Apparently the long time director who retired did not submit a grant request before the deadline. Now PATH is in crisis mode. By: Diane Benjamin 988 is the local suicide prevention hotline at PATH. I hear at a Board meeting this morning the 988 staff was laid off because funding (I think from the State) […]
By: Diane Benjamin Have you heard the commercials wanting to sell you protection for your property title? The McLean County Recorder’s office is offering this service for FREE. Go here: https://recorder.mcleancountyil.gov/External/User/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fexternal Sign up for Property Check to be notified when any documents are filed on your property! This only works for properties in McLean County.
By: Diane Benjamin Surrena Fish was back with an update on Tent City. She claimed there is a waiting list now and police had to be called to break up a fight. Just hit play to hear her comments. The Connect Transit update on the downtown transfer station isn’t that long. If you don’t want […]
By: Diane Benjamin We know in 2021 The Immigration Project was 99.95% funded by tax dollars: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/12/the-immigration-project-you-dont-know/ Using the new Benjamin Chat Box on OpenTheBooks.com I searched under “Vendors” for payments made to them. Try it, incredibly easy to use! Results are emailed to you after it searches multiple databases. In 2022 ISU gave them […]
By: Diane Benjamin April 28th will mark 12 years for BlnNews.com. I only started writing because I saw lousy local reporting on things that matter. The 1st Amendment guarantees Freedom of the Press – unless government has other plans. There is a hearing going on today in the House because they are considering a Press […]
By: Diane Benjamin The County Board meeting is Thursday, the Executive Committee meets today and may make changes to what is proposed. The changes failed to pass in February because of democrat shenanigans: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/14/a-legal-public-comment-policy-isnt-on-the-county-board-agenda-blame-democrats/ See the new policies from the Rules Committee starting on PDF page 4: https://mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/10128 Summary: 15 minutes allotted (not enough for […]
By: Diane Benjamin As inflation eats your prosperity government is of course obliged to contribute to your demise. Their costs go up too. The only difference is all they have to is raise your taxes and fees to compensate. Try that with your boss. BNWRD is the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. At the April 8th […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s nice to see true colors: . https://www.timesofisrael.com/historian-new-evidence-shows-fdrs-bigotry-derailed-many-holocaust-rescue-plans Franklin Roosevelt was an antisemite. Even Wikipedia agrees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt_and_civil_rights Don’t forget FDR sent Japanese Americans to concentration camps too. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-signs-executive-order-9066 FDR also threatened to pack the Supreme Court because they kept striking down his unconstitutional edicts: https://www.history.com/news/franklin-roosevelt-tried-packing-supreme-court (History is repeating itself now!) FDR, elected […]
I hear NCHS students will be doing a charity talent show. Fabulous except where the money raised will go: Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. That organization is an NGO with more than 90% of it’s revenue from tax dollars. Obviously there aren’t any local or state children that need “relief”. Did students or advisors pick PCRF? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Normal Mayor Chris Koos didn’t say those words. For once he is very transparent in what he did say: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-02/mayor-of-normal-town-does-not-owe-alan-beaman-a-further-statement The case was filed by Alan Beaman in 2014. How much did Normal waste on legal fees before they decided to settle? Would a jury have awarded Beaman more money? […]
By: Diane Benjamin I like data, if you don’t this one isn’t for you. I found these number surprisingly low. 2020 and 2021 numbers were higher. You can find numerous December (year end) numbers in the February Justice Committee packets here: https://mcleancountyil.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=70 Did these numbers go down because of the Safety Act? If the purpose […]
By: Diane Benjamin People lie. Politicians lie. Freedom of Speech is written into the 1st Amendment because the authors thought people were smart enough to hear all sides, inform themselves, and then make decisions based on informed thought. There is no such thing and Mis and Dis information. There are only elites who want to […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you forgot the details of this case, see this story: https://tinyurl.com/fkwse7hd Mr. Beaman lost at least 13 years of his life, of course the Town of Normal won’t admit the police blew the investigation. Jennifer Lockmiller’s killer is still free. He deserves at least this much money. From the documentation – […]
By: Diane Benjamin From Awake Illinois: The attempt by Rep. Anne Stava Murray and the Rules Committee to separate you from your children by labeling you a child abuser for not “affirming” whatever your child dreams up has failed: (HB4876) Read the Awake Illinois release here: https://www.awakeil.com/so/08Ow5zUR0?languageTag=en&cid=3b7fba15-9618-40cc-a0f2-62e8c26fd1d0 If you aren’t on their email list SIGN […]
By: Diane Benjamin . They won’t be getting tips. California raised minimum wage to $20 an hour for fast food workers. Below are articles detailing the results: (hint: higher prices, layoffs, automation) https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/california-s-20-minimum-wage-is-killing-thousands-of-jobs/ar-BB1kE8gS https://ijr.com/california-fast-food-chains-fire-workers-20-minimum-wage-kicks https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-03-27/fast-food-minimum-wage Economics 101 should be required in high school. Raising the minimum wage hurts more people than helps. Next a real […]
By: Diane Benjamin NPR story: https://www.npr.org/2022/09/14/1122895362/illinois-now-requires-media-literacy-instruction-in-its-high-school-curriculum Parents have a problem because “media literacy” depends on who constructs the curriculum and who teaches it. Anybody think “media literacy” includes all sides of issues? If you need proof see this story written by a Normal Community senior for the school paper: https://nchsinkspot.com/uncategorized/2023/11/14/floridas-threats-to-ap-psychology-should-scare-you-but-dont-let-them-psych-you-out/ The story has many errors, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Congrats to Connect Transit for figuring out a way to be transparent. I don’t know if this is a permanent change or only because Tim Gleason was attending remotely. What they accomplished was getting slides and remote speakers on the video instead of just on the screens in the room that can […]
By: Diane Benjamin The O’Neil Park Aquatics Center was discussed in depth at the October 15, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting. Every council member is now gone except for one: Discussion about a water park begins in the minutes on PDF page 6: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/21017/636854797697530000 The cost was estimated at $10,000,000. It probably went much […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unit 5 has a link on their website for strategic plans, the plan they passed last night isn’t on it: https://www.unit5.org/cms/lib/IL01905100/Centricity/Domain/2992/District%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf There isn’t a link to the plan in the agenda either, just a line item with no explanation: See 9a https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1482?meeting=627064 See the discussion with slides begins at 28:00: https://vimeo.com/event/3825867 Supposedly […]
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/newillinois/1194049# Thu Apr 4, 2024 5:45 PM – Sat Apr 6, 2024 5:00 PM The Chateau Hotel & Conference Center, 61704 The Fifth Constitutional Convention for New Illinois will be held at the Chateau Hotel and Conference Center, 1621 Jumer Drive, Bloomington, Illinois. The Friday evening dinner will be followed by speakers Robin Miller, activist on the central Illinois pipeline issue, and Bill Bergman, Loyola […]
By: Diane Benjamin The unofficial results the County prints don’t have the detail Bloomington does. https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/27439/Unofficial-Summary-Report_all_precincts 11,187 out of 59,375 registered voters bothered to vote. (18.84%) 7,842 voted Republican 3296 voted Democrat 5 voted libertarian, again with no candidates on the ballot 44 voted nonpartisan 6 voted blank Trump received 5,947 votes (76.89%) Biden received […]
By: Diane Benjamin Turnout for this election is going to be VERY low. Many races could be decided today by just a few votes. That means YOUR vote is worth more today than it will be in November. Your choice will not be on the November ballot is you don’t vote now. Of course this […]
By: Diane Benjamin A whopping 30 people attended the EV Townhall! If that isn’t funny enough, read WGLT’s article about the event: https://tinyurl.com/EV-Townhall 10 people were on the panel for the 30 attendees. Of course claims were made about EV’s and Climate Change. Facts are immaterial. Get some: https://climateataglance.com/climate-at-a-glance-natural-vs-human-contributions-to-greenhouse-gases-and-global-average-temperatures/ The article got really funny with […]
By: Diane Benjamin The YWCA is obviously a leftist organization. Proof is their national website: https://www.ywca.org/who-we-are It’s easy to tell when leftists need other people’s money, a conga line of speakers show up to provide “their” facts. In the case of Stepping Stones it was 6. The Stepping Stones program lost federal grant money but […]
By: Diane Benjamin For the low price of $1100 a month you can rent this 2 bed 1 bath apartment in Normal. It comes complete with a PVC pipe sprinkler system that evidently passed inspection. This is part of the property ISU used to own on Shelburne. The two guys who bought the property must […]
By: Diane Benjamin The County Board saw a computer rendering of the new Animal Control building last night. It will be 15 miles south of Bloomington. The video shows the inside layout too. One thing not included is outdoor runs for the animals. Farnsworth designed the building with the budget they had, outdoor runs will […]
By: Diane Benjamin Inflation has stolen close to 20% of your buying power – just since 2021: . Inflation will continue unless government policies change. Facts: https://www.bidenomics.com/ According to GasBuddy, the cheapest local gas is at Huck’s on West Oakland – $3.39. Three years ago gas was more than $1 less a gallon. https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/gas-prices-2021-year-in-review According […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Rules Committee didn’t bother to meet to correct the stunt Democrats played in February, so the Public Comment policy is still illegal and not on the Agenda tonight to fix. In case you forgot: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/16/county-must-see-public-comments/ Elections: This primary election will prove Illinois’ voting season is a complete waste of money. Turnout […]
By: Diane Benjamin Meetings of the McLean County Behavior Health Coordinating Council have been suspended. See this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-08/bhcc-meetings-suspended-indefinitely-as-its-reportedly-not-fulfilling-its-mission Excerpt from the article: . That isn’t stopping BHCC from wanting to hand $100,000 to Stepping Stones at the YWCA. I have no problem with that program. I do have a problem with handing them money […]
By: Diane Benjamin I mentioned in this story a reader told me he/she witnessed an electric Connect Transit bus being towed: https://blnnews.com/2024/03/04/two-things-i-wish-i-had-pics-of/ It turns out it wasn’t an electric bus. Obtained by FOIA: Connect Transit is forced to use OLD buses because the new electric fleet is junk. In case you can’t read that email, […]
By: Diane Benjamin HB 4198 is one giant step towards Illinois becoming an ALL VOTE BY MAIL state. HB 4198Â provides that each election authority may decide to mail a LIVE vote by mail ballot to all qualified voters instead of sending notices and applications for permanent vote by mail status. A person who has never […]
By: Diane Benjamin Rivian announced yesterday they are putting a hold on building the plant in Georgia. See this story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/03/07/rivian-halts-planned-5-billion-georgia-ev-plant-and-its-shares-surge/?sh=38a438f615ca&mibextid=oE The stock price this morning is $11.25, in Rivian world that must be a surge. It closed at $11.03 yesterday. The article calls the delay indefinite. It just might be, a Facebook group in […]
By: Diane Benjamin More from this story on the local Housing Assessment: https://blnnews.com/2024/03/05/ignoring-the-elephant-in-the-room/ PDF page 32 – copied and reformatted since the paragraph is difficult to read: Poverty levels have increased in McLean County over the last 5 years, Bloomington and Normal. Poverty is measured by the Official Poverty Measure (OPM), which measures pre-tax income […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) More about this story on Rivian moving to two shifts: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-05/rivian-to-cut-3rd-shift-for-r1-production-at-normal-plant-next-month?fbclid=IwAR14-gqvch-aRzqS0sQotFTIA9NuEwrvC8JfWDUSsfiuK7JQnIdJxEDDXkg All hourly employees were sent a form so they could pick what shift they wanted to work: 7:00 am to 3:30 pm or 9:00 pm to 5:30 am They won’t be working 10-12 hour days as rumored on social media […]
By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission hired an Indianapolis firm to conduct a local housing survey. The draft version is available here: https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/a2/83/4592f3f04409bcdd453644d32b78/draft-final-rise-plan.pdf Comments can be made on this document until 3/14. I’m not close to going through all 97 pages, but problems are pretty easy to see. The chart on PDF […]
By: Diane Benjamin Submit witness slip OPPOSING HB 4198 which is sponsored by Carol Ammons(D, Urbana) and is one giant step towards Illinois becoming an ALL VOTE BY MAIL state. Please take action by Tuesday. 3/5 by 2PM. Jimmy Carter opposed vote by mail decades ago because fraud was easy! HB4198 provides that each election […]
By: Diane Benjamin I get tips frequently, mostly people forget to take pictures or aren’t able because they are driving. If you can stop and get a picture, please do! Visual is always better. 1) With the severe winds over the weekend I hear the tent city in downtown Bloomington had garbage blowing everywhere. A […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s meeting was 1 hour and 42 minutes. I can recap everything in a few of lines: The campaign to make YOU see the value of Connect Transit will be launching soon. You WILL love them! The scaled back fixed route schedule will continue. Mentioned was the aging buses and the […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) In April I will have been writing for TWELVE YEARS. Actually page views went over 10,000,000 a few years ago, but lots of views aren’t officially counted because many of you are Following BlnNews.com and getting an email for every story written. All of those reads aren’t included in the totals. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Alderman Donna Boelen mentioned at the Council meeting last night Connect Transit hasn’t presented their budget to the City as required by the Inter-Governmental agreement. They never do. The budget includes $800,000 more for them anyway. It was reduced last year when CT said they didn’t need the money. Now it’s back. […]
