CRAFT BEER BINGO With the annual Medici “Craft Beer and Jazz Festival” in Uptown Normal being canceled this summer here’s another way to keep the even alive this July to support not only our local breweries but also the Children’s Discovery Museum, the annual beneficiary of the festival. Craft Beer Bingo! You can purchase the…… MORE
The McLean County Fair had to be cancelled for 2020. However, the Hog Wild 5K race will still take place! The race will take place Sunday, August 2nd. With the safety of participants in mind and guidelines to being followed, the race will be run in heats of 40 people. Because of this the start…… MORE
Win a gorgeous floral hanging basket for Mother’s Day thanks to Casey’s Garden Shop & Florist! It’s time to remember all of the amazing mothers in our lives and show them just how much they mean to us, so Casey’s Garden Shop & Florist is giving you a chance to win an amazing hanging basket…… MORE
In what is the most significant increase since the coronavirus pandemic began, the McLean County Health Department announced 14 new cases, surging the county total to 62 confirmed cases.… MORE
The McLean County Health Department announced seven new people have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the county to 38.… MORE
With Gov. Pritzker extending the “stay-at-home” guidelines until April 30, local hotels are feeling the pinch of decreased travel.… MORE
With COVID-19 causing locals schools to switch to e-learning during mandated school closures, a group comprised of community and business leaders formed to provided free meals for children.… MORE
Due to COVID-19, Illinois State University will move away from face-to-face instruction and to online classes for the remainder of the Spring semester.… MORE
Gov. Pritzker announced Sunday the closure of restaurants and bars until March 30; however, Normal Mayor Kris Koos said he would be ditching cooking at home and order carry out as much as possible.… MORE
Bradley and Illinois State University are considering “contingency plans” that could include online-only classes, according to spokespeople from both schools. Neither school had anything to announce Tuesday night.… MORE
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…
By Mike Matejka How many federal dollars will there be for road repairs? To feed hungry families? How many Illinois representatives will there be in Congress? Are Illinois communities going to get their fair share? There’s only one way to ensure our community gets treated properly – answer the census. The every ten year U.S. census,…
By Mike Matejka Every community has its home-town pride; Bloomington-Normal is proud to claim Steak n’ Shake and MASH TV star McLean Stevenson. We’ve also had a moment of contention and conflict. Sometimes these are uplifting stories of human progress. At other times, they cause us to shake our heads and wonder why. The McLean…