A judge from Western Illinois has become the first woman to serve as chief judge for the Central Illinois District of federal court.
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Category Archives: Local News
Man accused of killing deputy could receive death penalty
The man accused of killing a McHenry County sheriff’s deputy before leading police on a high-speed chase ending in Lincoln last week could face the death penalty or life in prison.… MORE
City forms its own economic development team
A retiring Bloomington alderman isn’t happy with the outside agencies performing economic development work for the city.… MORE
Teacher shortage continues to plague Illinois
A new statewide survey conducted by regional school superintendents finds that the teacher shortage in Illinois schools continues to grow, especially in school districts in the central and southern parts of the state.… MORE
BPD: Parked car struck by gunfire
A parked car with no one inside was hit by gunfire Monday evening on Bloomington’s near east side.… MORE
Dwight Village Board signs off on immigrant detention center
It was decision day in Dwight as the village board Monday night backed plans for a proposed immigration detention facility.… MORE
SUV crash into Vermilion River leaves two people hospitalized
A child is in critical condition and a woman has been hospitalized after an SUV drove off I-55 into the Vermilion River near Pontiac.… MORE
Mayor Renner won’t veto extended video gaming ban
Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner will not veto recent city council action extending the freeze on new video gaming machines in the city to give aldermen more time to examine video gaming’s impact on the community.… MORE
‘Day of Action’ Monday in Dwight
Opponents of an immigrant detention center in Dwight are calling Monday a “day of action.” That’s when the village board is expected to vote on annexing property near Interstate 55 and Illinois Route 17 for the $45 million facility.… MORE
Bloomington Police break down warrants against shooting suspect
By Katherine Murphy Details have been released from the Bloomington Police Department on specific warrants in McLean County against shooting suspect Floyd Brown. BPD says Brown is wanted in connection with three residential burglaries in the Twin Cities between May and December 2018. A reckless driving warrant for Brown’s involvement in a multi-vehicle crash…… 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…