Illinois Minority Health Conference to be held in Normal

Posted on November 30, 2023

By WMBD-TV NORMAL – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Wednesday that the 2023 Illinois Minority Health Conference will be held in Normal at the Illinois State University Bone Student Center on Dec. 4 and 5. There will be several speakers including keynote speaker Rober Santos, Director of the…… MORE

Clinton man identified in deadly house fire

Posted on November 29, 2023

By Jake Fogal CLINTON – Officials with the Sangamon County Coroner’s Office have identified a man involved in a structure fire last week in Clinton. Clinton Firefighters arrived at the scene of Brush College Road to a house engulfed in flames on Nov. 20 . First responders discovered a victim inside the residence, identified as…… MORE

Illinois building shelter sites for asylum seekers

Posted on November 29, 2023

By WMBD-TV CHICAGO – Two new shelter sites will begin construction this week to accommodate future asylum-seekers in Illinois. A news release from Gov. Pritzker’s office states that the shelters will be a base camp in Brighton Park and a brick-and-mortar site in Little Village. Up to 2,200 asylum seekers can be accommodated at the…… 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…