By Jake Fogal Carolyn Smolen of Bloomington, has been awarded a $29,998 Women in Leadership Scholarship from Greenville University. Terri Sunderland, Greenville’s Women in Leadership program director realized Smolen’s potential when she first applied. “Carolyn was a clear standout as a candidate for the full-tuition scholarship,” Sunderland said. “We see in Carolyn strength in adversity,…… MORE
Construction subcontractors building a new production line at Rivian have settled and resolved a joint investigation by Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office and the Illinois Department of Labor over unpaid overtime wages.… MORE
By WJBC Staff GIBSON CITY – State Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City) on Monday announced his re-election campaign to the 106th District. “I’m proud to work on issues important to this region, including improving roads and infrastructure, increased funding for K-12 schools, economic development, and supporting public safety,” Bennett said in a news release. In…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – The Salvation Army of McLean County is making a final push for its annual Christmas campaign. As of Monday, the organization has received $135,988.54 in the red kettles. Just over $240,000 has been raised through online and mail donations. That leaves the campaign at 73% of the $515,000 goal. The…… MORE
As cases of COVID-19 surge, the University of Illinois announced their three campuses would start the spring semester with remoting learning.… MORE
State Farm Insurance offered so-called “hush money” to settle discrimination claims from African-American and other minority employees, according to prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who’s suing the Bloomington-based company on behalf of fired long-time worker.… MORE
The City of Bloomington is honoring a police and fire dispatcher for recently saving the lives of a child who nearly drowned and another person who was considering suicide.… MORE
The leader of school districts across central Illinois is announcing funding to address school administrators.… MORE
As cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron spread, local health officials report 303 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday… MORE
Just in time for the holidays, gas prices across Illinois have fallen in the past week.… MORE
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.” …
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…
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…