Business and Economy

Homebuilders in Bloomington-Normal are playing catch up in meeting the growth of the last decade, the more recent expansion of the labor market, and projected future growth.

Rising interest rates have blocked the hoped-for start of construction this spring on a flagship development project in Uptown Normal.

Town of Normal Finance Director Andrew Huhn said during a daylong budget workshop for the town council that a lot of the increase will be funded by projected double-digit revenue growth, mainly in sales and income tax receipts.

The outgoing board president of the West Bloomington Revitalization Project says the culture of the group has helped it come back in 2022 from the pandemic and six feet of sewage in the basement during last year's big Bloomington flood.

It could be time to discuss one of the proposals in a 2019 Connect Transit special working group report, says Normal City Manager Pam Reece, because it's an unusual development — an organization asking for less money instead of more.

A Black Illinois homeowner claims State Farm practices covert racial discrimination in how it processes claims. “State Farm does not treat its Black and white homeowners insurance policyholders equally,” states a federal lawsuit filed by Jacqueline Huskey of Matteson in south suburban Chicago.

The money will help more than 60 Illinois farmers and businesses install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.

In a surprising move that has implications for not-for-profit organizations in central Illinois, State Farm is cutting back on its charitable giving in at least one area. The company website notes retirees will no longer be eligible for the company's charitable matching gift program, effective with the new year.

Passenger traffic is up 13.6% at the Central Illinois Regional Airport through the first three quarters of the year. Airport Director Carl Olson said ongoing recovery from the pandemic is not as fast as it was last year.

State Farm and Rivian are both contracting with clean energy providers to reduce their carbon footprints. State Farm said it's buying enough zero emission renewable energy to power its buildings in Bloomington.