While Gov. Pritzker has called for a national mask mandate, one local lawmaker says he supports wearing facial coverings.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
District 87 updates plans for fall semester
District 87 gave a brief update on its plan for the fall semester which includes an option for students to learn in-person or remotely at home.… MORE
Bloomington man remains behind bars on domestic violence charges
A Bloomington man remains behind bars after a domestic violence incident.… MORE
Bloomington man faces lengthy prison sentence for home invasion
A Twin-Cities man faces a long prison sentence after a jury on Wednesday found him guilty of a home invasion in Bloomington a year ago.… MORE
Mayor pushes back on council member’s Facebook video
Normal town council member Stan Nord is getting some push back for a video he posted on social media.… MORE
Social media hangs up weather alerts
As storms pushed through central Illinois Wednesday if you turned to Twitter for your updates from the National Weather Service you were out of luck.… MORE
Tornadoes confirmed in McLean County
The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes Wednesday afternoon in Gridley and Chenoa.… MORE
Hot and dry days making commodity markets “jittery”
While wet conditions mixed with a cold snap provided tough planting for farmers, recent hot and dry days make the market jittery.… MORE
4 new cases of coronavirus in McLean County; 9 more have recovered
The McLean County Health Department on Wednesday reported four new cases of COVID-19, bringing the county total to 337 cases.… MORE
Safety fears expressed as McLean County Board considers resumption of in-person committee meetings
Elected leaders in McLean County found it’s hard to reach an agreement about what the new normal will look like when it comes to conducting government meetings during COVID-19.… 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…