Health and Safety

McLean County has its first positive test for West Nile virus this year. The county health department said a dead bird tested positive for the virus in the 61705 area code west of Bloomington.

The Normal Public Library is trying to decide what to do about asbestos in the old section of the building. Interim Director John Fischer said there are several options, including temporarily moving part of the library and its programs to another site while work to remove the asbestos is done.

Since the masks came off most of society, a lot of people have been coughing, sneezing and getting aches and fever. And that's not counting those who get COVID-19. Last year, flu was almost non-existent. Lockdowns, masks, and other pandemic precautions meant people didn't make each other sick.

A lack of institutional support, statutorily imposed legal barriers, stigmas, low wages — they all mean prison sentences can effectively be for life, especially for residents of black and brown communities.

The head of Bloomington-based Chestnut Health Systems said Gov. JB Pritzker's proposed boost in mental health funding comes at a critical time. The $140 million in additional money was part of Pritzker's budget speech last week.

The Unit 5 and District 87 school districts plan to keep mask rules in place following Friday's order. But several smaller districts around McLean County are making masks optional, effective immediately.

Illinois State University said Thursday it has rescheduled its annual Martin Luther King Jr. dinner, in part because of the wave of COVID infections sweeping the region.

If you think politics and religion are tough topics at the family holiday dinner table, try discussing family health histories or more specifically the health of your colon.

The incoming public guardian for McLean County said the demand on his office has grown significantly in recent years. Current guardian Dan Deneen passes off to Robert Porter next month. Deneen had done the work for 18 years. Porter said the guardian is critical for those who live at the margins.

There might actually be more vaccination hesitancy by parents considering the COVID shots for their kids than for any other group. At least one school district estimates just 20-30% of children ages 5-11 will get the vaccine.