Despite some unexpected costs, State Farm ended 2017 in a better place than 2016.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Final Heartland presidential candidate announced
The fourth and final candidate for president of Heartland Community College has been announced.… MORE
Rauner, Barickman: Compromise, not politics needed in gun control bills
State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said it’s time to take politics out of the gun control debate.… MORE
Unit 5 hires Fincham to lead Normal West football despite diversity pleas
Normal West High School’s new head football coach is Nathan Fincham after Unit 5’s school board endorsed his selection despite a community activist’s objection.… MORE
Unit 5 Board President Hayek resigns to accept State Farm job in Phoenix
The president of the Unit 5 School Board will step down this spring because he’s leaving to take a job at State Farm’s hub in Phoenix.… MORE
Reilly: ‘Handful’ affected by reduction in force
District 87’s school board approved a letter of understanding providing staff members affected by a reduction in force a free day to find a new job… MORE
Local man charged in fatal Ohio crash
A Bloomington man is charged in the Dayton, Ohio area with vehicular homicide and other charges in a crash that killed a woman last fall.… MORE
Fire damages Bloomington apartment
Bloomington firefighters say a blaze at a west side apartment caused about $10,000 in damage.… MORE
Murphy named ISU provost on permanent basis
The interim provost at Illinois State University has had the position’s temporary label lifted.… MORE
Renner: No city support for funding multi-sports complex
While Normal studies the feasibility of a multi-sports complex, it doesn’t appear the town will get much help from its neighbors to the south.… 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…