By: Diane Benjamin For the low price of $1100 a month you can rent this 2 bed 1 bath apartment in Normal. It comes complete with a PVC pipe sprinkler system that evidently passed inspection. This is part of the property ISU used to own on Shelburne. The two guys who bought the property must […]
By: Diane Benjamin Any response from District 87? https://blnnews.com/2024/03/12/d87-fire-this-bloomington-fireman/ You thought your kids matter at school? Tent City continues to grow, it has spread to the old Pantagraph building. On Monday the Bloomington City Council will hear plans for the downtown streetscape. Maybe they can “tent” multiple blocks! It will be glorious!
By: Diane Benjamin The County Board saw a computer rendering of the new Animal Control building last night. It will be 15 miles south of Bloomington. The video shows the inside layout too. One thing not included is outdoor runs for the animals. Farnsworth designed the building with the budget they had, outdoor runs will […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night George Wendt presented a commendation at the County Board meeting to a new FIFTEEN YEAR Old Eagle Scout. Most recipients are around 17, but that’s not the story. Jonathan Kunkes Eagle Scout project was a portable classroom for Pepper Ridge Elementary in honor of his sister who died at age […]
By: Diane Benjamin Inflation has stolen close to 20% of your buying power – just since 2021: . Inflation will continue unless government policies change. Facts: https://www.bidenomics.com/ According to GasBuddy, the cheapest local gas is at Huck’s on West Oakland – $3.39. Three years ago gas was more than $1 less a gallon. https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/gas-prices-2021-year-in-review According […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Rules Committee didn’t bother to meet to correct the stunt Democrats played in February, so the Public Comment policy is still illegal and not on the Agenda tonight to fix. In case you forgot: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/16/county-must-see-public-comments/ Elections: This primary election will prove Illinois’ voting season is a complete waste of money. Turnout […]
By: Diane Benjamin Meetings of the McLean County Behavior Health Coordinating Council have been suspended. See this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-08/bhcc-meetings-suspended-indefinitely-as-its-reportedly-not-fulfilling-its-mission Excerpt from the article: . That isn’t stopping BHCC from wanting to hand $100,000 to Stepping Stones at the YWCA. I have no problem with that program. I do have a problem with handing them money […]
By: Diane Benjamin I mentioned in this story a reader told me he/she witnessed an electric Connect Transit bus being towed: https://blnnews.com/2024/03/04/two-things-i-wish-i-had-pics-of/ It turns out it wasn’t an electric bus. Obtained by FOIA: Connect Transit is forced to use OLD buses because the new electric fleet is junk. In case you can’t read that email, […]
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? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Three years ago a lawyer, Samantha Walley, tendered her resignation as the City Manager of Leroy. At the time she was in a kerfuffle with the Leroy Police Chief. She was and is married to a Bloomington Police Detective named Steve Moreland. Walley had previously worked in the States Attorney’s office. Walley […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s meeting was 1 hour and 42 minutes. I can recap everything in a few of lines: The campaign to make YOU see the value of Connect Transit will be launching soon. You WILL love them! The scaled back fixed route schedule will continue. Mentioned was the aging buses and the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The policy under Tim Gleason in the City of Bloomington is to hire employees who resemble the people they serve. Just listen for 25 seconds: Gleason is talking about the rebranding program the Council never approved but now is expected to continue funding. If the majority of the Council wasn’t socialist the […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) In April I will have been writing for TWELVE YEARS. Actually page views went over 10,000,000 a few years ago, but lots of views aren’t officially counted because many of you are Following BlnNews.com and getting an email for every story written. All of those reads aren’t included in the totals. […]
By: Diane Benjamin There was a Township meeting before the Council meeting, Council doesn’t start until 59:00 on the video. This item on the Consent Agenda was pulled before the meeting: . The documentation says this Review Board hasn’t had a case since August of 2011 after being established in 2011, but that didn’t keep […]
By: Diane Benjamin Alderman Donna Boelen mentioned at the Council meeting last night Connect Transit hasn’t presented their budget to the City as required by the Inter-Governmental agreement. They never do. The budget includes $800,000 more for them anyway. It was reduced last year when CT said they didn’t need the money. Now it’s back. […]
By: Diane Benjamin That’s to IMRF (Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund) for answering my FOIA request the same day it was filed! I filed it because there is another Accelerated Payment to IMRF on the Bills and Payroll to be approved Monday night. That practice should have ended years ago. If you don’t know what it […]
By: Diane Benjamin A reader sent me this link to a Daily Wire story: https://www.dailywire.com/news/state-universities-are-teaching-students-to-blow-up-oil-pipelines-records-show Excerpt: At Illinois State University, students in an English class are required to read only four books, one of which is “How To Blow Up a Pipeline.” Another is a book on Marxism by Friedrich Engels, whom Vladimir Lenin called “the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Payroll approved at the last Bloomington City Council meeting showed 953 employees. Payroll tonight shows 999. Source 1: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30070/638429797206570000 Source 2: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30104/638441880489500000 Evidently that still isn’t enough employees since two items are on the Consent Agenda to “brand” the City. $10,960 + $55,450 = $66,410 to make them Employer of Choice! I […]
By: Diane Benjamin YOUR government is advertising benefits to people who are here illegally, in a foreign language, and sending you the bill. Want to know why you can’t find a doctor? This billboard is on the West side of BLOOMINGTON: See the link stated above: https://abe.illinois.gov/abe/access/ Abe Lincoln would be appalled! Browse around that […]
Gary William Scott, 74, of Bloomington passed away on Monday, February 19, 2024, with his family by his side after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Gary was born in Bloomington on December 20, 1949 to William and Beatrice (Evans) Scott. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Elma Piefer and Nancy Fisher, great […]
Parked at State Farm Then this video appeared tying to unionize the plant:
