By: Diane Benjamin The video below was filmed from WGLT’s live stream. In case rural McLean County is confused about him, he doesn’t believe anything that you do. Don’t be fooled by his blue suit and red tie. He believes the Save America Act is too cumbersome and requires too much of voters. In other […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT broadcast a live stream on Facebook. It is still there if you want to watch it. The moderators should have told the crowd not to disrupt the event with clapping and cheering—they didn’t. Questions were limited because of disruptions by Crockett supporters. Of course, the question I submitted wasn’t asked. I […]
By: Grok Bloomington only has one chance to get this right. If they fail, data centers will be approved because the application complies with a faulty ordinance. Of course the State of Illinois could pass laws (after the election) returning to their pre-campaign stance of funding them. https://blnnews.com/2026/10/10/yes-pritzker-was-for-data-centers/ If you want to read 20 pages, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The County has a meaningless code of ethics. It’s meaningless because there are no consequences for violating it. This is the last point in the code: The below was posted by McLean County Board candidate Corey Beirne to his official Facebook page. Keep in mind he claims not to be divisive. Keep […]
By: Diane Benjamin For many years Bloomington has held meetings on Columbus Day, this is from last year: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/13/bloomington-could-be-a-long-meeting/ Maybe they intentionally wanted to interfere with the McLean County Clerk forum and open house Tuesday night. Maybe the far leftists on the council didn’t want to meet on Indigenous People’s Day. Maybe somebody actually read […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benajmin Connect Transit packet with a lot less information than they used to post: https://connect-transit.com/file/4720/2026%2009%2022_Board%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf We used to see what their highly paid consultants reported. Not anymore. Meanwhile, ridership shows down in August while buses are operating more hours. Guess where the money comes from to pay these operating losses? July loss: . […]
By: Diane Benjamin Ask AI about Pritzker support for data centers. He was for them before this election year. I despise politicians who change positions to win elections, even worse if they are buying their seat. Grok summary: Bottom line: Before 2026, Pritzker was a clear supporter who created and defended state tax incentives to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since the children in charge can’t fix what they created, below are some facts for them to conside. First, read this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-09-28/sales-tax-dispute-reignites-between-mclean-county-and-bloomington-and-normal Bloomington, Normal, and the County might end up in court. Of course that just wastes money – tax dollars will be paying the bills. Who originally negotiated this 20 […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m not talking about the fight between Bloomington, Normal, and the County over spending mental health dollars. That story will be tomorrow, you won’t want to miss it! These pictures were taken at the recycle bins behind Walmart on Greenbriar. The paper bin clearly says NO BAGS and NO CARDBOARD: . Inside […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the NEVER used water tower? If not review this 2015 story: https://blnnews.com/2015/08/04/more-ineptness/ The below is from the water plan presented at the Bloomington City Council meeting last night: . That elevated tank is over 11 years old. Spending $60 million to finally use it is questionable, but at least it won’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Beirne wants you to believe he isn’t raising your property taxes. He posted this on his official Facebook page: HAPPY BUDGET SEASON TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE! McLean County’s FY2027 Recommended Budget is a BALANCED $150.42 million plan focused on maintaining core services while controlling discretionary spending and making targeted long-term […]
By: Diane Benjamin Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4120/files/agenda/15111 Another retiree was allowed to spike the lavish pension non-government employees will never see. This is on Bills and Payroll for tonight: PDF page 8 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/33157/639256856095570000 Bloomington taxpayers will be paying the retirement fund (IMRF) a penalty to fund this. . Only one item is on the Regular Agenda: . […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader who obtained the below from a person who filed a FOIA BEFORE Ty Carlton filed a lawsuit. When I filed a FOIA for it I didn’t get it. Review the Carlton case if you forgot: https://blnnews.com/2026/08/13/remember-ty-carlton/ Defendants in this case are: City of Bloomington Chief Simington Chad Wamsley – […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can’t wait to see how many anti-semites will be voting against Israel in Bloomington and Normal. I’m sure the local Jewish community will want to see how many enemies they have locally. Where is Not In Our Town? MIA. I bet the YES voters would be happy living in Gaza where […]
By: Diane Benjamin Source: https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/109/Filing-an-Assessment-Complaint I copied and sorted the Equalization Factors from that page. They are listed from highest to lowest. Some townships are getting hit really hard. This website has a good explanation of what is happening: https://www.cutmytaxes.com/what-is-illinois-equalization/ The Illinois Department of Revenue conducts their own sales ratio tests on all 101 counties […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader If you live in Bloomington or Normal and haven’t opted out of electric aggregation, you are pay more. Winter will be even worse – Ameren just lowered their winter rates: . The aggregation rate both cities opted you into is: Direct Energy will be the new supplier starting with […]
By: Diane Benjamin On Facebook Beirne is accusing McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael of being deceptive about the number of employees in her office. HR has told him and others how many full time employees are in that office, he evidently is having trouble reading. He really wants a democrat running local elections – anything […]
By: Diane Benjamin Campaign signs are being stolen, the only ones I’m aware of are Republican signs. I suggest candidates attach an Apple Air Tag on one likely to be stolen and track it’s demise. 😊 Far left radicals found out they can get Advisory questions on the ballot by going through Township Annual Meetings. […]
By: Diane Benajmin I know people who regretted voting early. The next month will produce a lot of information that isn’t yet available. Foreign governments will be interfering in national elections. 40 days is ridiculous and only meant to bank votes so one side knows how many votes they need to produce before election day. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The video below was sent to me by a reader. Comments that reader included: This is video from my dashcam on Locust in Bloomington at the trail crossing. A car stopped in front of me and waves the runners on. The other lane of traffic had no idea of what was going […]
