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.
Excerpts:
Overall, Normal is just normal. Doesn’t seem like too exciting of a town and it ranks well on niche.com. Normal has great public schools and is good for families. It has good housing and great nightlife, but in the crime department, that is where Normal lacks a bit, ranking with a C+.
Normal is safer than 34 percent of U.S. Cities and your chances of being the victim of a violent crime in Normal is 1 in 488, versus 1 in 239 in the state of Illinois.
Does your college town suck?
While Normal does seem like a charming little town, with it’s own city-run theater and blah blah blah, but it’s in Illinois. Let’s be honest, Illinois sucks, so every city in it sucks too.
Not to mention, it’s not the safest of towns.
The only way the perception of Illinois is going to change is to change who runs it.
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With Mayor Koos in charge of our “safety” – I think this is the root cause of why our crime score stinks!
You know, the goofball who held the “Protester Sale” at his Bicycle Business – Vitesse Bikes.
And by hanging up his “Protester Sale” banner, he clearly sent the message that the looting and protesting was a big joke!
Mayor Koos told the police to stand-down during the looting….
Why offer an open invitation?
Wonder if those were the same orders for his Bicycle Shop?
Or just the other businesses in town?
SERIOUSLY, who voted for Koos again??? Please stop!
What scares me is all the council members who rubber stamp Koos then got elected to higher office. Normal is a breeding ground for liberal politicians, spineless Republicans and RINO’s.. Normal won’t change until things get much worse.
I do read daily, as it is refreshing to know what’s going on from a distance, although those I hold dearly reside. When I still lived down there, your reporting was awesome. There seems to be an incredible shift toward editorializing the past 2 years. All bicyclers are the devil, all teachers are indoctrinators, copy/paste Hannity and Stan Nord walks on water.
Reset, You bring up noticeable needs. Please rejuvinate without politicism. You are a vibrant journalist in terms of all the FOI and digging through the dirt to find the nuggets. I appreciate that. Just take a breath and realize finding truth isn’t about spiking the ball.
@SETH – my comment today (or any day) was not directed at bicyclers, and I do not think “bicyclers are the devil” My issue with the “bicycle topic” is the conflict of interest when the Mayor owns a bike shop AND then spends lots of tax money on his pet projects to promote bicycling.
Why take time out of your day to criticize BLN NEWS? Possibly things have changed with the local “political” climate here since you move away? BLN NEWS reporting is still awesome!
@STUCKINILLINOIS: I appreciate your explanaition. It is kinda “chronism” the bike shop, the train stop, the Uptown. That’s why I always adored BLNNews: fact-checks, despite the recent state and national hyperbole. Such a majestic source of real journalism (facts) seems to have fallen under the gutter of editorialism and “party” rhetoric these days.
From Niche.com:
McLean County Unified School District No. 5:
“According to state test scores, 40% of students are at least proficient in math and 42% in reading.”
Translation: 60% NOT proficient in math. 58% NOT proficient in reading.
Niche gives Unit 5 an A-
Unit 5 deserves an F.
@FED UP: Maybe take a break and study yourself some semantics. “Proficient” means A+
The majority of learners in Unit 5 and Diocese of Peoria Schools, @least when I was back there were in C+ to B- Range when it comes to standards or gradual success grades.
There are incredible teachers and coaches down there raisin our next generation to A’s; not indoctrinating, working hard through a very challenging educational era.