Why is Wesleyan getting $1 million in the State budget?

By: Diane Benjamin See this story: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/waste-watch-illinois-gives-500000-to-health-advocacy-non-profit/ Type Bloomington in the SEARCH to see what Illinois budgeted. Wesleyan isn’t the only non-government entity getting money. Is Wesleyan discounting tuition to local residents too much to fund their own projects or did the local reps decide to gift them your money? . Next type Normal in […]

Who do you believe?

By: Diane Benjamin If Illinois really wanted to “spur developments and create jobs”, most laws regulating and taxing businesses and their owners would be repealed. The Illinois exodus isn’t for better weather. Since everything is a secret, start connecting dots: 2023 Megasite Investment Press Release: https://www.chicagowestbusinesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/26898-_Governor_Pritzker_Announces_Recipients_of_Megasites_Investment_Program.pdf Excepts: What company agreed to provide $1,736,501? It’s a […]

Ever Heard Of the Illinois Migrant Council?

By: Diane Benjamin If you haven’t, you probably don’t know you are funding it. This tip came from a reader. Their website: https://illinoismigrant.org/history Even though they claim to have been around since 1966, Propublica states they became a non-profit in 2024: You can see numerous tax returns at this link: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/362597070 One thing to note: […]

3 Things You Need To Know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) I can’t believe this myth is still on an elected official (who wants reelected) and Unit 5 teacher’s Facebook page. Does he lie as a County Board member? Does he lie to kids he teaches. Actual facts from Congressional testimony: “That child that you’re showing right there, the men and women […]

Raising your taxes

By: Diane Benjamin I don’t know the guy who wrote this, but I do know Jeanne Ives – former State representative: . Bloomington staff has complained about this one forever. The Illinois Municipal League has a good explanation of FGDF on their website: https://www.iml.org/file.cfm?key=15419 Bloomington used to receive 10% of all income taxes the State […]

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 […]

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 […]

Illinois Fraud: State employees

By: Diane Benjamin If you reviewed this list of Illinois Auditor General reports, you haven’t seen the worst yet: https://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/ABC-List.asp See this link for reports of State employees investigated by the Office of Inspector General: https://oeig.illinois.gov/investigations/published-oeig-cases.html Have you heard about all the State employees investigated for Paycheck Protection Fraud? That link has them. Already in […]

Is There Fraud in Illinois Child Care Spending?

By: Diane Benjamin Open The Books created a database of “child care” spending by State after the Minnesota fraud came to light: https://open.substack.com/pub/openthebooks/p/minnesota-daycare-scandal-the-power?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email Quote from that story: We’ve created the most comprehensive database of government spending in history, from federal to state and local governments, so that every taxpayer can become a citizen journalist and […]

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 […]

November Illinois Layoffs

https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx Happy Holidays won’t be had be these folks.

Yes, Local Crime Is Up

By: Diane Benjamin For 9 months ending September 30th, the below is from the Sheriff’s report at the County Justice Committee meeting 11/5/2025: PDF page 26: https://mcleancountyil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/1064?html=true PDF page 43 – State’s Attorney Report: PDF page 48 – Circuit Court Clerk report: Are the warrants for people released without bail who didn’t show up in […]

Why Unit 5 Board Chair got by with his comments

By: Diane Benjamin If you forgot the comments by Alex Williams, see them here: https://blnnews.com/2025/09/20/controversy-surrounds-unit-5-board-chair-alex-williams/ Governor Pritzker gave a speech to the Illinois Federation of Teachers. His comments about Trump supporters were vile. Worse, he got a standing ovation from the TEACHERS present. . Alex Williams knows the administration and teachers in Unit 5 have […]

More taxes Bloomington

By: Diane Benjamin Remember when the Bloomington elites claimed they weren’t going to pass their own 1% Grocery tax? Joke is on you. They tripled your water rates (by next May 1st), raised every fee 3% without ever voting since those are automatic, and negotiated unaffordable electricity rates on your behalf. Bloomington has the chance […]

8 Things You Need To Know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) Since Krystle Able calls herself a Democratic Socialist, she of course supports the far left guy running for mayor of New York. She doesn’t know history, most socialists are elected using talking points that sound nice but don’t work. Meanwhile, people who know history are handing out cards in New York […]

Illinois Mom Killed by Illegal Alien

By: Diane Benjamin This one only made headlines because the victims daughter used to play in the WNBA. How many other Illinois citizens are killed by illegal immigrants and we never hear about them? https://www.wkrn.com/news/national/former-wnba-players-mother-killed-in-crash-illinois-officials . The story I wrote yesterday is very applicable: https://blnnews.com/2025/08/13/why-does-illinois-love-criminals/ When Corey Cottrell was hit and killed on his motorcycle […]

Pantagraph get’s $150,000 tax credit

By: Diane Benjamin Source: https://ipmnewsroom.org/illinois-newsrooms-receive-4-million-from-state-through-tax-credits/ The State of Illinois passed a law in 2024 to help fund local media. They claim Illinois has “news deserts”. Heard of Separation of Church and State? Evidently there is no Separation of Press and State. Under this $4 million giveaway the Pantagraph received $140,000 for “qualified journalists” and $10,000 […]

Update: More on the Illinois Commission Appointed to Discriminate

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_3e27d777-f68c-47be-ac50-d64a99e509ea.html Quote: The nine-page memo clarifies that federal anti-discrimination laws apply to programs that involve discriminatory practices, including DEI policies. Organizations that receive federal funding are subject to federal anti-discrimination laws and must ensure that their programs do not discriminate against race, gender, religion and more, the memo added.  By: Diane Benjamin More to this story: Illinois-Discriminates-Against-White-Males/ […]

Illinois job losses mount

By: Diane Benjamin Illinois layoffs: https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx What’s the explanation for this one? Click on the blue – “plant closure”. . Medicaid cuts, if passed, only apply to illegals and able-bodied people capable of working but chose not to. Medicare isn’t being cut unless the recipient is here illegally. Maybe Pritzker’s budget that doesn’t provide free […]

Three Things You Need to Know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) The Connect Transit website shows a vacancy for Bloomington Trustee. https://connect-transit.com/board-of-trustees/meet-the-trustees The current mayor may try to stack that board like past mayors, but if you are interested in serving apply here: https://cityblm.seamlessdocs.com/f/MayoralAppointmentApplication There were two public comments at the April Connect Transit Board meeting. Just hit play below. The lady […]

More unintended consequences from the left

By: Diane Benjamin I’ve written many times about the left governing on feelings while the right uses facts. Here’s another case: https://wirepoints.org/homelessness-could-no-longer-be-a-crime-under-a-new-plan-filed-in-springfield-wand-decatur/ An Illinois Democrat wants to legalize homeless people and allow them to camp on public property. It will be wonderful to see Bloomington’s new $28 million library turned into a homeless camp and […]

Pritzker wants to Trans your kids

By: Diane Benjamin Illinois Governor Pritzker doesn’t understand why Harris lost the election. He’s doubling-down on promoting transgender ideology for minors. Most kids outgrow gender dysphoria. Pritzker wants to permanently maim kids too young to buy cigarettes or alcohol, sign contracts, legally work, or do anything adults can do. Will parents finally get mad when […]