Howard Packowitz

3 days ago | 25newsnow.com | Jenise Rebholz |Howard Packowitz

PEORIA HEIGHTS (25News Now) - The Village of Peoria Heights has hired a former Peoria fire chief to temporarily lead its department. Tony Ardis tells 25News he’s willing to serve only on an interim basis to replace Dan Decker. The village board decided not to renew Decker’s contract during a rare Saturday session on May 24. Decker had been the Peoria Heights chief for less than two years. Ardis spent more than two decades with the Peoria Fire Department. He retired in 2021.

1 week ago | 25newsnow.com | Howard Packowitz |Liz Lape

BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) - A man from Normal, convicted in February on multiple counts of sexually assaulting a child, has been sentenced to 315 years in prison. McLean County Judge Jason Chambers handed down the sentence Thursday against Brian D. Allen, 32, who used to live in Normal. After a bench trial, Chambers found Allen guilty on seven counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a minor who was younger than 13. The assaults happened in Bloomington between Dec.

1 week ago | 25newsnow.com | Jason Howell |Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) - A Bloomington grocery cooperative will not have the benefit of a sales tax rebate after a question was raised about if the Bloomington City Council was voting on an ordinance or a regular resolution. The city council voted 4-3 to approve extending a sales tax rebate to Green Top Grocery, but it was clarified that the council was voting on an ordinance, which required five votes and not a simple majority.

1 week ago | 25newsnow.com | Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) - A Bloomington grocery cooperative will continue receiving a helping hand from the city government to help it stay in business. The city council voted 4-3 Tuesday night to extend terms of an incentive agreement for another 10 years, meaning the city will continue rebating 30% of sales and local taxes collected from Green Top Grocery in the 900 block of East Washington Street.

1 week ago | 25newsnow.com | Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON (25News Now) - A Bloomington woman facing more than a dozen child pornography charges has been sentenced to 75-years in prison. McLean County Judge William Yoder handed down the lengthy sentence Tuesday against Rachael Mitchell, 34, who was arrested in September of 2023 for allegedly uploading and sharing videos showing sexual abuse of minors. The state’s attorney’s office recommended a maximum 90 years for Mitchell.