Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories

Winter Storm Warning issued for Central Illinois

Winter Storm Warning issued for Central Illinois

By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-The National Weather Service in Lincoln has put a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Thursday. Significant snow is likely with a brief period of mixed precipitation. Total snow accumulations in excess of 12 inches, with locally high amounts possible. Ice accumulations up to one tenth…MORE

City of Bloomington announces lane closures near downtown

City of Bloomington announces lane closures near downtown

By Jake Fogal The City of Bloomington has announced lane closures near downtown Bloomington. Beginning immediately, two eastbound lanes of East Street, and the westbound lane of Washington Street, will be closed to all traffic due to water work. The lanes on East street and Washington street will be reopened as soon as work is…MORE

Annual Night in a Car event is back on Feb. 4th

Annual Night in a Car event is back on Feb. 4th

By Jake Fogal BLOOMINGTON-Home Sweet Home Ministries is hosting it’s sixth annual Night in a Car on February 4th. The event will kick-off at 7 p.m. next Friday and continue until 7 a.m. the following Saturday morning. “Home Sweet Home Ministries is thrilled to have Night In A Car back for its sixth year. We…MORE

​ISP launches statewide expressway shooting dashboard

​ISP launches statewide expressway shooting dashboard

By IIS Radio SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Police are launching a new expressway shooting dashboard. The dashboard shows current data as well as data from the past couple of years, regarding where expressway shootings occurred. ISP Major Matt Gainer says the new feature also includes the date and time of the incident and whether there…MORE

ISU athletics receives $3 million gift commitment for indoor practice facility

ISU athletics receives $3 million gift commitment for indoor practice facility

By Neil Doyle NORMAL – Illinois State University Athletics has received a $3 million gift commitment for the indoor practice facility project from entrepreneur Dee Miller, his wife Sheila Marshall-Miller ’94, and former Illinois State student-athlete and professional football player BJ Bello. “We are incredibly grateful to Dee, Sheila, and BJ for their commitment to…MORE

Local high school student earns perfect score on ACT

Local high school student earns perfect score on ACT

By Neil Doyle NORMAL – Siddharth Bhumpelli, a sophomore at Normal Community High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. According to a Unit 5 social media post, in 2021 only 4,055 out of 1.29 million students who took the ACT earned a top composite score of 36. That is less than…MORE

State Rep. Brady on spring legislative session and cancelled days due to COVID

State Rep. Brady on spring legislative session and cancelled days due to COVID

By Neil Doyle BLOOMINGTON – Illinois lawmakers continue to meet virtually due to COVID-19. The House and Senate have cancelled almost all of their January session days, but committees are able to meet virtually. State Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) says there is a lot to accomplish, which includes a balanced state budget. He spoke with…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…