Category Archives: Local Sports

Downs native Brown seeks Olympic bid

Downs native Brown seeks Olympic bid

Posted on July 9, 2016

Downs native and Tri-Valley High School graduate Stephanie Brown runs for a spot on the United States Olympic team tonight in Eugene, Ore.… MORE

Chiefs fall in Wisconsin despite Chinea’s four hits

Chiefs fall in Wisconsin despite Chinea’s four hits

Posted on July 9, 2016

The Peoria Chiefs scored in the first and ninth innings but got nothing in between in a 4-2 loss to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Friday night. The loss drops the Chiefs to 8-8 in the second half and 48-38 overall with three games left in the series.… MORE

Local swimmers making Waves

Local swimmers making Waves

Posted on July 8, 2016

The Bloomington-Normal YMCA Waves program has been around awhile and has a storied history, but has perhaps never seen two rising stars quite like swimmers Grace Ariola, of Normal Community High School and Melissa Pish of Normal Community West High School.… 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…