McLean County and Central Illinois are gearing up for America 250 with a bunch of events, everything from a community drone show on July 2 to readings of the Declaration of Independence at Connie Link Amphitheater in Normal and in Downtown Bloomington. It's not the first national anniversary involving a big celebration. Let’s go back 50 years to hear what they did for the nation’s Bicentennial.

Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said the summer is marking progress on more than $315 million in public and private investment projects.

Bloomington appears ready to more aggressively market naming rights opportunities for the former Grossinger Motors Arena in Downtown Bloomington. Sponsorship by the auto group ended in 2022, and the city has called a news conference next Wednesday to highlight revived use of the building.

Although the attorney general’s office has been successful in many lawsuits against the Trump administration, Raoul lamented his office didn’t receive new funding compared to last year.

Over his 7½ years in office, Gov. JB Pritzker has largely gotten his way in the Democratic-supermajority Illinois General Assembly. But there were some high-profile caveats that underscored the limits of his clout among his fellow Democrats who run the state legislature.

The City of Bloomington will continue making annual funding contributions to the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, but with a series of conditions attached.

The historic Clay Dooley Building in the heart of Bloomington is getting a new tenant after sitting idle for nearly a decade.

Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood voted against the recent war powers act resolution in the House requiring an end to the war in Iran, even though LaHood has repeatedly said he wants the war to wind down.

Billions of dollars in wind farm projects all over Illinois are on hold, including two projects in McLean County, two in Peoria County, and one in Tazewell County.

The Illinois Department of Corrections announced Friday it is officially closing the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln and will relocate the 800-bed facility to Crest Hill in Will County.