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Housing advocates say the pace of rental aid distribution has picked up, but they are still not sure enough people are applying. That's true in the immigrant community as well as you hear from the Immigration Project. The Democratic Party controlled remap is designed to make sure GOP Representatives Mary Miller and Darin LaHood will have to run against each other. It's not clear who will survive. One expert says LaHood is stronger in a general election, but Miller could take him out in a primary. And the music of the neo new wave band Fantastic Plastics has gorgeous melodies that often frame pointed critiques OF technology and modern society.

Instructors at Heartland Community College's new Electric Vehicle Energy Storage training program say they're thrilled to be doing cutting edge work preparing techs for the future. They also say it's nice to see auto training programs come back after high schools and colleges phased them out when they were younger. Suspensions don't help minority students. An ISU scholar says schools are punishing kids who are already suffering and doing so disproportionately. The Masonic Lodge in Normal has survived many decades when many fraternal and social groups across the nation have not by recruiting younger people. The Masons in Normal are celebrating 150 years.

On today's episode, Charlie Schlenker talks to the president and CEO of Bloomington-based Heritage Enterprises about challenges facing long-term care facilities. Plus, a preview of the 27th annual Hauntcert shows next week at Unit 5's two high schools.

Operation Push and the Rainbow Coalition plan a march in Peru, Illinois to pressure authorities to do more to investigate the death of ISU graduate student Jelani Day. But, not everything being said about the case is true. The Prairie City Soccer League is changing plans for new fields. They won't be in north Normal. A researcher speaking at ISU has a new way of tackling community health questions -- like, "Why aren't families physically active?" Darla Castelli talks about information gaps in community health. And the Unit 5 School Board President talks deficits and discourse.

Reverend Jesse Jackson Junior joined a couple hundred people in a peaceful drive through demonstration and march in honor of ISU graduate student Jelani Day in Peru, Illinois. Day's death has been ruled by drowning but the chants were about justice for Jelani and no justice no peace. Unit 5 schools have been getting ready for today's federal approval of the Coronavirus vaccine for kids ages five to eleven. They'll offer vaccination clinics. And Superintendent Kristen Weikle says booster shot opportunities for staff are coming too. A Bloomington Normal high school student has received a national award for his work to help others. Meet Druhv Rebba. And Normal City Manager Pam Reece drops by.

The pandemic has exposed flaws in global supply chains for everything from toilet paper to car parts. An ISU expert on large scale economies tells you those flaws were always there. And fixing them is hard. Another small town central Illinois newspaper closes, but a new outlet will test the market for news in Ford County. Bloomington City Council action to skirt a ban on new video gambling licenses can be considered unfair. City Manager Tim Gleason says the council has to weigh the greater good of community development. And themes are emerging on what buckets the town of Normal will use to spend federal pandemic relief aid.

On today's episode, you'll hear from new Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington. Plus, a new episode of McHistory looks at Bloomington-Normal's historic stance against prejudice. And Sound Health tackles misconceptions about hospice.

WGLT's The Leadoff is everything you need to know for Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. You'll hear about Rivian's plans to go public, possibly by the end of 2021. Plus, an interview with the IDOT chief about electric and autonomous cars.

There's a campaign to cut the thousands of traffic collisions and hundreds of injuries that happen in Bloomington Normal each year. A strength and conditioning graduate student at ISU hopes to go to a place few women do, the NFL. Saxophonist Lisella Martin never thought she'd play music professionally until one day at church the guitarist tapped her on the shoulder and asked her if she ever thought about it. Martin says she thought she wasn't good enough. Martin was wrong. Hear her before the Front Street Music Festival. Plus a play premiering at Illinois State University looks at how artificial intelligence disrupts the arts. Director Carol Kelleher tells you about "The Hologram in the Mirror."

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.