Food

Kobe Revolving Sushi Bar offers a first-of-its-kind dining experience for Bloomington-Normal residents. A two-level conveyor belt system delivers Japanese morsels directly to the patron.

Candy maker Ferrero may not be done growing in Bloomington-Normal even though the company's new $214 million chocolate plant is now officially open.

Relish Me — one of six Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles — is in Bloomington-Normal for 48 hours. Hotdogger Sarah "Sarahkraut" Oney said it's the people who "bring the Wienermobile to life."

Illinois State University is partnering with State Farm to pack one million meals in one day for Illinois families facing food insecurity.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen said a bipartisan bill he's co-sponsoring to reduce fentanyl smuggling at the southern border would also help suppress gun smuggling.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos said adding specific protections from discrimination for transgender and non-binary people to the town human relations ordinance is a necessary public signal.

The Normal Town Council hasn't yet decided how to address the loss of grocery tax revenue included in the new state budget, said Mayor Chris Koos.

The closure of small-town grocery stores across the Midwest leaves communities with a hole to fill. A family in rural Benson is building a way to help.

Nineteen local farms will receive a combined $1.8 million in grants to fund infrastructure projects aimed at developing their ability to produce and distribute food around the state as part of the Local Food and Infrastructure Grant Program.

A statewide grant program funded through the USDA aims to address food insecurity while also assisting historically underrepresented farmers, and the Midwest Food Bank is part of the initiative.