Effective at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Oakland Avenue will be closed from Woodland Avenue to Kreitzer Avenue and Florence Avenue from Taylor Street to Maizefield Avenue will be closed to thru traffic for sewer repairs.… MORE
Bloomington fire chief: Annual stats show continued need for northeast station
Bloomington’s fire chief said Monday the fire statistics for the past year continue to underline the need for a new fire station in the northeast part of the city. … MORE
Police arrest pair on drug, weapon charges
The Bloomington Police Department has arrested a pair of Bloomington men after an investigation into drug sales.… MORE
Bloomington police chief adds context to pic of 10-year-old in handcuffs
Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner is adding some context to a photo posted online of a 10-year-old boy in handcuffs.… MORE
Local S.O.A.R program manager coaching snowshoeing at Special Olympics World Games
A Bloomington-Normal S.O.A.R. program manager is heading to Austria this week for the Special Olympics World Games as the head coach of USA Snowshoeing.… MORE
Gordmans files for Chapter 11
Gordmans has filed for bankruptcy.… MORE
Bloomington city manager withdraws name from possible City Administrator job in Wisconsin
Bloomington’s city manager has taken his name out of consideration for the City Administrator job in Racine, Wisconsin, which is a suburb of Milwaukee.… MORE
State transportation chief says self-driving cars need study
Self-driving cars may be on the horizon, but the head of the state transportation department says there’s plenty to look at before giving them the green light.… MORE
ISU band traveling to Ireland for original St. Patrick’s Day parade
A group of Illinois State University students has chosen to spend spring break not on a beach, but in an event known worldwide.… MORE
WJBC Forum: Words matter
By Laurie Bergner I recently spent some time with folks of a different political persuasion than mine, something most of us rarely do these days. One thing I was struck by was their assertion that “it doesn’t matter what Trump says, only what he does.” I couldn’t disagree more! Words matter. They matter a lot.…… 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…