WGLT's Sound Ideas

The new $370 million budget for the City of Bloomington is the largest ever. In this Sound Ideas interview with WGLT's Charlie Schlenker, Mayor Dan Brady says if not for water department projects to separate sewers, replace water mains and remove lead service lines, the budget would actually have declined. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra [ISO] is capping its season with a Route 66-themed world premiere from Chicago-based composer Michelle Isaac. It’s Music Director Taichi Fukumura's first-ever commission since joining the orchestra two years ago, but the Illinois Symphony has a long-standing history of world premieres. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Meet the Newsroom series pulls back the curtain to introduce you to the team that makes WGLT possible. The series continues with WGLT correspondent Braden Fogerson, an Illinois State University alum who covers education across McLean County. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A nonprofit aims to help Illinois State University and other teaching colleges in Illinois address the teacher shortage by recruiting more educators from other professions. Grow Your Own Illinois hosted a recruiting event at ISU on Monday to find prospective educators for ISU and more than 20 colleges and universities across the state. The group's recruitment director, Herman Reeves, said the group is targeting those considering a career change and nontraditional students through its We See the Teacher In You campaign. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voters living within Normal Township will have an extra question on their November ballots. At issue was a whether the state of Illinois should repeal its anti-BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] statute restricting state-funded institutions from refusing to engage with companies that "profit from or enable Israel's apartheid policies and human rights violations." Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the Bloomington-Normal community, there is a significant need for Spanish-speaking volunteer translators. Organizations such as Illinois State University’s Sigma Delta Pi (the National Spanish Honor Society) and Wesley United Methodist Church and community members who volunteer independently are helping fill this need for translating and interpreting. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following a lengthy transition period, Michelle Conger is embracing her new role as CEO of the OSF HealthCare system. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Expansion of news and media literacy instruction is coming to Normal Community and Normal West high schools. Unit 5 was accepted for the News Literacy District Fellowship to provide $30,000 in grant funding over the next three years, beginning in the fall. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmers in Illinois are two years deep into a fight to raise the the estate tax exemption for family farm operations in the state. The current rate of $4 million has remained for well over a decade and farmers in Illinois are lobbying state lawmakers to increase it to $6 million. The Family Farm Preservation Act was originally introduced by State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, and State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, in 2024. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unit 5 schools' superintendent said public feedback helped shape the district's plans to realign school enrollments. A committee of school board members and educators completed a multi-year process on Thursday when it presented a final recommendation to the school board. That recommendation avoids two of the most controversial options the district considered — closing Carlock Elementary northwest of Normal and repurposing Glenn Elementary south of the Illinois State University campus. The district's survey showed heavy opposition to the option that included relocating students from both schools. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Illinois lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require female manikins in high school CPR classes. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The proposal coming to a Unit 5 school board vote next Wednesday does not close Carlock Elementary School or repurpose Glenn Elementary. Superintendent Kristen Weikle presented details of the proposal during a virtual meeting Thursday night. Of the original two options presented to the public, one closed and repurposed those two schools and the other did neither. Survey responses favored keeping those schools roughly two-to-one. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christina Harms tried a lot of jobs before finding her current career path. Harms, from Pekin, works for Peoria-based Mid-Illinois Companies and Associated Constructors in Bloomington. She can be seen on construction sites throughout Bloomington-Normal, including the future home of Illinois State University’s College of Engineering on G.E. Road. Now, Harms is telling her story through the Apprentice Ambassador Program, a workforce development initiative hosted by the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board’s Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship Committee. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Normal Citizen of the Year Adam Nielsen is living with early onset Alzheimer's disease. He and his wife Dayna Brown are doing so publicly and intentionally, to support others who may be going through the same thing, and as part of an advocacy effort. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In memory of two victims of childhood domestic violence, Brightpoint is hosting its annual 5K run and 1-mile walk to end child abuse. The “Taking Steps to End Child Abuse Color Run” will take place April 25 at Normal’s Fairview Park to benefit the organization’s Family Visitation Center. Proceeds assist the center in conducting required supervised court visits for children. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new version of the proposed Trail East and West development project in Uptown Normal would be primarily residential housing on the north side of the traffic circle straddling Constitution Trail. And a controversial mural on a building in the project footprint would likely be torn down. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Illinois State University formalized a new international partnership Tuesday, signing a joint memorandum of understanding with Chungnam National University in Daejeon, South Korea. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal bought the old Trinity Lutheran Church and elementary school in the South Hill Neighborhood of Bloomington and is scrapping plans for a new clubhouse near its current home in West Bloomington. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leo Egbers wasn’t meeting some developmental milestones at nine months of age. His mother, Viviana Egbers, said she wasn’t overly concerned at that time. “His symptoms didn’t scream autism,” said Egbers, whose primary concern was a speech delay. Their pediatrician sent a referral to Child and Family Connections of Central Illinois for an early intervention evaluation. Then, they waited. By the time Leo received an initial evaluation, he was 20 months old. A few months after his autism diagnosis, Leo drowned in a pond behind his house. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.