By: Diane Benjamin The following idea was sent to me by a resident of Normal. Who knows long before the police where huge partying crowds are expected? ISU students. Instead of passing more laws those 1,000 people last weekend would have ignored, why not reward students for tips? If the police had arrived earlier the […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was at the Casey’s in Normal yesterday that was looted. A copy of the Pantagraph was laying on the counter, I asked an out of town friend who grew up here if she had heard about it. The clerk behind the counter started telling us about what happened. He was obviously […]
By: Diane Benjamin Just living in Illinois means citizens are required to fund pension without asking any questions. You should at least know how the funds are performing. Normal’s last year wasn’t great. These numbers are as of 3/31/2024 which is Normal’s year end. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) will require higher contributions since it […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos and Chemberly Harris are trying to defend passing a 1% grocery tax in the press. https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/04/normal-narrowly-approves-local-tax-groceries/ If you didn’t watch the meeting video you missed even some far left trustees hammering Pritzker for claiming he reduced taxes by eliminating the 1% tax. It was never State revenue, they just collected […]
By: Diane Benjamin I decided to tune into the council meeting last night only to see the 1% Sales tax vote. No one from the Town mentioned how much more they have been raking in from increased Sales Tax revenue. Several Trustees did. Everything you buy costs more so they are collecting a LOT more […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/02/normal-decide-tuesday-1-local-grocery-tax-replace-state-tax Excepts: Maybe 4 member of the council will vote yes for a local grocery tax which allows the 3 running for mayor to vote no. Maybe a few will be “sick” and unable to attend. 😁 I don’t plan to watch, you need to. This is why EVERY tax increase should […]
By: Diane Benjamin The lawsuit was filed in February of this year. On August 26th a Federal judge denied the motion to dismiss. . The video below details the case. The short version is the Plaintiff’s mother who lives in Normal called both the police and her son because she felt in danger from a […]
By: Diane Benjamin If plans to build a fancy underpass for 10’s of millions of dollars only for pedestrians while vehicles are forced to sit waiting from trains to clear the tracks on Linden and College doesn’t prove common sense doesn’t exist in Normal, keep reading. From NextDoor: . I’ve written numerous stories about Normal’s […]
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-07-15/chris-koos-announces-bid-for-6th-term-as-mayor-of-normal I wonder what the price tag for the underpass (only walkers and bikers can use) is up to now? I hear he has told people for many years he doesn’t want to run again but does anyway. What is he trying to make sure nobody finds out? . .
By: Diane Benjamin See this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-06-17/bloomington-mayor-enthused-about-housing-symposium-results 1st Excerpt: . Public-Private partnerships leave PUBLIC holding the bag. If you didn’t read this story a couple days ago, you need to: https://blnnews.com/2015/07/23/bloomington-developer-gets-freebies/ Snyder Development partnered with Bloomington and didn’t pay, I still haven’t heard if they ever paid. That means all other taxpayers paid more […]
B: Diane Benjamin In case you missed this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-08/town-of-normal-and-firefighters-are-repairing-relationship-after-no-confidence-vote-in-chief Quote: In a September letter to the mayor and council obtained by WGLT under the Freedom of Information Act, the Local 2442 of the International Association of Firefighters union said 84% of membership voted no-confidence. The Town of Normal is now covering fire calls in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Normal Mayor Chris Koos didn’t say those words. For once he is very transparent in what he did say: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-02/mayor-of-normal-town-does-not-owe-alan-beaman-a-further-statement The case was filed by Alan Beaman in 2014. How much did Normal waste on legal fees before they decided to settle? Would a jury have awarded Beaman more money? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Congrats to Connect Transit for figuring out a way to be transparent. I don’t know if this is a permanent change or only because Tim Gleason was attending remotely. What they accomplished was getting slides and remote speakers on the video instead of just on the screens in the room that can […]
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: Daine VBenjamin Further proof nobody elected in Normal is looking out for you: The rent for the 2nd floor of 1 Uptown Circle keeps going up. This year the Town will throw away $455,147 because a big hole in Uptown needed filled. Nothing would have been built if Normal hadn’t made taxpayers responsible for paying for it […]
By: Diane Benjamin Is this a scam? As seen on social media: Normal Vision 2050/Sustainability Plan Survey I couldn’t find promotion of this survey on the Town of Normal website promoting this survey. See Vision Plans here – no mention of a new survey: https://www.normalil.gov/1738/Vision-Plans The main Town of Normal website page usually links to such initiatives, but it’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin I saw a social media post asking why the arena was built downtown instead of along the interstate that could have brought people in from nearby cities. (Common sense?) I didn’t respond but the answer is clear. It was built downtown because the people who are elected to represent you have been trying for DECADES […]
By: Diane Benjamin All previous electric bus stories: https://blnnews.com/2024/01/30/3-more-shocking-emails-electric-buses/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/30/foia-emails-from-rivian-to-connect-transit/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/24/connect-transit-random-finds/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/23/one-more-connect-transit-for-now/ https://blnnews.com/2024/01/23/proterra-is-solyndra/ From this story: How much of your money has been wasted on Proterra buses? Since ADHD is both a blessing and a curse, I could have missed some payments. Note, Proterra filed for bankruptcy in August of 2023. The oldest electric buses are two […]
By: Diane Benjamin I have not finished reading everything I received. There is likely more to report. Make sure you read to the bottom. Connect’s General Manager doesn’t want you to know any of this. Refer back to the HUGE November loss: https://blnnews.com/2024/01/23/connect-loses-more-than-the-coliseum/ Salaries were almost twice normal. I thought Connect had a hiring spree of drivers and were no longer […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Connect Transit Board meets at 4:30 today. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFica7k-pGY Will any of the below be discussed? 🤣😂 Remember when Solyndra was supposed to create a ton of solar panels, got tons of federal money, and then declared bankruptcy. Of course no one was ever held accountable, so this “making friends of government […]
By: Diane Benjamin November is a new record loss. See wages and stay tuned. This is going to take more than one story. I have proof the Proterra Electric buses are junk. Connect has 12. One might still be operating, the count of working electric buses changed weekly. It never went up – only down. Many millions of your tax dollars were […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos’ 3rd nomination to the Amtrak Board is finally happening. Note the quorum requirement had to be waived to move it forward, it looks like the whole Senate will vote next week. Voiding rules makes this nomination perfect! https://www.congress.gov/nomination/118th-congress/15?loclr=cga-nomination
Only ONE person noticed this happened in 2017? By: Diane Benjamin I was looking for something else when I found this: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/14804/636432458496930000 . Chris Koos throws a party too, since he spends many thousands of dollars that made me wonder how much this party was. I FOIA’d the cost. Of course staff time isn’t included, invitations if Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin From 2009-2010 Democrats controlled all 3 branches of government. Joe Biden had the same thing in 2021 when the Senate was 50-50 giving Kamala Harris the tie breaking vote. They could have legalized illegal immigrants and DACA and recipients all by themselves, they didn’t even try. If they care so much about “migrants” why didn’t they? […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-01-05/reece-normal-has-a-lot-more-planned-for-2024 Normal City Manager Pam Reece talks about all the great things they are doing – except ONE. Here’s a hint: . When you someday sit in your car behind a train blocking the tracks while bikers and walkers freely navigate a path under the tracks that you can’t use, take […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Jeff Fritzen’s case against the Town of Normal and High Haven for how the special use permit was approved got tossed out of court: https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/01/04/judge-throws-out-ex-normal-town-councilmans-cannabis-dispensary-lawsuit/?outputType=amp Hilarious quote from the judge: Judge Foley wrote: “Case law is clear that a home rule municipality is not bound by its own procedures, unless in doing so the […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Other counties are working to protect their citizens from illegal aliens being dumped on them: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-illinois-migrants-grundy-county-20231228-ohorvkbn6beunfc37clltrfrcu-story.html McLean County has a homeless problem and lack of housing problem. The County Board needs to act before they can’t. https://blnnews.com/2023/12/28/local-election-issue-illegal-immigration/ Even Chris Koos knows housing here isn’t available: https://www.25newsnow.com/2023/12/29/housing-crunch-would-get-even-tighter-if-migrants-come-town-says-area-mayor/ When Trump was president Koos defended Normal’s sactuary status: https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2018/05/normal-mayor-defends-citys-sanctuary-city-status-and-responds-i-am-an-animal-to-president-trump.html 2) […]
By: Diane Benjamin In communist China every person is required to carry their phone at all times so the government can track them. Starting January 2nd Normal is doing the same thing if you park in one of their garages. When you enter your license plate will be read. They want you to enter your bank account or […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos was nominated (3rd time) in January 2023 to replace Thomas Carper. Amtrak Board of Directors: https://www.amtrak.com/about-amtrak/board-of-directors.html . The Amtrak Board obviously isn’t a priority for the Senate who has to confirm nominees. The last movement of Koos’ nomination was in October. Unlike as Mayor of Normal where the entire Council […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town needs more time to “convince” area single family home owners to stop objecting: Good thing it also gives the area homeowners more time to organize opposition!
By: Diane Benjamin The first thing to notice from the charts below is Normal doesn’t provide the detail Bloomington does. The first chart is from PDF page 28: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19327/Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report-21-FINAL-DOC?bidId= The second chart is from PDF page 26: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23148/Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report-23-FINAL-DOC Below is also a recap of a few. Normal revenue is up $29.5 million in 4 years. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thursday the Normal Planning Commission will approve destroying a single family neighborhood: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4822 Everyone on that commission is appointed by Chris Koos to do his bidding. No one represents citizens because citizens can’t even know who Koos appoints until after the Council votes. It won’t matter how many citizens show up to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Every year Normal claims property taxes have to increase to fund pensions. Last night the Council did it again. Only one person showed up to speak at the Public Hearing. Meanwhile the Cost of Living here is rising dramatically because every unit of government sees $$$$ they can steal. https://www.bnbiz.org/coli
By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 3: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4825 Normal is required to hold a Public Hearing. The norm is nobody shows up to speak. Thus citizens get the government they deserve: After a few to none show up to protest this fleece, the Council will vote to approve taking more of your money.
By: Diane Benjamin Jeff Fritzen’s case against the Town of Normal and High Haven is still active. Fritzen claims Normal code does not allow reconsideration of a special use permit for a year after it was rejected. The Normal council had rejected High Haven’s application but with a few changes the council then approved it […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this link directly from the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/09/fact-sheet-president-bidens-budget-lowers-housing-costs-and-expands-access-to-affordable-rent-and-home-ownership/ One excerpt: Restrictive zoning means not allowing multi-family housing in established single-family neighborhoods. Biden is willing to pay LOCAL government for EQUITY. So how much is Normal planning to collect to change the zoning at Beech and Shelbourne? Since no one currently elected […]
By: Diane Benjamin More on these two stories: https://blnnews.com/2023/11/07/illinois-comptroller-must-have-decided-to-void-transparency/ https://blnnews.com/2023/11/09/comptrollers-office-responded-just-not-with-an-explanation/ As I stated in one of the stories above, government employees would rather talk to me over the phone instead of in writing. That eliminates the paper trail, the email below proves it: On November 9, 2023, at 3:41 PM, “Pallasch, Abdon” <abdon.m.pallasch@illinoiscomptroller.gov> wrote: Hmmm… […]
By: Diane Benjamin Numbers 2 and 3 aren’t open yet. Jeff Fritzen’s case against the Town of Normal/High Haven continues. See below, another hearing is scheduled for 11/28. Another cannabis dispensary PDF page 104: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4787 .
By: Diane Benjamin Source: https://files.illinoiscomptroller.gov/LocGovTIF/FY2023/06409531/23TIF06409531Downtown_volpment_1.pdf Page 1 states the TIF was formed on 5/5/2003. Now see page 11. Why did the Town of Normal use 1999? The TIF wasn’t active in 1999, was this to make the return on investment look better? What private or public investment took place between 11/1/99 and 5/4/2003 that shouldn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Another reader temporarily sucked me back into covering Normal. If you didn’t know Normal adapted Smart Cities a few years ago it is likely because they don’t want you to know. See this link: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19666/Smart-City-Report-January-2022 Smart Cities aren’t locally run, they take marching orders from international organizations that exist for government, not […]
