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Cookbook authors the Brass Sisters want you to ask your elders for recipes this holiday season, before it's too late and they're gone. And also, try their Aunt Ida's tasty Poppy Seed Cookies.

WGLT's the Leadoff is everything you need to know for Tuesday, February 22. Bloomington mayor Mboka Mwilambwe weighs-in on a proposed commission that would study gun violence in the city, plus a University High School student wants your pandemic-era memories for a 20-year time capsule that's going into storage on Wednesday. Also, electric vehicle automaker Rivian isn't exactly feeling a warm reception for its planned second manufacturing plant south of Atlanta and the state's new inspector general is a Peoria native who says he's interested in learning the scope of his authority to "root out corruption."

A survey of attitudes toward police in the city of Bloomington came back with a lot of skewed data, but the comments were worth reading. Not In Our Town Co-Chair Mike Matejka unpacks the useful parts of the survey. Plus, County Administrator Camille Rodriguez shares perspectives on her time in McLean County as she prepares to leave for Colorado. Governor JB Pritzker talks about energy policy and compromise. Everyone gets a little something in a proposed energy bill; environmentalists, nuclear utilities and even coal burning plants. And hear from a Bluegrass Band doing more than the old Bill Monroe stuff in central Illinois.

Normal Council member Karyn Smith says allegations against the city manager aren't about ethics, they're about gender bias. Six council members chastise the seventh, Stan Nord. Plus, the insurance industry workforce is about to become scarce. A lot of retirements coming up in the next few years. District 87 teachers say a pr campaign to score political points by protesting black history curriculum is way off base. And McLean County's legal community and housing advocates have a new plan lessen a spike in evictions once the statewide moratorium goes away in August.

Now, let's leadoff with Democrats trying to turn voters' attention back to reproductive rights -- with two weeks to go until Election Day. Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker appeared alongside 17th Congressional District Democratic candidate Eric Sorensen on Tuesday in the Quad Cities. Sorensen is running against Republican Esther Joy King in the 17th District, which includes much of Bloomington-Normal.

People are buying new homes in McLean County faster than they can be built. Eric Stock reports prospective buyers have learned they need money, patience, and a little luck to end up in the home they want. The Central Illinois Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is asking the city of Bloomington to hold off on a contract for cameras that can record license plate numbers of vehicles that drive by a proposed set of ten cameras to be placed in the community. And Town of Normal Council members have approved spending about 140-thousand-dollars on an outdoor fitness training circuit center. Charlie Schlenker talks with Mayor Chris Koos, who says it's a quality of life measure for the community.

Some of the new jobs in Bloomington Normal have come at the expense of other companies - and some employers simply can't find the workers they need. A Bloomington Normal labor management expert says the Great Resignation also plays a part in the net job loss in the twin cities last year. The U.S. Attorney for the central district of Illinois says only a small number of people are responsible for most gun violence...If not, there's always incarceration. And a Bloomington woman who got a kidney transplant tells African Americans during Black History month....Blacks are three times as likely as others to have kidney disease.

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.

Workplace culture grows over time. But it's a real challenge to create such an environment when everyone is new, leaders and rank and file alike. The task for Rivian, which looms larger because of Rivian's lofty ambitions. Plus, the NAACP weighs in on Jelani Day. The City of Bloomington has a new detailed roadmap for historic preservation. Hear how keeping iconic structures fresh contributes to economic development. And Normal Town council member Chemberly Cummings wants more young people to get involved in local government. Hear about Normal's new Youth On A Mission Council.

U.S. Representative Rodney Davis says he won't run for Governor, and will try to retain his congressional seat in a newly drawn district. Davis says he looks forward to a committee chairmanship if Republicans take the House next year. Sensors embedded in roadways can improve bad weather service and save money. Hear about a vision of SMART cities and how municipalities can decide which new techie tools to choose. And Inclusive Education Coalition Founder Aditi Sharma says her group is planning to buy new book titles for McLean County teachers to use in classroom diversity curriculum.