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Galleries Pick up a copy of the current Normalite for Senior and Normal Township event listings. For information on the Uptown Normal project, click here No Meeting this Week Two dogs die in house fire on Crestwood Court One dog died at the scene, and a second died later at an animal hospital following a two-alarm house fire on Crestwood Court Wednesday, Feb. 25th. Normal Fire Department was called to #1 Crestwood Court at 10:25pm last night, January 25, 2012, for the report of a fire in the rear of a residence. Due to numerous calls from the surrounding neighborhoods reported heavy smoke in the area, an additional alarm was sounded, which added mutual aid from Bloomington Fire Department for a Rapid Intervention Team and also recalled off-duty Normal Firefighters to staff stations and reserve apparatus during the incident. Upon arrival, the first arriving engine company found heavy black smoke and fire in a sunroom addition on the back side of the residence. Firefighters pulled a hose line through the front door of the house and began fire attack. Two dogs were discovered in a kennel in the room and were immediately removed by firefighters who began resuscitation efforts. During a room-by-room search of the remaining house, firefighters found three cats in the upstairs level. They were unharmed. The occupants of the house had evacuated safely prior to fire department arrival. The fire was under control in about ten minutes, however crews remained on the scene until after midnight ventilating smoke, cleaning up, and working on salvage and overhaul operations and to assist Normal Fire Department Investigators on the scene. The fire was contained to the room of origin, which sustained heavy smoke and heat damage. A neighbor, who is a veterinarian, assisted firefighters and paramedics with resuscitation efforts on the two dogs. One dog, an Australian Shepherd, died at the scene, but the second dog, a Doberman, was revived at the scene and was transported by an NFD Duty Chief to nearby Town and Country Animal Hospital. Unfortunately, that dog also died just before midnight at the animal hospital. Fire investigators determined the origin of the fire to be a heating and air conditioning unit similar to ones found in hotels mounted in the wall of the sunroom, but they were unable to determine what caused the fire. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage to the residence. The home is insured. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. Normal Fire Dept. announces Electric Vehicle Slogan Contest Normal Fire Department needs your help in creating a fire safety message for our new Mitsubishi MiEV Electric Car. Normal Fire Department is holding an online contest to solicit ideas for a fire safety message for the rear window of Normal Fire Department’s new Mitsubishi MiEV. The winner will receive a prize pack of fire safety gear from Normal Fire Department, and free food from Fazoli’s Italian Restaurant! Slogan should be short and sweet, but fun, entertaining, and educational. The slogan should relate electric vehicles, batteries, electricity, pollution, the environment or other related ideas and tie them to a fire safety message. Get creative! The winning slogan will be seen by thousands of people around the Town of Normal! Email your ideas to FireInfo@normal.org with the subject line “Slogan Contest”. Don’t wait! We must receive your entry by Wednesday February 8 at 4:30pm. Official contest rules are posted on the Normal Fire Department section of the Town of Normal website http://www.Normal.org. The winning slogan will be announced Wednesday, Feb. 15 Attic fire damages home on Riordan Street An attic fire caused an estimated $15,000 in damage to a home on Riordan Street on the morning of Thursday, January 26th. Normal Fire Department was called to investigate smoke in a residence at 1208 Riordan Street at about 8:30 this morning. On arrival, the first engine company observed smoke showing from the roof, venting through the attic vents. Firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to locate the seat of the fire, which was in the attic space. Firefighters covered the floors and furnishings with tarps and systematically pulled a portion of the ceiling to allow the firefighters in the attic to remove blown-in insulation to find the fire. The fire was fully extinguished using a handline in about 15 minutes. Firefighters remained on scene to assist with clean up, salvage and overhaul operations for about two hours. Ameren and Nicor Gas responded to the scene to secure the utility service to the house. The home is insured. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Normal Fire Department. ISU Jazz Ensembles in concert February 10 Illinois State University Jazz Ensembles I and II will present a concert of big band jazz music on Friday, Feb. 10, at 8 p.m. in the University’s Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. Tickets are $8, $7 for faculty and staff and $6 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the Center’s box office or by calling (309) 438-5833. The concert program will feature compositions and arrangements from Jim McNeely, The Buddy Rich Big Band, George Stone, Bob Washut, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Bill Holman and more. The ensembles are directed by School of Music Associate Professor Tom Marko. Beatles tunes highlight Sound Of Illinois barbershop shows Feb. 18 Bloomington’s Sound of Illinois barbershop chorus will be 70 years old in 2012, but its Feb. 18 shows will feature music of the 50-year-old Beatles, perhaps the most famous quartet of all time. The British foursome, a rock band, created many memorable tunes that SOI will be presenting in the four-part a cappella barbershop style. Shows will be at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Bloomington’s Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA). Tickets are priced according to three seating zones ($16, $19, $21). Student tickets are $11. More information is at www.soundofillinois.com. Patrons may buy tickets from BCPA box office (no added fees) or from the BCPA website (www.artsblooming.org, with fees added) With 70 singers under Director Terry Ludwig, SOI will maintain its tradition of staging a nationally-ranked chorus and quartets at its shows. Guest quartet is international semifinalist ‘Round Midnight of New York City. Described by The Sing-Off’s Deke Sharon as “the barbershop gateway drug,” ‘Round Midnight applies the barbershop style to genres including R & B, pop, jazz and rock. The foursome has been honored as “favorite barbershop quartet” by the Contemporary A Cappella Society (CAPA) and has performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Also performing will be quartets from the SOI, including several Illinois champions: The Waldorf Hair Co., 2011 champion and Rush Street, 2008 champion. The Sound of Illinois will be competing this summer in Portland, Ore., having qualified for a fifth consecutive year to represent the state in the BHS international contest. SOI placed 15th last summer, a jump of 9 places from the previous year. Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra in Concert Feb. 19 at ISU “Vive France” will be the theme of a concert by the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra and the East Central Illinois Youth Symphony on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m. in the University’s Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. Tickets are $8, $7 for faculty/staff and $6 for students and seniors. The East Central Illinois Youth Symphony, under the direction of Kevin Kelly, will begin the performance with Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide. The group will then join Illinois State’s Symphony Orchestra in Edouard Lalo’s Overture to Le Roi d’Ys. The program will continue with Illinois State’s Symphony Orchestra performing Harold in Italy by Hector Berlioz, featuring School of Music faculty violist Katherine Lewis; and Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky (orchestration by Maurice Ravel). The Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Glenn Block. |
In The February 2 Printed
Normalite: Bill Linneman Helen J. Leake's Gardeners Tips The Spectator by Jim Bennett Capitol Facts by Rich Miller Normal Town Council Report Capitol
Commentary from Senator Bill Brady News
from State Rep. Dan Brady Shane
Cultra's Capitol Clips Publisher Ed Pyne - Pyne Needles Chimperscage - by Alan
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Mystery Photo, Legal Notices, Obituaries, Service Directory, School and Senior Information, and Classified advertisements Pick up a copy for these stories and more. No Meeting this Week McLean
County Board Report No Meeting this Week ISU’s Lori Adams receives Rives Award Illinois State University Theatre Professor Lori Adams is the 2011-2012 recipient of the Stan and Sandy Rives Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award. The award will be presented at the Founders Day Convocation on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. The Stan and Sandy Rives Excellence in Undergraduate Education Award was established in honor of Stan’s longtime commitment to an undergraduate program of the highest quality and for his contributions to Illinois State University as dean of Undergraduate Instruction. The award recognizes outstanding teaching or any significant contribution to the undergraduate experience, with special attention given to the first-year experience. Adams serves as head of the Undergraduate Acting Program for the School of Theatre, with oversight of more than 150 acting majors. She personally auditions and interviews every acting student for admission into the acting sequence and meets regularly with first-year students so they are informed of important events and feel like a part of the school. Adams believes that the freshman Acting I course comes at the most critical time to nurture and develop a young actor’s skill. She advocates for the course to be taught by senior-level faculty and encourages ongoing discussions to keep the course fresh and effective. Adams coaches the nominees for the highly coveted Irene Ryan Award competition at the American College Theatre Festival held each January. As a result, the School of Theatre students have gone on to the finals at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. for the past five years. Adams, along with a colleague, also co-directs the Chicago Professional Agent and Casting Director Showcase for graduating seniors each spring. ISU Student Fitness Center wins national award The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) recently named Illinois State University’s Student Fitness Center & McCormick Hall one of the nine recipients of its 2012 Outstanding Sports Facilities (OSF) awards. According to the NIRSA, the OSF award is given for creative, innovative designs of new or expanded university sporting facilities and represents a standard or model by which other collegiate recreational facilities should be measured. “We felt the new Student Fitness Center met every standard of excellence from the day the doors opened, but the NIRSA award secures Illinois State’s place on the map for facility excellence,” said Dawn Sanner, executive director of the Student Fitness Center. The facility, which opened over a year ago, has welcomed more than 500,000 Illinois State students. Any NIRSA member institution with construction projects no morethan two years old, with a facility over 20,000 square feet, and with total construction costs (excluding design and land fees) of at least $2 million is eligible for an Outstanding Sports Facilities Award. Recreational sports directors from NIRSA member institutions as well as designers and architects who are NIRSA associate members award the honors. Each facility is evaluated based on the construction project’s correlation to the campus master plan and mission; the relationship between facility design and staffing; innovative use of construction materials or methods; sustainable features; and technological benefits for the customer, staff or budget. ISU Founders Day Events Thursday, Feb. 16 Illinois State University will hold its annual Founders Day observance on Thursday, Feb. 16. The day’s events will celebrate Illinois State’s heritage and traditions and honor the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students and alumni. For more information and event registration, visit the Founders Day website. Events will begin at 10 a.m. with the Founders Day Bell Ringing Ceremony in the Bone Student Center Prairie Room. Selected faculty, staff, students, alumni and others will ring the bell 155 times to mark the University’s years of existence. Displays highlighting Illinois State’s history and academic mission will be part of the STATE Showcase in the Bone Student Center Brown Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Founders Day Convocation will take place at 2 p.m. in the Brown Ballroom. The ceremony will include the presentation of some of the University’s highest awards, including the University Professor, Distinguished Professor, Outstanding Teacher and Researcher and A/P and Civil Service Distinguished Service honors. Other awards will recognize excellence in teaching, research, service and commitment to diversity. A reception will follow the Convocation at 3:30 p.m. An Alumni Awards Dinner will be held that evening at 6 p.m. at the Alumni Center, 1101 N. Main in Normal. The cost for the dinner is $25 per person. For registration information, contact Alumni Relations at 438-2586 or visit the Alumni Relations website. BCPA presents ‘The Rivalry’ on February 16 The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts presents The Rivalry, a dramatization of a stirring series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, on February 16 at 7:00 pm. Pre-show activities begin at 6:15 pm. Written by Norman Corwin and produced by the world-renowned L.A. Theatre Works, The Rivalry brings the Lincoln-Douglas era to life and presents an epic clash of ideas between these two historic leaders. Robert Parsons, who starred in the acclaimed production of The Rivalry at Ford’s Theatre in Washington last year, recreates the role of Abraham Lincoln. He has been seen in the films Black August and Almost Famous and on television in Nash Bridges. Television and film actor Josh Clark portrays Stephen Douglas. Clark’s prior acting credits include roles in the television shows Heroes, Star Trek: Voyager, Pretty Little Liars and All My Children, as well as the films Big, Ragtime and Little Nikita. The Rivalry is a high-quality production that any history aficionado will not want to miss! The BCPA presentation of The Rivalry by L.A. Theatre Works is co-sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Association and the David Davis Mansion Foundation. Tickets are available online at www.artsblooming.org or by calling the BCPA Box Office at (309) 434-2777; toll-free at (866) 686-9541. Tickets may also be purchased at the BCPA Box Office, located inside the BCPA at 600 N. East St. in Bloomington. Box Office hours are 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday. |
Normal Community Ironmen, Normal Community West Wildcats, Ridgeview Mustangs, University High School Pioneers, Central Catholic Saints, Lexington Minutemen, ElPaso Gridley Titans, Illinois State University Redbird, Illinois Wesleyan Titan, State Farm Holiday Classic, McLean County Tournament, HOI Conference, Heart of Illinois Historic North Street Unit 5 Lunch Menus Elementary Schools Elementary SchoolsMon. Feb. 6 - BBQ Rib* Sandwich, potato shells, pineapple, Cheez-it Crackers Tues. Feb. 7- Shells & Cheese, mini corn dogs, green beans, pears Wed. Feb. 8 - Turkey & Cheese Sandwich, baby carrots, banana, munchie mix Thurs. Feb. 9 - Teriyaki beef dippers, whipped potatoes & gravy, orange wedges, breadstick Fri. Feb. 10 - Mini Maple Pancakes, Egg Patty, Strawberry Yogurt, Tri-Taters, Baked Apples Jr. High Schools Mon. Feb. 6 - BBQ Rib* Sandwich OR cheeseburger on bun, Potato Shells, rosy applesauce, Elf Graham Crackers Tues. Feb. 7 - Chicken patty on bun, broccoli w/cheese sauce, pears, Soft Pretzel Rod Wed. Feb. 8 - Beef Fiestada - 96/cs, corn, cherries w/topping, chips & salsa Thurs. Feb. 9 - Chicken Nuggets, whipped potatoes & gravy, orange wedges, whole grain bread w/margarine Fri. Feb. 10 - Garlic Cheese Bread w/pizza sauce, tossed salad, peaches, Animal Crackers High Schools Mon. Feb. 6 - BBQ Rib* Sandwich, potato shells, pineapple, Cheez-it Crackers Tues. Feb. 7 - Shells & cheese, mini corn dogs, green beans, pears Wed. Feb. 8 - Flatbread cheese pizza, baby carrots, Mandarin oranges & bananas, curly noodles Thurs. Feb. 9 - Teriyaki beef dippers, whipped potatoes & gravy, orange wedges, breadstick Fri. Feb. 10 - Spicy chicken over rice, Egg Roll*, Fortune Cookie, California Blended Vegetables, pineapple. Menu subject to change. White or chocolate milk is offered with all meals *Food may contain pork.
coming next to the Historic Normal Theater Gen. admission $6; children & students w/ID $5. Refreshments $1. Prize drawing every night. Great cartoons before classic movies. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Hotline:
454-9722. TERRI (2011) This is an overlooked gem of a film about a teenage boy whose outsider attitude forces the principal of his school to intervene - but who is teaching whom in this genuinely surprising comedy? Rated R/105 min/A Beyond Normal Films Choice The Community Cancer Center is hosting a free educational program entitled, “Are you Ready to Make Your Yard Safer for Your Family?” This program will be held on Thursday, February 16 from 5:30-6:30 pm at the Cancer Center located at 407 East Vernon Ave. in Normal and will feature speaker Kris Hall, Assistant Director with the Ecology Action Center. Since pesticide use has been associated with various types of cancer, Kris will discuss things people can do to reduce the use of synthetic lawn chemicals around their homes and will provide insight into the “Yard Smart” program. Light refreshments will be served. Please register at 309-451-8500 by February 15th for seating is limited. For additional information or questions, please contact Becky Powell, Health Educator, at the Community Cancer Center at 309-451-8500. ‘Be Mine’ Art and Craft Fair Feb. 11 & 12 The “Be Mine” Art and Craft Fair will be held on Feb. 11 & 12 at the Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St., in Bloomington. On Sat. the show will run from 10-4 and on Sun. 11-4. The show will feature 100 handcrafted booths from a 5 state area. Admission is $3.00 and children 15 and under are free. Go to www.craftproductionsinc.com to print $1.00 off coupon. There is limited space still available for exhibitors. For more information, call karen Yackley at 815-878-2728. Illinois Wesleyan University’s Chaplain’s Office and the IWU Peace Fellows will present the feature-length international documentary, Love Hate Love. The film will be shown at the Hansen Student Center (300 E. Beecher St., Bloomington) on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The film presentation will be followed by a moderated discussion about how we, as a campus community, can work for peace in light of violence. According to the film’s producers Dana Nachman and Don Hardy, Love Hate Love chronicles the stories of three families as they are torn apart by terrorism and how the families work their way back to love. Nachman and Hardy believe they provide viewers a unique view at how the world has been changed by terrorism and how individuals are choosing to respond to that change. According to the producers, although the film’s characters come from different backgrounds and cultures they arrive at the same conclusion: “When love triumphs over hate, terrorists will never win.” IWU’s chaplain, Elyse Nelson Winger, discovered the film while working on Evelyn Chapel’s 9/11 Service of Remembrance this past September. “I was taken with the film’s stories of people affected by terrorist violence who chose not to respond with vengeance, but with compassion for others around the world,” Nelson Winger said. She was excited to announce that this will be the films first downstate screening. ISU School of Theatre presents Passion Play Feb. 17 to 25 The Illinois State University School of Theatre will present Passion Play by Sarah Ruhl, beginning Friday, Feb. 17, and running through Saturday, Feb. 25. Performances will take place in the University’s Center for the Performing Arts Theatre. Passion Play dramatizes three different communities of players rehearsing their annual staging of the Passion: 1575 Northern England, just before Queen Elizabeth outlaws the ritual; 1934 Oberammergau, Bavaria, as Hitler is rising to power; and Spearfish, South Dakota, from the time of Vietnam through Reagan’s presidency. In each period, the players grapple with the transformative nature of art, and politics are never far in the background. Opening weekend performances of Passion Play will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17, 4 p.m. on Feb. 18 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 19. The run continues Feb. 22, 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and faculty-staff members and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Center for the Performing Arts, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, or by calling (309) 438-2535. Tickets can also be ordered online at http://www.ticketmaster.com. ISU Jazz Ensembles set Valentine’s Big Band Dance February 14 The Illinois State University Jazz Ensembles I and II will present the annual Valentine’s Big Band Dance on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the New Lafayette Club, 1602 S. Main St. in Bloomington. Admission to the dance is $15 per person at the door. The event will feature classic big band music from the 1930s and 1940s as well as a wide variety of ballroom dance styles including cha-cha-cha, rhumba, waltz, swing, salsa and samba. All proceeds from the dance will help support jazz activities at Illinois State. A cash bar will be available, and those attending are asked not to wear jeans or t-shirts. For more information, contact Tom Marko at (309) 438-2541 or tjmarko@ilstu.edu |
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