Business

Bloomington-based State Farm is raising Illinois auto insurance rates by an average of 4.2%. That's less than the nearly 14% drop last year because of reduced driving due to the pandemic.

The rate hike goes into effect March 29, according to a company statement.

The Bloomington Liquor Commission fined two more establishments Tuesday for violating COVID-19 mitigation rules in January, and four others for tax violations.

A bar and restaurant in Normal faces a $1,750 fine for violating COVID-19 mitigation protocols.

Joe's Station House, located at the Shoppes at College Hills, refused to halt indoor service when Gov. JB Pritzker's executive orders called for that measure. There were three violations -- two in November and one in December, according to a complaint against the business.

The mayor of Bloomington said he will spend his waning months in office trying to revive a unified emergency telephone and dispatch service.

Two Normal residents are a long way from where they were in 2017 with their Toilet Timer, when they first visited WGLT.

The Small Business Development Center at Illinois Wesleyan University has seen improvement in the last three months after a big drop in activity during the early part of the pandemic.

There could be a new entry in the gym industry in Bloomington-Normal.

Growing up Tricia Braid didn’t envision herself running her own pet cremation business. But when an opportunity arose she realized she would be a perfect fit for the job.

The pandemic has hurt so many businesses in central Illinois. But not, apparently, some alcohol producers.

Following weeks of disputes that included social media flame wars, allegations of misfeasance, and even allegations of death threats on a Facebook members group, the entire board of the Green Top Grocery Co-op in Bloomington has resigned. It follows at least two previous board resignations.

The owner of Eastland Mall says it has “substantial doubt” about its future as it’s unable to collect rent from most of its retail tenants that are struggling because of the pandemic.

A decaying, unfinished industrial property in Normal could become viable again if a development agreement is approved with a Milwaukee-based firm.

Gov. JB Pritzker released industry-specific guidelines Sunday that tell businesses what they must do in the next phase of reopening during the pandemic.

All four regions of the state are on track to advance to Phase 3 of the plan in the coming days, said Pritzker. Retail, offices, manufacturing, barbershops and salons, summer programs, various outdoor recreation activities and bars and restaurants for outdoor dining will all be able to resume business in some form under the plan.

A young queer man walked by the shuttered entrance to the Bistro in downtown Bloomington and said to owner Jan Lancaster, “Hi Mom.” She gets that a lot.

The U.S. Labor Department said it will fine Dollar Tree $233,255 for repeat violations at a Bloomington store.

McLean County Board Finance Committee members Wednesday evening asked Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council Director Patrick Hoban to develop guidelines to repurpose money from a business creation fund to help existing businesses hit by pandemic-caused shutdowns.

The Bridgestone tire plant in Normal will shut down starting this weekend to avoid coronavirus-related problems, the company said in a news release Thursday.