By Jake Fogal UPDATE – McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder has identified the pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle Saturday night in Downtown Bloomington. Yesenia Navarrete, 29, of Bloomington was pronounced dead on Monday at Carle BroMenn Medical Center. An autopsy is pending. The family shared that Yesenia was able to share the gift…… MORE
Fairbury Police release more information about Saturday night incident
By 25 News FAIRBURY – The Fairbury Police Department says a suspect has been identified and arrangements are being made to arrest that person after a false 911 call was made Saturday night about Prairie Central High School’s homecoming event. Fairbury Police say they were called to the High School on Saturday, September 24 around…… MORE
CIRA named Airport of the Year by IDOT
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – Central Illinois Regional Airport has been named Primary Airport of the Year by the Illinois Department of Transportation. They were among six airports that received Airport of the Year awards from IDOT, which were handed out Tuesday during the Illinois Public Airports Association Fall Conference in Galena. “Aviation is vital…… MORE
Hispanic Heritage Month includes honors for Illinoisans who are leaders
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The state’s first elected statewide officer of Hispanic origin saluted her fellow Hispanics Monday. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month activities, comptroller Susana Mendoza talked about humble beginnings and – as a little girl – seeing her father stand up to another man’s admonition to speak English – as this…… MORE
Congressman LaHood introducing legislation to address mental health care services
Central Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood is introducing legislation to address mental and behavioral health care services.… MORE
McLean County Chamber highlighting labor market in the twin-cities
McLean County is adding jobs left and right thanks to the help of major corporations moving to the twin cities.… MORE
State of Illinois pays down unemployment insurance fund debt
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The diminished total of jobless claims and growth in the fund itself allow the state to pay down $450 million in debt of the unemployment insurance trust fund. “Paying down debt means that we are paying less interest, so we are saving over the next year $10 million for taxpayers;…… MORE
U of I associate dean: Solving the shortage of teachers calls for tough decisions
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A survey of Illinois schools finds that 88 percent of the districts responding have trouble filling vacancies in the classroom. And when we talk about a teacher shortage, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Education associate dean Nancy Latham wants to re-frame the discussion. “We do not have a shortage…… MORE
Weekly USDA crop report
By USDA SPRINGFIELD – There were 5.6 days suitable for field work during the week ending September 25, 2022. Statewide, the average temperature was 68.3 degrees, 6.4 degrees above normal. Precipitation averaged 0.88 inches, 0.05 inches above normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 11 percent very short, 10 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 15…… MORE
State Farm catastrophe response vehicles heading to Florida
By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – State Farm has deployed its mobile catastrophe response vehicles in anticipation for the first hurricane to make U.S. landfall this year. Landfall for Hurricane Ian is anticipated mid-late this week on the Gulf Coast of Florida, according to a news release from the Bloomington-based insurance company. The exact track of…… 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…