Officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation will be holding a presentation on upcoming transportation projects impacting the local community.… MORE
Category Archives: Local News
Bloomington teacher earns top honor for implementing Ag in the classroom
A Bloomington Teacher was recently named the National Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award winner.… MORE
Local nonprofit raises $162K for Night in a Car fundraiser
The numbers are in from Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington’s annual Night in a Car fundraiser. … MORE
OSF HealthCare in Peoria receives a $1M donation from Lincoln, IL. foundation
OSF HealthCare in Peoria announced via news release a $1 million gift from The Woods Foundation (TWF).… MORE
District 87 school board approves $4.5 million purchase of State Farm Oakland Avenue building
The District 87 School Board on Wednesday approved a $4.5 million purchase of the State Farm Oakland Avenue building on the city’s east side.… MORE
Unit 5 Board approves new energy saving measures for schools
Towanda Elementary and Prairieland Elementary will soon be receiving an updated “Campus Optimizer” to make the schools more green and energy efficient.… MORE
Rivian Automotive to lay off 10% of workforce beginning Thursday
Rivian Automotive plans to lay off 10% of its workforce posting their earnings.… MORE
Heartland Community College trustees OK small tuition increase
By WMBD-TV NORMAL – The board of trustees at Heartland Community College approved on Tuesday a 1.65% tuition increase that starts with the summer semester. The cost per credit hour will be $185, which includes a $2 per hour increase in tuition and a $1 increase in student fees. A student carrying a 12-hour semester…… MORE
Candidate information released on second finalist to become ISU’s next president
Illinois State University has announced the second of four finalists to become the school’s 21st president.… MORE
Fatal car crash Tuesday night in Farmer City
One person died in a two vehicle accident Tuesday night in Farmer City, according to the DeWitt County Coroner’s office.… 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…