State Farm is raising auto insurance rates an average 4.2% starting next month for Illinois policyholders, signaling motorists are driving more despite the ongoing pandemic.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Children’s Discovery Museum receives a $20,000 grant for at-risk youth
To help with an afterschool partnership, the Children’s Discovery Museum has been awarded a $20,000 grant from State Farm.… MORE
State Senators tour nuclear power plant in Clinton
Senators are studying Illinois nuclear plants as energy policy could be in for a rewrite in Illinois.… MORE
Local food bank sending disaster relief to Texas
Every county in Texas is under a state of emergency as they have received heavy snow, ice, and bitterly cold temperatures.… MORE
MCHD: Vaccine shipments impacted by winter weather
Due to inclement weather, the weekly shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to McLean County has been delayed, according to the McLean County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight.… MORE
Derailment site cleanup still weeks away from completion
Cleanup is expected to take weeks following last weekend’s train derailment in Normal.… MORE
51 new coronavirus cases in McLean County
McLean County health officials Thursday reported 51 new cases of coronavirus.… MORE
“Culturally responsive teaching” has moved forward at the Illinois State Board of Education
A controversial proposal for “culturally responsive” teaching standards has made it through a legislative rule-making board. This will now be part of teacher training.… MORE
Reaction to the governor’s budget speech
Reacting to Wednesday’s budget speech, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) called it a good faith effort.… MORE
Swaney: Freight train derailment still under investigation
Emergency crews in Normal have been busy the last week. … 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…