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
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
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
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a consent decree with two subcontractors building a new production line for Rivian.… MORE
The Clinton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman.… MORE
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council Monday night unanimously approved a three-year contract with 107 union employees that will cost taxpayers almost $800,000 over the life of the deal. The contract covers employees in Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and other departments. They’ll receive a 3.5% raise the first year, a 3%…… MORE
By USDA SPRINGFIELD – There were 5.7 days suitable for field work during the week ending August 21, 2022. Statewide, the average temperature was 71.3 degrees, 2.5 degrees below normal. Precipitation averaged 0.89 inches, 0.11 inches above normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 7 percent very short, 20 percent short, 68 percent adequate, and 5…… MORE
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – On a 5-4 vote, the Bloomington City Council Monday night signed off on an agreement to pay an engineering firm $750,000 for a Downtown Bloomington revitalization plan. It’s called a Streetscape design as Heart of Illinois ABC reported in late July and may lead to an estimated $25 million to $30 million…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Gas prices fell just a penny across the state as the latest gas report shows average prices in Illinois stand at $4.24. According to GasBuddy, prices in Illinois are 62.9 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand $1.02 a gallon higher than a year ago. The cheapest…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Fairgoers had a chance to put on some virtual reality goggles which are supposed to imitate the effects of having a .08 percent blood alcohol level. That’s too drunk to drive. Participants then attempted tasks which are seemingly simple – if you are sober. “Fatalities are up on…… 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…