Category: Normal

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois accused of handing out illegal CDLs

By: Diane Benjamin If your media didn’t report this, get better media. I’m sure you’ve heard about accidents and deaths caused by illegals with licenses to drive semis. Illinois has now been listed as one of the states handing out CDLs to unqualified drivers. https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffys-audit-illinois-non-domiciled-cdls-finds WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today exposed […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

When State Taxes Increase Again . . .

By: Diane Benjamin The EIN number for The Immigration Project is 43-1700482 With that number you can look up how much the State of Illinois has paid them: https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/vendor-services/vendor-payments-new This organization not only provides provides legal services to “immigrants”, they send out ICE warnings to their rapid response people. Taxpayers are funding the obstruction of […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Illinois Minimum Wage Increase is Back Again

By: Diane Benjamin The pic below was sent to me by a reader. The Senate version has been referred to Assignments. The House version has been referred to the Rules Committee. That means neither versions is dead. Why only a $27 minimum wage by 2032. Why not $50 or more? Does everyone want to pay […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

WGLT, Normal, and the State of Illinois

By: Diane Benjamin WGLT is not allowed to sell advertising. What did The Town of Normal pay WGLT to do? (2025 data isn’t available yet) https://www.openthebooks.com/search-results/details/?n=Wglt-Normal&e=73583&t=c&burl=%2Fsearch-results%2F%3Ft%3Dc%26F_Name_S%3DWGLT%26F_State%3DIllinois%26F_Year%3D0 . Has WGLT applied for State of Illinois money? If you don’t know about the plan Springfield passed to subsidize media, read up on it: https://dceo.illinois.gov/expandrelocate/incentives/taxassistance/new-journalism-tax-incentive-program.html Yes, non-profit media […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Danger whenever Springfield is in session

By: Diane Benjamin If you believe mail-in voting is the least secure way to vote (like Jimmy Carter did), file a witness slip opposing this bill: https://www.ilga.gov/house/hearings/details/3110/22403/CreateWitnessSlip/?legislationId=161868&GaId=18&View=Create&fbclid=IwZnRzaAP9uYtjbGNrA_2r12V4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMmJ1TEZ0cUdCcnI0UXROMExzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeHvldQnGykVQ9QF2QhUtasHWRqVU-lW50PiWlTTicr5tNT5RC2mFh4NcFLnQ_aem_A-yI2QCswrei74xph3gobw HB 3355: Amends the Election Code. Provides that an election authority may elect to mail a vote by mail ballot to all qualified voters instead of sending notices […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Water or Jobs? Rivian

By: Diane Benjamin I write and research stories based on: This story was spurred by a reader. They wanted to know how much water Rivian used since we are in a drought. My first thought was Rivian uses Normal’s water since the plant is in Normal. I decided to ask Bloomington anyway since the reader […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Rivian Reports 4th Quarter earnings

If you LOVE a lot of numbers read this link: https://electrek.co/2026/02/12/rivian-rivn-q4-2025-earnings-report-yoy-growth/ If you just want a summary: https://sherwood.news/markets/rivian-climbs-after-posting-better-than-expected-q4-results-provides-2026/ Rivian climbs after posting better-than-expected Q4 results; sees R2 SUV hitting the market in Q2 EV maker RivianRIVN $16.79 (-4.95%) reported its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings results after markets closed on Thursday. Its shares climbed 13% in after-hours trading. In the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Attn: Veterans

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Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Want to Know How Many People Owe Fines and Fees to the County?

By: Diane Benjamin You will never know! Remember, ONE guy owed $22,105.11 https://blnnews.com/2026/02/07/unpaid-county-fines-bloomington-liquor-license/ This link shows what the Circuit Court policy for collections is: https://mcleancountyil.gov/166/Cases-Referred-to-Collections Either none of the actions listed were enforced or none of them mattered. Was there a warrant issued for his arrest? He supposedly owes an additional $6,631.53 for being turned […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Matejka & Chamber of Commerce doing comedy now?

By: Diane Benjamin Mike Matejka posted this on his Not In Our Town Facebook page: . Of course Mike is implying there is no difference between the KKK and ICE. Since Wikipedia has a fake history of the KKK, see History.com instead: https://www.history.com/articles/ku-klux-klan Quote: Founded in 1865, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) extended into almost […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Feds Investigating Student Data Privacy Violations

By: Diane Benjamin Read the McLean County GOP press release below. To summarize: Colleges across the country send personal student data to the National Student Clearinghouse. That organization then hands the data to Democrat-aligned NGOs in violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Those NGOs distribute students’ personal data to Democrat activists, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Sharon Chung: We need FREE child care

By: Diane Benjamin Just a few months ago mentioning illegal aliens were receiving federal tax dollars outraged the left. I used to be told by left-leaning people that illegal aliens weren’t getting benefits because that would be illegal. Suddenly, it wasn’t illegal anymore—once there was plenty of proof that illegal immigrants were indeed receiving tax […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Pick A Side

By: Diane Benjamin Victims-mom-slams-grammy-speeches-after-daughter-boyfriend-killed-alleged-dui-crash-illegal-immigrant One Bloomington victim, Corey Cottrell, made the list below of Americans killed by illegal immigrants: https://blnnews.com/2019/07/10/bikers-ride-for-corey-cottrell/ Since Illinois doesn’t allow asking immigration status, the list below may not include some victims here. If you don’t have a problem with this extensive list, you are probably out protesting ICE. Normal people want […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tracking Local Arrests

By: Diane Benjamin I downloaded the McLean County Sheriff’s Office app awhile back. Just watching the jail population change is interesting. This morning inmates totaled 232, yesterday showed 228. I’ve seen it higher and it was around 20 less before Christmas. I have no idea why except I was interested, but I attempted to track […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The ISU Communist responds

By: Diane Benjamin Andrew Franson responded to this story on his Facebook page: https://blnnews.com/2026/02/02/5-things-you-need-to-know-11/ I hope ISU is proud of this student with no grasp of the English language. Maybe he’s aiming for a job in Illinois government: . Franson did send a pictures of people standing in front of the BCPA. They could have […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Remember INCCRRA? Child Care is Unaffordable?

By: Diane Benjamin Two of the previous stories in case you forgot: Is There Fraud In Illinois Child Care Spending? You Are Paying Child Care Costs For Illegal Aliens The INCCRRA website has a data request form and a list of what information can be requested. See this link: https://www.inccrra.org/images/datareports/04-07-16_Data_Request_Form.pdf I requested data for McLean […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

5 Things You Need To Know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) Remember the communist organizer from ISU – Andrew Franson? https://blnnews.com/2025/10/16/email-from-an-isu-communist/ He calls himself a communist, I didn’t label him. I received an email from him saying the picture in this story is wrong: https://blnnews.com/2026/01/30/tiny-anti-ice-crowd/ Andrew claims people had left by the time the picture in the story was taken. He claims […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

National School Choice Week

By: Diane Benjamin This is National School Choice Week – Illinois isn’t participating because teacher unions want students locked into failing schools based on their zip code. Statement from Tommy Schultz, CEO, American Federation for Children:  https://www.federationforchildren.org/afc-celebrates-national-school-choice-week-2026/ “As we celebrate National School Choice Week, we embark on what will be a golden age in American […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Opportunities to Oppose Law Enforcement

By: Diane Benjamin Plenty of opportunities to prove who you voted for last year: . Does 50501 know Barack Obama sued Arizona and won because the Constitution gives the Feds authority over immigration – not states? Do attendees know Illinois coddles illegals with your tax dollars while raising your taxes? 50501 isn’t non-partisan. Only one […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Connect Transit – October 2015 vrs December 2025

By: Diane Benjamin Have you noticed the media never reports on how much Connect Transit is costing taxpayers? Have you noticed you haven’t been told these bus subsidies exist across the country? The Champaign-Urbana bus system loses far more than Connect Transit. Did you know the Danville Mass Transit District attempted to dissolve itself: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2026/01/cris-mass-transit-violated-law-on-vote-to-dissolve/ […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

I Know Nobody Cares, but Connect Transit Losses GROW

By: Diane Benjamin Today’s agenda: https://connect-transit.com/file/4024/2026%2001%2027_BoT%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf The packet is for November and December. There isn’t near as much information in the packet as usual. Missing are reports from their consultants in Springfield and DC. $42,059 for what? . Ridership is up, so are the losses: . Flex is still up almost 9% fiscal year to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Battery fire today at Rivian

By: Diane Benjamin Since 2 people have contacted me, I will tell you what I think happened. The battery area employees were evacuated to the cafeteria because of a fire. The fire was extinguished pretty quick, no injuries that I know of. If anyone has any further information, let me know.

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

You are paying child care costs for illegal aliens

By: Diane Benjamin This won’t be the last story. I can prove illegal aliens get Illinois child care subsidies, maybe even more than citizens get. Keep reading. Illinois’ ruling class hides information by letting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) administer the programs they create. The state shovels your money to them—and the trail ends there. Connecting the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Unit 5: Activist Camp

By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Unit 5 schools don’t exist to teach kids essential life skills—unless you want your kids to grow up protesting on weekends as adults while you support them. Learning critical thinking skills requires being able to read. Opposing Federal Law Enforcement enforcing the law every president has in the past, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

County Board Election: District 10

By: Diane Benjamin The General Election is November 3rd. The Primary Election is March 17th. Illinois thinks voters need many weeks to actually vote, so early voting starts February 5th. State and Federal offices will be contested, local races mostly won’t. (Maybe none) Democrats get to pick Dick Durbin’s ballot replacement. Those who vote Republican […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

State Rep Sharon Chung hates Law Enforcement

By: Diane Benjamin ICE is Federal Law Enforcement. They aren’t pretend cops. They are removing criminal illegal aliens – pedophiles, murders, rapists, etc. Chaos wouldn’t exist in blue cities if democrats didn’t incite people to interfere. Democrats didn’t have problem with deportations when Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama were deporting millions. The only reason they […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

ISU Auditor General Findings: Noncompliance

By: Diane Benjamin State Compliance Examination Release Date: March 27, 2025For the Year Ended June 30, 2024 This report shows 3 failures at ISU: The auditor stated these are MATERIAL WEAKNESSES for failure to comply with State Law. “Material” are the worst kind of weaknesses. The first one was noted in 2011, 2015, and 2019. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The local NGO’s tax return – INCCRRA

By: Diane Benjamin More to this story: https://blnnews.com/2026/01/15/is-there-fraud-in-illinois-child-care-spending/ INCCRRA stands for Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. INCCRRA tax return for the year ending 6/30/2024: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/364096312/202530429349300303/full The revenue on this tax return isn’t close to what OpenTheBooks shows they received in calendar year 2024. A tax return for the other NGO, Excelerate Illinois, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Local H1B Visas – Rivian

By: Diane Benjamin This link has a list of all companies in Illinois with H1B Visas: https://h1bgrader.com/states/illinois-il Click on any name. Page down until you see a RED box that says “View latest H1B Visas . . “. This is part of what you will see for Rivian. Note the dates, many are already in […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Proving There is Never Enough Money – Krystle Able

By: Diane Benjamin Previous story: https://blnnews.com/2026/01/15/is-there-fraud-in-illinois-child-care-spending/

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

5 Things you need to know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) Illinois lawmakers who propose unConstitutional laws should be kicked out of office: https://ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?GAID=18&DocNum=2820&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=164963&SessionID=114 Senator Laura Fine proposed SB2820 Creates the Prohibited Hiring of Federal Immigration Officers Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency may not hire as a law enforcement officer any person who was hired as a federal immigration officer […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Rapid Response to ICE is Paid By You

By: Diane Benjamin The local Immigration Project is part of the Rapid Response when ICE is spotted. In other words they are warning illegal aliens. Yesterday: . The are paid with your tax dollars! According to OpenTheBooks.com: . You work hard for a paycheck so the State of Illinois can spend your money to obstruct […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Local Clueless: Part 2

By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2026/01/12/the-local-clueless/ Every President before Biden knew illegal immigration wasn’t good for a sovereign country. If you want proof, ask me! The comments to Krystle Able’s post prove where mental illness comes from. Did Krystle mean to incite violence? See if you think she did. I added notes to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Weren’t we told there is a drought and water needs conserved?

By: Diane Benjamin Yes! https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/watch-live-drought-causes-voluntary-water-conservation-in-bloomington/ BNWRD didn’t get the same message which is why they are buying land along Sugar Creek: See the January packet – https://blnnews.com/bnwrd-docs/ PDF page 37: . BNWRD will not be buying the third property now that I wrote about here: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/31/bnwrd-story-6/ The title to the third is still trying to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

The Incompetence of Illinois Government

https://www.25newsnow.com/2026/01/06/illinois-department-human-services-reports-years-long-data-breach Excerpts: However, according to the news release, due to “incorrect privacy settings,” the maps and the information contained within them were publicly viewable. The maps containing information about Rehabilitation Services customers were publicly accessible from April 2021 through September 2025 when the flaw was discovered, the agency said. That included customers’ names, addresses, case […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

“Fraud” is Cruel Krystle Able

By: Diane Benjamin “Cruel” is the new leftist buzzword. “Fraud” is a word they avoid. Billions of dollars appear to have been stolen in Minnesota through child care fraud schemes. We aren’t supposed to notice, right, Krystle? According to Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski, the amount of child care costs that Illinois bills the feds […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Go Where The Money Is FAIL

By: Diane Benjamin This was the agenda for the January 2nd for the MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY FUND ADVISORY COUNCIL (FAC) . I have no idea why this committee, which is subject to FOIA, and the McLean County Behaviour Health Coordinating Council (not subject to FOIA) both need to exist. No documentation was posted […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

McLean County Earmarks in Illinois Budget

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/waste-watch-illinois-gives-12m-to-nascar/ Excerpts: Lawmakers claimed the 2026 budget contained no pork, but a closer look shows 2,815 items over $200,000 lawmakers decided to fund in the final hours of the legislative session – rushed, harmful to taxpayers and with no time for public scrutiny. They included $40 million for a high school sports complex at the alma mater of Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

17 Years in a Row: People Leaving Illinois

https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_9f59f645-6340-4756-8110-655dd4f6eeeb.html?utm_source=illinois.thecentersquare.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=rss_first_item_title Can anyone say after 17 years this isn’t on purpose? Excerpts: U.S. Census Bureau data showing Illinois has lost around 420,000 residents since 2020. Recent polling found almost half of all voters insist they would leave the state if they had the chance. Updated annual Census estimates for Illinois and other states are expected […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

ISU comes up short in more ways than one

By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois State University football team came from behind to force overtime last night for the FCS championship. The team ended up losing by 1 point. They deserve to be proud of what they accomplished. Meanwhile, an ISU professor was one of the organizers of the protest Sunday: https://www.25newsnow.com/2026/01/05/activists-protesting-us-military-force-venezuela-gather-busy-bloomington-shopping-center/#aj0ltkn477e8vlubp6audiolk8wpxhqt Excerpts: Activist group Bloomington […]