Report: Normal is normal

By: Diane Benjamin This story was posted yesterday: https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2021/12/29/22856964/does-your-college-town-suck-illinois-state-university-redbirds-normal Yes, the title is: Does your college town suck? Illinois State University It might be a biased story because the writer appears to be comparing Illinois to Wisconsin. He must not know about Rivian, it isn’t mentioned in the story. It is an interesting read though. […]

IDPH update – breakthrough cases

By: Diane Benjamin https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-breakthrough.html As of 12/29/21: See the last line – this data could be weeks old. Breakthrough cases that did not require hospitalization are not included in the above. Obviously the vaccine doesn’t prevent infection, doesn’t prevent hospitalizations, and doesn’t prevent deaths. The number hospitalized has doubled since early November. Deaths have doubled […]

Merry Christmas

Originally posted on BlnNews:
. . VERY FIRST KING-SIZED BED: To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible”. ~Thomas Aquinas . THANK GOD FOR THAT BED AND BABY WHO SLEPT THERE. Merry Christmas! / / / ?

Five things

By: Diane Benjamin Two different Town of Normal vehicles taking up the limited on street parking in Uptown. Even they don’t want to park in the garages. h/t a reader who was looking for a parking space. Maybe somebody in Normal finally realized bikers have some responsibility on the roads: Are signs for pedestrians next? […]

Kathleen Lorenz can’t be left out

By: Diane Benjamin The speech below was right after Pam Reece declared there isn’t a problem with tap-on fees. She of course had to take on Stan, she called it “his thing” even though he’s wrong. She obviously didn’t read the annexation agreement for the Kerrick Road property that called for $300 an acre, the […]

BCPA losses keep mounting!

By: Diane Benjamin THREE more events – all losers: Report shows a profit of $142.68. With performance fee the loss is ($9,257.32). 192 attended Performance Fee: Report shows a loss of ($2,566.37), with performance fee the loss is ($33,066.37). 107 attended. Performance Fee: Report shows a profit of $3,944.97, with performance fee the loss is […]

Pam Reece: I will explain it to you!

By: Diane Benjamin Tap-On Fees of course were mentioned by Stan Nord again Monday night. Of course Chris Koos called him out of order. Same story, different meeting. Pam Reece decided to deflect Nord’s comments at the end of the meeting. She claimed there is no favoritism in who is charged and who isn’t. She […]

More Normal comedy!

By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos proved last night he doesn’t know what an Open Meetings Act Violation is. A violation occurs when a majority of a quorum discuss Town business in private. Koos accused Stan Nord of violating OMA by whispering to a fellow Council member. If TWO people is a violation Chris, the Town’s […]

Update: Normal: Comedy Central

The fireworks code was re-written in 2005, the terminology looks pretty much the same however. Blank Cartridges is still in the law: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1634&ChapterID=38 Novelty items are still exempt, Normal did regulate those anyway stating they can only be sold in approved buildings. By: Diane Benjamin This won’t be the only story about last night! One […]

Scott Preston: RINO, Liar

By: Diane Benjamin Politicians love to hide how your property taxes keep going up. They even claim to keep the tax rate the same – that doesn’t keep your property taxes the same! You get a new assessment letter in the mail every year. Chances are pretty good it went up this year because the […]

More code changes, did anyone read what they proposed?

By: Diane Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4180 The first thing to note in the 2nd pic below is the word Add. Next see PDF page 5 in the current code: https://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/7767/Chapter-17—Misdemeanors?bidId= The above looks pretty much the same as what is proposed to “Add”, just a different Section number: Blank Cartridges is in both texts. In the latest […]

Heartland College Hypocrisy

By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader One thing COVID has revealed is authoritarians adore telling other people how to live while not following the same rules themselves. Pritzker, a high risk to die from COVID himself for being obese, loves locking the State down and masking kids. Illinois is the only state in the Midwest […]

Fly on the Wall: Chemberly Cummings

Flying around State Farm I saw a “podcast” featuring Chemberly. As an elected official, is it smart to admit you have suffered from anxiety, depression, mental health issues, and physical issues most of your life Chemberly? Going for a sympathy vote? I remember when Democrats proclaimed Trump mentally ill (he isn’t) and called him a […]

YOU can help the Kentucky tornado victims!

Donating this way is always better because your cash doesn’t get lost in the non-profit bureaucracy! Evergreen FS wants to stuff a semi with aid items for the tornado victims in Mayfield Kentucky. They are accepting donations beginning today: See more information here: https://www.evergreen-fs.com/Fill-A-Truck?fbclid=IwAR03pO7P4M0qlrDb10R4xOtPM8DoCwgYrOG1bHa89VAdS-SCE9kt3KVjsNk Drop off items at 402 N Hershey Bloomington. Available times are […]

Yesterday was Bill of Rights Day-Except in District 87: Part 2

By: Diane Benjamin See Part 1: https://blnnews.com/2021/12/16/yesterday-was-bill-of-rights-day-except-in-district-87-part-1/ Barry Reilly tried to get Fitzgerald Sameday to withdraw from the School Board election, some of the email exchanges are already public like the one below. Reilly went so far as to send Fitzgerald the forms he needed to get his name removed from the ballot: Last April […]

Internet update

My Internet was down until 10:00 last night. It was down because of farmers laying tile without calling Julie to get utilities marked. Chewed up fiber happened twice to Frontier yesterday. The first one was by Fairbury, the second was between Arrowsmith and Downs. That is the one took out my internet. Thanks go to […]

Since eliminating BEC isn’t on the ballot:

The below was sent by the local GOP, Democrats likely sent it out too. People who demand the law be followed are needed, BEC needs a watchdog. Here is the news release from the BEC.  DATE: November 24, 2021SUBJECT: Announcing commissioner position vacancy on the City of Bloomington Board of Election Commission The Bloomington Board […]

Mboka pretends he’s Renner

By: Diane Benjamin One of the policies instituted by Tari Renner was limiting discussion at Council meetings. Pre-Tari there were no limits, Agendas are now issued with the amount of time the Council will spend on each item. Why are your elected representatives not allowed to talk as long as they want? The Council represents […]

Brave lady

By: Diane Benjamin I posted a video of Dusty Joe speaking at District 87 Public Comment last October. She was an employee at this time. The video proves Dusty cares about her kids, if you missed it watch it now: Dusty spoke again at last weeks District 87 Board meeting. The video below is from […]