A poll of business attorneys across the nation found that Illinois has no equal when it comes to lawsuits.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
IDOC: two-year audit finds employee misuse of ‘sick leave, vacation time and overtime’
A new two-year audit of the Illinois Department of Corrections found employee misuse of sick leave, vacation time and overtime, something that a prison watchdog said not only hurts taxpayers, but can put inmates and employees at risk.… MORE
Downtown axe-throwing venue targets city approval
A government panel had anything but an axe to grind Wednesday about plans to convert a vacant building near Downtown Bloomington into a sports and fitness business in which axe-throwing is the main attraction.… MORE
Bloomington’s Renner backs another mayor in 2020 Presidential race
Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner is weighing in on the 2020 race for the White House by supporting South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg for the Democratic Presidential nomination.… MORE
UPDATE: Robustelli won’t seek re-election to McLean County Board; IWU student announces candidacy
A Democrat on the McLean County Board is not running for re-election next year, and an Illinois Wesleyan University student wants to replace him.… MORE
Robustelli not seeking re-election to McLean County Board
A Democrat on the McLean County Board said he’s not running for re-election next year.… MORE
Downtown Pontiac fire still under investigation
Fire investigators are still trying to determine what caused a fire that destroyed two buildings in Downtown Pontiac over the weekend.… MORE
Illinois DMV offering access to driving record online; first in the nation to do so
In an effort to eliminate some of the more time-intensive requests at the DMV and reduce wait times, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is making Illinois one of the first states in America to buy a copy of driving records.… MORE
Weekly crop report shows things coming down to the wire
USDA crop statisticians are out with the weekly crop report for Illinois.… MORE
Heartland College board approves budget, adopts task force ideas to strengthen finances
Heartland Community College trustees on Tuesday unanimously adopted a $32.4 million budget for the current school year that’s running about a half-million dollars in the red.… 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…