Nearly a century after the Civil Conservation Corps reconstructed the once-thriving village of New Salem where Abraham Lincoln spent his 20s working odd jobs, studying law and winning his first election, the historic site just northwest of Springfield has fallen into disrepair.… MORE
The Tazewell County Animal Control is asking the public for additional supplies ahead of an expected increase in animals coming to its shelter in the spring.… MORE
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — United Faculty of ISU could go on strike as soon as April 4 after the union filed an intent to strike Monday. Keith Pluymers, an associate history professor and bargaining team member for the union, wrote in a statement to WMBD that even though progress was made, some items the United Faculty of…… MORE
Gov. JB Pritzker issued a rare veto Friday of a bill that would require warehouse workers in Illinois to know quotas they must meet at their jobs.… MORE
On April 1, thousands of Illinoisans will cast their ballots for mayor, city council members and referendums impacting their community.… MORE
Buildings on Illinois’ college campuses were falling apart when lawmakers approved $2.9 billion for higher education construction as part of the 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The funding brought hope for long-overdue upgrades, but the slow rollout has left colleges in limbo. … MORE
A 19-year-old man pleaded guilty Friday to murder in connection with a 2023 deadly shooting in Funks Grove.… MORE
After a major Biden-era executive order mandating the vast majority of federal construction projects use project labor agreements suffered an initial loss in federal court this winter, a new report analyzing the use of these agreements in Illinois is refuting typical criticisms from opponents who claim they unfairly favor unionized labor.… MORE
Voters must put pressure on congressional Republicans to oppose any budget bill that makes major cuts to services, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.… MORE
The McLean County Coroner Kathleen Yoder has identified the pedestrian killed during a crash on Interstate 55 Thursday.… 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…