Jordan Coughtry and wife Nisi Sturgis (HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”) in “Shakespeare’s Amazing Cymbeline” at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. (Photo by Pete Guither).

McLean County

Illinois Shakespeare Festival performances run through Aug. 12

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival is in the midst of its summer season, and event organizers said performances have been well attended. In response to the interest, the festival has added three showings of “I Heart Juliet.”

Additional shows within the festival include, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Shakespeare’s Amazing Cymbeline.” For information, visit www.illinoisshakes.com.

Susie Parr as Juliet, Joe Bianco as Crazy Uncle Larry, and Jesse Bhamrah as Romeo in the Q Brothers’ “I Heart Juliet” at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. (Photo by Pete Guither).

Planning for county’s Labor Day Parade underway

Planning for the 2017 McLean County Labor Day Parade — touted as the largest each year in Bloomington — is officially underway. The gathering, overseen by the Bloomington and Normal Trades and Labor Assembly, will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 4, and run from Front and Roosevelt streets in downtown Bloomington.

This year’s theme is, “Union Labor: Working in Community Progress.” Registration forms and parade rules are available at www.bntrades.org. The entry fee is $15 for nonprofit organizations and $20 for politicians and for-profit businesses.

According to the assembly, all groups agreeing to the rules are welcome to participate. For information, call (309) 828-8813.    

Bloomington

Police investigating suspicious person at O’Neil Park pool

Bloomington Police are investigating an incident involving possible child enticement. According to the agency, a man who identified himself as “Israel” was in the 1500 block of West Chestnut Street about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, July 13.

The man approached camp counselors, asserted he was with Child Protective Services, and had orders to pick up a juvenile. Counselors did not give the man authority to pick up the juvenile. The man is described as black, in his late 40s or early 50s and standing about 6 -feet tall with a medium build.

At the time of the incident, he was wearing blue jeans, a blue-striped polo shirt, black shoes and had a Bluetooth device in his ear. The man also was described as having a strong accent, possibly from Africa. Bloomington Police are asking anyone with information to contact Officer Shawn Albert at (309) 434-2381 or salbert@cityblm.org.

Michigan man arrested on suspicion of robbing restaurant

Bloomington Police have arrested one of two men suspected with a robbery at Schlotzsky’s Deli, 508 IAA Drive, at 9:38 p.m. Friday, July 14. According to Bloomington Police, two men entered the restaurant, and one was armed with a knife. One suspect fled the restaurant on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

An employee was wrestling with one of the suspects, near the intersection of IAA and Rowe drives. That apprehended suspect, a 19-year-old of Ypsilanti, Mich., man, was arrested.

The second suspect, described as a black man between 25 and 30 years in age, remained at large at press deadline. Bloomington Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Matthew Dick at (309) 434-2475 or mdick@cityblm.org. 

Armed man arrested on suspicion of trying to enter apartment

Bloomington Police arrested a 20-year-old Normal man on suspicion he attempted to enter an apartment unit in the 1800 block of West Olive Street about 5:20 a.m. Sunday, July 16. The man was reportedly attempting to enter the unit through a window.

When police arrived, the man fled on foot. After a brief pursuit, officers apprehended and arrested the man. A stolen handgun was found near the scene of the apprehension. The man, who was transported to the McLean County Jail, is awaiting charging.

Normal

Hyatt Place withdraws rebate request

Hyatt Place withdraws rebate request, Uptown Circle LLC, the ownership group behind the Uptown Hyatt Place Hotel, has withdrawn its request for a hotel/motel tax rebate, citing a new state law that has gone into effect. Uptown Circle LLC is in the midst of refinancing the hotel property and was going to participate in the rebate as a condition of the refinanced loan.

In a statement, Town Manager Mark Peterson said Uptown Circle LLC removed its request for the rebate funding because of a new sales tax collection fee the state is imposing. According to town officials, Normal will lose about $320,000 annually as a result of the fee.

“The owners repeated their thanks for everything the town has done since the inception of the Hyatt Place and expressed sincere appreciation for our ongoing supportive relationship,” Peterson said in a statement. “They indicated they did not wish to do anything to add financial stress as the town addresses the challenges brought about by the state’s budget decisions.”

ISU president’s new contract delayed

The state might have a new budget in place, but Larry Dietz, president of Illinois State University, is overseeing the Normal-based higher education institution without a formal contract in place.

The ISU board of trustees on Friday, July 21, issued Dietz a contract extension through the end of September as details on the new agreement are hammered out. ISU trustees linked the delayed contract to the ongoing budget challenges and said the contract delay was not a reflection of Dietz’s performance.

Brewery making its presence known in the Big Apple

DESTIHL, the Normal-based brewery that opened its doors earlier this year, has announced it began distributing its line of beers in New York City in early July.

“Building the new production brewery is enabling us to move forward again with our expansion into new and exciting markets like New York City,” Founder and CEO Matt Potts said in a statement. “We are looking forward to this opportunity and see a bright future where DESTIHL beers are welcomed into the New York craft beer fold.”

–McLean County News Briefs–