By: Diane Benjamin It would have been nice if this document said what they wanted to annex. I’m only posting it in case it’s the Rt 150 property again. Previous story: https://blnnews.com/2025/03/13/downs-tonight-flooding-shaddyville/
By: Diane Benjamin I filed a FOIA request to find out how much revenue Normal received from providing fire related services to Hudson, Lexington, and Towanda. Remember, when Normal is running calls outside of Normal they aren’t available to run calls in Normal. The timeline for my FOIA was 1/1/2023 – 12/1/2025. That amounts to […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is a link to the 2024 Water Quality report on Bloomington’s website: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/24534/638878274396400000 It shows no violations for contaminants detected. This is a more comprehensive report from 2024 on Bloomington’s water quality. It was published by Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington DC. https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/system.php?pws=IL1130200 That reports also shows no direct violations, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Everything passed last night. The Convenience Center will be closing. City Manager Jurgens stated it could be relocated but getting permits might be a problem. Hum, who issues permits for City owned property? Are residents dropping off hazardous waste? The CCC has to relocate because of the detention pond they are building […]
By: Diane Benjamin BNWRD is the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. They tax everyone in Bloomington-Normal. The documentation for the yesterday’s BNWRD meeting is on this page: https://blnnews.com/bnwrd-docs/ This jumped off the page, especially since last month BNWRD bought 1.734 acres for $90,639. https://blnnews.com/2025/11/11/i-need-a-realtor-to-explain-this-one/ PDF page 3: The contract for sale starts on PDF page 109 […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City finally perfected picking up bulk waste twice a year, so staff needs it changed. Instead of preventing local contractors and landlords from dumping bulk waste at the convenience center, the City wants to close it. That means going back to picking up bulk every two weeks instead of twice a […]
By: Diane Benjamin A special meeting is being held tonight. Since only the Agenda is posted with NO documentation, it’s likely safe to assume the answer is Yes. https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5453 There is no packet posted explaining what this means: Nothing about property taxes was on the December 1st meeting agenda. Don’t fall for “the rate will […]
By: Diane Benjamin Evidently too much for too many people. Maybe the signs need to say Pretty Please. Location: Recycling bins on the north side of the Normal Walmart:
By: Diane Benjamin More on this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/04/can-your-3rd-grader-read-likely-no-in-public-school/ The 3rd graders tested last spring weren’t affected by school closings during COVID. They weren’t old enough to be in school. They were in: 3rd grade – 2024/2025 2nd grade – 2023/2024 1st grade – 2022/2023 Kindergarten – 2021/2022 Illinois schools were closed for COVID in March […]
By: Diane Benjamin This can easily turn authoritarian since Bloomington has their own Administrative Court. Of course aldermen who break City code aren’t dragged into court, just you peons. You are expected to forget Bloomington practices selective prosecution: https://blnnews.com/2025/03/25/cody-hendricks-chief-cheater/ Staff is going to drive around town looking for violators? Can anyone think of a better […]
By: Diane Benjamin Why are tax dollars going to private institutions? Why did Unit 5 and District 87 get money for facilities when they conned people into voting for a 1% Sales Tax? Evidently no one on this list is capable of living within budgets based on the needs and ability of the people they […]
Follow-up story: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/05/why-cant-3rd-graders-read-dont-blame-covid/ By: Diane Benjamin https://www.illinoispolicy.org/how-well-are-your-local-third-graders-reading/ Even under loosened proficiency standards, over half of Illinois third graders couldn’t read at grade level in 2025. District 87 has no schools where over 50% of 3rd graders were proficient. Unit 5 has ONE. Obviously education isn’t the goal. Page down to the bottom – Tri-Valley’s one elementary school is […]
By: Diane Benjamin The tax return for Krystle Able’s first full time job, Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans, has been filed for the year ended December 31, 2024. It is a non-profit. Click this link to see multiple years of tax returns. Illinois Alliance For Retired Americans Krystle should be crying inequality and gender discrimination […]
By: Diane Benjamin See the comparison to last year and what the township just passed below. The first column came from the County records stating property taxes Normal Township received in 2025: PDF page 7: https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30349/Districts-1-100?bidId= The second column came from the Normal Township levy they passed for money they want to receive in 2026 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Adding to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/02/normal-fire-department-start-here/ The two calendars below have additional information. The RED Bloomington are mutual aid calls showing Bloomington responding to calls in Normal. When Bloomington is listed more than once it is because they ran calls more than once. . PDF page 210: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28107/Annual-Comprehensive-Financial-Report-for-the-fiscal-year-ending-March-31-2025—locked?bidId= This chart shows the number […]
Part 2: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/02/normal-fire-department-part-2/ By: Diane Benjamin Normal residents are concerned about the closing of the College Avenue fire station when they move to the new station east of Menards. That prompted me to look further into operations. This is going to take more than one story, so stay tuned. I sent a FOIA to Normal […]
By: Diane Benjamin I know most residents of Normal don’t care or they would quit electing the same people over and over, but just for the few who do care: https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/12/01/normal-city-manager-line-49-raise-topping-what-peoria-bloomington-managers-make Quotes: Normal Mayor Chris Koos is recommending a 4.9% pay raise for City Manager Pam Reece, which would lift her base salary above what […]
https://www.illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/Pages/IllinoisWARNData.aspx Happy Holidays won’t be had be these folks.
By: Diane Benjamin With all the local taxing bodies raising property taxes, the cost of rent and homes will continue to rise. You are being taxed on unrealized gains. Your home is worth more but you will never see the profit unless you borrow against it or sell your home. Home Equity loans won’t be […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Board packet included reports for both September and October. I put them side by side so it’s easy to compare: https://connect-transit.com/file/3951/2025%2011%2025_Board%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf The loss PER MONTH is racing toward $2,000,000. It’s only money. Yours. October is the highest one month loss to date. September is second. If you look at PDF page […]
Most of us show up to vote in presidential years, and that’s good. But too many of us sit out the elections that actually decide who runs McLean County day-to-day: the primaries and the spring local elections for county board, sheriff, circuit clerk, coroner, regional school board, township officials, and even the judges who will […]
. Add, thanking GOD for all the blessings this country offers! Read the REAL story of Thanksgiving schools don’t teach: https://prayamericagreatagain.com/rush-limbaugh-the-true-story-of-thanksgiving/ Socialism failed the Pilgrims, capitalism saved them and set the course for this new country. If you don’t teach your kids they will never know the true story.
By: Diane Benjamin Below is the playbook the far left uses to win elections. Show up everywhere, act like you are everybody’s best friend, pretend being elected isn’t about obtaining power, and saying whatever you have to for votes. See Abby Scott: https://blnnews.com/2025/11/25/bloomington-%f0%9f%a4%a6%e2%99%80%ef%b8%8f/ Of course Abby and her husband Corey Beirne are friends of Krystle’s. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since October numbers weren’t available when I did this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/11/24/before-bloomington-raises-property-taxes-ask-them-to-explain-this/ Let’s look at them! In that story, for 5 months, Bloomington had already collected $2,434,698 more than in 2024. Half way through the fiscal year, they are already over $3 million more. . Your property taxes and grocery tax HAD to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Next May Bloomington water bills go up to make the trifecta of 100% increase in 3 years complete. All other fees go up 3% every year without a vote. Your property tax bills, courtesy of the City and Library, are also going up. There was an election in April of 2025. Cody […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Library didn’t get the memo. A $200,000 house last year isn’t assessed at $200,000 this years. They expect you to believe your library tax is going down: . The City of Bloomington was smart enough not to pull that scam: https://blnnews.com/2025/11/22/bloomington-flunked-the-transparency-test/ The City claims that $200,000 house last year is […]
By: Diane Benjamin If corporations kept 2 sets of books, the leaders would be in jail. Bloomington is doing that: https://blnnews.com/2025/11/22/bloomington-flunked-the-transparency-test/ Did you know Bloomington is only paying interest in the Coliseum bonds? If it ever gets paid off the real cost will likely be close to twice what the original cost was. 1 year […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this post with REAL profit from a show at the BCPA? The show was Adam Wainwright. The event report originally displayed was posted by mistake. That event report actually showed how much he got paid to appear and therefore the TRUE profit. Now go to this page to see the “revised” […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://illinoiscomptroller.gov Data Bloomington submitted I’m using Bloomington’s numbers they sent to the Controller’s office: Population: 2023: 78,864 2024: 78,587 2025: 78,680 Number of Employees 2023: Full time: 665 Part time: 542 2024: Fill time: 687 Part time: 569 2025: Full time: 678 Part time: 1,111 Salary Paid to All Employees: 2023: $58,611,055 […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can’t post links to this information because a PACER account is required to access federal case information. Lopez has one charge against him. His court appointed attorney requested bail, the judge denied it. An Order of Protection against him was granted, I don’t know who requested it. The below was copied […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town used the same tax scam recapped in the previous story: https://blnnews.com/2025/11/20/property-tax-scams/ WGLT gladly played along: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-11-18/normal-town-council-discusses-2025-tax-levy-during-sometimes-tense-meeting . That $280,000 home isn’t $280,000 now. Your Town of Normal property tax bill will increase MORE than $48. It would have been nice if Trustee Preston had mentioned that, he didn’t. Worse, they […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you own a house you are renting it from all those taxing bodies on your bill. If you don’t pay the bill it will be stolen from you. Scams abound this time of year because all of them are raising your taxes. More than once I’ve heard “the owner of a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Just to make sure everyone knows: The Obamacare subsidies that haven’t been extended were passed under Biden during Covid. No Republicans voted for them. Democrats put a 5 year expiration date on the additional money. This article explains why the subsidies shouldn’t be extended, Cato isn’t a bunch of conservatives: https://www.cato.org/blog/six-reasons-not-extend-enhanced-obamacare-subsidies Obamacare […]
By: Diane Benjamin Cloudfare, the company keeping the internet safe from attacks, was attacked earlier today. It appears to mostly back up and running but it has affected WordPress and therefore my posts. I don’t know if stories are going to anyone who hasn’t subscribed. Now would be a good time to subscribe if you […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader The US Post Office is buying electric mail delivery vehicles. The Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act included $3 billion to make that happen. This is a pic of the E. Empire location. It appears they are installing EV chargers: . In 2021, the USPS signed a 10-year contract with […]
By: Diane Benjamin The ruling party in Illinois wants citizens to bleed. No one is allowed to keep money they earned. Basic economics is a course they all skipped. https://www.rrstar.com/story/business/economy/2025/11/17/illinois-fails-to-adopt-no-tax-on-tips-or-overtime-trump-one-big-beautiful-bill-act/87315915007 People spend the money they don’t pay in taxes – that generates even more taxes than government swallows. Illinois doesn’t like free people who keep […]
By: Diane Benjamin The families of murder victims deserve justice. The families of Jennifer Lockmiller and Carol Rofstad deserve justice and haven’t received it. Has the DNA from Jennifer Lockmiller been uploaded to CODIS? Is any DNA available from the Carol Rofstad case? If you don’t know what CODIS is? https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/dna-fingerprint-act-of-2005-expungement-policy/codis-and-ndis-fact-sheet If CODIS doesn’t have […]
