Leaders from Illinois Wesleyan University and Heartland Community College signed a guaranteed admissions agreement Thursday aiming to make it easier to transfer from one institution to the other.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Storms damage several Unit 5 school buildings
Several school buildings in Unit 5, in the Twin-Cities, were damaged from Thursday’s storms, which produced wind gusts of up to 52 miles per hour at Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington.… MORE
Police investigating shots fired on the city’s east side
Bloomington police ask for the public’s help after an apartment building was struck by gunfire Wednesday evening.… MORE
UPDATE: Local family sues school district over sexual abuse allegations
A local family is suing the Blue Ridge School District, which serves part of McLean County, after they say their child with special needs was sexually abused on a school bus.… MORE
MCHD reports 29 new cases of COVID-19
McLean County health officials report 29 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, increasing the county total of confirmed cases to 14,924.… MORE
Heartland Community College returning to in-person instruction in the fall
After a year of online learning, Heartland Community College is looking to bring students back into the classroom in the fall semester.… MORE
Normal Town Council violated ‘Open Meetings Act’ twice in 2019, Attorney General says
For the second time, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office has found the Normal Town Council violated the state’s Open Meetings Act for limiting public comment at council meetings in 2019.… MORE
House Republicans introduce “Reimagine Illinois”
Illinois House Republicans have brought out some favorite concepts – ethics, balanced budgets, jobs, and public safety – and put new wrapping paper on them.… MORE
MCHD reports 24 new coronavirus cases
McLean County added 24 new cases of coronavirus Wednesday while the rolling positivity rate inched up to 2.9%.… MORE
Salvation Army food pantry could return to indoor pick-up by early May
Over the past year, the Salvation Army food pantry provided food for those in need through a drive-thru format due to COVID-19; now, the Salvation Army is looking to bring people back to in-person pick-up.… 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…