Don’t drive THIS road in Bloomington!
I just received a report that the State fixed the crossing today!
Month: September 2014
Coliseum: Lies and more Lies
by: Diane Benjamin Here is the August Calendar for events at the Coliseum: http://www.uscellularcoliseum.com/calendar-of-events/?month=8&year=2014&m=#markerdown Look at the other months too while you are there. ISU Hockey used to play at the Pepsi Ice Center, not many fans attended. The stands are NOT going to be filled with paying customers when the games are in the […]
Aldermen arrogance
By: Diane Benjamin Obviously the Bloomington City Council has no interest in questioning City Manager David Hales. Years from now Hales will be blamed for all the ills of the City, but the Alderman elected to represent their Wards don’t care now. Hales does what Renner wants, Renner has all but banned free speech of […]
Coliseum: Sit Down Shut Up
by: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington management now wants YOU to know nothing about the Coliseum. Luckily there is a lot of evidence they can’t hide. The Smokehouse grill will not be opening for lunch after closing for the summer. The calendar of events is on the Coliseum website. Very few events are scheduled […]
Coliseum doing great! NOT
by: Diane Benjamin The Peoria Civic Center reported losses of $875,000 last year. They immediately cut staff. http://www.sj-r.com/article/20140829/News/140829413 Recent Coliseum financial statements are NOT posted on the City website. All statements from FY 2012 and FY 2013 are on the City website, but nothing has been posted since the quarter ending October 31, 2013. Almost […]
Bloomington: Bills Council will approve tonight
by: Diane Benjamin You can view all the bills and payroll for tonight’s meeting here: http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=7246 There are many interesting things, here’s a few. Remember, these are the bills approved at only ONE meeting. Bills are approved for payment twice a month. David Hales is attending the International City Manager’s Association meeting in Charlotte North […]
Don’t drive THIS road in Bloomington!
by: Diane Benjamin These pictures are from a rail crossing on Morrissey (Route 150), very close to Rhodes Drive. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Morrissey+Dr+%26+Rhodes+Ln,+Bloomington,+IL+61704/@40.4523264,-88.965327,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x880b6fc690ab0c67:0x2b0982281ec22572 Citizen report: I’m at a loss to find out who to complain to about the deplorable condition of the railroad crossing on Morrissey (150) just south of Quik N Ez. It is so bad […]
Fly on the Wall: Potted plants
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3 things in ONE post
by: Diane Benjamin I’d like to have weekends off, but news never stops. 1) Renner blames the Council Mayor Transparency was on WJBC yesterday morning. He claims Normal has a AAA credit rating because their Council will do what ever it takes. Translation: They will tax and raise fees without blinking. The Council is hand-picked […]
To those who think Fracking isn’t safe:
Thanks to Congressman John Shimkus:
“Cheers” for inept government!
by: Diane Benjamin Celebrate Celebrate! The Pantagraph is cheering the Bloomington City Council for moving quickly to fix the Pepsi Ice Center parking garage. It’s been closed for 11 months Pantagraph! Worse, the parking garage isn’t even 10 years old. Taxpayers paid around $3,3000,000 for the original construction. Monday night the Council will review bids […]
Bond refinance good, but . . .
by: Diane Benjamin It is a good thing the City of Bloomington refinanced bonds and is saving money on interest. Actually, it’s a no-brainer. How many of you refinanced your home numerous times as interest rates dropped to historic levels. Isn’t saving taxpayer money what we expect of government? One problem: Fitch and Moody’s didn’t […]
I bet you didn’t know this
by: Diane Benjamin You probably did know that local governments have a Sister Cities program. Bet you didn’t know about this one: Celebrating our Sister Cities, Rivers and Lakes The people of Illinois have enjoyed a long-time friendship with the people of Latino nations. This warm relationship can be seen in the Sister Cities program […]
Phone/Cell Phone bills going up?
by: Diane Benjamin In Bloomington your telecommunications tax went up in April – Thanks to Mayor Tyranny’s inability to consider cuts to any City spending – other than increases proposed by him and Hales: UTILITY RATES AS OF APRIL 28, 2014 UTILITY COMPONENT CHARGE METHOD OLD RATE NEW RATE STATUTORY LIMIT Electric kilowatt per hour […]
It’s a felony!
by: Diane Benjamin Why is Illinois so corrupt? Because laws are for citizens not government. Laws for all levels of government are clearly spelled out in the Illinois Constitution. Government thinks they are immaterial. Laws only matter if the elected officials and public servants hired by government enforce them. They see no reason to comply, […]
Fly on the Wall: State Farm
According to the local paper, tax revenues in Normal have been affected by State Farm’s transfer of people out of the local area. Funny thing, Bloomington still thinks their town is growing! If they did admit the obvious, spending would have to be cut! Think your Democrat Mayor is going to allow that? Think Normal […]
Really Pantagraph?
by: Diane Benjamin The Pantagraph has another unsigned Editorial – this one praises the City of Bloomington for passing a Transparency Ordinance. I almost fell off my chair laughing at one of the lines: That’s a promise especially important to media outlets and government watchdog groups that are charged with a “fourth estate” responsibility to […]
In God We Trust
Patriot Prayer Group September 3, 2014 Dear Family, Friends and Fellow Patriots: In 2012, 40 days before the election, we began to pray together for our country. With all that is happening in our world, in America and in each state, this year we will begin our prayers 60 days out from the election. September […]
Get all the posts by email
by: Diane Benjamin Don’t miss any articles! On the top of the main page of BlnNews.com there is a new FOLLOWING button. Add you email address and every post will arrive in your inbox!
Dump Durbin – in his own words
by: Diane Benjamin According to the latest Rasmussen poll, 69% of voters think we are on the wrong track: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/right_direction_or_wrong_track Sen Dick Durbin is the number 2 guy in the Senate. More than 350 bills, including at least 40 jobs bills, passed by the House will NOT be discussed or debated in the Senate. The […]
Events THIS week
Tonight: Tea Party meeting – 6:30 – The Launch Pad, 315 E Front Who doesn’t support the TEA Party (Taxed Enough Already!)? Democrats, Establishment Republican, Main Stream Media, Communist Party USA, Socialist Party, etc etc Are you on the RIGHT side of history? Flamingos will be available! . Thursday: Dennis Michael Lynch – Decatur – […]
Local School Spending Reports
Courtesy of Open The Books. Most other districts are available at: http://www.openthebooks.com/search/documents/?PensionCode=1853 The State of Illinois is going to try to transfer teacher pension payments to local districts. Then what? District 87 http://www.openthebooks.com/file.aspx?AssetPath=ZC3qJRVoHAKKqfRvuR1E64DeD6vqVg18GDALGsi0AxXK7kbTpPnS6SiX4%2fDIMgpDqM6X2ctrjXhDBJ25CJwyL4lkgbAq0LPcgtany1h%2b3omaycfe5yZoOgvq%2b5QjoTAg%2fOOvJj36GkFGQML826VsBQ%3d%3d . Unit 5 http://www.openthebooks.com/file.aspx?AssetPath=ZC3qJRVoHAKKqfRvuR1E64DeD6vqVg18GDALGsi0AxWX6JXqZYrCXYF6RzMq4WvdUEfZgyi8lWfTUxjwfJfiITtTZKVXcZv3hBxFA4dvK2xKwkDxuKMJ2Mh7mfMzV5AnDllz%2f0UYhT%2f%2fr2yWoKNitQ%3d%3d . Tri-Valley http://www.openthebooks.com/file.aspx?AssetPath=ZC3qJRVoHAKKqfRvuR1E64DeD6vqVg18GDALGsi0AxUyhguDW4CQAau2csZbtn%2fDpnj21Ti%2ffm7kQIHg7AaagwjphFurF7EXrJzOQ93qUA%2bJCpubgoHXMY4mthxEjRZK%2bJ6WYuRtYVlHjJ91P93bjQ%3d%3d . Olympia http://www.openthebooks.com/file.aspx?AssetPath=ZC3qJRVoHAKKqfRvuR1E64DeD6vqVg18GDALGsi0AxVY9P9%2bJizBFDSAhEFM1tHNJRbCrT9QlB1d8lhUhkEXMaq4%2bKMtPuSbzReEdLVOCJeQ7LmpeuGQska6YStgedvB . . . .
Farewell Fazzini
by: Diane Benjamin As a parting gift, Rob Fazzini issued a final Ward 8 report. Have you ever heard a politician brag about raising taxes? Fazzini did: Persisted for nearly three years in leading the effort to implement a 4 cent per gallon local motor fuel tax. Here’s some other gems: During my tenure as […]
Renner’s Revitalization
by: Diane Benjamin Yesterday Mayor Renner penned a Guest Commentary in the Pantagraph. Unlike the paper’s editorials, he at least signed his name. His first sentence on the revitalization of downtown says volumes: “… has the potential to boost our economic growth for generations to come”. Potential? Renner then quotes a Pantagraph editorial: “Before you […]