By Blake Haas NORMAL – A police officer on Normal’s police force is receiving high praise from the department’s top cop. In December, Officer Sage responded to the 400 block of W. College for a man armed with a knife. Officer Sage helped convince the man to put down the knife. According to Normal Police…… MORE
Woodford County Sheriff’s Office is new animal control
BY WMBD-TV WOODFORD COUNTY – The Woodford County Board is shifting animal control duties to the sheriff’s office. At Tuesday’s meeting the board approved nearly $800,000 for the department to hire more staff and purchase equipment to help fulfill its new duties. Previously, the county would privately contract someone to handle animal control. The new…… MORE
Miller Park Zoo Stampede registration now open
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – Mark your calendars! The annual Miller Park Stampede will be on March 2 and registration is now open. The stampede is held by the Miller Park Zoological Society to raise money for the zoo, specifically for the project restoring the Miller Park Zoo carousel. There will be a 9:30 a.m. kids run and…… MORE
State Police seized more than $4M in 2023
By Blake Haas SPRINGFIELD – Leaders from Illinois State Police are out with their 2023 criminal activity report. In the past year, ISP seized more than 10,000 pounds of illegal drugs and $4.5 million in cash related to criminal activity. Additionally, state troopers recorded a 32% decrease in expressway shootings, a 3% increase in patrol…… MORE
Bloomington Police probing Sunday morning shooting
By Blake Haas BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington Police need the public’s help solving an early Sunday morning shooting. According to a news release, officers responded to the 7-hundred block of West Olive Street for reports of shots fired. During an investigation, authorities found property damage to a home from the shooting. There were no reports of…… MORE
McLean County man behind bars after beating man unconscious
By Blake Haas BLOOMINGTON – A McLean County man remains behind bars after prosecutors say he beat a man unconscious. Late last week, Bloomington police responded to St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington for a patient who left before completing treatment. After a short investigation, police found the man in the 800 block of E.…… MORE
Convicted felon faces weapon charges in Bloomington
By Blake Haas BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington Police found a handgun on a Bloomington man after responding to a domestic battery incident. According to an arrest report, police responded to an apartment in the 1-thousand block of Arlene Court late Friday night. Once on the scene, police found a woman with a bloody lip and swelling…… MORE
McLean County woman accused of beating a man with a metal pipe
By Blake Haas MCLEAN COUNTY – A McLean County woman stands accused of kidnapping a man and beating him with a metal pipe. According to an arrest report, a man called police to report a noise complaint late last week. When the man opened his front door, he found Katie Franco, 40, allegedly threatening him…… MORE
Pontiac man found guilty of home invasion and sexual abuse
A Pontiac man awaits a sentencing hearing after being found guilty of home invasion and sexual abuse that happened in 2021.… MORE
Illinois ranks among states with most doomsday preppers
By WMBD-TV ILLINOIS – Illinois is among the states with the highest number of doomsday preppers, according to a new study. Doomsday prepping can range from stockpiling food and water to constructing a bomb shelter. With 16% of Illinois residents prepping for doomsday in 2023, Illinois ranks 9th in the country for doomsday prepping. This pales…… 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…