By 25 News EL PASO – An El Paso man escaped a collapsing building he lived in on Wednesday night. The owner claims he heard bricks falling a little after 9 p.m. and called 911. The homeowner escaped safely and spent the night in a hotel, courtesy of the El Paso Fire Department. The building…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Police Department can now hand out free vouchers rather than issue tickets. A new initiative called Lights On! is available to help Bloomington residents who have broken or malfunctioning turn signals or tail lights. The event is provided without charge to the public thanks to Lights On! and…… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Fire Department was called Wednesday night for a house fire on the city’s west side. Crews responded around 8:50 p.m. to 709 West Market Street. When firefighters arrived, they located the blaze in the back half of the home. Crews had the fire under control around 9:30 p.m.…… MORE
By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is announcing his transition team’s recommendations for improving the office. Ideas came from group members and the general public and cover a wide range of areas says Giannoulias. “When it comes to improving driver services, I want to make our driver service facilities among…… MORE
By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Human Services says enhanced benefits in the “SNAP” program are ending next month. Under new federal policy, the extra funds going to SNAP, or food stamp recipients, will stop February 28. So, starting March 1, customers will receive a smaller amount says IDHS Secretary Grace Hou.…… MORE
By 25 News NORMAL – An annexation agreement paving the way for Normal’s largest residential development in years won unanimous approval by the town council Monday night. Carden Springs at the northwest corner of Beech Street and Towanda Avenue just northeast of Normal will help address the community’s housing shortage with 477 apartments and townhomes…… MORE
Police in LeRoy are calling a Bloomington woman a hero after helping save the life of a toddler last November.… MORE
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – According to GasBuddy, prices at the pump in Illinois are up about 10 cents over the week. Statewide, the average price of gas is sitting at $3.48 a gallon as of Sunday. That’s up about 17 cents from a month ago and slightly higher than a year ago. According to…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – 2022 was a very good year for Illinois crops, so says the USDA. From its National Agricultural Statistics Service, Mark Schleusener says Illinois is Number One for soybeans, 63 bushels per acre. “NASS estimates the 2022 corn yield to be 214 bushels per acre. That is down one bushel from…… MORE
By 25 News NORMAL – It’s up to the local government whether Normal will soon get its second dispensary selling cannabis for recreational use. Normal’s Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing next Thursday, Jan. 19 to consider a special use permit for a dispensary where the Mandarin Garden Restaurant now stands on…… 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…