Country Financial is one of Bloomington-Normal's largest and longest-operating businesses. What you may not know is Country Financial did not start in Bloomington.In fact, the move to Bloomington came well into the industry's first 100 years of operation. Executive vice president Rob McDade noted Country Financial, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, started out providing fire insurance coverage for Illinois farmers who did not feel represented by the insurance companies in the big cities and grew from there.

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New Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson said one reason he unseated previous organization head Brian Duncan was a legal dispute with the American Farm Bureau Federation [AFBF].

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On today's episode, the new leader of the Illinois Farm Bureau makes advocacy a priority after a shakeup at the top, Bloomington's Country Financial celebrates a century of business, and McLean County expands mental health training.

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Winter weather complicates an already scarce parking situation in downtown Bloomington. The Market Street parking deck has closed. And the Front and Center block has yet to finish demolition and become surface parking. That’s likely to become available sometime next spring.

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At a special meeting of Illinois State University’s Board of Trustees on Friday, two major infrastructure projects were given the green light to move forward, with funding approved to reboot plans for additional campus housing, and to build a new solar array providing renewable energy for the university.

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On today's episode, ISU looks to address its own housing shortage, Bloomington explores a trolley and other ways to help alleviate short-term parking concerns downtown and ISU legend Doug Collins humbly accepts another on-campus naming for he and his wife.

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Illinois State University basketball legend Doug Collins will now be forever linked to a part of campus that helped transform him into an All-American and – ultimately — a Basketball Hall of Famer.

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McLean County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston, a Democrat from Normal, joins WGLT's Charlie Schlenker for an in-studio interview.

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