Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories

Normal gets federal dollars for infrastructure projects, Sorensen announces

Normal gets federal dollars for infrastructure projects, Sorensen announces

By WMBD-TV NORMAL – U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen said there was $2.4 million for projects within the town of Normal. In the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that passed the House, the Rockford Democrat secured money to make Normal safer and healthier, his office said. The spending bill now advances to the Senate for passage and then heads to…MORE

McLean County Housing Coalition updates report on housing difficulties

McLean County Housing Coalition updates report on housing difficulties

By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – Affordable housing is a national issue, and McLean County is no different. The McLean County Housing Coalition updated its report on housing and homelessness in the area for 2024, and the picture that was painted wasn’t pretty. The county has a shortage of about 7,000 housing units, and the homelessness rate is rising. Janet Hood…MORE

Phone outage resolved at two OSF Healthcare locations

Phone outage resolved at two OSF Healthcare locations

By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – OSF Healthcare reported that it has been having issues with its phone lines for the past several days, but reported late Thursday night that the issue was repaired. According to OSF Healthcare Public Relations and Communications Coordinator Patti Penn, issues with incoming calls were affecting OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in…MORE

Illinois State Police: One arrested in Bloomington area for human trafficking

Illinois State Police: One arrested in Bloomington area for human trafficking

By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – The Illinois State Police arrested one man during an anti-human trafficking operation in the Bloomington area, the agency announced late Thursday. On March 20, the Trafficking Enforcement Bureau of the state police “conducted an operation focused on identifying individuals who compel others into the commercial sex industry through force fraud and coercion,…MORE

Bloomington Police release St. Patrick’s Day enforcement results

Bloomington Police release St. Patrick’s Day enforcement results

By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Police Department arrested several impaired drivers during it’s St. Patrick’s Day holiday enforcement campaign. BPD partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation and other law enforcement agencies across the state for the holiday. The Department announced it made three DUI arrests and issued ten seat belt citations during…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…