.

High schoolers could soon be able to swap 2 years of foreign language with technical education

High school students in Illinois could soon be able to choose if they want to take a career and technical education or a foreign language class. The current law requires students to take at least two years of foreign language classes but that could change if the governor signs a bill that unanimous…