By: Diane Benjamin Note: I know only one of these candidates, Kelby Cumpston. He is running as a team with 3 other socialists. Mollie Ward I only know from watching her at Council meetings since she was appointed to fill Scott Black’s seat. The primary election to remove 3 of these from the April 6th […]
By: Diane Benjamin Refer back to this earlier story: https://blnnews.com/2021/02/10/more-on-the-responsible-cities-pac/ Who got paid $3,511 for consulting? Maura Freeman From the Elect Chris Koos Mayor of Normal Facebook page: Who is Maura Freeman? According to her Facebook page: Facebook friends include Dave Shields (Koos buddy). She “liked” the Marc Tiritilli for Mayor of Normal Facebook page. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The document above is from the filings with the State of Illinois. Where did the $4500 this PAC started with come from? We don’t know. Maybe it came from all the people mentioned in this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/09/02/the-document-you-must-see/ According to their website this PAC was formed in April 2019 – note above. They […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two guys are running for alderman in Ward 5: Patrick Lawler and Nick Becker. Lawler is running with the local socialists and sides with the two already on the Council: As all Progressives, do Lawler now wants to “move Bloomington forward”, in other words twist and bend existing norms to fit his […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT and the League of Women Voters are teaming up for mayoral debates: https://lwvmclean.org/about-us Board of Directors for the League of Women Voters: Remember these names if you read the Letters to the Editor in the Pantagraph. h/t a reader: https://www.pantagraph.com/opinion/letters/letter-incumbents-will-keep-future-strong/article_9ed48258-dbbf-58fa-ac54-2fa91d8f1cc8.html Laurie Bergner, Community Education Chair for the League, wrote to extoll […]
By: Diane Benjamin 45:10 Jamie Mathy reported Tari Renner was absent because of emergency dental work. Mboka conducted the meeting as mayor pro-tem. Maybe Tari will recover enough to prosecute more local businesses today that dared to ignore Pritzker. They must not be the “right fit”, kneeling and losing your business is required for that. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington has 3 candidates running for Mayor. If you are considering voting for Gunderson you must be a socialist or you are one of those that will fall for anything. Go to Mike Straza’s website for his campaign details: https://www.strazaformayor.com/platform/ Celebrate – he wants more diversity and inclusion. (Divide but include?) Compare […]
By: Diane Benjamin America has always had it’s own culture. Many people have forgotten what unites us. We are being divided into special interest groups meant to make sure we have nothing in common. It’s by design. What is the American Culture? It is the reason people from all over the world want to come […]
See who was endorsed in the last local election: https://web.archive.org/web/20190710062621/http:/www.bntrades.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=736543 Hint: Jenn Carrillo, Jeff Crabill, Kathleen Lorenz, RC McBride, . . . . By: Diane Benjamin The picks below were made by Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor. Some of their picks make ALL of their candidates suspect: To that end we ask our members and the […]
By: Diane Benjamin On Monday’s agenda: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1102&Inline=True Renner won’t be Mayor in just over 3 months. Why is he trying to enshrine Gleason until 2025? If the socialists take over the Council April 6th Tim won’t be nearly radical enough for them. I’m sure Gleason has a huge buyout in his contract to leave, David […]
By: Diane Benjamin Local elections are supposedly non-partisan. Of course they never have been but nobody will openly admit that. I hear the local trades announced they are supporting democrats. Do the rank and file know it was democrats who shut down their favorite after work watering hole? In Bloomington these 4 have formed their […]
Normal proved Monday night they are not a business friendly community, of course we knew that. Their “Right Fit” policies mean only those businesses they approve of or kneel before them are welcome. If you missed this story: https://blnnews.com/2021/02/02/normals-reputation-after-last-night/ A GoFundMe has been set up by Curt Nord to help with the fines levied by […]
In honor of all those who think fossil fuels can be eliminated:
Note to parents: You too can have brain dead indoctrinated “I hate America kids”. Read the first comment. By: Diane Benjamin We do know a socialist, Patrick Lawler, is teaching at Normal Community. Since his campaign videos show students supporting his candidacy for the Bloomington City Council, think he isn’t giving them his views of […]
By: Diane Benjamin In 2019 McLean County saw a total of 18 suicides. The total for 2020 was 27. That is is 50% increase in one year. 1 more death is under investigation as a probably suicide according to the December report. Drug overdoses are down from 26 in 2019. Covid? Lockdowns? Schools closed? Anybody […]
By: Diane Benjamin Ward 3 did have 3 candidates, but one has dropped out. The two candidates left in the race are: Sheila Montney and Willie Holton Halbert who is running as a team with the other socialists. If you want to dial 911 and not get an answer because the police got defunded, here […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can find numerous things citizens need to know after Normal spent 9 hours meeting 1/26 and then another 3 hours last Monday talking about the budget. Pam Reece wants you to know they aren’t spending over $5 million running water pipes on West College to Rivian. So, either they know something […]
By: Diane Benjamin One of the first actions by the new Council installed May 1st should be reviewing actions taken by previous Council that staff is still implementing. The biggest one is building the underpass. Previous Councils have voted to investigate and possibly design, but not to build it. Since the Town has a $13 […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you already knew “right fit” businesses are all that matters in Normal, last night cemented their place in history for being unfriendly to business. The Town levied fines on Joe’s Stationhouse Pizza for daring to defy Pritzker’s spewings when the Illinois Constitution clearly states emergency powers last 30 days. It was […]
By: Diane Benjamin There are great teachers, I’m not sure Karyn Smith qualifies. I watched part of the budget discussion last night that was continued from last week. Smith decided to inform viewers about bonds. She claimed paying interest for decades is what they are designed to do. The principal will be paid at the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Long before Rivian received major investments, the Town of Normal put deposits down on TWO Rivian vehicles. https://blnnews.com/2018/12/21/merry-christmas-rivian/ Buying one could be considered supporting a Normal business, but why two VERY expensive luxury vehicles? The Council has not approved purchasing any at this point. We have no idea who would drive them […]
By: Diane Benjamin The festivities start at 4:00 because the Council isn’t done going over the proposed budget: “The purpose of the Special Meeting is to continue a Budget Work Session to review the Proposed 2021-2026 Five Year Operating and Capital Investment Budget, which began on Tuesday,January 26, 2021″ https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3879 Before the Council meeting at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal is spending more than $5 million to run water to Rivian: https://blnnews.com/2021/01/30/why-is-normal-spending-millions-to-run-water-to-rivian/ Normal Trustee Stan Nord posted the below on Facebook: These water samples came from residents who pay for water and can’t use it. The April 6th election is about priorities: Setting better ones. Spending $5 million to run pipes […]
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