By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON (Heart of Illinois ABC) – A man from Shreveport, Louisiana has been arrested for a myriad of offenses including aggravated domestic battery and unlawful restraint after police say the man and his vehicle were identified through the city’s new automatic license plate reader system. Bloomington Police say Louis G. Wiggins, 37…… MORE
By HOI ABC NORMAL – Illinois State University says the union’s filing of a 10-day intent to strike notice is a “disappointing development” and in an abundance of caution has started contingency planning in case workers represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 1110 go on strike. ISU released a…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – Once Gov. Pritzker, House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside), and Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) sprung their budget news Thursday evening, Republicans reacted. “As our spending has continued to grow, we’re covering it up with these one-time federal revenues,” said State Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), the House Republicans’ chief budget…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – A half hour after informing Republicans of their plans, Gov. JB Pritzker and top Democrats in the General Assembly announced an agreement on a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. “Because of our focus on fiscal balance, this budget will provide over $1.8 billion – $1,8 billion!…… MORE
Reditus CEO Aaron Rossi has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of tax fraud.… MORE
Are you really who you think you are? Illinois may get its own law addressing “fertility fraud” – when, for example, a doctor inseminates a patient with his own sperm.… MORE
Amid an invasion of Ukraine, farmers across Illinois are feeling the pinch when it comes to fertilizer prices.… MORE
By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts department will have Summer Registration open for Bloomington residents beginning April 13th beginning at 5:00 AM. Non-resident registration will begin April 20th. The programs and classes being offered deal with outdoor activities, sports, science, cooking and art classes, and even Zumba…… MORE
By Dave Dahl SPRINGFIELD – The back-and-forth over crime continues as the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session dwindles to a close. Senate Democrats, proposing a bill to waive fines when carjacking victims’ vehicles are photographed by red light or speed cameras, brought out their own victim, Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), who said perpetrators need…… MORE
By HOI ABC BLOOMINGTON – A quarter of a million dollars is going to a local community center in honor of a longtime public servant to the Twin Cities. State Farm held a special ceremony Wednesday, looking back on the life of former executive Willie Brown. In his name, the company presented a check for…… 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…