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  1. 6 a.m.Cloudy.49°
  2. NoonCloudy.53°
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  4. MidnightCloudy.48°
  1. TodayShowers. High 54° Low 40°
  2. FriPartly cloudy. High 47° Low 31°
  3. SatPartly cloudy. High 51° Low 34°
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Today’s edition · Thurs., Nov. 5

Bloomington voters back data center pause, grocery tax repeal

Plus, Heartland lands a $99,778 grant for student mental health

The Daily Normal team2 stories14 sources4 min read

ElectionTop story

Bloomington voters favor a data center moratorium and a grocery tax repeal

$3 millionprojected Bloomington revenue gap if the 1% sales tax is lost

City officials made the projection for losing the tax the council approved last year to replace a lapsed state grocery tax.

Source: WGLT

If you're wondering how Tuesday's ballot questions landed: Bloomington voters favored repealing the city's 1% grocery tax and imposing a moratorium on large-scale data centers, according to unofficial returns. Both are advisory, so the outcome only expresses voter intent and doesn't require elected officials to act.

Bloomington City Council passed a six-month pause on large data centers in May. City officials projected a $3 million revenue gap if the 1% grocery sales tax goes away. Normal passed its own 1% grocery tax the same month as Bloomington.

  • Data center moratorium: 77.5% yes, 22.5% no
  • Weapons transfer ban question: 88.5% yes in Bloomington
  • Normal Township: yes on repealing the state's anti-BDS law, by a landslide
  • Heyworth schools, at-large seats: 1,325 yes, 727 no

Bloomington voters said yes by wide margins on two advisory questions

Source: WGLT

View as table
Value
Weapons transfer ban88.5%
Data center moratorium77.5%

voters rejected all three tax questions, and the county's referendum results show the same. Fire chief Ryan Gibson told WGLT last week the district would probably have to cut hours if the referendums failed. It has 19 staff members, including part-time paid and volunteer members.

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Education

Heartland Community College wins a $99,778 grant for student mental health

If you're a Heartland student, more support is coming. The college announced Wednesday it was awarded a grant to support student mental health, and the state grant will expand resources, including crisis counseling outside regular hours.

Heartland's grant by the numbers

$99,778
awarded to Heartland Community College
At least 22
community colleges the state anticipates funding

The money comes from a competitive program meant to give Illinois community colleges expanded access to mental health services and increase awareness of available resources.

“Mental health and academic success are closely connected. When students are struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health challenges, it can affect their ability to focus, attend classes, and make progress toward their educational goals.”

Camille Springer, Director of Student Counseling and Wellness Services at Heartland

The grant will pay for crisis counseling and online tools

What it pays forHow students get it
Crisis counselorsAfter hours and on weekends
Wellness toolsFree, online
  • Grant: FY27 College Student Mental Health & Success Initiative
  • Funder: Illinois Community College Board
  • College spokesman: Steve Fast

News Notes · More

Levy

Normal's combined town and library property tax levy would increase to $15.87 million under a proposal that projects a lower estimated tax rate based on a growing property tax base. The Pantagraph

Housing

The town council discussed two zoning changes Monday: one would make it easier to restore certain existing homes, the other covers accessory dwelling units. Mercy Davison, the town's director of planning and zoning, said the first would let existing non-conforming multifamily units remain in place under current code, like a duplex in single-family zoning or a fourplex. The PantagraphCentral Illinois Proud

Infiniti Pointe

A 60-unit residential development in Normal is moving forward after the town council renewed an earlier approval that had expired. The Pantagraph

Future teachers

Illinois State University is set to host more than 1,600 aspiring educators Friday for the 8th annual Future Teacher Conference. Students from more than 120 Illinois high schools will gather at the student center to explore education careers. FOX Illinois

1,600aspiring educators expected at Illinois State's Future Teacher Conference

They come from more than 120 Illinois high schools for the 8th annual conference.

Source: FOX Illinois

Festival of Trees

The Baby Fold's Festival of Trees runs Nov. 19-21 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. It features more than 600 Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces and a gingerbread village. The Pantagraph

Trending

Two gift ideas for the holidays: this acrylic heart plaque with an uplifting message that makes it a heartfelt gift for anyone, and this comfy, customizable women’s sweatshirt that can be embroidered with Mama, Nana, Auntie, or whatever name is most meaningful to them. Advertising from Amazon.

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“The sirens are going out!! We’re new to town! Is that a safety drill or something else?”

— A neighbor, Eagles Landing

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The Wrap

A princess is supposed to marry a prince, but she's in love with the god Jupiter. That's the setup for Handel's Semele, which MIOpera stages Saturday, Nov. 7 at Normal First United Methodist Church. It's the company's first collaboration with the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana. Gods really do know how to make an entrance.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Normal hires PJ Hoerr for $863,729 Children's Discovery Museum expansion

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  7. The Pantagraphpantagraph.com
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Daily Normalto me · Thurs., Nov. 56:00 a.m.

Bloomington voters back data center pause, grocery tax repeal

Plus, Heartland lands a $99,778 grant for student mental health

The TLDR

  1. Bloomington voters favor data center pause, grocery tax repeal
  2. Dale Township fire district tax questions fail
  3. Heartland wins $99,778 for student mental health
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Daily Normal’s other editions

All the news

Around Normal

From WEEK 25 News Now, Central Illinois Proud and 2 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

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    Also reported byCentral Illinois Proud

  2. Central Illinois Proud11 hours ago

    Normal considers housing code changes to help housing crisis, on Central Illinois Proud

    The Normal Town Council met Monday night to discuss proposed housing code amendments aimed at allowing non-conforming multifamily units to remain and permitting new accessory dwelling units to address the local housing crisis.

  3. WEEK 25 News Now13 hours ago

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  4. The Pantagraph14 hours ago

    Heartland awarded nearly $100,000 to expand student mental health services, on The Pantagraph

    Heartland Community College was awarded a $99,778 grant to expand mental health support through crisis counseling outside regular hours, expanded services in Lincoln and Pontiac, and free online wellness tools.

    Also reported byCentral Illinois Proud

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