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The Immigration Project is taking a new holistic approach to services.
Traditionally, the project has offered legal services, but now has expanded offerings with a new Welcoming Center on Landmark Drive in Normal. Hannah Mesouani manages the center with two caseworkers.
“The journey to residency and citizenship is about
so much more than just paperwork, though that paperwork is absolutely vital,” said Mesouani.“It’s also about forging connections within the community and navigating the labyrinth of social services and agencies to actually get to the help that is on offer. It’s a whole marathon
before you can even begin the process, and we’re here to help alleviate some of those challenges.”
OSF HealthCare / Courtesy
For Robin Dennewitz, the best part of her cleaning job at OSF Healthcare St. Joseph Medical Center is talking to the patients. And they’ve never needed her more.
They need Dennewitz to keep them safe and for a little companionship. Visitor policies are a lot tighter because of the pandemic.
“Sometimes during COVID, they’re really talkative because they’re lonely, because they don’t have anybody with them,” Dennewitz said. “So sometimes I might be in there 20 or 25 minutes.”
Dennewitz is part of a small army of cleaning technicians who’ve kept patients and employees safe at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington and Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal. Cleanliness and hygiene have always been important in a hospital setting, but COVID makes it more so. Some of these technicians tell WGLT they feel more appreciated doing what they do, not unlike the doctors and nurses who’ve been hailed as heroes during this public health cri
Levi Briggs photography
Dominique Stevenson is a very visible Twin City activist who uses his music to spread a message of unity and encouragement. He was on the front lines of social justice marches last summer and even founded the youth-based advocacy group Next Gen Initiative.
But the hip-hop artist known as V8 Vast Change says this time, his new album Life is as much a pick-me-up for himself as it is encouragement to others. You can hear he’s at a crossroads, but doesn’t quite know how to move forward.
The album opens with the song “Passion.”
Sick of sleeping on my mama’s couch and ready to move out
Staff / WGLT
City and county leaders in McLean County said Wednesday one of Gov. JB Pritzker s budget proposals is a bad idea.
The governor has proposed taking 10% of the income tax money it currently shares with cities, towns, and counties through the Local Government Distributive Fund. Normal Mayor Chris Koos said the proposal is ruinous. This will be crippling to municipalities across the state of Illinois if this is to go through. We re already seeing a significant decrease in revenues because of COVID-19 and this is just another slap to cities, said Koos.
Koos said the proposal breaks a decades-old deal with the state.
Emily Bollinger / WGLT
A startup meal prep service and delivery company is creating new partnerships with food producers and now a major grocery chain in Bloomington-Normal.
Eatology was created by Donovan Muldrow and Kristin Rae last spring. Muldrow pushed his friend and business partner Rae to start a meal prep service for families on the run just like hers.
Since its launch, the company has partnered with Schnucks and area farmers to supply fresh meals each week. Meals have to be pre-ordered by 1 p.m. on Friday for the Eatology chefs to prepare them and have them ready by Thursday of the following week. The ingredients for the meals are brought to the chefs by local vendors each week.