Data centers raise concern, Phoenix Center funding loss, emo rock from The Spill Canvas: Central Illinois Dailies for 4-5-26

BLOOMINGTON — Unclear communication from the city combined with a data center burst throughout Illinois has convinced a  Bloomington City Council member to call for data center regulations (WGLT). Council Member Abby Scott says the guidelines for data centers are needed after a March outcry from residents who were concerned a meeting agenda item pulled last-minute was about a possible data center near the Bloomington regional airport. The project in question was actually an industrial park — but after Pekin used that phrase to describe a data center that was eventually rejected, Bloomington residents were on edge.  Scott told WGLT that while the project removed from the March 23 meeting agenda was not a data center, the city has been approached by a data center builder, making it important for Bloomington to discuss topics like limiting water usage and controlling sound and light pollution. McLean County has already taken steps to regulate data centers. State law prohibits any cities or counties from banning data centers altogether, WGLT writes.

SPRINGFIELD — More than $1.4 million in grant funding over two years has been withheld from the LGBTQ+ nonprofit Phoenix Center because of a fraud investigation over HIV testing grant funds that first began in January 2024, the State Journal-Register reports. The funds came from a federal program to help people with HIV find housing (Housing for People With AIDS), and a California-based fund created by the Pritzker family to focus on health care concerns (the John Pritzker Family Fund). The investigation is being conducted by the Illinois Department of Public Health and involves the center’s previous director, who left in November 2024. While the center’s current director said she could not comment until the investigation was complete, a former operations director told the SJ-R that “HIV tests were submitted multiple times to more than double funding across more than five grant types.” The Phoenix Center still does receive grants for harm reduction, writes the SJ-R; holds numerous events year-round; and also coordinates and generates revenue from the area’s annual Springfield PrideFest, happening May 16 and one of the largest LGBTQ+ Pride events in the state.