By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Election Commission only handles elections. They have full-time staff dedicated solely to elections. County taxpayers are forced to fund this office—not the taxpayers of the City of Bloomington. In the County you can enter your address and see your ballot before you vote: https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/1600/Ballots In Bloomington you can’t. Their full […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-03-27/photos-faculty-demonstrate-on-isu-quad-ahead-of-possible-strike A strike is threatened by tenured and tenure-track facility at ISU. Do you know what ISU costs (before any financial aid)? The cost per year goes up from here – click on other majors: https://financialaid.illinoisstate.edu/paying/2024-2025-undergraduate/index.php Remember the lady with a Masters Degree in Communications who can’t afford rent? Does she have […]
By: Diane Benjamin School Administrators are so desperate to rake in pots of gold from the 1% Sales Tax ballet question they are going to nursing homes to “educate” the residents. If you have relatives in a local nursing home, it’s time for a visit. How many “English as a 2nd language” students are in […]
By: Diane Benjamin I heard from a reliable source yesterday Assessed Values will increase another 8-9% this year. Your property taxes will increase even if the 1% sales tax passes. Schools drool over rising property values, as does every taxing body listed on your property tax bill. The assessor will be blamed instead of the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Part 1 Grooming. Click on Hormone Therapy. Infertility is a side effect.
Below are two documents. The first one is a press release that was just issued. The second is a complaint that was filed with the US Department of Education. It accuses Universities, including ISU, of violating students Rights to Privacy. Personal information was released to NGO’s who use that data to increase voter participation on […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois must not care if it loses federal funding. The state pushes DEI in schools, and Unit 5 is happy to comply. I have a lot more information, thanks to a FOIA request. Remember when teachers taught the basics and we were number one in the world for education? Looking at these […]
By: Diane Benjamin No activities used to be scheduled on Wednesday nights at Tri-Valley because many kids and their parents had church activities. That night was reserved out of respect. The new low is scheduling this event on a Wednesday night during LENT. Superintendent Ben Derges also knows candidate Casey Misch can not attend tomorrow […]
By: Diane Benjamin Abby Scott is running for Bloomington Council Ward 9: . This is her husband and County Board memeber: . Fascists don’t cut the size of government. A teacher should know that one! I hope his list has some better choices, he missed great singers like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. He could […]
By: Diane Benjamin The 1% Sales Tax increase is on the April 1st election ballet because it has a better chance of passing when few people bother to vote. If Tri-Valley really wanted your property taxes to go down, they wouldn’t propose a new bond for the exact amount of the one being paid off. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The County elections site allows you to see your ballot:. This is everywhere but Bloomington because County taxpayers are forced to fund their election commission: https://mcleancountyil.gov/2023/Sample-Ballots-Normal Normal also has few choices except for mayor. You can’t chose your At-Large Trustees because 3 are on the ballot to fill 3 seats. Your don’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin H/T Two readers who have been sending information. I’ve got a LOT more information, but start here. Executive Order on Education: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-indoctrination-in-k-12-schooling/ Indoctrination funded by the Department of Education – Over $1 billion: https://defendinged.org/investigations/granted/ This is what the money was used for, not education: Illinois Schools listed as receiving funds, The Regional […]
See #2. Sharon Chung thinks Illinois corruption is over. She’s funny: https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-13/central-illinois-lawmakers-react-to-former-house-speaker-madigans-guilty-verdict By: Diane Benjamin 1) Continuation of this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/02/13/unit-5-staff-only-meetings-1-sales-tax/ Video of the “staff only” meetings concerning the 1% Salters Tax increase will not exist. I received the response below to that part of a FOIA request: Diane, There are no public records responsive […]
By: Diane Benjamin No wonder trust in government is at an all time low among people who expect Public Servants to actually work for the public. Oaths of office are now meaningless. Did you know the County isn’t going to produce a report on the fundraising at the County to abolish the Auditor until March? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Few people probably know the McLean County Treasurer’s website has years of payments to every taxing district they collect property taxes for: https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/590/Taxing-Dist-Distribution-Settlement-Shee Someday if I really want a huge project I could compile tax payments to EVERY unit of government on your tax bill. If someone wants this project, or at […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is the original verbiage on the April1cent.info website that most of the McLean County schools linked to from their school websites: “Asking” voters to approve is a violation of law as stated in this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/02/09/since-election-interference-isnt-prosecuted/ This is what it says now: . Whoever tipped them off and whoever changed the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Nobody is afraid of consequences for breaking election law and misuse of public funds. How long is it going to take McLean County to investigate Lizzy Johnston’s alleged soliciting money on County property to abolish the County Auditor? Another year? Why did Lizzy lawyer up for a State Board of Elections investigation? […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://april1cent.info/ That URL is linked from the District 87 website. Probably other area schools linked it too. It claims 35% of the new tax will be paid by people who visit or commute to McLean County. It DOES NOT promise lower property taxes. It says the new revenue can be used for: […]
By: Diane Benjamin I wouldn’t know anything was sent out at Unit 5 if this guy had kept his mouth shut: (County Board member and music teacher) . Beirne must not know the administration is picking up CRIMINAL illegals. They aren’t interested in kids. Is Unit 5 harboring criminal kids Corey? In a follow-up post […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was notified last night that Surena Fish died. Surena was on the PSCRB Board and West Side neighbors. She was a voice for downtown business owners and a frequent Public Commentor. This story has a video of one of her comments: https://blnnews.com/2024/07/16/two-public-comments-last-night-you-need-to-see/ Bloomington lost one of it’s champions and I lost […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) . 2) Beside massive inflation, high interest rates and minimum wage increases, anybody want to help Krystle understand the housing shortage? Anyone? She’s probably never heard of supply side economics. 3) The below was received by FOIA. They are excerpts from a Daily Activity report by the Bloomington police. All of […]
By: Diane Benjamin ISU has two unsolved campus murders. Is anyone trying to solve Jennifer Lockmiller’s murder in 1993 after Alan Beaman was declared innocent? Crickets. The Normal police haven’t solved the 49 year old murder of Carol Rofstad either. Was this a jab at Normal police? https://www.25newsnow.com/video/2024/12/23/normal-police-rigorously-working-solve-49-year-old-cold-case-killing/ Last year CI Proud and News 25 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Most local units of government will be on the April 1st ballot. Most of registered voters won’t both to vote. That makes theft easy. How are they stealing your money? By taxing you on unrealized gains through property taxes. The value of your house has increased but you will never see that […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you read the 2023 Youth Build Annual Report this Charter School is fantastic: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55bb8525e4b0a459046e6739/t/65b9afabb435b867dbf069cd/1706667953249/2023+Annual+Report.pdf Now see the Illinois School Report Card for YBMC: https://irc.isbe.net/School.aspx?source=profile&Schoolid=17064005026001C Chronic Absenteeism is 87%. The Academic Progress is redacted for Proficiency in English Language Arts, Math, and Science. Science Assessment shows 0% proficient. Graduation rate is redacted. […]
By: Diane Benjamin While ZERO of Connect transit electric buses are operational, last night Unit 5 bough 5 electric buses and 5 charging stations with $2,076,015 of your money. Austin Texas has 46 electric buses parked. Same manufacturer as Connect’s: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/capmetro-new-electric-buses-shelved Central States isn’t the manufacturer. Usually the Feds hand out grants to buy electric, […]
By: Diane Benjamin This slide is on the Unit 5 video from last night: See 3:33:59 https://vimeo.com/event/4378038 . What they are trying to say is the RATE of increase has slowed down while making it look like the actual increase isn’t happening. This slide is at 3:39:37 . The EAV growth amounts to an increase […]
By: Diane Benjamin Board candidate Casey Misch reported he was the only person running April 1st to actually attend the Tri-Valley Board meeting last night. Yes your property taxes got a massive increase because they can. Meetings aren’t on video and few people stand up to the Tax Class. You will get your property tax […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-11-18/tri-valley-district-will-have-contested-school-board-races?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook Excerpt: Maybe this Ben: https://blnnews.com/2024/09/20/tri-valley-incident/ Numerous kids report they saw a gun. The way this incident was handled had 6 parents speak at the September Board meeting according to the minutes. Other parents present didn’t speak. Maybe transparency is a better option than Mouser’s “don’t tell your parents”? […]
By: Diane Benjamin Even though the agenda reappeared tonight’s meeting will not be legal. 48 hours means 48 continuous hours. Unit 5 is violating the Open Meetings Act. https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1482?meeting=660148 File: Exhibit 7.10-E3 Name or Gender Identity Change Request (revised 10-16-24) Your child can change their gender at school without you being notified. How many parents […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read this story: https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2024/11/12/schoolhouse_limbo_how_low_will_educators_go_to_better_grades_1070484.html?mc_cid=ac0e6166c0&mc_eid=a903ff179f Did you know some states are lowering standards to make assessments look better? The story mentions Oklahoma and Wisconsin are doing just that to combat declining test scores. It also mentions the new head of Maryland schools, Carey Wright, who is refusing to lower expectations for students. She […]
By: Diane Benjamin Social Media is full of outrage because people recently got their property tax assessment. They see HUGE increases and think their property taxes are going up. They haven’t gone up YET, only you can stop it. The assessed value is used by all the government units on your tax bill to decide […]
By: Diane Benjamin Did they check this person? https://normalcommunity.unit5.org/faculty/faculty/staff-master-list#R . Ruskin was fired as Assistant Warden at Pontiac prison. This WEEK 25 story has many details and proof she was terminated: https://www.25newsnow.com/2022/12/05/inspector-generals-office-alleges-gross-misconduct-by-pontiac-prison-staff/ Click on the 50 page document linked in that story for intense details. Ruskin was making a good living in Pontiac – from […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unit 5 has a page linked to their Home page called US and State Political Contacts: https://www.unit5.org/about-u5/u-s-and-state-political-contacts I don’t know why this page is on a school website. Worse, Unit 5 is displaying disinformation. All the highlighted people aren’t in office anymore and haven’t been for quite awhile: . If you look […]
By: Diane Benjamin April 2024: Today:
WEEK story: https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/20/parents-concerned-after-threat-school-say-administrators-didnt-tell-them-soon-enough/ 2 updates from the Superintendent are below. Ben Derges claims they were sent to parents. By: Diane Benjamin Some incident did occur on Wednesday, but whatever happened has been resolved. I hear Superintendent Derges is supposed to be doing a press conference with WEEK 25. There is nothing on either website and […]
By: Diane Benjamin I had hoped at least one parent would have shown up at the Unit 5 School Board meeting last night to talk about the issue below. One parent did speak about fights at football games, but no one spoke on this issue. You can see her comment at 35:10. She was followed […]
By: Diane Benjamin Why is this one special? Because a beloved chorus teacher will be the guest of honor. According to the organizer of the reunion, Kathy Siracuse: Mr. McFarland had a robust personality and a ton of enthusiasm that inspired his students to sing their hearts out for him. He was truly beloved by […]
By: Diane Benjamin This story could be the reason test scores are dismal in public schools: https://www.thefp.com/p/how-public-schools-became-ideological-boot-camps?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Everyone should read the entire article! Public Schools can’t be fixed. School Choice is the only way to fix education. Illinois won’t allow it since Springfield is captive to teachers unions. Excerpts: The answer has a lot to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Democrats need to explain why they passed this one: Excerpt: Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning September 1, 2024, no referendum shall be required to build or purchase a building for school classroom or instructional purposes if, prior to the building or purchase of the building, the board determines, by resolution, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unit 5 and District 87 will graduate students without an education. Bloomington High School has a dismal graduation rate of 79%: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?schoolId=170640870250001 McLean County Unit 5 has a graduation rate of 91%: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?districtId=17064005026 Your kids have ONE chance at an education. Local Public Schools are failing them. Individual schools can be looked […]
