WGLT's Sound Ideas

On today's episode, a Bloomington church faces lots of questions after its more than century-old structure collapses in the middle of the night, an immigration scholar at ISU breaks down the ruling that strikes down the executive order on birthright citizenship, and a Bloomington hip-hop artist is ready to show a new side of himself at Make Music Normal. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomington-based rapper and hip hop artist Darīus Williams hasn't released new music in two years. He'll debut some new tracks and a new sound at the Make Music Normal festival July 18. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reconcile Church in Bloomington is assessing what’s next after it lost everything when its roof collapsed. The Christian nondenominational church with about 40 members has been around for about 15 years, but its red brick church on East Mulberry Street has been around since 1902. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local students were among the more than 6,800 competitors at last month’s SkillsUSA Championships. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A draft McLean County Land Use Plan is getting pushback from various stakeholders. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heidi Verticchio calls the Eckelmann-Taylor Speech and Hearing Clinic “a hidden gem” on the Illinois State University campus. She’s concerned some of its clients could lose access to care because of new cuts to the federal program for low-income Americans, and those with disabilities. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home Sweet Home Ministries [HSHM] broke ground Thursday on its new shelter village, The Bridge. This comes after several years of planning, two public forums, getting funding approval and securing the location. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, construction has now begun on a long-awaited shelter village for the unhoused in Bloomington-Normal, a land use plan for McLean County gets lots of public pushback, a speech and hearing clinic at ISU braces for Medicaid cuts, plus McLean County students showcase their technical skills at a national competition. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Storms that hit McLean County on Tuesday dumped a substantial amount of rain in a short amount of time. One location near Towanda reported over 4.5 inches of rain during the afternoon and evening hours, according to storm reports from the National Weather Service. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, U.S. Rep Darin LaHood explains his vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the McLean County Nursing Home doesn't see a threat to elder care in Medicaid cuts -- for now, plus some sixth graders in Normal are helping the community's unhoused through their own ingenuity and handiwork. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McLean County Nursing Home Administrator Tim Wiley has eased off reliance on Medicaid at the county-run facility; about 40% of residents receive public health care benefits, often as a supplement to Medicare. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Metcalf School sixth-graders designed and built a tiny house in their makerspace class that Home Sweet Home Ministries [HSHM] will put in its new shelter village. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, will no longer offer specially trained counselors for LGBTQ+ youth on its suicide prevention hotline starting July 17. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 38 years old, Christian Mitchell has been inside most corners of state government as a top advisor on political campaigns, state legislator, deputy governor and civic engagement leader at a major university. All those experiences make him ready to be Gov. JB Pritzker’s running mate next year in the governor’s campaign for a third term, Mitchell said. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The leaders of the Bloomington-Normal Community Land Trust have been busy. They’ve secured nonprofit status with the IRS. They’ve launched a website, and met with many community groups, churches, lenders, and prospective donors. They’ve begun doing small home-improvement projects around town as a way to introduce themselves to the community before their broader work begins. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, a mental health crisis counselors in Bloomington worry federal cuts to LGBTQ supports sends the wrong message, a new nonprofit seeks community buy-in as it tries to address Bloomington-Normal's housing shortage, plus the governor's new running mate says the two of them share the same vision and he's not looking beyond 2026. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Chicago-based nonprofit advocating for people living with criminal records is branching out, with its first chapter launching in the Bloomington-Normal area. Fully Free BloNo chapter hosts a kickoff party 3 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Bloomington's Miller Park. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, a new alliance in Normal aims to expand opportunities for people with disabilities to play the game they love, a new campaign in Bloomington-Normal aims to help the formerly incarcerated build their lives, a grant helps Bloomington-Normal prepare one of its Route 66 signature sites for its upcoming bicentennial, plus an Illinois tribe reclaims its land that the U.S. had illegally sold. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau [CVB] has received a $150,000 state tourism grant to further restore Sprague’s Super Service in Normal ahead of Route 66's 100th anniversary next year. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.