A McLean County jury found a Bollingbrook man guilty last week of sexual assault in a February 2018 incident when the victim reported to be drugged and sexually assaulted.… MORE
Sunnyside Community Garden in Bloomington expanding access to fresh food
The Bloomington City Council, without discussion, approved a license agreement Monday night allowing Sunnyside to run the community garden until the end of 2022. The agreement allows Sunnyside to pursue grants and other funding opportunities.… MORE
YWCA offers sexual assault survivors hope through ‘Stepping Stones’ program
Harvey Weinstein’s case played a big part in the ‘Me Too’ movement started by women in Hollywood.… MORE
More winter weather across central Illinois
Another round of winter weather will hit most of central Illinois over the next 24 hours.… MORE
With federal funding at stake, Illinois officials work to prevent Census undercount
Illinois officials are focused on ensuring everyone is counted in the coming U.S. Census in part because each uncounted Illinois resident means federal funding left on the table. … MORE
Workers get to keep their tips under new Illinois law
When a 2018 Department of Labor rule threatened to allow employers, managers or supervisors to collect and keep a portion of employees’ tips, members of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United found their organization advocating harder than ever. … MORE
Measures to increase speed limit to 75 mph sent to Illinois Senate committee with no members
A state Senator is seeking additional support for his measures to raise the speed limit on some Illinois’ highways to 75 mph, but the measure has been sent to a sub-committee with no members.… MORE
Calls for audits, paper trails emerge during listening session on Illinois automatic voter registration program
A problem with Illinois’ automatic voter registration program that led to hundreds of people who said they weren’t U.S. citizens being registered to vote took center stage at a listening session hosted by a central Illinois congressman in Springfield on Monday.… MORE
Pair of Bloomington council members want downtown parking deck torn down
Bloomington’s proposed $230.3 million budget for the next fiscal year includes a money to repair a downtown parking garage that at least two city council members would like to see torn down.… MORE
‘Fargo’ TV show films in Pontiac
The spotlight was on Pontiac Monday as hundreds of people were at work shooting scenes for the FX show, “Fargo.”… 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…