Since most people never saw it, the writer asked me to print it too. LETTER: Chung, council ignore taxpayers Normal made two recent requests seeking public input regarding art and the proposed Vernon Avenue improvements. However, Normal only accepts input when it supports the proposed project as presented to gain public support for the projects. […]
The “war” has been going on for more than 1 year. Biden has prevented peace talks. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/08/biden-admin-nudging-led-ukraine-to-drop-putin-condition-for-peace-talks-00065679 Meanwhile, we are funding salaries and pensions for people in Ukraine – I believe the total is up to $130 billion with no accountability or transparency on who’s pocket our money ended up in. Ukraine is a corrupt […]
By: Diane Benjamin New article from Wyoming: https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/27/electric-bus-proterra-bankrupt-wyoming-teton-operation/ Connect Transit bought Proterra buses even though there was plenty of evidence other cities had problems with them, some abandoned them. In June CT bought $7,507.10 in parts from Proterra. In July they bought $3,799.64 more. In August they spent $1,334.80 on parts and tools. Keep in […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois State Board of Education hasn’t released the Report Card for Unit 5 yet for the 2022-2023 year. Keep in mind the previous year showed 29% of students headed to college needed Community College Remediation. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?source=trends&Districtid=17064005026 How deficent are the students who choose not to go to college? Unit 5 has […]
By: Diane Benjamin Documentation for yesterday’s meeting: https://www.connect-transit.com/file/1782/09%2026%202023_BoT%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf Since June was their year-end, reporting was delayed. The TOTAL OPERATING DEFICIT for last fiscal year was: $15,360,045 June loss: PDF page 8 July loss: PDF page 14 August loss: PDF page 20 June TOTAL income: $112,061 July TOTAL income: $93,493 August TOTAL income: $153,627 The moral […]
Not on this video is a drunk jumping on the stage. From a reliable source: Security attempted to restrain him until police arrived. Mustaine overreacted, security was not removed just relocated, the drunk was later arrested. Evidently this happens frequently at this type of shows. See this video. It sounds like at least 1 hired […]
Details tomorrow That is a new record.
By: Diane Benjamin A total of 1,609 scientists, professors and other scholars have signed on to a new declaration that argues there is no climate change crisis. https://www.thecollegefix.com/more-than-1600-scientists-and-other-scholars-sign-no-climate-emergency-declaration/ That didn’t stop Normal City Manager Pam Reece telling WGLT Normal has been affected by Climate Change: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-09-22/climate-change-impacts-noticeable-in-bloomington-normal Reece claims the trees were affected by heat and […]
By: Diane Benjamin Everyone but Tim Gleason managed to show at last night. Gleason might have been attending another meeting. Jenna Kearns: Just stay seated during the Pledge of Allegiance. You would look like less of a hypocrite: The upcoming presentation for downtown wasn’t mentioned, supposedly the room in the Government Center will be done. […]
h/t a reader Of course if the Council is still at the BCPA in October the public won’t be able to see the speaker(s) or presentation. Rejoice! Did the Water Park ever get finished?
By: Diane Benjamin Below is what Bloomington’s downtown needs: This is a man-made canal through the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It is complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers. Paddle boats are available for rent. There is very little retail on the wide walking paths but there is a lot of expensive condos. I think water […]
By: Diane Benjamin The below is from the downloaded document on this website: https://ides.illinois.gov/newsroom/2023/sept/jobs-up-in-most-metro-areas-in-august.html Bloomington means Bloomington-Normal. Almost every metro is showing higher unemployment now than 1 year ago. If you download the document you will see the number of jobs is higher. More jobs but more unemployment. Makes perfect sense.
By: Diane Benjamin FYI: I’m not impressed with how many people clicked this link yesterday and watched the video. Life demands more than memes folks. It’s the weekend, take 5 minutes! https://www.thefp.com/p/video-the-free-press-meets-democratic-socialists?r=2d31np#play When we are constantly lied to by government it is difficult to believe anything. Many so called conspiracy theories turned out to be […]
By: Diane Benjamin This previous story proves why Illinois is the perfect place for a DSA convention: https://blnnews.com/2023/09/21/socialism-enshrined-in-the-illinois-constitution/ I stumbled on The Free Press some time ago. I’m sure you know old media isn’t going to cover important news or they are going to make up their own facts when they do. Alternative media is […]
By: Diane Benjamin This was the Preamble to the Illinois Constitution before it was changed in 1970: https://archive.org/details/constitutionof00illi/page/n7/mode/2up . Below is the current Preamble: https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/conp.htm . As Bloomington goes full on socialist know that Illinois enshrined socialism in the State Constitution way back in 1970. (Bloomington is considering tiered water rates, requiring private investment to […]
By: Diane Benjamin The National League of Cities created a searchable database showing where the Infrastructure Bill money is being spent. Look at Illinois – lots of money went to Public Transportation and electric buses. I wonder how many were bought from the bankrupt Proterra? Keep in mind all this money was printed and increased […]
By: Diane Benjamin Keep in mind voters were scared into giving Unit 5 the right to increase tax rates. The below is using the rate Unit 5 charged property owners in 2022. They now have the right to charge you much more regardless of how much the assessed value of your property increased. The below […]
By: Diane Benjamin In case you missed this story in the media: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_bc96b2e2-5338-11ee-a876-73caeb277433.html Clever Real Estate teamed up with moving company Allied Van Lines and found that Illinois has had more outbound moves than any other state in the past six months. Why would people continue to flee Illinois? The Bloomington City Council is encouraging out-migration. 5 of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Evidently your McLean County representatives don’t want you to know how much Cassy Taylor is paid. A salary increase was approved last Thursday with no mention of how much it was. The agenda said: A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – Elizabeth Johnston The only transparency here is the County answered my FOIA request within […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since the actual Constitution was signed 236 years ago yesterday and it fell on a weekend, the National Constitution Center is celebrating today. See their website: https://constitutioncenter.org/education/constitution-day-resources Most of the problems we face today are because the Constitution is immaterial. Restoring the principles that made America the shining city on the hill […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thanks to no one else running in Ward 1 last April a socialists walked on to the Bloomington City Council without a fight. Nice folks. You should know Jenna Kearns does not say the Pledge of Allegiance which means her oath of office to the Constitution of both the US and State […]
By: Diane Benjamin Previous: https://blnnews.com/2023/09/02/the-hershey-road-weeds-again/ https://blnnews.com/2023/08/23/update-to-the-hershey-road-island/ The weed island at the crosswalk to nowhere got mowed: That isn’t grass and it wasn’t mowed well, likely because a small mower wasn’t used: I found out the City of Bloomington also did the island at the corner of Towanda Barnes and Ireland Grove. In order to “maintain” […]
It is impossible for me to cover all local units of government myself, therefore I am going to quit covering Normal. If anyone actually cares about schools, I need help there too. Your part-time mayor driving a vehicle taxpayers paid almost $74,000 for and putting regular plates on it instead of government plates didn’t make […]
By: Diane Benjamin It was the Democrats who wanted to change the agreement made when a 10-10 Board was elected and a Republican was picked as chair. Last night changed nothing. In October the last empty seat will be filled restoring the 10-10 board. A Republican will still be in charge, what the Republicans did […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is the only mention in the agenda attachments of the raise the County Board awarded to Cassy Taylor last night: Board member Chuck Erickson tried to stop it because salaries of Administrators are out of control. He couldn’t muster enough Republican votes to stop it. So, how much is it? I […]
By: Diane Benjamin One Democrat was denied the right to attend the meeting tonight remotely which meant 9 Republicans were present and voting to 8 Democrats present and voting. The rules were changed by the Republican majority to elect a chair based on the majority present instead of a majority of the total. On a […]
You Can Be Addicted to Weed. I Was When I Was 12. I’m not printing excerpts of this one – you need to read it yourself: https://www.thefp.com/p/legal-weed-destroying-my-generation?publication_id=260347&post_id=137019148&action=share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=2d31np h/t a reader Next: https://redbirdlife.illinoisstate.edu/organization/cannabisclubredbirds Cannabis is illegal at ISU however: https://wellness.illinoisstate.edu/living/cannabis/
By: Diane Benjamin Read this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-09-12/group-looks-to-rally-support-for-a-community-land-trust-in-bloomington-normal-aimed-at-housing-affordability Local housing is a problem that the free market will self-correct. Interference in the process is why housing is unaffordable. One thing is certain: Additional housing can’t be created next month. It takes time and creating a Community Land Trust isn’t going to fix anything quickly. They […]
I’m told the established rules require 10 votes for a chair regardless of who is present. By: Diane Benjamin The County Board now has two vacancies. Since every District has two elected officials everyone still has representation. The only District that doesn’t have the same representation is 5, it used to have a Democrats and […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Special Use Permit for chicken keeping on Durham Dr was back on the Consent Agenda: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/cityblm/a66201e455c5f8574bd36e9daacfb3d60.pdf Only one item was pulled from the Consent Agenda and this wasn’t it. When the vote was taken to approve the rest of the Consent Agenda, including the chickens, Donna Boelen and Sheila Montney voted […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington will take 2 stories to cover, this is Part 1. Check the Agenda, the below isn’t there: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/259d37a5-7d4f-11ed-9024-0050569183fa-791fe512-602c-4d20-98c8-ecdbbed39134-1694194607.pdf In lieu of declaring Bloomington a Sanctuary City a few years ago the Council opted to join “Welcoming America”. Bloomington has a website dedicated to Welcoming Week activities coming up : https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28356/637982477484661849 Last […]
H/T a reader West side Walmart, red is normal?
By: Diane Benjamin Unlike Normal that tried to hide Pam Reece’s raise on the Omnibus Agenda, Bloomington has Tim Gleason’s as the only item on the Regular Agenda: See the entire agenda here – should be a short meeting: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/259d37a5-7d4f-11ed-9024-0050569183fa-791fe512-602c-4d20-98c8-ecdbbed39134-1694194607.pdf Still no report on the $750,000 downtown study last August that was projected to take […]
See if you can figure out why: The author is Carl Hinshaw.
By: Diane Benjamin We know the District 87 teacher’s union told teachers they aren’t allowed to discuss gender identity with parents unless the child gives written approval. I bet other public schools are the same. Schools: Kids do not belong to you. You aren’t the village raising them. You aren’t allowed to parent kids. Your […]
By: Diane Benjamin Nick Leroy had a short-lived venue called The Stable in downtown Bloomington. Hopefully he knows shows that make money instead of subsidized entertaining for the elites. When is the City going to admit the Coliseum isn’t The Grossinger Motors Arena anymore? Too hard to take the sign down? In case you missed […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this WEEK story: https://www.25newsnow.com/2023/09/07/idot-report-black-latinx-drivers-stopped-by-bloomington-police-disproportionately-higher-rate/ Quote: “McLean County has unfortunately had a history of disproportionally stopping people of color, so this is ongoing. What’s alarming is that the 2022 traffic data showed an uptick,” explains Karla Bailey-Smith, the Central Illinois Chapter of ACLU Illinois which covers McLean, DeWitt and Livingston Counties. I’m […]
