By: Diane Benjamin I’m not supposed to be anywhere near a computer screen with a concussion, but some things have to be said. The media is not the enemy of the people, they are the enemy of the truth. I have reports from multiple sources that the Pantagraph hasn’t printed at least 20 Letters to […]
Why are Bob and Julie Dobski spending $4 million to build an upscale restaurant when the space at 1 Uptown Circle is still vacant? Too expensive in Uptown? They weren’t the “Right Fit”? The Dobski’s know their patrons don’t want to park in a garage and walk? They wanted to be in Bloomington instead of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Followup to this story: https://blnnews.com/2018/10/20/the-corn-crib-fleece/ I discovered more information about the Cornbelters. They have two liens placed by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, meaning they didn’t pay the payroll taxes due. From 2016-2017 they owe $24,173.64 including interest, from 2015 they owe $2,054.94 plus interest of $621.87. Source: 2016 and 2017 […]
After two days of headaches, I went to the doc today. Concussion! I will be slowing down some for awhile. By: Diane Benjamin On Wednesday I got rear ended, it wasn’t a tap to the bumper! I’m taking some time off to rest. Since it has been many years since I’ve been in an […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you requested a ballot by mail, you are on a list that by law is laying on the counter at the County Clerk’s office. I asked BEC what they do and got this response: The local Democrat Party is using that information to spam voters! Even though phone numbers are NOT […]
By: Diane Benjamin September report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pLCpemf28nZGauwhZ5Qw4vpqKGZvpJ0C/view Keep in mind this ridiculous use of your money happens across the country. Cheaper ways to transport people can’t be that difficult. Note below – ISU has a contract so the kids can ride for free. Expenses are almost 10 times Revenue! Boardings per hour is higher, total ridership […]
By: Diane Benjamin Maybe attempting to disguise themselves, the local group uses the initials DSA instead of Democratic Socialists of America. This Saturday they are holding a meeting on the Wesleyan Campus: I bet they will agree with this statement: “capitalism is the realm of injustice”. Before DSA gets excited, those words were uttered by Hugo […]
By: Diane Benjamin At the last meeting of the Normal Town Council citizens showed up to protest the latest development plan for Uptown: https://blnnews.com/2018/10/16/normal-citizens-showed-up-no-minds-changed/ Two speakers decried the plan to destroy more historic buildings. The Council didn’t care and passed the plan anyway. There is now a petition on-line to save the mural: https://www.change.org/p/town-of-normal-city-council-save-the-mural-save-our-money It […]
By: Diane Benjamin Three judges are on the ballot to be elected. All three have no opposition. Basically they are being appointed, that does nothing to secure a fair and balanced justice system. I’m leaving any uncontested offices blank, much to the chagrin of political parties. Two other candidates are up for retention: Many people […]
By: Diane Benjamin This question will be on the ballot for Bloomington voters only: Voting YES abolishes the Bloomington Election Commission and puts elections in the hands of the ELECTED County Clerk. Here’s why voting YES is important: Peoria County is one of the few with an Election Commission. That Election Commission screwed up the […]
By: Diane Benjamin City Manager Tim Gleason was on WJBC this morning. The latest example of “leading from behind” is the new pension spiking policy. Non-union employee policy will change AFTER all the union contracts are changed – if they are changed. Those non-union employees are likely management. Instead of setting an example of putting taxpayers […]
By: Diane Benjamin The picture below is from October 20th – Flying Aces Hockey. The person who posted this to Facebook was playing a game, the beer won. The team has to pay $5,000 to the arena just to play there. Grossinger Motors Arena management makes money regardless of how many people show up. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Nikita Richards campaigned during a church service? https://blnnews.com/2018/10/01/nikita-lying-in-church/ City of Refuge Church must have decided they messed up with Nikita, so the GOP was invited to speak at the church. Various dates were discussed and then all mysteriously cancelled. Four candidates where going to come BEFORE a service to […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you haven’t decided who to support in the McLean County Clerk’s race, this article in the paper should make it crystal clear: https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mclean-county-clerk-hopefuls-push-improvements-bemoan-bitter-race/article_b4244ca0-16a0-5910-8666-00349ca6c74e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-2 If you live in the County (not Bloomington-Normal) are you under-served by the Clerk’s office? Nikita Richards thinks you are and plans to spend more money to serve […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council will approve the “business license” at tonight’s meeting: The City claims the $50 is a one-time fee. It won’t be. Businesses are required to re-register every year. That means next year the City Manager will want “cost-recovery” again. Gleason will suddenly realize staff needs to […]
By: Diane Benjamin I reported in this story Heartland Community College pays the property taxes on the Corn Crib property: https://blnnews.com/2018/10/18/heartland-pays-property-tax-corn-crib/ I’ve been doing lots of research on where the Corn Crib originated. In case you missed the latest news, only college kids will play at the Crib in the future. Minor league baseball is […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bill and Payroll for 10-18-2018 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20190 Since the auditing bill is being approved, the financial statements are done. Of course, they aren’t being released yet. Coliseum continues to bleed taxpayers: More PCard fraud-should be easy to see where it happened: TRAVEL: ICMA (City Manager) $866.04 +685.00 and $777.61 last month = total […]
By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 336 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20206 Sick Leave Buy Back and the resulting pension spiking is finally being addressed (years late) Monday night. The law changed in 2012 to allow IMRF to penalize municipalities who practice pension spiking. Without doing another FOIA to IMRF, I believe the penalties Bloomington has paid are nearing $2,000,000. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The BCPA was created for the local well off folks. The entire City is taxed to subsidize entertainment for people with above average wealth. Remember these guys: https://blnnews.com/2018/09/26/one-you-must-see-to-believe/ Ticket prices: How many people can afford this show? Evidently not many – there are still a lot of seats available: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/BLOM/?cts_legacy_app Maybe […]
By: Diane Benjamin Even though Heartland Community College is tax exempt, if they own property that isn’t being used for a tax exempt purpose they pay property taxes. Below is the list of properties they paid taxes on for 2017: 14-17-300-013 $132.92 (did not pay taxes prior to 2017) 9.67 acres commercial vacant land http://normaltownship.org//parcelinfo.php?SearchPIN=1417300013 […]
Jamie Mathy’s house is under his wife’s maiden name – it lost assessed value too: I hope you realize decreases in assessed value likely mean your house is worth less. When you sell it it will sell for less. If your house was your nest egg, it is being chipped away by bad fiscal policy. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Proving yet again the plan must be followed in Normal, the Bush development was approved for yet another building in Uptown. It doesn’t matter the building across the street has a vacant ground floor and empty apartments upstairs. The agreement for the building doesn’t require the use of local labor. One speaker […]
By: Diane Benjamin The expansion plans for the Bloomington Library weren’t well received by anybody on the council except Tari. Amelia Buragas still wants to move the library claiming people want it closer to downtown. The expansion plans presented still don’t provide enough parking according to Amelia and City Code. Several think parking isn’t needed […]
By: Diane Benjamin We may find out tonight at the Committee of the Whole meeting. The Library staff is making their presentation on how plans are going. They should answer some questions first: From the September 2014 City manager’s report: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=7452 2014 was down from 2013! What about September of 2018? The below is from […]
By: Diane Benjamin Town of Normal for tonight: http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3094 Just to prove what I wrote in this story: https://blnnews.com/2018/10/15/why-bloomington-normal-is-doomed/ Completing the Circle is in the plan, therefore it must be done: Bills for approval: These don’t need an explanation, note the Sports Complex is still alive. How did they ever do FOIA requests before spending […]
The City’s personal press is reporting Nikita has been cleared! When consultants are hired they always give the requested results. Congrats citizens! I wonder how they explain all these websites: https://blnnews.com/2018/10/12/gleason-cant-find-a-problem-with-nikita/ By: Diane Benjamin The ethics complaint filed with the City of Bloomington by Kevin Gerrard was never taken seriously. As this email proves, the […]
By: Diane Benjamin We live in a capitalist country. It’s called individual freedom to succeed or fail. The individual is the most important factor in success, the “collective” has no part in capitalism. Individuals must be free to make their own decisions. Capitalism doesn’t see genders, race, sexual orientation or any other tags used to […]
By: Diane Benjamin One question has persisted among those following the Mikey Cadena case: How did Amber go from being charged with 5 Class X felonies with children under the age of 15 (child endangerment) in the house and near a church all the way to probation? Amber has a long arrest and conviction record […]
By: Diane Benjamin In this country the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Allegations mean nothing without proof. Way too many people think that women should always be believed when they accuse a man of sexual assault. They are wrong, below is why: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Brian-Banks-Rape-Case-Exonerated-NFL-Atlanta-Falcons-218978851.html Brian Banks was a great high school football player with […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tim Gleason is following in the footsteps of David Hales who didn’t see a problem with the Coliseum. Hales was fired from Bend Oregon, and is being fired from Joliet. The Bloomington City Council adored him. The problem has been identified! Quote: http://www.wjbc.com/2018/10/04/city-hopes-richards-ethics-complaint-to-receive-swift-outside-review/ City Manager Tim Gleason said an internal investigation […]
That would be David Hales – looks like Joliet is way smarter than Bloomington was! https://www.theherald-news.com/2018/10/05/future-of-joliet-city-manager-said-to-be-uncertain/a2qxw45/ City Manager David Hales’ future in Joliet may be up in the air. Sources said that the City Council has begun to consider the prospect of Hales leaving before the end of his contract and possibly before the end […]
By: Diane Benjamin As I write Michael Cadena is still in jail in Massachusetts. His son Mikey’s whereabouts are unknown. Amber (mom) Buck’s attorney refuses to disclose this information. Sources tell me that there is a significant question regarding the transfer of the child and if proper Massachusetts procedure was followed or if it was […]
Today the Pantagraph embarrassed itself again with an article welcoming Matt Sorensen back from prison: https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ex-mclean-county-board-chair-sorensen-completes-federal-sentence/article_c78c7b6d-a1f5-5c73-8f9c-36518d5a5ed2.html How many other felons have they welcomed back? Is the Pantagraph going to endorse him for office again too? Is this “welcome back” because Matt was the consummate insider who complied with the establishment line, except for a tiny detour […]
By: Diane Benjamin On Monday sources tell me Bloomington will announce the Water Department will be merged with Public Works. The current head of Public Works, Jim Karch, will be in charge of everything. The Water Department is holding many millions of dollars. $2.8 million has already been “borrowed” from this fund, $2.4 million went […]
Information only. I’m posting this because I know two of the speakers, they are the good guys in Illinois! Speakers at this meeting will include Rep. Brad Halbrook of Shelbyville, Jim Marter, and Paul Preston, founder of New California. (New California is NOT the 3-way state split referendum that you may have heard about on […]
By: Diane Benjamin The wording is what is legally required. If you want to save money by not having two separate offices conduct elections, you must vote YES to abolish the Bloomington Election Commission. Since all BEC does is elections, what do they do when there aren’t any? Republicans and Libertarians think voters should have […]
By: Diane Benjamin The biggest threat to the Republic is uninformed people. We are being destroyed from within by the people charged with Freedom of the Press in order to defend us against tyranny. Much of media is purposely misinforming people by never reporting all sides of issues. Media is reporting their agenda thus […]
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