groundbreaking

Shovels hit the dirt Tuesday afternoon, putting in motion the long-awaited construction of the 61,000-square foot addition to the Bloomington Convention Center.

The READI program gives public money to regions, rather than individual communities. Those regions decide how to use the funding, and housing has been a major focus.

The facility on Bloomington’s near west-side served nearly 40,000 carry-out meals last year.