Dominant Hornets: Heyworth Rolls Over Clinton 58-6 Lucas Bartels (2) finds more yards behind his blocker.   (Photo by Alan Look) Friday night under the lights in Heyworth was a relentless statement performance from start to finish. The Heyworth Hornets put on an absolute clinic on their home field, delivering a 58-6 powerhouse victory over the visiting Clinton Maroons. Braydon Laesch gets past Cole Thomas.   (Photo by Alan Look) From the opening whistle, Heyworth controlled every phase of the game. The offense moved the ball almost at will, stacking up unanswered touchdowns and pulling away early, which brought the IHSA running clock into play for the second half. On the defensive side, the Hornets were overwhelming, forcing turnovers and shutting down Clinton’s drive momentum snap after snap. To their credit, Clinton kept fighting to put points on the board late, but the night belonged entirely to Heyworth, whose depth, execution, and explosive energy set a high bar for the r...

Tough Night for Raiders: NCHS Dominates BHS in Crosstown Rivalry  Photos by Alan Look Photography The scoreboard at the end of Friday night’s Bloomington-Normal crosstown rivalry told a stark, uncompromising story: Normal Community High School 47, Bloomington High School 4. By the end of the third quarter, the IHSA running clock was already in motion, turning the rest of the game into a swift formality. For BHS, finding traction against a juggernaut NCHS roster proved near-impossible. In a twist as rare as the final score itself, Bloomington’s four points came entirely courtesy of two safeties—a testament to relentless defensive pressure when pinned near the endzone, even as offensive rhythmic momentum remained out of reach. Yet, amid the brutal reality of the scoreline, the true heart of football showed up on the Purple Raiders' sideline. Veteran legendary head coach Norm Eash was present in a supporting role, offering his vast wealth of knowledge, guiding eyes, and assistance to ...

  Burning Alcohol and Big Dreams: The Heartbeat of Drag Racing at Midstate Dragway                                                                      Alan Look Photography - www.alanlook.com Before the mega-sponsors, the stadium seating, and the thunderous roar of nitro-burning Top Fuel monsters echoing on national television, every legend in drag racing starts in the exact same place. They start at small, local tracks tucked away off county highways. Places like Midstate Dragway near Havana, Illinois, where the pavement tells a thousand stories and the love of speed is passed down like a family heir. On a hot, humid afternoon, these grassroots strips come alive with a sensory overload that stirs instant nostalgia. It’s the sweet, sharp sting of burning alcohol fuel hanging thick in the heavy summer air, the...

 Sounds of the Streets: Capturing the Energy at Make Music Normal 2026 Photos by  Alan Look Photography Uptown Normal was absolutely electric as the 12th annual  Make Music Normal  festival transformed the heart of the town into a massive, multi-stage walking concert.   Produced by Normal LIVE and presented by CEFCU, this massive celebration of grassroots music brought over 50 local and regional acts right to the streets across six dedicated stages.   From acoustic roots to driving rock-and-roll, the sheer variety of local talent on display proved exactly why the Bloomington-Normal music scene continues to punch well above its weight. Walking through the festival grounds, it was impossible not to feel the community spirit.  Beyond the scheduled sets, the interactive open mic and jam stages allowed everyday music lovers and unexpected weekend warriors to jump up, grab a microphone, and showcase their skills.  Whether capturing the massive crowds pa...

Images by Alan Look Photography  There is an old saying that music heals the parts of the soul that medicine cannot reach. Yesterday, at the 2026 Freedom Sings USA Veterans’ Songwriting Retreat in Heyworth, Illinois, that truth was on full display as local Marine Corps veteran Sean Tibbs of El Paso paired up with hit Nashville songwriter Bobby Tomberlin to turn a heavy military journey into a powerful piece of musical art. Tibbs, known locally as a dedicated Teledata electrician with IBEW Local 197, originally stepped away from his civilian life and apprenticeship around 2009 to answer the call of duty. Deploying to Afghanistan for a grueling nine-month tour, Tibbs served with honor, returning home in 2010 to present his union with a U.S. flag flown during a combat mission over enemy territory. While Tibbs successfully transitioned back into civilian life—graduating his apprenticeship in 2016 and continuing his trade—the invisible weight of deployment never truly disappears. That i...

 Route 66 Thunder: The 2026 Hot Rod Power Tour Awakens McLean County Images by Alan Look Photography There is a specific kind of magic that happens when thousands of American horses wake up at sunrise, and this morning, McLean County had a front-row seat to the symphony. As part of the historic Route 66 Centennial celebrations, the  2026 Hot Rod Power Tour  turned the local pavement into the world’s largest rolling automotive festival.  For gearheads and Mother Road purists alike, this morning's leg was nothing short of a religious experience.  An estimated  5,000 to 6,000 classic cars, custom hot rods, and high-octane muscle machines  filled the horizon, converting a routine Wednesday commute into a living, breathing timeline of American horsepower. The caravan rolled into the county via Route 136, making its unmistakable presence known through Heyworth and into the Village of McLean. Lawns were lined with folding chairs, and local folks stood shoulde...