The City of Bloomington’s Parks & Recreation Department is putting a festive twist on fall fun with its Great Pumpkin Hunt. This interactive, citywide contest encourages families to get outdoors, explore local parks and compete for prizes. The event kicked off on Friday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. when the first two clues were posted on the Great Pumpkin Hunt Facebook event page. According to Recreation Program Manager for Aquatics and Youth Sports in Parks & Recreation Cody Demas, the event was designed to bring residents together while highlighting what Bloomington’s park system has to offer. “We have 42 parks in the City of Bloomington system, and we wanted to offer a festive event to create more awareness around the community of what each park has to offer,” Demas said. “The goal is community engagement and family fun.” Planning for the event began over the summer to ensure it would be featured in the department’s fall program guide. “It took us a couple of months to logistically plan the event,” Demas said. “Our SOAR [Special Opportunities Available in Recreation] team coordinated a pumpkin painting event as a group activity after I had given them assigned themes for each park. Our marketing team promoted the event on our social channels and publishes our weekly clues. I was responsible for purchasing the pumpkins, creating the clue content, organizing our prize baskets, and deploying the pumpkins to each site on a weekly basis.” Safety and accessibility were priorities throughout the planning process. “I try to be mindful that this is a family event and not intended to be an overly complex pumpkin hunt,” Demas said. “I intentionally try to keep the pumpkins near a sidewalk so that those in wheelchairs are able to participate, and we provided almost a full six days for participation so that people could fit it around their busy schedules.” Each week, participants follow new clues that hint at the location of hidden pumpkins throughout Bloomington’s park system. Demas said he and his team took a creative and educational approach when writing them. “When creating the clues, I sat down with several members of our team individually to gather some history and context surrounding each park,” Demas said. “I wanted to insert a trivial spin on the clues that people of all ages may be able to remember, appreciate or learn about each of our parks.” Participation has been strong since the hunt began. “After the first week, we’ve had about 50 participants so far,” Demas said. “Feedback has been great! We received some praise about Eagle View Park, in particular, being a baseball-themed park with a preschool-specific playground; it was a location not previously known about or utilized by a couple of our participating families.” To keep the competition lively, the department has put together prize baskets valued at over $100 each for the top three winners. “In each basket we have family passes to visit our zoo and aquatics facilities, open skate and skate rental vouchers at our ice center, a voucher for a free bucket of golf balls at the Den at Fox Creek or Prairie Vista Golf Course, City of Bloomington swag and miscellaneous Parks and Recreation merchandise,” Demas said. The event will conclude Friday, Oct. 31, when winners are announced and photos from the hunt are shared. “At this time, we are planning a grand announcement on our Facebook page, thanking everyone for participating, showcasing some event pictures, and announcing the winners of the event,” Demas said. Demas said community-oriented events like the Great Pumpkin Hunt serve as more than just seasonal entertainment; they strengthen local connections and community spirit. “Events like this are great because it does not cost anything to participate and is open to all ages,” Demas said. “Anytime we can create a positive impact on our community and give them something to look forward to, that is a way for us to make life better for all of our residents.” While this is Demas’s first year organizing the event, he hopes to continue the tradition. When asked if he plans to continue or expand the Great Pumpkin Hunt in future years, he said it was to be determined. The Great Pumpkin Hunt has a lot of support, and everyone helping to organize this event cannot wait to see it expand in the coming years, spreading fall spirit and smiles.

The Town of Normal is gearing up for one of its longest-running fall traditions, the 30th annual Haunted Trail, offering both family-friendly and fright-filled experiences. The Not-So-Scary Trail will run from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 16-18, while the Scary Trail will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25. Both events are hosted by Normal Parks & Recreation and held near 510 E. Vernon Ave. with parking available at the Parks and Recreation office or Chiddix Junior High School. A shuttle service will return visitors to their vehicles after the walk. Town of Normal Special Events Supervisor Hanna Razo emphasised just how long the event has been a staple in the community. “I’ve only been around for the past seven, so it’s been a thing for a really long time. Even before I’ve been here,” Razo said. The Not-So-Scary Trail focuses on lighthearted, festive fun for younger children and families. “It’s more of princesses and superheroes,” Razo said. “We hand out candy, play games, we have a photo booth, a meet and greet, hot chocolate [and] face painting.” For those looking for a fright, the following weekend’s Scary Trail offers a darker twist. “That one is more of zombies and clowns and different types of characters,” Razo said. “That one is definitely geared more toward ages at least 12 and older.” Admission for both events is $5 per person, with a limited number of VIP tickets available online for $12, allowing guests to skip the line. “Sometimes that line can get pretty long,” Razo said. “VIP tickets for the Not-So-Scary Trail are probably close to being sold out right now. Scary Trail tickets are still available.” Razo said the event’s focus is on community connection and affordable fun. “The community loves this event. We have a lot of people come through each year. It’s pretty well known in the community, and as far as price, it’s very family-friendly.” Planning for the Haunted Trail begins in mid-August, according to Razo. “We try to change up some scenes and stuff every single year just to keep up with the new characters and things that kids are into right now,” Razo said. “These last few weeks, we’ve been pretty deep into planning … deciding final touches on decorations and characters and how many volunteers we need.” The event requires extensive help from staff and community volunteers. “We recruit probably close to 100 volunteers,” Razo said. “Those are the people who are dressing up and handing out candy and playing games and helping with admissions. We have a couple of staff who help with setup, tear-down, and the admission table.” Volunteers come from across the Bloomington-Normal area, including Illinois State University and Heartland Community College. “We have lots of fraternities and sororities from ISU,” Razo said. “Heartland athletics, their baseball and softball teams have volunteered every single year. Illinois Wesleyan men’s volleyball team volunteers every year, too.” The trails are designed with accessibility in mind. “The Not-So-Scary Trail is all on the Constitution Trail, so all of it is accessible,” Razo said. “They can take wheelchairs, strollers or wagons. The scary version does go off the beaten path into a wooded area where strollers would be more difficult to take through.” Razo said seeing kids’ excitement is one of her favorite parts of the event. “A lot of them see it as like a trick-or-treating event, but some of these kids think the characters are the real deal,” Razo said. “It’s cool to see the kids interact with some of the characters that we have.” The Haunted Trail covers roughly a quarter mile of decorated path filled with themed scenes and live actors. “You might not be spending 45 minutes inside of a haunted house, but you do have a little over a quarter mile of trail to walk,” Razo said. “We have scary scenes and everything set up throughout that entire length.” For more information or to purchase tickets, visit here.

The spirit of Illinois State University came alive Monday night as hundreds of students, alumni and community members gathered in Uptown Circle to celebrate the start of Homecoming week with the annual tree lighting and kick-off event. Beneath a crisp autumn sky, the crowd gathered in a sea of red as the lights flickered on, officially marking the beginning of a weeklong celebration that brings together generations of Redbirds. The sound of ISU’s Big Red Marching Machine filled the air, echoing through Uptown as attendees cheered. ISU President Aondover Tarhule described the evening as “absolutely exciting.” He said seeing alumni from past decades mingle with current students is what makes the event truly special. “One of the things I really like is meeting the alumni that come from the 60s or 70s, and they tell stories of how things were back then and the changes that they see,” Tarhule said. “It’s like the passing of the torch.” Tarhule added that the energy of the evening, and of Homecoming week overall, captures what makes ISU unique. “School is important; people come here to earn their degree,” Tarhule said. “But if you just came here to study, study, study and go nowhere, I think it would be pretty boring. It’s having activities like this, the enjoyment, the memories; this is what really stays in people’s minds. It’s what makes a college town a college town.” For ISU senior acting major Taniah Jones, the night was nothing short of “magical.” “Events like these are important because it lets people have fun, it gives people something to do,” Jones said. “There’s a lot of cool, free stuff and it’s cute in Uptown, so that’s a plus.” For many students, Homecoming is about more than just football; it’s about connection. Senior mass media major Aliah Mendoza said she looks forward to the unity the week brings every year. “My favorite part of Homecoming week, really, is the school spirit,” Mendoza said. “Regardless of where you go, everyone's super excited. Everyone's just wearing ISU gear, and of course, tailgating, probably the most. I’m excited for it.” That sense of community is what keeps students like seniors America Vallejo and Diana Solano coming back year after year. “We always go to the Homecoming games,” Solano said. “No matter if we win or lose, we always go and get dinner with friends afterwards.” For the Executive Director of Alumni Engagement, Kristin Harding, the event embodied what Homecoming is meant to be. “Whether it’s for current students or alums, it’s the feeling you get coming back to the institution,” Harding said. “We hope that this instilled a sense of tradition, a sense of celebration and a sense of spirit so that when students graduate, they remember what it was like to be at Illinois State during Homecoming week.” Harding described the night in one word: “spirit.” “Illinois State is highly relational. We’re very committed to the success of our students,” Harding said. “This helps raise that spirit of tradition. People are here to celebrate the great things that Illinois State has accomplished.” As the crowd slowly dispersed into the Uptown streets, the glowing red lights of the trees lingered, a symbol of Redbird pride burning bright. The Homecoming festivities will continue throughout the week, leading up to Saturday’s parade and football game, but for many, the heart of the celebration began right here, under the lights in Uptown Circle.

With Illinois State University’s new tailgate policy in full effect, mixed reactions sparked among students and families. While some fans agreed with the intent, others claimed it cut into a long-standing Redbird tradition. Senior journalism major Ally Cooper saw both sides of the decision. “I think a lot of people like to tailgate during the game and just continue playing outdoor games, or watch TV, or hang out with family and don’t actually buy tickets to the game,” Cooper said. “I think this policy will force them to buy tickets and carry their party over to actually watch the Redbirds play, which I think is a good thing,” Cooper continued. Despite the intentions of the adjustments, she said the policy changes the social atmosphere. “I’m kind of happy and unhappy with it,” Cooper said. “The friends and family aspect of the games is fun too, but it’s also an overarching goal of supporting the Redbirds.” For some families, the shortened hours make the trip to Normal less worthwhile. Chris Mikkelsen, a parent of an ISU student, said the new policy felt restrictive for those who travel to campus for game day. “As a parent of an ISU student who drives up here for these events, it’s a little disheartening to make the drive and commitment to come up here and only be able to tailgate for two or three hours,” Mikkelsen said. “I’ve been to tailgates at other schools, and they tend to go longer into the evening.” Mikkelsen hopes the university reconsiders. “I think they should at least go to halftime,” Mikkelson said. “Give the families and alumni the opportunity to go for another couple of hours.” Other students like Cameron Collins, a sophomore advanced marketing analytics major, said they understood the safety concerns but believed there is room for compromise. “I don’t see much of a problem with the new policy,” Collins said. “I just think there’s a lot of people who’d like to stay and see the game, maybe into the first quarter.” Collins said the policy’s intent is valid. “I believe this policy helps with safety,” Collins said. “But at the same time, I think there’s definitely ways to manage it while also extending the time.” Others were more critical of the change. Senior business major Carson Houser said the policy takes away from what makes ISU game days enjoyable. “It’s shortening my tailgate experience by a lot,” Houser said. “Last year, we used to tailgate for the full game, and that was way more fun than having to stop before we go inside.” As ISU fans gathered for the game against North Dakota State University, reactions remained split. For some, the policy represents a shift toward safety and school spirit. For others, it may be the end of a Redbird tradition.

Illinois State University has launched a new Partnership for AI Research (PAIR) project to aid in medical research. Clinical nurse specialist, researcher and Carle BroMenn Medical Center endowed professor in the Mennonite College of Nursing, Marilyn Prasun and assistant professor in the School of Information Technology, Nariman Ammar, collaborated on this project, which aims to detect early signs of Atrial Fibrillation using AI and machine learning technology. Atrial Fibrillation is a cardiovascular condition in which the two upper chambers of your heart don’t contract regularly, and can lead to blood pooling, which increases your risk of stroke. Prasun said that collaboration is a big part of this project. “I think that collaboration is really the exciting part about this study because we’re taking two different disciplines and coming together to really seek to answer questions,” Prasun said. “To my knowledge, I believe this is the first time that the College of Nursing and Dr. Ammar’s area, computer science and technology, have joined together to really seek to answer questions.” Ammar also talked about collaboration and what PAIR is currently focusing on. “This is definitely the first time the School of IT collaborated with the College of Nursing at that level. We are building a research lab for using AI to solve health-related research problems, and so that can be a nice place for all faculty and students, and it will attract more talents for sure,” Ammar said. “We are focusing on cardiovascular for now, so any health condition that can fall under that umbrella will be solved with those AI methodologies, and so it is bigger than just one research study.” Prasun talked about PAIR’s mission, which is currently to use AI and machine technology to detect early signs of Atrial Fibrillation. “Our hope, as Dr. Ammar stated, was to develop this interdisciplinary team skilled at applying machine learning and AI technology to assist in identifying health issues, and for this study in particular, we’re really looking at algorithms to help facilitate the early detection of Atrial Fibrillation,” Prasun said. “The goal is can we find these individuals early and predict the potential occurrence of Atrial Fibrillation, which potentially could lead to people being treated earlier and ultimately having better outcomes.” Prasun and Ammar also talked about how PAIR came to be. “This has been a fun and exciting journey in that Dr. Ammar reached out. Although we’re colleagues working at the same university, we really didn’t know one another prior to this, but she’d seen an opportunity,” Prasun said. “I saw this as an opportunity which was unique. I actually wanted to help institutions who do not yet have this idea for a research lab that would apply AI to healthcare, so they offered us funding to establish the lab in terms capacity building, so basically training faculty and students to be able to use AI in an ethical way, so unbiased, privacy preserving and to be able to do research,” said Ammar. “It’s not just using AI in the traditional way, it’s also respecting diversity in the data and these kinds of things, which are essential for healthcare. It’s also a good opportunity for ISU in general.” Ammar then went on to discuss future plans for PAIR. “There’s a phase two, and we’re hoping we’re gonna get it. We’re applying for bigger grant opportunities within NIH (National Institutions of Health) and other places as well,” Ammar said.

The Town of Normal was awarded its Bird City Illinois designation in recognition of the town’s commitment to nature and birds. In an article posted by the Town of Normal, Mayor Chris Koos emphasized the importance of environmental sustainability to the Town of Normal. “The Town's founder, Jesse Fell, was a great believer in beautiful green spaces and planted thousands of street trees in his lifetime, some of which still stand today,” Koos said. “The Town is committed to environmental sustainability. Part of that means ensuring native habitats and environments exist in our community for pollinators and birds.” Being one of 11 towns considered a Bird City, Normal has many contributions that lead to the official designation. This includes restoration of creek banks throughout the community, having a commitment towards green transportation and many more. According to the Audubon Bird City Council, there are many different benefits to becoming a Bird City, such as a healthy environment, community pride and better knowledge about nature. Becoming a Bird City is a part of The Town of Normal’s larger goal, a move towards sustainability by 2050. For more information on the designation of Normal as a Bird City, click here. For more information on the Bird City Illinois organization, click here.