Bloomington property owners will pay a little more to make upgrades to the public library that some city leaders say is bursting at the seams… MORE
Category Archives: Politics
Mayor Renner hopes to hear public’s take on spending reductions
Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner is hoping to receive some recommendations from his constituents about where to cut the budget, which is as much as three-million dollars in the red.… MORE
Durbin urges Alabama voters to reject Moore
With members of Congress stepping aside because of past sexual harassment allegations, voters in Alabama are deciding if they should send a candidate to the Senate with the another troubled history.… MORE
Yoder eyes vacant McLean County judge’s seat
A McLean County associate judge is asking voters for a promotion to a full judgeship. William Yoder announced to a gathering of friends, colleagues, and family on Thursday that he’s a candidate in next November’s election to become a resident circuit judge in McLean County.… MORE
Sen. Duckworth calls for fellow Democrat Franken to resign
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is joining her female colleagues in calling for the resignation of Minnesota Senator Al Franken, who faces multiple sexual harassment allegations.… MORE
Sen. Barickman: Marijuana legalization ‘inevitable’
Add a Republican senator from central Illinois to the growing list of Illinois lawmakers who say the state should legalize recreational marijuana… MORE
ISU grad students, faculty rally against Republican tax plan
Members of Illinois State University’s graduate school, as well as some faculty members, took to the quad Wednesday afternoon to protest the tax reform proposal in Washington.… MORE
Old wounds resurface at Renner’s town hall meeting
An attempt to ease tensions between Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner and one of his main adversaries failed Tuesday night at a town hall meeting that also highlighted efforts to grow the local economy and cut the budget deficit.… MORE
Local realtors warn high property taxes are turning away homebuyers
High property taxes are dragging down the local economy, and causing prospective homeowners to look elsewhere, according to area realtors. The Normal Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to raise property taxes to cover the cost of rising police and firefighter pensions.… MORE
Normal Council takes ‘whipping’ for raising property taxes to fund pensions
Normal Town Council members received an earful from property owners who will foot the bill to pay for the rising cost of police and fire pensions.… 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…