A section of Airport Road in northeast Bloomington is being named for U.S. Army Ranger Sergeant Josh Rodgers.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Uptown mural now the subject of a federal lawsuit
Artists who created a mural in Uptown Normal have filed a federal lawsuit against the town government and Trail East developer Bush Construction to protect the mural, which is set to be demolished when construction starts on the $30 million building on Beaufort Street.… MORE
YMCA-Easterseals campaign for new facility enters final phase
Campaign organizers say 85 percent of their goal has been reached to raise $16 million for a new Bloomington-Normal YMCA-Easterseals facility.… MORE
Local rape survivor departs Twin-Cities to escape painful memories
For a former Illinois State University student, Thursday evening’s Take Back the Night event in Downtown Bloomington may have been her farewell to the Twin-Cities.… MORE
Prosecutors: Child suffered abuse for months prior to her murder
McLean County prosecutors on Thursday filed additional charges against a woman from Normal, who is accused of murdering her eight year old stepdaughter by kicking her in the abdomen.… MORE
Digital evidence shown to jurors in Zimmerman murder trial
The gun that killed Pam Zimmerman was never found despite police searching murder defendant Kirk Zimmerman’s home, car and workplace. However, prosecutors believe Zimmerman may have killed his ex-wife with a gun he bought outside of Illinois.… MORE
Normal post office renamed in honor of fallen Army Ranger
The Normal post office now carries the name of a local fallen soldier.… MORE
School lunch costs go up in Unit 5, board picks its leaders
It will cost a little more next school year to buy lunch at Unit 5 schools.… MORE
District 87 seeks to add $650K to current budget, board elects new officers
District 87 school administrators recommend adding $650,000 in spending to provide flexibility in the current budget.… MORE
Murder charge filed in child’s death
The death in January of an 8-year old Prairieland Elementary School student from Normal has been labeled a homicide, and authorities blame a woman, believed to be the girl’s stepmother, for the child’s death.… 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…