Joann Fabrics, a longtime destination for fabric, yarn and craft supplies, is closing all of its retail locations—including its Bloomington store—as part of a nationwide shutdown. While the local store, located in the Bloominton Commons near Barnes & Noble, remains open for now, Community...

“Humbling”—that’s how girls soccer head coach Mr. Matt Chapman described reaching a career milestone 24 years in the making: his 400th win. The landmark victory came in dominant fashion, a 7-0 shutout over Danville on April 24. The Ironmen controlled the match from start to finish, outshooting...

After a sluggish 2-3 start, Iron baseball has roared to life—winning 21 of its last 22 games, including a 3-0 shutout of a top-tier U-High squad (19-5) on May 7. The Ironmen now boast nine shutouts this season, and over their 22-game tear, they’ve outscored opponents by nearly eight runs per game. That...

Ten music students gathered in the choir room before school on April 24 for an interactive presentation introducing music therapy, a growing field that blends music and healthcare. Led by Madison Larson, a graduate student in Illinois State University’s music therapy program, the session featured...

America’s national parks and forests, long viewed as a national treasure, are far more than havens for bird watching, hiking, mountain climbing and sightseeing—they are critical to climate regulation and biodiversity. The U.S. national park system now spans more than 273 million acres, including 433...

Senior Bryce Hickman made history at the IHSA State Journalism Finals on April 25, becoming just the second Ironman to win a Journalism state championship. Hickman earned first place in Review Writing at the event, held at Heartland Community College, following in the footsteps of 2018 graduate Katie...

In celebration of Earth Month and in partnership with the Ecology Action Center, Community’s FFA chapter surpassed its fundraising goal this spring, collecting $615—enough to plant 123 trees across Bloomington-Normal. The drive, held March 31 through April 4 at a booth in the atrium, supports...

Marco Reynolds didn’t just win at April 22’s track and field meet in Champaign—the senior rewrote Community’s record books. At a triangular hosted by Champaign Centennial, Reynolds broke two school records in a dominant performance that etched her name in Iron history for both the discus and...

Just weeks after decommiting from Central Michigan, Kobe Walker has found a new home for next season, announcing his commitment to Valparaiso University in a social media post April 22. The move to the Missouri Valley Conference’s Beacons gives local fans the chance to watch the All-State center compete...

After graduating a senior class responsible for three straight Sectional Final appearances and a combined 89-15 record, few expected the Ironmen to replicate that success. And they didn’t. Instead, they redefined it. With a 27-7 finish and a return to the IHSA 4A Sectional Semifinals, this...

Vampires used to skulk in crumbling castles, draped in capes and centuries-old rot. Now they wear pressed suits, flash charming smiles—and drain entire cultures dry. With “Sinners,” director Ryan Coogler trades jump scares for generational trauma. His fifth feature, following “Creed” and...

What does it feel like to die? If you knew you’d be reborn, would that make the process any less terrifying? Less painful? Less traumatic? These are just some of the existential questions at the heart of Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mickey 17.” Six years after winning Best Picture for “Parasite,”...

First they came for the Center for Disease Control, and I did not speak out—because I was healthy. Then they came for the migrants and refugees, and I did not speak out—because I was a legal citizen. Then they came for paper straws, and I did not speak out—because I was not a turtle. Then...

3:30, and Community’s doors burst open—students spilling out. Backpacks slung over shoulders, hands shoved deep into pockets, they rushed toward buses idling at the curb, they wove through the parking lot chaos—horns blaring, engines revving—a steady current, all moving with one purpose: getting...

Are Movie Theaters Dying, or Are We Just Forgetting Why They Matter? In the dark ages—before mobile devices and flat-screen TVs—early man had no choice but to journey to vast structures for entertainment. These coliseums of storytelling, with their dim lobbies and the scent of butter-soaked popcorn...