By HOI ABC NORMAL – The union representing about 350 Illinois State University workers are scheduled to vote Friday whether to authorize its bargaining team to call a strike. The university and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1110 have met for a 20th negotiating session on Tuesday, but they did…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – Five Republican candidates for the McLean County Board, including the current board chairman, face possible removal from the June primary ballot because of technical errors with the nominating petitions they filed earlier this month. Just before Monday’s 4:30 p.m. deadline, some local Democrats filed challenges to the petitions which contain…… MORE
On the heels of a federal indictment of the company’s CEO, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is not renewing its contract with Reditus Laboratories.… MORE
Catalytic Converter thefts are on the rise across central Illinois, and one local police department reports thieves are targeting select vehicles.… MORE
Reditus CEO Aaron Rossi wasn’t in court for a hearing in a civil case.… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-Nearing the one month mark of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, many Ukrainians have been forced out of the raided country. Most escapees fled to western countries including Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Executive Director of Midwest Food Bank, Tara Ingham, says the charity has partnered with Convey of Hope, who has…… MORE
By Neil Doyle MCLEAN COUNTY – The McLean County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting traffic enforcement details in the northern part of the county. In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office says the traffic enforcement will be on the Gridley Blacktop, 1925 East Road and County Hwy. 29, between Gridley and Towanda. “We’d much rather…… MORE
By HOI ABC SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – A bill honoring the life of Jelani Day is one step closer to becoming law in Illinois. Day was a graduate student at Illinois State University who went missing in August. Despite efforts to find him alive, authorities found his body floating in the Illinois River on September 4. His family…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-The LeRoy Police Department has announced the installation of an Amazon hub locker at it’s facility. That mean’s those worried about having items stolen off the porch can rest easy knowing they can pick up orders in the safest space in town. LeRoy Sergeant Nathan Wilkin’s said the locker doesn’t take up…… MORE
By HOI ABC NORMAL – An estimated $20 million agriculture complex to be built at Heartland Community College’s campus in Normal won unanimous approval Monday night from the town council. The new home for Heartland’s ag department will be located on the southwest edge of the campus off of West Raab Road. The council approved…… 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…