The McLean County Museum of History is set to reopen after a temporary closure due to COVID and staff shortages.… MORE
Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories
Livingston County State Attorney looks back on triple-murder conviction of a Collum man
On the heels of a triple-murder guilty verdict against a Collum man, Livingston County’s State Attorney is looking back on the week and a half long trial.… MORE
McLean County Farm Bureau donates $15K to Heyworth FFA program
The McLean County Farm Bureau is helping a local FFA organization with a large donation just ahead of the harvest season… MORE
Carle BroMenn reimplements visitor volunteers to patients on the verge of death
By HOI ABC NORMAL (Heart of Illinois ABC) – A program at Carle BroMenn Medical Center is giving patients a hand to hold in their final moments. ‘No One Dies Alone’ is a program returning after taking a pandemic hiatus during the pandemic. The idea originally came to life in 2019, hospital staff at a…… MORE
Springfield officials hope everyone enjoyed the Illinois State Fair
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The city of Springfield hopes everyone had a good time at the Illinois State Fair and enjoyed the city’s motels. And restaurants. And gas stations. Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau director Scott Dahl says the rule of thumb for economic impact is $125 per person per day. “Even if they…… MORE
Connect Transit finalizes plans for Rivian bus route
By 25 News NORMAL – Bloomington-Normal’s public transit system will launch a new west side route serving the local Rivian plant starting October 2 following action Tuesday by the Connect Transit Board of Trustees. It will be called the Cobalt Line because Rivian is one of the first electric vehicle makers not to use cobalt in their…… MORE
US secretary of agriculture paid a visit to McLean County
By Dave Dahl LEROY – A program to promote ethanol and biofuels brought U.S. agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) to McLean County Tuesday. They visited the Casey’s General Store in Le Roy to discuss another $100 million for petroleum dealers to use and promote the next-generation fuels. “As we demand…… MORE
IL AG announces consent decree with Rivian subcontractors over unpaid overtime wages
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a consent decree with two subcontractors building a new production line for Rivian.… MORE
Clinton woman missing; police asking for help
The Clinton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman.… MORE
Bloomington Council approves contract with city government’s largest workers’ union, deal to cost city almost $800K over 3 years
By 25 News BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council Monday night unanimously approved a three-year contract with 107 union employees that will cost taxpayers almost $800,000 over the life of the deal. The contract covers employees in Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and other departments. They’ll receive a 3.5% raise the first year, a 3%…… 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…