The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL

Daily Digest

News in brief Pipeline Road to be closed

Traffic Diverted for Hours After Dump Truck Bed Hits Traffic Pole

BLOOMINGTON - A dump truck knocked over a traffic light standard and three utility poles Thursday at Center and Wood streets, snarling traffic for hours and keeping cleanup crews busy into the night, police said. A dump truck owned by MLS Excavating, Heyworth, was southbound on Center when the truck hit the standard and snagged wires about 4:30 p.m. before driving off, police said. James Armstrong, 42, of El Paso, faces four charges relating to leaving the scene of an accident, but police sai...

Iwu's Kasprzak Makes It to Next 'Dance' Round

BLOOMINGTON - Illinois Wesleyan University's Evan Kasprzak has danced his way into the top six contestants of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance!" The music-theater major who favors Broadway-style choreography and admires Gene Kelly survived Thursday's elimination round to advance with only two weeks left to the finals.

Drug Sweeps in Normal Net Drugs, Three Arrests

NORMAL - An estimated 30 police officers were involved in three simultaneous drug sweeps Thursday in the Twin Cities, said Normal Police Sgt. Steve Petrilli, who heads the vice unit. Search warrants for 919 N. and 1001 N. Lee St., Bloomington, were served at noon and shortly after noon, he said. A resident consented to the third search shortly after noon at an apartment at 1402 E. College Ave., Normal, he said.

Event to Celebrate Return of Soldiers

PONTIAC - A ceremony Monday in Pontiac will welcome home National Guard troops who were deployed to Afghanistan. An event at 10 a.m. at the National Guard Armory, 825 W. Reynolds St., will honor 12 of about 60 troops who were deployed from the armory last August as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The other 48 will return in two to six weeks, National Guard officials said.

Company with Ties to Jim Edgar Inline to Gain From Online Betting

SPRINGFIELD - The legalization of online horse betting in Illinois could boost a company with ties to former Gov. Jim Edgar. The two-term Republican is a member of the board of directors of Youbet.com, which could be among the companies vying to provide an online horse betting platform in Illinois.

Public Safety

Police, fire, rescue Pontiac cemetery vandalized again

Jury Convicts Chenoa Man of Sex Crime43-Year-Old Faces Up to 90 Years in Prison

BLOOMINGTON - A jury convicted a Chenoa man Thursday of sexually assaulting a teenage girl last year in Bloomington. Terry Lloyd, 43, was charged with seven counts of criminal sexual assault stemming from three incidents.

State Mulls New Forms of Gambling

SPRINGFIELD - The state of Illinois soon could begin offering even more ways to gamble. Along with legalizing video gambling in bars, two separate pieces of legislation awaiting approval would allow people to wager their money without ever leaving home.

Police Seeking Public's Help Tracking Down Coin Thieves

NORMAL - Police are asking for the public's help in finding two suspects who have stolen about $10,000 from coin-operated machines at Wal-Marts across Illinois and Iowa. Normal police on Thursday released several images taken from security cameras, including some from thefts at Normal's Wal-Mart, 300 Greenbriar Drive. In that case, sometime from June 8 to June 11, around $700 in coins were stolen, said Sgt. Dan Kelley.

Business, Property Owners Form Main St. Associationform-Based Code Proposal Prompted Move by Group

BLOOMINGTON - While the Twin City mayors are in the midst of creating a task force to discuss concerns about a proposed Main Street Corridor form-based code, business and property owners along the 7-mile stretch have formed a Main Street Association. The proposed form-based code is what prompted the association but it is not the only focus of the group, said spokeswoman Kathy Michael.

Authorities: Girl Alone Prior to Drowning

FARMER CITY - A 4-year-old girl who was swimming at a family friend's home Tuesday drowned after returning to the pool by herself after everyone else had gotten out, authorities said Thursday. Lainey Berry of Mansfield was found floating under the surface Tuesday afternoon at a home about three miles northeast of Farmer City. She was there for a planned day of swimming and barbecue for close family friends, authorities said.

Ahead of Scheduleparts of North St. To Reopen Earlier Than Anticipated

NORMAL - North Street from Fell Avenue to Broadway reopened Thursday and the leg from Broadway to the roundabout will reopen by Monday, about a month earlier than expected. The rest of the uptown road work, including East Beaufort Street, Constitution Boulevard and Constitution Trail, is expected to be finished by the end of October.

Construction Could Crimp Isu Move-In

NORMAL - Work projects around Illinois State University and throughout uptown Normal have made planning this fall's campus move- in a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. South campus work off Main Street in particular might create traffic headaches.

Threat of Job Cuts Prompts Lincoln to Mount Protest

LINCOLN - State plans to cut jobs at Lincoln's two prisons and Lincoln Estates - the former Lincoln Developmental Center - are unpopular in Lincoln City Hall. The City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution to tell the governor about local opposition to the elimination of about 150 jobs at Logan Correctional Center, another six at Lincoln Correctional Center and three at Lincoln Estates.

Plan to Rebuild Intersection Mothballedclinton Cites Cost in Postponing Project

CLINTON - Citing costs and fears of depleting city funds, Clinton officials have rejected a plan for a proposed reconstruction project at the intersection of Jericho Road and Hillcrest Drive. Last summer, the council approved an engineering study for the project, Preliminary estimates placed the cost of repairing a 350- foot section of Hillcrest Drive and 200 feet of Jericho Road at about $410,000.

Questions Raised in Unit 5 Incidentseverely Disabled Boy Taken to Wrong Home by Bus After Day Camp

NORMAL - A severely disabled 12-year-old boy got off a Unit 5 school bus after autism camp at Parkside Junior High School and entered a house on Ardith Drive, Normal. Hunter Smith made himself a ham and cheese sandwich, ate a banana, leaving the peel in the sink, and had some grapes and an apple. He sat down at the computer and got ready to play a game.