Results of a city-wide survey in Bloomington are now in a hands of stakeholders who will try to see what changes, if any, can be done.… MORE
Category Archives: Scott Laughlin
Bloomington woman promotes NASA soil mission through social media
NASA has sent a satellite into space to study soil moisture, and it sent a Bloomington woman to California to tell us about it.… MORE
Sen. Brady defends higher salaries in Rauner administration
State Sen. Bill Brady is coming to the defense of another fiscal conservative over higher salaries in the governor's office.… MORE
Durbin backs bill to open travel to Cuba
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin just got back from Cuba and he wants all Americans to be able to travel to the Caribbean nation.… MORE
VIDEO: Local domestic violence awareness group promotes Super Bowl ad
Super Bowl Sunday is known as much for the commercials as it is for the game.… MORE
Rep. Brady wants to change how legislative grants can be spent
State Rep. Dan Brady says Illinois should have more flexibility when it comes to legislative grants.… MORE
Bloomington considers fee to cover solid waste shortfall
A bulk of Bloomington's trash hauling costs comes from bulk waste and City Manager David Hales would like to recoup some of that cost.… MORE
Income tax rollback spells more financial concerns for Unit 5
Unit 5 Superintendent Mark Daniel says the already cash-strapped school district could be in deeper red ink soon.… MORE
District 87 launches Wi-Fi pilot program
District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly calls it a social justice issue – many students don't have access to the internet.… MORE
Renner: Community policing, self-driving cars covered at mayor’s conference
Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner said there's a lot of hot air in Washington, but an idea being floated at the U.S. Mayor's conference this week has him intrigued.… 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…