The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL

'Death List' Prompts Security Concerns

DeLAND - A group of about two dozen parents let the DeLand- Weldon school board know Monday night that inadequate security is not acceptable at the district's school complex. An incident last month involving a 13-year-old student with a "death list" prompted concerns and questions from parents.

Civic Academy Gets Council's Vote

NORMAL - Residents who want to know the inner workings of Normal's government will get a chance next year when a new Civic Academy gets under way. The City Council approved creating the academy, dubbed "All About Normal," at its meeting Monday.

Council Still Considering Grant

PONTIAC - City officials will take a few more weeks before deciding if accepting a federal grant and employing two more full- time firefighters are wise moves. On Monday night, the City Council decided to refer the Pontiac Fire Department's SAFER Grant to a committee to review. The grant is worth $207,000.

Obama Durbin's '80 Pick ; Senior Enator Hopes Colleague Seeks Presidency

SPRINGFIELD - As if the release of his second book Tuesday and an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show on Wednesday weren't enough to keep Barack Obama's name in the headlines, another top Illinois Democrat is urging his senate colleague to run for president. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Monday that he hopes the first-term senator from Chicago "seriously considers" making a bid in 2008.

Tax Rate to Take Slight Dip

NORMAL - Homeowners likely won't have to pay Normal quite as much in property taxes next year. But residents shouldn't plan to buy a car or take a vacation with the potential savings.

Panel Endorses Marina Project

CLINTON - The Clinton Lake Marina could see six new covered docks next year as part of a plan by the DeWitt County Board to upgrade facilities at the publicly owned marina. The board's marina committee voted Monday to recommend Shoremaster, a Missouri firm, as the contractor for the project. The committee gave tentative approval to Shoremaster's bid of $101,000 to build six covered docks.

Durbin Criticizes Wind Farm Analysis

BLOOMINGTON - A report by the Department of Defense on where wind farms can be located does not go far enough and leaves future projects up to military approval, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. Durbin appeared at the Bloomington American Legion as part of a campaign sweep through the state with Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat running for state treasurer. He also commented on the page scandal in the U.S. House.

Government Glance

LINCOLN County considersmonthly budgeting

Church's Program to Feed Low-Income Makes Impact

CLINTON - Members of a Clinton church are working to lessen the difficulties felt by many low-income people at the end of the month. "We saw many people in the community on very limited incomes who were out of benefits, out of money on their LINK card and hungry by the fourth Wednesday of the month," said Tonya Woods, a member of the First Church of the Nazarene.

News in Brief

NEWS IN BRIEF Police investigatingseries of break-ins

District Plans Better Job Selling Tax Issue

STANFORD - Olympia school district voters said "no" to tax rate increases in 2003 and 2004, but school officials say they are optimistic voters will say "yes" in April. The district will do a better job of selling the two referendum questions this time, Superintendent Donald Hahn said. The key selling point: The $12.5 million for school construction and a separate rate increase for education programs won't actually increase a homeowner's tax bill.

Growth Spurt

NORMAL - The booming economy of the 1990s lured thousands of new workers to Bloomington-Normal, and subdivisions sprouted throughout the Unit 5 school district. Now those workers families have children going to school, the subdivisions are still growing, and Unit 5 is struggling to keep up. In the next five years alone, Unit 5 leaders anticipate an average annual enrollment increase of close to 4 percent.

Benson Wind Farm Project Stalls

BENSON - A wind-farm developer said Monday it is scouting for new land as negotiations with three Woodford County townships seemingly failed. Unable to agree on accident liability issues, Greene, Panola and Clayton townships rejected a proposal from Minneapolis-based Navitas Energy, which wants to build a 79-turbine, $260 million wind farm near Benson.