A day after a shooting left six dead and 30 injured in Highland Park at a 4th of July parade, residents are looking for answers.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Normal Police reveal policy for use of license plate reading cameras
By HOI ABC NORMAL (Heart of Illinois ABC) – The Normal Police Department is trying to answer privacy concerns about Automated License Plate Readers before the town council votes later this month whether to buy the crime-fighting cameras. Police on Friday shared the guidelines they developed “in an effort to continue full transparency with the…… MORE
Illinois gas prices continue plunge through July 4 weekend
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Gas prices continue to drop across the state as the latest gas report shows prices at the pump are down 14 cents over the past week. “As expected, and for the third straight week, average gasoline prices have fallen to their lowest level in over a month. The price of…… MORE
Vehicles, apartment damaged after early morning fire Monday in Bloomington
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – An early morning fire Monday left three vehicles and an apartment building damaged in Bloomington. The Bloomington Fire Department says they were dispatched to the 2500 block of East Washington Street for a structure fire – several cars were burning next to a one-story apartment building. While on scene firefighters…… MORE
Caterpillar lab near Peoria is home to the quietest room in Illinois
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A Caterpillar lab near Peoria is home to “the quietest room in Illinois.” David Copley, a senior engineering specialist at the company’s Mossville, Ill., facility, says the idea is that the equipment is easier to use when his team applies “quiet” technology to it. “Sound is a great diagnostics tool,”…… MORE
Sewage cleaning leads to lane reductions for the Town of Normal next week
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Beginning at 6:00 a.m., on Tuesday, July 5, there will be three separate lane reductions throughout the Town of Normal for sewer cleaning and televising. The following areas where traffic could be impeded are: Northbound and southbound lanes on North Main St. from Manchester to Bowles. The Northbound Lane on…… MORE
Normal Police officer recognized for helping families of fallen officers
By HOI ABC NORMAL – A police officer in Normal is being honored for his service to families of officers who have died in the line-of-duty. Normal Police Chief Steve Petrilli on Thursday presented Officer Chad Bock with the Meritorious Police Service Award. Bock is a member of the Illinois Concerns of Police Survivors Critical…… MORE
Leah Marlene announces hometown concert at The Corn Crib
By Neil Doyle NORMAL – Normal native Leah Marlene is making a return to the Twin-Cities for a hometown concert later this summer. Marlene announced she’ll be performing August 27 at The Corn Crib. Joining the show will be fellow American Idol contestant Fritz Hager. Marlene was scheduled to perform at Make Music Normal and…… MORE
Rivian hosts public hearing on its proposed wind energy project
By HOI ABC NORMAL – Rivian is meeting with the public to discuss plans to put up a wind turbine at its plant in Normal. About a dozen curious people showed up at public comment session Wednesday night at Heartland Community College, and no one who attended indicated they’re opposed to the plan. Rivian wants…… MORE
Cause unknown in early morning Bloomington fire
By HOI ABC and Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Authorities were called early Wednesday morning near Downtown Bloomington for a fire at the corner of Market and Lee Streets. A building, which was under construction, was on fire and the roof had partially collapsed. Public Information Officer Frank Friend told our news partner HOI ABC the…… MORE
Blogs
Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
Is federal mobilization the answer?
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans
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…
Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life
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…