By: Diane Benjamin The race for Circuit Court Judge has only ONE issue. Next Tuesday is the REPUBLICAN primary. One person running is a Republican – Don Knapp, one is a Democrat pretending to be a Republican – Amy McFarland. I don’t care who has more experience or more qualifications, those issues should have been […]
By: Diane Benjamin Everybody occasionally gets sucked in by things they see on the internet. Everybody should do more research before they post anything. (including me!) Two days ago the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council posted this on Facebook: . Ever heard of Pheabs? It didn’t take much research to find out who they are, the […]
By: Diane Benjamin I heard the Illinois Republican Party sent FIVE mailers for Scott Preston, they hung up on Jim Fisher when he called the House Republican Organization. Fisher was told they picked Preston. The ILGOP is alienating THOUSANDS of voters by interfering with letting people pick their candidates! The 91st Legislative District isn’t the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois Republican Party sent another mailer for Scott Preston, are they worried about Jim Fisher? This one is hilarious. Front side: Is the picture supposed to portray Preston as a good family man? That isn’t Scott Preston and his wife and kids in the picture. They found a family to use […]
See another book the library had on display on May below. H/t a reader. By: Diane Benjamin Maybe this is why Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe refused to consider appointing new people to the Library Board who applied, he reappointed Renner’s people instead. See this 2019 story about a conference some library personnel attended: https://blnnews.com/2019/07/20/drag-queens-at-the-library/ This national […]
By: Diane Benjamin It is vital to know who is funding candidates before you vote for them. The Illinois Republican Party is currently a super minority because of their leadership. They have been quite busy funding weak Republicans so they stay in the super minority. They can blame Democrats for everything while bringing home fat […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday was a Federal Holiday. Town of Normal code says meetings can not be held on any legal holiday: The Open Meetings Act law says a regular meeting can be held on a holiday if it is regularly scheduled, Normal threw in a Special Meeting that is not allowed under the law: […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) The special meeting Normal called at 5:45 last night was a waste of time. The promised PASER report is still not done, supposedly it will be by the end of June. Chris Koos wasn’t there, neither was Scott Preston or Karyn Smith. The license plate reading camera presentation will have to […]
By Diane Benjamin I bet you missed this one! Cook County was sued for diverting $250,000,000 annually, of monies collected from a variety of transportation-related taxes and fees. The Safe Roads Amendment (lock box) was approved by voters in 2016, it prohibits transportation relates revenues from being spent elsewhere. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled against […]
By: Diane Benjamin A 5:45pm Work Session instead of including business in an actual meeting people might watch: There is almost ZERO on the Agenda for 7:00. Evidently these two items are a secret. There is NOTHING included, like supporting materials usually in the packet.
he’s resigning https://www.hoiabc.com/2022/06/20/local-man-give-up-two-government-posts-seat-illinois-prisoner-review-board/?fbclid=IwAR0GUqW3BxtjgQ9puNZCIYm6Kqtq5IsgyFRh4MvjW_5VbQyzH6c3-Xaidj8&fs=e&s=cl Edgar County Watchdogs has the story: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2022/06/prisoner-review-board-appointee-must-resign-from-county-board-bloomington-schools/ Excerpt: We would have thought the Governor’s Office and legal counsel would have determined if he worked elsewhere in a capacity that would hinder such an appointment. If he is to keep this appointment he needs to immediately resign from the school and from his […]
https://betternormal-il.com/why-district-normal%3F-1 The people of Normal have no one who specifically represents them. Try emailing a Trustee or all of them and see how many responses you get. It is expensive to run “At-Large” which is why you get hand picked Trustees instead of representative government. Bloomington has Wards which means each alderman represents a part […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s always easy to tell who the true conservatives are by what happens to their campaign signs. H/T a reader: All of Jim Fisher’s signs this reader saw were spray painted. Below are just two of them. These criminal acts prove the offender doesn’t believe in free and fair elections. Conservatism is […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4329 Not much on the agenda, this meeting will only last over 10 minutes is trustee comments get good! I wonder why they vote to release Executive Session Minutes and then never put them on line? Doesn’t that mean they weren’t really released? Since the news is light, how about going back […]
By: Diane Benjamin Why is a Democrat running in the Republican Primary? 1) Why is Adam Kinzinger trying to buy a local judge? 2) What is just as disturbing as Adam Kinzinger, who hasn’t lived in the 11th Circuit for a long time, trying to buy a local judge, is all the democratic influence being […]
By: Diane Benjamin Quote from this story: https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/america-first-attorneys-demand-rural-iowa-school-stops-indoctrinating “School should prepare students for citizenship in our constitutional republic and colorblind society, not turn impressionable children into social justice warriors who view all that is good and just through the distorted lens of race, sex, gender, power, and politics.” This is a screen shot of what […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you are in the 16th Congressional District, 2 of the 4 candidates want your daughters drafted. One didn’t respond to the Illinois Family Institute survey. Only one candidate opposes drafting females. If you run into Darrin Lahood, ask him about his recent trip to Lebanon. His staff told me it was […]
By: Diane Benjamin Did you know some Bloomington officials SEARCH on this website because it is impossible to find what you are looking for on the City of Bloomington website? Instead of concentrating on function, the City is changing the look of the Bloomington website and providing LESS vital information. Example: https://www.cityblm.org/government/city-council/meetings-and-agendas Details from this […]
By: Diane Benjamin At Monday’s Bloomington Council meeting approving money for the Ecology Action Center was on the Consent Agent. Everything on it was passed with one unanimously vote including this to the Ecology Action Center: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/5a1a631e-a62d-11ec-8a90-0050569183fa-36dc0a47-f3e1-4a7f-ab53-55227cac04fe-1654897109.pdf One problem – h/t a reader: Julie Emig is listed on the Ecology Action Center website as a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when CIRBN employees were considered Town of Normal employees with all the same benefits? https://blnnews.com/2021/01/15/can-you-tell-elections-are-coming/ When “professional staff” is your best buddy, all kinds of perks are available! Another “arrangement” you are supposed to ignore: This one involves the Town purchasing insurance from MICA – no bid contract. Review this story […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington managed a 44 minute meeting last night. Only 7 of the 9 Alderman were present: If you listened to the roll call you wouldn’t know who was missing because the Clerk only called the names of those present! (That’s not a roll call) If you can’t tell, Sheila Montney and Mollie […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unit 5 has a superintendent that uses PRONOUNS! Proof: https://blnnews.com/2021/08/27/the-winning-email/ If that doesn’t tell you your kids are going to a leftist indoctrination camp, maybe this will help. Unit 5 is all in on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Stop and read this article: https://thefederalist.com/2022/01/10/500-school-districts-publicly-declare-only-woke-teachers-need-apply/ Is “woke” Weikle only hiring woke teachers? Would […]
By: Diane Benjamin Mboka continues reappointing Renner’s picks to Board and Commissions, 7 more and 2 new. If you haven’t seen the new Ward maps yet, you have until the end of June to comment: https://www.cityblm.org/government/city-council/ward-redistricting#!/ The web page says the new Wards will go into effect May 1st next year. That is after the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Clemens and Associates is hosting a meeting for Irvin in the basement of their building on Empire. I know they previously hosted a meeting for Jesse Sullivan. Richard Irvin has some competition however. A large number of Darren Bailey supporters are outside with signs. The Irvin sign can’t be seen from passing […]
By: Diane Benjamin Proof the ILGOP interferes in primaries, publicly they claim they don’t. They obviously want to stay in the minority by not allowing conservative fighters to be elected.
By: Diane Benjamin According to this website, EAC has a fiscal year that ends on 6/30. The return as of 6/30/2021 is available: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/371157100/download990pdf_03_2022_prefixes_36-43%2F371157100_202106_990_2022030919708158 Revenue was way down last year. The only reason I thought to look at this is because the Bloomington Normal Water Reclamation District paid them labeled Customer relations: That payment is […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m posting these GOP write-in candidates again because I keep getting asked: Either some candidates don’t know the law or are ignoring it: https://ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/sbgroups/sb/900SB0655LV.html Democrat running as a Republican Amy McFarland has two signs on public property at the corner of Streid Drive and White Eagle. Think a judge should know the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Start with gas taxes: Federal Gas Tax: https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/us-news/2022/03/14/622f1813268e3e976c8b4593.html 18.3 cents per gallon 24.3 cents per gallon for diesel Illinois Gas Tax: https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/research/taxrates/Pages/motorfuel.aspx 38.2 cents per gallon 46.7 cents per gallon for diesel Both Bloomington and Normal add another 8 cents per gallon, diesel and gas are the same. Every time you fill […]
By: Diane Benjamin Google has the name of Veterans Parkway wrong, no it hasn’t been changed. See yesterday’s story and update: https://blnnews.com/2022/06/08/is-this-a-joke/ Apple Maps has Veterans Parkway – h/t a reader. Google just has the name wrong, but you can report directly to them. Start by clicking this link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bloomington,+IL/@40.4759484,-88.9535708,16.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x880b087039089ac1:0x2e424aa54a23bc1e!8m2!3d40.4842984!4d-88.993721 Your browser may show up […]
Update: Back in 2017 lawmakers did rename part of I55, but it stopped north of Pontiac: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/barack-obama-expressway-illinois/19044/?amp Somebody tell Google! By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bloomington,+IL/@40.4813823,-88.9527323,15.92z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x880b087039089ac1:0x2e424aa54a23bc1e!8m2!3d40.4842984!4d-88.993721 Apple maps shows Veterans Parkway! If Veterans is now an Expressway, can we drive as fast as we want.
By: Diane Benjamin https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/708/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 You still have less than a 1% chance of dying from Covid. I have no idea what “New Hospitalizations” means:
By: Diane Benjamin Want to know why taxpayers have to pay $51,290 to make Uptown Circle ADA compliant? Somebody filed a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General who investigated and told Normal it doesn’t comply. Evidently that person did not approach the Town first. The biggest item is adding a handrail, but the ramp is […]
By: Diane Benjamin I attended part of the Angles4Freedom meeting last night. I would have stayed the entire time if Normal hadn’t been meeting. Lots of candidates and voters attended. Kathy Salvi has my vote for US Senate. I found out we have mutual friends she works with on election integrity issues. She is a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the roads report Normal has been working on for close to a year? https://blnnews.com/2022/03/18/denied-foia-normal/ At the next meeting Pam Reece claims that report will be presented. Last night the Town forced the Council to vote on the roads to be fixed before they see the report in 2 weeks. The Council […]
By: Diane Benjamin Phillip Nelson, former Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and former Director of the Illinois Farm Bureau, has stated that Candidate Rodney Davis has taken donations from a group who’s mission is directly adversarial to the mission of Illinois’ farmers. We found that Rodney Davis took donations in 2013, 2018, twice […]
By: Diane Benjamin April 2022 – 4 drug deaths PDF page 31 https://mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/8721 March 2022 – 4 drug deaths PDF page 70 https://mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/8677 February 2022 – 2 drug deaths PDF page 104 https://mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/8615 January 2022 – zero There must have been 4 more since the April report. I asked the Coroner’s office if Fentanyl was […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Connect Transit Board met back on May 24th: https://www.connect-transit.com/file/586/05%2024%202022_Board%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf Of course they lost over ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Ridership from March dropped 3.31%, maybe because service hours and miles dropped – See PDF page 8. Connect Mobility ridership was down .52%, every ride on their smaller buses had a subsidy of $32.75! […]
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