Bloomington’s mayor pro tem said she doesn’t know if she’ll lead the next city council meeting two weeks from now, but she expects to hear of Mayor Tari Renner’s plans in the next week or two.… MORE
Bloomington’s mayor pro tem said she doesn’t know if she’ll lead the next city council meeting two weeks from now, but she expects to hear of Mayor Tari Renner’s plans in the next week or two.… MORE
The Daniel Biss campaign for governor is making changes to the ticket.… MORE
Key members of a task force looking to speed up Downtown Bloomington’s resurgence are promoting the idea of building a new public library where a city parking garage is located at Market and Monroe Streets. However, a majority of city aldermen and the Bloomington Public Library Board seem to favor library expansion at its current Olive Street location.… MORE
More than a dozen attorneys general, including Illinois’ attorney general, are suing the Trump Administration in an effort to save DACA, the program granting legal status to 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.… MORE
Normal Mayor Chris Koos says it’s unlikely the town will sue Bloomington for terminating the Metro Zone, but town staffers presenting Normal’s annual financial trend and condition report said Normal is beginning to feel the pain.… MORE
Shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an end to DACA, rallies and protests began in central Illinois. … MORE
A former Illinois State University student, convicted of a felony a quarter-century ago for his role in a campus credit card scam, has convinced Gov. Bruce Rauner to grant him a pardon so that he can carry a firearm.… MORE
Amid a rare spirit of bipartisanship, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed into law a school funding bill that the state’s chief executive said will bring more money to school districts based on the needs of children.… MORE
Democratic gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker secured a key labor endorsement this morning in Bloomington.… MORE
By Howard Packowitz and Sean Copeland SPRINGFIELD – A memorable day in Springfield as lawmakers finally hammered out a school funding deal on Tuesday, and a momentus day for Bloomington’s veteran legislator, Bill Brady. Senate Republicans officially chose Brady as the Senate’s Minority Leader. Brady has been the leader-designate since July when Christine Radogno retired…… 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…