For starving her son to death, for beating him and then blaming others for it, the mother of Navin Jones will likely spend the rest of her life in prison after a judge handed down a 100-year prison term.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Bloomington-Normal’s NAACP ACT-SO is competition ready
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON/NORMAL – The Bloomington-Normal NAACP ACT-SO Program is inviting people to support students at its local competition. This is the 14th year for Bloomington-Normal’s local competition. ACT-SO stands for Academic, Cultural, Technological Scientific Olympics. It’s a yearlong enrichment program with more than 30 competitive categories in subjects ranging from business, to performing arts and humanities.…… MORE
IWU under investigation by the U.S. Dept. of Ed. Office for Civil Rights
Illinois Wesleyan University is under investigation, alleging that the University discriminated against students. … MORE
Normal Fire Dept. investigating fire at Rivian manufacturing plant in Normal
A fire broke out inside the Rivian Automotive plant in Normal early Thursday morning.… MORE
Normal Police arrest person with knife late Thursday morning
By Jake Fogal NORMAL – Officers with the Normal Police Department apprehended a subject armed with a knife Thursday morning. NPD was called to the 200 block of Susan Drive around 11:40 a.m. for a person with a knife. The department encouraged the public to stay away from the area via it’s Facebook page Thursday…… MORE
Connect Transit to detour areas of Downtown Bloomington
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The Twin Cities mass transportation authority has announced detours that will impact Downtown Bloomington this spring and summer. Connect Transit is calling the long-term detours a move of safety while preserving the outdoor and dining experience in the downtown area. Connect Transit released the following statement on Wednesday. Effective Monday,…… MORE
HOPE Physical Therapy celebrates 20 years of wellness
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – HOPE Physical Therapy is celebrating 20 years with an open house on Friday. Leann Powell initially created Hands-On Pain Elimination exclusively for pelvic floor physical therapy. Twelve years into her practice she began to offer therapy for additional chronic pain conditions. Manual techniques like cupping, dry needling and myofascial release are…… MORE
Chicago man faces charges of vehicular hijacking in McLean County
An Chicago man stands accused of stealing a vehicle in Normal last week. … MORE
Employment and housing issues hampering McLean County growth
Despite a thriving local economy, McLean County faces workforce and housing issues.… MORE
Pekin woman dead after being hit by a forklift inside the Goodfield Case IH plant
A Pekin woman died in an accident at the Case IH factory in Goodfield.… 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…