By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – More than 400 star ornaments were placed on Christmas trees during a ceremony honoring Gold Star families and their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice. Hundreds attended the 9th annual Fallen Heroes Tree of Honor ceremony at Central Illinois Regional Airport, where Gold Star Families were recognized and loved ones’…… MORE
A clarification to Illinois’ biometric data privacy law made by state lawmakers earlier this year limits the size of damages that can be claimed in lawsuits over Biometric Information Privacy Act violations, a federal judge ruled last week. … MORE
By WMBD-TV GERMANTOWN HILLS – One car has been reported stolen after a spree of robberies and break-ins occurred on Friday night. The Woodford County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that a group of people had been seen walking around Germantown Hills in the Far Hills and Maple Lane areas, looking to see if houses…… MORE
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – Additional units were needed to battle a house fire in Bloomington on Tuesday, the department said. When members of the Bloomington Fire Department arrived just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the house, located near the intersection of the 200 block of Magnolia and Meadowbrook Drives, the saw heavy smoke and flames.…… MORE
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Police Department on Tuesday warned of a new scam that residents have recently seen. According to a Bloomington police Facebook post, scammers email you your name, phone number and address, then claim to have explicit photos of their victim that they say they will delete if they are given a…… MORE
A panel of federal judges is weighing whether to overturn a Cook County ban on semiautomatic weapons in a case that could upend other local bans and call into question the statewide prohibition on the controversial class of firearms. … MORE
By Jake Fogal NORMAL – The Normal West basketball team is getting together Saturday to make a difference off of the court. The Wildcats will be out in the community raking leaves for Veterans in Normal Saturday afternoon, from 12:30 to 4:30pm. West head coach Ed Hafermann spoke with WJBC’s Scott Miller. “For the last…… MORE
A federal judge in East St. Louis on Friday struck down Illinois’ assault weapons ban on the grounds that it violates the Second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution and issued an order barring the state from enforcing it.… MORE
Had they been any other job applicants, electric utility Commonwealth Edison likely wouldn’t have given a second look to candidates who made “politically inappropriate” comments during an interview, failed basic screening tests or didn’t even show up to take those tests – twice.… MORE
A collaboration between the Bloomington and Springfield Police Departments lead to the arrest of two individuals.… 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…