Daily
Bloomington
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
Good morning, Bloomington. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 22nd of August.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Rader Family Farms in Normal invites local residents to enjoy its sixth annual Sunflower Days Festival where visitors can walk through a 2.5-acre field with 19 varieties of sunflowers, take photos and pick up to 10 stems. The event already held its first weekend and will continue on Aug. 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.—tickets are available online and at the farm. WGLT
ACCIDENTS NEWS
- ➤ A home became uninhabitable after a fire broke out on Virginia Avenue near Linden Street in Normal Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.—firefighters from Normal and Bloomington responded and one occupant was injured and taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while crews closed the street to put out heavy smoke and damage. WJBC
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Bridgestone will cut jobs at its Off-the-Road Tire Plant in Normal as it ends making loss-making bias tires—union president Jason Beckett said workers were briefed on Monday and that voluntary buyouts based on seniority will help ease the impact. WGLT
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Miller Park will host Bloomington’s 46th annual Cultural Fest tomorrow—August 23—with live entertainment, food trucks, vendors and family-friendly activities. The Pantagraph
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ Insurance industry officials defended the 27.2% increase in homeowners premiums during a virtual Senate Insurance Committee meeting on Wednesday, blaming inflation and climate change and warning that regulation could hurt consumers (State Farm in Bloomington raised its rates to cover local property losses). Lawmakers will hold more hearings before deciding whether to give the state more power to review insurance rates. WJBC
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Yesterday, parents, school staff, police officers, and volunteers gathered at Glenn Elementary in Normal to cheer on students starting school. Principal Gibler and Superintendent Weikle led the support as community members helped ease first-day jitters — showing strong local backing for the school year. The Pantagraph
- ➤ At Unit 5’s school board meeting, CFO Marty Hickman presented a budget outline for fiscal year 2026 that calls for a $3 million deficit as higher local tax revenue is offset by increased staff salaries and utility costs—public hearings will take place next month. The board approved a new five-year contract for Superintendent Kristen Weikle with a starting salary of $237,000 and considered adding girls flag football and boys volleyball for the school year 2026 to 2027 with planned funds for equipment, officials and coaching. WGLT
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ McLean County’s property values are expected to rise about 8.5% this year as chief assessment officer Tim Jorczak uses a three-year lookback to update market values for property tax changes. Jorczak will host four public information sessions—starting on August 28 at the Mount Hope-Funks Grove Parks District Building—to help taxpayers understand how assessed values and equalization factors work. WGLT
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2025 Cultural Fest - Vendor Sign Up
12-6:30 p.m. — Miller Park — Non-food vendor opportunities — Showcase your unique items at this vibrant cultural celebration.
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Book Brunch Club
10-11 a.m. — Bloomington Public Library — Free — Start your day with coffee, snacks, and lively discussions about 'The Widows of Malabar Hill'.
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Paint Nite at Chateau Hotel
5-7:30 p.m. — Chateau Hotel and Conference Center — Food and drinks available — Create your own masterpiece while sipping and laughing with friends.
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Prairieland Punishers Roller Derby Final Home Bout
4-8 p.m. — Interstate Center — $15 VIP, $10 General, $5 Children — Experience thrilling roller derby action as the Punishers face off against Demolition City in their final home game of the season.
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The Four C Notes Tribute Concert
7:00 – 8:30 PM — Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts — $29.00+ — Experience the Midwest’s only tribute to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons with classic hits.
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