By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council shot down a proposal Monday night to hire a Washington lobbying firm that city staffers believe would have brought home more federal dollars from the new Congress. The council voted 5-4 against paying Thorn Run Partners $270,000 over three years. The debate that led to the vote included…… MORE
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington man is being held on $200,000 bond for sexual attack against a woman in July of 2021. Jayden Mitchell, 23, is charged with two counts of attempted criminal sexual assault and a less serious charge of criminal sexual abuse for an attack that happened July 17, 2021 in…… MORE
By Neil Doyle MCLEAN COUNTY – Coroner Kathy Yoder has identified the victim of a fatal crash Friday in rural McLean County. Conner McHale, 29, of Normal was pronounced dead after a two car crash on Route 24 at McLean County 2480 East, between Gridley and Chenoa. Preliminary autopsy results indicate McHale died from multiple…… MORE
By 25 News EL PASO – An El Paso man escaped a collapsing building he lived in on Wednesday night. The owner claims he heard bricks falling a little after 9 p.m. and called 911. The homeowner escaped safely and spent the night in a hotel, courtesy of the El Paso Fire Department. The building…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Police Department can now hand out free vouchers rather than issue tickets. A new initiative called Lights On! is available to help Bloomington residents who have broken or malfunctioning turn signals or tail lights. The event is provided without charge to the public thanks to Lights On! and…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Fire Department was called Wednesday night for a house fire on the city’s west side. Crews responded around 8:50 p.m. to 709 West Market Street. When firefighters arrived, they located the blaze in the back half of the home. Crews had the fire under control around 9:30 p.m.…… MORE
By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is announcing his transition team’s recommendations for improving the office. Ideas came from group members and the general public and cover a wide range of areas says Giannoulias. “When it comes to improving driver services, I want to make our driver service facilities among…… MORE
By 25 News NORMAL – An annexation agreement paving the way for Normal’s largest residential development in years won unanimous approval by the town council Monday night. Carden Springs at the northwest corner of Beech Street and Towanda Avenue just northeast of Normal will help address the community’s housing shortage with 477 apartments and townhomes…… MORE
Police in LeRoy are calling a Bloomington woman a hero after helping save the life of a toddler last November.… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – According to GasBuddy, prices at the pump in Illinois are up about 10 cents over the week. Statewide, the average price of gas is sitting at $3.48 a gallon as of Sunday. That’s up about 17 cents from a month ago and slightly higher than a year ago. According to…… 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…