Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories

ISU opening at noon Tuesday, crews working to safely clear campus grounds

ISU opening at noon Tuesday, crews working to safely clear campus grounds

By WMBD-TV and WJBC NORMAL – Illinois State University will have a late start on Tuesday due to forecasted weather conditions. The campus will open at noon instead of 7 a.m., as previously indicated. The university said the continued closure will give more time for crews to safely clear roads and campus grounds. All classes…MORE

Normal Police Officer honored for helping a man armed with a knife

Normal Police Officer honored for helping a man armed with a knife

By Blake Haas NORMAL – A police officer on Normal’s police force is receiving high praise from the department’s top cop. In December, Officer Sage responded to the 400 block of W. College for a man armed with a knife. Officer Sage helped convince the man to put down the knife. According to Normal Police…MORE

Woodford County Sheriff’s Office is new animal control

Woodford County Sheriff’s Office is new animal control

BY WMBD-TV WOODFORD COUNTY – The Woodford County Board is shifting animal control duties to the sheriff’s office. At Tuesday’s meeting the board approved nearly $800,000 for the department to hire more staff and purchase equipment to help fulfill its new duties. Previously, the county would privately contract someone to handle animal control. The new…MORE

Miller Park Zoo Stampede registration now open

Miller Park Zoo Stampede registration now open

By WMBD-TV BLOOMINGTON – Mark your calendars! The annual Miller Park Stampede will be on March 2 and registration is now open. The stampede is held by the Miller Park Zoological Society to raise money for the zoo, specifically for the project restoring the Miller Park Zoo carousel. There will be a 9:30 a.m. kids run and…MORE

Bloomington Police probing Sunday morning shooting

Bloomington Police probing Sunday morning shooting

By Blake Haas BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington Police need the public’s help solving an early Sunday morning shooting. According to a news release, officers responded to the 7-hundred block of West Olive Street for reports of shots fired. During an investigation, authorities found property damage to a home from the shooting. There were no reports of…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…