Business and Economy

Bloomington-Normal may need a different approach to stimulate housing construction. The community first quantified the need for housing in a study a year ago and updated it in June to an estimated 7,500 units.

Agriculture is big business in McLean County. But it wasn't always that way. And those new to the area probably don't know how the county got where it is. As part of our ongoing Welcome Home series, WGLT dives into the history of agriculture in McLean County.

Heartland Community College is celebrating national apprenticeship week with a signing ceremony for new career training enrollees.

After several years of sharply rising catalytic converter thefts State Farm said this year may break the trend. Through the first half of the year, the Bloomington-based insurance giant said thefts are down 37% nationwide and in Illinois.

Bloomington-Normal and the rest of McLean County have a worker shortage. So does much of the rest of the nation. Policymakers and educators are grappling with a multiyear challenge to increase the supply of workers who can keep the area financially strong and vital.

Rivian said its third quarter production numbers leave the electric vehicle maker on pace to meet its annual goal. Rivian said in a news release it produced 16,304 from July to September.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is mixing into the unionization effort at the Rivian electric vehicle plant in Normal. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers is trying to organize the plant. Durbin says he has met with Rivian CEO R-J Scaringe and told him the company should support unionizing efforts.

Bloomington and Normal collected more than $9.1 million in food and beverage taxes last budget year. That's up 29% from 2019.

A judge dismissed Carla Campbell-Jackson's claim that State Farm fired her in 2016 after 27 years of employment because she reported an anonymous letter that contained racist and offensive statements that was sent to several workers at a Michigan office of the company.

The veto of a law to end a moratorium on new nuclear power plant construction in Illinois sets up a battle in the fall veto session. In his veto message, Gov. JB Pritzker appears to be saying the bill isn't ready for prime time.