Sara Allen

1 week ago | centralillinoisproud.com | Sara Allen |Sean Lisitza

PEKIN, Ill. (WMBD) — Pekin city leaders held a town hall on Thursday to discuss homelessness and address rumors that have been circulating on social media. After a string of recent crimes in Pekin, including break-ins, many speculated it had to do with the suspects being unhoused. But tonight, the police chief and city manager are letting the public know, work is being done every day to tackle homelessness and that not every crime being committed is being done by a homeless person.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Sara Allen

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — Community members gathered Friday night at the Bloomington Public Library for a forum discussing a new housing development to combat homelessness. Home Sweet Home Ministries is working through a deal now with Connect Transit to acquire property off of Main Street and Oakland Avenue to build the new village. “The Bridge” will have non-congregate shelters, including 48 sleeping cabins. Home Sweet Home Ministries said the new space will be able to hold 56 adults.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Sara Allen

PEKIN Ill. (WMBD) —  The city of Pekin is working on another huge business project, bringing hundreds of jobs to the area. At Monday night’s city council meeting, members approved an agreement with a New York-based company that plans to develop a technology park on the Lutticken Farms land. In order to do that, the council also had to approve a $12.5 million loan to complete the purchase of the Lutticken Farm. The city will then sell 320 acres of that land to the company WHP, LLC for $4.5 million.

2 months ago | yahoo.com | Sara Allen

EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A business held a ribbon cutting in East Peoria on Friday. Five Below opened a new location next to the Kohl’s on Main Street. The retail store is known for offering items below $5. This is not the only Five Below in the area. There is also a location next to the Barnes and Noble on Big Hollow Road. They also plan to open another location in Pekin at the East Court Village by the end of the year.

2 months ago | centralillinoisproud.com | Andy Kravetz |Sara Allen

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Just two months before it was to have a three-day music festival, Summer Camp organizers said that wasn’t going to happen this year. Already, the 25-year-old event had moved out of its only home at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe with plans to be on Peoria’s Riverfront over Memorial Day weekend for a three-day affair. But in a Facebook post Thursday, organizers said a three-day event was off this year.