This year’s Bring It Back to Normal ISU volunteer event is slated for Saturday, April 14. For information, contact coordinator Paige Buschman at 309-438-1100 or vpsapebusc2@ilstu.edu.  (Photo courtesy of ISU)

McLean County

McLean County unemployment figures drop 1.4 percent    

Joblessness across McLean County declined 1.4 percent in recent year-over-year comparisons, according to data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. At the close of the first month of 2018, unemployment fell to 4 percent, down from the 5.4 percent recorded the year prior.

According to the state agency, many areas of Illinois showed economic gains. An estimated 41,000 jobs have been added, statewide, in the past year, representing a 0.7-percent increase.

Nurse could face 15 years in prison  

A McLean County nurse could face up to 15 years in prison on allegations of removing fentanyl patches from patients at two assisted living facilities in the Bloomington-Normal area. James Rellihan is accused of two separate incidents linked to removal of the patches.

According to a criminal complaint, Rellihan is suspected of removing three fentanyl patches from a patient at Bloomington Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, where he worked, on Feb. 24.

He also is suspected of removing a patch from a patient at Normal-based Heritage Manor, a facility he worked at previously. Rellihan faces charged of residential burglary, which, if convicted, is considered a Class 1 felony.

Co-defendant in Sorensen fraud case sentenced

Navdeep Arora, a co-defendant in a years-long fraud case also linked to former McLean County Board chairman Matt Sorensen, was sentenced this past week to a two-year prison sentence in a federal court in Chicago.

Arora, who worked for consulting company McKinsey and Company, received a stiffer sentence from the one Sorensen received last fall. Sorensen, who worked full-time as an internal consultant for State Farm, is in the midst of a one-year sentence.

Arora and Sorensen are accused of a billing scheme, believed to have cost State Farm nearly $500,000, spanning three years.

Dr. Brian Gebhart, general surgeon at Advocate Bromenn Medical Center, talks about the center’s new da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system in a new YouTube video https://youtu.be/K4kODuBC2xk.    The public is invited to a presentation at the center on March 23. (Photo courtesy of Advocate Bromenn)

Advocate BroMenn giving public a chance to view surgical robot

Advocate BroMenn Medical Center is giving the public an opportunity to have a glimpse of its new da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system.

Demonstrations of the new technological enhancement will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 23, in the second floor of the hospital’s surgical waiting area, 1304 Franklin Ave., Normal.

Throughout the event, guests will have an opportunity to enjoy a hands-on demonstration of the new demo model of the robot. Surgeons and operating room staff also will be on hand to take questions and discuss how the robot assists in various procedures at the medical center.

Bloomington

Bloomington Toys R Us expected to close as retailer preps for liquidation  

Toys R Us, the 70-year-old chain synonymous with its Geoffrey the Giraffe mascot, is preparing plans to wind down operations and liquidate its nearly 750 remaining U.S. stores this spring. This includes the Bloomington location at 1703 E. Empire St., as well as other Central Illinois stores in Champaign, Peoria and Springfield.

News of the latest closures comes on the heels of a culling in January of 20 percent of the company’s fleet of stores. Toys R Us declared bankruptcy in September after years of struggling with mounting debt, which currently totals $5 billion.  

Downtown church facing code violations fines

Abundant Life in Christ Church, 108 E. Market St., could be fined $12,000 if a litany of code-related violations is not cleared up in advance of re-inspection Monday, April 23. The church, which uses its downtown facility as a homeless shelter, initially faced 19 citations related to code violations, though 11 of the items have since been addressed.

According to information from the city’s inspection department, the church’s violations have included inoperable restrooms, exposed electrical boxes and plumbing connections that have been deemed illegal.

One inspector’s report also noted dog urine and feces on upper floors of the facility.

Normal

Town contributes to study of possible sports complex  

The Normal Town Council recently pledged $47,000 in municipal funds toward the study of a possible sports complex. As part of the council’s decision, Sports Facilities Advisory, a Florida-based consulting firm, has been hired to undertake an in-depth look at the feasibility and potential benefits of bringing such an amenity to the community.

The company will examine the economic impact of the sports complex. The consultants expect the review to last up to 12 weeks.

ISU program celebrates decade of giving back to community  

Bring It Back to Normal, a program designed to give Illinois State University students an opportunity to interact with persons in the broader community, recently reached a 10-year milestone.

Since its inception in 2008, Bring It Back to Normal has boasted 1,500 volunteers who collectively have given more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service.

This year’s Bring It Back to Normal event is slated from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 14. For information, contact coordinator Paige Buschman at 309-438-1100 or vpsapebusc2@ilstu.edu.  

–McLean County News Briefs–