McLean County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

The latest data on the Dec. 1 tornado outbreak across Central Illinois. (Courtesy of NWS)

McLean County

NWS marks 4 tornadoes touched down last week        

Four confirmed tornadoes swept through portions of three McLean County communities on Saturday evening, Dec. 1, during unseasonably warm conditions, according to reports from the National Weather Service.

Information from the federal agency revealed an EF-1 tornado touched down in LeRoy at 7:06 p.m., followed by an EF-2 tornado in LeRoy at 7:18 p.m., an EF-0 tornado in Ellsworth at 7:21 p.m. and an EF-1 tornado in Colfax at 7:42 p.m.

Property damage was incurred from each of the twisters. There were no human fatalities or injuries in the incidents, though there were a few reports of lost livestock.   

Metal detectors considered at State Farm’s arena

Metal detectors could be installed at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center in Champaign, according to arena officials.

The decision on whether to proceed with the safety devices is in the hands of arena management and not Bloomington-based State Farm Insurance.

Currently, staffers at the State Farm Center use hand-held wands for specific shows. If installed, the metal detectors would apply to all shows, according to officials.  

Center for Human Services to scale back psychiatric care        

After enduring multiple rounds of financial cuts, the McLean County Center for Human Services will no longer be able to accept new referrals for its psychiatric care program, according to officials within the agency.

The announcement was made last week after three years of funding reductions from the state and, more recently, from the United Way. Officials within the county program have indicated they are attempting to seek a solution to the ongoing fiscal deficits in the hopes of resuming new clients.

Bloomington

Man dies in shooting on Jefferson Street          

Bloomington Police continue to investigate a fatal shooting that claimed the life of a 20-year-old man in the 800 block of West Jefferson Street about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5. According to department officials, the victim, Egerton Dover of Bloomington, was unresponsive when officers arrived. The McLean County Coroner’s Office declared him dead at the scene.

At press deadline, no arrests were made. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Steve Fanelli at 309-434-2457 or sfanelli@cityblm.org or Jared Roth at 309-434-2379 or jroth@cityblm.org.  

Spencer (top), a North American river otter, has arrived at the Miller Park Zoo in the hopes he and current female otter Tallulah will be able to breed pups in the year ahead. (Photo courtesy of Miller Park Zoo)

Zoo welcome new otter in hopes of new pups          

A new male North American river otter named Spencer has arrived at the Miller Park Zoo in the hopes he and current female occupant Tallulah will be able to breed pups in the year ahead. This specific otter species rarely reproduces in zoos or other captive settings, but MPZ has hosted pups in four of the last five years. “It is exciting to watch the otters get to know each other,” MPZ Director Jay Tetzloff said in a statement. “We look forward to Spencer continuing our successful breeding program and helping to maintain a healthy otter population.”

Normal

Eight candidates running for Town Council seats  

Eight Normal residents are vying for three seats up for grabs on the Town Council this spring. An exercise in who will appear on the ballot was decided last week. Normal’s council members serve at-large positions, meaning they represent constituents throughout the community.

For this reason, a system of determining who will appear on the ballot is undertaken annually. The first four candidates to submit paperwork on the first possible date were entered into a lottery and will be on the ballot as follows: incumbent R.C. McBride, Dave Shields, Stan Nord and incumbent Kathleen Lorenz.

Candidates five through eight on the ranking are being placed on the ballot in the order they submitted paperwork: Karyn Smith, Pat Turner, Alex Campbell and Joel Studebaker.

Landscape waste collection will end next week

Normal public works crews will conclude weekly landscape collection for the season on Friday, Dec. 21. Tentatively, DPW staffers will resume collecting yard waste materials in early April. Residents will still be permitted to haul their own unwanted leaves and vegetation to the town’s DPW landscape waste drop-off site at 1301 Warriner St. For information, visit www.normal.org/publicworks or call 309-454-9571.

Region

Two events mark Reagan’s enrollment in EC

The Eureka Public Library District’s celebration of the 90th anniversary of Ronald Reagan enrolling at Eureka College will close with two final events.

Cassandra Chapman, museum curator and Reagan archivist at Eureka College, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the library, 202 S. Main St., to share the story of Ronald Reagan as a college student. The year is 1928, and future U.S. President Ronald Reagan has set foot on the campus of Eureka College for the first time.

This is a free program. Register at the library by Dec. 12.

The library’s Ronald Reagan Film Fest concludes the celebration of the Reagan anniversary with the showing of “The Winning Team” (1952). The film will be shown twice on Dec. 17, at 1:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.

Based on a true story, major league pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander (Reagan) is forced out of baseball because of poor health and alcoholism, but through his wife Aimee’s (Doris Day) faithful efforts, he gets a chance for a comeback and then redemption in the seventh game of the 1926 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees. Free popcorn and water will be served. Register at the library by Dec. 15.
 

 

–McLean County News Briefs–