By: Diane Benjamin The Council held an Executive Session last night, the mayor stated it was to discuss Tim Gleason. Considering he told WGLT he wanted the opportunity to counter the Arizona offer, that’s likely what was discussed. Gleason just got a 5% raise in September: https://blnnews.com/2023/09/11/tonight-gleason-gets-a-raise/ The mayor also stated Bloomington has momentum. “Momentum” […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was going to redact the guy’s name in the hope District 87 had the good sense to fire him. Since numerous complaints have been made about his harassment and inappropriate comments to female students AND he hasn’t been fired yet – I’m not redacting his name. The presentation by the Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin HB 4198 is one giant step towards Illinois becoming an ALL VOTE BY MAIL state. HB 4198 provides that each election authority may decide to mail a LIVE vote by mail ballot to all qualified voters instead of sending notices and applications for permanent vote by mail status. A person who has never […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s agenda: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/f6f358da-5bbe-11ee-ae13-0050569183fa-d854eb82-3702-4140-9de6-ac3a8e3f379d-1709935302.pdf In case you missed this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-07/bloomington-city-manager-is-a-top-candidate-for-arizona-job The only reason tent city still exists in downtown Bloomington is because the far left screamed at the City for planning to disband it. Some laws are okay to break which means all laws are okay to break if leadership is intimidated […]
Why do schools do nothing when a “teacher” sexually harasses female students year after year? Specifics later, how widespread is the problem? Right now it’s D87. Comment or email: [email protected]
By: Diane Benjamin Rivian announced yesterday they are putting a hold on building the plant in Georgia. See this story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/03/07/rivian-halts-planned-5-billion-georgia-ev-plant-and-its-shares-surge/?sh=38a438f615ca&mibextid=oE The stock price this morning is $11.25, in Rivian world that must be a surge. It closed at $11.03 yesterday. The article calls the delay indefinite. It just might be, a Facebook group in […]
https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-local-organic-food-in-our-community?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=CP_SSS_variant Copied: If food is important to you, please help… In 2017, after five years of grassroots organizing and capital-raising, Green Top Grocery Cooperative opened in Bloomington IL. A key part of our mission is to support local family farms by making fresh, nutritious, locally-grown and -produced goods readily available in our community. Our little […]
I just received this, if the Bloomington Election Commission is holding a public test I wasn’t notified:
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington wants to condemn the Front and Center building since it’s been sitting empty for a long time. WGLT reported: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-02-29/bloomington-condemns-landmark-downtown-building-at-front-and-center If the current owners object, taxpayers get to fund a court battle. With or without legal fees taxpayers will get the demolition cost which includes asbestos removal. Keep […]
By: Diane Benjamin More from this story on the local Housing Assessment: https://blnnews.com/2024/03/05/ignoring-the-elephant-in-the-room/ PDF page 32 – copied and reformatted since the paragraph is difficult to read: Poverty levels have increased in McLean County over the last 5 years, Bloomington and Normal. Poverty is measured by the Official Poverty Measure (OPM), which measures pre-tax income […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) More about this story on Rivian moving to two shifts: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-05/rivian-to-cut-3rd-shift-for-r1-production-at-normal-plant-next-month?fbclid=IwAR14-gqvch-aRzqS0sQotFTIA9NuEwrvC8JfWDUSsfiuK7JQnIdJxEDDXkg All hourly employees were sent a form so they could pick what shift they wanted to work: 7:00 am to 3:30 pm or 9:00 pm to 5:30 am They won’t be working 10-12 hour days as rumored on social media […]
By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission hired an Indianapolis firm to conduct a local housing survey. The draft version is available here: https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/a2/83/4592f3f04409bcdd453644d32b78/draft-final-rise-plan.pdf Comments can be made on this document until 3/14. I’m not close to going through all 97 pages, but problems are pretty easy to see. The chart on PDF […]
By: Diane Benjamin Submit witness slip OPPOSING HB 4198 which is sponsored by Carol Ammons(D, Urbana) and is one giant step towards Illinois becoming an ALL VOTE BY MAIL state. Please take action by Tuesday. 3/5 by 2PM. Jimmy Carter opposed vote by mail decades ago because fraud was easy! HB4198 provides that each election […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois Policy Institute recapped the Illinois budget JB is proposing. See their story here: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/pritzker-wants-to-spend-record-amount-but-needs-898m-in-tax-hikes-to-do-it/ Of course it’s a record budget that includes massive tax increases. Pritzker made a big deal about eliminating the grocery tax: See that last line? At the last Bloomington City Council meeting the Finance Director stated […]
By: Diane Benjamin I get tips frequently, mostly people forget to take pictures or aren’t able because they are driving. If you can stop and get a picture, please do! Visual is always better. 1) With the severe winds over the weekend I hear the tent city in downtown Bloomington had garbage blowing everywhere. A […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) The Bloomington never used #5 Fire Station is being used, just not as a fire station. It’s a meeting hall as well as a garage for extra vehicles. Meeting this week: 2) One of my FOIA requests was denied by the City of Bloomington because they claim a complaint filed by […]
By: Diane Benjamin I FOIA’d the City of Bloomington for awards given to Ty Carlton for the past 15 years. What I received isn’t the whole story. From the Bloomington Police Facebook page where Ty is mentioned a lot, this isn’t mentioned in the FOIA: This is what I received by FOIA, notice no details? […]
