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Situated in central Illinois, McLean County is less than three hours from Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis. The county is anchored by Bloomington and Normal, known as the Twin Cities. Historically an agricultural community, the county has diversified into various business sectors, with such heavy-hitters as State Farm Insurance and Beer Nuts calling the area home. Higher education thrives as well, with Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University and two additional colleges located here. A zoo, children's museum and parks contribute the county's family appeal.

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Mention this ad and receive $20 off of your next stay.

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ON THE COVER McLean County farm Photo by Jesse Knish

OF McLEAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS

TM

2008-09 EDITION | VOLUME 9

DEPARTMENTS

6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of McLean County culture

23 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne McLean County

29 Health & Wellness

31 Education

33 Arts & Culture

35 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

16 It’s Go TimeUptown Normal is in line for major roadwork and big building projectsover the next three to fi ve years.

18 Biz Briefs

20 Chamber Report

21 Economic Profi le

CONTENTS

FEATURES

10 TWO-DAY TOURISTYou don’t have to be an out-of-towner to enjoy a two-day tour of McLean County.

12 TALENT IN THE TWIN CITIESWhen it comes to the performing arts, you can always fi nd talent on stage here.

14 WHAT’S A KID TO DO?The region is brimming with healthy, wholesome and fun places for kids to play.

25 ROUTE 66 STILL OFFERS KICKSThe nostalgia of Route 66 is alive and well along several stops in McLean County.

34 RED-LETTER DAYS AHEADThe Illinois State Redbirds areupgrading their sports facilities.

McLEAN COUNTY BUSINESS

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past content by section or search for specifi c articles by subject.

INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services.

EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; fi nd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

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WHAT TO DO ON A WEEKEND WANDER THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES

TouristTwo-Day

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Y ou don’t have to be an out-of-towner to enjoy a two-day tour of McLean County’s Twin Cities. Visitors and residents alike will find plenty of opportunities to spend a relaxing weekend explor-

ing Bloomington-Normal’s culture, nature, history and food. Here are some suggestions.

DAY 1Start your day off with some locally roasted coffee and

gooey, homemade cinnamon rolls at Kelly’s Bakery and Café. Or try the quiche Kelly’s bakes daily from local, free-range organic eggs.

After breakfast, you can walk, hike, bike or skate along the scenic Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail – a 24-mile linear park open to non-motorized transportation. Find a downloadable map of the trail at www.cityblm.org under Departments: Parks and Recreation.

Then slow the pace a little and browse uptown Normal’s interesting assortment of shops and galleries. Illinois State University’s new student gallery joins a number of visual arts venues in this vibrant, up-and-coming regional destination.

Finish up your morning’s shopping at the Garlic Press, known locally as the authority on kitchenware and culinary gadgetry. For lunch, step next door into the Garlic Press Market Café and sample the specialty cheeses and seasonal, locally grown fare, such as fall harvest oven roasted root vegetables or sweet potato and ginger soup.

When evening arrives, experience the magic and nostalgia of a bygone era with a movie at the historic Normal Theater. The faithfully restored Art Deco picture palace shows classic, foreign, independent and documentary films. Afterward, enjoy dinner at Destihl Restaurant and Brew Pub. The new “American grill with an urban twist” offers fabulous food, such as the fish-and-chips with jalapeno tartar sauce and habanero-infused vinegar, plus seven original beers on tap.

DAY 2Fuel up for another busy day with a hearty breakfast from

CJ’s Restaurant, where selections from steaming pancakes to savory skillets will please the whole family.

Ever wonder what President Abraham Lincoln would do if he paid a visit to his old stomping grounds? For a unique perspective on local history, purchase the CD audio tour, Lincoln’s Bloomington and Normal, Illinois, from the McLean County Museum of History, and spend the morning following in Lincoln’s footsteps. Then explore the museum’s award-winning exhibits. Stay on history’s trail and visit David Davis Mansion, a beautiful must-see historic landmark.

For lunch, grab an authentic Chicago-style hot dog from Boo Boo’s Dawghouse, with locations in Normal and Bloomington, and make for the Miller Park Zoo. There you can see the animals, wander the zoo’s newest exhibit – Tropical America Rainforest – and watch the bears and big cats eat dinner.

Then, whether you’re a first-timer or an experienced climber, get an extreme thrill scaling the walls at Upper

Limits Climbing Gym. When you’re done, take your extreme appetite to the Redfire Grille for a culinary thrill. Try the crusted catfish sandwich or pork loin with pineapple salsa and baby red potatoes.

Finally, before the curtain falls on your Twin Cities tour, take in a live performance at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, where exciting concerts and theater productions take the stage almost every week.

STORY BY CAROL COWAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE KNISH

Enjoy lunch at the Garlic Press Market Café. Above: The David Davis Mansion dates to 1872. Opposite: A tamarin monkey peers at visitors to the Miller Park Zoo.

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | See the new ISU student art gallery at imagesmclean.com.

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Talent in theTwin Cities

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I t’s a long way from the lights of Broadway, but when it comes to the performing arts, McLean County competes with the best.

Whether it’s symphony, jazz, theater or even Shakespeare, residents of Bloomington and Normal can enjoy a professional performance on just about any evening of their choice.

The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts opened in 2006 and hosts an impressive roster of shows, including upcoming performances by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the African Children’s Choir and Broadway’s Footloose in 2009.

“We have a very broad range of performances, and we plan our season with the hope that anyone in the community can look at the upcoming season’s shows and identify something that’s right up their alley,” says Joel Aalberts, marketing director for the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. “There’s everything from Broadway and dance to jazz and popular artists. We try to make it great entertainment for the community while expanding their artistic mindset.”

The BCPA is housed in a 1920s building that the city purchased and renovated prior to its opening in 2006.

“There was great attention paid to detail in the renovation,” Aalberts says.

“It’s a 1,200-seat theater that’s very intimate with great acoustics.”

The facility not only hosts big-name traveling acts – it also gives local performers such as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the Sound of Illinois Barbershop Chorus a performance venue.

“It’s nice to have a venue in the com-munity where groups can put on a very professional production,” Aalberts says.

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra performs regularly at the BCPA, bringing award-winning guest artists from far-away places such as Russia and China.

“This is something new to the com-munity, and to see folks come and have such exciting experiences is really fun,” Aalberts says. “You can spend money on all sorts of things, but these experiences are really meaningful.”

Theater fans flock to McLean County’s annual Illinois Shakespeare Festival, held Tuesday through Sunday nights from late June through early August. Now in its 31st season and one of the community’s best-loved arts events, the festival built a new $2 million outdoor facility in 2000 at the Ewing Cultural Center.

“The grounds are just gorgeous, with beautiful f lowers, trees and bushes,” says Deb Alley, festival artistic director. “People usually picnic on the grounds before the show, and Friday and Saturday

nights we offer a free jazz concert before the show with performers from all over the country.”

Actors from across the United States audition for roles.

“We do wonderful productions by a wonderful playwright,” Alley says.

Community Players Theatre is Bloomington-Normal’s oldest theater group and the second oldest community theater in the nation. Founded in 1923, Community Players Theatre presents two or three musicals each season by celebrated composers such as Andrew Lloyd Webber and Rodgers and Ham-merstein as well as plays by authors such as Neil Simon and Agatha Christie.

In late August, McLean County res-idents savor the last days of summer with the annual Sweetcorn Blues Festival in Uptown Normal. The event attracts as many as 20,000 people who enjoy blues artists from around Central Illinois and all the sweet corn they can eat.

“Twenty tons of sweet corn are picked fresh daily, and we bag a lot of it and sell it by the dozen,” says Steve Westerdahl, community development director for the Town of Normal.

Each July, Bloomington’s Nothin’ But the Blues Festival attracts more than 5,000 attendees and features New Orleans-style food and Grammy-winning blues artists.

BLOOMINGTON AND NORMAL OFFER A BEVY OF PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCES

STORY BY JESSICA MOZOPHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE KNISH

Built in 1921, the building that is home to the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts once featured the largest stage west of New York City. The facility, reopened in 2006, is again the centerpiece of the Twin Cities’ artistic life.

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What’s aKidTo Do?

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Watch kids enjoy the Discovery Museum at imagesmclean.com.

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M cLean County has plenty of activities to keep grown-ups busy – from sports and shopping to

theater and dining. But the region is also brimming with healthy, wholesome and fun places for kids to play.

A favorite destination in Normal is the impressive Children’s Discovery Museum, which offers three floors of hands-on experience for children of all ages. Here kids can paint on a wall, shop the Main Street Market, serve food in the Nutrition Café, and much more.

“One reason the museum is so popular with families is we’re open for the unscheduled visit,” says Shari Buckellew, museum manager. “You don’t have to reserve a time or be scheduled for a class. It’s a wonderful family outing that can be spur of the moment. They’re having fun while learning, and it’s a great memory maker.”

Another popular place for kids and families is the Pepsi Ice Center, owned and operated by the city of Bloomington. More than 200 skaters ages 3 to 18 are enrolled in the youth hockey program, and more than 30 adults take part in the learn-to-play-hockey program.

“We offer something for everybody in the family,” says Richard Beck, ice center manager. “Right now we have brothers who are playing in the hockey program, sisters in the figure-skating program, and moms and dads in the learn-to-play-hockey program or the adult league. We have families spending four or five nights a week here.”

As for outdoor adventures, the city of Bloomington is home to more than 30 parks on almost 2,300 acres, including ball fields, golf courses, tennis courts, playgrounds and walking trails.

“The hottest topic now is the splash pads [water-play areas],” says Dean Kohn, director of Bloomington Parks and Recreation. “We have three splash pads in our community, and we’re opening a renovated playground – with an 18-foot twisted slide – at Miller Park, one of our f lagship parks.”

Miller Park also features miniature golf, a zoo, a bandstand with weekly productions during the summer, and a nine-hole Frisbee golf course.

The city also offers top-quality youth sports ranging from T-ball to ice hockey.

“You name it, we’ve got it,” Kohn says. “Parks play a big role in the culture of our environment around here.”

Normal also features parks and sev-eral aquatic facilities. Fairview Family Aquatic Center includes two big water slides and zero-depth entries, and it’s undergoing a $2.5 million renovation in 2008 to create a new splash area and a special kids’ zone, says Garry Little,

Normal Parks and Recreation director.Anderson Aquatic Center is geared

toward smaller children, with a spray pool, a small water slide and more.

The new Connie J. Link Amphithe-ater opened in 2008 along Constitution Trail featuring free movie nights, a concert series and other outdoor family entertainment in the summer and fall.

Local colleges also offer camps and other activities specifically for kids.

“We have teen camps that take trips everywhere, and we have regular day camps for kids in three parks,” Little says. “Our summertime is packed full of wonderful family entertainment and activities.”

Tyler McGregor skates at Fairview Park in Normal. Left: The Children’s Discovery Museum is a fun learning experience for kids of all ages.

STORY BY REBECCA DENTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE KNISH

FAMILY FUN IS FRONT AND CENTER

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It’sGoTimeUPTOWN NORMAL GETS BUSY

WITH REVITALIZATION

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Business

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M ajor roadwork and big building projects. That’s what will be happening in Uptown Normal over

the next three to five years.The Uptown Renewal Plan is a

massive endeavor that town officials have set in motion, with an ultimate goal of making Uptown Normal a special place to live, work and visit. The project started in earnest in 2007 and will proceed virtually uninterrupted until late 2010 or 2011.

“Our sister city of Bloomington has a nice historic business district, but we don’t – but we will,” says Nora Dukowitz, Uptown Normal marketing manager. “It will take a lot of work in a lot of areas, but our town council is fully behind the project and so are the people who love the Uptown district.”

The infrastructure and underground utilities in Uptown Normal are nearly 100 years old, so the first phase of heavy construction began in 2007 with the replacement of everything connected with the outdated infrastructure.

“This was a huge effort, and now 2008 and 2009 are devoted to replacing the streets and streetscapes in the district,” Dukowitz says. “Crews will be redoing all the roads, widening sidewalks and adding street furniture and land-

scape elements. Plus, a whole new street segment called Constitution Boulevard and a new roundabout are being added to serve as a central gathering place of our business district.”

The boundaries of Uptown Normal are Fell Avenue to the west, Linden Street to the east, Mulberry Street to the north and Beaufort Street to the south. Dukowitz says the entire district is undergoing change, but the town council wants it to maintain some of its historic and traditional charm.

“As for other major projects, a new Marriott Hotel & Conference Center is under construction that will be nine stories tall, have 229 guest rooms and 43,000 square feet of space for a con-ference center,” she says. “There are a lot of occasions in our community where every current hotel becomes filled up, so adding a new Marriott will not only be beautiful, but needed.”

Dukowitz says the new hotel is especially necessary because Normal attracts many business travelers who visit the State Farm Insurance and Country Financial companies that are headquartered in Bloomington. In addition, McLean County is home to Lincoln College-Normal, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University and Heartland Community College,

so students, family members, academic professionals and alumni often come to town in order to visit these campuses.

Also, Normal is the second most popular Amtrak stop in the state (after Chicago), and the town attracts a lot of tourists from Champaign, Indianapolis, Springfield, St. Louis as well as Chicago.

“Besides the hotel, we have four mixed-used buildings under construc-tion that will all be five stories tall,” Dukowitz says. “By mixed-use I mean they will feature a mixture of retail, office space and residential space. Speaking of residential space, it is something we never had before in Uptown Normal. We are making a con-centrated effort to build condominiums and apartments, and we are receiving a lot of inquiries from curious people about the new residential developments.”

Dukowitz adds that condos will be in three of the new mixed-use buildings currently under construction, and apart-ments will be in the fourth.

“When the Children’s Discovery Museum opened in Uptown Normal in 2004, it served as the catalyst for this whole Uptown Renewal Plan to get in gear,” she says. “The town council declared it was time to do something about our central business district, and now there is no stopping us.”

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE KNISH

Construction in progress in Uptown Normal includes a new Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, mixed-use buildings featuring residential units, streetscape improvement projects and a multimodal transportation center.

Uptown Normal has a variety of shopping and dining options.

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Chad Parker is president and CEO of Cybernautic Design, a firm that helps its clients build business online.

MAKING THE WEB WORKChad Parker and his crew at

Cybernautic Design help clients get the most out of the Web. Cybernautic’s menu of services includes Web design, hosting and content management and search engine optimization.

“People appreciate that we make the Web easy to use,” says Parker, president and CEO. “We make the Web available for anyone and take care of all the complexities so our clients can build their business online.”

The company’s clients include real estate firms, school districts, churches and rental companies.

A key aspect to the business is helping clients keep Web sites current and user-friendly. Real estate and rental agency clients utilize a system that populates sites with available listings automatically. These content management systems allow clients to focus on their business instead of the management of their Web sites.

“The Web is about communicating,” Parker says. “We work with our clients to understand their products and services and the audience they want to reach.” Cybernautic Design then uses

its resources to effectively communicate the client’s message to customers.

A TASTY MENUCan’t decide what you want to eat for

dinner? Then you must be at the Fireside Inn in Lexington, where the choices are numerous and the dishes are delicious.

Josh Parkhouse reopened his restau-rant in January after repairing damage caused by an August 2007 fire. Based on current business, his customers were happy to return.

“We focus on American cuisine,” Parkhouse says. “Our menu includes seafood, burgers, chicken and steak. There’s also pizza, pasta, soups and salads.”

In addition to the restaurant, Parkhouse offers catering services.

“Anything you need, we can cater it,” he says. “We cater everything from weddings and engagement parties to backyard barbeques and small-business luncheons.”

Fireside catering ranges from casual buffets to formal dinners.

Parkhouse says the restaurant’s pop-ularity is continuing to grow.

“Fireside Inn is popular with locals

and travelers from cities like Toluca and Le Roy,” he says.

Although reservations are appreci-ated, visitors are welcome to walk in and dine.

A PLACE TO GATHER The staff at The Interstate Center

knows how to throw a party – and they have just the place to do it.

“We are the largest convention center in the Bloomington area,” says Kate Burcham, manager of Interstate Center. “We take care of everything for our customers including planning and in-house catering.”

With multiple buildings, a total of 120 acres of property and a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, the space can meet a wide array of needs. It’s also conveniently located on Market Street near I-74. Events held at The Interstate Center have included antique shows, animal shows, wedding receptions and banquets and expos for businesses.

The Interstate Center also hosts the popular McLean County Fair, which is the largest 4H fair in the country.

The Third Sunday Market held at The Interstate Center offers an opportunity

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to sell or buy antiques, crafts and collectibles at one of the largest shows of its kind in the area.

FUN WITH PAINT Mickey Lower, known as the Zoo

Lady, is an artist whose work always produces a smile.

“My gift is children’s face painting, and my signature work is the rainbow tiger,” Lower says. “I paint animal faces, butterflies and prints.”

Keeping an eye on what interests kids, she’s currently working on adding fairies to her artistic repertoire.

Lower began face-painting in 2002. These days she also offers body painting and Henna tattoos.

The Zoo Lady and her staff are invited to paint at schools, parties, special events, corporate parties and fund-raising events.

“I sometimes work at benefits for charity. It’s great practice, and I can help raise money for a good cause,” Lower says. “I love to see all the people who enjoy the paintings.”

The Zoo Lady regularly attends con-ventions and seminars to improve her craft and learn new techniques.

CULTURAL SUPPORTA commitment to Chinese culture

and education is the focus of Our Chinese Daughters Foundation. Founded in 1995 by Dr. Jane Liedtke, OCDF is a nonprofit organization that helps educate and support families who adopt Chinese children.

“We offer many services to the fam-ilies and children,” says Lynn Warren, administrative assistant. “We facilitate travel for adoption, offer tours for those families who return to China and offer culture classes for anyone interested in China.”

OCDF also hosts a number of Chinese cultural events for communities and families and sponsors a quarterly news-letter with information and resources for parents, as well as a quarterly magazine for children.

A gift shop in the facility offers Chinese clothes and crafts. OCDF also supports orphan programs in China.

– Raven Petty

Our Chinese Daughters Foundation’s gift shop features Chinese clothing.

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M arshaling resources. Form-ing partnerships. Developing leaders.

Creating opportunity.As the community’s business center

of influence, the McLean County Cham-ber of Commerce has been creating economic opportunity for more than 100 years.

As a result, McLean County is known for supporting business, encouraging education, embracing the arts and engag-ing residents, resulting in a dynamic quality of life.

“We’ve been focusing on quality of life issues that will enhance the community,” says Kenneth Natzke, president of the chamber’s board of directors and administrator of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center.

The phrase “quality of life” cuts a broad swath, but Natzke and his chamber team have been cutting their way through the maze piece by piece.

“We’ve been working with the bus service to expand bus routes in the cities, and now they are making an airport run,” Natzke says. As the corporate home of several insurance and health-care businesses, that means plenty to corporations that rely on business travel.

“We’re working with the cities on the Main Street development to recruit business, work on landscaping and new sidewalks – things that make a community exciting to come to,” he says. “And it’s about forming part-nerships and alliances. Sometimes the chamber doesn’t have to be in front of the parade, but we can sure build some partnerships to make the parade exciting and interesting.”

The chamber continually works with the McLean County Convention and

Visitors Bureau and the Economic Devel-opment Council in business retention and recruitment, as well as convention development. “We have great partnerships with our colleges and arts programs to market the venues and programs these groups offer,” Natzke says.

The chamber is hosting its third CommUniversity this fall, the largest tailgate party held with Illinois State University. “We’ll put more than 1,000 chamber members in the stands for ISU’s first football game,” he says. That partnership spills over into business, where chamber members work with stu-dents to develop career opportunities. Meanwhile, the four local colleges work

with businesses to create education offerings that meet their needs.

New to the chamber network are a couple of programs, including BAG (Business Advocacy Group, with a dedicated chamber staff member who works with new and existing businesses) and neXt Professionals, a chamber networking group for young profes-sionals up to age 35 who get together once a month to exchange ideas, discuss career issues and work on community service projects. “We want them to be a stronger, integral part of the community, and this is one way to accomplish that,” Natzke says.

– Betsy Williams

Mixing Business and PleasureMcLEAN CHAMBER SUPPORTS BUSINESS AND WORKS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE

The McLean County Chamber of Commerce supports the community.

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MCLEAN COUNTY

TRANSPORTATION

AirportCentral Illinois Regional

Airport, (309) 663-7383

Freight RailBloomer Shippers

Connecting Railroad

CSX

Canadian National/

Illinois Central Railroad

Norfolk Southern

Toledo, Peoria &

Western Railway

Union Pacific

Passenger Rail Amtrak

TAXES

Property tax

(rate per $100 assessed value)

Bloomington – municipal

property tax rate only, $1.05

Total community property tax

(includes city, school, library,

etc.), $7.30

Normal – municipal property

tax rate only, $.74

Total community property tax

(includes city, school, library,

etc.), $7.08

Corporate tax Income tax, 4.8%

Replacement tax, 2.5%

Income tax on trust

or estate, 3%

Trusts also pay a 1.5% personal

prop erty tax replacement

income tax.

Estates do not pay

replacement tax.

Sales tax

(Bloomington-Normal)

General merchandise, 7.75%

Food/drugs, 1%

Vehicles, 6.25%

EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY

Agriculture, 1.4%

Construction, mining, 4.9%

Manufacturing, 8.8%

Transportation,

communication, utilities, 6.2%

Wholesale/retail trade, 13%

Finance, insurance,

real estate, 20.7%

Services, 34.9%

Public administration, 2.9%

Professional, 7.1%

FACTS/STATISTICS (2000 CENSUS)

McLean County

Median house value, $109,300

Median rent, $461

Median household

income, $47,021

Median family income, $61,073

Income per capita, $22,227

Total households, 56,746

Average household size, 2.45

Median age, 30.5

ACCRA COST OF LIVING INDEX

Second quarter (2008)

Bloomington-Normal, 96.3

Chicago, 131.1

Champaign-Urbana, 94.7

Cincinnati, 93.7

Cleveland, 101.2

Kansas City, Mo., 96.1

EDUCATION LEVEL

college graduate

0

20

40

60

80

100

90.7%

20.5%

42%

high school graduateor higher

some college, no degree

FOR MORE INFORMATION

McLean County Chamber of Commerce210 S. East St.

Bloomington, IL 61701

Phone: (309) 829-6344

Fax: (309) 827-3940

www.mcleancochamber.org

Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area200 W. College Ave.

Normal, IL 61761

Phone: (309) 452-8437

www.bnbiz.org

Sources:www.mcleancochamber.org, www.bnbiz.org, www.census.gov

BUSINESS CLIMATEMcLean County’s economy is rooted in insurance, education,

health care, agribusiness and industry. McLean County has one

of the most productive agricultural areas in the nation, but the

economy is highly diverse.

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More than 20,000 visitors each year f lock to the McLean County

Museum of History in downtown Bloomington, and another 15,000 take part in its outreach activities.

Now the historic building – the venerable McLean County Courthouse, an architectural gem featuring marble, mahogany and mosaic tile – is in the midst of a $1.7 million restoration.

“Stone units are being repaired and replaced, and the green antique verde stone in the vestibules is being removed and laminated onto honeycombed aluminum panels,” says Greg Koos, executive director of the museum. “This will stabilize the stone. These panels are then being re-hung.”

The building is also being repainted with new mortar. On the inside, the faux marble panels are being pinned to stabilize them, and new braces that match the originals are being installed on the stairs.

But the doors remain open to vis-itors, who continue to check out the permanent and changing exhibits. The museum’s galleries are full of interest-ing history, including the Harriet Fuller Rust Pioneer Neighborhood/Discovery Room. In this hands-on area, visitors can push a steel plow, beat an area rug, scrub clothes after fetching water, and practice arithmetic on a slate.

The Encounter on the Prairie exhibit is housed in four galleries – one each for the people, politics, work and farming of yesteryear.

Koos says the most popular exhibit at the moment is “A Turbulent Time: Perspectives on the Vietnam War,” which runs until August 2010. This exhibit explores the complex ways McLean County residents perceived and responded to that crucial event.

The museum’s off-site programs include bus tours of Bloomington-Normal’s architecture and the ever-popular Evergreen Cemetery Discovery Walk, featuring Illinois Voices Theatre actors portraying figures from central Illinois’ past.

Restoring Pieces of the PastONCE A COURTHOUSE, McLEAN HISTORY MUSEUM GETS A $1.7 MILLION MAKEOVER

Located in Bloomington, the McLean County Museum of History is in the former courthouse, which features American Renaissance style architecture.

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We Know the ins and outs of Commercial Real Estate

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Karen Lynne Deal is music directorof the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

With two new performance venues and a steadily growing audience,

the Illinois Symphony Orchestra is accomplishing its mission – to move orchestral music beyond the walls of the concert halls and into a place of relevance in people’s lives.

The artistic level of the orchestra got a major boost when Karen Lynne Deal took over as music director in 2000, and it’s only getting better.

“The 2007-08 season was truly a homerun season,” says John Wohlwend,

the orchestra’s interim board president. “The entire season was sponsored by Steinway Pianos, Horine’s Pianos Plus and the Van Cliburn Foundation, and we had a medalist or finalist for the Van Cliburn International Piano Com-petition performing as a guest artist at each of our masterwork concerts.”

Maestra Deal has done much more than elevate the quality of the ISO’s performances. She has greatly expanded the orchestra’s outreach, adding educational concerts for school-

children, free public park concerts, regular appearances at the state fair, holiday pops, and “Sneakers and Jeans” matinee concerts for children and families, and many more community programs - all in a focused effort to ensure the ISO’s music garners a new generation of fans and supporters.

To accommodate growing crowds, the ISO recently added two new venues for its chamber orchestra concerts – St. Agnes in Springfield and Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington.

The symphony also performs at the new Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts and the Sangamon Auditorium on the University of Illinois-Springfield campus.

As a result of its successful and innovative community outreach pro-grams, the orchestra was recently selected as one of 10 nationwide to participate in a three-year program to help orchestras develop visions and strategic plans, and cultivate relation-ships within communities.

The orchestra’s members represent more than a dozen countries – a “breadth of diverse musical cultures and personalities that brings an invigorating freshness and passion to performances,” Deal says.

Making Music Matter

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McLean County has several stops along the Historic Route 66.

The nostalgia of historic Route 66 – the fabled highway that winds

through the prairies of Illinois on its way to the Pacific Ocean – is alive and well in towns along the decommissioned byway, including stops in McLean County.

Route 66 travelers heading through Normal will soon be able to spend time at Sprague Super Service, a two-story, Tudor Revival-style building that was built in 1931. This building – the largest gas station-restaurant on Route 66 – once housed a café, gas station and garage on the first f loor, while the upstairs served as housing for the owner and station attendant. The building has been nominated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is being renovated to include an information center, a diner/soda fountain, a bed-and-breakfast inn and event space.

“It will be an icon in that area,” says Patty Ambrose, executive director of the Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project and Historic Route 66 in Illinois – America’s Byway. “It will take a couple years to complete, but it’s going to be quite an attraction when it’s finished.”

Bloomington is home to the country’s first Steak ’n Shake, built in 1934 along Route 66. It’s now a Monical’s Pizza Parlor, but visitors can still stop in to visit the site.

Another stop here is Cotton’s Village Inn, a historic hotel inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame in 1991.

Funks Grove – in the unincorpo-rated town of Shirley, just south of Bloomington – continues to be a favorite for travelers. Isaac Funk homesteaded the grove on Timber Creek in 1824, and the family has been selling maple syrup here since 1891.

“Route 66 is within the top three attractions for the state, bringing in over 300,000 visitors in 2006,” Ambrose says, adding that more signage, visitors centers and interpretive panels are in the works along the Mother Road.

Route 66 Still Offers Kicks

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Getting Creative With Concrete

Ronald Ummel started his deco-rative-concrete company, Concrete

Evolutions, fresh out of college in 2004.“A buddy and I road-tripped to

Georgia and Kentucky to check out manufacturers,” he says. “I bought some equipment, got a small-business loan and started my business.”

What began with concrete landscape edging soon grew to include decorative techniques, as well as ultra-modern sinks and countertops.

“We did a restaurant with all the bathroom vanities, the bar top, the hostess stand and the entire f loor in stamped concrete,” Ummel says. “That was in 2007, and we’ve been fully slammed since then.”

Through word-of-mouth alone, Concrete Evolutions has grown to employ another full-time worker and four part-timers.

“HGTV is getting the word out there, and the stamped concrete has come a long way,” Ummel says. “Recently I’ve been getting quite a few calls for concrete countertops.”

Stamped concrete patios are the most popular product, he says, as more people are looking to add outdoor environments to their homes.

His company can tear out smaller patios, re-pour the concrete and add the stamping. If money is an issue, the stamping can be added at a later date.

“We can put color in the concrete,” he says. “We can make it look almost identical to stone, but it’s a cheaper alternative and it still looks really nice.”

Ummel recently landed a contract to do decorative concrete for the Peoria Zoo – using staining and engraving techniques to make concrete paths resemble dirt.

“We’re doing the decorative side of things,” he says. “That’s a pretty cool project.”

Ronald Ummel has found success with his company Concrete Evolutions.

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Allied Waste, through one of our operating companies (American Disposal), provides garbage collection services in McLean County. Our 26,000 employees are proud to announce that our companies will now operate under the same name, Allied Waste Services.

Soon, you may notice one of our new garbage trucks in your community. We are excited about this change, but it is important we communicate one thing that will not be changing – our commitment to you, our customer. Customer service is our business – that remains unchanged.

ALLIED WASTE SERVICES OF BLOOMINGTON

www.disposal.com2112 W. Washington St. • Bloomington, IL 61704

(309) 827-8631

Same Company • Same Great Service • Brand New Look

Artist Harold Gregor

Harold Gregor is a native of Depression-era Detroit, but you’d

never know it from looking at his paintings. A Bloomington resident for more than 30 years, he’s a renowned painter of the American heartland – a master at capturing the character and strength of Midwest landscapes.

“Some of the best farmland in the world is here,” he says. “The landscape here is direct and straightforward. Here it is – the land, the sky, the vastness of it. I don’t want to get religious about it, but this landscape offers something to be thankful about.”

Gregor moved to Bloomington in 1970 to teach art at Illinois State University, and soon his large, photo-realist paintings of Illinois corn cribs were getting noticed in New York City galleries.

An image on a cornmeal bag inspired his signature aerial “flatscape” paint-ings, which transform farm scenes into almost abstract arrangements of color. The largest of these are 5-by-15 feet, and one can be seen at the Central Illinois Regional Airport.

Now a professor emeritus at Illinois

State Universtity, Gregor still paints these large flatscapes. He’s also known for huge panoramas, an abstract series he calls “Vibrascapes,” and a series of colorful abstract paintings inspired by walks on the Constitution Trail.

Considered by many to be the dean of contemporary American land-scape painting, Gregor has received numerous awards, including the 2006 National Watercolor Honor Society Lifetime Achievement Award. His work is represented by five galleries in

Chicago, Texas, New Mexico, New York City and Wisconsin.

At 79, he still paints every day in his downtown Bloomington studio, moving from one painting to another as the mood strikes him.

“I feel very blessed to have been able to teach, and I still do workshops,” he says. “To be able to paint full time in a big studio and have the kind of success where people do buy the paintings – it’s been wonderful.”

– Stories by Rebecca Denton

Capturing the Heartland on Canvas

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W hen it comes to the health-care needs of McLean County residents, two established, award-winning hospitals continue to deliver

top-notch treatment and services. Both BroMenn Regional Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center maintain accreditation by the Joint Commission, a designation that indicates the hospitals’ adherence to the highest standards of quality, safety and continuous improvement in patient care.

BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal is a 224-bed acute care facility and the headquarters of the BroMenn Healthcare System, which also includes the Eureka Community Hospital and a network of physicians serving central Illinois.

“We are an integrated health-care delivery system,” says Roger Hunt, president and CEO of the BroMenn Healthcare System. “We have three main areas of emphasis: cardiovascular, neurovascular and women’s health.”

In 2007, BroMenn joined the Spirit of Women program, a national education and outreach effort that empowers women to improve their health.

“We’re very enthusiastic about the program,” Hunt says. “Fewer than 100 hospitals nationwide were selected to participate in this program, [which is] designed to motivate and inspire women of all ages to make positive changes in their lives.”

In addition, BroMenn recently acquired a state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Image unit that provides the clearest MRI images available – clear enough for both breast and cardiac MRI procedures.

A major expansion of BroMenn’s facility gets underway in May 2009. Phase One, to be completed in 2011, will include a new obstetrics unit and additional intensive care units.

In Bloomington, the 157-bed OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, which is operated by the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis and is part of the OSF Healthcare System, provides emergency and acute inpatient care along with a full range of diagnostic and outpatient services and palliative care.

Additionally, OSF St. Joseph opened the Oscar Mandel Cohn Neuro Vascular Suite in early 2007. The suite is outfitted with the technology to perform minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures for a wide range of clinical issues, including stroke and carotid artery disease.

In fact, while it has consistently ranked among the country’s top health-care facilities, in 2007, OSF St. Joseph earned the Joint Commission’s Certificate of Distinction for Primary Stroke Centers – designated by its Gold Seal of Approval.

“Our balanced approach to fulfilling our mission – to serve with the greatest care and love by pursuing perfection in health-care safety, quality, service and financial integrity – has really guided us in meeting the needs and desires for health care in McLean County,” says Ken Natzke, president and CEO of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center.

– Carol Cowan

Have PatientsMcLEAN’S HISTORIC HOSPITALS MOVE FORWARD WITH CUTTING-EDGE CARE

Two hospitals – St. Joseph Medical Center and BroMenn Regional Medical Center – serve McLean County.

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DENTISTRYGENERAL

Robert Horenkamp, DDS& Associates

ROBERT HORENKAMP, DDS & ASSOCIATE JOHN ZIMDARS, DDS

405 South Prospect Rd. | Bloomington, Illinois 61704New patients welcome | Hours by appointment only

» Preventive dentistry by a gentle, caring team» New laser technology with drill-less dentistry

» Cosmetic dentistry» Laser whitening and home whitening

» Complete dentistry for the entire family

www.horenkampdentistry.com

Health & Wellness

McLEAN COUNT Y IMAGESMCLEAN.COM 29

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Looking for ways to save money

on gas and help the environment?

The EPA wants to share some

smart driving tips that could give

you more miles per gallon of gas

and reduce air pollution. Tips

like making sure your tires are

properly infl ated and replacing

your air fi lter regularly. And

where possible, accelerate and

brake slowly. Be aware of your

speed ... did you know that for

every 5 miles you go over 65 mph,

you’re spending about 20 cents

more per gallon of gas? If you’re

shopping for a new car, choose

the cleanest, most effi cient

vehicle that meets your needs. If

we each adopt just one of these

tips, we’d get more miles for our

money and it would be a little

easier to smell the fl owers. For

more tips and to compare cleaner,

more effi cient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

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T he menu of choices to pursue college degrees in McLean County is varied and enticing.

Illinois State offers the academic strength of a major university, while Illinois Wesleyan offers a highly selective private school setting focused on liberal arts. Lincoln College caters to working students who are pursuing degrees, and Heartland Community College helps

students get started on the path to a four-year degree, or toward a career.

“As Illinois State University enters its next 150 years, our university con-tinues to be a star on the rise,” says Dr. Al Bowman, ISU president. “In just the last dozen years, we have progressed from a middle-of-the-pack institution to what I believe is the emerging flag-ship university in Illinois.”

Degrees of ChoiceFOUR COLLEGES HELP RESIDENTS REACH HIGHER

Higher education in McLean County is steeped in history. Illinois Wesleyan was founded in 1831, and Illinois State is marking 150 years.

Most recently, ISU’s College of Education and College of Fine Arts were again included in the U.S. News and World Report 2008 rankings of the top graduate schools in America.

Capital improvements have given ISU an evolving campus environment. The new Alumni Center was dedicated this past July, creating an exciting new gateway to the campus. Residence halls have been renovated and new academic buildings have been erected, as well as a Center for the Performing Arts.

“Some of our strategies for success have changed, but the values that mark our heritage and make our institution great remain the same: individualized attention, pursuit of learning and schol-arship, public opportunity, diversity and civic engagement,” Dr. Bowman says. “These core values are ISU’s foundation for excellence, and that foundation is stronger today than at any time in our history.”

At the other end of the academic spectrum is Lincoln College-Normal, a private liberal arts college that opened its doors in 1979. Starting as a two-year community college, Lincoln College now offers bachelor’s programs that appeal to students who are working and supporting families.

“We offer an accelerated bachelor’s degree program for working adults,” says Julie Klinzing, the college’s director of admissions and marketing. “Instead of a full semester, students will take a three-hour course over a period of five weeks, coming to class one night a week and doing the rest of the course work at home. It’s considered a hybrid, and students can earn up to 27 credit hours in one calendar year. It’s for people who want to go back to school but don’t have the time to commit to a full-time course schedule.”

Students can also earn college credits for real-life experience. “If someone has worked in accounting, they may be eligible for college credits,” Klinzing says. “And all of these programs are eligible for financial aid.”

– Betsy Williams

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Look, a tall purple rectangle!

When you talk to your child you build vocabulary, so everyday moments become learning moments. For more tips, visit bornlearning.org.

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W hen Bloomington and Normal residents need an outlet for their creativity,

all they have to do is enroll in a class at the McLean County Arts Center.

“Our biggest enrollments are in ceramics, sculpture, photography and watercolor, and we have art camps for kids during the summer that are very popular,” says Doug Johnson, executive director of the McLean County Arts Center. “It used to be that we were the best-kept secret in town, but we’re really increasing our exposure. More and more people are becoming aware of the vital role the arts play in our community.”

Founded in the 1880s, the McLean County Arts Center is one of the oldest community arts organizations in the Midwest. It was incorporated in 1922 and has been located in a historic 1909 building in downtown Bloomington since 1979.

“We have a large gallery, a small gallery, three classrooms, offices and

a gallery store that offers handmade jewelry, ceramics and other items,” Johnson says. “We do 12 exhibitions per year, and we offer 60 different classes for children and adults.”

The McLean County Arts Center also sponsors two large community festivals each year – the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Normal in July and the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in Bloomington in March.

“This is the 26th year for Sugar Creek, and it’s the bigger festival with about 170 artists,” Johnson says. “It’s a two-day event that usually brings more than 20,000 attendees, and we have live music on two stages.”

The Spring Bloom Arts Festival is in its fifth year and features about 100 artists and live music. The McLean County Arts Center also hosts highly anticipated annual events such as Margarita Night in June and the Holiday Treasures Exhibition and Sale in November. Margarita Night is a fund-raiser that raises money for the center’s

programs, exhibitions and classes. Admission includes live music, Mexican appetizers and margaritas, and patrons have the opportunity to purchase artwork at the event.

Artist receptions, lectures and work-shops are also regular happenings at the McLean County Arts Center.

“We support local artists through all our exhibitions and on our Web site, and we sell their work in our gift gallery,” Johnson says. “We serve as a resource for them.”

The arts center also serves as a resource for workers in the McLean County community. Everyone from doc-tors to insurance agents come to the center to engage in classes and work-shops, which helps them recharge their creativity and incorporate it into their jobs.

“We’re a refueling station for creative workers,” Johnson says, “and that enriches the lives of all our citizens.”

– Jessica Mozo

Feeling Crafty?TAKE UP A NEW HOBBY AT THE McLEAN COUNTY ARTS CENTER

Jamie Grites checks out a recent exhibit at the McLean County Arts Center.

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The red coats are coming – red coats of paint, that is.Sheahon Zenger became director of athletics at

Illinois State University in May 2005 and immediately made a declaration on his first day of work. He wanted to upgrade all of the athletic facilities at ISU so they will ultimately look as good as the eye-pleasing academic buildings on campus.

“Our sports nickname is the Redbirds, so a Redbird Renaissance campaign began that day for our athletic department,” Zenger says. “Our football facility, Hancock

Redbirds alum Luke Drone now plays for the Buffalo Bills.

Red-Letter Days AheadISU REDBIRDS UPGRADE FACILITIES

Stadium, is in need of a renovation, and everything else falls in line from there.”

The Redbird Renaissance began to progress in earnest during 2007 when the ISU board of trustees approved $1.5 million toward the renovation of Hancock Stadium. That money is specifically earmarked to hire engineers and contractors who will identify the precise upgrades needed at the stadium.

“The engineer planning stage is the most difficult money to raise because it doesn’t result in anything physical or tangible – people don’t see bricks and mortar from that money,” Zenger says. “It will take about five years to raise all the funds needed to renovate Hancock Stadium, but the board of trustees certainly got the ball rolling by taking care of the engineering costs.”

Another aspect of the Redbird Renaissance is an upgrade of Redbird Baseball Stadium. The ballpark will reopen in March 2009 with renovations that will include 1,500 chair-back seats, a new press box, a club suite and more restrooms and concession stands.

“Other athletics upgrades include new tennis courts that opened in 2008, and new locker rooms that will be constructed for the basketball teams at Redbird Arena,” Zenger says. “The arena will also eventually feature a beautiful Legends Room where high-end donors can gather and mingle prior to basketball games.”

Meanwhile, some of the Redbirds’ sports teams and athletes have been experiencing a renaissance of their own in recent times. Perhaps most notably, the 2007-08 women’s basketball team participated in the NCAA postseason tournament, and the men’s basketball team tied a single-season school record by winning 25 games during the 2007-08 season.

Meanwhile, seven former ISU football players are cur-rently playing in the National Football League. They are Luke Drone with Buffalo, Brandon Joyce with Minnesota, Isaiah Wiggins with Baltimore, Laurent Robinson with Atlanta, Brent Hawkins with Jacksonville, Boomer Grigsby with Miami and Aveion Cason with Detroit.

“The athletic department recently secured a five-year apparel and equipment contract with Nike, while the ISU student-athletes posted an overall 3.04 GPA in the fall 2007 season – the best GPA semester in school history,” Zenger says. “Meanwhile, our student-athletes also reached 2,000 hours of community service for the third consecutive year in the Bloomington-Normal area. We truly are under-going a renaissance these days in all aspects of the ISU athletic department.”

– Kevin Litwin

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THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

Family ownedand operated

A McLean Countyfavorite since 1971

407 S. Main • Normal, IL 61761 • (309) 452-4436

Pizza • Pasta • Sandwiches • Salads Dine-in • Carry-out • Delivery • Catering

www.avantisnormal.com

SNAPSHOTExpansion Management has rated Bloomington-Normal as one of

72 metro areas with a five-star quality of life, giving the community

high marks in areas such as standard of living, schools and

commuting time.

MCLEAN COUNTY

MEDICAL FACILITIES

BroMenn Regional

Medical Center, 454-1400

OSF St. Joseph Medical

Center, 662-3311

Carle Clinic-Bloomington/

Normal, 664-3333

EDUCATION

Public Schools

Bloomington Public School

District 87 (K-12), 827-6031

El Paso/Gridley Community

Unit District 11 (K-12), 527-4410

Heyworth Community Unit

School District 4 (K-12)

473-3727

LeRoy Community Unit School

District 2 (K-12), 962-4211

Lexington Community Unit

School District 5 (K-12)

365-4141

McLean County Unit 5 Schools

(K-12), 452-4476

Olympia Unit 16 (K-12)

379-6011

Ridgeview Unit 19 (K-12)

723-5111

Tri-Valley Community Unit

School District 3 (K-12)

378-2351

ISU Laboratory Schools

Thomas Metcalf School

438-7621

University High School

438-8346

Special-Needs Schools

Hammitt School (ages 4-14)

452-1170

Hammitt High School

(ages 15-21), 452-1790

Higher Education

Heartland Community College

268-8000

Illinois State University

438-2111

Illinois Wesleyan University

556-1000

Lincoln College-Normal

452-0500

PUBLIC GOLF COURSES

Bloomington Indoor Golf Club

662-6439

The Den at Fox Creek

434-2300

Golf Learning Center

829-4653

Hazy Hills, 726-9200

Highland Park, 434-2200

Illinois State University

438-8065

Indian Springs, 475-4111

Ironwood, 454-9620

Prairie Vista, 434-2217

UTILITIES

CableComcast

454-3350

ElectricityAmeren

(800) 755-5000

Corn Belt Energy Corp.

(800) 879-0339

Natural GasAmeren

(800) 755-5000

The area code for McLean County i s 309. IMAGESMCLEAN.COM 35

Community Profile

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#1 Brickyard Drive • Bloomington, IL [email protected] • www.bevedgerton.com

• Certified Relocation Specialist

• Member of the 50 Million Dollar Club

• Ambassador for McLean County Chamber of Commerce

An independently owned and operated member of The Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.

Bev Edgerton, Realtor“Opening Doors to Dream Homes”

Janet’s Cakes and Catering

Janet Kletz, Owner504 GUIDO CIRCLEBLOOMINGTON, IL

(309) 664-0684TOLL-FREE: (866) 664-0614

HOURS: TUE.-SAT. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Corn Belt Energy Corp.

(800) 879-0339

Nicor Gas Co., (888) 642-6748

PhoneEl Paso Telephone, 527-4500

Frontier, (800) 921-8101

or (217) 854-6067

Gridley Enterprises, 747-2221

Verizon, (800) 483-4600

SewerBloomington-Normal Water

Reclamation District, 827-4396

WaterBloomington Water Dept.

434-2426

Normal Water Dept., 454-9563

NUMBERS TO KNOW

City Hall – Bloomington434-2509

City Hall – Normal, 454-2444

McLean County Government

888-5001

Parks & Recreation Department

– Bloomington, 434-2260

Parks & Recreation

Department – Normal

454-9540

RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT

Grady’s Family Fun Park

1501 1/2 Morrissey Dr.,

Bloomington, 662-3332

Hunter Oaks Equestrian Center

236 MacAllen Lake Rd.,

Carlock, 376-7771

Illinois Coaches Association

Golf Hall of Fame

502 W. Hamilton Rd.,

Bloomington, 434-2217

Illinois State

University Planetarium

Corner of College Avenue

and School Street, Normal

438-5007 or 438-8756

Interstate Center

2301 W. Market St.,

Bloomington, 829-3976

ISU Bowling and Billiards Center

ISU Campus, Normal

438-2555

ISU Student Rec Building

500 N. Beech St., Normal

438-PLAY

Mitsubishi Motors

of North America

100 North Mitsubishi

Motorway, Normal, 888-8200

Outlaw Outfitters

Moraine View State Park

27267 E. 900 North Rd., LeRoy

724-8043

Pepsi Ice Center

201 S. Roosevelt, Bloomington

434-2737

Pheasant Lanes Bowling

804 N. Hershey Rd.,

Bloomington, 663-8556

Pro-Putt Family Fun Center

Veterans & Main Plaza,

Bloomington, 434-2509

Ride the Nine

503 N. Prospect Ave.,

Bloomington, 662-1009

Ropp Jersey Cheese

2676 Ropp Rd., Normal

452-3641

Skate N’ Place Roller Skating

1704 S. Morris Ave.,

Bloomington, 828-8931

Sudden Impact Paintball

7290 E. 550 North Rd.,

McLean, 874-3338

The Workout Co.

419 Kays Dr., Normal

454-2582

U.S. Cellular Coliseum

101 S. Madison St.,

Bloomington

434-2843

Upper Limits

1304 W. Washington St.,

Bloomington, 829-TALL (8255)

Sources:www.bloomingtonnormalcvb.org, www.cityhall.ci.bloomington.il.us, www.mcleancochamber.org, www.bnbiz.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION

McLean County Chamber of Commerce210 S. East St.

Bloomington, IL 61701

Phone: 829-6344

Fax: 827-3940

www.mcleancochamber.org

Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau3201 CIRA Drive

Ste. 201

Bloomington, IL 61704

Phone: 665-0033

(800) 433-8226

www.bloomingtonnormalcvb.org

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Community Profile

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