Category Archives: Local News

Child believed to have minor injuries after being hit by car in Normal

Child believed to have minor injuries after being hit by car in Normal

By 25 News NORMAL – A 9-year-old is believed to have minor injuries after being struck while crossing a street near Colene Hoose Elementary School Wednesday morning. Normal Police spokesperson Brad Park says the student was crossing the street with a crossing guard present. Park confirms speed was not an issue in the crash which…MORE

Carle BroMenn reimplements visitor volunteers to patients on the verge of death

Carle BroMenn reimplements visitor volunteers to patients on the verge of death

By HOI ABC NORMAL (Heart of Illinois ABC) – A program at Carle BroMenn Medical Center is giving patients a hand to hold in their final moments. ‘No One Dies Alone’ is a program returning after taking a pandemic hiatus during the pandemic. The idea originally came to life in 2019, hospital staff at a…MORE

Connect Transit finalizes plans for Rivian bus route

Connect Transit finalizes plans for Rivian bus route

By 25 News NORMAL – Bloomington-Normal’s public transit system will launch a new west side route serving the local Rivian plant starting October 2 following action Tuesday by the Connect Transit Board of Trustees. It will be called the Cobalt Line because Rivian is one of the first electric vehicle makers not to use cobalt in their…MORE

US secretary of agriculture paid a visit to McLean County

US secretary of agriculture paid a visit to McLean County

By Dave Dahl LEROY – A program to promote ethanol and biofuels brought U.S. agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) to McLean County Tuesday. They visited the Casey’s General Store in Le Roy to discuss another $100 million for petroleum dealers to use and promote the next-generation fuels. “As we demand…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…