Daily
Normal
Saturday, May 10th, 2025
Good morning, Normal. Here's your local news at a glance for Saturday, the 10th of May.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Karl Kopp has been named chief executive of Lifelong Access and will take the role in June after serving as executive director at Society’s Assets in southeast Wisconsin — a nonprofit that supports people with developmental disabilities. He brings 15 years of leadership experience as the agency, which has operated for 70 years, prepares a nearly $22 million renovation to create a new youth service center in downtown Bloomington. WGLT
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Carl's Pro Band in Bloomington will close on May 15 as co-owner Carl Thacker retires, and leftover assets are being transferred to The Music Shoppe—now the only music store for Bloomington-Normal—while some staff and school repair accounts have already moved over. The changes will let the new store serve long-time customers without interruption. WGLT
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ Farmers in central Illinois began planting season after heavy rains eased, with Morton farmer John Ackerman finishing his soybean field while only one-third of the corn is planted. Experts expect a surge in planting this week+ growers plan to speed up efforts as weather improves. WJBC
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ After his first school year on the job, IWU President Sheahon Zenger said the university began plans to reaffirm its role as a liberal arts center by breaking ground on the Petrick Idea Center and filing permits to renovate the Joyce Eichhorn Ames School of Art. He noted that fall enrollment will increase modestly and warned that potential federal aid cuts may force institutions into roles they are not used to. WGLT
- ➤ ISU's board approved spending up to $41.5M to begin converting a former Country Financial property into the new College of Engineering — the project will follow a strict budget limit — with further details to be announced. The Pantagraph
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Miller Park Zoo will host a day of activities on May 17 to raise awareness about endangered species. The event features an Endangered Species Chalk Art Contest (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and a scavenger hunt that awards prizes (free entry) to participants. WJBC
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ The Normal Planning Commission approved a proposal to rezone nearly 20 acres near the Collie Ridge subdivision—this change allows Essex residential development with 228 apartments, 24 townhomes and 504 parking spaces. Nearby residents voiced concerns about losing farmland and single-family housing while some supported the new housing option, and the town council will review the proposal next. WGLT
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Monarch Butterfly Paint Nite
6:30-8:30 p.m. — BloNo Pizza Co. — Cost of supplies included — Unleash your inner artist while enjoying pizza and drinks in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.
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Family Paint Party
6:30-8:30 p.m. — BloNo Pizza Co. — Cost of participation — Enjoy a fun-filled evening of creativity with guided painting and delicious food.
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Paint Nite: Moonshine Mountains
6:30-8:30 p.m. — BloNo Pizza Co. — $45 per person — Unleash your creativity while enjoying pizza and painting your masterpiece.
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Tri-Shark Classic Triathlon and Duathlon
1-5 p.m. — 13001 Recreation Area Dr, Hudson, IL — Registration fees apply — Compete in the Bloomington-Normal area's premier sprint triathlon and duathlon on a flat and fast course through Comlara Park.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The creative adult is the child who survived.
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