Category Archives: Opinion

By Laurie BergnerYesterday was Mother's Day. It's always a special day for me, even when my two grown children aren't in town, which they usually aren't, since they live on the east coast. But this ye...

By Pamela SweetwoodAbout a month ago, I attended ISU's Social Work Day. The theme was "A Call to Action: Disrupting the (in)Justice of the School to Prison Pipeline". Each speaker, was very knowledgea...

(Photo by Simon Cocks/flickr)By Mike MatejkaLast week the McLean County Regional Planning Commission sponsored a program with Bruce Katz from the Brooking Institution. He outlined what he called "Inno...

By Ron UlmerThis is my 38th year as a landlord in Normal. People frequently ask me if I am a student landlord or not. I always answer that I am an equal opportunity landlord using the same criteria, l...

(Photo by Jim/ flickr)By Scott McCoyRecently, Bloomington’s elected leaders decided to increase the liquor license fees on their local businesses.And now, Mayor Renner wants to create a new vide...

(Photo courtesy IRN)By David StanczakMadigan's minions are at it again. They are pushing two income tax proposals. The first is a resolution to put a proposition on the November ballot to amend the Il...

By Dan IrvinMy son and I went out to breakfast on Sunday. I almost never go out to breakfast any more, and you know in advance that on a Sunday it's going to be busy and you're going to have to wait f...

By Camille TaylorA humanist is a person who has a strong interest in the welfare of others.The Bloomington-Normal Humanists believe in taking responsibility for themselves and working for the well- be...

By Mike MatejkaOn the day this Forum is aired, I'll be returning from Washington, D.C. Every trip anywhere is educational and I'm not a frequent visitor to our nation's capitol, but do make the trip o...

By Arlene HoseaOn April 13, at 8:47 pm, I learned that Norene Ball had passed away, my emotions began to rise and I tried to still my heart. My head knew that Bloomington/Normal had just lost another ...