Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories

Additional funding secured for O’Neil Park and Pool Project

Additional funding secured for O’Neil Park and Pool Project

By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – On Monday, Bloomington City Council unanimously voted to allocate $200,000 received from the A Century of Good State Farm Grant to go towards the O’Neil Park and Pool Project. Out of the $200,000, $174,987.75 will be used to hire Prairie View Landscaping as the landscaping contractor. The park maintenance staff will…MORE

More funding coming to Illinois for microbiology research

More funding coming to Illinois for microbiology research

By WMBD-TV NORMAL – More funding is coming to Illinois to continue the fight against infections. According to a press release, U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Moline), joined the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to announce on Monday that Illinois State University will receive $74,000 in funding for microbiology research. The goal of the…MORE

Two dead after Woodford County crash Sunday

Two dead after Woodford County crash Sunday

By WMBD-TV WOODFORD COUNTY – The Woodford County Coroner’s Office responded to a deadly two-vehicle crash at approximately 12:10 p.m. Sunday. According to a coroner’s office news release, the crash occurred at approximately 11:23 a.m. on U.S. Route 24 and County Road 1900E near rural Secor. A Jeep was headed westbound on U.S. Route 24 and a…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…