Some parents of Bloomington Normal school children say they worry about COVID safety and wish state authorities had authorized remote learning for this year. Meanwhile parents of special needs children say they hope their kids can have a normal school year and make up lost ground. Municipal rent assistance programs had been getting criticism for giving out dollars too slowly. They're getting more popular now. The Town of Normal says the pace has also picked up as other programs run out of money. And State Representative Dan Brady wants to make it easier to trigger federal disaster aid. Brady also hopes a lawsuit will take away legislative redistricting powers in Illinois.
WGLT Senior Reporter Charlie Schlenker has spent more than three award-winning decades in radio. He lives in Normal with his family.