By: Diane Benjamin

1)

You probably heard about the Ammons family FEDERAL indictments: https://www.wglt.org/illinois/2026-07-08/state-rep-carol-ammons-indicted-for-scheme-to-receive-kickbacks-misusing-campaign-funds

I’ve written about Champaign County Clerk – Aaron Ammons: https://blnnews.com/2020/08/13/will-incompetence-run-vote-by-mail/

Aaron Ammons also listed Ted Dabrowski as Tad on the primary ballot and did not correct the error: https://blnnews.com/2026/02/16/champaign-county-ballot-error/

State Rep Carol Ammons was the only House sponsor for a bill that would have led to mail-in ballots mailed to every registered voter: https://ilga.gov/Legislation/HB 3355 . This bill is probably dead unless another Democrat wants to resurrect it.

The Ammons family wanted Illinois elections run just like California. Why didn’t the Illinois Attorney General prosecute their kickback scheme? Someone should ask but won’t.

2)

State Sen Dave Koehler took $15,000 from his campaign fund and gave it to Joshua Crockett for his campaign to defeat McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael:

https://illinoissunshine.org/committees/41161/

Redistributing wealth! I believe Crockett works for Koehler.

3)

New Federal Rules will not allow student loans to be offered for majors with no hope of earning enough money to pay the loan back. Common Sense!

How many majors will be eliminated at ISU and IWU?

I see a few that probably will:

https://illinoisstate.edu/academics/majors

https://www.iwu.edu/majors

4)

I saw some elected officials who couldn’t celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. They preferred to list every evil instead of saying anything about progress made to ‘a more perfect union.’

Evidently, they don’t understand the greatness of this country — a greatness proven by the millions of people around the world who want to live here. Nobody flees to communist, socialist, or Marxist countries. Yet these same people aim to transform America into one of them.

They are a disgrace and should be treated as such. Go hold another ‘No Kings’ event while backing Illinois’ King Pritzker as he buys himself another four years in office—and enough other seats to get whatever he wants.

5)

Eastland Drive between Hershey and Prospect to no longer a pothole hazard to your vehicle. Looks nice Bloomington.

6)

Occasionally life gets in the way of writing. This week it did.