No, I’m not moving to either Bloomington or Normal and I’m NOT running for office.
This story is about YOU.
I started writing this site in April of 2012 only because I saw how bad the local media was. Today most are even worse. The majority of them hate this site without ever reading any stories.
The local elitists hate this site. Progressive really hate this site! Government officials despise this site because they don’t want transparency.
Remember Tari’s Rant?
How about comments made by Rob Fazzini and Mark Peterson? (Note: I don’t know Mark Peterson)
I wonder if Joni Painter still feels this way?
Well, YOU are smarter than them!
YOU want real news, not the propaganda of the local media or government bureaucrats. YOU are sometimes annoyed by how local government chooses to use your tax dollars. Sometimes YOU get angry, you have every right to be angry. Some of YOU decided to run for office yourself, more REAL people need to run. (If that is YOU, contact me!)
Many of YOU give me information and tips. This site wouldn’t possible without YOU.
I could always use more help! If you missed the last time I posted the Edgar County Watchdogs training materials for the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Open Meetings Act (OMA) see it here: Edgar County Watchdog Training
Transparency is the only fix for out of control government. There are more of us than them. YOU prove that every day by reading.
So what’s the HUGE News?
A “view” is somebody looking at a page on this site. Every story is a page.
Today BlnNews hit a HUGE number of “views”:
5,000,000+
That means a HUGE number of YOU are reading. The days of progressive elitists are numbered. My thanks to YOU for caring enough to be informed, sharing stories, informing your friends and neighbors, and of course: VOTING!
Diane Benjamin ♥
Hurray, Diane!!!!
I forward your news to others every day or week depending on the article. You have more than 5,000,000 readers.
You do a great job and a wonderful service to central Illinois.
I don’t know the number of readers, but it is a lot to have read that many pages.
Thank you for your service, Bloomington/ Normal would not be the same without your Truth
Thanks!
Congratulations Diane!
awesome!
I suggested to the editor of The Pantagraph years ago that, since they obviously weren’t interested in doing any investigative work, they should hire you. Their response must have been lost in the mail!
Last I heard, they have a policy against investigations.
Diane does a great job exposing OUR government. I $upport her!
Congratulations!!! You work so hard at getting the real news out!!!! Many of us count on you…. and not newspapers to find out what’s really happening!!!
Thank you!!!
Congratulations, Diane. This is a great site and very necessary. Keep up the good work.
5 million is a lot of views! Congrats Diane!
👍🏼👍🏼
Remember when a famous burger joint bragged about selling millions of burgers? Five million is a big deal. Congrats!
Congratulations Diane, And IF you DIDN’T write the TRUTH, WHO would?? Surely not the Pantagraph,, which ironically they QUOTE Tari and Koos ALL the time, but do THEY tell the TRUTH?? Nope! And as for Johnee Painter, well, that 30 MPH speed zone is just peachy, as it seems NO ONE pays attention to IT or HER! Smarties for everyone!
Did TAri EVER get his toilet fixed or he still “slumming” at Eastland suites PROBABLY on OUR dime.. I CANNOT wait until he gets his head served up on a silver platter!
KEEP ON TRUCKING!
Ah well very good indeed, and, hopefully “they” will soon be surprised at just how large the tiny little fringe of extremists has grown when a lot more if us VOTE. Thank you for spreading the word – your efforts will not be in vain.
Thank you Diane!
I have recommended your website to all of my friends who live in BLONO. I know they are reading it because we discuss what’s on the site every time we meet. Its a pretty sad situation when you have a local paper and the only real news in it are the obits! I am glad to see that there is ONE honest newsperson in BLONO that is not afraid to speak the truth. You were instrumental in our decision to get the heck out of BLONO ! I can promise you when me make the major move out of the state you will STILL be my first news read of the day!
Congratulations! That’s wonderful news and a fabulous milestone indeed! I often marvel at your talent, intelligence, and perseverance. Thank you so much for taking up this very important job, and delivering the truth to your readers. (The pantygraph could take a page.)
Congratulations, you are a credit to our Community. BRAVO !
“Tell the truth the first time and you don’t have to remember what you said.” Tip O’Neill
Yes, Diane, I am still a Democrat. Do I support the current Democratic Party ? No, absolutely not.
But don’t ask me to be a Republican.
Vote person, not party!
But what about the primaries ?
pick one with the people you prefer and vote in it. Picking a primary doesn’t make you a democrat or republican!
The best candidates are always defeated in the primary because people are too chicken to pick a party.
Open primaries are the only option to pick candidates. That won’t happen in Illinois. Right now you have to pick a party to vote in the primary. You might be able to vote on referendums as non-partisan, but you must declare a party to vote for candidates. Yes there are other parties on ballots, but the Dems and the GOP are the ones who play in the world series of politics. Primaries also decide who runs the parties.
Not that long ago, you could only switch parties every four years. Time changes everything.
Nope! Open Primaries mean one party gets to pick the other parties candidates
Perhaps such scenarios have occurred, but I haven’t seen that actually happen. If so, it would have to be on a local level. There are too many other ways to sway an election these days. Misinformation by the media is far more effective. Today many voters cast their ballot based on their emotions rather than their intellect which causes people to vote on a single issue. People are too busy or too upset to concern themselves with
casting a thoughtful ballot. Politics is no longer a science, it is now a circus and a crass form of entertainment to put it mildly.
Congratulations and thanks for all you do, Diane!
Thanks Diane for exposing TRUTH and opening the eyes of the blind and deceived! Though we no longer live in Illinois it’s great to see what is happening on the BLN News and your Facebook!