According to a local health leader, the best way to fight the new COVID-19 variant Omicron is by getting vaccinated and receiving a booster vaccine.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Inundated with sick patients, OSF HealthCare halts asymptomatic COVID-19 testing
Signaling the sharp increase in COVID-19 case is straining healthcare providers to the limit, OSF HealthCare asked the public Monday to refrain from coming to its medical facilities for asymptomatic and close contact testing.… MORE
Flight intended for Springfield collides with another plane in Florida
A flight intended for Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield collided with another plane, causing minor damage, and canceled one flight.… MORE
Fatigued hospital staffers lament latest COVID surge, beg for unvaccinated to get their shots
The spike in COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the omicron variant are taking their toll on staffers at Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, one of two hospitals in the Twin-Cities nearly filled to the brim treating infected patients and people with other illnesses.… MORE
Prices at the pump down over the past week
Gas prices across Illinois continue to fall as the average price per gallon is down 6.3 cents over the past week.… MORE
Hairstyle discrimination law takes effect January 1st
By IIS Radio CHICAGO- Starting Jan. 1, schools will be prohibited from discriminating against natural hairstyles traditionally associated with race and ethnicity- including locs, braids, twists and afros – thanks to a law championed by State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago). “No child should ever be singled out for sporting a hairstyle that authentically expresses their heritage…… MORE
Springfield Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan joins Biden administration
By Dave Dahl Springfield Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, who ran for Congress twice and lost both times to U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville), is headed to the Biden administration. Pending confirmation, Londrigan will be state director for rural development for the USDA. It’s a position Colleen Callahan held while Barack Obama was president. Callahan was…… MORE
Organized retail theft rising in America
By Dave Dahl An Illinois business leader is becoming part of the national conversation on organized retail theft. “We have been involved at the state and local level, and now we’re also involved at the national level, of helping raise awareness through a coalition called USA-IT – United States of America against Illicit Trade,” said…… MORE
Dan Brady issues statement concerning Satanic display in Illinois State Capitol
By Jake Fogal Following the holiday display of a Satanic Temple that is currently in place at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Bloomington Republican, Dan Brady, issued a statement regarding the exhibit on Thursday. “While I fully support all Americans’ Constitutional rights to freedom of expression and religion, sometimes common sense tells us that…… MORE
Holiday shopping on rise this season
By Dave Dahl Pandemic or not, your friends and family are unlikely to go without this holiday season. “Consumers appeared to have paid attention to the admonition to start much earlier,” said Illinois Retail Merchants Association president Rob Karr. “They did. It looks like it started in early October, so it will be interesting to…… 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…