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The City of Bloomington recently approved the purchase of an armored security vehicle for use by police and the department's SWAT team. The Town of Normal has a tactical response team too, but the town is not likely to keep up with the Joneses.
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In an ironic twist, an Illinois Wesleyan University biologist has named a new species of snake after the actor Harrison Ford. In the iconic movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Ford's character Indiana Jones doesn’t like snakes.
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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.
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A lot of attention has gone to state and federal policy initiatives to address climate change, but some measures need to happen at the local level, including so-called "smart surfaces" that could become a larger part of the look of the Town of Normal.
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McLean County improved its recycling rate significantly last year, but lost ground on its goals. The Ecology Action Center in Normal reports the county recycling rate rose to nearly 47% of all solid waste produced last year, up from about 44% in 2021.
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State Farm's annual accountability report details efforts the Bloomington-based insurance giant is trying to make across three areas: sustainability in the environment, society, and governance.
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The Town of Normal is exploring ways to remove some ammonia from its drinking water. If the ammonia-eating bacteria works at scale, the town could save some money by reducing the chlorine it uses and labor expense.
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The Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District is moving toward issuing $100 million in bonds for improvements to sewage treatment and runoff in the area. District executive director Tim Ervin said that is roughly a third of a larger effort to modernize the system and comply with tighter federal standards on phosphorous and other nutrient emissions.
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Unlike young children on a car ride chanting, "Are we there yet," zoo animals can’t tell you when they’re bored to tears. Some of them don’t even have tear ducts. It’s the job of zookeepers to make sure the animals in their care stay active — mentally as well as physically.
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A bill to lift a moratorium on construction of new nuclear power plants in Illinois is moving through the state legislature. But an environmental science expert said that doesn't mean there will be a rush to put up new reactors for the first time in decades.