Michele Steinbacher
CorrespondentMichele Steinbacher is a WGLT correspondent. She joined the staff in 2020.
Steinbacher previously worked as a reporter at The Pantagraph in Bloomington, and taught communication at Heartland Community College.
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District 87 school board president Elizabeth Fox Anvick wears many hats: She’s a tech professional, a wife, a mother – and one of Bloomington-Normal’s most visible LGBTQ+ advocates.
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The Bloomington City Council voted Monday to finalize construction plans for major work on Fox Creek Road and a bridge crossing the Union Pacific Railroad. City leaders also voted to spend another $2 million on this year’s road and sidewalk maintenance programs.
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Bloomington-Normal’s strong economic growth last year likely will help Unit 5 use less borrowed money to balance its budget, when the fiscal year ends in June.
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Bloomington leaders gathered Monday to dig into $90 million of proposed capital projects for the upcoming year. All the plans are tentative, listed as part of a proposed $332 million fiscal 2025 budget. Bloomington City Council votes on that document April 8.
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The McLean County Board voted 11-6 in favor of an application for a waste transfer site in south Bloomington. Next, the proposal needs approval from the state's pollution control board.
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Bloomington projects a nearly $332 million budget next year, about 14% higher than its current plan, the city council heard during its meeting Monday. Nearly half of the next budget — roughly $159 million — is dedicated to public safety and capital projects, including work on streets and sewers.
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District 87 is launching a new curriculum for middle and high schoolers enrolled as English language learners — part of an effort to better serve the growing demographic group.
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The Bloomington City Council approved a 20-year agreement Wednesday to officially launch a new ECHL pro hockey team at Grossinger Motors Arena. The Bloomington Bison will host three dozen home games, in the season that runs from October to April.
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A pro hockey team has the potential to bring more than $20 million in rent and profits over the next two decades if it plays at the City of Bloomington's Grossinger Motors Arena. That’s according to a proposal coming before the Bloomington City Council on Monday.
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McLean County's largest school district is home to more than half of Illinois K-12 schools awarded the Energy Star rating in 2023.