By Heart of Illinois ABC BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Police Department is asking for help identifying multiple suspects in the looting of a jewelry store on Sunday, May 31. Police say at least nine men and three women made up the group that entered the business and smashed out the glass on multiple display cases. —…… MORE
UPDATE: Victim identified in fatal I-74 crash
A pedestrian was killed in a car crash Tuesday afternoon on I-74 near Carlock.… MORE
Gov. Pritzker announces $50 million broadband grant
Gov. JB Pritzker hit the road Wednesday to talk about connecting all of Illinois to broadband. He announced $50 million in grants in Geneseo and added an example of how the state is improving its broadband game.… MORE
Pritzker may not be on the ballot, but attack ads are on the air
The Democrat-pushed graduated income tax proposal is on the November ballot, but Carlson says that’s not part of this campaign.… MORE
MCHD reports no new COVID-19 for second-day in a row
For the second day in a row, the McLean County Health Department is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 and no hospitalizations from the disease.… MORE
Goodwill sees large demand for both donations and shoppers
Goodwill calls it “pent-up demand,” with both donations and shoppers returning to the charity’s retail stores. Land of Lincoln Goodwill spokesman Pat Anderson says it’s starting to look like normal.… MORE
Advance Illinois has suggestions for IDES for school re-opening guidelines
Now that the state has made known its school re-opening guidelines, there’s no shortage of suggestions. … MORE
Prison sentence handed down in fatal Twin-Cities hit-and-run crash
An undocumented immigrant from Honduras, who was living in Bloomington, is headed to prison for the hit-and-run death of a Twin-Cities man a year ago.… MORE
John Deere makes, donates face shields to McLean County Nursing Home
John Deere is doing its part to help protect healthcare workers — by producing face shields to donate to healthcare workers.… MORE
Man sentenced for fatal hit and run in Bloomington
A McLean County Judge Tuesday sentenced Jose Rodriguez to seven years behind bars for his guilty plea to leaving the scene of a fatal accident.… 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…