By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – An enclosed porch fire at a home on Jersey Avenue in Normal has displaced residents Friday. The Normal Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire in the 400 block of Jersey Avenue at around 12:20 p.m. According to a release, Normal Fire Chief Mick Humer was in…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington and Town of Normal website names are moving to .gov domains, in an attempt to provide enhanced security and privacy for website users. “The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the U.S. agency in charge ofcybersecurity, encourages public entities to make this change. The new domain…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – Central Catholic High School looked to the Unit 5 School District to find its next principal. Central Catholic announced Thursday that Chris McGraw will take over as principal July 1. McGraw has been principal since 2017 at Unit 5′s Evans Junior High School, and has worked in Unit 5 since…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – A second local taxing body is agreeing to property tax breaks for developers planning to convert a long-ago abandoned building in Downtown Bloomington into apartments. The District 87 School Board, meeting in special session Thursday night, unanimously approved a redevelopment agreement for the CII East building on East Street, which…… MORE
More and more farmers are hitting the roadways as planting season is underway in central Illinois.… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Starting in June, the Town of Normal, City of Bloomington and other neighboring communities will begin a new aggregation rate program. All communities were able to secure an electricity rate of $.07859 per kilowatt-hour for the next three years for people who participate in the aggregation program. Residents who participate…… MORE
By HOI ABC and AP NORMAL – Ford is reporting a $3.1 billion loss in the first quarter, largely because of a drop in the value of its investment in Rivian Automotive, which makes electric vehicles in Normal. Hopes were high for Rivian went it went public in November, but its stock price has steadily…… MORE
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pritzker is signing a package of new laws to address the teacher shortage in Illinois.… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – Following a three week bracket challenge presented by the Illinois Manufacturer’s Association, Rivian’s all-electric R1T truck secured the win and title ‘Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.” “Rivian is honored to have the R1T all-electric adventure vehicle chosen as IMA’s 2022 Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. Rivian’s mission to “Keep the…… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington has been recognized by The Arbor Day Foundation as a 2021 Tree City USA. The community was also given a Growth Award. A Growth Award is given to a community alongside the Tree City USA recognition for showing environmental improvement and a higher level of tree…… 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…