1 00:00:00,529 --> 00:00:04,010 Speaker 1: The Central Illinois Regional Airport is seeking community donations to 2 00:00:04,010 --> 00:00:07,250 Speaker 1: help the financial struggles of TSA officers during a partial 3 00:00:07,250 --> 00:00:10,329 Speaker 1: government shutdown. That's among the stories you've heard this week 4 00:00:10,329 --> 00:00:14,930 Speaker 1: on WGLT. I'm Colleen Holden with news in review. Airport 5 00:00:14,930 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: spokesperson Melissa Beaver says the TSA manager recommends items like 6 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,209 Speaker 1: household products or gift cards to gas stations. Because we 7 00:00:22,209 --> 00:00:22,750 Speaker 1: have 8 00:00:23,479 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: TSA officers who are driving here to Bloomington to work 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: without getting paid from places like Flanagan, Springfield, and Decatur. 10 00:00:34,119 --> 00:00:36,759 Speaker 1: Federal elected officials are still fighting over the funding of 11 00:00:36,759 --> 00:00:38,458 Speaker 1: the Department of Homeland Security. 12 00:00:39,069 --> 00:00:41,869 Speaker 1: The chief judge presiding over McLean County and 4 other 13 00:00:41,869 --> 00:00:45,270 Speaker 1: counties will retire this year. Casey Costigan says he spent 14 00:00:45,270 --> 00:00:47,900 Speaker 1: a lot of effort on mental health resources for juveniles 15 00:00:47,900 --> 00:00:50,589 Speaker 1: in the criminal justice system and wants to see more 16 00:00:50,590 --> 00:00:51,330 Speaker 1: resources there. 17 00:00:51,799 --> 00:00:55,310 Speaker 2: This is a group, uh, to where we have an opportunity, uh, 18 00:00:55,330 --> 00:00:58,450 Speaker 2: to make changes, uh, to prevent adult recidivism. This is 19 00:00:58,450 --> 00:01:02,709 Speaker 2: a group that we have an, an opportunity to, uh, 20 00:01:03,130 --> 00:01:04,610 Speaker 2: have them listen to us. 21 00:01:05,129 --> 00:01:08,470 Speaker 1: Costigan has served on the bench since 2006. A bill 22 00:01:08,470 --> 00:01:11,690 Speaker 1: to create an evidence-based funding formula for higher education has 23 00:01:11,690 --> 00:01:13,470 Speaker 1: advanced to the Illinois House floor. 24 00:01:13,860 --> 00:01:17,779 Speaker 1: Illinois State University professor Christy Borders testified before a committee. 25 00:01:18,139 --> 00:01:21,089 Speaker 1: Borders says ISU has seen record enrollment in recent years, 26 00:01:21,099 --> 00:01:25,519 Speaker 1: but is still struggling financially. Contrary to what some might believe, 27 00:01:26,379 --> 00:01:31,199 Speaker 1: institutions cannot simply enroll our way out of this underfunding issue. 28 00:01:31,819 --> 00:01:34,459 Speaker 1: Border says Illinois State University has had to make cuts 29 00:01:34,459 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: to programs because of the imbalance. 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,419 Speaker 1: Illinois State University buildings, grounds, and dining service workers are 31 00:01:40,419 --> 00:01:43,279 Speaker 1: telling the administration they may walk out over a deadlock 32 00:01:43,279 --> 00:01:47,349 Speaker 1: in contract talks. Chuck Carver is union president. It is 33 00:01:47,349 --> 00:01:50,500 Speaker 1: our intent to strike on or after April 8th. 34 00:01:51,370 --> 00:01:54,410 Speaker 1: President Tarhouli, your time to do the right thing is 35 00:01:54,410 --> 00:01:58,449 Speaker 1: running out. A university spokesperson says Illinois State will continue 36 00:01:58,449 --> 00:02:01,690 Speaker 1: to work diligently to reach a fair and fiscally responsible 37 00:02:01,690 --> 00:02:02,529 Speaker 1: contract agreement. 38 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:06,620 Speaker 1: Governor JB Pritzker says it will take financial incentives for 39 00:02:06,620 --> 00:02:10,419 Speaker 1: developers to increase statewide housing supply. The governor talked with 40 00:02:10,419 --> 00:02:13,538 Speaker 1: business and government leaders in Bloomington about removing barriers to 41 00:02:13,538 --> 00:02:16,619 Speaker 1: building housing. Because as it is, trying to get a 42 00:02:17,179 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: special use permit is near impossible endeavor for an individual 43 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,740 Speaker 1: or a family. Pritzker adds this is a better option 44 00:02:25,740 --> 00:02:28,020 Speaker 1: than the state putting money toward building housing. 45 00:02:28,910 --> 00:02:31,710 Speaker 1: Normal police are still trying to determine what role, if any, 46 00:02:31,788 --> 00:02:34,110 Speaker 1: a large outdoor party may have played in the mass 47 00:02:34,110 --> 00:02:38,789 Speaker 1: shooting last weekend. 6 people were hospitalized. Spokesperson Brad Park 48 00:02:38,788 --> 00:02:41,630 Speaker 1: says it seems to be an isolated incident. We don't 49 00:02:41,630 --> 00:02:45,740 Speaker 1: believe it was people driving around randomly and shooting at, um, 50 00:02:46,279 --> 00:02:48,788 Speaker 1: you know, large groups of people. We still have to, 51 00:02:48,990 --> 00:02:52,750 Speaker 1: you know, correlate that relationship, if there was one between 52 00:02:52,750 --> 00:02:55,940 Speaker 1: victims and suspects. That's something we're looking into. Police do 53 00:02:55,940 --> 00:02:57,029 Speaker 1: not have a suspect. 54 00:02:57,970 --> 00:03:00,929 Speaker 1: The city of Bloomington has lifted its severe drought designation 55 00:03:00,929 --> 00:03:04,399 Speaker 1: that called for voluntary reductions in water use. Recent rains 56 00:03:04,399 --> 00:03:06,889 Speaker 1: have raised water levels at the city's two water sources, 57 00:03:07,050 --> 00:03:08,619 Speaker 1: Lakes Bloomington and Evergreen. 58 00:03:09,369 --> 00:03:12,250 Speaker 1: Deputy city manager Billy Tyas says lake levels have risen 59 00:03:12,250 --> 00:03:15,008 Speaker 1: more than 2 ft but are still very low. We 60 00:03:15,008 --> 00:03:17,009 Speaker 1: still remaining in a drought phase and we still want 61 00:03:17,008 --> 00:03:19,448 Speaker 1: to encourage people to conserve water. So this isn't, we're 62 00:03:19,449 --> 00:03:20,889 Speaker 1: not out of the woods, so we want to make 63 00:03:20,889 --> 00:03:24,008 Speaker 1: sure that people are still conserving. Much of McLean County 64 00:03:24,008 --> 00:03:25,949 Speaker 1: remains in a severe or extreme drought. 65 00:03:26,690 --> 00:03:29,139 Speaker 1: The first phase of redevelopment of the former State Farm 66 00:03:29,139 --> 00:03:32,779 Speaker 1: building in downtown Bloomington will start in July. Deputy City 67 00:03:32,779 --> 00:03:35,860 Speaker 1: Manager Billy Tyas says UEP Bloomington has asked for a 68 00:03:35,860 --> 00:03:40,300 Speaker 1: longer timeline for the $68 million project. Projects of this 69 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:44,940 Speaker 1: size and scope, they sometimes change over time. Financial markets change, 70 00:03:45,179 --> 00:03:49,380 Speaker 1: construction costs change. The first phase includes 57 apartments and 71 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:50,139 Speaker 1: a restaurant. 72 00:03:50,910 --> 00:03:54,070 Speaker 1: A former McLean County Clerk Office staffer charged with viewing 73 00:03:54,070 --> 00:03:57,570 Speaker 1: child pornography at work will now remain in jail awaiting trial. 74 00:03:57,910 --> 00:04:00,669 Speaker 1: The state's attorney's office asked a judge to reconsider Bradley 75 00:04:00,669 --> 00:04:05,149 Speaker 1: Byers's pretrial release. Judge Jason Chambers agrees, citing evidence of 76 00:04:05,149 --> 00:04:09,130 Speaker 1: Byers's compulsive behavior, including looking at images at work. And 77 00:04:09,130 --> 00:04:11,029 Speaker 1: a jury has convicted a man linked to one of 78 00:04:11,029 --> 00:04:15,210 Speaker 1: the largest drug seizures ever in McLean County, 234 pounds 79 00:04:15,210 --> 00:04:15,990 Speaker 1: of cocaine. 80 00:04:16,630 --> 00:04:19,929 Speaker 1: A jury found thirty-year-old Joan Preet Singh guilty of controlled 81 00:04:19,928 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: substance trafficking. 82 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,058 Speaker 1: The drugs had a street value of over $10 million. 83 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,929 Speaker 1: You can find more on all these stories at WGLT.org. 84 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: I'm Colleen Holden.