A Macoupin County judge approved the appointment of a special prosecutor to review a criminal case against August Heinz, the funeral home director accused of giving dozens of families the wrong ashes.… MORE
Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories
Officers from Bloomington-Normal discuss “pop-up parties” after recent incident near ISU
After a “pop-up party” turned deadly this past weekend near the Illinois State University campus, local police departments are explaining more about these parties and the safety of the community.… MORE
Home Sweet Home Ministries opens hotline for Thanksgiving meals
By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – Home Sweet Home Ministries shared its plans to make sure everyone in Bloomington-Normal is well-fed this Thanksgiving. According to a news release from the Ministries, they plan to deliver 500 meals on Thanksgiving Day to elderly and disabled individuals. Those who would like to have a meal delivered to them can…… MORE
Normal officer saves a life while off-duty
By WMBD-TV NORMAL – Normal police officer Jeremy Flood received a round of applause for performing lifesaving measures while off-duty. Flood is a school resource officer and president of the Illinois School Resource Officers Association. As much as he enjoys working with students some of his rewarding moments come from helping adults in the community…… MORE
Grant funding allowing Normal PD to hire new officers
By WMBD-TV NORMAL – Normal Police Department received a grant just in time for National Crime Prevention Month. The $750,000 grant comes from the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services. Normal’s police department is currently fully staffed with 88 officers. The grant allows for the hiring of six new officers. “With the growth of…… MORE
Ferrero opens Kinder Bueno production facility in Bloomington
Ferrero is bringing 200 new jobs to the community with the opening of its first American Kinder Bueno production facility.… MORE
Bloomington man indicted for June shooting
A Bloomington man faces charges stemming from a June 9 incident that left a man with a gunshot wound to the leg.… MORE
Ameren sending crews to east coast to assist with Hurricane Helene Restoration
Ameren workers across Illinois and Missouri are heading to the East Coast to assist in repairing damage and restoring power outages in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.… MORE
Bloomington man dies in Tazewell County crash
A Bloomington man was identified as the victim of a deadly crash in Tazewell County on Saturday.… MORE
Victim identified in Sunday’s deadly shooting near ISU campus
By WMBD-TV NORMAL – An 18-year-old Oak Lawn man was killed early Sunday near the Illinois State University campus, the county coroner said. In a news release, McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder said Randell E. Glass died of multiple gun-shot wounds during an incident that occurred in the 300 block of North Main Street shortly…… 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…