Jamie Hand
ReporterJamie Hand is an Economy & Business Reporter at WGLT. She joined the station in 2026. You can reach Jamie at jlgrite@ilstu.edu and 309-438-4648.
Jamie is the owner of Emerald and Amethyst Books in Lexington. She spent 16 years in corporate insurance roles prior to opening her own business. She earned a master’s degree in management from the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, and has taught business at Heartland Community College.
Jamie is an ISU alum and worked as a reporter at the Danville Commercial-News during college. She is thrilled to return to journalism with WGLT.
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An economics professor at Illinois State University examines the impacts of tariffs, wars, inflation and AI on the labor market in McLean County. -
Independently-owned Jasper's Java, national chain Dutch Bros, and an app created by a Bloomington entrepreneur all have one thing in common: It's the human touch that keeps people coming back. -
Residents of the Town of Normal are grieving the death of former police chief Walter D. "Walt" Clark, Sr., who died Oct. 15 at the age of 82. -
The current code was adopted in 1979 and hasn't been meaningfully updated since then. -
Two key tax provisions have been expanded in 2026 to help employees access and afford childcare, which creates opportunities to help McLean County's childcare crisis. -
Ashlee Sang knows what it's like to juggle motherhood alongside career ambitions. She owns her own consulting firm focused on communication and messaging. She's also a mother of two. When she had the opportunity to start a local chapter of the nationwide Made for Mothers group, she leapt at the chance. -
The increase is already effective for new policies, as of Oct. 1. Current customers will see their rates increase at renewal time, effective Dec. 1. This rate hike is in addition to State Farm's 27% Illinois homeowner rate increase in 2025. -
The family of Kevin Lancaster, a Heyworth man killed while working at a Rivian Logistics Center in Normal Township, is suing for negligence. -
Travelers to Bloomington's Central Illinois Regional Airport may pass through its gates dozens of times without realizing how nearby economic changes — like those over at Normal's Rivian plant — can lead to windfalls at the airport. -
As fertility rates decline nationwide, WGLT spoke to two healthcare professionals who serve McLean County women to see what trends they're seeing.
