A sea of orange was present at the Western Avenue Community Center for the Wear Orange Event on Saturday.… MORE
Prairie Pride Coalition in Bloomington-Normal celebrates LGBTQ+ month
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – June is Pride Month, highlighting and celebrating individuals involved within the LGBTQ+ community. In Bloomington-Normal, The Prairie Pride Coalition serves the community as well as McLean County. President of the organization, Dave Bentlin, says backing the LGBTQ+ community is one of the best ways to show support during pride month.…… MORE
IDPH reports first signs of West Nile virus
So far, three batches of mosquitos have tested positive for the virus, all in Cook County.… MORE
Man arrested for 2021 Bloomington homicide
A man was arrested again in Jacksonville, Il. Thursday for his part in relation to the death of Geoffrey Rowry in Bloomington in 2021.… MORE
Illinois Chamber of Commerce president has died
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – One of Illinois’ business leaders has died. Todd Maisch, 57, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, passed away Wednesday evening at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St Louis. He had been on leave from the chamber for a good part of this year because of an illness. Illinois…… MORE
Bloomington Gold car show gets underway this weekend
The Bloomington Gold car show is celebrating 50 years this weekend in the Twin-Cities.… MORE
Gov. Pritzker hits the road to celebrate new state budget
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – While preschool – the “Smart Start” program – was a focal point of Gov. JB Pritzker’s budgeting, he chose a university campus as the place to kick off a road show. He’s touring the state to celebrate passage Saturday of a $50 billion spending plan. At University of Illinois Springfield,…… MORE
Suspect wanted for man found dead outside Victory Church in February
The McLean County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help to locate a murder suspect.… MORE
Gibson City student dead after crash in Ford County
By Jake Fogal FORD COUNTY – Local emergency services in Ford County responded to a single vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon that left one person dead. The Ford County Sheriff’s Office put out a news release that a 17-year old male from Gibson City, died in a crash on 500 East Road, just south of Sibley…… MORE
3 new majors coming to Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University will be offering three new majors in the fall of 2023… 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…