Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Illinois State Fair mixed the serious and the not-so-serious.… MORE
Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories
Roger Schmidgall named Citizen of the Year in Normal
Roger Schmidgall was honored as the Town of Normal’s 2023 Citizen of the Year at the town’s annual appreciation reception Wednesday.… MORE
New executive director for Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal
According to a news release, Aimee Beam will be replacing former executive director Tara Ingham, who is relocating out of state.… MORE
Illinois State Fair butter cow unveiled
The famous butter cow, 2023 edition, has taken her place inside the Dairy Building for the Illinois State Fair, which starts Thursday.… MORE
New name for McFarland Mental Health Center in Springfield
Gov. JB Pritzker tried Wednesday to correct an historic wrong by re-naming Springfield’s McFarland Mental Health Center for a woman committed by her husband in 1860.… MORE
Back 2 School Alliance celebrates 25 years of giving back
Back 2 School Alliance hosted its 25th annual giveaway at State Farm on Tuesday.… MORE
Central Illinois man sentenced to 21 years in federal prison meth distribution charge
By WMBD-TV ATLANTA, Ill. – An Atlanta, Ill. man was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison this week on charges he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine. Juan E. Bernal, 54, had faced up to life in prison but U.S. District Judge James Shadid instead imposed the 252-month sentence. A lawful permanent resident of…… MORE
Postal worker from Pontiac identified as man killed Monday traffic crash in Bloomington
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – A 36-year-old U.S. Postal Service worker was identified as the person killed in a two-vehicle crash Monday morning in Bloomington. McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder said Ronald Bethard, Jr., of Pontiac, died from multiple blunt injuries due to his postal service vehicle struck by a sports utility vehicle. Per state statute,…… MORE
Normal council moving forward with new housing and Uptown South plans
At Monday’s Normal Town Council meeting, both the public and some council members voiced concerns about two development projects.… MORE
Bloomington Police investigating fatal crash
One man is dead after a two-vehicle crash near Ashley Drive and Beich Road on Monday.… 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…