By: Grok First instance of bias: https://blnnews.com/2026/10/10/wglt-bias/ If WGLT exists to be left wing media, add that to your name. If you want to be fair and balanced, pick an AI and let it show you where you aren’t before posting stories. I expect neither to happen. Here’s the WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-10-12/differing-types-of-public-service-shape-key-mclean-county-board-race This is Grok’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois isn’t smart. Data centers would have paid the costs themselves instead of taxpayers. See this link: https://dceo.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dceo/aboutdceo/reportsrequiredbystatute/2025-data-centers-annual-report.pdf PDF pages 5-6: . PDF page 2: . In June 2026 Pritzker paused this program: https://gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com/gov-pritzker-pauses-new-data-center-tax-incentives So, he was for them before he was against them. In 2023 CIRA received: $1.25 million Illinois Department […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read this story ONLY after you read what Grok said when I asked it to: Say how much bias is in this story. Below is a lot of what it reported. Type it in yourself is you want to see what else was reported. https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-10-09/in-northeast-normals-district-5-mclean-county-board-candidates-discuss-finances-and-budget-issues If you think the McLean County Clerk […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this? https://blnnews.com/2025/09/20/controversy-surrounds-unit-5-board-chair-alex-williams/ Then Unit 5 Board president made a disgusting comment on Facebook. Now he is leaving the Board. He already left Country Financial. From LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilliams-communicationconsulting/ . He now claims to be an expert on misinformation and disinformation. Go back to his Facebook post in the linked story above. Williams […]
By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 114: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29463/Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report-for-the-fiscal-year-ending-March-31-2026-PDF Remember the Town of Normal taking out a loan to pay for the underpass? This note is in the 3/31/26 financial statements. You are going to paying interest and principal for a LONG time: . Jump to PDF page 173 to see all the other debt.
By: Diane Benjamin Since Normal Township Trustees receive a packet of meeting information that the taxpayers who pay the bills never see, I have to wonder whether they have any concerns about these payments. Apparently not—they didn’t raise the issue at the meeting. I only have it because of a FOIA. Township Supervisor Krystle Able’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2026/10/01/unit-5-and-their-5-electric-buses/ The Town of Normal is notorious for funding wants with grants. They can’t afford the underpass or all the trails, so they get other taxpayers to fund things for them. Grants aren’t free money, it was either stolen from other taxpayers or printed money that created the […]
By: Diane Benjamin . These poles are the beginning construction of high voltage transmission lines to act as major conduits for electricity. Thanks to Pritzker for subsidizing battery storage facilities. This one will be very close to Ellsworth. Last I heard the Ellsworth volunteer fire department had no idea how to extinguish a battery fire […]
By: Diane Benjamin H/T a reader Anyone who tells you they voted for lower property taxes because the tax rate is lower is a flat-out liar! Pull out past bills and see it for yourself. A slightly lower rate doesn’t bring your bill down when the assessed value skyrocketed. Duh What else are the McLean […]
By: Diane Benjamin Carl Hinshaw is holding one more property tax seminar THIS WEDNESDAY. 6:00pm-8:00pm GOP office – 202 S. Eldorado, Suite C1, Bloomington According to Carl, the Bloomington Township assigned multiplier was only low because the assessor jacked up many property values! Protests have to filed by 10/29/26. Carl will show you how to […]
By: Diane Benjamin This started with global cooling, that flipped to global warming. Climate Change was then the name picked so they didn’t have to reverse course again. This is a screen shot from the Unit 5 agenda, see item 16: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1482?meeting=660148 Illinois democrats passed a law mandating this as part of the curriculum. It […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Last January this Democrat candidate was begging for money on Facebook: . According to the Illinois Board of Elections, his campaign treasurer is Abby Scott – wife of Democrat candidate Corey Beirne: https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?ID=9QquPh013NVHggvFpapUFg%3d%3d . . If you see John Poling, ask him if he knows his Treasurer transferred $1000 […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you see someone wearing this shirt, what’s your first thought? . Mine is far left lunatic, especially when DC Statehood violates the Constitution. DC is the seat of government, making it a new tiny state would give it undue influence in Congress. Do I even need to comment on the other […]
By: Diane Benjamin There will be at least 1 more story from this meeting. Previous story: https://blnnews.com/2026/10/02/normal-township-recorded-meetings-quickly-deleted/ Back when the Normal Township Board did this year’s budget around June, they decided to suspend grants because they didn’t want to raise the levy. This video is two public comments at the 9/22/26 meeting: Times have changed […]
By: Diane Benjamin The video below proves Normal Township meetings are recorded and then quickly deleted. Think ZERO transparency. What is being hidden? Stay tuned. A 3 hour meeting was held on September 22, 2026. 3 hours is now the norm. If I hadn’t sat through the last two, the people paying the township’s bills […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-09-22/mclean-county-superintendents-say-school-sales-tax-has-made-a-big-impact For now concentrate on Unit 5. The story claims Unit 5 collects more than $1 million a month from the 1% Sales Tax voters approved. Keep in mind the referendum was placed on a ballot for an elections few people bother to vote in – the local election […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Unit 5 bought electric buses? They didn’t notice Connect Transit dumped theirs? https://blnnews.com/2024/11/22/unit-5-bought-5-electric-buses/ A reader sent me this link – NY City is dumping electric buses now because they aren’t reliable and require too much maintenance and electricity: NYC-turns-back-gas-buses-finding-hard-way-electric-versions-big-problems I sent a FOIA to Unit 5. I’m still waiting for […]
