By Neil Doyle NORMAL – Around 15,000 fans are expected to travel to the Twin-Cities this weekend for the Illinois High School Association girls basketball state finals. This is the first year all classes are competing on the same weekend as the games will take place at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. According to the…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Boys high school basketball sectional semifinals started Tuesday night. Class 4A: Normal Community beat Moline 61-44. The Ironmen will face Quincy in the sectional finals Friday night in Collinsville. Class 2A: Central Catholic got a win 58-46 over Auburn. The Saints will face the winner of Maroa Forsyth and Quincy…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – It was the super sectional round Monday night in girl’s high school basketball with teams advancing to the state semifinals. Class 2A: U-High lost to Quincy Notre Dame 30-28. Fieldcrest beat Chicago Noble 43-30 and the Knights advance to the state semis and face Winnebago Thursday morning at Redbird Arena.…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Boys high school basketball regional semifinals started Wednesday night. Class 4A: Normal Community 60 Pekin 25 Class 3A: Morton 51 Bloomington 45; Champaign Centennial 50 Normal West 48 Class 2A: Central Catholic 65 Olympia 55; U-High 51 Riverton 44; Warrensburgh-Lathem 49 Tri-Valley 38; Prairie Central 53 Iroquois West 48; Seneca…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Girls high school basketball scores and boys regional play Wednesday night. Girls IHSA Sectionals Normal Community 66 Joliet West 35 Ridgeview 48 Mt. Pulaski 43 Fieldcrest 56 PBL 33 St. Joseph-Ogden 58 Prairie Central 48 Boys IHSA Regional games Wednesday, Feb. 23 Normal Community vs. Pekin Normal West. Champaign Centennial…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – The IHSA girls wrestling and boys dual team wrestling state finals will take place this weekend in the Twin-Cities. According to the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the two-day event is expected to draw about 4,000 people to the area, with an estimated direct economic impact of $308,000. This…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-Following an announcement that Illinois State men’s basketball head coach Dan Muller would not return for the 2023 season, Muller has decided to step down from his head coaching position immediately. “After an emotional day yesterday, and more time to talk to my players about this difficult situation, I have decided to…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-Following 10 seasons that saw highs and lows, Illinois State Athletic Director Kyle Brennan has notified Redbird men’s basketball head coach Dan Muller that he will not return for the 2023 season. “Announcing a head coaching change during a season is a difficult decision I don’t take lightly, especially with a coach…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-After 41 years in the broadcasting booth, Twin Cities resident Dick Luedke has called his final shot. Illinois State’s verbal documenter of men’s basketball and football joined the Scott Miller Show Friday morning to make his official announcement. “I am going to retire after a long time as the radio play-by-play broadcaster…… MORE
By Neil Doyle NORMAL – The Illinois State University men’s basketball team has had another game postponed as the team will not play this Sunday against Evansville most likely due to COVID-19. According to a news release, ISU determined the team is “unable to compete” and the game has been postponed. The conference will attempt…… MORE
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.” …
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…
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…
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…