By: Diane Benjamin It should be more than obvious that Connect Transit is not meeting the needs of people who MUST have public transportation. Proof: Buses that are too big to run in places formerly served – mobile home parks, neighborhoods with narrow streets cutting routes and increasing fares political appointments to the Connect Transit […]
The Supreme Court case cited by both the Town of Normal and a person on Koos’ Facebook page does not apply. It was about signs on PUBLIC PROPERTY and had nothing to do with signs on private property: In 2005, Gilbert, Arizona adopted a municipal sign ordinance that regulated the manner in which signs could be displayed […]
Front Street – pics from a reader:
By: Diane Benjamin A reader sent a pic of a pothole at IAA and Eastland Crossing. (I have no idea where this is!) Yes, that’s rebar at the bottom. Are those official City of Bloomington cones? Who added the rock? Keep sending pics! Consider it a Public Service. I wonder what this road is rated?
Scott Miller was the on air guy, it wasn’t FISH. By: Diane Benjamin A guy who calls himself Fish Martin is covering for Scott Laughlin while he is undergoing cancer treatments. This morning he talked about comments to a WJBC story they posted on Facebook. This is the story from the WJBC website: Bloomington City […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 Two more reports have appeared from March, three are from April. These two shows made money: These three shows lost money, the losses wiped out the profits above. Note the number of tickets sold: Why does this continue? Because the City thinks you need entertained. The cost is immaterial. It’s “Quality […]
Former alderman Jim Fruin lives on Thornwood. By: Diane Benjamin I received this email today: Diane, we live on Thornwood lane which is a 1 block street off Airport Road in Hawthorne Hills. The street has been on the city’s schedule for repaving last year and now this year. It was never done last year, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The good news is: Connect Transit might be out of money by 2023! The bad news is: Some people in town need transportation. 12 people spoke during Public Comment. Many of them were there because Connect Transit isn’t listening to them. Routes are being eliminated and fares may be going up. Side […]
By: Diane Benjamin The proposed building on Uptown Circle will result in the loss of historic buildings on Beaufort – and the mural. What does Normal Get? Farnsworth Group and AFNI jobs will relocate from Bloomington. No new jobs. No growth for the area, just destruction of the mural and historic buildings. Is the war […]
By: Diane Benjamin I heard a copy of days ago that tickets to the May 4th Stars on Ice show were discounted by 50%. Even that didn’t help. Instead of posting this report under “Arena” on the City website, it is under BCPA: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 The Coliseum/Grossinger Motors Arena will never be successful. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin A deputy Town Marshall was arrested in Carthage Indiana for: * criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon * felony impersonation of a public servant * official misconduct of a public servant * and pointing a firearm at another Why was he arrested? See the story here: https://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/crime/carthage-deputy-town-marshal-arrested-for-firing-shots-during-burglary-investigation […]
By: Diane Benjamin $100,000 to move this? What we know: Koos and Company are REALLY upset by the results of the last election The citizens overwhelmingly voted the “Plan” dead Koos and Company think the “Plan” isn’t dead This building will not be saved The Normal voters waited too long to send the message the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Dan Brady: It took until last night to connect with Dan Brady about HB 2040. See this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/05/06/illinois-gop-a-minority-on-purpose/ He told me he didn’t hear any opposition to the bill, one of the reasons he voted YES. Evidently we aren’t a Representative Republic where the elected reflect the values of the people […]
By: Diane Benjamin Being politically correct is dead! Some of the new Bloomington Alderman didn’t get the message. PDF page 169: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21739 Remember when Aldermen became allowed to place items on the agenda with a Council Initiative? They needed to fill out a form and get 4 other members to sign with them. Evidently some […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last year Black Lives Matter bailed out Myleria Briggs for Mother’s Day. She was in jail for retail theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She entered a guilty plea in June of 2018. 24 days in jail and 24 months probation. It was a Class 3 felony. All Springfield […]
By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 21 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GoZDYLB3LiTfbRZpY34J539EmtVDAkpB/view Does this mean if expenses are cut, IDOT gives them less money? I spoke to a retired driver. He says he was overpaid – somewhere around $27 per hour. He also told me stories of employees/contractors paid to leave. Every year operating expenses increase meaning the IDOT subsidy […]
By: Diane Benjamin Guess where this statement is: Even with insurance, gas, oil changes, and new tires every 2-3 years – anybody spend $8000 on maintenance a year? “AAA” looks like a link, it doesn’t work. This statement is on a website called GoodToGoMclean.org It should be obvious who sponsors it, the guys with priorities […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Police Department has an interactive map of crimes: http://www.cityblm.org/government/departments/police/crime-maps-and-statistics/raids-online Normal is not on this system. They have their own version: http://www.normal.org/526/Crime-Data Bloomington’s map is fun to play with. Want to know what neighborhoods look like targets of residential burglary? You can see it. Where are the most DUI’s issued? See […]
By: Diane Benjamin This event has ZERO to do with honoring veterans. Nikita Richards is raising money so she can run for office again. Why is she still using contact information for the race she lost last November? “The Change You Deserve” was rejected by voters. If you plan to attend, read the fine print. […]
By: Diane Benjamin As reported yesterday, at Monday’s Normal Town Council meeting Marc Tiritilli asked Mayor Koos about the vacant seat representing Normal on the Connect Transit Board. Marc claimed he asked for the appointment 5 weeks ago, the seat is still empty at a time it needs filled. Many citizens are not happy with […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unlike Bloomington, the swearing in of the two new members and one returning to the Council in Normal was on video. All three took an oath to uphold both the Federal Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois. The State in the Illinois version contains this statement which should be […]
By: Diane Benjamin This picture was taken today. The event being advertised was 3 days ago. Worse, it looks like Illinois State University paid for it! Nobody in the private sector wants their name on a bus? So far only Downtown Bloomington, WGLT, and ISU want their names associated with Connect Transit!
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos buddy Dave Shields is livid he got beat in the last election. See 12:50. He decided to tear into Stan Nord for “lying” at Public Comment. Hey Dave – you said New York leads the states in out migration. According to this link New York is 4th, New Jersey is […]
By: Diane Benjamin We know people are leaving Illinois. We also know the people in charge think they can fix everything with higher taxes. Illinois is spiraling out of control while those who can take steps to reverse the course have their heads buried deep in propaganda. Never forget what party is in complete control […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois governor is pretending suckering citizens into changing Illinois from a flat tax to a progressive tax will solve all the state’s problems. It won’t come close, it will hasten Illinois’ decline as more people flee the state. The ones fleeing will be the producers, the ones that hire other people […]
By: Diane Benjamin State GOP Chair Tim Schneider led the Republican Party in a wipe-out last November. The Republicans have zero power in Springfield thanks to his leadership. There is now a lawsuit connected to the election of the State Central Committeeman over election improprieties. Schneider is accused of stealing the election. Details here: 19-0422 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are screen shots from Connect Transit reports for what they paid Corn Belt for electricity. https://www.connect-transit.com/about/trustees/packet.asp Note: Connect Transit does not posts report as “searchable”. If the Illinois Policy Institute was still giving transparency grades, they would flunk. Obviously they are paying between $3,900 and $4,300 a month. At $4,300 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two new trustees will be sworn into office at 7:00. They were elected because Chris Koos did not want them on the Council. Stan Nord and Karyn Smith will need the support of citizens to stop this madness! http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3285 Look at this spending. Get the idea government and quasi-government agencies know how […]
By: Diane Benjamin Just so there is a record, since the City of Bloomington didn’t live stream or archive video of the candidates being sworn in, a reader taped Carrillo and Crabill. They did take an oath to support the Constitution. I wonder if they know the word “democracy” is not in it? Below […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader See this Press Release: What is “For a Better Tomorrow” and where do the funds raised go? This was attached to the Press Release: I still have no idea who this group is, they don’t appear to be an official non-profit. The money raised is going to FOUR Chosen […]
See video of Jenn speaking in Washington DC below – April 30, 2019. By: Diane Benjamin See this section from the City Code: http://www.cityblm.org/government/codes-ordinances/city-code Now see this Facebook post from Illinois people’s Action: Obviously Jenn Carrillo and Jeff Crabill have “personal interest” in passing the Welcoming Ordinance and both are not capable of “rendering […]
By: Diane Benjamin That date in 2012 is when I published the first story on BlnNews. I ONLY started writing because of the despicable reporting I saw in the local media. Organizations they liked had inflated numbers of event attendees, if they didn’t approve – the numbers reported could be less than half of actual. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Sonny Garcia is a self-proclaimed democratic socialist. He has no clue what that means. He does want the Welcoming Ordinance, Community Policing, Green City, Affordable Housing, and free public transportation. Side note to Sonny and Jenn: Bloomington aggregated buying electricity and opted for only “green”. That means those poor and oppressed people […]
By: Diane Benjamin Taken this morning: The next two are from a house just south of Ellsworth A house in Ellsworth is getting their basement pumped out, not the one in the picture. I hope the hose isn’t from the fire department, that would be an illegal use of public property:
By: Diane Benjamin The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ Ronald Reagan Dick Durbin thinks everything is government’s job. He also thinks the cost is immaterial. Churches and families used to take care of each other. That was before government saw they can […]
