McLean County

Those involved in the Central Illinois Bridge Academy say the new program for adolescents with mental health concerns is going very well. The academy, which opened Sept. 12 in space shared with MarcFirst just off Shepard Park in Normal, has 16 junior high and high school students.

With steady new construction, the opening of trendy businesses and even a slight population increase, Lexington in northern McLean County has found itself in a bit of a renaissance.

The Bloomington City Council agreed Monday to authorize a $5.2 million contract for the upcoming year's street resurfacing projects, and likely will add a $2 million boost, thanks to federal COVID-relief funds.

McLean County and the rest of the 11th Judicial Circuit have been awarded nearly $32,000 in grant funds.

The idea of a Twin City recovery center for people struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse is the focus of a community survey.

The McLean County Board approved its updated mental health action plan Thursday, after postponing the vote one month, to allow more public feedback on the document.

McLean County's taxable assessed property value rose by $143 million last year. County treasurer Rebecca McNeil said the growth largely came from the addition of the Bloomington Grove Wind Farm.

Marijuana sales have helped city, county and state governments in Illinois with additional tax revenue. But it's hard to see how much some municipalities are making from pot.

A Bloomington company wants to get into the municipal waste business, a sector that's been dominated largely by one company in the Twin Cities.

Two more people have died and more than 1,400 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in McLean County since Dec. 30, according to a Monday update from the McLean County Health Department.