Resource officers with the Bloomington-Normal schools have been selected for a national award.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Bloomington to receive $1.9 million to revitalize downtown
Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday that Bloomington will be among the grant recipients receiving help to revitalize their downtowns.… MORE
‘His dad would be ashamed of him’: Large rally in Uptown Normal to protest Rep. LaHood
The sidewalks were full, and the streets flooded with people rallying against U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood.… MORE
Bloomington residents urged to apply for lead paint program
There’s still time, Bloomington officials say, for residents to apply for money to remove lead paint from their homes.… MORE
Bloomington switches water sources
By WMBD TV BLOOMINGTON – The city of Bloomington’s Water Department temporarily switched its water source from Lake Evergreen to Lake Bloomington on Tuesday. The city announced the switch last week to help treat the algae bloom affecting Evergreen Lake and help further improve water quality, city spokeswoman Katherine Murphy said. Treatment of Lake Evergreen began…… MORE
Heartland hosting emergency exercise Friday
Heartland Community Collage announced that it will be hosting a large-scale emergency response exercise on Friday.… MORE
Judge rules Sonya Massey murder trial can proceed in Peoria County
The judge ruled Sean Grayson’s first-degree murder trial can be moved to Peoria County Tuesday afternoon.… MORE
Remembering the ‘Redbird 7’ a decade later
On Monday morning, the Illinois State Redbird community honored the lives of the ‘Redbird 7.’… MORE
Bloomington reversing some payments after utility bill errors
The City of Bloomington is encouraging residents to double-check their utility payments after an error on their Cycle 1 utility bills.… MORE
Normal Town Council approves Connect Transit’s potential expansion
The public transportation system that serves Bloomington and Normal could soon expand to rural McLean County areas.… 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…