2014 Annual Report (Part 1 of 2)

ANNUAL REPORT www.pantagraph.com

YWCA dedicated to future

D. Dontae Latson BLOOMINGTON— YWCA McLean County has seen many changes in our more than 100-year history, including the elimination of the fitness and aquatics programming in 2008, an updated mission statement, and expanded social services programming that allows us to serve more residents of McLean County.

YWCA McLean County is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and digD. Dontae nity for Latson all people.

We have held sit-ins at ‘white only’ restaurants in the 1940s and offer Wheels to Work, affordable alternate transportation on days when public transportation isn’t available.

At YWCA, the most important aspect of our day is to fulfill our mission. We are passionate about it, believe in it, and our services reflect it.

Each means a lot to those we serve.

Providing the cornerstone of our mission are the “Hallmark” programs, which include the Racial Justice Summit, Women’s Empowerment parties, and the Peace Essay contest. Moving forward, Hallmark will continue to explore the opportunities in our community that will help bring us together and move in the direction of promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all persons.

Adult services are a large part of our labor.

We provide non-medical assistance to seniors in their homes through our home care services program. These services allow seniors to “age in place” while maintaining an independent and safe lifestyle. Last year, YWCA provided more than 41,000 hours of service to more than 300 clients.

Another service, Medivan, offers safe and convenient door-to-door, non-emergent transportation to and from appointments, hospital stays, and nursing homes for all ages.

Last year, Medivan provided almost 4,500 rides to 230 clients.

Also under the umbrella of Adult Services are the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Smart Sprouts.

RSVP places seniors in 85 organizations within McLean County through more than 850 dedicated senior volunteers. Last year, more than 100,000 hours of service were contributed, saving $2.25 million for various agencies.

Smart Sprouts is an after-school program designed to help elementary-age children develop life skills and improve their academic performance. Last year, 177 students benefited from the mentoring program.

Prevention and empowerment services are near and dear to our hearts and mission. Fulfilling that role is our Stepping Stones program, which provides rape crisis intervention and awareness services to McLean County.

Services are free and include counseling, advocacy with legal and medical systems, 24-hour crisis intervention, professional training, referrals and public education.

SEE YWCA / PAGE F2

The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014 • F1

SUNdAy, March 16, 2014

F1

HEALTH CARE

PAUL SWIECH. The Pantagraph

Community Health Care Clinic executive director Angie McLaughlin discusses the impact of the Affordable Care Act with patient Bonnie Baker of Normal in December 2013.

Affordable care ACA sign-up happening after slow roll-out Paul Swiech pswiech@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON — Like a child learning to walk, the Affordable Care Act fell on its backside a lot following its roll out in the fall.

But, in recent weeks, the act—also known as Obamacare—has taken a lot of steps, even if some have happened while holding hands with local health and human services organizations.

“Things are going well overall,” Dietra Kulicke said.

Kulicke is director of Chestnut Family Health Center, which, along with LIFE Center for Independent Living and the McLean County Health Department, are among Central Illinois health and human service agencies with counselors to assist people with Affordable Care Act (ACA) information and signup.

“The website is continually updated by the state and has become very manageable,” Kulicke said.

That’s a far cry from October, when www.healthcare.gov opened to assist people with information and sign up for the expanded Medicaid program or for private insurance using the health insurance marketplace.

The website wasn’t ready for the traffic and people in Central Illinois were among those who experienced delays and frustrations, with some trying several times before they successfully enrolled.

Many Central Illinoisans called on counselors to assist them.

Among them were Steven Schultz of rural Ellsworth, a retired ceramic

STEVE SMEDLEY, The Pantagraph

Laura Beavers, McLean County Health Department community outreach coordinator, speaks with Jessica Janicki of Normal. Janicki was using a kiosk in the health department in Bloomington to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act. LIFE Center for Independent Living in-person counselor Kristi Payne, in background, was working with Janicki. tile contractor who, in December, represented the small but growing number of McLean County residents who successfully signed up for private health insurance—with assistance from Brandi Wamhoff of the McLean County Health Department—using the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace accessed through healthcare.gov.

“I’m like everybody else—I was unhappy at the beginning that it was difficult to do,” Schultz told The Pantagraph.

But, in the end, he and his wife, Patricia, were happy with the results.

“People should look into this,” he said.

By February, health department counselors had assisted more than 300 people, said Laura Beavers, health department community outreach coordinator.

Of those, 60 percent were eligible for expanded Medicaid and 93 percent of them successfully enrolled, she said.

SEE ACA / PAGE F2

Bloomington, new mayor focus on downtown Rachel Wells rwells@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON—Last year was one of new faces, new plans and renewed energy for the City of Bloomington, as an April election brought a new leader and a wave of new initiatives.

Mayor Steve Stockton stepped down after eight years at the city’s helm and Mayor Tari Renner in May took office signaling 2013 as “a year of change, transition and progress.”

Indeed, 2013 was marked by momentum, with the approval of a $10 million bond for street repairs—the most money designated for roadwork in recent memory—and progress toward downtown revitalization.

“The downtown, of course, is a critical component. It is our social and historical core. It’s what separates us and makes us distinct from other cities,” Renner said, explaining that improving downtown is a key to economic success across the city.

A revitalization plan, the

LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER, The Pantagraph

Alderman Rob Fazzini, right, talks with Mayor Tari Renner in January 2014.

Downtown Strategy, which was shelved for three years, was tweaked to remove controversial elements and won approval from the City Council.

Tricia Stiller, executive director of the Downtown Bloomington Association, said adoption of the

Downtown Strategy is “a good indicator” of “renewed energy downtown.” From city plans to public art projects, she said, “it’s been a very active year” and the coming years may be, too.

“Now that we have a work plan in place to follow, we’re all anxious

and ready to make those visions a reality,” Stiller said.

The city also handed out a record fine for liquor license violations downtown, began discussions with the library about possibly working out a land deal where it could expand downtown and approved shared bike lanes connecting downtown to Constitution Trail.

“We’re certainly moving to make sure our downtown is safe and clean and it becomes an engine of economic growth in the future,” Renner said during his state of the city address in January 2014.

The city also hired consultants to conduct a feasibility study for bringing a hotel to downtown.

The results, revealed last month, showed the proposed development’s feasibility gap was about $14.2 million. The City Council has yet to determine if the idea is worth additional study.

The city also adopted a contribution policy aimed at eliminating a funding gap in its public safety SEE DOWNTOWN / PAGE F2

F2 • The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014

ANNUAL REPORT

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LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER, The Pantagraph

Normal Mayor Chris Koos, McLean County Board Chairman Matt Sorensen and Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner prepare to start the joint meeting about the east-side highway in September 2013.

downtown FROM F1

pensions by the year 2040.

The city expects ratings agencies to see the move as positive—the policy will reduce long-term costs by $68 million and allow for greater financial stability in the future—but also will require the current City Council to make tough decisions.

To implement the pension funding plan, the city manager has proposed increasing the utility tax, a decision aldermen are weighing as they negotiate the city’s next budget.

At Miller Park Zoo, the city-owned facility’s fundraising arm, the Miller Park Zoological Society, kickstarted efforts to bring in additional donations for funding a $16.7 million master plan adopted in 2012.

The society hired Jeff Scheirer as a development director to obtain private donations for the plan. The

city has yet to determine how much of the master plan improvement cost it will fund.

The Bloomington Police Department also saw much change over the last year.

After Chief Randy McKinley retired in January 2013, the department went through two interim chiefs before hiring Brendan Heffner, who spent the bulk of his career with the Illinois State Police.

Heffner began work with the department in October and continues to oversee the department as it moves forward in its three-year strategic plan developed under McKinley.

Heffner said he’s been busy working with others in the department to review and update policies and plans to push the department to improve both internal and external communication.

“People may not like what you’re telling them, but if you can take a little time to explain why, they understand it better,” Heffner said.

LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER, The Pantagraph

Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner talks with Ellen Schroeder and Charles Witte, both members of the Fire and Police Commission, during a reception.

aca

FROM F1

Of the 40 percent eligible for private insurance on the online marketplace, 54 percent had successfully enrolled.

The major reason for not completing enrollment was people wanting more time to select an insurance plan.

This is a big decision for people who haven’t had insurance before, Beavers explained.

LIFE Center had worked with 443 people, Associate Director Jill Doran said. Of those, 36 completed Medicaid enrollment and 18 completed private insurance e n ro l l m e n t u s i n g t h e marketplace.

Chestnut assisted more than 150 people, with 70 completing Medi c a i d e n ro l l m e n t a n d six completing private i n s u ra n c e e n ro l l m e n t using the marketplace, Kulicke said.

“This is a big change,” Beavers said. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”

T h e s l ow t ra n s i t i o n meant that the Community Health Care Clinic in Normal—for uninsured, low-income residents— i s ex p e r i e n c i n g fewe r

ywca FROM F1

L a s t yea r, S te p p i n g Stones provided 1,246 education programs, answered 489 hotline calls, had 404 information and referral contacts, and served more than 200 survivors and their families.

Lastly, the Young Wonders program provides quality child care, preschool, before- and afterschool care, and summer camp.

LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER, The Pantagraph

Patricia and Steven Schultz look over the coverage he purchased through the Affordable Care Act with the help of Brandi Wamhoff, an in-person counselor, at the McLean County Health Department in Bloomington. patients leaving the clinic than expected, Executive Director Angie McLaughlin said.

But people who were previously uninsured or wanted to change their insurance plan haven’t b e e n t h e o n ly p e o p l e affected by the law.

Some people who didn’t want to change their plan received notes i n t h e fa l l t h a t t h e i r plans would no longer b e a va i l a b l e b e c a u s e they didn’t comply with the Affordable Care Act. Among them was small business owners—such a s B l o o m i n g to n - No rmal homebuilder Jim O’Neal—who purchased

their own health insura n c e b e c a u s e t h ey ’re self-employed.

After President Obama announced in NovemPAUL SWEICH, The Pantagraph ber that insurers could Colleen Kannaday, president of Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal and Advocate offer policyholders the Eureka Hospital in Eureka, discusses the Affordable Care Act impact on the hospitals. option of renewing their plans for 2014, O’Neal was appreciative. But he knows the extension is temporary.

“Why have everyone go through this (cancellations) and then change your mind, knowing that this is just a temporary reprieve?” O’Neal asked.

“The affordable health care act is being subsidized on the backs of small business owners like myself.”

All children have a right to receive quality child care in a safe and nurturing environment. YWCA is committed to nurturing the social, physical, and cognitive development of each child.

Yo u n g Wo n d e r s i s accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and enjoys a creative, curriculum-based learning environment.

Last year, Young Wonders served more than 725 children in a variety of programming.

YWCA McLean County will evolve to meet the needs of our community while fulfilling our mission.

We have a bold vision for our future.

Through our programs and services, we wish to educate, enrich, equalize and empower those in our community.

Think of The School Shop first for ...

Latson is president and CEO, YWCA McLean County.

• Educational toys, games & puzzles • Homework and Homeschool aides • Cool science kits • Beautiful Christian posters • Quality materials for educators Visit our newly updated store today!

1224 Towanda Plaza • Bloomington • 309-827-5555

ANNUAL REPORT

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The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014 • F3

Defenders ensure fairness, equality

DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph

Erik Prenzler listens to comments before speaking against the proposed 1 percent school sales tax during a debate at a monthly luncheon of the McLean County Republican Party.

Sales tax questions are front and center Rachel Wells

rwells@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON—In 2013, the BloomingtonNormal area was abuzz with talk of sales taxes for initiatives ranging from schools to soccer fields and transit.

Nothing was resolved, but the debate has heightened as voters throughout McLean County prepare to weigh in the March 18 election, when they’ll face a referendum question asking for a 1 percent sales tax to fund school facility improvements.

“This is a different way of looking at school funding,” said Carl Neubauer, a farmer and Tri-Valley school board president.

“Really, in the past, the only way we had locally to fund schools and facilities was property taxes. That’s been a contentious debate for a long time.”

Neubauer said sales tax is preferable because both residents and visitors to the county pay it, rather than property owners alone.

Opponents, however, argue that sales tax is a bad way to go.

“The people we’re running into, they don’t want any more taxes, period,” said Erik Prenzler, chairman of the McLean County Citizens for Responsible Education Committee. He

DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph

Former Illinois State UniversityPresident Al Bowman discusses the merits of a 1 percent sales tax to benefit public school buildings. argues there’s less accountability with sales tax than, for example, property tax— the way schools have funded improvements in the past.

Neubauer disagreed, suggesting voters could oust school board members if they don’t think they’re using sales tax revenues wisely.

While the schools’ sales tax question gained the most steam in 2013, two other groups have mentioned sales tax as possible revenue streams.

I n i t i a l ly, o rga n i ze rs with Citizens Advocating for Area Youth suggested Bloomington and Normal raise their sales taxes by a

quarter percent for eight years to fund a $32 million soccer complex and community center. The group has since said sales tax is just one funding option, and the key to the proposal was creating a place for youth to spend time constructively and economic development.

“We don’t care how this gets funded. We have a huge need,” said Jeff Tinervin, a CAAY organizer. “Something needs to be done.”

At the same time, Connect Transit continued discussions about its need for local funding. The bus agency believes the federal and state funding that has paid for its operating costs in the past may shrink in the coming years.

G e n e ra l M a n a ge r Andrew Johnson has said the community needs to be aware of transit’s future needs as it debates taxing initiatives for other groups.

He said transit is watching to see how the schools sales tax referendum is received, but Connect Transit is still researching all of its local funding options. “We feel that there needs to be a local funding component for the operating side of the transit system, but at this point in time we haven’t come up with exactly what that needs to be,” he said.

School districts prepare for Common Core, new tests Maria Nagle mnagle@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON—As McLean County Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 schools continue to align their curriculum to Common Core state standards, the districts are preparing to test an online assessment system that will be implemented statewide next year.

I n 2 0 1 0, t h e s t a te adopted the standards, which set expectations for what students should know in English, language arts and mathematics at each grade level.

Staff “certainly had to spend a lot of time with the curriculum, making sure that it lined up grade level by grade level to the Common Core standards,” District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly said. “That will continue on, because we will have science standards; we will have other standards, no doubt, that we will end up having to change down the road.”

In a related move, the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) is being replaced with the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) standardized testing.

PARCC assessments in English, language arts/ literacy and mathematics will be administered in grades 3-11 beginning in the 2014-2015 school year.

Tests at each grade level will be based on the Common Core standards for that grade level.

ISAT was given only once a year, but students will take PARCC tests twice a year: once when a course is about three-quarters finished and once toward the end of the school year.

Unlike the ISAT, which used paper and pencil, most PARCC testing will be on a computer. “ I t ’s a b i g c h a n ge , going from paper/pencil tests to online testing,” Reilly said. “Especially for younger kids, t h e e nv i ro n m e n t t h a t they are taking the test in matters. When you go a computer lab versus your classroom, that is a different atmosphere.

I think there is research and many teachers who certainly would anecdotally tell you that kids are going to do better if they are sitting in their own classrooms.”

Unit 5 and District 87 are among districts invited to take part in the field test for PARCC exams.

The trial run isn’t meant

to measure student knowledge, but rather the quality of questions that will be administered at elementary, junior high and high school levels.

“Not every grade level, not every classroom, but it will be piloted as such that we will get a good feel as to how that exam is going to go,” Reilly said.

“Not only do we have a new test coming that reflects the knowledge of the standards, but the format of it is different.

And that is a big deal in the sense we have to make sure the technology is in place to be able to do that.”

Only about 25 percent of Illinois school districts, including Unit 5 and District 87, have the capability to take PARCC online.

The rest will have to take a paper and pencil test, said Unit 5 Superintendent Gary Niehaus.

“I want all kids in Illinois to take the same test,” said Niehaus, who is retiring at the end of the school year. “If there are districts not ready electronically, then we all should just do pencil and paper tests.

“My recommendation is that we do paper and pencil tests upwards of three years before we start doing electronic testing.”

Kim D. Campbell BLOOMINGTON—Fifty years ago, a poor man named Clarence Earl Gideon wrote an appeal from his prison cell which resulted in a landmark Supreme Court ruling that all people facing incarceration as a result of state action are entitled to the assistance of counsel, whether they can afford an attorney or not. With the aid of a court-appointed attorney, Gideon won his retrial.

Public defenders are court-appointed attorneys who represent nearly 80 percent of the people charged with felonies in McLean County. Unlike private attorneys, we public defenders do not choose our clients. Sometimes, we represent the most violent offenders in society.

People ask us: How can you represent someone you know is guilty? And our answer is this: That is our job. It is what the Constitution requires.

Everyone is entitled to due process and to have an attorney who works in his or her best interests. Our clients are entitled to a trial if they choose to have one, and the state must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Many times, however, there is no issue of guilt.

More often than we try the cases of guilty clients, we ensure each person charged with crimes is fairly treated by the system. We negotiate plea deals that benefit our clients by avoiding an

unknown or harsher punishment.

We also practice as much social Kim work as Campbell we practice law: Our clients almost without fail abuse drugs or alcohol. Many suffer from mental illness; they deal with homelessness or lack of stable living situations, lack of employment, lack of supportive families or parents, lack of education.

People who have degrees, jobs, and supportive and healthy family relationships are rarely the people we see coming through our doors.

Addressing these issues is just as much of a public defender’s daily duties as going to court.

In court, one of the biggest challenges we face is a client charged with his or her first felony.

Avoiding a felony conviction is important due to long-term consequences.

There may not be much bargaining power if guilt can easily be proven. Every year, politicians pass more and more new non-violent criminal felony legislation. Society should not be willing to label so many people as felons when they have committed no violent offenses.

For all the difficult clients and uphill battles that public defenders face, all the bad days tend to disappear when we receive

heartfelt thanks from a client who has entered substance abuse or mental health treatment with our help, which then resulted in no jail time. That is what we wish for all our clients: to address the problems that led them to our door so that they never have to cross its threshold again.

Public defenders face many challenges every day while advocating for their clients both in the courtroom and while addressing social issues they face.

Representing indigent criminal defendants is not an easy task. The hardest part of our job can be addressing distrust of us and the system.

Public defenders take much unearned abuse from both clients and sometimes even the public in general.

My lawyers have equal or more criminal defense experience and trial skills of any lawyers walking into a criminal courtroom.

My felony attorneys are extremely skilled and knowledgeable about practicing criminal defense in our county. I am extremely proud of my office and grateful for the way my staff dedicate their careers to helping others.

We are the gatekeeper, stopping the train of justice from rolling over people charged with crimes without the proper stops being made along the track to ensure fairness and equality for everyone.

Campbell is McLean County public defender.

STAR PROGRAM®

CANCER REHABILITATION OSF Rehabilitation Services is dedicated to helping cancer survivors function at the highest level possible. Cancer treatment can often cause significant pain, fatigue, and disability for survivors. Through our STAR Program® (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation), our goal is to minimize these and to encourage cancer survivors to have the best quality of life possible. The STAR Program provides patients with comprehensive cancer rehabilitation, supported by a team of certified STAR Clinicians® and Providers.

An individualized plan will be developed for you, focused on increasing strength and energy, managing pain, and improving your functioning and quality of life.

APPOINTMENTS AND INFORMATION For additional information, please call (309) 661-6080 or email STAR@osfhealthcare.org. A physician referral is needed before therapies can begin. Please ask your health care provider if the STAR Program is right for you.

OSF Rehabilitation Services p. (309) 661-6080 f. (309) 661-6089 www.osfstjoseph.org www.osfsaintjames.org

F4 • The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014

Cindy Eckols

Al Legg

Prudential Snyder Real Estate

RE/MAX Choice

At the heart of my success lies the great satisfaction I get from helping people. I always have my clients’ best interests at heart; I am honest and truthful and always try to stay in touch with them. I was #1 in the state of Illinois for a previous company in 2009 for GCI. I have had the #1 Team in McLean County Cindy and Bloomington Eckols - Normal in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and continue to strive to hold that position.

Service is my top priority. In addition to being a Broker with Prudential Snyder, I am a developer, having developed the rural subdivision named “Cloverhill.” I greatly enjoyed developing Cloverhill and certainly gained a great deal of knowledge and experience in that endeavor. Developing also has enhanced my knowledge and experience in working with new construction and builders.

A personal note before I close - I am a farm girl from Armington, a small town near Bloomington/Normal. I like to think my local knowledge and my love of this community, McLean County and the surrounding counties in Central Illinois shows in my energetic approach to my profession. I have also been a teacher in the community and surrounding areas and I have a Masters Degree from the University of Illinois. My husband, Tom, grew up in Bloomington and is an attorney at State Farm.

We have two daughters, Molly and Cally. I’m excited because Cally is on my team! My family supports me tremendously. I’m very fortunate. 2013 Prudential Awards- Team Listing Leader, Team Sales Leader, 2013 Prudential Chairman’s Circle Platinum, 2013 Commercial Team of the Year, #1 Volume Agent in BNAR. Contact Cindy today at 309- 532-1616, or by email cindy@ cindyeckols.com

Don & Lorna Ray Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors Don and Lorna Ray, Realtor Associates of Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors, 802 S. Eldorado Rd., Bloomington, are committed to giving you the highest level of service whether you are selling your current property or buying a new home. They are both ready to go the second mile to assure that your home buying or selling experience is as smooth and pleasant as possible. As frequent corporate movers themselves Don and Lorna understand the needs and emotions involved in a move and will be with you through each step, taking care of the many details involved and guiding you towards a successful conclusion of your transaction.

Give them a call today at: 309-532-1624 – Don Mobile 309-830-0163 – Lorna Mobile 309-664-3601 – Office rayteam.net or cbhoa.com

Allison Smith and Phyllis Stein Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

BREAKOUT TEAM OF THE 2014!! Allison and Phyllis have come together with their hands on approach to personal and professional Real Estate. They have combined their extensive knowledge of the local market with online marketing to provide a standard of excellence in this changing real estate environment. Time and time again their clients give them rave reviews on outstanding SERVICE and AVAILABILITY. Call today at 826-8614, like them on Facebook and join their group of happy clients.

AL LEGG Broker, CRS, CSP, RMM, QSC He started as a Full-Time Real Estate Professional in 1976 and became a Broker in 1982, placing him with RE/MAX Choice for over 38 years.

AL was born and raised in Pontiac, Illinois. He has been married to Jan for 35 years. Their daughter Anne is married to Matt Steinman.

On November 5, 2012, Al and Jan became the proud grandparents of Kaelyn Harper Steinman.

AL has earned the title of #1 RE/MAX Sales Agent in All of 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2008 in S. Illinois/MO Region. He also acquired the title of 2013 RE/MAX Choice “Sales Associate of the Year” and achieved this title since 2002, 11 solid years demonstrating his Enthusiasm to be a true Top Professional.

He also received teh RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2014.

He received the Certified New Home Sales Professional Designation through his hard work and Dedication.

AL works with Clients in any price range either Buyers - including 1st Time Home Buyers, Sellers, Families Relocating either into or out of the area and is also involved in New Construction.

AL’s Real Estate knowledge shines through as he reviews the Marketing Conditions to inform his Clients and strives for a successful transaction.

He goes above and beyond just to provide 110% Customer Satisfaction to all of his Clientele. You can’t go wrong with AL LEGG.

Tom Krieger Prudential Snyder Real Estate Meet Tom Krieger, Relocation Specialist for Prudential Snyder Real Estate. He has specialized in residential New Construction and Relocation, and Luxury Home Sales for the past 35 years. He is an 8 time Chairman’s Circle Gold Award Winner with the Prudential companies world wide.

Tom was named “Listing Agent of the Year” and also “Realtor of the Year” for Prudential Snyder Real Estate 2006 and 2007. In 2009, Since relocating to the area in 1996, Tom has enjoyed working in Bloomington-Normal’s excellent market. Tom is currently a member of the BNAR Board of Directors. Tom’s sales volume exceeded 15 million in 2013.

Tom believes that buying or building a new home should be an enjoyable experience.

He feels that buyers need someone with the background and “know-how” to take care of the details so that it can be enjoyable.

Tom offers that expertise and exceptional service.

You can contact Tom at (309) 275-0659 or (309) 664-1854. kriegcrew@aol.com

Larry & Candy Foster Century 21 Aper Realty

About Us...

I started my construction business in 1973 and received my real estate license in 1974.

Since then, I have built, owned, single, multi-family, retail office, churches, warehouse, agricultural and development properties.

Candy is a licensed Broker SFR and assisting construction Larry Foster and real estate management and accounting since 1981.

We feel with our vast knowledge and experience that we will be an asset to buyers, Candy Foster sellers and investors.

Call Larry at 309-824-2700 or Candy at 309-838-1032

www.pantagraph.com

TretterGlenn HomeMatchTeam Keller Williams

Buying or selling a home can be a challenge, which is why you want an agent who has KNOWLEDGE of the market and proven SUCCESS. Combining over 22 years of real estate experience, SUE TRETTER and JUDY Sue GLENN of Tretter the TretterGlenn HomeMatchTeam, are consistent production leaders – ranking in the top 5% of all BNAR agents. They credit their success to AWARENESS of market trends, continued EDUCATION, exceptional SERVICE and client REFERRALS. “We LISTEN and CARE about your needs and desires!”

Sue and Judy Judy are FULL-TIME Glenn agents, COMMITTED to helping their buyers and sellers reach their real estate goals. “We pride ourselves on superior SERVICE, practical SOLUTIONS, and client SATISFACTION!” BUYERS – we work WITH and FOR you to find your home.

SELLERS – our STAGING guidance and ambitious marketing deliver RESULTS. Experience the DIFFERENCE with the TretterGlenn HomeMatchTeam!

Call Sue Tretter at 309-287-7962 or Judy Glenn at 309-261-7333.

Visit us at www.TretterGlennHMT.com.

Roger K. Monke Area Wide Services, LLC Owner/Managing Broker of AWS with 29 years of Real Estate Marketing, Property Management and Construction Services. The AWS TEAM of licensed Real Estate Brokers’ are committed to SERVICE! Buyer and Seller Services, Investor Services, and General Contracting and Construction Services.

Contracting and Construction Services includes 30 years of new home/ residential and commercial improvements, response to emergency situations and preventative maintenance programs. Increasing property values for the homeowner and net operating income for the investor is always a major consideration. Please call AWS for assistance in meeting your Real Estate goals.

Office: 309-829-4800, Cell: 309-825-9111, E-Mail: areawideservices@comcast.net

Ed Larsen Prudential Snyder Real Estate

With 28 years of experience in Bloomington/Normal, Ed Larsen is a dedicated, full-time professional in the real estate industry. As a consistent multi-million dollar producer, Ed has been presented with many awards including the Leading Edge Society and President’s Circle with Prudential.

You can expect the highest level of professionalism, quality service, and personal attention that he has shown in the past. Earning your trust and loyalty is the foundation of his business. Ed’s expertise includes residential resales, new construction, relocation, investment properties, and commercial sales and leasing.

Please give The Larsen Team a call and let their dedication and experience work for you.

Ph. (309)275-3545. ed@edlarsensells.com www.edlarsensells.com

Anne Fleer

Sue Strang

Becky Gerig

Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

Sue Strang Realty Group

RE/MAX Choice

A native of Bloomington, Anne is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Degree in Business Administration/ Marketing. She is familiar with the area, the schools, and the community – all important factors if you are relocating to McLean County. Prior to joining Coldwell Banker Heart of America, she worked in the financial industry and held positions in mortgage lending, marketing, and was also the comptroller of a financial institution. She then was asked to join a Marketing/ Sales team for a Fortune 50 Communications Company supporting one of their largest customers, where she was recognized as being in the top 1% of the company’s sales force. She has experience in lending, marketing, contract negotiations, advertising, and customer service – all important facets of a real estate transaction. Anne has been actively involved in the community having served on the Boards of The United Way and The Arthritis Foundation.

In addition she has worked with the American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, The Children’s Advocacy center, her church, and the schools in the area. She loves real estate and is committed to her clients.

She pledges honesty, integrity, and that she will prioritize her clients needs. She measures her success by delighting her customers. She can be reached at 309-826-2178, afleer@cbhoa.com, or via her website at www.annefleer.com.

The Haas Sisters Tracy Haas Riley & Kristen Haas Oliver Prudential Snyder Real Estate Meet the Haas Sisters: Tracy Haas Riley and Kristen Haas Oliver of Prudential Snyder Real Estate. These sisters of real estate bring high energy and a strong commitment to their business.

They are dedicated to providing a positive experience for their clients whether they are buying or selling. In addition to their over 25 years combined real estate experience, both sisters are graduates of Illinois State University. This Sister Team always strives to do their best to get you the very best home at the very best price! And if you are selling, you won’t be disappointed in their marketing commitment to your home!

They welcome new clients to call or e-mail them to see for themselves the dedication and results that they provide.

They also want to thank loyal clients for their business and are grateful for their referrals. Both are really appreciated!

Visit them at their web site at: www.TheHaasSisters.com or call Tracy at 309-275-6590 or Kristen at 309-838-6082

CRP—Certified Relocation Professional, CRS—Certified Residential Specialist, GRI—Graduate Realtors Institute, PMN—Performance Management Network, SFR—Short Sales Foreclosure Resource.

All advanced real estate education designations that Sue has earned which separate her from most other local REALTORS. In 2013 she was honored as the CRS Illinois Member of the Year in a ceremony at the state convention. Sue was the 2010 President of Illinois CRS Chapter.

Less than 4% of REALTORS have earned the CRS designation.

Sue served as State President for Women’s Council of REALTORS® in 2004 and also honored as the Illinois Member of the Year in 2012. A veteran of 27+ years working with buyers and sellers has resulted in consistent multi-million dollar production. Referrals from satisfied customers and friends contribute to her experience and success. Past performance is no guarantee of future success...but what else can you go by.

Please call Sue at (309) 824-0002 for respected, experienced and honest service.

Becky is a life time resident of BL/NL. She attended University High School and Illinois State University. She is married to Doug Gerig who is from the Gridley area who sells Commercial Real Estate for Douglas R. Gerig Commercial Properties. They have eight wonderful children and their family attends Heartland Community Church. Becky is very passionate about her Real Estate career. She has been selling Real Estate for 28 years and as a Veteran Agent she has earned many accomplishments and awards over the years. In 2012 she was in the top 50 agents in the community and made the 100% Club with RE/MAX International. She prides herself in enjoying all aspects of the business. She is a specialist in many areas: first time home buyers, relocation buyers, listing of existing homes and new construction. She is very comfortable in the New Construction arena because of her father and brother being in the business as Gannaway Construction. She provides a one hour consultation free for discussing any of your Real Estate needs. Please call her at 309-212-4120 or text her the same number or email her at BeckyGerig@remax.net.

Becky’s spiritual belief is John 3:16!

Liliana Taimoorazi

Sheryl Scott

Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

Prudential Snyder Real Estate

Working hard with dedication pays off; Being a successful Real Estate Broker is just the proof of how I have earned my Clients’ trust, loyalty & referral. I have the privilege of loving my job and dedicating all my resources to provide the best Customer Service to my Clients with professionalism and knowledge of the market.

I have Multi-cultural Background, and know several languages such as Italian, Persian, understand Spanish and Russian. Graduated from ISU in Business Information Systems and have kept investing in education and technology to help me accomplish my Clients’ objectives in buying or selling their houses for the best possible value and in a timely manner. See for yourselves and let me assist you through the whole process to make your move to be a smooth and a pleasant one working hard but smart for you! Please call, text or email me at any time for all your Real Estate needs!

Mobile:309-826-5559 Office: 309-664-3615 www.lilianacbhoa.com Email: ltaimoorazi@cbhoa.com

Jacqui Miller & Janet Jurich Realty Group Keller Williams

LIST WITH LISTER A resident of BloomingtonNormal for over 30 years, Lynn knows the community, schools, and neighborhoods.

First time home buyers have so many questions and Lynn works hard to get all the answers.

Lynn uses the right tools to price your home for sale too! Member of Coldwell Banker Diamond Societiy, Marketing Specialist, Relocation Specialist, GRI. Call 309-287-6610 today! llister@cbhoa.com

Donna Epperson Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

Lynn Lister Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

Sheryl is a multi-million dollar producer and brings over 24 years in sales experience and business management. She has been a native of McLean County for most of her life, and a Realtor/Broker for the past 20 years. Expertise in creating luxurious homes has created a new company known as Executive Homes, Inc. She is consistently recommended for tremendous results in residential sales.

Sheryl has used her design skills to help her clients make their homes “market ready” and more competitive in todays market. Her premier marketing package repeatedly produces success stories for Seller’s in even the most diffi cult market situations. Sheryl has a long list of past clients who readily refer her to friends and family.

Creative thinking, a positive attitude and excellent service are the keys to her success.

Sheryl was the fi rst agent in Bloomington/ Normal to post her business on the Internet over 18 years ago, and continues to offer state-ofthe- art marketing technology. Sheryl has mentored new agents to successful career results. For proven results, call Sheryl when buying, selling, or building. www.bloomingtonillinoisrealestate.com or 309-825-1096

Jacqui Miller & Janet Jurich have over 21 years combined experience helping clients buy and sell homes throughout Mclean County. Whether you are looking to purchase your first home, moving up, relocating to the community or downsizing, our team has incorporated all the tools of technology and personal service to make your move the best move possible.

We are a world class team that strives to provide professional and dedicated service from beginning to end. Call Jacqui 261-2284 or Janet 825-2078 “We make it happen… You make it home” www.BloomingtonAreaHomes.com

Donna Epperson gets the job done for you! Donna is a multi million dollar producer and a full service agent. She is well established in the community and has an extensive network of professional and local clients.

Making connections means anticipating needs and getting results. She is associated with a number of relocation companies. Donna advertises your property on many websites to get the most exposure for you. In the end, results are what are important.

Email: DonnaEpperson@gmail.com.

CALL or TEXT DONNA TODAY! 309-275-1248

The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014 • F5

www.pantagraph.com

Nick Butzirus

Deb Connor

Nancy Brady

Gerry Wahlheim

Keith Troutman

Greg Zavitz

Main Street Brokers and Associates

Coldwell Banker Heart of america Realtors

RE/MAX Choice

Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

Prudential Snyder Real Estate

Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors

Nick Butzirus is a Realtor®, ABR® (great for buyers), CHMS® (great for sellers), SFR® (great for short-sales and foreclosures), and NAR certified e-Pro®, as well as the Managing Broker/Owner of MSBA. Nick is a Bloomington native, and has been serving the real estate needs of McLean County residents for over 15 years!

Nick specializes in first-rate marketing for sellers and excellent buyer representation services. He has also developed a top-rated program for first-time buyers, so be sure that your home buying process begins with Nick!

As a cutting-edge broker, Nick also has a special “Just List It” program for sellers that will market a home for only $395 (plus a 3% commission offered to the buyer’s agent), and sellers may even qualify for a special $200 rate (call for details).

Become a part of Nick’s “real estate family” today by calling him at 309-888-HOME (4663) Butzirus.com MSBAHomes.com Nick’s not just any real estate broker... ...he’s YOUR real estate broker!

Mike & Jean Hutson Prudential Snyder Real estate

Mike and Jean Hutson www.TheHutsonTeam.com Mike and Jean bring buyers and sellers together using the latest technology. Whether you are moving across town or across the country-our aim is to make your move as stress free as possible. We can assist you with re-designing your space before you list your property; and research the properties you may want to see for your next purchase. THE DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP IS ALIVE AND WELL! Looking for a New Address... we can help.

TheHutsonTeam.com hutsonrealestate@gmail.com 825-6894

Ivey Weaver Re/Max Choice

Why choose Ivey Weaver, G.R.I., C.R.S? With over 46 years as a full-time licensed REALTOR, a recipient of the BNAR Hall of Fame “Lifetime Achievement Award” and RE/MAX International Hall of Fame. “She has discovered that caring for clients is the most important aspect of her job.” She has an abundance of energy and enthusiasm and loves to find the perfect match for both the Seller and the Buyer. Ivey and Ed have two sons, Mark and David. For all your real estate needs call Ivey at (309)825-6012 or visit her website at www.iveyweaver.remaxagent.com

Kathy DiCiaula Prudential Snyder Real Estate

Kathy has been a resident of McLean County since attending ISU with her husband Guy, Project Manager for Kaisner Homes.

As a former teacher, Kathy knows the value of helping her clients understand the buying and selling processes. Her designations include Graduate of Realtor Institute (GRI). Honesty, responsiveness, knowledge, and communication are her priorities. She knows how to work through the details and is committed to the best interests of her clients. Just call Kathy D. Ph. 309-824-4242 kathyd@prusny.com www. kathydiciaula.prusny.com

#1 Agent in 2013 #1 Company in McLean County I get results! Call 309-5311912. I am a top producer and have been providing real estate services to our community for over 20 years.

I am well established in the community and have many satisfied clients and an extensive network of professional and local clients.

I am a full service agent. I am associated with many relocation companies and universities.

I advertise your property on several websites, including www.cbhoa.com and www.bnrealtors.com email: dconnor@cbhoa.com.

CALL DeB TODAY!

Sandy Slingsby Prudential Snyder Real Estate

Sandy moved to B/N in 1965 and has been a Realtor since 1993. U of W, Madison B.S., and ISU, M.S. and has continued her education by obtaining a GRI designation.

With 30 years of teaching experience, 28 at Chiddix Junior High School, Sandy knows the value of doing her homework.

Educating her clients about buying and/ or selling is second nature to her.

She has the knowledge and experience to help you make your decisions easier. Buying or selling, Sandy makes the grade. Call Sandy today!

Mobile 309-824-3652.

Nancy Brady is a full-time REALTOR® with 26 years of experience. A native of Bloomington-Normal, she has always been active in the community, especially with Easter Seals and St. Joseph Hospital. She has sold over $185,000,000 in real estate.

She is very involved with her 13 grandchildren. Nancy enjoys golf and her time with friends. She appreciates the loyalty of all the new friends she has had the opportunity to work with and feels fortunate to have them as her best source of referrals. Nancy really cares about your needs and wants to find the best home for you.

If you are selling, she will work very hard to make it easy for you. She will always call you back with a smile.

309-242-1311 309-664-8517

Amanda Capodice Kinsella, MBA Prudential Snyder Real Estate

Amanda is a lifelong resident of Bloomington Normal and became a full time real estate agent after graduating from ISU in 2006. Amanda has helped more than 150 families buy or sell real estate and in 2013, closed over 6.9 million in sales. Amanda always does what is in the best interest of her clients and strives every day to provide top notch service.

Please visit AmandaKinsella.com to learn how Amanda will make your property, her priority.

Mobile: (309) 212-2276 Amanda@AmandaKinsella.com

Considering Buying or Selling, this may be one of your most significant financial Sale/ Purchase of your life, TRUST a pro. With over 14 years Real Estate experience, an accountant by trade, no one knows the numbers better than Gerry.

The Real Estate market may seem confusing and intimidating, let Gerry cut to the chase and explain the true Cost of Ownership to you. All Real Estate is local, trust a full time, seasoned veteran to guide you through the process, you won’t be disappointed.

Call 309.532.2920, email gwsold@gmail.com or visit my Website-Buyinbloomington.com

Keith Troutman is a long time resident of the Bloomington/ Normal area. Since becoming a Real Estate agent in 2004 he has consis tently put his clients first. Keith’s dedication, attention to detail, and passion for real estate has contributed to his success! His commitment to providing prompt, personal service to his clients has earned him a reputation for quality within the community.

You can call or text Keith at (309) 826-1737 or email keith@keithtroutman.com You can also visit Keith at his website keithtroutman.com

Dan Slagell Re/Max Choice

Dotty Mitchell Prudential Snyder Real Estate

Your home town expert! Dotty has been a successful, full time Real Estate agent for twenty years and is always ready to go to work for you. As a lifelong resident of McLean County, she has a wealth of personal contacts and a vast knowledge of the area. Her background of teaching in Unit 5 and serving as an administrator in District 87 are invaluable attributes. She encourages you to make her website your one stop to get all your Real Estate information. She prides herself on responding quickly and personally when clients have questions. Visit her website at dottymitch.com or call 309-830-1314.

As a Managing Broker for Re/MAx Choice, Dan has over 20 years of finance and real estate experience. He is anxious to assist new and past clients and sincerely appreciates the opportunity to have served many friends, neighbors and new community members with their real estate needs. Dan is a Certified Agent for Real estate Investors and a CDPe/ Certified Distressed Property expert. He specializes in new construction, relocation, commercial and agricultural investments. Give Dan, a dedicated full-time professional, a call for all your real estate needs.

309-261-3026 danslagell@remax.net

I am a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. I use a team approach with the help of one licensed agent and one unlicensed office manager. I have averaged over $10 million in sales and 60-75 homes sold each of the last 10 years. Hire a knowledgeable professional with 29 years’ experience and the tools to get the job done. I will give your home more internet exposure than any other agent in town.

Call me and I will show you my sales system...309-275-4734 gregzavitz@gmail.com www.HomesInBloomingtonIL.com

LOOKING FOR A

NEW HOME? Home Market

Home Finder

Pantagraph.com

Jack Ruch Prudential Snyder Real Estate Jack Ruch has been in the Real Estate business since 1971.

He moved to the Twin Cities in 1987, sold Real Estate and has been a Home Builder, giving him the edge when selling homes knowing the ins and outs of construction. He also manufactures custom moldings for homes. He enjoys working with people and finding them the home of their dreams.

Should you find a home that isn’t quite what you were dreaming of, he can help you make it that way. Call him today at 309-824-0293.

Belinda Trunell RE/MAX Choice

BELINDA TRUNELL is an outstanding RE/MAX Agent/ Broker that takes pride in helping clients. She strives to exceed their expectations by providing personable service. Belinda is a RE/MAX 100% Club, Executive Club, and Above the Crowd member. She is recognized as one of the top leaders in relocation, new construction, and overall sales. If you appreciate downhome southern hospitality, please contact Belinda for all of your real estate needs. And don’t forget, she is never too busy for your referrals!

Please contact Belinda by email at belindatrunell@remax.net or by phone at 309-287-6105.

Nate Alexander Prudential Snyder Real Estate

I have been in sales for over 25 years. I have been a Broker for Prudential Snyder Real Estate for almost 5 years.

I take pride in listening to my clients and serving them based on their wants and needs. I’m here to serve you, please give me a call 309-706-0759.

Your Broker & Friend Nate ”The Great” Alexander

Protecting home ownership, now and for future generations.

A child doesn’t know that owning a home helps build communities. That home ownership contributes to higher self-esteem and better test scores. They just know that home is where they belong. It’s where they play, grow and learn.

The National Association of REALTORS® will always stand up for home ownership and strive to protect it. Because home ownership matters– to our families, our neighborhoods and our country.

HouseLogic.com/homeownership ©2012 REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS®

F6 • The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014

ANNUAL REPORT

www.pantagraph.com

Fire, tourism mark year of change in Logan Co. Kevin Barlow kbarlow@pantagraph.com

LINCOLN—With a quick glance, the face of downtown Lincoln looks much the same as it did a year ago, but a closer look tells a different story.

On June 20, 2013, a severe thunderstorm with dangerous lightning and strong winds rolled through the area. Lightning struck the roof of the Oasis Senior Center, sparking a fire that severely damaged the building and destroyed much of the inside.

The Oasis fire was one of the headline stories from Logan County in 2013.

“Still, if there is some good news, it is that the whole entire block didn’t go,” said Lincoln Fire Chief Mark Miller. More than 70 firefighters from 15 departments worked on the fire.

The building remains standing, but it now owned by MMIL Holdings LLC of Lincoln. Future plans are unknown.

Meanwhile, the Oasis, which has more than 800 active members and affects up to 4,000 people a year through various programs, has been operating out of the basement of St. John

United Church of Christ. That will change after the Oasis board purchased the former Rusty’s Clubhouse, 2810 Woodlawn Drive, for $385,000.

An additional $250,000 of work will be needed to transform the 10,000-square-foot former restaurant into a senior center, said Oasis Executive Director Dominic Dalpoas.

“We know it will take us a while to make this ‘our place,’ Dalpoas said. “But everyone is anxious to get in there and see the end result.”

The face of tourism in Logan County is also changing. In the spring of 2013, the City of Lincoln informed the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau that it was unhappy with the way the bureau represented Lincoln. City leaders changed how they funded the bureau, and brought its operation under direct control.

Long-time bureau director Geoff Ladd resigned in April and Nancy Saul was named last fall as interim director until a permanent director is hired.

“We have had some changes, but our commitment to tourism and telling our stories hasn’t changed,” Saul said.

Ill. Wesleyan connects with the community Richard F. Wilson In looking back over the past year, I am particularly proud of the many ways that our students, faculty and staff have put their talents and energies to work contributing to the quality of life for those of us living in McLean County and the surrounding area.

Many of the most noticeable connections we have with the community involve our music, theater and nursing programs and Titan teams. However, there are many more equally important, but less noticeable, ones we make as an institution and individuals. Following are a few examples of some of those activities that you might find of interest: The Give A Day Campaign is a new way to engage our students in service by having them commit a single day to work in the community. Midway through this academic year, the Give A Day program has produced 13,015 total hours of community service work by our students.

The Action Research Center, which receives financial support from the State Farm Companies Foundation, couples students with more than 25 community partner organizations to work on a wide variety of short-term and long-term projects that are designed to help improve our community.

The Shirk Center each year opens its door to more than 200 events for community groups ranging from the Special Olympics and high school competitions to the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo and Police Candidate Testing.

A small business workshop program was created this past year, offering a series of nine workshops to help budding entrepreneurs and small business owners become more successful.

A f u n d ra i s e r f o r women who were victims of domestic violence was created after one of our students interned at Bloomington’s Crisis Nursery and wanted to continue helping these women. Another student secured a grant to create a Tool Library that lends local homeowners the tools they could not otherwise afford so they could make their own home repairs.

Volunteer Saturday

i s a n event our incoming first-year s t u d e n ts take part in that s e n d s them into Richard the comWilson munity for a day of service, where they assist our neighbors, the elderly and a variety of neighborhood and service groups.

Tornado relief for Washington, Ill., was provided by more than 100 of our student-athletes and coaches, who lent a helping hand to local residents as they cleaned up after the devastating storm rolled through the community in November.

Habitat for Humanity is a program our students have participated in for the past 19 years, building affordable housing along with Illinois State University students for residents of McLean County.

Alternative spring and fall breaks send student volunteers into the community for service rather than to beachfront resorts.

This past fall, a number of our students spent three days and two nights working and learning at the Western Avenue Community Center.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gospel Festival and Fellowship Dinner were hosted on the Illinois Wesleyan campus for the 24th time this year.

The Illinois Wesleyan Civic Orchestra is an example of how our faculty and students have helped fill the void created when the Bloomington-Normal Symphony was disbanded in 1985.

In addition to these activities, every day you can find members of our faculty and staff serving the community on gove r n m e n ta l b o d i e s, lending their expertise to economic development agencies, contributing their talents to a variety of non-profit organizations, coaching youth athletic tea m s, l ea d i n g s c o u t troops and more.

Contributing to the quality of life in Bloomington-Normal not only benefits our friends and neighbors, but it also enhances the educational experience our students receive.

Wilson is president, Illinois Wesleyan University.

STEVE SMEDLEY, The Pantagraph

Early in the fire, thick smoke billows from the second floor of the Oasis Senior Citizen Center, 501 Pulaski St., Lincoln, in June 2013.

Elsewhere in Logan County, a sad tale came to an end with the July sentencing of a 34-year-old Armington man who admitted to making a lot of stupid mistakes on Sept. 21, 2009, but denied killing five members of a Beason family and leaving a toddler severely injured.

Chris Harris was sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of the murders of Rick and Ruth Gee and three of their children, Justina Constant, 16; Dillen Constant, 14; and Austin Gee, 11. The then-3-year-old girl has recovered from her injuries.

Harris’ brother, Jason, received a 20-year sentence for his role after he testified against his

STEVE SMEDLEY, The Pantagraph

Lincoln Public Library director Richard Sumrall explains the process to restore the main entrance stairwell of the 1902-era Carnegie library. brother. Prosecutors said he did not actively participate in the murders.

In brighter news, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln was recognized by iVantage Health Analytics as one of the nation’s top 100 best-performing critical access hospitals.

The honor is based on iVantage’s Hospital Strength Index and its measures of market conditions, clinical and operational performance and financial and

qualitative outcomes.

“We are excited and proud to have earned this national recognition based on our performance,” said Dalpoas, who is the hospital’s president and chief executive officer. “Our employees, physicians and volunteers work together to serve the needs of our patients, and have earned this honor through their commitment to improve the health of the people and communities we serve.”

ISU, IWU complete construction projects Lenore Sobota lsobota@pantagraph.com

Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities celebrated graduation rates well above the national average in 2013 and completion of major renovation and construction projects.

A report from the U.S. Department of Education placed ISU’s six-year graduation rate at 71.5 percent and IWU’s at 78 percent. That put them among the top 10 percent of public/private universities in the nation.

The national average is 56 or 57 percent.

Illinois State University Among the big changes at ISU was the end of the President Al Bowman era, who retired in May after 10 years in the top spot. ISU’s 18th president, Timothy Flanagan, took over Aug. 15, coming from Framingham State University in Massachusetts.

Flanagan was on hand when a renovated Hancock

DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph

Illinois Wesleyan University students and faculty gather for the ribbon-cutting opening State Farm Hall on Aug. 26, 2013.

Stadium opened for the fall football season on Sept. 21.

With the new east-side stands, which includes s eve n l u x u r y s u i te s, the stadium’s capacity is 13,391.

Funding for the $26 million project included $500,000 from the town of Normal for the scoreboard, as well as private donations and athletic facilities reserves. The new stands have bleacher-back seating and more than 500 chair-back club seats as part of a two-story enclosed structure.

Looking ahead, the university is beginning the

planning and design for a Fine Arts Complex.

Gov. Pat Quinn came to campus in February to announce a $54 million capital investment in the project, which will replace or renovate Centennial East, Centennial West and the Center for Visual Arts. The Centennial buildings were constructed in 1959; the Center for Visual Arts was built in 1973.

Illinois Wesleyan University T h e re we re seve ra l grand openings at IWU in 2013. State Farm Hall, a 47,000-square-foot classroom building welcomed its first students in August.

Students moved into The Gates at Wesleyan student apartments for fall semester. And the Kemp Commencement Plaza, supported by a gift from the Kemp Family Foundation, hosted its first graduation ceremony in May. State Farm Hall, the

school’s newest instructional facility, was built on the site of its first classroom building.

Old North Hall once stood in the same spot on the north side of what is now known as the Eckley Quadrangle.

In addition to classrooms and seminar rooms, the four-story building houses economics and educational studies research labs and faculty offices for the business administration and economic departments.

The university’s most diverse incoming class arrived last fall, with 50 international students from 14 countries — double the previous year’s entering class of international students and the most since the previous record of 35 in 2008-09.

In April, President Richard Wilson appointed faculty to three new endowed professorships and one existing professorship.

That brings the number of endowed chairs and professorships at IWU to 11.

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The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014 • F7

ANNUAL REPORT

Everyday people account for fitness boom Paul Swiech pswiech@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON—More typical Central Illinoisans want that boost of energy and improved fitness to make it easier for them to go about their daily lives.

That explains the fitness boom in McLean County.

“We’re not seeing that person with $100,000 in the bank who wants oneon-one personal training,” said personal trainer Carl Clover, co-owner of The Workout Company, 419 Kays Drive, Normal.

“What we’re seeing now is that everyday person who wants to be more aggressive with their health and fitness,” Clover said.

On the one side are more people who recognize health

and energy benefits from structured exercise. On the other side are fitness centers, who know that the majority of people don’t belong to a gym but would join if they could afford it.

What has resulted is more gyms in McLean County, each with a slightly different fitness angle.

Meanwhile, some existing gyms have renovated, expanded or updated their fitness programming.

LA Fitness opened in December at 2103 N. Veterans Parkway, Bloomington.

The 45,000-square-foot center includes a spinning room, aerobics room, circuit and free weights area, pool, basketball court, racquetball rooms and cardio area.

In recent months, CrossFit gyms and body

DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph

Dawna Tucci pushes a weight during a relay exercise in January. boutiques also have opened in Bloomington-Normal.

Meanwhile, Four Seasons Health Club in January completed expansion and renovation projects totaling $5.2 million.

About $2.4 million was

spent to add a two-story, 11,000-square-foot addition to Four Seasons II, 2401 Airport Road, Bloomington, and $2.8 million was spent to add 2,500 square feet and renovate space at Four Seasons I,

904 Four Seasons Road, Bloomington.

Some 5,000 square feet of the addition to Four Seasons II is for The Pit, an area for adult small group fitness sessions and youth sports performance training. The Pit offers individualized programming in small-group settings to help people realize their goals, said Catherine Porter, Four Seasons vice president of operations.

Gold’s Gym, 11 Currency Drive, Bloomington, completed a $1.4 million renovation, including a functional training space, in early 2013.

S m a l l - g ro u p t ra i n ing also is increasing in popularity at Workout Company. “ I l ove t h i s t re n d ,”

Joanne Randolph of Bloomington said after a team training session in January. “I wouldn’t have done this any other way.”

Small group training tries to improve movements of daily living and do so in a fun setting. Individuals get a good workout for less money than oneon-one training, personal trainers get more clients and fitness centers gain loyal clientele. “ G y m s a re ge t t i n g away from treadmills and weights and moving to quality programming and functional training,” Clover said. “The idea is to make it affordable and available to more people.

“The goal is to get people a little more fit than they were last week.”

City made progress on many issues in 2013 Tari Renner As I said in my State of the City address, Bloomington is totally awesome! But you don’t have to take my word for it. Nerdwallet.com ranks us among America’s top 10 city economies. CNN Money ranks us among the best small metro areas to live. We are still the fastest growing economy in downstate, we have the best trained workforce, the highest education level and the lowest crime rate in all of Illinois.

Our assets are the envy of our peer cities — a strong employment base, great colleges and universities, a growing regional airport, Amtrak train service, highspeed rail on the way, exemplary public schools, sports teams, low commuting

times and other great amenities such as the Constitution Trail, a vibrant zoo, and Tari multiple Renner entertainment venues (both public and private).

2013 was a year of transition, a year of progress, a year of openness and transparency. Throughout the year we held nearly 20 mayoral open houses and three town hall meetings, inviting citizens to come forward and express their opinions.

All citizens should feel they can easily contact me or city staff and expect a prompt response. We are making

many steps to ensure that transparency becomes part of our culture. Last month, the Illinois Policy Institute recognized Bloomington with a “Sunshine Award” for the great progress we have made in increasing openness in city government.

The reorganization and consolidation of our boards and commissions was another important step in 2013. Nearly all vacancies and expired terms were filled, with lots of new blood to reinvigorate these boards. Terms limits, added a few weeks ago, will provide further opportunities for involvement of more diverse citizens throughout our community.

In 2013 we began dealing with the top concern of our residents —streets and

General Assembly takes action on major issues T.J. Fowler TJ.Fowler@lee.net

SPRINGFIELD – From pension reform to medical marijuana, 2013 saw a heap of major legislation signed into state law.

State lawmakers crafted a great deal of new legislation dealing with pressing issues like the state’s pension crisis, gun control and medical marijuana last year.

In December, legislators broke years of gridlock and passed sweeping measures to attack the state’s $100 billion pension shortfall.

With the changes in place, state employees age 45 and under would see an increase in their retirement age, and many would face reductions in annual cost-of-living adjustments.

At the same time, workers would have to contribute less toward their re t i re m e n t p l a n s a n d would gain the option of subscribing to a 401(k)styled system.

The policy could be short-lived, however, as state employee unions line up to file suit against the state. They argue that the changes violate a constitutional provision barring the state from “diminishing ” or “impairing” its contractual obligations to public retirement systems.

Lawmakers also made Illinois the final state in the nation to craft rules for carrying a concealed firearm last year, after a court order struck down its ban on concealed carry.

Under the new rules, Illinoisans with a permit can carry a concealed weapon in public, but are banned from carrying one in schools, public parks, establishments that make at least 50 percent of their profits from alcohol sales, public transit and any

building with a posted sign forbidding firearms.

To be eligible for the permit, the applicant must be 21 years old, hold a valid FOID card and undergo a criminal background check.

The state police began accepting applications last month, and the first carry permits are expected to be issued in early March.

Meanwhile, officials are working to enact the state’s first pilot program to authorize medical marijuana sales.

After officials hammer out the details of implementation, Illinois patients who suffer from serious medical conditions, like AIDS, Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis, could apply for a medical marijuana card.

The legislation is Senate Bill 2101.

Immigrant driver’s licenses Immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally are now eligible to apply for a temporary visitor driver’s license.

T h e se te m p o ra ry licenses have a substantially different appearance from standard licenses, and are marked as invalid for use as official identification.

The legislation is Senate Bill 957.

Teen tan ban

Minors can no longer use indoor tanning facilities in Illinois, with or without a parent’s consent.

Medical groups have been pushing for the legSocial network islation, which is designed passwords to prevent tanning salon patrons from developing A new law prevents col- skin cancer. lege and university adminThe legislation is House istrators from requesting Bill 188. social media passwords Speed limit increase from students.

It’s designed to guard S p e e d l i m i ts we re students against a growing increased from 65 miles trend among universities, per hour to 70 mph on requiring that students interstates and designated allow administrators to highways in Illinois. monitor their social media Gov. Pat Quinn said accounts for inappropri- the increase would be a boon to the state’s comate content.

The law is similar to merce, and allow Illinois to one passed last year that remain competitive with would stop employers states that have already from requesting social made the change. media information from The legislation is Senate their employees.

Bill 2356.

The legislation is House Minors voting Bill 64.

Teenagers can now vote Mobile home meth in the March primary elecdisclosure tions as long as they’ll be 18 in time for the correOwners of mobile home sponding general election pa rks h ave to i n fo r m in November. potential buyers if prior Supporters say the move o c c u p a n t s p r o d u c e d could motivate young m e t h a m p h e ta m i n e o n people to participate in the the premises. political process.

Violators would be fined The legislation is House up to $2,000.

Bill 226.

infrastructure. With a $10 million street resurfacing bond alongside new sewer and long-term capital improvement plans, we are making considerable progress on this front.

Downtown Bloomington is not only our cultural and historic core that makes us distinctive from other communities, it is central to our future economic development. Toward that end, we passed a new downtown plan that is crucial to leverage private investment. We are making progress on getting a Route 66 Visitors Center in the McLean County History Museum. We have been working with the library board to expand their current location to the southeast.

Additionally, we have begun to stabilize the bar situation

– improving liquor code enforcement, cracking down on violations, and rewriting unclear or vague liquor ordinances. The council voted to stop open container drinking on party buses and to increase the number of street cameras for crime prevention and detection.

In the past year, we have come together on two longstanding issues – pensions and trash. The Council passed an aggressive public safety pension funding policy last fall. Additionally, after many years, we passed an ordinance on solid waste fees to close much of the gap in our general fund subsidy.

We continue to explore ways to improve transportation and the interconnectedness of our city.

One example of this is the pedestrian bike plan being developed to improve many forms of transportation and promote economic development.

In order to improve our competitiveness in the global economy, the Council recently adopted an incentive program to attract new businesses and investment. We are already seeing some successes with the coming of a new Hy-Vee grocery store and R.R. Donnelly company’s software development operation.

While we have made great progress in 2013 we will never stop striving to improve our community in the coming year — and beyond!

Renner is mayor of Bloomington.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month Contact your physician about screening colonoscopy beginning at age 50.

• Colorectal cancer is not associated with any one specific symptom • Screening colonoscopy is the most effective screening test as endorsed by the American College of Gastroenterology

Check with your insurance carrier, screening could be at no cost to you.

Call your physician if you have:

• Unexplained Weight Loss • Change in bowel habits Blood in the stool • Abdominal pain

PHYSICIANS ON STAFF AT DDEC WHO PERFORM COLONOSCOPY

Thomas DeWeert, M.D. Gastroenterologist

Philip Koszyk, M.D. Gastroenterologist

Vijaya Misra, M.D Gastroenterologist

Darryl Fernandes, M.D. Colorectal Surgeon

Kenneth Schoenig, M.D. Gastroenterologist

Robert Clark, M.D. Gastroenterologist

1302 Franklin Ave., Suite 1000, Normal

(309) 268-3400 Located in the Advocate BroMenn Medical Office Center 1

F8 • The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014

www.pantagraph.com

Honor Roll of area businesses

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

1837 First

1837

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

1854

ESTABLISHED

1855

1872

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

Bloomington-Normal YMCA 602 S. Main St. Bloomington, IL 61701 309-827-6233 www.bnymca.org

1104 N. Main st.

Bloomington, iL 61701 (309) 828-2422

Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)

www.blmfcc.com

Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 11 a.m.

1890

BLOOMINGTON TENT & AWNING

Pantagraph.com

1890

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

young wonders summer camp. where your child’s adventure begins.

STATE BANK OF GRAYMONT

www.chenoail.org

1908

“Always a Shade Better” Since 1890

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL AWNINGS &TENT RENTALS www.bloomingtontent-awning.com

• Back Lit Awnings • Custom Made Fabric Products • Retractable Awnings • Pool & Boat Covers • Canopies • Tent Sales

828-3411

All types of Repairs...

Watch, Clock & Jewelry New & Antique

217-935-4583

600 West Side Square - Clinton 20513158

1917

1917

ESTABLISHED

EstablishEd

STOP IN AND SEE OUR NEW SHOWROOM! • Full Service Coffee Bar • Children’s Activity Center • Comfortable Customer Lounge Complete line of Pre-owned vehicles too!

2030 Ireland Grove Rd, Bloomington

309-663-4391

View all our inventory at

www.shopbarker.com

1944 ESTABLISHED

ILLINOIS

401 W. Jefferson Bloomington 829-9327 ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

301 W. Washington St. Bloomington, IL

registration now open.

1201 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington, IL (309) 662-0461 | www.ywcamclean.org

1920 ESTABLISHED

307 e. Grove st., Bloomington

309.828.5037

1913

Member Fdic “A Full Service Bank Where Friendliness Prevails” Box 47, Graymont 815-743-5951 314 crittendon, chenoa 815-945-7871 1100 W. Howard, Pontiac 815-844-4433 www.sbofgray.com

1930

ESTABLISHED

Midstate Podiatry associates, Ltd

1507 e. Vernon, Normal

309.662.2886

www.ClayDooley.com • expert auto service • expert advice • ase certified technicians

1946 ESTABLISHED

Goodfield 309-965-2221 Eureka 309-467-2747 Metamora 309-965-2221

“Woodford County’s Only Independent Locally

1947

1914

ESTABLISHED

First State Bank of Forrest

Member Fdic “A strong friend for your family” 133 E. Krack St., Forrest, IL (815) 657-8248

603 W. Oak Street, Fairbury, IL (815) 692-4321 115 N. Chestnut, Onarga, IL (815) 268-7351

1931

1947

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

“Together We’re Better”

Featuring Wood Hill Towers, Bloomington - Normal’s choice for affordable senior housing.

Now taking applications!

Attorneys at Law

Costigan & Wollrab, P.C. 308 e. Washington street Bloomington, iL 61701

(309) 828-4310 www.cwlawoffice.com

1932

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

83 Great Years Residential • Commercial Fully Insured Illinois State License #1

2708 McGraw drive., Bloomington www.midstatepodiatry.com 800-475-5977 • 309-663-2306 “A Step Ahead in Foot Care” 20513795

1916

ESTABLISHED

Locally Owned & Operated American-Made Vacuums!!

“Like” us on

Bloomington - Ph. 309-828-2741 Chenoa - Ph. 815-945-2141 Pontiac - Ph. 815-842-1627 Fax: 815-945-7066

814 iaa drive, Bloomington, illinois, 61701

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

(309) 662 7272 www.nybakke.com

1953

1948

(309) 826•4066•2100 Bunn St•Bloomington

FISH FRYS

1208 N. TOWANDA IN TOWANDA PLAZA

309-827-8541 Hours: M-F 7-5 p.m., Sat. 8-4 p.m.

1954

the 1st & 3rd Fridays of Each Month with COUNTRY BAND ENTERTAINMENT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ALL WELCOME Book your Parties, Banquets and Receptions with us!

Fishing Memberships Available Check us out on Facebook

1956

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

SERVING BLOOMINGTON FOR 60 YEARS 302 EAST WASHINGTON 309-827-5466 W W W.T H E C O P YS H O P O N L I N E . C O M

Tarvin’s

2014

1954 ANNIVERSARY

(309) 663-4400

1964

1964 ESTABLISHED

104 E. Wood St. Bloomington

309-829-3360

Member Fdic Member Pontiac Bancorp, inc.

www.bloomingtonha.com

1961

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

Water Conditioning

#8 Gilmore Dr. Bloomington

ESTABLISHED

Pontiac • odell • dwight Forrest • Fairbury www.bankofpontiac.com

1968

ESTABLISHED

1963

Life • Home • Car • Farm • Business

FOR PERSONAL SERVICE, SEEK SHELTER TODAY.

Celebrating 50 years of serving Central Illinois!

• Asphalt Paving • Complete Maintenance • Landscape Materials • Flagstone, Boulders • Mulch

827-4811

1971

ESTABLISHED

1963

ESTABLISHED

o

Your local authorized retailer for Verizon Wireless & Dish Network.

2010 Fox Creek Road Bloomington, IL 309.828.4580 www.niepagens.com

Nationwide Warranty at over 800 Locations!

www.hillradiocommunications.com

Look for us on Facebook!

1970

ESTABLISHED

(309) 828-3337 ESTABLISHED

1971

1971

GENE’S

IVEY WEAVER GRI, CRS, Broker Over 46 Years Experience Selling Real Estate!

309-825-6012

iveyweaver@remax.net www.iveyweaver.remaxagent.com Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.

1971

ESTABLISHED

Your Lifestyle.

Your Landscape.

Your Enjoyment.

1804 Towanda Barnes Rd. Bloomington, IL 61705 (309) 662-8527 www.grieders.com

established

1971

1972

Spring Is Here

Now Open!

1019 S. Main, Bloomington

Check out our weekly Pantagraph ads for savings on Hunter-Douglas products!

MIKE FLYNN

COLDWELL BANKER COMMERCIAL HEART OF AMERICA REALTORS®

2027 Ireland Grove, Rd Bloomington,IL 309-662-1648 www.chucksharley-dav.com

mflynn@cbhoa.com 309.662.2124 Serving McLean County for 43 YEARS

BROKER – LAWYER – REALTOR®

ESTABLISHED

Dairy Delight

2 LOCATIONS: Maroa Ph: (217) 794-2292 East Peoria Ph: (309) 699-6231

Quality Furniture, Flooring & Appliances the “Wright” store For you 115 E. Madison, Pontiac (815) 844-7177

®

See Brian Thoennes 410 N. Clinton • Blm. • Ph. 829-8451 ESTABLISHED

1963

ESTABLISHED

WRIGHT’S

2503 G.E. Road Bloomington, IL 61704 309.663.2141

Seek Shelter Today!

BRIAN THOENNES

1809 W. Hovey, Normal Ph. 309-557-4000

www.unit5.org

www.aamco.com 321 S. Main, Bloomington

1540 E. College Ave. Normal 309-452-7436 www.themusicshoppe.com

McLean County Unit 5

417 North Main Bloomington, IL 61701 (309) 829-7529 7717A North University Peoria, IL 61614 (309) 692-1277 www.imusicenter.com

2014 Annual Report

★★★

The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014 • F9

www.pantagraph.com

Honor Roll of area businesses

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

1974

1974

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

Celebrating 40 Years!

Pianos Plus

1974

ESTABLISHED

1976

ESTABLISHED

1976

ESTABLISHED

Donna Epperson

“Where Service Makes Friends”

HORINE’S

youR fineR piano show Room

1336 E. Empire, Bloomington

662•5250

(309) 663-PLUS 888-231-8430

“Custom Home Builders”

www.horines.net

1976

ESTABLISHED

www.charlieknappbuilders.com

ESTABLISHED

• 38 Years of Experience • 2013 RE/MAX Choice #1 Individual Sales Broker of the Year.

• Ranked #1 in the RE/MAX Illinois/St. Louis Region for 2013.

AL LEGG

Cell: 309-531-2177 Email: al@allegg.com Website: allegg.com Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.

1981

ESTABLISHED

1978

North Street & Broadway In The Heart of Uptown Normal

309.452.1612 Mon.: 9 – 6 • Tues. – Fri.: 9 – 5 Saturday: 9 – 3 www.solidgoldjewelers.net

1981

ESTABLISHED

Canine Classic

supporting Music today and tomorrow

• Instrument Rental & Repair • Sheet Music & Accessories • Yamaha Digital Pianos • Private Lessons

Celebrating 37 years 127 E. Beaufort Ph. (309) 454-1713

802 S. Eldorado Rd., Blm 309-661-1116 www.kiddermusic.com

402 N. Main Ph. (309) 827-5522

1979

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

BLOOMINGTON MEATS 2401 S. Bunn St. Bloomington, IL

(309) 828-9731 “Best meat on Bunn”

1982

ESTABLISHED

1980

so Exclusive... only Pets are allowed!!

• Doggi Daycare • Boarding • Grooming • Training

Over 1700 apartments in more than 40 great locations!

309-827-8576

www.apartment-mart.com

1983

ESTABLISHED

2405 Springfield Rd., Blm.

1988

218 N. Main Street P.O. Box 622 Pontiac, IL 61764 815-844-6692 pontiacproud@route24.net On the web: PontiacProud.org

1992

ESTABLISHED

Family Owned & Operated Over 20 Years!

(309) 452-4848 1217 S. Adelaide St. Normal, IL 61761 Lic. #058107624

1999 ESTABLISHED

501 N. Clinton Bloomington

Ph. 309-829-3655 Family-owned Celebrating Almost 15 Years of Excellence

2004 ESTABLISHED

Compassionate Professionals Serving You!

Nurse Supervised Services

Websites: www.lynnchevroletbuick.com www.lynnchevroletbuick.net Email: lynncvbu@mchsi.com

1980

ESTABLISHED

1980

ESTABLISHED

Schedule your pool openings or repairs today!

New Vera Bradley Summer Launch...Available Now!

1201 South Main, Normal

1615 E Empire st, Bloomington, il 61701

(309) 452-5727

moleholeofeastland.com

1983

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

1986

Sue Strang, Managing Broker

1210 Fort Jesse Road, Normal, Illinois 309.454.1611

(309) 663-2241

www.etchesonspaandpool.com

CRP, CRS, GRI, PMN, SFR FULL TIME REALTOR FOR 27+ YEARS.

1030 W. Reynolds, Pontiac (815) 842-1143 or (800) 851-7605 www.driscollmotors.com

SUE STRANG REALTY GROUP 309-824-0002 SueStrang@Realtor.com

www.k9classics.com

(309) 827-4010

www.BratcherComfort.com

1989

1990

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

Bob Brady

For better grades call Sylvan today!

At-Home Care For Your Loved Ones!

Reading Math/Algebra Writing Study Skills ACTTest Prep

CNAs, NAs & Companions/Homemakers

ESTABLISHED

2902 Gill street Bloomington, il 61704 (309) 662-3330 risingstarsacademy.com

1992

ESTABLISHED

ESTABLISHED

512 IAA Drive Empire Plaza

309-662-7296 superfastcash.com Home of Quick Cash

1993

ESTABLISHED CindyEckols.com

1991

309.275.0836

• 24 Years of Knowledge & Experience in the Home Building & Real Estate Business • Specializing in Real Estate Brokerage, New Construction, & Remodeling • We will make the experience as stress free as possible!

• From our Home to yours......

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.

1996 ESTABLISHED

1991

Normal 662-8537 Peoria 683-3601

1997

ESTABLISHED

1992

www.acaringtouch.info Bloomington • 309.828.1516 Pontiac • 815.844.2400

1997

ESTABLISHED

Downtown Bloomington Association’s

309-532-1616 #1 Team for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 in BL/NL and McLean County. In addition to being a Broker, 2013 Prudential Awards: Team Listing Leader, Team Sales Leader, Prudential Chairman’s Circle - Platinum, Commercial Team of the Year, 1 Volume Agent in BNAR

John Lovelass Managing Broker 203 North Prospect Rd., Suite 200 Bloomington, IL 61704 meredithsproperties.com Phone: (309) 454-4100 Fax: (309) 454-4101

Check out F1RST FR1DAYS!

www.merrymaids.com Locally Owned

©2014 Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities.

An independently owned and operated broker member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.

Used under license. Equal Housing Opportunity.

1999

2001

2001

2003

2003

Don & Lorna Ray

1607 Clearwater Ave. Bloomington, IL 61704 (309) 662-9445

Student & Residential Listings

Treating our community for over 10 years!

1702 W. College Ave., Ste A-3 Normal, IL

309-661-1726 ESTABLISHED

309-827-4905 or

309-824-4505

Email us at martindale@martindalecleaning.com

martindalecleaning.com

2004

EstablishEd

H SMALL TOWN VALUES H

www.alpha-care.com

2014 Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. some offices independently owned and operated.

WE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE

ESTABLISHED

Broker Associates

See Don and Lorna for all your real estate needs!

Don: 309-532-1624 Lorna: 309-830-0163

ESTABLISHED

Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm

Heart of America REALTORS® , LTD

2014 Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. some offices independently owned and operated.

2006

2006

309-664-6200

Learning Center at the Links

ESTABLISHED

ONLY 10 MINUTES North of Menards on I-55

2101 Eastland Dr., Suite F Bloomington, IL

Guaranteed Credit Approval

We Make Better Hearing Easy & Affordable

View our complete inventory of new and used vehicles at

Purchase Batteries & Repair online

309-365-2161

www.BarkerChevy.com

AlwaysHear.Net

great shops, great food, great times!

downtownbloomington.org

ESTABLISHED

309-454-2960

www.classactrealty.com Normal, Illinois

On the Square in Historic Downtown Bloomington 2014 Season May 3 - Oct 25 Every Saturday, 7:30 - Noon

ESTABLISHED

1302 Franklin Ave., Suite 1000, Normal (309) 268-3400

ESTABLISHED

LEXINGTON , IL

309-663-4680

Heart of America REALTORS® , LTD

I-55 & Rt. 116 • Pontiac (815) 842-3344

309-829-5023

Call us at

1206 Towanda ave.

Bloomington

(309) 275-1248

donnaepperson@gmail.com

DRISCOLL

Our Tax Professionals have 10-27 Years Experience!

taxaccountingplus.com

GRI, CRS, Broker Associate

Over 30 years experience as a multi-million dollar producer.

Our office is open 7 days a week

Spa & Resort

ESTABLISHED

1976

ESTABLISHED

1602 Glenbridge Rd. & 2003 Jacobssen Bloomington

309-663-5800 www.katieskids.net Developing relationships...the heart of quality child care

2014 Annual Report

★★★

F10 • The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014

ANNUAL REPORT

www.pantagraph.com

Cancer Center continues to grow Bill Flick bflick@pantagraph.com

NORMAL—It may be the most impressive, most-needed $9.7 million building project that you hope and pray to be no part of.

Ever.

That’s also why it’s happening at the Community Cancer Center in Normal.

Out of need and, thanks to advancing medical technologies cancers being discovered earlier, the center is growing by more than double in size.

Terribly sad story about need; absolutely wonderful one about its progress.

“The center’s standing as an entity that provides quality cancer care and treatment has frankly been so positive,” says Darrell Hartweg, a Bloomington lawyer and chairman of the center board, “we’ve just become too small.”

Under construction since July at 407 E. Vernon Ave., Normal, and engineered by the P.J. Hoerr Co., general contractor, the project will enlarge the 27,000-square-foot complex by another 35,000 feet.

Although winter’s big snows and perpetual sub-zero cold prevented completion of the center’s roof and has delayed by three weeks from its original expected progress, there is still hope, say officials, that doors to the center’s new addition may be able to be pushed open by launch of 2015.

“Given all the elements that

have had to be dealt with,” says Joe Prosser, the center’s executive director, “we still feel we’re in great shape.”

An idea born in the 1990s, and brought to fruition with its building and opening in 1999, the Community Cancer Center was created as a way to allow cancer patients in the BloomingtonNormal area to stay here, in the community, rather than have to continually travel during one of the most stressful times in their lives.

It was a joint effort of BroMenn Regional (today’s Advocate BroMenn) and OSF St. Joseph medical centers to pool the community’s then largely fragmented cancer patient care.

Sadly, and yet also successfully, the center has become a popular, upbeat place to battle one of life’s most unpopular pursuits – overtaking cancer.

Each day, more than 220 patients now pass through its doors and that number is growing by 7 percent each year.

Its success has been so wellreceived, funding and donations to its newest addition already have totaled $6.2 million.

And when the center opens its newest doors, burrowed in wooded acreage just off a leg of the Twin Cities’ Constitution Trail, it will indeed become a complex instead of just a building to see your oncologist and receive treatment.

The new facility will have a

STEVE SMEDLEY, The Pantagraph

Workers apply weather-proof sheeting on the shell of the Community Cancer Center’s two-story addition in Normal in December 2013. café, a chapel and an appearance boutique for patients. There will be more space for private treatment and patient and family privacy. There will be a conference center, an expanded library and more chemotherapy rooms and meeting areas for patients, family members and doctors. Outside, there will be more parking and a new entrance.

“Building more space means a building of hope,” says Prosser, a

43-year-old St. Louis area native who himself was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 19.

“Since that day,” he says, “I knew I wanted to work with cancer patients. My goal is to ensure that we have highest quality of care being delivered on a daily basis to the patients of this community.

“What this will allow,” he adds, “is new technology and give us the latest, greatest and state-ofthe-art equipment, particularly

in radiation therapies. The added space we’re about to acquire will then also allow us to treat more patients.”

“And,” adds Hartweg, “the new facility has been specially designed so that there will continue to be a connection with the out-of-doors; with space for flower gardens, planting, and the familiar trees, all of which are part of the center’s holistic view of the treatment of cancer.”

Museum looks to past to support future Jeff Woodard BLOOMINGTON—The McLean County Museum of History has been collecting, preserving, and interpreting historical resources for 122 years.

With a growing interest in heritage tourism and robust community support, the museum will continue this work for another century. We work within the stone walls of our museum as well as at schools, meeting places and community landmarks.

“This place called McLean County is our place,” said executive director Greg Koos. “Its stories are our stories. And the knowledge of where we have been gives us some bearing on where we are headed. Communities without memories are sad

places indeed.”

Museums have changed from being places where visitors just look and learn. Today’s experience is based upon interactive learning and this fall will mark the 20th anniversary of the museum’s signature community event, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. The success of this award-winning outdoor history theater program is the result of a partnership with the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voices Theatre, along with a large number of participating schools.

Collaborating with other cultural and educational institutions is key to our work.

The cemetery walk serves children from fourth through sixth grades and provides

teachers the opportunity to augment curriculum while teaching students Jeff the rich Woodard and colorful history of Central Illinois and beyond. In addition to the weekday school tours, the program is held over two weekends so the public can see the performances.

Proceeds from the public tours and support from community businesses help to cover the cost of bringing the event to 1,800-plus students each year.

The museum is developing ways to continue serving as many local students

as possible, even as school districts tackle tough budget decisions that might make field trips a luxury.

Another joint partnership is with the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and the Sugar Grove Nature Center. The five-day History Careers Day offers hands-on experiences in history, archaeology, architecture, museum studies and environmental science. Campers also work on teambuilding and leadership.

Our longtime relationship with our landlord, the County of McLean, is also invaluable, providing our institution with an appropriate setting. Our location in the Old Courthouse on the square also gives us an opportunity to work with our surrounding downtown neighbors.

We plan upgrades to landscaping to provide more attractive plantings and places for visitors to sit and enjoy the outdoors.

“The museum provides cultural, educational and leisure resources, which in turn contribute to a healthy and vibrant local economy, particularly in the center of our historic community,” Koos said.

The museum is working with organizations such as the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown Bloomington Association and others to market the museum and the downtown as a destination.

Every generation faces unique challenges and changes that shape who we become. We share

stories of the community’s past struggles in our galleries, and use those lessons to help us plan for the future and ensure that local history remains a vital part of local life.

Continuing to offer fresh programs of interest to a broader demographic is needed to attract new visitors. As a nationally accredited institution of learning, working with volunteers, members, the board, donors and other partners who share our vision of preservation and interpretation of local history, we are confident we can achieve our goals and remain a vital part of the larger community.

Woodard is director of marketing and community relations at McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington.

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The Pantagraph • Sunday, March 16, 2014 • F11

ANNUAL REPORT

The year that rock came to our rescue Dan Craft dcraft@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON—The biggest happening on the Twin City arts and entertainment scene in 2013 arrived at year’s end, on the spur of a terrible moment.

The Dec. 4 Rock to the Rescue concert at U.S. Cellular Coliseum was pulled together literally within a day or two of the Nov. 17 tornadoes that ravaged Washington and other Central Illinois areas.

Led by Rock to the Rescue founders REO Speedwagon and Styx, the fundraising concert was formally announced on Nov. 21.

The work on making it happen began less than 24 hours after the devastation.

By the time of the concert, the performance roster had grown to include an all-star lineup of mostly veteran performers, including Ted Nugent, Survivor, Head East, Richard Marx and Larry the Cable Guy. Every ticket was sold, resulting in a final donation of more than $400,000 to various charities involved with the disaster.

Other like-minded fundraisers and charity events followed in Rock to the Rescue’s wake, including, most notably, a free Chicago concert at the Coliseum around seven weeks later.

Elsewhere on the local arts and entertainment scene, 2013 saw a number of milestones and transitions among various key groups and organizations.

The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts welcomed a new manager at year’s end: Tina Salamone replaced outgoing manager Joel Aalberts, who departed for a similar role at Eastern Kentucky University.

Salamone most recently was executive director of The Capitol Theatre in Burlington, Iowa, and the historic Palace Theatre in Marion, Ohio.

New Illinois Shakespeare Festival artistic director Kevin Rich began his reign with a season of innovation and changes, including a bevy of new outreach

LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER, The Pantagraph

Joyous fans listen as the band Chicago plays to a nearly full house during a free concert at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington.

STEVE SMEDLEY, The Pantagraph DAVID PROEBER, The Pantagraph

Styx performs as part of a multiple band show, Rock to the Rescue, to benefit Washington tornado victims, at U.S. Cellular Coliseum. programs, a return to indoor matinees at ISU and a new seating area between front row and stage for “Bardheads.”

Barely a month after celebrating the 25th anniversary of its popular “10-Minute Play Festival,” Heartland Theatre Company lost the creative troupe’s managing artistic director of 13 years, Mike Dobbins, who passed

away in July.

Meanwhile, two Twin City institutions turned 90 in 2013: Community Players, who celebrated its nonagenarian transition March 6 by re-creating the very first Players show from that same day in 1923, Alice Gerstenberg’s “Overtures.”

Meanwhile, the American Passion Play, billed as “the country’s

Long-term plan imperative for District 87’s future Barry Reilly BLOOMINGTON—The current school buildings in District 87 have enjoyed long, successful histories. beginning with Washington Elementary School in 1896 at a cost of $9,000.

At the time, the building was considered to be modern in every sense of the word.

As you can imagine, things have changed in the 118-year history of this school, Barry yet the Reilly building is still proudly in use today, serving some of our brightest kindergarten through fifthgrade students.

Even our newest building is not new at all, with Bloomington Junior High School well over 20 years old.

With all other schools ranging in age from 46- to more than 90 years old, it is imperative for us to pay attention to our facility needs.

In the past 10 years, all District 87 schools have undergone significant renovations and improvements.

The most easily visible includes the addition of trees and landscaping at each school; new paint, floors, ceilings and lighting in a number of classrooms; and more recently, the remodeling of the Bloomington High School media center, which the entire District 87 learning community enjoys.

While these changes are easy to spot across the district, some of the

most important of our renovations and improvements relate to building infrastructure, which are not easily seen as one drives by any of our nine school buildings.

The learning environment includes everything from the temperature in each classroom; the electrical power needed to support instruction; lighting; and the safety and security of everyone.

When part of that infrastructure fails, it can have a significant negative impact on the learning process for our students.

Through careful planning and prioritizing over the last 10 years and into the future, the board of education has put us on a solid foundation for facility maintenance and improvements into the future.

Just like your home, these school buildings require ongoing maintenance and improvements such as new roofs, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning, and electrical upgrades to account for technology advances in the classroom.

As we upgrade and improve across the district, we do so through careful study and planning with industry experts.

For example, we utilize energy efficient lighting with motion sensors designed to shut off after periods of inactivity. In more recent times, the importance to modernize our security systems has become a top priority. In collaboration with local

law enforcement and emergency responders, we have added security features such as video surveillance cameras and card access points for greater accountability and safety.

These proactive measures have helped to minimize risk factors that are of concern to our parents, staff and community members. Although we have made significant improvements in each of our schools in the past 10 years, the maintenance and upkeep of our schools is an ongoing process.

We will never reach a point where all of the structural needs of our schools are met. As such, District 87 has developed a long-term facility plan to address our needs into the future. We are confident in that developing this plan, we will not only preserve the future of our school buildings, but will continue to make them great places for student learning to thrive.

As superintendent of schools, I am very proud of all of our facilities and the forethought of the people who have worked meticulously on behalf of the taxpayers of District 87.

As community members, I would encourage you to learn more about this and all that is happening in District 87 schools.

Details of the facility plan can be found on our website at www.district 87.org.

Illinois Shakespeare Festival actors march into a performance area while singing on the lawn of the Bloomington Center of the Performing Arts in June 2013. longest-running continuously performed Passion Play,” also turned 90 in March, still chronicling the life of Christ on the stage where it began: the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts (formerly the Scottish Rite Temple).

Other milestones and transitions marking 2013: The Sugar Creek Arts Festival in uptown Normal hit the big 3-0 in July,

while WGLT’s Recycled Music Sale decided to stop the spinning after 22 summers.

Another era ended in April as the last of the Twin Cities’ once-prolific mom-and-pop video stores, Normal’s The Movie Fan, closed its doors, leaving only the chain-run Family Video behind to keep a dwindling home entertainment tradition going.

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Area’s trophy haul par for the course Randy Sharer rsharer@pantagraph.com

With 39 high schools competing in 10 sports for boys and 12 for girls, the Pantagraph area usually lands its share of state tournament trophies.

Last year was no exception as 11 area squads b ro u g h t h o m e s ta te hardware led by a trio of title winners.

Illini Central’s boys basketball team, led by first-team all-stater Jared Entwistle, capped a 28-5 season by downing Madison, 55-44, in the Class 1A state final.

Others winning it all were the El Paso-Gridley boys golf team in Class 1A and the Dwight cheerleaders in the small team division.

The area’s list of seven individual state champions had striking representation from the Bloomington-based Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club.

Central Catholic’s Sarah Bell won her third pole vault title by clearing 12 feet, 9 inches in 2A while Tri-Valley freshman Adam Coulon went 15-9 to win the 1A boys crown and Olympia senior Tyler Ginger prevailed in 2A at 15-3.

The Vanderbilt-bound Bell, who shared the ninth best mark in the nation at 13-3, was named the Area Female Athlete of the Year while Tri-Valley football and basketball star Blake Cowden was the Male Athlete of the Year.

C owd e n s e t s c h o o l records for career rushing yards (2,922) and scoring (318 points). In basketball, he averaged 17.2 points to earn second-team allstate honors.

Nobody won more titles

CARloS t. MIRAnDA, The Pantagraph

El Paso-Gridley players celebrate their first-place win over Tremont on Jan. 25 in the 103rd McLean County Basketball Tournament Championship game at Shirk Center in Bloomington. than Tremont junior Amelia Glueck, who repeated as long jump champion at 18-0½ in 1A and dashed to the 100-meter crown in 12.50 seconds.

Rounding out the champions were heavyweight wrestler Josh Wallick of Fisher (49-0 in 1A), diver Brandis Heffner of University High (447.25 points) and 1,600 runner Julie James of EPG (5:13.21 in 1A).

Three area teams coming within one win of a state title were Tri-Valley (13-1) in 1A football, the Tremont girls (29-1) in 2A softball and the Mount Pulaski girls (29-5) in 1A basketball. Tri-Valley lost to Lena-Winslow, 28-21, while Tremont fell to Kankakee McNamara, 8-2, and Mount Pulaski dropped a 55-46 decision to Freeport Aquin.

T h e a r e a ’s t r i o o f 2A state third-placers

DAVID pRoeBeR, The Pantagraph

Tri-Valley running back Caleb Wilson stiff arms LenaWinslow defensive back as he runs into the end zone during the second quarter, during the IHSA 1A championship game Nov. 29, 2013, in DeKalb. included the Bloomington’s boys track team, the EPG girls basketball squad (30-2) and the Deer Creek-Mackinaw volleyball team (37-2).

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Normal Community celebrates after defeating Normal West on Oct. 31, 2013, for the IHSA Class 4A Regional championRebekah Ehresman, who ship at Central Catholic in Bloomington. averaged 16.3 points. She was also a first-team allThe Area Male Bas- 22-6 team. area volleyball star and ke t b a l l P l aye r o f t h e Fourth-place state troone of six female finalists Year was U High’s Keita phies in 2A went to Eureka nationally for the Wen- Bates-Diop, a 6-foot-7 (25-12-1) in baseball and dy’s High School Heis- Ohio State recruit who Fieldcrest (33-6-1) in volaveraged 18.4 points for a leyball. man Award.

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DAVID pRoeBeR, The Pantagraph

Normal Community High School golfer Zach Thompson pitches onto the ninth green during the IHSA 3A state golf championship Oct. 9, 2013, at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course.

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