By: Diane Benjamin 45:10 Jamie Mathy reported Tari Renner was absent because of emergency dental work. Mboka conducted the meeting as mayor pro-tem. Maybe Tari will recover enough to prosecute more local businesses today that dared to ignore Pritzker. They must not be the “right fit”, kneeling and losing your business is required for that. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington has 3 candidates running for Mayor. If you are considering voting for Gunderson you must be a socialist or you are one of those that will fall for anything. Go to Mike Straza’s website for his campaign details: https://www.strazaformayor.com/platform/ Celebrate – he wants more diversity and inclusion. (Divide but include?) Compare […]
By: Diane Benjamin America has always had it’s own culture. Many people have forgotten what unites us. We are being divided into special interest groups meant to make sure we have nothing in common. It’s by design. What is the American Culture? It is the reason people from all over the world want to come […]
See who was endorsed in the last local election: https://web.archive.org/web/20190710062621/http:/www.bntrades.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=736543 Hint: Jenn Carrillo, Jeff Crabill, Kathleen Lorenz, RC McBride, . . . . By: Diane Benjamin The picks below were made by Bloomington-Normal Trades and Labor. Some of their picks make ALL of their candidates suspect: To that end we ask our members and the […]
By: Diane Benjamin On Monday’s agenda: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1102&Inline=True Renner won’t be Mayor in just over 3 months. Why is he trying to enshrine Gleason until 2025? If the socialists take over the Council April 6th Tim won’t be nearly radical enough for them. I’m sure Gleason has a huge buyout in his contract to leave, David […]
By: Diane Benjamin Local elections are supposedly non-partisan. Of course they never have been but nobody will openly admit that. I hear the local trades announced they are supporting democrats. Do the rank and file know it was democrats who shut down their favorite after work watering hole? In Bloomington these 4 have formed their […]
Normal proved Monday night they are not a business friendly community, of course we knew that. Their “Right Fit” policies mean only those businesses they approve of or kneel before them are welcome. If you missed this story: https://blnnews.com/2021/02/02/normals-reputation-after-last-night/ A GoFundMe has been set up by Curt Nord to help with the fines levied by […]
In honor of all those who think fossil fuels can be eliminated:
By: Diane Benjamin Ward 3 did have 3 candidates, but one has dropped out. The two candidates left in the race are: Sheila Montney and Willie Holton Halbert who is running as a team with the other socialists. If you want to dial 911 and not get an answer because the police got defunded, here […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can find numerous things citizens need to know after Normal spent 9 hours meeting 1/26 and then another 3 hours last Monday talking about the budget. Pam Reece wants you to know they aren’t spending over $5 million running water pipes on West College to Rivian. So, either they know something […]
By: Diane Benjamin One of the first actions by the new Council installed May 1st should be reviewing actions taken by previous Council that staff is still implementing. The biggest one is building the underpass. Previous Councils have voted to investigate and possibly design, but not to build it. Since the Town has a $13 […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you already knew “right fit” businesses are all that matters in Normal, last night cemented their place in history for being unfriendly to business. The Town levied fines on Joe’s Stationhouse Pizza for daring to defy Pritzker’s spewings when the Illinois Constitution clearly states emergency powers last 30 days. It was […]
By: Diane Benjamin There are great teachers, I’m not sure Karyn Smith qualifies. I watched part of the budget discussion last night that was continued from last week. Smith decided to inform viewers about bonds. She claimed paying interest for decades is what they are designed to do. The principal will be paid at the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Long before Rivian received major investments, the Town of Normal put deposits down on TWO Rivian vehicles. https://blnnews.com/2018/12/21/merry-christmas-rivian/ Buying one could be considered supporting a Normal business, but why two VERY expensive luxury vehicles? The Council has not approved purchasing any at this point. We have no idea who would drive them […]
By: Diane Benjamin The festivities start at 4:00 because the Council isn’t done going over the proposed budget: “The purpose of the Special Meeting is to continue a Budget Work Session to review the Proposed 2021-2026 Five Year Operating and Capital Investment Budget, which began on Tuesday,January 26, 2021″ https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3879 Before the Council meeting at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal is spending more than $5 million to run water to Rivian: https://blnnews.com/2021/01/30/why-is-normal-spending-millions-to-run-water-to-rivian/ Normal Trustee Stan Nord posted the below on Facebook: These water samples came from residents who pay for water and can’t use it. The April 6th election is about priorities: Setting better ones. Spending $5 million to run pipes […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal scheduled ONE day for the Council to review next years budget put together by staff. So far they have met for a little over 9 hours and they aren’t done. They will continue Monday before the Council meeting. Note: 9 hours all at once with a few breaks. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Government’s job is first to preserve and protect freedom for future generations. How is that one working for you? Next, government should only be doing what citizens can’t do for themselves: police, fire, water, sewer and roads. Maybe citizens need to start building their own roads and charge a toll to use […]
Press Release: MCLEAN COUNTY REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN CONNIE BEARD RE: Normal Township races Wednesday evening the drawing for ballot placement took place for the Normal Township races slated for the April 6 Consolidated Election. The Democrat candidates drew first place in order for the Normal Township Races. I wish to congratulate both Amy Conklin and Ray […]
By: Diane Benjamin The law was changed in 2012 to require additional contributions to IMRF retirement fund if employees received large payouts that increased their pension at retirement. (accelerated payments) That law was badly needed because cities and employees never contributed to the higher payouts. Since the spiking practice should now be over in Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Stan Nord knows taxpayers got fleeced to rent the second floor of 1 Uptown Circle only to fill a hole in Uptown. The Council that approved paying $35000-$36000 a month simply did as they were told. Chris Koos wanted the hole gone and obviously the private sector wasn’t going to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since Chris Koos, Kevin McCarthy, Scott Preston, and Chemberly Cummings want your vote April 6th, does this look like something they would do to get it? The Normal Council held a 9 hour budget session yesterday. Surprise! They aren’t going to raise property taxes this year. Instead they are rearranging money they […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.wglt.org/post/final-coliseum-defendant-pleads-guilty-misdemeanor-agrees-restitution#stream/0 The last Coliseum theft case was settled last week. The two main culprits got off with misdemeanor convictions while 2 low level employees who couldn’t afford to pay lawyers for years now have felony convictions. All 4 received plea deals, another defendant had all charges dropped. The City of Bloomington received […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT and the League of Women Voters are teaming up again for local debates. Nothing is scheduled for anybody running except mayoral candidates: Former County Clerk candidate and current employee of the City of Bloomington thinks all of you who sacrificed to send your kids to college should pay the bill for […]
This is Kiplinger, not some conservative outlet trying to play politics: https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/state-tax/601614/least-tax-friendly-states-for-middle-class-families?rid=EML-today&rmrecid=2482908579&utm_campaign=20210126-today&utm_medium=email&utm_source=today Before both Bloomington and Normal decide to raise property taxes, and Unit 5 does again – these were the rates: District 87: 5.144810 City of Bloomington: 1.090100 Unit 5: 5.355410 Town of Normal: 1.032630
(Does Lawler know the Democrats screwed Bernie twice because they know he isn’t electable?) Typos immaterial as well as facts?
By: Diane Benjamin A country without history is no longer a country. Since the local socialists want to destroy capitalism, the basis for America, history must be re-written. Instead of studying the foundations of our country and the world it must all be erased. Countries around the world celebrate Christopher Columbus as a great explorer […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tweet from Ward 5 socialist candidate Patrick Lawler: Going to go to their homes Patrick? That is what the radical left does – it’s called intimidation! Poor Lawler only got 5 likes to his tweet, here’s who “liked” it, the first two are also candidates: Communists and socialists Don’t forget Lawler is […]
By: Diane Benjamin While the new president is calling for unity, Tari Renner missed the message. Remember what he called me clear back in 2015? https://blnnews.com/2015/02/10/does-tari-know-that-judy-isnt-running/ “Human cancer” must still be his go-to term for people who have the audacity to have a different opinion, the below were sent to me by a reader. Tari […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the good ol’ days when nobody on the Normal Town Council questioned anything? Those 10 minute meetings have turned into a “justify staff” fun fest where the formally silent must spew forth speech to squelch what they think are rumors. The Council needs to spend at least half of their time […]
By: Diane Benjamin Public comment was only people demanding illegal aliens get the full rights of citizens. At least one comment threatened the Council if they don’t pass a Welcoming Ordinance. Congrats residents! You are labeled racist, a xenophobe, and a white supremist if you don’t agree. One speaker claimed Illinois enacted Home Rule so […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Executive Committee of the McLean County Board met on January 11th. I received a tip about the meeting. First the members: The tip involved text messages sent by Democrat Laurie Wollrab to (fake) Republican Josh Barnett during the meeting. Barnett is part of the “Responsible Cities Pac” with the leftist elites: […]
By: Diane Benjamin This guy is running for the Decatur City Council: He also posted this: Girdler’s pic shows he could have been high when he wrote the above. Truth is immaterial since the local group wasn’t at the capital when it was attacked and democrats have questioned electors 3 times since 2001. Pesky facts! […]
By: Diane Benjamin Want the Jenn’s running the Bloomington City Council? Her buddies are running as a team. Here is a little of what you can expect if they win: Must not be too popular, that was the only response. They had to respond to themselves. . . . .
By: Diane Benjamin It is only a short time before McLean County will be taken over by Democrat Socialists. The Republicans are doing nothing to stop them. The GOP believes in working together. The local democratic socialists don’t want to work together, they want to control everything. McLean County will soon be run just like […]
By: Diane Benjamin Koos must think lots of people approve of what happened at the US Capital. Hint Chris: They don’t. The videos released over the weekend are outrageous and every participant should be prosecuted. If Koos’s real intent was to vilify the locals who went to DC on January 6th he doesn’t support the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course you didn’t. At least 50% of Bloomington-Normal won’t know there is an election on April 6th either. If you go to the Bloomington Election Commission website (becvote.org) you still won’t know there is early voting going on now for Ward 7. Five people are running which triggered a primary on […]
