By Paul Swiech [email protected]BLOOMINGTON — New places for medical care and rehabilitation and new weapons in the battles against stroke and youth sudden cardiac death are among patient advances at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. Advocate BroMenn’s mother-baby, intensive care and progressive care units have been busy since moving last summer from BroMenn’s 1967 building to a new, larger building constructed on the west side of the existing hos- pital, 1304 Franklin Ave., Normal. That 136,000- square-foot addition — which cost $53.5 million — is a four-story, triangle- shaped building that Dan Cooper, planning and design manager, noted was built on schedule and on budget. Sixty larger, private rooms include 20 for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care, which allows most mothers to stay in the same room throughout their hos- pital stay; 10 are for postpar- tum (including for mothers who have had a Caesarean section); 18 are for progres- sive care (for patients who need a higher level of care but not intensive care); and 12 for intensive care, said Lee Ann Wallace, director of women’s and children’s services, and Doug Brown, director of surgical, neuro- science and acute rehabilita- tion nursing. The addition also includes two rooms for Caesarean sections, a 12-bed respite nursery for newborns whose mothers need a break, a sev- en-bed special care nursery for higher-risk or ill new- borns, two suites for multiple births, a room for tub births and three isolation suites for By Rachel Wells [email protected]BLOOMINGTON — In coming years, the city of Bloomington must address about $114 million in pension debt, a $60 million backlog in street repairs and pos- sibly even more expensive needs in sewers and other infrastruc- ture. In order to meet those needs, the city requires study and stabil- ity, said finance director Patti- Lynn Silva. “These aren’t things you can really kind of wing it,” she said. Silva became the city’s perma- nent finance director on May 1, after a series of temporary hires over the prior fiscal year. She took the helm of the department after its staffing was cut almost in half between 2006 and 2011, as attri- tion and an early retirement pack- age wiped out most of its institu- tional knowledge. The city in that time began rolling out city-wide financial software and delved into study af- ter study of the city’s financial needs. As a sign of the depart- ment’s instability, the city’s re- quired annual financial report was two months late in 2012 and Silva said they were “lucky to have it done then.” By early 2013, though, Silva said the city was further along toward a stable, more technically compe- tent finance team with 11 full- time employees (there were 17 in 2006 and a low of nine in 2010 and 2011) and the number of cer- tified public accountants up from one in 2011 to four. A proposed budget for the next fiscal year would bring department staffing up to 13. The city also continued to see progress toward more stable fi- nances. The general fund had a negative balance in 2008 but has continued to rebound, with $14.4 million in reserves at the close of fiscal year 2012, which ended April 30. The city expects $17 mil- lion in reserves for the end of fis- cal year 2013. At the same time, the city faces major long-term liabilities, in- cluding a requirement to improve pension funding, and continues to see some funds, including storm sewer, operate in the red. Though the city has built up its water fund to more than $17 mil- lion, Silva said the need for infra- structure will far exceed the sav- ings. Some of that infrastructure will come in the form of facilities to expand the city’s water supply, which — as residents were re- minded during 2012 — is vulnera- ble to drought. Lake Bloomington and Ever- green Lake were full by early 2013, but residents earlier saw water use restrictions set in a new ordi- nance, one of several steps taken F or State Farm, change has been a constant over our 90 years as a company. Technology continues to change our world and the marketplace. As con- sumers, we find that tech- nology is changing our be- haviors and our expecta- tions of the companies we do business with. State Farm is impacted by these same changes and yet our core values remain the same as we help our cus- tomers manage risks, re- cover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. In 2012, we continued to grow while building new platforms that will allow us to better adapt to cus- tomers’ ever-changing needs and expectations. This positive momentum was created by the collec- tive energy and focus of State Farm associates. We recently shared in- formation with our em- ployees about our plans to expand in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix. In addition to these locations, we will continue operating in a number of communities where we have an estab- lished presence. These types of changes are not new for State Farm. We continuously review our operations and facili- ties to make sure employ- ees are in the right places to provide the best possi- ble service to our cus- tomers. We know these types of decisions have an impact not only on our as- sociates, but also to the communities we live and work in. As far as our pres- ence in Bloomington, while there have been re- ports to the contrary, our headquarters will remain here. State Farm strives to be a good neighbor, helping to build stronger, safer, bet- ter-educated communi- ties. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Heart- land Community College to present a gift from the State Farm Foundation. The $1.5 million grant will be used in part to support students from low-income backgrounds who are in- terested in pursuing a de- gree in information tech- nology. In today’s society, a foundational understand- ing of technology is an es- sential skill for anyone en- tering the workforce, re- gardless of the industry. As the leader in the insurance industry, technology plays a big role in our success. To continue that success, we look for associates with technical skills in the areas of advance programming, network management and systems application archi- tecture, just to name a few. We believe supporting ed- ucational programs like Heartland’s information technology degrees is a win-win for all involved. State Farm and State Farm Companies Founda- tion partner with other higher education institu- tions throughout Central Illinois. We continue to work with the University of Illinois Research Facility in Champaign and are also providing scholarship money for UI students in- terested in the IT field. In SATURDAY, March 23, 2013 Mark Pickering, managing editor, 309-829-9000, ext. 252, email: [email protected]ANNUAL REPORT Duane Farrington State Farm adapts The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER Katy Nichols of Clinton, left, and her husband, Sam, move their newborn son,Jackson, from the former birthing unit to the hospital's new nursery on June 25 as patients from intensive care and obstetrics occupy the new addition. Area hospitals add new services, care centers Health care’s new look Bloomington moves to get on solid financial footing The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER Workers for Stark Excavating lay a 30-inch sewer line into a trench as the Locust-Colton sewer separation project crossed Towanda Avenue at East Lo- cust Street in 2012. The $9 million project is designed to remove sewerage from storm water across a large portion of Bloomington's near eastside. The Pantagraph/LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER OSF Healthcare RN Michael Lehner monitors patients in July from the OSF ConstantCare in Peoria. SEE HEALTH / PAGE 2 SEE FINANCIAL / PAGE 2 SEE FARRINGTON / PAGE 2
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
BLOOMINGTON — Newplaces for medical care andrehabilitation and newweapons in the battlesagainst stroke and youthsudden cardiac death areamong patient advances atAdvocate BroMenn MedicalCenter and OSF St. JosephMedical Center.
Advocate BroMenn’smother-baby, intensive careand progressive care unitshave been busy since movinglast summer from BroMenn’s1967 building to a new, largerbuilding constructed on thewest side of the existing hos-pital, 1304 Franklin Ave.,Normal. That 136,000-square-foot addition —which cost $53.5 million — isa four-story, triangle-shaped building that DanCooper, planning and designmanager, noted was built onschedule and on budget.
Sixty larger, private roomsinclude 20 for labor, delivery,recovery and postpartumcare, which allows mostmothers to stay in the sameroom throughout their hos-pital stay; 10 are for postpar-
tum (including for motherswho have had a Caesareansection); 18 are for progres-sive care (for patients whoneed a higher level of carebut not intensive care); and12 for intensive care, said LeeAnn Wallace, director of
women’s and children’sservices, and Doug Brown,director of surgical, neuro-science and acute rehabilita-tion nursing.
The addition also includestwo rooms for Caesareansections, a 12-bed respite
nursery for newborns whosemothers need a break, a sev-en-bed special care nurseryfor higher-risk or ill new-borns, two suites for multiplebirths, a room for tub birthsand three isolation suites for
BLOOMINGTON — In comingyears, the city of Bloomingtonmust address about $114 millionin pension debt, a $60 millionbacklog in street repairs and pos-sibly even more expensive needsin sewers and other infrastruc-ture.
In order to meet those needs,the city requires study and stabil-ity, said finance director Patti-Lynn Silva. “These aren’t thingsyou can really kind of wing it,” shesaid.
Silva became the city’s perma-nent finance director on May 1,after a series of temporary hiresover the prior fiscal year. She tookthe helm of the department afterits staffing was cut almost in halfbetween 2006 and 2011, as attri-tion and an early retirement pack-age wiped out most of its institu-tional knowledge.
The city in that time beganrolling out city-wide financialsoftware and delved into study af-ter study of the city’s financialneeds. As a sign of the depart-ment’s instability, the city’s re-
quired annual financial reportwas two months late in 2012 andSilva said they were “lucky to haveit done then.”
By early 2013, though, Silva saidthe city was further along towarda stable, more technically compe-tent finance team with 11 full-
time employees (there were 17 in2006 and a low of nine in 2010and 2011) and the number of cer-tified public accountants up fromone in 2011 to four. A proposedbudget for the next fiscal yearwould bring department staffingup to 13.
The city also continued to seeprogress toward more stable fi-nances. The general fund had anegative balance in 2008 but hascontinued to rebound, with $14.4million in reserves at the close offiscal year 2012, which endedApril 30. The city expects $17 mil-lion in reserves for the end of fis-cal year 2013.
At the same time, the city facesmajor long-term liabilities, in-cluding a requirement to improvepension funding, and continuesto see some funds, includingstorm sewer, operate in the red.
Though the city has built up itswater fund to more than $17 mil-lion, Silva said the need for infra-structure will far exceed the sav-ings.
Some of that infrastructure willcome in the form of facilities toexpand the city’s water supply,which — as residents were re-minded during 2012 — is vulnera-ble to drought.
Lake Bloomington and Ever-green Lake were full by early 2013,but residents earlier saw wateruse restrictions set in a new ordi-nance, one of several steps taken
For State Farm,change has been aconstant over our
90 years as a company.Technology continues tochange our world and themarketplace. As con-sumers, we find that tech-nology is changing our be-haviors and our expecta-tions of the companies wedo business with. StateFarm is impacted by thesesame changes and yet ourcore values remain thesame as we help our cus-tomers manage risks, re-cover from the unexpectedand realize their dreams.
In 2012, we continued togrow while building newplatforms that will allowus to better adapt to cus-tomers’ ever-changingneeds and expectations.This positive momentumwas created by the collec-tive energy and focus ofState Farm associates.
We recently shared in-formation with our em-ployees about our plans toexpand in Atlanta, Dallasand Phoenix. In additionto these locations, we willcontinue operating in anumber of communitieswhere we have an estab-lished presence.
These types of changesare not new for State Farm.We continuously reviewour operations and facili-ties to make sure employ-ees are in the right placesto provide the best possi-ble service to our cus-tomers. We know thesetypes of decisions have animpact not only on our as-sociates, but also to thecommunities we live andwork in. As far as our pres-ence in Bloomington,while there have been re-ports to the contrary, ourheadquarters will remainhere.
State Farm strives to be agood neighbor, helping tobuild stronger, safer, bet-ter-educated communi-ties. Recently, I had theopportunity to visit Heart-land Community Collegeto present a gift from theState Farm Foundation.The $1.5 million grant willbe used in part to supportstudents from low-incomebackgrounds who are in-terested in pursuing a de-gree in information tech-nology.
In today’s society, afoundational understand-ing of technology is an es-sential skill for anyone en-tering the workforce, re-gardless of the industry. Asthe leader in the insuranceindustry, technology playsa big role in our success. Tocontinue that success, welook for associates withtechnical skills in the areasof advance programming,network management andsystems application archi-tecture, just to name a few.We believe supporting ed-ucational programs likeHeartland’s informationtechnology degrees is awin-win for all involved.
State Farm and StateFarm Companies Founda-tion partner with otherhigher education institu-tions throughout CentralIllinois. We continue towork with the Universityof Illinois Research Facilityin Champaign and are alsoproviding scholarshipmoney for UI students in-terested in the IT field. In
SATURDAY,March 23, 2013
Mark Pickering, managing editor,309-829-9000, ext. 252,email: [email protected] REPORT
Duane Farrington
StateFarmadapts
The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER
Katy Nichols of Clinton, left, and her husband, Sam, move their newborn son,Jackson, from the former birthing unit to the hospital's newnursery on June 25 as patients from intensive care and obstetrics occupy the new addition.
Area hospitals add new services, care centers
Health care’s new look
Bloomington moves to get on solid financial footing
The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER
Workers for Stark Excavating lay a 30-inch sewer line into a trench as theLocust-Colton sewer separation project crossed Towanda Avenue at East Lo-cust Street in 2012. The $9 million project is designed to remove seweragefrom storm water across a large portion of Bloomington's near eastside.
The Pantagraph/LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER
OSF Healthcare RN Michael Lehner monitors patients in July from the OSF ConstantCare in Peoria.
SEE HEALTH / PAGE 2
SEE FINANCIAL / PAGE 2SEE FARRINGTON / PAGE 2
2 • The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 www.pantagraph.com
I save on the flight, gas,travel time, and parking.
I avoid city traffic and I don’t have
to be there two hours early...
CIRA just makes sense!
I save otravel t
I avoand
ttwo
just
Bloomington-Normal Champaign-Urbana Peoria Springfi eld Decatur Danville Kankakee La Salle-Peru Serving the Greater Central Illinois Region
Central Illinois is my home.
CIRAis my gateway to the world!
MORE DESTINATIONS . BETTER FARES . FREE PARKING www.cira.com20516020
addition, Illinois StateUniversity is home to theState Farm Hall of Busi-ness.
Our chairman and CEO,Ed Rust Jr., is a strongchampion for educationreform and leads our phil-anthropic efforts. That en-ergy flows throughout thecompany. Thousands of
State Farm agents, teammembers, employees andretirees give generously oftheir time and talents tohelp their communitiesgrow.
That energy also moti-vates me. I’m proud to bein my 33rd year with StateFarm, working for a com-pany that shares my valuesand has the customer’sbest interests at heart.
Farrington is executive vice presidentand chief administrative officer atState Farm.
in an effort to maximizesupply both in the short-and long-term.
Besides water, the citycontinued to think greenwhen it came to solidwaste. The public worksdepartment moved intoautomated recycling pick-up, with the introductionof carts late last year.Since the change, recy-
cling participation has in-creased to about 65 per-cent.
Garbage pick-up con-tinued to see a tax subsidy,though a $2 fee increase to$16 per month helpedbring the subsidy leveldown.
Meanwhile, “quality oflife” initiatives, thoughdrawing record-breakingcrowds, continued to drawon tax money.
The U.S. Cellular Coli-seum’s private manage-
ment team again reportedoperating losses, and theCity Council in spring2012 reluctantly approveda $450,000 boost to theBloomington Center forthe Performing Arts’ salestax subsidy.
Miller Park Zoo receiveda one-year accreditationextension during an Asso-ciation of Zoos andAquariums review in sum-mer 2012. But the city be-lieves the adoption of amaster plan and a formal
agreement with the zoo’sfundraising arm last yearwill help it receive full,five-year accreditationthis summer.
In public safety, the cityopened a fire training tow-er at a cost of $780,000and the Bloomington Po-lice Department in De-cember learned of the re-tirement of Randy McKin-ley, the city’s police chieffor about four years and a28-year veteran of the de-partment.
highly infectious patients.Meanwhile, at OSF St.
Joseph, 2200 E. Washing-ton St., Bloomington, theCenter for HealthyLifestyles and car-diac/pulmonary rehabili-tation joined forces andmoved in December to thefirst floor of the BirthingCenter addition. The cen-ter opened in 2011 but thefirst floor remained unoc-cupied in anticipation ofthe CHL/rehabilitationmove.
Previously, the twounits were in separate lo-cations elsewhere in thehospital.
“This is an opportunityfor two departments toalign, with the goals ofcommunity health, dis-ease prevention, diseasemanagement and educa-tion,” said CHL DirectorErin Kennedy. Car-diac/pulmonary outpa-tients have been exer-cising side by side withpeople without a historyof disease.
“The culture ischanging to emphasizepreventive medicine,not just acute care,” saidLarry Wills, vice presi-dent of hospital opera-tions.
The moves and align-ment are part of St.Joseph’s $21 million fa-
cility master plan torenovate some existingareas and move outpa-tient services closer tohospital entrances tomake it easier for outpa-tients and visitors.
Other patient advancesinclude:
◗ Opening of AdvocateBroMenn OutpatientCenter, 3024 E. EmpireSt., in August.
The 84,000-square-foot, $23.4 million build-ing includes AdvocateMedical Group’s Immedi-ate Care and Occupation-al Health Services; physi-cal, occupational andspeech therapy; women’simaging services, includ-ing mammography andbone density testing; out-patient lab services; of-fices for three familymedicine physicians andthree pediatricians; andspecialty clinics for skincare, cardiology andpulmonary care andgeneral surgery.
◗ Addition at bothhospitals of the Solitairerevascularization deviceprocedure, a way to re-move blood clots in thebrain to reverse somestroke symptoms.
◗ Advocate for YoungHearts — free, voluntarycardiac screenings forhigh school students byAdvocate BroMenn. Thefirst screenings were atCentral Catholic HighSchool in November.
PONTIAC — Noise madenews in Livingston County in2012.
In their first full year in thenew Livingston County Lawand Justice Center, countyofficials noticed problems.County board and committeemeetings were filled withcomplaints, suggestions,plans and promises to fix the$16 million building, whichopened in November 2011.The water was not even safeto drink for most of the year.
In January 2012,county of-ficials were told there were 99violations of the Environ-mental Barriers Act, the Illi-nois Accessibility Code andthe Americans with Disabili-ties Act. Attorney GeneralLisa Madigan’s office threat-ened to fine the county up to$250 per day for non-com-pliance issues ranging fromsigns to curbs and ramps thatwere not up to code.
As officials were dealingwith those problems, JudgeJennifer Bauknecht informedthe county that cooling tow-ers for roof air conditioningwere creating too much noisein the courtrooms.
“The best way to describethe noise is that is sounds likeyou are in a tool shed with ametal roof during a drivingrain storm,” she wrote in a
memo to the board.The county is spending
$17,000 for acoustical work tocorrect the problem. The re-mainder of the violationshave been addressed and areeither resolved or near com-pletion. The cost to the coun-ty has not been finalized, saidJack Hayes, president ofFrederick Quinn Corp., theconstruction managementcompany.
Meanwhile, the formercourthouse on the square inPontiac was reopened to thecounty’s non-judicial officesafter a $6 million renovation.The 138-year-old courthouseis now fully restored and isbecoming a popular spot fortourism, one of Pontiac’s
leading industries.Nearly 30,000 tourists vis-
ited Pontiac in 2012, accord-ing to Tourism Director EllieAlexander, an increase of 25percent over 2011. The Route66 Association of Illinois’Hall of Fame and Museumcontinues to be the main at-traction, although the Ponti-ac-Oakland Automobile Mu-seum and Resource Center isalso popular, she said.
While bus tours continueto drive the numbers,Alexander said that touristsoften tell her that they hearabout Pontiac via word ofmouth or through research.
“We have found that peo-ple have written letters totravel magazines, websites
and blogs about their experi-ence here and that has alsoplayed a part,” she said.
Another local effort thathas gained attention is thePontiac Township HighSchool student-developedNational Prescription Pill andDrug Disposal Program(P2D2). It was chosen the topenvironmental educationprogram in the U.S. and sec-ond in the world at the VolvoAdventure Awards inGothenburg, Sweden. Theteam attended the awardsceremony in Sweden in June.The program promotesawareness that improperlydiscarded drugs can pollutegroundwater and return toour bodies through drinkingwater and food.
“What is amazing to me isthat students from PontiacTownship High School aremaking a real difference allaround the world,” said sci-ence teacher Paul Ritter, wholed students in the effort.
Two longtime Kmartstores in the area closed inJanuary. The Pontiac Kmartstore, located in the Vermil-lion Plaza for more than 40years, announced in Octoberit would close, affecting 47full- and part-time employ-ees. Later, the Streator Kmartstore, located in NorthpointPlaza for 26 years with 45 em-ployees, also announced itwould shut its doors.
The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
Among issues at the Livingston County Law & Justice Center in
Pontiac, the red tactile bumpy panels, which are designed to as-
sist blind pedestrians into the crosswalk, have been installed in
such a manner that they could aim a blind person into the inter-
section, rather than the crosswalk.
Justice center flaws hit Livingston
As I look ahead toretirement, I findmyself reflecting
on my more than 30-yearcareer at Illinois State asboth a faculty member andas president. I’ve seen theuniversity grow andchange in many positiveand exciting ways, ad-vancing in academic ex-cellence while remaining adedicated communitypartner in Bloomington-Normal and McLeanCounty.
Illinois State has distin-guished itself as a first-choice institution for aca-demically talented stu-dents. Our incomingfreshmen have provedthemselves to be highlymotivated, with an ACTaverage at an historic highof 24.3. An increasingnumber of those freshmenare students from under-
represented groups, manyof whom are the first intheir families to attendcollege.
Once students arrive oncampus, they become partof a community that chal-lenges them academicallyand gives them the sup-port they need to succeedand thrive. Personalizedattention from facultymembers and a wide arrayof academic and socialsupport services haveplayed a vital role in rais-ing our freshman-to-
sophomore retention rateto an all-time high of 85.1percent. The university’sstandard measure gradua-tion rate is also an historichigh of 71 percent.
Those numbers, com-bined with top-notch aca-demic programs, dedicat-ed faculty members and awelcoming campus at-mosphere, have earned theuniversity national recog-nition as a great value inhigher education. IllinoisState has been consistentlyranked in the top 100 uni-versities in the nation byU.S. News and World Re-port.
There is also no denyingthe important role that thephysical campus plays inattracting students to Illi-nois State. Our easily walk-able campus, with its his-toric buildings and tree-filled Quad, has again been
named as a Tree CampusUSA by the Arbor DayFoundation. The StudentFitness Center, whichopened in 2011, is busy fromearly morning until late atnight and recently celebrat-ed its one millionth studentvisit. Renovated diningcenters and residence hallsgive students a comfortablehome away from home. Ourrecently opened CardinalCourt complex provides theconvenience and independ-ence of apartment living inan on-campus setting.
Illinois State boasts anumber of venues that pro-vide enriching experiencesfor members of the com-munity. Bone StudentCenter’s Braden Auditori-um and Brown Ballroomroutinely host well-knownperformers and speakers.The Center for the Per-forming Arts is home to
university theater produc-tions and performances bystudent and faculty musicensembles. Redbird Arenaand our other sports facil-ities are visited by thou-sands of fans every year.Renovations to HancockStadium will provide newgrandstand and club seat-ing for Redbird footballfans this fall. We also lookforward to proceedingwith plans to update agingclassrooms and studios inour fine arts complex.
Illinois State’s growthand success in recent yearswould be considered re-markable in the best oftimes. It is all the morenotable because that suc-cess came against thebackdrop of a state fiscalcrisis and continuing cutsin higher education fund-ing. In times of stress, wepulled together as a cam-
pus and as a community tokeep this institution thriv-ing. It is in this fact that Ifind my greatest source ofpride.
Like all colleges anduniversities, Illinois Statewill continue to face thechallenges of economicuncertainty, increasedcompetition for prospec-tive students and the de-mands of a rapidly chang-ing world. The universityhas been on a solid footingfor more than 150 yearsand I am confident it willcontinue to grow andprosper.
As I return to the slight-ly less hectic but funda-mentally important life ofa professor, I look forwardto a continuing role in Illi-nois State’s success story.
Bowman is president, Illinois StateUniversity, Normal.
www.pantagraph.com The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 • 3
It was an eventful and ex-tremely successful 2012 inBloomington-Normal col-lege basketball.
The Illinois Wesleyanwomen’s team completed adramatic season in Holland,Mich., at the Division III Fi-nal Four.
During a season marked byhead coach Mia Smith’s bat-tle with breast cancer,the Ti-tans claimed their first na-tional championship with a57-48 victory over GeorgeFox.
IWU senior Olivia Lettwas selected national Playerof the Year, while Smithearned national Coach of theYear honors.
The Titan men made theirfifth Final Four trip to Salem,Va., and were defeated, 81-78, in the semifinals byCabrini. No third-place
game was contested.Illinois Wesleyan senior
Jordan Zimmer earned thirdteam All-American honors.
The Illinois State men took
Creighton to overtime in theMissouri Valley ConferenceTournament championshipgame but were defeated, 83-79, and denied an NCAA
Tournament berth. ISU de-feated Mississippi in the NITbefore dropping a second-round game at Stanford inovertime.
Head coach Tim Jankovichleft the Redbirds after theseason to take an assistantcoach position at SouthernMethodist with the under-standing he would becomehead coach when LarryBrown retires.
ISU dipped into its past forJankovich’s replacement.The Red-birds hiredVanderbilta s s i s ta n tDan Muller,a formerISU player.
The Red-b i r dw o m e n ’st e a mearned aWNIT bid for the fourthstraight season and defeatedCentral Michigan before los-ing to Villanova in the secondround.
The ISU football teamposted its fourth straight
winning season for the firsttime since the 1940s andwas part of the Champi-onship Subdivision playoffsfor the first time since 2006.The Redbirds edged Ap-palachian State on the roadbefore losing to EasternWashington in the quarter-finals.
Another highlight forCoach Brock Spack’s teamwas the beginning of con-struction on a new east sidefor Hancock Stadium. The$25 million project is sched-uled to be completed by thestart of the coming season.
ISU junior Tim Gloverearned his second straightNCAA championship in thejavelin, while Redbird Brit-tany Smith took second atthe national meet in both theshot put and hammer throw.
The Heartland Collegebaseball team placed third atthe NJCAA Division II na-tional tournament.
BLOOMINGTON —Topping Central IllinoisRegional Airport’s mostwanted list for 2013 ismore flights and moreseats.
Officials are working tolure added service inhopes the airport will re-cover from a 16 percentdrop in passenger trafficin 2012. The June depar-ture of CIRA’s secondlargest carrier, AirTranAirways, is blamed for thedecline, said Paul Har-mon, chairman of theB l o o m i n g to n - N o r m a lAirport Authority.
“Attracting service;that’s our number onepriority,” said Harmon,adding that both FrontierAirlines and Allegiant Air,which began flights out ofthe Twin Cities in May,have helped restore someof the lost service. Fron-tier connects passengersto both Denver and Or-lando, Fla. Las Vegas-based Allegiant offersflights to Orlando.
Harmon said officialsare now in communica-tions with airlines, al-though no announce-ments are expected in theshort-term.
Airport officials havetheir work cut out forthem as regional airportsacross the country com-pete for dwindling airservice, brought on bycutbacks among airlinecarriers. But a $500,000federal grant will serve asan incentive as officialswork to secure service tothe East Coast, either toWashington, D.C., or New
York.The federal grant is aug-
mented by another$200,000 in revenue andin-kind marketing servic-es from the airport and theCommunity Air ServiceInitiative, a fund launchedin early 2012 by theMclean County Chamberof Commerce.
The fund helped secureFrontier’s Denver servicefrom the Twin Cities byoffering a safety netshould the company notmeet its financial goalsduring its first year. Theinitiative raised up to$450,000 in donationsfrom businesses and localgovernments.
“We have a great invest-ment here in CIRA; it’s in acentral location and it’s agreat transportation hubfor us, for corporate bases,small businesses andleisure travel,” said Char-lie Moore, chief executiveofficer for the chamber.
Moore said investors forthe fund are scheduled tomeet this month to dis-cuss priorities for the ini-tiative this year.
So far, Frontier has hadsuccess with its Denverroute, said Moore. Sevenmonths after the firstflight, the carrierswitched from a 99-seataircraft to a 138-set Airbusin January.
Delta also recently an-nounced it would expandseats, said Harmon.
“We’re getting somefull-size aircraft,” saidHarmon. “Even thoughthey are not addingflights, by increasing thesize of the planes, they areincreasing the number ofseats.”
Illinois State continues on path to growth
CIRA works atlanding serviceFrontier, Allegiant fly inafter AirTran withdrawal
IWU women claim trophy; ISU gets new coach
The pantagraph/LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER
Illinois Wesleyan University coach Mia Smith talks about her national championship winning
team during a celebration at Shirk Center on March 27, 2012.
SPRINGFIELD — Aheavily overpopulatedstate prison system willstruggle even more thisyear as the planned closureas a women’s prison forcesmore inmates into facilitiesdesigned to house far fewerpeople.
In February 2012, Gov.Pat Quinn targeted Tamms,the super-max prison inSouthern Illinois, adulttransition centers in De-catur and Carbondale, anda youth prison in Mur-physboro for closure. But itwas his plan to shutter theDwight Correctional Cen-ter that drew criticismfrom prison reform advo-cates concerned thatsqueezing Dwight’s 1,000inmates into Logan Cor-rectional Center in Lincolnwill add to stress-filled en-vironment.
The closure also standsto diminish the positive re-sults Dwight staff have inrehabilitating those sen-tenced to the facility, saidreform advocates.
“Over the years, Dwighthas trained its staff, hiredlarger numbers of femalecorrection officers, andcreated a culture to addressthe unique needs of femaleinmates, most of whomcome from backgrounds ofserious trauma and physi-cal, sexual and emotional
abuse,” said the JohnHoward Association of Illi-nois in its January state-ment opposing the closure.
The Department of Cor-rections countered that ex-isting programming willnot only accompany in-mates to Logan but planscall for opportunities inconstruction, parentingand nail technology. Thereduction from two to threewomen’s prisons will save
millions, said IDOCspokeswoman StaceySolano.
No specific date has beenset for the transfer. Thestate’s prisons have a cur-rent population of about49,000 adults housed in asystem designed for34,000. The women fromDwight will be moved intoquarters that now hold1,600 men, who will bemoved to other prisons.
The state recently noti-fied the union representingprison workers about plansto increase bed space at fa-cilities in Centralia, Van-dalia, Danville, Shawnee,Graham and Illinois River.The American Federationof State, County and Mu-nicipal Employees objectedto plans to convert gymna-siums into dormitory unitsfor minimum security in-mates.
“Inmates in these facili-ties will continue to haveaccess to dayrooms andyards for recreation. Thedepartment anticipates theneed for these temporaryhousing units to decrease inthe coming months,” saidSolano.
Implementation of a re-vised early release programis expected to help reduceprisoner numbers.
The employee union alsocited recent incidents of vi-olence against staff in theirarguments against the clo-sures.
BLOOMINGTON — Nu-merous Central Illinoistowns and counties decid-ed in 2012 to enter electricaggregation agreements inthe hopes of cheaper elec-trical rates.
The practice allowsgroups to bargain as a larg-er group, leveraging theirbuying power with utili-ties. Individual residentscan opt out, or can changetheir minds for free within30 days of adopting a newprovider.
Normal, Heyworth andRandolph Township wereamong 51 communitiesthat voted in favor of thepractice in November.About 5 percent of Normalresidents have decided toopt out, according to fig-ures provided by Home-field Energy, a companythrough which Normalbargains its price.
Some current Homefieldclients have a rate of about$0.049 per kilowatt hourthrough June 2014, lowerthan $0.054 throughAmeren Illinois, thoughAmeren rates are sched-uled to change in June of
this year.Normal voters originally
rejected the idea, as didthose in Bloomington. Cityvoters will give the idea an-other try on the April 9ballot.
Generally, some who optout just want to make theirown decision about sup-pliers. Others think it al-lows too much governmentinvolvement.
“In theory, I would thinkthe residents would behappy their municipalgovernments took this step
and allowed the citizens tovoice their opinion on thematter in an electionprocess,” said SamanthaHager, spokeswoman forHomefield. “In the end,communities that havemoved forward with themunicipal aggregationprocess have done so basedon the voice of their con-stituents.”
Bloomington DeputyCity Manager Barb Adkinssaid voters may be con-vinced since surroundingcommunities have adopted
the practice.Adkins, who has been
dealing closely with the is-sue, said more work will benecessary if voters approvethe measure.
“The consulting compa-ny has to solicit bids, bringin whichever (provider)would like to present,” Ad-kins said. “Those commu-nities who all passed thereferendum will then de-cide not only the lowestrate, but whether theywant (additional detailslike) going totally green.”
As this will be my lastreport to you, I’mpleased to say our
city has made excellentprogress in recovering fromfinancial adversity. The newmayor and aldermen elect-ed in April will inherit astronger city that can growand undertake new im-provements.
Bloomington also is gain-ing valuable insights intofuture needs through pene-trating assessments of in-frastructure and pensionobligations. Predictingchallenges is necessary toset priorities, which are im-portant because our city’srevenues are limited. Thereis never enough money todo all the worthwhile proj-ects at once.
Our financial reserves arestronger than ever. Pre-re-cession, we had a 10 percentreserve; we have restoredthat to 15 percent. We alsohave reduced our bondedindebtedness and acceler-ated repayment of otherdebts. These factors are im-portant in achieving a goodcredit rating, and Bloom-ington was recently up-graded to AA+ with a stable
outlook — one step awayfrom the highest ratingpossible. Beyond its emer-gency reserves, the city hasbuilt up a savings accountthat can serve as “seedmoney” for important proj-ects future councils maydeem desirable.
In City Manager DavidHales, the city has someonewho can control budgetsand increase efficiency.With the cooperation ofcity employees, he has giv-en us budget surpluses.Over the past three years,we kept a stable propertytax levy until now, when weare able to reduce it. Thereare no new fee increasesplanned for the upcomingyear.
Even prior to Hales’ hir-ing we had instituted work-force cuts and we remain
about 11 percent below ourprevious staffing, savingmillions every year. The cityalso has been studying“managed competition,”which is an analysis of whatthe city does and how wellwe do it.
Managed competition issometimes mistaken assynonymous for outsourc-ing, but it really is just a wayof systematically exploringefficiency. All functions arecontinuously monitored forimprovement, which couldinclude outsourcing if anoutside firm can ultimatelybe more efficient. But out-side firms also can lose theircontracts if we find cityemployees are better at thetask.
For example, though itwasn’t called “managedcompetition” then, the citytook over paramedic servic-es from a private contractor,and now provides betterservice through firefighters.The City Council has beensupportive of performanceimprovements because itsaves tax dollars.
Recently, the city begansingle-stream recycling andis now using automated
trucks to lift and dump thenew recycling containers.This not only reduces thenumber of employeesneeded, it also cuts downon the chance of lifting in-juries. We are now examin-ing opportunities to auto-mate regular trash collec-tion.
A number of road proj-ects have just been com-pleted, notably, the city’scooperative project withthe state — Morris Avenuehas been improved southfrom the zoo; Tanner Streethas been widened; and theintersection of Six PointsRoad and Veterans Parkwayhas been modified.
Eight years ago, the citywas only allocating$500,000 annually for roadresurfacing; we plan onspending $4 million nextyear. Similarly, the long-anticipated $10 millionproject to construct a neweast-side sewer line wascompleted.
We also are continuing todiversify our water supply,planning to incorporatewells. Completed studieshave indicated wells on thesouthwest side of the city
would be most promising,and long-term testing isunder way to assure the areacan actually support theproposed withdraw of wa-ter.
We have formulated plansfor our parks, too, includingthe master plan for MillerPark Zoo that was releasedin 2012. After 10 years of de-lay, the city opened GaelicPark last year, and plans foranother are pending.
Just as important as in-frastructure are the city’spension obligations. The re-cession caused losses in thefunds’ investments, in-creasing the future liabilityto taxpayers. We have con-tracted with an actuary for aplan so workers will receivepromised pensions withoutputting all the burden oncurrent taxpayers.
Government’s mission isoptimizing quality of life forits citizens, but with rea-sonable taxes and fees.Quality of life is importantto both current residents,and for attracting futurejobs and job seekers. Wehave been fortunate to havegood jobs in our communi-ty, but they are always at
risk. Just to stay even, wemust ensure that our citycompares well to othercommunities.
To attract prosperity, wemust stand out in some way,we can’t just be “average,”but we can’t afford to “do itall” either. That meansmaking choices — and hav-ing a deliberate “vision” tobe better than our competi-tion.
This future vision is soimportant that we must en-sure citizens have an oppor-tunity to understand ouroptions and provide input.Every citizen has a stake inour city’s direction — bothas a resident and a taxpayer— and should have an op-portunity to be heard. I haveurged the city council to fa-cilitate a community visionprocess, possibly jointlywith other local govern-ments.
For our future, the finan-cial stabilization and plan-ning we have accomplishedwill prove beneficial, andthe adjustments alreadymade will leverage evengreater prosperity.
Stockton is mayor of Bloomington.
4 • The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 www.pantagraph.com
Heartland CommunityCollege charted a course forits future, Eureka Collegeopened a new residencehall and Lincoln College in-stituted new programs tohold down students’ costsin 2012.
Heartland CommunityCollege
A strategic plan that callson Heartland CommunityCollege to encourage opencommunication and com-munity collaboration, cre-ate access to lifelong learn-ing and support studentsuccess was approved bythe board of trustees in Oc-tober.
Hand in hand with de-veloping the strategic plan,Heartland officials engagedin a visioning process thatbrought more than 170business leaders and othersto campus to discuss trendsand needs and how Heart-land can help meet thoseneeds.
In another move thatlooked toward the future,Heartland began operationof an industrial-size windturbine on campus, whichis ultimately expected tomeet about half theschool’s energy needs. The$5.2 million project is beingpaid through federal andstate grants as well as sav-ings in electrical costs.
As a celebration in Sep-tember, board chairmanGregg Chadwick describedthe turbine as “a class-room, a laboratory, a jobcreator, a revenue generatorand a tax saver.”
The turbine and otherenvironmental effortshelped Heartland win abronze award from the Illi-nois Campus Sustainabili-ty Compact.
Eureka College
The opening of the $6million, three-story IvyHall residence hall wasamong the highlights of2012 for Eureka College.
The residence hall,which houses 87 students,opened Jan. 14, 2012, and
was part of a project thatalso included refurbishingand upgrading systems atthe Gunzenhauser andFounders Court residencehalls. Some of that workwas done in 2011.
Expanding opportunitiesfor its students, Eureka en-tered into an exchangepartnership with LingnanUniversity in China inApril.
A $75,000 grant from theCaterpillar Foundation willallow five students to studyat Lingnan. The first threestudents participated in thefall semester. Two more arestudying there duringspring semester 2013.
The school also contin-ued to honor the legacy ofits most famous graduate,former president RonaldReagan, hosting its firstVisiting Reagan Scholar,best-selling author CraigShirley in October.
Shirley, author of twobooks on Reagan, led afour-part course called“Reagan 101” that focusedon Reagan’s presidentialcampaigns. The first classwas recorded by C-SPANfor its Lectures in Historyseries.
Lincoln College
A new scholarship pro-gram called the Opportu-nity Grant was instituted in2012 to allow Lincoln Col-lege students to receivefrom $500 to $3,000 bycompleting the enrollmentprocess early. This was afollow-up to the collegelowering its tuition by 24percent at its Lincoln cam-pus and 28 percent at itsNormal campus — to$17,500 and $16,500, re-spectively, for the 2012-13school year — and othersteps aimed at limiting stu-dent debt.
A highlight for the Nor-mal campus in 2012 was ex-ceeding an enrollment of300 students in its Accel-erated Bridge to Educationprogram, which is designedfor working adults seekingto complete their bache-lor’s degree. The collegecollaborated with Heart-land Community College toadd a Capstone Degree op-
tion for students with as-sociate’s degrees in appliedscience to get a bachelor’sdegree.
On the Lincoln campus,the college launched a Ci-vility Initiative in fall 2012.The program discouragessuch actions as foul lan-guage and general rude-ness; it rewards studentswith free pizzas, T-shirtsand other items for positivecivil behavior.
The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
The hub and blades of the new wind turbine under construction are lifted into place at Heart-
land Community College in Normal on April 11, 2012.
Wind power comes to Heartland campusEureka College teams with Chinese university,Lincoln sees enrollment surge in working adults
20513340
20513993
Your Lifestyle.Your Landscape.Your Enjoyment.
1804 Towanda Barnes Rd.Bloomington, IL 61705
(309) 662-8527www.grieders.com
B RIAN T HOENNES Life • Home • Car • Farm • Business
Seek Shelter Today!
FOR PERSONAL SERVICE, SEEK SHELTER TODAY.
See Brian Thoennes 410 N. Clinton • Blm. • Ph. 829-8451
1809 W. Hovey, NormalPh. 309-557-4000www.unit5.org
ESTABLISHED
19481947ESTABLISHED
104 E. Wood St. Bloomington
309-829-3360www.bloomingtonha.com
Providing quality affordable housing and self-suffi ciency opportunities to low and moderate income citizens
of McLean County.
20513125
“Together We’re Better”
Pontiac • Odell • DwightForrest • Fairbury
www.bankofpontiac.comMember FDIC
Member Pontiac Bancorp, Inc.
20513152
ESTABLISHED
1946
(309) 826•4066•2100 Bunn St•Bloomington
FISH FRYSthe 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 AvailableCheck us out on Facebook
20513184
1944ESTABLISHED
1208 N. TOWANDAIN TOWANDA PLAZA
309-827-8541Hours:
M-F 7-5 p.m., Sat. 8-4 p.m.
Barbershop Chorus
Meets Every Tuesday Night
7:00 - 9:30 PM
www.soundofi llinois.com
(309) 846-7123
20513875
ESTABLISHED
1942“SOUND OF
ILLINOIS CHORUS”
Our Founder, Dr. Watson Gailey, opened the fi rst Gailey Eye Clinic in Bloomington, Illinois in 1941. He was a nationally re-nowned specialist and a true pioneer in ophthalmology that was devoted to pro-viding world class eye care. Gailey Eye Clinic continues to uphold Dr. Gailey’s vi-sion, providing our patients with the most advanced treatments and highest quality eye care. We have grown to include 13 Ophthalmologists, 6 Optometrists, and 16 locations in the Central Illinois region, each living up to the impeccable reputa-tion of the Gailey name. To schedule an appointment, please call 800-325-7706.
ESTABLISHED
1941
20513999
1811 Eastland Drive801 W. Market Street
(Inside the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church)Bloomington | 661.1166www.midillinicu.com
www.pantagraph.com The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 • 7ANNUAL REPORT
Like many otherschool districtsacross the state of
Illinois, Bloomington Dis-trict 87 is experiencingchallenging financial times.These challenges are due inlarge part to declining rev-enue sources at the local,state and federal levels.
Despite these difficulties,we recognize the impor-tance of providing the verybest education to our stu-dents. District 87 fully ac-cepts and remains commit-ted to this responsibility.
Our board of educationhas moved forward with re-vising our mission and vi-sion statements to more ac-curately reflect the expec-tations of our students,staff and community.
The new statements willlay out clear priorities forDistrict 87 schools. Thesepriorities will no doubt in-clude providing our stu-dents with an educationthat will prepare them wellfor life beyond high school.
The best way to accom-plish this is to provide high-quality principals, teachersand other staff members,along with an outstandingcurriculum, to help stu-dents thrive in and out ofthe classroom.
The future of education isalready here, and it shouldbe available 24 hours perday, seven days per week.
Today, there are a num-ber of high-quality supple-mental resources our teach-ers and students can access
through the Internet duringthe school day. This is agreat thing for our students.
However, some studentsdo not have reliable, high-quality, high-speed accessat home.
This is a very importantissue, as this communityhas done great work to re-duce the achievement gapthat exists between low-in-come and non low-incomestudents.
To ignore this issue willalmost certainly increasethe achievement gap, es-sentially negating the greatwork of many who havecontributed over the years.To ensure this does nothappen, we need to work asa community so access tothe Internet is not an issuefor any student.
Equal access for all stu-dents will shift the cultureof teaching and learning asstudents become more re-sponsible for their learning.
It is this change in theculture of teaching andlearning that moves cur-riculum and learning be-yond the school walls andbeyond the school day.
A supplement is the ad-
dition of technology de-vices to help advance thecurriculum and lead to sig-nificant improvement instudent achievement.
We are beginning to seethis as we pilot one-to-onedevices in classrooms at alllevels, without the devicesleaving the buildings.Imagine the great possibili-ties when students do get totake them home.
I read an article from aprofessional journal recent-ly that suggested changingthe phrase “one-to-one” to“one-to-world.”
That one-word changebroadens the vision to aworld of opportunities forstudents. I believe this is thepath toward greater studentachievement and I’mpleased District 87 will con-tinue to move forward.
A logical question is howDistrict 87 can afford to dothis while facing a signifi-cant deficit. It certainly hashad an impact on the paceat which we move forward.
We have slowed our pilotprogram while moving de-liberately and patiently tolearn best practices fromour teachers participatingin the pilot.
We have a responsibilityto provide the best possibleeducation to our students.The future of education ishere, and all of our studentsdeserve an equal opportu-nity at this future.
Reilly is superintendent, BloomingtonSchool District 87.
People are inevitablysurprised by the sizeand scope of Chest-
nut Health Systems. A not-for-profit organization onceknown as the substanceabuse treatment center“Lighthouse,” Chestnut to-day employs some 750 peo-ple providing services from25 locations through Illinoisin seven distinct businesses.
Long known for work inbehavioral health, Chestnutremains a leader in provid-ing addiction treatment foradults and adolescents. Inaddition to our treatmentfacilities in the Bloomingtonarea, Chestnut offers addic-tion treatment services inthe Metro East area near St.Louis with more than 300Chestnut employees.
In the Bloomington area,Chestnut also offers mentalhealth treatment to individ-uals, couples and families.We serve as the communitymental health center in St.Clair and Madison counties,the two largest populationcenters in the Metro Eastarea. Our staff tends to thesignificant needs of Illi-noisans who suffer from se-rious mental illness.
In the past decade, recog-nizing an unmet need,Chestnut has committed tooffer an array of affordablehousing for the homelesswho have a mental illnessand/or a substance abuseproblem. Chestnut providesnearly 250 housing units incentral and southwesternIllinois, providing safe and
secure shelter to clients forwhom homelessness was animpediment to recovery.
In the past year, ChestnutHealth Systems has em-barked on a strategic initia-tive, the Chestnut FamilyHealth Center, which is amedical clinic to serve thegreater Bloomington-Nor-mal community and ensureour clients have access to amedical home. People withbehavioral health issueshave an array of medicalproblems that often go un-addressed. Many primarycare providers are unaccus-tomed to working with peo-ple with addiction issues orpsychiatric disabilities.Many adult clients of Chest-nut’s addiction treatmentprograms have untreatedhigh blood pressure, respi-ratory ailments or liver dis-ease. Most women who needresidential substance abusetreatment have not had rec-ommended annual preven-tive care for five years ormore. The new clinic is des-ignated as a federally quali-fied health center, the onlyone in McLean County. Wethank Advocate BroMennMedical Center and OSF St.
Joseph Medical Center forsupporting Chestnut.
Chestnut’s credit coun-seling program helps indi-viduals and families betterthemselves financially byproviding budget and debtmanagement services andeducation. Our LighthouseInstitute research and train-ing division enjoys a stellarnational reputation. Thesubstance abuse appraisaltool developed by theBloomington-based insti-tute is licensed to more than3,000 organizational units in48 states, six Canadianprovinces and six othercountries. Chestnut GlobalPartners provides employeeassistance and wellnessservices to about 1.4 millionpeople in more than 125countries through venturesin Brazil, China, India, Rus-sia and Mexico.
Chestnut Health Systems’mission is “making a differ-ence by improving quality oflife through excellence inservice.” We have beenbuilding on this commit-ment for 40 years. Using anapproach that is infrequent-ly found among not-for-profit organizations, Chest-nut has built a sizable, di-verse and highly respectedorganization in the behav-ioral healthcare field. Itsstaff of several hundred inBloomington-Normal areenhancing the quality of lifein our community.
Sender is chief operating officer,Chest-nut Health Systems,Bloomington.
8 • The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 www.pantagraph.com
Barry Reilly Alan Sender
20514033
2051
4005
A local family-owned shopspecializing in beer brewing and wine
making supplies and equipment.604 Dale St. Suite A1 • Normal
(309)862-0700tchomebrewing.comtchomebrewing.com
TWIN CITYTWIN CITYHomebrewing
HOME BREWING
2011ESTABLISHED
20513625
It’s Like Getting a Bedroom
And Bath For Free!
At $695 (plus utilities) our
3br/2bth row home
Certain income restrictions apply.309.451.5555 [email protected] W. Orlando, Normal, IL. 61761
Spring Detail SpecialFor those who care about their cars!
*Hand wash and wax exterior, clean windows and vacuum interior. Tar removal extra. Applies to most cars. Trucks, Vans & SUV’s slightly higher. Must present coupon.at time of service. Call for an appointment.
1030 W. Reynolds, Pontiac1-815-842-1143 or
$6995*Was $79.95
Expires: 3/31/13
20516349
20515998
VisitDowntown Pontiac!
www.pantagraph.com The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 • 9ANNUAL REPORT
Who’s Who in Real EstateWho’s Who in Real Estate
20513328
20513879
Sheryl Scott
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-of-the-art marketing technology. Sheryl has mentored new agents to successful career results. For proven results, call Sheryl when buying, selling, or building.www.bloomingtonillinoisrealestate.comor 309-825-1096
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
Cindy Eckols
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 and Bloomington - Normal in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and continue to strive to hold that position. Service is my top priority. In addition to being a Realtor 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. Contact Cindy today at 309-532-1616, or by email [email protected] Prudential Awards-Team of the YearCommercial Team of the YearTeam Listing LeaderTeam Sales Leader2012 Prudential Chariman’s Circle - Platinum#1 Volume Agent in BNAR
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
20514070
20514071
The Haas SistersTracy Haas Riley & Kristen Haas Oliver
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.comor callTracy at 309-275-6590 or Kristen at 309-838-6082
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
20514072
Dan Kniery
Dan is a lifetime resident of Bloomington/Normal. He is the past owner of Mike’s Market, a family owned and operated specialty meat and bakery grocery store. Dan is an alumnus of Central Catholic High School, former President of CCHS Booster Club, and past youth coach for basketball and baseball. Dan is married to Subie Patel Kniery and they have three sons: Michael, Patrick, and Kevin.Dan is celebrating his 20th year serving real estate community. Dan is a former president of the Bloomington/Normal Association of Realtors. While helping residents fi nd and sell their homes, Dan has received awards and recognition for top Yearly Sales, Monthly Sales Leader, Buying/Listing Leader, and Sales/Production Leader from Prudential. Dan is a supporter of local businesses and charities.The greatest compliment Dan receives to this day stems from the fact that most of his business is referred from satisfi ed clientele and friends. If you want a knowledgeable, hardworking real estate agent, then Dan is the agent for you. Give Dan a call at309-826-2473. You can visit E-mail him [email protected] is employed atPrudential Snyder Real Estate, #1 Brickyard Drive, Bloomington, IL 61701.
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
20514073
Tom Krieger
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 2012. 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) [email protected]
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
Deb Connor
# 1 Agent in 2012#1 Company inMcLean CountyDeb Connor gets results! Call 309-531-1912. Deb is a top producer and has been providing real estate services to our community for over 20 years. She is well established in the community and has many satisfi ed clients and an extensive network of professional and local clients.Deb is a full service agent. She is associated with many relocation companies and universities.Deb advertises your property on several websites, including www.cbhoa.comand www.bnrealtors.comEmail: [email protected] DEB TODAY!
Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
20513888
20513891
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 prop-erty 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 Mobile309-830-0163 – Lorna Mobile309-664-3601 – Offi cerayteam.net or cbhoa.com
Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
Don & Lorna Ray
Anne Fleer
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 fi nancial industry and held positions in mortgage lending, marketing, and was also the comptroller of a fi nancial 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,afl [email protected], or via her website at www.annefl eer.com.
Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
2051
4062
The LaneRealtor Team
The Lane Realtor Team offers advantage of knowledge and experience while keeping pace with current technology.Joe has 15 years’ experience in the real estate profession combined with 20 years’ of banking experience in the Bloomington/Normal area. He takes pride in providing professional, extraordinary customer service.Joey has 11 years’ experience in the computer retail and repair business and has been selling real estate since 2009.Allen Fry our newest member of The Lane Realtor Team was born and raised in Bloomington/Normal. Allen has 15 years’ experience in the insurance industry. He is married and the father of two children. Allen looks forward to providing exceptional customer service to his clients.Check out our website atwww.thelanerealotrs.comand let us help you fi nd your dream home.Joe 275-0743Joey 825-6609Allen 826-4137
Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
20514065
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:309-826-5559Offi ce: 309-664-3615www.lilianacbhoa.comEmail: [email protected]
Liliana TaimooraziColdwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
20514314
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 27 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: fi rst 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 [email protected]. Becky’s spiritual belief isJohn 3:16!
RE/MAX Choice
20513898
Becky Gerig
Nancy Brady
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 $175,000,000 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 fi nd 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.309-242-1311309-664-8517
RE/MAX Choice
20513902
Frankie andLois Team
You DREAM the DREAM. We have the TEAM that makes your DREAMS come true. Call FRANKIE or LOIS, the TEAM that WORKS for YOU.Frankie Thornton, Broker309-824-0714Lois Brennan, Broker309-825-8892
RE/MAX Choice
20514075
Al Legg
AL LEGGBroker, 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 37 years.
AL was born and raised in Pontiac, Illinois. He has been married to Jan for 34 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 Agentin All of 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2008 in S. Illinois/MO Region. He also acquired the title of 2012 RE/MAX Choice “Sales Associate of the Year” and achieved this title since 2002, 10 solid years demonstrating his Enthusiasm to be a true Top Professional.
He received the Certifi ed 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.
RE/MAX Choice
20514076
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 offi ce, churches, warehouse, agricultural and development properties. Candy is a licensed Broker and assisting construction and real estate management and accounting since 1981. We feel with our vast knowledge and experience that we will be an asset to buyers, sellers and investors. Call Larry at 309-824-2700or Candy at 309-838-1032 20
5139
09
Larry &Candy FosterCentury 21Aper Realty
Larry Foster
Candy Foster
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 GLENN of 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 are FULL-TIMEagents, 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 fi nd your home. SELLERS – our professional STAGER and ambitious marketing deliver RESULTS.Experience the DIFFERENCE with the TretterGlenn HomeMatchTeam!Call Sue Tretter at 309-287-7962or Judy Glenn at 309-261-7333.Visit us atwww.TretterGlennHMT.com.
20513913
TretterGlenn HomeMatchTeam
SueTretter
JudyGlenn
Keller Williams
Seth Couillard& Bryan Dillow
BloomingtonHomes.com Team at Keller Williams Realty is the name you need to know in real estate. We specialize in Buyers, Sellers, First Time Home Buyers, Investors, REO, Foreclosures, and Investment Properties. Our team, Seth Couillard & Bryan Dillow, will help you every step of the way from getting your home listed, marketed and SOLD. Our unique marketing approach allows us to gain your home more exposure than the norm. Both Bryan and Seth are hometown agents...born and bred here in Bloomington/Normal. Seth Couillard has been in the business for nearly 8 years and has become one of the top producing agents in the Bloomington Normal area. Bryan Dillow has been in marketing and sales for nearly 15 years and has extensive knowledge from web marketing to traditional marketing. When you combine the experience & knowledge of Seth & Bryan, the Bloomington Homes Team is a top notch team of down to earth guys that know what they are doing! Contact Info:www.BloomingtonHomes.comSeth Couillard–309-530-1442Bryan Dillow–309-531-8309
Keller Williams
20514493
SethCouillard
BryanDillow
Sue Strang
CRP-- Certifi ed Relocation Professional,CRS — Certifi ed 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. 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. A veteran of 26+ years working with buyers and sellers has resulted in consistant multi-million dollar production. Referrals from satisfi ed 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 experienced, honest service.
Sue StrangRealty Group
20514324
10 • The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 www.pantagraph.comANNUAL REPORT
PANTAGRAPH STAFF
Last year is history and2013 is now under way. Butlooking back at a year’s worthof local headlines, you cansee just how much breakingnews happened in CentralIllinois during 2012. Ourwebsite lets us track interestin these stories based on howfrequently you, the readers,viewed them.
The following is a list ofPantagraph.com’s 10 most-viewed stories for all of 2012.
1. NCHS teacher called ahero after subduing stu-dent who fired shots
Date: Sept. 7NORMAL — A 14-year-
old Normal CommunityHigh School student brought
a loaded handgun to schoolFriday morning, fired multi-ple shots into the ceiling of aclassroom and briefly de-tained several classmates be-fore being tackled and dis-armed by a teacher and stu-dents.
2. Students’ deaths stunISU; no foul play believed
Date: March 23NORMAL — The Illinois
State University communitywas stunned to learn Fridaythat two students had died inapparently unrelated inci-dents the night before intheir rooms in neighboringresidence halls.
3. Facing the worst:McLean family tries to staystrong over daughter’s finaldays
Date: Jan. 12On Dec. 31, Alivia Gib-
son’s parents decided tobring their 2-year-olddaughter home to die.Alivia’s diagnosis of rarebrain-stem cancer, and herprognosis, came in a spin-ning, numbing five-day pe-riod after Christmas 2011.On New Year’s Eve, stillreeling, Gibson and Alivia’sfather, Jim Dickson, decidedtheir little girl should spendher last days in McLean athome, among family.
4. Driver in custody in fa-tal hit-and-run in downtownBloomington
Date: June 24BLOOMINGTON — The
driver is in custody in con-nection with a hit-and-run
accident that happened ear-ly Sunday at the corner ofMain and WashingtonStreets in Bloomington andleft a woman brain dead,au-thorities said.
5. Man killed, 3 hurt incrash near Danvers
Date: Feb. 15DANVERS — A 20-year-
old Bloomington man waskilled and three people wereinjured early Wednesdaymorning in a single-vehicleaccident along Illinois 9near Danvers.
6. Prosecutor: Driver ranred light in fatal hit-and-runaccident
Date: June 25BLOOMINGTON — The
driver of a car that struckand killed a 21-year-old
woman early Sunday morn-ing in downtown Blooming-ton ran a red light before thevehicle struck her and afriend, a prosecutor saidMonday.
7. B-N man accused of DUIin fatal crash
Date: Feb. 16DANVERS — A 19-year-
old Bloomington man wascharged Thursday with ag-gravated drunken driving inconnection with an accidentalong Illinois 9 near Danversthat killed one person and in-jured three others.
8. Man killed in ruralCooksville accident
Date: March 18COOKSVILLE — A 40-
year-old Bloomington manwas killed in a single-vehicle
accident early Sundaymorning near Illinois 9 in ru-ral Cooksville.
9. BHS students protestteacher’s firing
Date: Feb. 9BLOOMINGTON — An
estimated 150 students upsetwith the firing of a Bloom-ington High School teacherwalked out of their seventh-period classes in protestThursday.
10. Man dies after earlymorning hit-and-run
Date: July 31BLOOMINGTON — A 45-
year-old former Heyworthman apparently was struckand killed by a semitrailertruck while sleeping near awest-side gas station, au-thorities said Tuesday.
www.pantagraph.com The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 • 11
Valerie has been a life long resident of Bloomington Normal. She and her husband have 3 grown children and 3 grand children.Valerie was recently awarded New Realtor Of The Year For 2011 from Prudential Snyder. Valerie enjoys working with ST JUDE RIDES. Valerie prides herself in making your home buying and selling experience the best in everyway possible.Next time your thinking of buying or selling call Valerie.Ph 309-319-0565Email [email protected] Valeriecurry.prusny.com
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
20513872
Sandy Slingsby
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.
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
20513886
Keith Troutman
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 fi rst. 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 [email protected] can also visit Keith at his website keithtroutman.com
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
Kathy DiCiaula
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. 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. [email protected]
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
20514068
Margie is a life-long resident of Bloomington-Normal. She and her husband, Tim, have 5 adult children and 4 grandchildren. She has been a REALTOR® for over 24 years, graduated from GRI and is now a Broker. She has consistently been a multimillion dollar producer. Margie is active in her church and the Bloomington-Normal Board of Realtors serving on numerous committees and also involved with local charities. Margie prides herself in top quality service and invites all past and new clients to give her a call. Ph. (309) [email protected]
Margie SimmonsPrudential Snyder Real Estate
20514321
Since she began her career in 2002 Mary has consistently achieved recognition as a multi-million dollar producer. She believes success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well!(309) [email protected]
Mary LovePrudential Snyder Real Estate
20514494
LIST WITH LISTERA resident of Bloomington-Normal 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! [email protected]
Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
20513894
Lynn Lister
Greg Zavitz
20514067
I am a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. I use a team approach with the help of 2 licensed agents and 1 unlicensed offi ce manager. I have averaged over $10 million in sales and 60-70 homes sold each of the last 10 years. Hire a knowledgeable professional with 28 years’ experience and the tools to get the job done. I will give your homemore internet exposure than any other agent in town.Call me and I will show you my sales [email protected]
Coldwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
I’m Always Available(309) 825-7355A 30 year resident of Bloomington-Normal and a consistent multi-million dollar producer Georgean is an experienced professional full time Broker. Illinois State University graduate. She is also an accredited buyer representative (ABR), Graduate of Realtors Institute of Illinois (GRI) a Certifi ed Residential Specialist (CRS) Certifi ed Relocation Professional (CRP) and most recently Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers (CRB)
Georgean FishColdwell Banker Heart of America Realtors
20514313 20513905
Dan Slagell
As a Managing Broker for RE/MAX Choice, Dan has over 20 years of fi nance 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 Certifi ed Agent for Real Estate Investors and a CDPE/Certifi ed 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. [email protected]
RE/MAX ChoiceBELINDA 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 down-home 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 [email protected] or by phone at 309-287-6105.
20514318
Belinda TrunellRE/MAX Choice
Why choose Ivey Weaver, G.R.I., C.R.S? With over 45 years as a full-time licensed REALTOR, a recipient of the BNAR Hall of Fame “Lifetime Achievement Award” andRE/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 fi nd the perfect match for both the Seller and the Buyer. Ivey and Ed have two sons, Mark and David, four grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. For all your real estate needs call Ivey at (309)825-6012 or visit her website at www.iveyweaver.remaxagent.com
Ivey WeaverRE/MAX Choice
20514319
Janet Jurich is a full time Broker and Realtor® specializing in the residential market in Bloomington/Normal and the surrounding areas. She also works with Homes for Heroes.
Janet’s designations include Graduate of Realtor Institute (GRI) and ePro.
Match this with her marketing strategy for Sellers and Buyer assistance and you’ll be glad you chose Janet Jurich to assist you with your real estate needs.
Call her today at(309) 825-2078 and Make Your Move With Janet Jurich.
www.JanetJurich.com
Selling real estate is what I do…..Caring for my customers is how I do it.
Keller Williams
20514077
Janet Jurich
20514074
Jack Ruch
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 andfi nding them the home of their dreams. Call him today at 309-824-0293.
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
Mike &Jean Hutson
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 [email protected]
Prudential Snyder Real Estate
Mike and Jean Hutsonwww.TheHutsonTeam.com
20513856
NCHS shooting, crashes top local stories for year ANNUAL REPORT
BLOOMINGTON — InNovember, voters passed areferendum to eliminatethe McLean Countyrecorder’s office andmerge its duties with thecounty clerk’s office at theend of this year.
County Board memberPaul Segobiano suggestedthe referendum as a way tostreamline governmentand save taxpayers’ mon-ey. County AdministratorBill Wasson estimated themerger would save$46,800 to $100,000 ayear, assuming four officesupport staff and one su-pervisor still will be need-ed.
After the election,McLean County BoardChairman Matt Sorensen
said if it was the intentionof the voters to save mon-ey, “I expect the boardwon’t pass a 2014 budgetunless the recorder’s of-fice is not costing as much
to run.”The November ballot
also asked voters to elect aMcLean County recorder.Incumbent Lee Newcomhad successfully won the
Republican nomination inthe primary election,faced no opposition in thegeneral election and wasre-elected.
Because the referendum
also passed, Newcom onlywill serve a one-year term.
Last month, the McLeanCounty Board took actionto ensure Newcom’s officewill have a stable staffduring this year of transi-tion. Newcom had toldcounty officials hisstaffing situation has beenunstable since the No-vember election becausehis employees don’t knowwhat their fate will be af-ter Dec. 31.
The board approvedhiring Newcom’s chiefdeputy as a human re-sources assistant with thecounty administrator’soffice. Her initial respon-sibilities will be workingwith the recorder’s office.
“This helps stabilizethe office,” said Sorensen.
Sorensen said he does-n’t envision physicallymoving the recorder’s of-fice records and equip-ment immediately afterthe first of the year whenthe merger officially takesplace.
“Maybe at some pointbut it will take time toplan,” he said.
Besides placing therecorder’s referendum onthe ballot, the McLeanCounty Board also votedlast year to amend thecounty’s ordinance andallow the handful ofliquor license holders inunincorporated McLeanCounty to have videogambling machines. Thestate approved videogambling in 2009 but theIllinois Gaming Boarddidn’t start issuing li-censes until last summer.
Sorensen said the ac-tion leveled the playingfield. Normal’s ordinancealready allowed the ma-chines and the Blooming-ton City Council amend-ed its ordinance to allowvideo gambling in July. Atthe end of February, therewere 35 establishments inincorporated and unin-corporated McLeanCounty with video gam-bling licenses.
12 • The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 www.pantagraph.comANNUAL REPORT
The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER
Richard Townsend, owner of Hooligan’s Pub in Colfax, manages the new video gaming ma-
chines in his club last October.
By Cristina Deutsch
Finally our presidentand Congress are se-riously talking about
comprehen-sive immi-gration re-form. Ourcountry hasnot had a re-view of itsimmigrationlaws formore than40 years.Visa quotashave notbeen revised to reflect theeconomic realities of to-day.
In 1986, President Rea-gan signed the Immigra-tion Reform and ControlAct, commonly known asamnesty. This was not areview of our laws. It onlygave legal status to thoseliving and working in theU.S. without visas, ad-dressing only the issues ofsome immigrants and notof those to come.
In 2006, a bipartisanimmigration comprehen-sive reform was intro-duced in Congress bySens. John McCain andTed Kennedy; it did notpass. Congress failed tosee the great need for suchreform.
Because of this lack ofaction, our communitieshave been suffering theills and consequences,trying to solve these situ-ations by using Band Aids,but not correcting theproblems.
One of the big fumblesthat Immigration madecame in 2010 when, in-stead of putting moneyinto a serious study andreview of its laws, Immi-
gration dealt only with the12 million undocumentedfolks that live and work inthis country. Some $2.5billion was put into theImmigration and Cus-toms Enforcement (ICE)branch that initially wasto deport only dangerouscriminals — while settinga quota of 400,000 de-portations per year. Well,there just weren’t400,000 criminals to de-port, so the agency start-ed picking up workingmothers and fathers and
19-year-old daughtersjust for driving without alicense.
A memo asked sheriffsto hold these individualsan extra 48 hours for ICEto pick them up; they wereput in shackles and movedfrom place to place amongreal criminals, often in themiddle of the night.
Since the request by ICEwas not a mandate, sher-iffs had the option to nothonor these requests, or touse their discretion. ButMcLean County SheriffMike Emery did not heedour pleas to take the sec-ond option.
Instead, the sheriff inThe Pantagraph said wewere asking him to notfollow immigration law, orcheck identifications, andthat police should nothave to arrest them, whichwas untrue. We askedSheriff Emery, by usingdiscretion, to first checkthose folks brought to hisdepartment for prior of-fenses before calling ICE.
President Obama, De-partment of HomelandSecretary Janet Napoli-tano and ICE DirectorJohn Morton had issued
directives that law en-forcement resourcesshould not be wasted ondestroying the families ofimmigrants who have es-tablished strong ties to theU.S. and pose no danger tosociety.
Trying to resolve this is-sue took many months in2012, which in the endproved futile. Thank Godour Illinois lawmakerspassed a bill signed byGov. Quinn on Jan. 27 thatwill give these folks theopportunity to acquiredriver’s licenses. They willbe able to drive to workand take their children tothe doctor without thefear of being arrested.
As our president andCongress have now recog-nized, the demographicsof our country havechanged drastically, andour lawmakers agree a re-view of our antiquatedimmigration laws have tobe updated.
We must be open to theneeds of our country’seconomy and create visasfor the workers we need,who contribute to oureconomy by working thefields that produce ourfood, who are paying taxesand are supporting theSocial Security Adminis-tration.
It is about time that wecreate visas for agricul-tural workers and un-skilled workers, and visasto reunite families at amuch faster pace, thus fi-nally stopping undocu-mented migration.
Deutsch is a member of Illinois PeoplesAction, former Hispanic outreach di-rector at Western Avenue CommunityCenter and recently retired from theImmigration Project.
Cristina
Deutsch
Immigration reform doesn’taddress needs of economy
Recorder’s office out, video gambling inMcLean Countyvoters OK officethat’s combined
A flurry of new technol-ogy projects are popping upin public and privateschools in the region.
Stanford-based Olympiaschool district is in its sec-ond year of integratingiPads into the classroom toencourage students tothink critically and im-merse them in relevantlearning opportunities,said Superintendent BradHutchison.
Technology is also beingused with projects includ-ing hydroponics and rais-ing fish.
“Our biggest accom-plishment continues to beacademic improvement ofour students,” Hutchisonsaid.
Olympia West Elemen-tary School in Minier wasrecently recognized by thestate for its academic ex-cellence and the highschool’s advanced place-ment classes received staterecognition this winter.
Meanwhile, five class-rooms at Calvary ChristianAcademy in Normal aretaking part in an $8,000 pi-lot project using new Mo-bile Interactive Whiteboard(Mobi) systems. While tra-ditional interactive white-boards are useful, the newportable systems providemore flexibility becausethey can be moved fromclassroom to classroom in-stead of being permanentlymounted on one wall. “Wewere looking for somethingtruly mobile,” acknowl-edged Principal ChristelDenault.
Likewise, TrinityLutheran School, foundedin 1858 and celebrating its10th anniversary at its 1102
W. Hamilton Road, Bloom-ington, location, is makingsure its students are alsogetting all the opportuni-ties technology provides.This year, the school willbuy tablets for studentswith money raised from anauction, said PrincipalShawn Hoffmann. Cur-rently, second-graders aremaking PowerPoint proj-ects; fourth-graders areusing laptops to follow theIditarod dog sled race inAlaska; fifth-graders areemailing pen pals in thecommunity about booksthey are reading and sixth-graders are researching in-depth projects, he said.
Central Catholic HighSchool in Bloomington ispreparing to introduce a“Bring Your Own Device”policy, known as BYOD inthe fall, said Principal JoyAllen. Students will bringthe technology from home— iPads or laptops for ex-ample — and the school willfill the gap for some stu-dents needing a device to
make the most of learningopportunities. The schoolhas installed Wi-Fi, and setup the network already withthe final piece — adequatebandwidth — expected tobe in place this summer.
“We are testing it out,”Allen said. Several class-rooms will introduce BYODthis fall with the rest fol-lowing in the coming year.
Finally, CornerstoneChristian Academy, east ofBloomington,is also updat-ing its schoolwide technol-ogy plan, said AprilKinzinger, director of de-velopment.
Area schools keeping upwith technology changes
The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
Olympia High School senior Sam Hensley of Minier holds an iPad as his finished one-minute
campaign ad in support of Mitt Romney plays in teacher Lisa Castleman's classroom.
Castleman's students compiled 21 videos as part of an American Government and Law
class. Partnering with Hensley was Braden Halliday of Danvers.
The Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA
Edward Williams, with Plasterers and Cement Masons Local
18, edges freshly poured cement in August 2009 at Trinity
Lutheran School in Bloomington.The school is marking its
10th year at its 1102 W. Hamilton Road, Bloomington, loca-
tion and is buying tablets for students to improve technolo-
Professional sports in a medium-sized mar-ket like Bloomington-Normal can be a riskyventure. There was no shortage of drama in thefront office as owners changed teams as oftenas their players changed their sweat socks.
But despite it all, the Twin Cities could beproud it brought home a national champi-onship in the first year of its pro basketballteam, the Central Illinois Drive.
The U.S. Cellular Coliseum and the Corn Cribhave become the home of four professionalsports teams. Fans in Central Illinois have awealth of teams to support and empty bleachersare waiting.
The Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA
The Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA The Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA
The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER
The Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA
The Pantagraph/LORI ANN COOK-NEISLER
Central Illinois Drive bench reacts as teammate Rodney Edgerson sinks a three-point shot with seconds left against the Rochester RazorSharks last April at U.S. Cellular
Coliseum in Bloomington.
The Bloomington Blaze's
Matthew Larke (42) and
Nicklas Lindberg, left, cele-
brate a goal against the
Allen Americans in a game
last November at the U.S.
Cellular Coliseum .
Bloomington Edge wide receiver John Cooper scores a touchdown against the Cedar
Rapids Titans last June at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Central Illinois Drive's Jemal Farmer dunks against the Indiana
Diesels last March at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
CornBelters catcher Patrick Trettel holds the ball and looks up at the umpire after a collision with Rockford River-
Hawks' Javier Herrera at home plate last June 22 at the Corn Crib in Normal.Fans cheer during the Central Illinois Drive game
against the Rochester RazorSharks last April.
www.pantagraph.com The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 • 13ANNUAL REPORT
good state
better state
Everyone loves a good combo. You can save an average of $760* by combining your auto and home insurance. Soak up the savings
at statefarm.com® or call 1-800-STATE-FARM today. Get to a better State®. Get State Farm.
20514931
14 • The Pantagraph • Saturday, March 23, 2013 www.pantagraph.comANNUAL REPORT