Obituary for Rev. Thomas S. Shea… MORE
Governor candidate talks with Normal Community students
One of the men looking to challenge Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 spent Wednesday speaking to students tonight at Normal Community High School.… MORE
State retirement system board strips Hastert of pension benefits
He was convicted of violating banking laws in an alleged sex abuse hush money case and now he’s not going to get any money from his state pensions.… MORE
District 87, Unit 5 elect new school board presidents
By Howard Packowitz BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL — The leading vote-getter in this month’s District 87 school board election is now the board’s president. Board members elevated Mary Yount to the post Wednesday night to replace Jennifer Sedbrook, who did not seek re-election. Yount, who had been vice president, is a homemaker and nurse. She was first elected…… MORE
Flags to decorate graves of Bloomington firefighters
By WMBD-TV and Howard Packowitz BLOOMINGTON – Local fire departments honor their brethren of generations past by planting flags at firefighters’ grave sites. Through the years, Bloomington firefighters have depended on memory and photographs to locate graves. But thanks to GPS technology, more than 70 graves have been found in the last year at Evergreen…… MORE
McLean County to get special prosecutor in Normal mayor recount
The McLean County State’s Attorney’s office has requested a special prosecutor in the Normal mayor recount.… MORE
WJBC Forum: The woes of flight
The recent incident with United Airlines is another stark reminder that the “friendly skies” are more of an endurance trial than a pleasure these days.… MORE
WJBC Forum: An Oscar that doesn’t shine
In the wake of videos that went viral the other day after United Airlines forcibly removed a passenger from an overbooked flight from Chicago to Louisville, United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz sent an e-mail to airline employees putting United’s spin on the situation.… MORE
Illinois agriculture ready for trade certainty under new USDA secretary
Illinois’ agriculture industry is ready for some security in foreign markets with the confirmation of Sonny Perdue as the nation’s agriculture secretary.… MORE
LISTEN: A conversation with 2018 gubernatorial candidate Ameya Pawar
Ameya Pawar speaking in Bloomington in February 2017. (Adam Studzinski/WJBC) By Sam Wood Chicago Alderman and Democratic candidate for Illinois Governor Ameya Pawar spoke with WJBC’s Sam Wood on Tuesday. Listen below: Sam Wood can be reached at [email protected]… 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…