Bloomington city officials plan to close two busy downtown streets on weekends when people spill out of the bars looking for a ride home.… MORE
Category Archives: Scott Laughlin
Bloomington could collaborate with Normal on proposed fire station
Bloomington fire officials have put a new fire station at the top of their wish list.… MORE
Barickman: 2017 likely to be ‘rocky road’ for Illinois
The two sides in the long-standing state budget dispute are digging in their heels ahead another budget showdown.… MORE
Illinois’ temporary budget lapses
Illinois’ stop-gap budget has lapsed, leaving some social services and vendors with no money for the new year,… MORE
Mike O’Grady makes grub for New Year’s Eve
Scott Laughlin is on a holiday break from the morning show this week and I was lucky enough to enjoy some studio time with Mike O’Grady from the Economic Development Council. He came early, stayed late and brought recipes! At the end of the morning show I promised to share the step-by-step instructions for all…… MORE
Former Coliseum manager faces new spending probe
Bloomington mayor Tari Renner said he’s not been contacted by officials in Minnesota who are investigating a former U.S. Cellular Coliseum manager who was fired for allegedly misusing money.… MORE
Illinois awaits federal guidance on future of Medicaid
Illinois officials have asked President Obama for more power to decide how it manages Medicaid spending, but it hasn’t heard anything yet.… MORE
Barickman optimistic an Exelon deal can pass in final day
Some say a proposed measure meant to keep the Clinton and Quad Cities power plants open is nothing more than a multi-billion dollar bailout for the nuclear industry.… MORE
GOP strategist weighs in on early days of Trump transition
President-elect Donald Trump’s tweet suggesting that flag burners lose their citizenship or be thrown in jail went viral.… MORE
Unit 5 superintendent: Increase in drivers has improved bus service
Unit 5 superintendent Mark Daniel said buses have been more timely in recent weeks as First Student has built a reserve pool of drivers.… 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…