By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – Leah Marlene sang her way to top five on American Idol. Now, Normal West is hosting a community watch party for Marlene on Sunday. There will be a pre-party on Normal West’s front lawn with food trucks, games, face painting and more. The community will then gather in the school’s…… MORE
By HOI ABC NORMAL – Rivian Automotive said it lost $1.59 billion in the first quarter of this year even as the company works to ramp up production of electric powered vehicles at its plant in Normal. “As we produce vehicles at low volumes on production lines designed for higher volumes, we have and will…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Arguably, few jobs are more stressful than farming, and the current wet conditions don’t help. “People in agriculture are independent. They don’t like asking for help. They think they can do things on their own,” said State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield). “They need support, they need help, just like the…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – District 87 School Board member Fitzgerald Samedy is free on bond following his arrest last weekend for drunken driving on Bloomington’s east side. DUI charges were upgraded to felonies because he’s a repeat offender and his driver’s license had been revoked, according to court documents. Saturday evening, Bloomington Police said…… MORE
By Neil Doyle HUDSON – The owner of Green Gables says she and her family are devastated after a fire tore down the iconic establishment Monday afternoon. Amy Tague says Green Gables has been in her family since her grandparents bought the property in 1952. “The grief is setting in for sure. It is a…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – A new restaurant is coming to the City of Bloomington. Egg Republic will be moving into the vacant property on Chancellor Drive that once occupied Café Italia Ristorante. The new egg themed restaurant will be owned and operated by Jack Pinjolli, who has 12 years of experience in restaurant business…… MORE
By USDA SPRINGFIELD – There were 1.7 days suitable for field work during the week ending May 8, 2022. Statewide, the average temperature was 53.9 degrees, 4.7 degrees below normal. Precipitation averaged 1.56 inches, 0.53 inches above normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 1 percent short, 49 percent adequate, and 50 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council is backing Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe’s pick to fill a council vacancy even though an alderman complained the selection is part of the mayor’s plan to move the council to the right. Monday night, the council voted 6-2 to approve Grant Walch to replace Jamie Mathy as…… MORE
By A.J. Harris BLOOMINGTON – Police are investigating a shots fired incident that happened Monday morning on Bloomington’s east side. At approximately 7:56 a.m., Bloomington Police Officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of Orchard Road for a shots fired call. Upon arrival, officers found physical evidence that a shooting had occurred. The circumstances behind…… MORE
By A.J. Harris HUDSON – Green Gables Bar and Grill, the popular bar and restaurant is on fire. Reports of the fire started coming in around 3:30 Monday. Initial reports indicated the fire was under control, but as more information was available it appears the blaze spread. Eye witnesses who were out at the scene…… 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…