☀ SUNSHINE STRATEGIES RADIO
Weekly News Recap — Week of April 21, 2026
Macon · Piatt · DeWitt · Logan · McLean · Christian Counties
COLD OPEN / HOOK
This week, a tornado tore through Bloomington-Normal and hit a factory that Central Illinois workers built. Then, five days later, that same factory rolled its first cars off the line. That’s the story of our community, and it’s where we’re starting today.
Welcome to Sunshine Strategies Radio — your family-friendly source for news that matters here in Central Illinois and beyond. Grab your lemonade. Let’s get into it.
Back in February, I realized something in the middle of what I can only describe as my struggle-bus season.
I had been feeling like I was falling behind on everything that mattered to me — and in the middle of all of that, I realized I had forgotten to do something important.
Now — this is going to sound a little silly.
But for the past few years, I’ve made a habit of giving Governor Pritzker a small gift each spring. Just a quiet thank you — for his focus on kids and families. It started with a painting from the Crisis Nursery... then a quote last year... nothing big. Just intentional.
And while I was sitting there feeling like a complete failure, I found out something.
My friend — and business partner — Tony was going to the Governor’s office.
And you know what he brought with him?
The pitch deck for Heartland Development Systems.
The one I built.
Without even realizing it... I had been working on this year’s gift all fall and winter.
Tony met with the Governor. He shared our plan with his team.
And I’m still a little speechless about that.
Now — this isn’t just a nice story. Because HDS isn’t just another idea. It’s landing right in the middle of one of the biggest problems Illinois is facing right now.
A housing shortage. And not a small one.
Illinois is already short about 142,000 homes — and we need to build over 227,000 more by 2030 just to keep up with demand.
Meanwhile, prices have surged nearly 50% since 2019, and available listings have dropped dramatically.
And for renters? There are only 34 affordable homes available for every 100 extremely low-income households.
That’s not a gap.
That’s a system breaking down.
And it’s not just Illinois. Across the country, we’re short over 4 million homes, and the gap is still growing.
Which means this isn’t theoretical anymore.
This is why young families can’t buy homes. Why workers can’t move for jobs. Why communities feel stuck.
So when the state starts talking about “Missing Middle Housing” — this isn’t policy jargon.
It’s a recognition that we stopped building the kinds of homes that actually built the middle class.
Duplexes. Fourplexes. Small multi-family homes.
The kinds of homes our grandparents used to live in.
Because here’s the truth:
For decades, we built housing in two extremes —
Big suburban subdivisions...
Or large apartment complexes...
And we forgot everything in between.
And now? That “in between” is exactly what we need.
So the question becomes:
If Illinois needs hundreds of thousands of homes...
How do we build them fast enough? Affordable enough? And in a way people actually want to live in?
That’s the work Tony carried into the Governor’s office.
Not a theory.
A model.
A way to build 300 high-quality homes per year — from raw land to finished, energy-efficient, solar-equipped homes.
And here’s the part I love most.
It’s not actually new.
It’s old-fashioned.
Look at what worked before:
Find communities that need housing. Ask what people actually need. Build homes that last. Keep them attainable.
That’s it.
That’s the formula.
My grandparents did this.
They built wealth — and stability — through multi-family homes. Not luxury developments. Not speculation. Just... practical housing that allowed families to live close, support each other, and build something over time.
What we’re doing now is taking that same idea...
And pairing it with modern tools.
Panelization. Efficiency. Scale.
Think less “reinventing the wheel”...
And more Henry Ford meets front porch America.
Because if we get this right — We’re not just building houses. We’re rebuilding neighborhoods. We’re rebuilding opportunity. We’re rebuilding the middle.
And maybe — just maybe — That’s what this moment is about. Because while I was sitting there thinking I hadn’t done enough...
It turns out I had been working on something that matters.
Something real.
Something that landed in the right hands.
And this week, while we’re watching Springfield debate Medicaid and housing budgets, I keep thinking: the people in those rooms need to see what’s possible.
Maybe now, some of them have.
McLEAN COUNTY: TORNADOES, RESILIENCE, AND A HISTORIC ROLLOUT
And now, back to the news of the week, starting with the April 17 storms — what happened and where things stand
Friday night, April 17, three EF-1 tornadoes tore through Bloomington and Normal in quick succession — the first tornadoes to directly hit the metro area in 20 years. Wind speeds topped 110 mph. Trees came down on homes, power lines dropped across major roads, and at one point, nearly 23,000 Ameren and Corn Belt customers lost power.
McLean County leaders — including Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady, Normal Mayor Chris Koos, and County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston — declared a local state of emergency Saturday. As of this week, crews are still clearing debris. The Town of Normal reports they’ve already hauled more storm debris in less than a week than all of March combined.
No serious injuries were reported, and emergency teams from Towanda, Carlock, Danvers, and Bloomington provided mutual aid throughout the night. Neighbors helping neighbors — that’s Central Illinois.
Source: WGLT – Live Blog: McLean County Tornadoes
Source: 25News Now – Emergency Declared
[NOTE: If you or someone you know has damage to report, visit cityblm.org, normalil.gov, or mcleancountyil.gov. If you received SNAP benefits and lost food due to a power outage of four hours or more, there is a short window to apply for replacement benefits — don’t delay.]
Rivian bounces back: R2 production begins
One of the tornadoes hit the Rivian plant directly, collapsing part of the roof in Building 2 — the very building where the new R2 electric SUV is assembled. No workers were hurt. CEO RJ Scaringe sent employees a message that same night saying the company would be back up within the week.
He was right. This Wednesday, Rivian officially started R2 production. The first customer-ready R2s — Performance Launch Edition vehicles starting at $57,990 — rolled off the Normal line. Customer deliveries are still expected before the end of June. Scaringe drove the first one off the line himself.
For those of us who’ve watched this plant grow in our community, it’s worth pausing on: Rivian took a direct tornado hit and resumed production in five days. That’s a workforce we should be proud of.
Source: TechCrunch – R2 Production Begins Despite Tornado
Source: Electrek – Rivian R2 Production Launch
ISU strike enters week three
Meanwhile, the Illinois State University strike by Local 1110 — representing building, grounds, and dining workers — is now in its third week. ISU has been sued by the union for allegedly hiring replacement workers in violation of state law. Students have described real impacts on campus services. The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill this week expanding orders of protection to online spaces, but the ISU situation continues to develop — we’ll keep watching it.
Source: WGLT – ISU Strike Coverage
MACON COUNTY: DECATUR UPDATES
Boil order lifted, community center incident resolved
Good news: the city of Decatur lifted a boil order on its northeast side over the weekend following a water main break. If you were affected — you’re clear.
Earlier this week, downtown Decatur’s Transportation Center was briefly placed on lockdown Wednesday morning following an incident on East William Street. Illinois State Police investigated an officer-involved shooting after a man allegedly threatened officers with a crossbow. The suspect was transported to a local hospital. ISP is handling the ongoing investigation — anyone with information is asked to call 815-844-1500.
Source: WCIA – Downtown Decatur Incident
Source: Herald & Review – Decatur Local News
Free shred event and diaper drive — April 28
Here’s a community resource worth circling on your calendar: State Representative Regan Deering is hosting a free paper shredding event and diaper drive on Tuesday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Macon County Farm Bureau, 1150 W. Pershing Rd. in Decatur. Bring confidential documents to shred for free, and consider donating a package of diapers or wipes for local pregnancy resource centers.
Source: Decatur Tribune – Shred Event
Decatur schools leadership transition
Decatur Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Larry Gray will leave his position effective July 1 to become superintendent of Quincy Public Schools. We wish him well, and we’ll be watching how DPS fills that role.
Source: Herald & Review
DeWITT COUNTY: CLINTON AND COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
CH Moore Homestead open for the season
The CH Moore Homestead in Clinton opened its doors April 1 for the season and is now open six days a week for daily tours. With this being America’s 250th birthday year, the museum has a full calendar of patriotic programming — including Lincoln historian Guy Fraker returning this spring to speak about Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence, and a book signing in early June with the author of “Images of America: DeWitt County.”
Source: DeWitt Daily News – Local News
DeWitt County ROSC — recovery resources available
The DeWitt County Recovery Oriented System of Care coordinator wants the community to know that resources are available for anyone dealing with substance use — whether they’re actively struggling or in recovery. They’re also raising awareness about Naloxone, the life-saving overdose reversal drug. Find them on Facebook or through the Piatt County Mental Health Center and the DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department.
DeLand-Weldon School: outdoor classroom coming
The DeLand-Weldon School District is working to transform its outdoor green space into a resource for outdoor education. Superintendent details are being developed — a small district doing big things for its students.
Source: DeWitt Daily News
LOGAN COUNTY: LINCOLN AND BATTERY RECYCLING
Lincoln tackles battery recycling
Logan County is dealing with a growing challenge that many households face: what to do with dead batteries. Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch spoke this week about local options for disposal. Batteries — especially lithium ones — can’t go in regular trash, and local resources exist to handle them properly. Check with the City of Lincoln for drop-off details.
Source: DeWitt Daily News – Logan County
Mt. Pulaski schools funding vote approaching
The Mt. Pulaski Schools board is on the verge of approving funding for an ongoing elementary facilities project. Superintendent Jason Spang has been working through the details — a vote is expected soon.
ACROSS THE REGION: STATE PARKS, MEDICAID, AND WHAT’S COMING
IDNR campsite system upgrade — plan ahead
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is upgrading its campsite reservation system for state parks, launching the new platform May 1. Here’s the catch: online reservations will be temporarily unavailable from April 27 through April 30. If you’re planning a camping trip soon, get your reservation in before Monday, or wait until after the 30th. Existing reservations will transfer automatically — no action needed.
Source: Decatur Radio – IDNR Reservation System
Medicaid cuts — what it means for Central Illinois families
On the state and federal policy front: Governor Pritzker is warning that proposed federal Medicaid cuts could cause more than 330,000 Illinoisans to lose health coverage. Nine rural hospitals in Illinois are at risk of closure. These are not abstract numbers — rural areas, including many of our counties, rely on Medicaid disproportionately.
The Illinois Senate this week also passed a bill expanding orders of protection to online spaces and allowing victims to extend protection orders indefinitely — both worth noting for families across our region.
Source: Capitol News Illinois – Medicaid Warning
[HOST NOTE: Our main story this episode will go here. [You’ll add this separately.]]
PIATT COUNTY: MONTICELLO’S AUTISM ACCEPTANCE EFFORT
The Monticello Police Department and the Piatt County Mental Health Center are partnering on the Blue Envelope Program — a resource that makes it easier for people with autism to communicate with officers. The program, highlighted during Autism Acceptance Month, gives drivers with autism a blue envelope to keep in their car with helpful information. A quiet but meaningful step toward safer interactions in our community.
Source: NewsBreak – Monticello Blue Envelope Program
CLOSING
That’s your Central Illinois wrap for the week of April 21st. From tornadoes to comebacks, from campsite upgrades to Medicaid fights — there is a lot happening in our communities, and these are the stories that shape our daily lives.
Strong communities don’t appear overnight. They grow, branch by branch. Thank you for being part of this one.
If this episode was useful to you, please share it with one neighbor this week — that’s all we ask. And if you’ve got a story tip, a community event, or something happening in your county that we should know about, reach out.
I’m Jen McMillin, and this has been Sunshine Strategies Radio. We’ll see you next week.
Script prepared: April 23, 2026
