Update: Find this guy
Facebook posts claim he has been identified. We need to wait for confirmation from authorities. Posts on Facebook claim this is the guy who hit a female downtown. Contact the police if you know him.
Month: May 2020
Normal’s latest give-aways
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night: http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3644 1) 1404 Fort Jesse – the property Normal has been paying property taxes on they don’t owe. On the agenda is to sell the prime property to Laura Dolan for $25,000 plus paying the 2019 property taxes. The assessed value is $90,000. The Town had previously sold the property […]
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Remove Carrillo from office
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday Jenn Carrillo posted this: Jenn Carrillo does not care about the foundations of a civil society: Rule of Law. She has forfeited her right to serve as a representative of Ward 6 in the City of Bloomington. The video below was taken by one of the protesters and posted to […]
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What you get when good people don’t run and the rest don’t vote
conservativereview.com/justice-george-floyd-7000-black-homicide-victims-every-year Systematic racism does not exist in America as proven above. There are individual incidents that require the law to hold all accountable. We are a nation of laws not knee- jerk reactions to move an agenda forward. This is the same guy wanting dangerous criminals released from the County jail so they don’t get […]
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BLM, Violence, and Sonny Garcia
By: Diane Benjamin Officers covering for other officers they know shouldn’t carry a badge and a gun is what led to the death of a black man in Minneapolis. I doubt there is any person in America that condones what the 4 officers did, especially the three without their knee on the guys neck who […]
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Bloomington expects you to kneel
Below are the rules for restaurants and bars planning to open in Bloomington. They are REQUIRED to REGISTER with the City. Of course it includes threats too. At Monday’s meeting this wasn’t going to be rushed, evidently they changed their mind.
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ACLU and I finally agree
Rights don’t disappear because of an epidemic. Why aren’t they suing McLean County too? https://blnnews.com/2020/05/27/covid-19-voids-hipaa/
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Punting to a Tyrant
By: Diane Benjamin Somewhere I heard it stated: Illinois will open when the people want it to open. Your elected officials aren’t going to help, they are bowing before Pritzker’s tyrannical rule. The County Board debated for two hours last night. Peoria and the other cities who put together the HOI plan have all backed […]
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The Illinois People’s Action Hypocrites
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois People’s Action website only shows two staff – Don Carlson and Dawn Dannenbring: http://www.illinoispeoplesaction.org/our-staff.html They are married to each other. IPA members are not afraid to call themselves Democratic Socialists. Socialism has never worked anywhere, here is the proof it doesn’t even work for the locals: That is a screen […]
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Update: County Board – 5:30 today
No decisions were made. After almost two hours of many thinking they have the right to violate the rights of people and businesses, a motion was made to table. Some republicans voted with the Democrats not to make a decision. Meanwhile, the surrounding states are open. ______________________ By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington and Normal have no […]
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Uptown News (some additions/changes to the original)
By: Diane Benjamin This plaque will be dedicated at 10:00 am Saturday on the Normal Plaza. When City Hall moved years ago they didn’t move the existing plaque with them. The American Legion decided to leave that one and install a new one: I hear Chris Koos and Dan Brady will be making comments. Commander […]
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Connect Transit doesn’t need a fare increase – they got $9 Mil
By: Diane Benjamin Scroll to PDF page 31 below. You will see this: The “Cares Act” is just another cute name for “We Don’t Care How Much We Spend”. As reported in this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/05/22/wow-so-close-connect-transit/ In April Connect lost a little more than usual. That $9,179,551 the feds showered on Connect will make up for […]
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COVID-19 voids HIPAA
By: Diane Benjamin Did you know if you test positive for COVID your rights to privacy will be violated? Even though the McLean County Health Department says to stay home until you have been fever free for 3 days and at least 7 days since symptoms first appeared, Metcom and Bloomington Dispatch will know about […]
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Starkly Different Biblical views
By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s Bloomington City Council meeting was over 3 hours, it included a Township meeting that started at 5:00. The longest discussion was about the Community Development Block Grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Stop for a second and think about this program. The Feds take your money […]
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Arena hits just keep on coming
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll for tonight: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=24570 Coliseum expenses: The first entry is for bills Bloomington paid that VenuWorks needs to reimburse – all the rest are coming out of taxpayers pockets: I don’t remember ever seeing a check written for loan payments, usually they do wire transfers: $795,000 was paid in principal […]
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Bloomington tonight
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1075&Inline=True Delayed because of Memorial Day, tonight’s meeting starts with a Proclamation against gun violence: See the whole document Renner will probably read on PDF page 11. Note the last 3 words above. Gun violence isn’t caused by guns, the person holding the gun is the problem. We don’t value unborn life […]
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What about the money Bloomington owes VenuWorks?
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington has been paying VenuWorks $4,999.98 sporadically since 2016, payments are marked loan principle. This story says why: https://blnnews.com/2016/10/06/so-bloomington-claims/ The short version: VenuWorks paid John Butler (CIAM) for equipment at the Coliseum. The City is reimbursing them for that purchase. The total was $299,999, no interest, payments over 5 […]
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Why Normal billed taxpayers $154,120
By: Diane Benjamin Think all the way back to March 16, 2020. That was pre-shutdown and the Normal Town Council was still meeting in person. The staff got raises at this meeting and the Council was forced to approve a site plan for Stan Nord’s property. It isn’t in Uptown so different rules apply – […]
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Tari caught on Hot Mic
By Diane Benjamin h/t a reader City councils are supposedly non-partisan. We all know they aren’t. Everybody needs to quit pretending many of the local elected aren’t playing party politics instead of what is best for it’s citizens. Bloomington’s mayor Tari Renner proves that point. I wonder if he is teaching this crap to his […]
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Weekend Snickers
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WOW! So close Connect Transit
By: Diane Benjamin If only they had spent a little more on consulting and architects for bus stops, they could have made it to $1,000,000 lost in ONE MONTH: Cost per trip is now a whooping $9.26, last April it was $3.30. Cost for Connect Mobility is far worse: $117.13 per rider. Last year it […]
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If you want one of these signs . . . .
Two people left comments to the story saying where they are available: 1) Donnells in Pontiac is making/selling them for $10/ea 2) Roy Wraps at at Central Image Wraps had the signs available on April 30 and posted this ad on News Happening… (Facebook page) 18 x 24″ yard sign…INCLUDES A YARD STAKE… only $20 […]
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Remember Normal’s Energy Audit?
By: Diane Benjamin This story is from April 21, 2020: https://blnnews.com/2020/04/21/normal-last-night-part-1/ The story proves Normal’s claim of being environmentally friendly is false. To be labeled an Energy Star building it must be rated at least 75, 11 Uptown on rated 43. The rating is based on energy consumption as compared to other like buildings. That […]
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UPDATE: What the media didn’t tell you
Pritzker is judge shopping in Federal Court. He is attempting to transfer Darren Bailey’s Clay County case. Bailey filed against the move, his lawyer believes the Feds will refuse and the case will be decided in Clay County – just not today. By: Diane Benjamin Rep Darren Bailey was tossed out of the House meeting […]
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The County vote sets up the November Election
By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Board is meeting at 5:30 next Thursday to vote on supporting the HOI re-open plan. The purpose of the shutdown was to “bend the curve”. There was no “curve” locally but the destruction to the lives of McLean County residents has been beyond measurable. Democrats want to take over […]
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Progressive Julie Hile
By: Diane Benjamin Ever feel like government is conspiring behind your back to force their agenda on you? They are! Julie Hile is a progressive. She knows how you should live your life, your opinions are immaterial. All progressives want to reshape daily life to whatever their vision is. Hile has a long history of […]
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Pritzker folds
The Illinois department of Public Health repealed Pritzker’s Emergency Rule today. See the SHORT video on the Edgar County Watchdogs website: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2020/05/idph-repeals-gov-pritzkers-emergency-rule/ Other media sources are reporting the members were deluged with angry calls and emails from citizens. This repeals the fine and jail time for not obeying the king. The meeting start time was […]
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Why brush is on the street
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Bloomington taxpayers are forced to pay the City for hauling garbage, recycling, and brush. There is no competition so service can be whatever the City decides it is, and they got the Council to pass automatic increases to spare the embarrassment of taking votes. The situation below is not […]
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More on Normal’s Property Taxes they don’t owe.
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/05/06/pam-reece-needs-to-pay-this-herself/ On May 6th when that story was written both the Adelaide property and the empty lot on Ft. Jesse were labeled taxable on the McLean County Assessor’s website. Ft. Jesse still is, Adelaide has finally been changed. Evidently Normal will continue to pay property taxes on an […]
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County Board to vote on HOI Plan Thursday
The plan will be presented at today’s meeting. Imagine a real vote instead of the dictators Renner and Koos making all the decisions.
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Seriously Bloomington?
h/t a reader – taken today:
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Important! – Don’t miss this one: The rest of Normal’s fleece
By: Diane Benjamin Normal Mayor Chris Koos was nominated by Sen Dick Durbin to the Amtrak Board of Directors. Amtrak and Koos are a perfect fit. It does mean that Koos can no longer participate in discussions about building an underpass since all decisions involve Amtrak. See PDF page 5: http://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/12829/2017-Purchasing-Policy-Manual-x?bidId= Amtrak will be paying […]
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Bloomington recap
By: Diane Benjamin Tim Gleason started the meeting with a COVID update: The City has used $2 million of $4 million in excess reserves. They won’t have a clear picture of the hit to the budget until June or July. Police respond to all calls of violation of shelter in place. They attempt to gain […]
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Normal: No right or wrong answers?
By: Diane Benjamin The next election can’t come fast enough because all but one of the elected officials are not working for the people in Normal. Covering last night’s meeting is going to take more than one story. Start with Trustee comments at the end of the meeting. Chemberly Cummings lectured the public on wearing […]
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Resignation letter only a few saw
By: Diane Benjamin I wrote this story about the McLean County Nursing Home in April: https://blnnews.com/2020/04/27/mclean-county-nursing-home-fact-left-out/ It recaps what I knew at the time about the long time administrator resigning. Yesterday I finally received my FOIA. It contained the resignation letter submitted by Cindy Wegner. As stated in the previous article, the County Health Committee […]
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Take Action Now: Tyrant Pritzker!
By: Diane Benjamin Dictator Pritzker is playing politics while Illinois burns. It is obvious now the shutdown in Illinois was never about bending the curve. It is about trashing the economy in hopes of a huge bailout while crushing small businesses and people deemed non-essential. Congratulation democrats – you elected a dictator. Proof: Raising taxes […]
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UPDATE: Normal – Just Can’t Say No
If course they didn’t say NO. Details tomorrow. By: Diane Benjamin http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3633 The big item on the agenda tonight is this: Did you have flooding this weekend? There were videos on line showing nearly impassable streets in Normal, evidently that’s not unusual. Instead of essential services at a time when revenues are way down and […]
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Is Pritzker making money off COVID?
By: Diane Benjamin This story is all over Facebook. Since all of you aren’t on Facebook, I NEED to post it. This is just one source reporting, the media might be forced to report: Illinois: Governor Pritzker backed companies profiting off of COVID-19 https://www.mom-at-arms.com/post/illinois-governor-pritzker-backed-companies-profiting-off-of-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR3DgCylEubfU92NzJKtw6ofrcRmPams-rpK9sxrrd5NrdrxAHT7RQA7j7g Pritzker owns a company that makes and sells tests Pritzker owns […]
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Koos: Different rules for us
By: Diane Benjamin Since the media isn’t interested in holding tyrannical dictators accountable, I must keep posting Mayor Koos taunting protesters. This picture speaks volumes about him and his buddies on the Council – the PLAN is the only thing that matters, not you. But there is more: A guy name Josh Favus is Koos’ […]
