Sound Ideas

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently named Dave Glacinski of Lexington one of its 2025 outstanding volunteers of the year.

After a years-long fight to save the old water tower in McLean, work is now being done on the Depression-era relic that a community group hopes will help fuel a renaissance in the village of about 700 residents.

A debate is emerging about the optimum size of the Normal Fire Department and the positioning of fire stations.

Mobile homes are rarely discussed as policymakers and developers try to address a housing shortage that’s driven up rents and home prices across Bloomington-Normal. There are many reasons why.

Huge compensation agreements for the CEOs of Rivian and Tesla may not be excessive even though they range from several billion to a trillion dollars, according to an expert from ISU's College of Business.

Here’s some advice for how Bloomington-Normal mobile home owners can protect themselves, from knowing the law to organizing with other residents.

An Illinois State University alum who worked in financial management at USAID says he did not see waste, fraud and abuse at the now-defunct agency.

Students and staff at Bloomington High School agree the new cell phone policy has limited distractions in the classroom.

Oak Wood's move into Bloomington-Normal is part of a nationwide trend toward consolidation in manufactured home park ownership, often led by private equity acquisitions. Oak Wood even got help from Freddie Mac, a government entity that is supposed to help make housing more, not less, affordable.

For decades, mobile homes were one of the most affordable housing options in Bloomington-Normal, especially for those with low or fixed incomes. Oak Wood’s arrival in the market has changed that. Oak Wood has again and again squeezed more money from its residents.