Belleville

Some major changes triggered by the pandemic have been made permanent. And the libraries are being honored for a top state award too.

The work of the late Don Nedobeck, whose whimsical art regularly delighted festival goers, will also be displayed.

Belleville is using tax increment finance money to close the deal even though Mayor Patty Gregory said the city would use a state grant to pay for the property.

The humane society’s executive director noticed the ceiling sagging in one of the main parts of the shelter, which currently has more than 700 dogs and cats.

A nonprofit group was formed to run the health club and Memorial Hospital then donated the property to the members.

Tenants are moving into the new apartment complex, called Lofts on the Square.

The second oldest orchestra in the country will not charge for its programs this season.

City Attorney Garrett Hoerner said the city is in “preliminary planning stages” of what it would do with the campus.

The city had required some full-time city employees to relocate inside city limits within 15 months of starting their job, but last month, the city council voted unanimously to relax residency requirements for nonunion and non-appointed city employees. Now they’re considering doing the same for mayor-appointed employees.

Gregory defeated incumbent Mayor Mark Eckert, who has been Belleville’s Mayor since 2004, and write-in candidate Jeffrey “J.D.” Dixon, according to complete but unofficial results.