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Businesses urged to adopt schools, mentor kids

NORMAL -- Alarming high school dropout rates threaten to cripple the U.S. recovery from the worst recession since the Great Depression, and a leading children's advocate urged local business leaders Thursday to take actions now -- for their own good.

Nov 05, 2009 | 7:35 pm | Loading…

Economy causing more to lose Illinois business licenses

SPRINGFIELD -- In yet another sign of tough economic times, more Illinoisans are losing their business licenses for defaulting on their student loans.

Nov 05, 2009 | 2:45 pm | Loading…

Aquaponics heads for downtown Farmer City

FARMER CITY - The DeWitt County Board approved a special use permit that will pave the way for McLean County Aquaponics to move to downtown Farmer City.

Nov 04, 2009 | 5:25 pm | Loading…

Downtown's Gigi inspired by chic campus boutiques

BLOOMINGTON - Attention young women: A new store selling contemporary but affordable clothing is now open, but you won't find it at the mall.

Nov 03, 2009 | 11:45 pm | Loading…

Pontiac Caterpillar plant brings back 26 employees

PONTIAC - Things are looking up at Caterpillar's Pontiac plant. The plant recently called 26 laid-off employees back to work, said John Bogucki, president of United Auto Workers Local 2096.

Nov 02, 2009 | 11:45 pm | Loading…

Logan County, Lincoln team up to grow economy

LINCOLN - More than two dozen Lincoln and Logan County officials met this week to kick off a business incubator program designed to bring new jobs to the county.

Oct 30, 2009 | 7:15 pm | Loading…

Great Escape closes doors

BLOOMINGTON - After three years in Bloomington, the Great Escape has closed.

Oct 30, 2009 | 7:15 pm | Loading…

Country survey: Financial outlooks brighten

BLOOMINGTON - Americans' confidence in their financial security spiked this month after more than a year of increasing worries about the recession, according to a new Country Financial survey.

Oct 30, 2009 | 7:15 pm | Loading…

GE announces plan to close Bloomington plant

BLOOMINGTON -- A casualty of a slowing, shifting economy, officials at GE Consumer & Industrial announced plans Friday to shutter the Bloomington plant by the end of 2010.

Oct 30, 2009 | 1:30 pm | Loading…

MMNA hits production milestone

NORMAL - Nearly a quarter-century after plans for a Normal automotive manufacturing plant were first announced, Mitsubishi Motors North America celebrated production of its 3 millionth car Thursday.

Oct 29, 2009 | 11:45 pm | Loading…

New-homeowner tax credit wins praise, but should it be extended?

BLOOMINGTON -- Brock Westbrook was about ready to give up on finding his first home last fall, frustrated after not finding the perfect fit and not too eager about being financially strapped afterward.

Oct 29, 2009 | 2:30 pm | Loading…

Lawmakers move to roll back obscure business tax increase

SPRINGFIELD -- Lawmakers moved Thursday to roll back an income tax increase on some companies that was largely unknown when approved earlier this year.

Oct 29, 2009 | 12:45 pm | Loading…

Local members of Congress support extending credit

Congress is considering an extension or expansion of the first-time homebuyer tax credit, which expires Nov. 30. No plan has been approved yet. Here are highlights of one of those proposals, as agreed to by senators this week:

Oct 29, 2009 | 12:00 pm | Loading…

2 Central Illinois FFA members named finalists in competition

BLOOMINGTON - Two Central Illinois FFA members were national finalists in recent competition.

Oct 29, 2009 | 12:25 am | Loading…

FutureGen could cost state millions more than initially believed

SPRINGFIELD -- An experimental power plant planned for Mattoon could cost Illinois taxpayers tens of millions of dollars more than initially believed.

Oct 28, 2009 | 7:25 pm | Loading…

Delta cuts one of 5 Atlanta flights at Bloomington airport

BLOOMINGTON -- The loss of one of Delta Air Lines' five daily flights between Central Illinois Regional Airport and Atlanta, Ga., earlier this month wasn't entirely unexpected, the airport's spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Oct 28, 2009 | 3:55 pm | Loading…

Local Busey Bank president: Loan-loss impact minimal here

BLOOMINGTON -- The $283.7 million third-quarter net loss posted by Busey Bank's parent company was primarily due to ongoing credit problems in Florida and won't negatively affect Central Illinois customers,…

Oct 28, 2009 | 7:05 am | Loading…

Frustrations grow amid slowest harvest in decades

PONTIAC -- Farmer Mark Henrichs has had his combines out in the fields as late as 1 a.m. in recent days, trying to take advantage of what little dry weather Central Illinois has seen this month.

Oct 27, 2009 | 1:20 pm | Loading…

Tri-Point FFA member earns national award

KEMPTON -- Tyler S. Loschen, 18, of the Tri-Point FFA chapter, was named the national winner of the diversified crop production-entrepreneurship proficiency award at the 82nd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

Oct 27, 2009 | 1:00 pm | Loading…

Repairs done at Clinton Power Station

CLINTON -- Clinton Power Station returned to service at 6:33 p.m. Sunday after a maintenance outage was completed.

Oct 26, 2009 | 10:25 pm | Loading…

Commerce Bank to move downtown headquarters

BLOOMINGTON -- Commerce Bank said Monday that it will move its local headquarters to a new, more spacious banking center near Eastland Mall next year, while keeping a branch open in downtown Bloomington and relocating another.

Oct 26, 2009 | 12:35 pm | Loading…

Streator bank receives stimulus money

STREATOR -- A Streator bank is one of two Illinois institutions to receive stimulus money to help rural agriculture and businesses.

Oct 26, 2009 | 10:20 am | Loading…

Casey's Garden Shop debuted as grocery store 60 years ago

BLOOMINGTON - Casey's Garden Shop and Florist is celebrating its 60th anniversary this month, but it hasn't been all roses for the Bloomington business.

Oct 23, 2009 | 5:30 pm | Loading…

Home buyer's tax credit key to increase in B-N home sales

BLOOMINGTON -- A first-time home buyer tax credit set to expire next month is likely behind last month's increase in Twin City home sales, the president of the Bloomington-Normal Association of Realtors said Friday.

Oct 23, 2009 | 12:50 pm | Loading…

Jobless rate hits double digits in 5 area counties

BLOOMINGTON -- Five counties in the Pantagraph area saw unemployment rates reach into double digits last month, with the construction and manufacturing industries leading again in lost jobs.

Oct 23, 2009 | 8:10 am | Loading…

Troubled Pontiac insurance firm faces another lawsuit

PONTIAC -- A local insurance firm which had its license taken away by the state in September is now facing another lawsuit.

Oct 23, 2009 | 12:00 am | Loading…

B-N business adds to line of sassy timepieces

It's a good thing Matthew Newell's wife got her new job at Illinois State University. If she would have found work in Okay, Okla., or Nameless, Texas, or Boring, Ore., his new business might have been a bit tricky to market.

Oct 22, 2009 | 9:30 pm | Loading…

Union worried as Verizon scales back landline business

BLOOMINGTON -- A union representing Verizon workers in Central Illinois says it's concerned about job security as the telecom giant plans to divest much of its landline business.

Oct 22, 2009 | 4:20 pm | Loading…

Caterpillar picks Oberhelman as next CEO

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, said Thursday that Douglas Oberhelman will become the company's CEO starting in July of next year.

Oct 22, 2009 | 9:05 am | Loading…

Attorney general, consumer group oppose Verizon landline sale

SPRINGFIELD -- A number of government officials, consumer advocates and potential competitors raised red flags this week about Verizon's plan to sell off its local landline phone service in Illinois.

Oct 22, 2009 | 7:30 am | Loading…

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