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Speaker 1: From the WGLT Newsroom, I'm Lou Wonner. Former Illinois State

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Speaker 1: University softball coach Melinda Fisher is among the 2026 class

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Speaker 1: of McLean County history makers. Fisher, the all-time winningest coach

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Speaker 1: in ISU and Missouri Valley Conference history, says even though

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Speaker 1: she's retired, she's always a Redbirds supporter. I give my

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Speaker 1: advice when or my opinion when it's asked and sometimes

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Speaker 1: when it's not.

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Speaker 1: Um, but I, I still support Redbird Athletics through and through, uh,

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Speaker 1: you know, it's just my home. Other honorees include former

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Speaker 1: county board chair John McIntyre, Councilor Fela Sebastian, and community

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Speaker 1: advocates Art and Camille Taylor. The demand for childcare in

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Speaker 1: Illinois remains high even as more childcare facilities close.

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Speaker 1: Kayla Edwards, managing partner of a Central Illinois employment firm,

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Speaker 1: says many parents unable to find or afford childcare are

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Speaker 1: present at work, but also focused on caring for their child.

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Speaker 1: In this case of either presenteeism or absenteeism, employee productivity drops.

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Speaker 1: Many parents reported being penalized due to childcare problems. Edwards

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Speaker 1: says this can lead to reduced hours, pay cuts, or

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Speaker 1: being fired as families try to provide for their child.

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Speaker 1: The YWCA of McLean County says it will wind down

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Speaker 1: a program that has saved nonprofit agencies in the community

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Speaker 1: a million dollars a year in recent years.

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Speaker 1: YWCA Vice President Alicia Whitworth says the retired senior volunteer

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Speaker 1: program coordinated volunteers for 60 to 80 organizations.

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Speaker 2: Honestly, I am not sure that there are many nonprofits

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Speaker 2: in McLean County who we are not working with through

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Speaker 2: RSVP in some capacity or another.

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Speaker 1: Whitworth says changes in the federal grant guidelines made the

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Speaker 1: program no longer sustainable for the Y. She says existing

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Speaker 1: volunteers can continue to help the agencies they serve after

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Speaker 1: the program shuts down in June.

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Speaker 1: And a museum drawing Route 66 travelers to Logan County

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Speaker 1: has been cited for violations to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Speaker 1: The American Giants Museum has agreed to make two dozen improvements,

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Speaker 1: including changes to the front entrance and restrooms, to expand

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Speaker 1: access for people with mobility devices. Assistant US Attorney Joshua

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Speaker 1: Grant commended the museum for its cooperation and prompt action

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Speaker 1: to renovate the building. You can find more stories at WGLT.org.

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Speaker 1: I'm Lou.