Bill Wright, a 13-year veteran of the Bloomington Police Department, recently was promoted to a sergeant. (Photo courtesy of Bloomington Police Department)

McLean County

Details on upcoming Route 66 conference unveiled

Organizers of the second annual Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference have begun sharing itinerary details. The event, held this year from Thursday, Oct. 20 to Sunday, Oct. 23, will occur at various sites throughout the Bloomington-Normal area.

Festivities will include a hot dog roast at Sprague’s Super Service Station, 305 Pine St., Normal. Several talks on the economic viability of Route 66 are being held at the Chateau Hotel and Conference Center, 1601 Jumer Drive, Bloomington.

Another highlight of this year’s event, commemorating the Route 66’s 90th birthday, is a dinner and dance party at the Eagle’s Club, 313 S. Main St., Bloomington. Miles of Possibility rotates Illinois communities along Route 66 each year. Last year’s inaugural celebration was in Edwardsville in Madison County. For more information on this year’s event, visit www.illinoisroute66.org.  

Extension office offers educators ag awareness grant

University of Illinois-Extension’s McLean County office is accepting applications for this year’s John Maitland Agriculture Awareness Grant for the 2016-17 school year. Teachers across the county can request up to $1,000 for projects benefiting agricultural instruction in the classroom. The grant is named in honor of retired state Sen. John Maitland, who was a McLean County farmer and has long advocated for the benefits of agricultural education.

Grant applications, due at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, can be accessed online at go.Illinois.edu/RegisterLMW. Grant recipients will be notified by Friday, Dec. 16. For information, call Carolyn Hansen at the Extension’s McLean County office at (309) 663-8306.   

Relay for Life team raises more than $12,000

Local insurance provider Country Financial recently took part in McLean County’s Relay for Life fundraising event, and proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society. Country Financial supported four teams, each relatively small in size.

In the event, the four teams were able to raise more than $12,000 combined. The teams’ efforts included selling a silent auction basket and homemade dish cloths at craft shows and hosting bake sales.

In a statement, Dede Verplaetse said Country Financial has been a longtime supporter of Relay for Life. “Even after 20 years of being involved … I’m still amazed at how the community comes together,” Verplaetse said. “You feel a sense of comfort being together, because everyone there has been affected by cancer in some way.”

Bloomington

Bloomington Police announce internal promotion  

Bill Wright, a 13-year veteran of the Bloomington Police Department, has been promoted to a sergeant within the force, Chief Brendan Heffner announced recently. Prior to his role on BPD, Wright served on the Delavan Police and McLean County Sheriff’s departments.

Wright’s roles over the years have included working on Bloomington’s Street Crimes Unit and serving as a member of BPD’s SWAT team.

Throughout his career, he has received several awards and citations, most notably from the Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists for his enforcement efforts.

City changing hours for drop-off facility

The city of Bloomington has amended its hours for the solid-waste and recycling drop-off facility at 402 S. East St. Beginning this week, the site will be open to residents from 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. weekdays for the fall season. It will be closed Saturdays. For information on the municipal service, call Bloomington’s public works office at (309) 434-2225 or email publicworks@cityblm.org.

BCPA adds comedian to 2016-17 performance roster

A performance by comedian Brian Regan has been added to the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts’ 2016-17 line-up, organizers have announced. Regan, known for his stand-up comedy and appearances in films, will visit the BCPA at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8. Tickets, which are now on sale, range in price from $38 to $48 per person and can be purchased by calling (309) 434-2777 or online at www.artsblooming.org.

Normal

Library invites public to weigh in on planning process

Officials overseeing the Normal Public Library are in the midst of a short- and long-term strategic planning process.

One step in that effort is a community survey, which is aimed at gauging residents’ needs and wants for the library’s collection and range of programs. The survey can be accessed online through the town of Normal’s website, www.normal.org.

ISU enrollment official resigns for job in Texas

Troy Johnson, associate vice president of enrollment management at Illinois State University, recently announced his intention to resign from the position this month. Johnson has accepted a similar position at the University of Texas at Arlington and will begin in early November. Johnson previously held several positions at Texas-based higher education facilities, including the University of North Texas, West Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. ISU officials have indicated they are beginning their search for Johnson’s replacement.

–McLean County News Briefs–