By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington Agenda for 4/12/21: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1108&Inline=True The Council will approve a gargantuan budget of $251,735,690 for the year starting May 1st. See PDF page 469. The City has been stockpiling money in funds like water and motor fuel tax. Next year is when a lot of it is getting spent. The General Fund […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos and has band of merry fleecers will continue to increase funding to Connect Transit. They adore empty buses and the $1,000,000 a month the feds and state poor into McLean County to keep it running. They love electric buses and solar panels. They love transfer stations that give their union […]
By: Diane Benjamin FOUR bills are working their way through committee you NEED to Create A Witness slip for. How to create a Witness slip: (it’s easy and fast) For IDENTIFICATION, enter your name. For REPRESENTATION you can enter “Self” unless you represent a group For POSITION, you FILL THE DOT AT “OPPOSED” or “PROPONENT” […]
By: Diane Benjamin A friend sent me this video, Normal was #9. Shockingly, the narrator stated Normal schools rated an F! I emailed the video creator to ask where her information came from and she referred me to this site: https://www.areavibes.com/normal-il/schools/ She included this disclaimer: Source: The Normal, IL education data displayed above is derived […]
Last November I wrote about my Dad coming to live with me: https://blnnews.com/2020/11/11/my-changes/ It has been challenging and a lot of fun, but in a couple weeks he and my mom will be moving out of State. Yes, they will be escaping Illinois! This move has meant cleaning out their house. Yesterday I read some […]
By: Diane Benjamin The 6th Illinois Department of Corrections employee was arrested in an unrelated case to the 5 previous arrests because of a bar brawl in Lexington: https://blnnews.com/2021/03/01/thugs-on-the-other-side-of-the-bars/ See the details and mug shot: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2021/03/another-pontiac-corrections-officer-arrested/ Andrew Krominga was charged with Domestic Battery/Bodily Harm, and Domestic Battery/Physical Contact, on Friday, February 26, 2021.
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve spent a little time jumping around the new 764 page bill reforming the police nobody who voted on it had time to read. Debate was also cut off. The elected democrat representatives played bobblehead for leadership voted as they were told. Sound familiar? You can see the entire bill here: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/10100HB3653sam002.pdf […]
Crime has skyrocketed where these changes have taken place. Evidently Illinois wants the same chaos across the State. Did Democrats oppose the officers who protected Congress this week? Murder won’t be a felony, but officers can be guilty of a felony for doing their job?
As Pritzker’s edicts continue to destroy Illinois small businesses, this clown rushed to Twitter to post this: If anyone is impeached, it should be Pritzker. This man has mental problems if he thinks Congress can or should impeach Trump in two weeks. . . . .
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night Normal’s “professional staff” will present a plan to force their business owners to comply with Pritzker’s edicts. They will say it is the Carrot and Stick approach, but it’s really extortion. I wonder what Pritzker has promised in return for enforcing what can’t be enforced under the law? He knows […]
Originally published in July, updated December 15, 2020. Think science matters? It doesn’t. An overview of the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of face masks. 1. Studies on the effectiveness of face masks So far, most studies found little to no evidence for the effectiveness of cloth face masks in the general population, neither as […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council is meeting Monday night. The ICE hater s will be out in force because Donna Boelen’s council initiative is on the agenda. The far left doesn’t think laws are material to any conversation. http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1098&Inline=True At last Monday’s meeting the City auditor stated Bloomington is paying more than necessary […]
By: Diane Benjamin Maybe they should at least pass a common sense test before subjecting us to their less than thought out plans. Here’s an example from Jesse White’s Secretary of State Office: If you bought a car and applied for plates you used to get a cardboard plate that was screwed on until your […]
By: Diane Benjamin It should be obvious, but evidently too many people think government needs your money, so they vote democrat. How many tax increases does the State of Illinois have to hand you before you figure out government is working for itself – NOT YOU? Illinois Democrats have no intention of fixing the unaffordable […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to the same information about Bloomington: https://blnnews.com/2020/10/28/shrinking-bloomington/ From information the Town of Normal submitted to the Illinois Comptroller’s office: 3/30/2020 3/30/2019 This data shows a decrease of 273 people in just one year. Keep in mind Bloomington’s population decrease was mostly in the last fiscal year too. The link for 2018 […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hope the next mayor eliminates most if not all proclamations. Tari wasted a lot of time last night reading 3. Two of them were to declare the month of October something important. He made these pronouncements 5 days before October will end. Guess they weren’t important enough to announce earlier. Public […]
By: Diane Benjamin $270,944,173 Again this year Bloomington’s finances are on the Illinois Comptroller’s site BEFORE the City gets around to releasing the CAFR (financial statements). The fiscal year ended 4/30/2020 – almost 6 months ago. Why rush? What do they show? Bond Debt: 47,780,000 IMRF pension debt: 12,821,451 Police Pension Debt: 77,693,023 Fire Pension […]
Maybe in a year or two the case of Darren Bailey against Governor dictator Pritzker will get to a court Chubby has to believe. Pritzker lost yesterday in Circuit Court in Springfield. The Clay County case which ruled Printzker’s executive orders illegal stands. See this Edgar County Watchdogs story for details: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2020/10/governor-pritzker-loses-motion-to-vacate-darren-bailey-case-clay-county-order-stands/?fbclid=IwAR2rMYnYbBcF_BS7b1ekm3FV4yxg3Owhx1dfoq1ILNZfL0NHYDUzIm4N-5I Meanwhile Bailey’s attorney, […]
Proving this software was a really bad idea, it was shut down because the parent company was got hacked. The hacker sent offensive emails to users, Illinois State University is mentioned in the story as using the software. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/online-proctor-service-proctortrack-disables-service-after-hack/?fbclid=IwAR2YgGX-lvEdkPSQe27J27J9xm85lI8AC5L0ncdABx-o5ASyj8G47-_a2dU The Proctortrack website has no information, it does guarantee privacy and security however. Evidently that isn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Democrats are desperate to pass the Progressive Income Tax. It is a scam that will hurt Illinois as the people with the money to leave will leave. It has happened in every state that has tried the same. The amendment does open the possibility to tax retirement income, but probably not for […]
Just an FYI folks. See the New Illinois website here: https://www.newillinoisstate.org/ The video is inspiring! The person who sent this to me included this note: New Illinois will use the constitutionally provided method for declaring a new state. Old Illinois may be bribed to accept it, if New Illinois takes on more than its share […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hear some teachers aren’t teaching. 3 hours on Zoom as turned into one hour. Some teachers are expecting students to teach themselves. Students are still charged for all kinds of amenities and buildings they aren’t allowed to use. This story is worse. ISU is worried about kids cheating on tests. Instead […]
By: Diane Benjamin I wish the Wall Street Journal allowed people to read their opinions without paying, but they don’t. What they posted is enough to see where they are going however: https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-illinois-tax-crossroads-11601939583?mod=opinion_lead_pos1 That is pretty much all you can read without a subscription. Obviously the point is: The Progressive Tax is a terrible idea! […]
By: Diane Benjamin I really wanted to take the afternoon off, but then a reader sent me this: ISU must believe “people of color” all lean left. This virtual discussion is being conducted by one of the local leaders of Black Lives Matter: Olivia Butts. On the panel are 3 local women who range from […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://jobsearch.illinoisstate.edu/en-us/job/510267/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-officer These “theoretical frameworks” teach: skin color morally taints you whites have sinned against all minorities history is racist the country’s founding was illegitimate punctuality is white culture established norms attack minorities the county is fundamentally racist This is toxic training against civil society and completely absurd on it’s face. It explains […]
By: Diane Benjamin Susan Kalter: Hopefully this is the last story about Susan Kalter. See all previous stories here: https://blnnews.com/2020/09/16/isu-did-susan-kalter-lie/ I made a final attempt to determine if Kalter was lying about being told by an ISU lawyer the All Facility meeting didn’t have to comply with the Open Meetings Act. I was told she […]
By: Diane Benjamin President Trump banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory in all Federal Departments because it’s Marxist ideology. It is meant to destroy social norms to create an undefined utopia. It rejects the Declaration of Independence, the teachings of Martin Luther King, and of course Christianity. It destroys without ever saying what it […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nMCbsR02FZVZZcIO2k0rG8eyPHwSKrFI/view The Connect Transit Board met on September 22. Success! Over $1 million lost in August: A few of the listed expenses: Why does an “essential service” have to advertise? See PDF page 55 – they still think they can recruit more people to give up driving to ride the bus: What […]
by: Diane Benjamin In my opinion voting in September for an election in November is lamebrained, dim-witted, and unintelligent. There will be “October surprises”, the presidential debates don’t even start until next week. The ONLY reason to vote now is to pretend you investigated all the candidates and have determined which ones represent your values. […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you haven’t figured out by now Democrats running Illinois has been a disaster. There isn’t enough of your money to satisfy their insatiable spending lunacy. Changing the Illinois Constitution so they can tax more proves that fact. Voting YES to tax the rich proves you are the problem. It is impossible […]
See this link: https://wirepoints.org/heres-the-central-misleading-claim-constantly-made-about-the-fair-tax-proposal-quicktake/ Excerpts from the article: Don’t be deceived: The State of Illinois can not live within their means. The Progressive Tax Amendment is just the latest scheme to get more of your money. Instead of reforming un-affordable pensions, they want more of your money. Jobs will be lost and more people will […]
ISU has released a plan for social change! http://www.videtteonline.com/sports/illinois-state-releases-action-plan-for-social-change-in-response-to-athlete-boycott/article_80feef42-ebb2-11ea-a80e-db89545107d9.html?fbclid=IwAR2rk9FyaZB7wZw_nQHqTngKMG3YybfZvMkJyLLOHCN0meOpY6qeVrcoQpo ________________ By: Diane Benjamin ISU President Dietz declared ISU is a Social Justice University. https://blnnews.com/2020/06/02/dietz-social-justice-is-an-isu-priority/ Athletics Director Larry Lyons proclaimed he’s all in too: https://blnnews.com/2020/08/04/did-isus-larry-lyons-become-a-social-justice-warrior/ What neither understand is caving to progressives never ends. Hand them one victory they will want 5 more things. When they […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when cannabis was legalized in Illinois? Remember how the point system was suppose to award licenses to those most affected by past drug enforcement policies? https://chicago.suntimes.com/cannabis/2019/10/1/20894020/pot-marijuana-cannabis-shop-dispensary-license-illinois If those “disproportionately” affected planned to profit they thought wrong. Meanwhile local money is spent in Normal, but where does it go? https://www.streetinsider.com/Globe+Newswire/Jushi+Holdings+Inc.+Reports+Second+Quarter+2020+Financial+Results/17293320.html Jushi Holdings […]
Ask Governor Take-Out-My-Toliets-To-Avoid-Taxes Pritzker if the rich are going to hang around to pay higher taxes. EVERYONE will be paying higher taxes because Democrats need your money! Eventually retirement income will be taxed. Of course the local far left (socialists) are for taxing the rich, basic economics is way to complicated for them. Watch who […]
By: Diane Benjamin McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael contacted me after she received a phone call from a reporter at WGLT. Knowing that it was likely Tari Renner who told Ryan Denham what to write, she wanted the truth out first. This saga starts with Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason sending an email to Kathy […]
By: Diane Benjamin H/t a reader This is the same Larry Lyons who somehow got his son hired in the athletics department and then said son married a fellow employee – making three all related people working in the small ISU athletics department. No nepotism of course – even when the wedding took place on […]
The Open Meetings Act applicable section was amended effective 1/1/2013. That’s more than 7 years ago! _____________________ By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal under the current leadership prefers to make up their own laws. The most obvious example is their illegal public comment policy. Here’s another one: http://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/7697/Chapter-03—Council-Meetings-and-Ordinances?bidId= What does the Open Meetings Act […]
By: Diane Benjamin The CT Board held a meeting on 7/28/2020. No financial information was included in the packet because June was the end of their fiscal year. That doesn’t mean other information wasn’t included in the packet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13_-iBZ8DuPQ_3Or2S90fgHrWo9JhJ1Wf/view PDF page 3 shows customers were down 13.6% for the year July 1, 2019 – June […]
By: Diane Benjamin See previous stories: https://blnnews.com/2020/07/16/looks-like-a-revolt-at-isu/ https://blnnews.com/2020/07/20/isu-when-you-hear-from-the-attorney-general-just-plead-guilty/ Today I was notified by the Public Access office of the Attorney General they are going to investigate whether the first faculty meeting violated the Open Meetings Act. Excerpts: See the entire document I received: 63926 FI Letter When Kalter or ISU responds the Attorney General’s office […]
By: Diane Benjamin People have been emailing Public Comments to the Bloomington City Council instead of calling in. I’ve always considered Public Comment for the PUBLIC, not for the elected officials. Most hardly pay attention. Meanwhile citizens like hearing what other citizens have to say to elected officials. I FOIA’d these comments for 6 meetings. […]
