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State officials announced more than $26 million in grocery grants for the Illinois Grocery Initiative, including $21 million for new stores & equipment upgrades and $4.5 million for a grocery rescue program to help reopen stores that closed last year.

Crawdaddy's Pizza Parlor opened today in Bloomington.

The new eatery welcomes locals to try its pizza offerings (video available).

Central Illinois Regional Airport received a $12M grant from the FAA — the funds will be used to start the second phase of the Runway 11/29 Rehabilitation Project.

ISU held a ceremony and ribbon cutting for its new College of Engineering building on G.E.

Road yesterday. Gov. Pritzker, President Tarhule and others noted the facility can serve 700 students (with dedicated bus service) while students praised the improved makerspaces for hands-on learning.

Volunteers and local historians used a ground penetrating radar device at Evergreen Cemetery in El Paso to confirm the burial site for David Strother (the first Black man to vote in Illinois) on a comfortable August morning.

The radar readings revealed four distinct anomalies matching likely graves from his family.

Unit 5 Superintendent Kristen Weikle said that students are following the new phone rules better this school year, with phones kept silent during class and allowed for educational use.

She added that families facing SNAP benefit cuts can get help completing applications at their child's school.

Fiesta Ranchera on JC Parkway has reopened after a fire temporarily shut it down in early May.

The local restaurant is ready to welcome diners today.

McLean County launched the CodeRED system today to send residents alerts via text+email+phone for emergencies and community updates.

The Health and Highway Departments will use it for severe weather, road closures and health alerts, and residents are encouraged to sign up for free notifications.