Leah Marlene continues hot streak on ‘American Idol’

Posted on May 9, 2022

*You can catch Leah’s next performance Sunday, May 15th at 7:00 PM on Heart of Illinois ABC. (Facebook/Leah Marlene)*

NORMAL – Normal native Leah Marlene has advanced to the Top Five after Sunday night’s episode of ‘American Idol.’

Marlene sang ‘Electric Love’ by American singer-songwriter Børns and ‘Sanctuary’ by the cast of Nashville, moving on after viewers voted for her to continue on her journey.

Seven-time Grammy winning artist and producer will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas helped guide the contestants in preparation for the episode. Finalists had to pick a song they posted or song that was going viral on the video-sharing platform TikTok.

You can catch Leah’s next performance Sunday, May 15th at 7:00 PM on Heart of Illinois ABC.

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…