By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – When you think of a farmer, you probably don’t think of a Black person. And you’d be right. State Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), a Black woman, chairs the Illinois House Agriculture Committee. “In 1920, Illinois had 892 Black farmers. As of the 2017 USDA agricultural census, there are 188 individually…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Members of the state’s largest public employee union say caring for the disabled is a tough job – and a low-paying one as well. The bulk of these direct service providers – DSP’s – work for agencies with whom the state contracts. AFSCME is pushing for a raise of four…… MORE
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – McLean County Coroner Dr. Kathy Yoder released the identity of the person who died in a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash on I-55 near milepost 158 in McLean County Friday. Yoder said 58-year-old David E. Williams of Bloomington died from multiple blunt traumatic injuries after being struck by an automobile on I-55.…… MORE
By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – State lawmakers are working on legislation to further address the teacher shortage in Illinois. The problem is serious, especially in hard to staff areas say supporters. A bill from Senator Meg Loughran-Cappel of Shorewood extends the number of days that substitute teachers filling an emergency vacancy can work in the…… MORE
A Bloomington teenager is facing charges in McLean County after investigators say he was involved in a shooting in early April.… MORE
By WMBD-TV NORMAL – It was an emotional evening at Wednesday’s Unit 5 School Board Meeting as new members took office. It was the last meeting at the table for Board President Barry Hitchins and Alan Kalitzky. Mark Adams and Alex Williams took a seat at the table for the first time. Kelly Pyle and…… MORE
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – A Danvers man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Melissa Ostrom. 41-year-old Josh Livingston was arrested Wednesday and is being held at the McLean County Jail, according to a news release from the Bloomington Police Department. No bond information is available. Ostrom was reported missing on April…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Alexi Giannoulias has marked 100 days as Illinois secretary of state. We’ve heard the words modernization and efficiency from Giannoulias, so – in an office employing thousands of people and long notorious for political patronage – that has to mean a smaller workforce, right? Wrong. “Our goal in modernization is actually to make our employees’…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council gave its approval Monday night for plans linked to Connect Transit’s downtown bus transfer hub. Council members voted in favor 7-2 for Connect Transit to set up shop at the Market Street Garage located at 202 West Market Street. The two opposing votes were Ward 1…… MORE
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – The city of Bloomington announced it would continue to have free downtown concerts this summer as part of the Saturday on the Square series. Regional acts would come to perform family-friendly concerts on the downtown square from 6 to 10 p.m. This series is presented by Pantagraph Media and The Castle Theatre in partnership with the City…… 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…