By Jake Fogal Continuing its holiday tradition, America’s Gold Star Families and Sgt. Anthony Maddox Memorial have partnered up to sponsor this year’s Fallen Heroes Tree of Honor event. This seasonal tradition offers a celebration of life to military service men and women who defended our country and sacrificed their lives. In their honor, three…… MORE
By Heart of Illinois ABC NORMAL-Rivian Automotive, making electric vehicles in Normal, has picked Georgia as the site of its second factory, according to a published report. Bloomberg reported Friday that Rivian is planning to announce it has chosen Georgia to build EVs and batteries, citing people familiar with the site selection process who don’t want to…… MORE
By Heart of Illinois ABC BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington man serving a life sentence after being convicted of killing his daughter is hoping to find justice for his daughter and be exonerated- but it looks like that process could be delayed. Bart McNeil, 62, was convicted of killing his three-year-old daughter Christina McNeil in July…… MORE
By Heart of Illinois ABC BLOOMINGTON-Bloomington aldermen are expected to decide Monday night whether to become part of the nationwide settlement compensating taxpayers for costs related to the opioid epidemic. Local governments have until January 2 to decide if they are “opting-in” on a nationwide settlement of a lawsuit with opioid distributors and manufacturers in…… MORE
By Jake Fogal Illinois State’s governing board has planned a session for Saturday at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the athletic department’s $11.5 million concept for and indoor practice facility for ISU atheltics. A report to ISU’s board of trustees claims Redbird Athletics has raised almost $7 million for the project, $1 million short of the…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON- One-hundred and sixteen McLean County residents have been marked withCOVID-19. Thirty-one of which have been admitted into local hospitals. McLean County hospitals are reporting 88% of ICU beds in use, nearing full capacity as cases rise throughout the area. There have been 290 COVID-19 related-deaths in McLean County. Officials report that…… MORE
District 87 has finalized a contract with the man they want to lead the Bloomington school district when long-time Superintendent Barry Reilly retires next summer.… MORE
On the heels of the vote, a central Illinois Republican is touting a victory in the National Defense Authorization Act that provides pay raises to military members.… MORE
A local man has been given the highest honor in Illinois as a county official.… MORE
A teacher found a bullet in a Normal Community West High School classroom on Monday. One mother shares how she thought the worst, as this came a week after a school shooting in Michigan.… 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…