By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Republicans Thursday will respond to what the Democrats had to say on their day at the fair Wednesday. “Look at who is winning these primaries on the Republican side,” said secretary of state candidate Alexi Giannoulias, a former state treasurer. “They are crazy as hell and are saying and…… MORE
Unit 5 School Board puts tax hike referendum on November ballot
By 25 News NORMAL – McLean County’s largest school district will be asking voters’ permission this fall to raise property taxes to reduce multi-million dollar structural deficits in the education fund. The Unit 5 School Board voted unanimously Wednesday for a referendum that asks for an increase in the district’s tax rate to $3.60 per…… MORE
McLean County Museum of History closed until further notice due to COVID outbreak
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Following the discovery of at least three staff members who had contracted COVID-19, the McLean County Museum of History will be shut down until further notice. The museum closed early on Tuesday, and a statement was issued following the positive tests. “We are concerned about risks to the public and…… MORE
Durbin and Duckworth celebrate passage of the Inflation Reduction Act
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Riverton’s Curry’s Family Pharmacy hosted both U.S. senators Tuesday. Pharmacy benefit managers, which have grown rapidly as a kind of middleman and seizing the mail-order prescription market, have the lawmakers’ attention. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said, “I have co sponsored the PBM Transparency Act, which is going to look…… MORE
Students continue move-in process at ISU
By Neil Doyle NORMAL – School is getting underway this week for many students in McLean County and the move-in process is still ongoing over at Illinois State University. Around 6,000 students will move-in to the dorms this week at ISU. Students started arriving to campus earlier this week and move-in continues through Aug. 21.…… MORE
2022 Sale of Champions at the Illinois State Fair
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB and First Lady MK Pritzker reprised their routine as the two final bidders for the grand champion steer at the Sale of Champions at the Illinois State Fair. The first lady again prevailed, tying her own 2021 record with a $105,000 bid. It’s a prize that will partly…… MORE
BPD: Young boy badly hurt in dog attack
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – A little boy was bit by a dog Tuesday afternoon on Bloomington’s east side. Bloomington Police confirmed a large dog attacked the child in the 1100 block of Chatham Lane, near East Empire Street. Police said the boy had severe lacerations, and family members took him to a Twin Cities…… MORE
Connect Transit receives a $13M grant for electric buses and a training facility
By Blake Haas NORMAL – Connect Transit is on the cusp of five new electric buses thanks to a multi-million dollar grant. The grant also provides funding for electric vans and a new training facility. “We’ll be replacing aging diesel buses with electric buses,” Connect Transit General Manager David Braun said on the afternoon show.…… MORE
Brewer guilty of murder in deaths of wife and son, neighbor
A jury took less than three hours to find Clifford Brewer guilty of all six counts of first-degree murder in the Christmas 2019 deaths of his wife, son and their family friend.… MORE
Arby’s Foundation donates $10K to the Midwest Food Bank
The Arby’s Foundation is donating over $10,000 to the Midwest Food Bank to end childhood hunger.… 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…