By USDA SPRINGFIELD – There were 5.7 days suitable for field work during the week ending June 5, 2022. Statewide, the average temperature was 71.1 degrees, 3.1 degrees above normal. Precipitation averaged 0.40 inches, 0.51 inches degrees below normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated 1 percent very short, 9 percent short, 84 percent adequate, and…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – A former LeRoy High School teacher, who pleaded guilty to grooming a student, will spend some time in the county jail as part of his probation. Brandon Reynolds, 35, was ordered to immediately serve the first 30 days of a six-month jail sentence. Judge William Yoder will decide at a…… MORE
Normal’s government is finding out the cost to taxpayers for American Idol finalist Leah Marlene’s homecoming in Normal last month, and a town spokesperson said it’s well worth the cost.… MORE
A Bloomington man faces drug charges in McLean County after police allegedly tore down a bathroom door at Green Top Grocery.… MORE
The next generation of investors can now learn the ins and out’s of wall street at Illinois Wesleyan University in a new Bloomberg Finance Lab.… MORE
By Neil Doyle NORMAL – Connect Transit will be hosting several community engagement sessions to discuss the proposal to merge the current Lime Express route with a new route that will serve west Bloomington-Normal. The proposed new route will provide service between Uptown Station and Downtown Bloomington, and will serve Rivian, OSF, Walmart and several…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Gas prices in Illinois jumped up last week by 43 cents, averaging $5.44 a gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Illinois is priced at $4.59 while the most expensive is $6.79. Gas prices in the state are 85 cents higher than a month ago and $2.20…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – A passion for the past came alive in Bloomington as the McLean County Museum of History hosted an event focused on all things steampunk. Cosplayers and fans of the genre flooded downtown for the ‘Cogs and Corsets’ festival. Activities included a market, Tea room, workshops and even a murder mystery…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – The Miller Park Zoo hosted a party on Saturday over a century in the making. The Twin Cities attraction celebrated its 131st birthday, complete with games, crafts, and a wide variety of activities. The zoo originally started in 1891 as a side exhibit for those going to boat and swim…… MORE
On the heels of a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Illinois Wesleyan’s President calls for more gun control.… MORE
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.” …
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…
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…
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…