By 25 News MCLEAN COUNTY – Authorities have identified the victim of a Tuesday morning crash on Interstate 55. Cory Geist, 25, has been identified as the driver who died in a two-vehicle crash on I-55 Southbound near LaGrange Road, or mile post 146 near McLean. It was just before 2:00 a.m. when Geist’s box truck…… MORE
Rivian sees profitability in 2024 despite losses in the billions
By 25 News NORMAL – Electric vehicle-maker Rivian Automotive expects it won’t be losing billions of dollars much longer. Company executives released fourth quarter and full-year results on Tuesday, also predicting Rivian will become profitable in 2024 while ramping up production at its plant in Normal. Rivian said it lost almost $6.8 billion in 2022,…… MORE
Rivian and contractor face federal race discrimination lawsuit
By 25 News NORMAL – A man who worked for a Rivian Automotive contractor at the electric vehicle plant in Normal is suing his former employer claiming not enough was done to stop racial discrimination and harassment against him. In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court on Monday, Cornelius Richardson citied several incidents of…… MORE
IHSA girls basketball state finals this weekend at ISU
By Neil Doyle NORMAL – Some of the best girls high school basketball teams around the state will compete this weekend in Bloomington-Normal for the IHSA State Championship titles. The season started with 674 high school girls’ basketball teams across the state and now only 16 teams remain. Teams from class 1A, 2A, 3A and…… MORE
Illinois House Speaker returns from trip to White House
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) says it’s important for the legislature to maintain a relationship with the White House, so he was only too happy to participate Monday in a roundtable with members of the Biden administration and other Black statehouse speakers. The speakers in Illinois, New York, Maine,…… MORE
Two vehicle crash leaves one dead in McLean County
By 25 News MCLEAN COUNTY – One person is dead, and another is in the hospital after a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 overnight. Illinois State Police say it happened on I-55 Southbound near LaGrange Road, or mile post 146 near McLean, just before 2 AM. The crash involved a box truck and a truck-tractor…… MORE
Human services professionals in Illinois are getting started on “Home Illinois”
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The people addressing the homeless situation these days are throwing around the phrase “functional zero.” “When we say, ‘end homelessness,’ that really means that we have a system that when people come into a homelessness situation, there is a resource for them on the other side and that we are…… MORE
Proposed budget includes $2 million for Bloomington arena turnaround
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – A proposed record-high Bloomington city budget for the next fiscal year includes for the first time a full budget of about $2 million to book shows at taxpayer-owned Grossinger Motors Arena. The indoor arena built to help revitalize Downtown Bloomington has lost money since it opened in 2006, and the…… MORE
State Farm announces ‘record’ underwriting loss in 2022 results
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – State Farm is reporting “record” underwriting losses for its auto insurance companies – $13.4 billion. Despite that, the Bloomington-based insurer says its mutual automobile insurance company remains financially strong – ending 2022 with $131.2 billion compared with $143.2 billion at the end of 2021 and $126.1 billion at the end…… MORE
McLean County ranks high for corn and soybean production nationwide
By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – County estimates are out for 2022 Illinois corn and soybeans. The state really made a strong showing when it came to soybean production says crop statistician Mark Schleusener. “McLean County ranked first in the U.S. with 21.2 million bushels,” said Schleusener. “Other high soybean producing counties in Illinois include Iroquois,…… 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…