The University of Illinois Extension is offering to cover 4-H enrollment fees for youth in Central Illinois to get kids involved in activities during the summer months.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Gleason: Expect a new police chief by September
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason says the search for a new police chief has taken longer due to the pandemic. Greg Scott has been interim chief since last September, but he announced last week that he is retiring after 25 years with BPD. City Manager Gleason says he wanted the search…… MORE
Bailey campaigns in Normal
By Neil Doyle NORMAL – A downstate lawmaker who is making a run for governor made a stop in the Twin-Cities Monday night. State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) made the first stop of his summer bus tour at Rader Family Farms in Normal. Around 200 people attended the event. Bailey will face several challengers in…… MORE
Warm and dry week is in the books for Illinois farmers
From USDA SPRINGFIELD – There were 5.7 days suitable for field work during the week ending July 25, 2021. Statewide, the average temperature was 76.5 degrees. Precipitation averaged 0.05 inches, 0.97 inches below normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture…… MORE
Opening statements set for Tuesday for third suspect in 2019 Bloomington murder
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – Lawyers finished pretrial motions and picked a jury on Monday, setting the stage for a murder trial to begin in McLean County Court. Opening statements are set to start at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the trial of Amari McNabb, 22, who’s claiming self-defense for the April 2019 shooting death of…… MORE
U.S. Small Business Administration approves disaster declaration to provide funding to McLean County after historic flooding
More than a month after historic flooding in the Twin Cities, the U.S. Small Business Administration approved a disaster declaration.… MORE
Illinois gas prices inch down
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Illinois gas prices inched down about four cents over the past week, averaging $3.30 a gallon. GasBuddy price reports show the cheapest station in Illinois is priced at $2.95, while the most expensive is $3.99. Prices in the state are 7.2 cents higher than last month, and $1.01 more expensive compared…… MORE
Teens play ‘dangerous game’ with BB guns and social media, local police say
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – Police in Bloomington-Normal want to put a stop to what they say is a “dangerous game” local teens are playing using BB guns and social media. Police said in the past few weeks, there have been 13 cases of teens shooting BB or Airsoft guns at people and cars. Officer…… MORE
Man charged with severely beating child, woman in the Twin Cities
By HOI ABC MCLEAN COUNTY – A local man is jailed in McLean County after a grand jury indicted him on charges he beat a child. Court documents say Lance Cotton, 29, beat the child repeatedly starting in December 2019, causing brain injuries and bone fractures. The child was younger than 13, according to court…… MORE
Rivian announces $2.5B in latest funding round
Rivian has closed on another multi-billion dollar round of private funding.… 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…