A little over a month after the shooting death of Sonya Massey by a sheriff’s deputy, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell on Friday announced his retirement, effective no later than Aug. 31.… MORE
Category Archives: Police and Fire
Bloomington man charged with seven Class X felonies
A Bloomington man with a lengthy criminal record stands accused of delivering hundreds of grams of heroin to an undercover Illinois State Police agent.… MORE
Caterpillar contractor from Michigan dies at Peoria Proving Ground facility
An investigation is underway after a contractor from Michigan died Wednesday night inside Caterpillar’s Peoria Proving Ground facility.… MORE
McLean coroner identifies I-55 car crash victim
By WMBD TV BLOOMINGTON – McLean County Coroner Dr. Kathleen Yoder has released the name and cause of death of the man killed on I-55 on Tuesday. According to a McLean County Coroner news release, Jacob Shaw, 27, of Kenosha, Wisconsin likely died from multiple blunt injuries from his car striking a parked utility truck…… MORE
Bloomington Firefighters save a dog from a local apartment fire
Bloomington Fire Department saved a dog from a Wednesday morning apartment fire.… MORE
One person dead after two-vehicle crash near Bloomington
Illinois State Police said one person is dead after a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 near Bloomington on Tuesday.… MORE
Normal Police issue over 200 citations in July
A traffic campaign in Normal throughout July lead to hundreds of citations.… MORE
Sangamon County Sheriff on watching Sonya Massey shooting video: ‘I was sick to my stomach’
Sangamon County sheriff Jack Campbell made the rounds of local and national media Thursday to try to get his side of the story out about one of his former employees – now jailed for the shooting death of a Black woman, Sonya Massey, last month. … MORE
Man sentenced to 103 years for Bloomington murder
A man was sentenced on Thursday to 103 years in prison by McLean County Judge William Yoder for the death of Jaleel Johnson.… MORE
Teen transferred to adult court, ordered held for attempted murder in Normal
A 17-year-old teen is being held after being transferred to adult court for charges stemming from his alleged connection to a shooting in Normal.… 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…