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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Instead of a Committee of the Whole meeting, the Bloomington City Council is holding a retreat tonight: Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4096/files/agenda/8026 Since it is being held at the library, no video will be produced. . If citizens want to know what is being planned they have to attend. See the agenda for details.
By: Diane Benjamin See if you can follow how ISU responded to my FOIA. I was looking for emails mentioning Charlie Kirk around the time he was on the ISU campus. Read the below chain, what don’t they want you to know? Original request 9/12/25: All communication in any form by any ISU employee using […]
By: Diane Benjamin Declare yourself an asylum seeker in Illinois! Can’t afford groceries? Illinois uses your tax dollars to feed illegals. Ditto healthcare. If you can’t afford the premiums, imagine how many US citizens living in Illinois could have been funded with the money our dear leaders have thrown to illegals. AI generated summary: . […]
This is a statewide event: http://www.allianceforcommunityservices.org/home.html The National Debt is now over $38 Trillion: https://usdebtclock.org/ Alliance for Community Service claims the country isn’t broke, see link above. SNAP cuts included people here illegally, dead people, and those who never qualified. Food is a Right? Is it okay to steal food since it’s a Right? Healthcare […]
By: Diane Benjamin The current Sales tax rate is 10.25, if Pritzker signs the bill it increases to 10.5% Read more: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/chicagos-high-sales-taxes-about-to-increase-to-no-1-in-nation/ Bloomington and Normal have the same Sales Tax rate – 9.75%: . Aren’t you proud the local Sales Tax rate almost matches Chicago? The 1% School Facilities Tax was put on a local […]
By: Diane Benjamin Once again it’s time for every unit of local government to raise your property taxes. You will hear the average homeowner will only pay X more a year. Look at your property tax bill from last year. How many units of government are listed? Each one of them wants more money, not […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is part of what Able posted on Facebook. It recaps her rise to “power”. Note, nowhere does she talk about policies that got votes, she just showed up. . That last paragraph shows her politics is about POWER. Did she tell the Normal Township voters she would be keeping her first […]
By: Diane Benjamin Pictures of the Northern Lights were plastered across Facebook last night from all over our area. I could only see faint color until I took these pictures about 9:30pm. The lights on the right side are oil leaking wind turbines. AI claims they might be visible every night until Friday. My cell […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday buying a 1.734 acres was on the BNWRD Agenda. This property is undeveloped according to the pictures, but it does have Goose Creek. It appears BNWRD wants to control that creek since it drains into Sugar Creek. I’m just wondering why it cost $90,639? Can anyone explain it? $52,272 an acre […]
On this Veterans Day, we pause to honor the quiet courage of those who stood watch in the dark, who carried the weight of freedom on their shoulders, and who returned home forever changed. Your sacrifice wove the fabric of our nation’s story, thread by thread, battle by battle, heartbeat by heartbeat. To every veteran: […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Council meeting was pretty boring except for one item. Sheila Montney pulled approval of a liquor license for Spinnegan’s, LLC from the Consent Agenda. This business is located where Crafted was on Airport Road. Obviously Montney received information pertaining to this license application that was not considered by the Liquor […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington is paying $50,000 to settle a claim made by Jaylin Bones. See details here: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1011/files/report/2488 Of course the City denies any fault. The Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District (BNWRD) is paying $150,000 to settle a federal employment discrimination lawsuit filed by Joseph Brewer: . I researched this Federal Case and found something […]
By: Diane Benjamin Did you know Dick Durbin was one of the rogue Democrats who voted to reopen government? Either he was terrified of Republicans voting to abolish the filibuster or he decided to do the right thing since he’s not running for re-election. Of course Krystle Able would show her outrage by quoting the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Agenda for tonight: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1011/files/agenda/7996 Just two items on the Regular agenda. Only government can get by with reporting financial information 6 1/2 months after year end. Does anyone care what Bloomington’s financial conditions were on 4/30/2025? The same auditor that has been used too many years in a row will say all […]
By: Diane Benjamin I have stated many times I rarely cross Veterans Parkway. I also avoid driving Veterans Parkway. Is anyone seriously thinking of reducing it from 6 lanes to 4? Why does that make me think of the people who wanted to build an East side bypass? Do planners want people crying for a […]
By: Diane Benjamin This morning I heard from a Country Companies retiree who received a notice for next year. Blue Cross insurance, just for her, will cost is $543 a month next year. If she wanted her husband covered too, the total cost is $1,969 a month. She’s going with a plan for major medical […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is the article that needs some work: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-10-30/new-report-cards-show-fewer-exemplary-b-n-schools-and-more-with-struggling-student-groups The “new report cards” are based on results from LAST SCHOOL YEAR. The article fails to mention that fact, reading it makes it sound like the information is current. Results from kids now in school won’t be known until the kids are tested […]
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-facing-lawsuits-over-property-tax-theft/ If you don’t pay your property taxes, Illinois counties will “sell” them. After 3 years, if the same person bought them all, that person can own your property. It doesn’t matter how much they paid vrs how much the house if worth. The Supreme Court has ruled that unconstitutional. Read the whole story above, […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Count how many times she mentions she’s black and queer. Maybe she’ll “circle back” if asked about it. Anyone want to FOIA her fee? Keep in mind she left the Democrat Party but vowed to never vote for a Republican. She also never saw Biden in mental decline even though she claims […]
By: Diane Benjamin See the link below for BCPA event reports. This event is the only one listed in this new format. I hope they all use this format in the future. Surprise! Artist fees are included. More surprises, it made money! I hope this wasn’t posted by accident! Transparency is essential. Good start Bloomington. […]
By: Diane Benjamin At the 8/25/2025 Council meeting a LONG list of email public commenters was read. I FOIA’d the City for those emails in September. I received a response with EVERY NAME redacted. Of course that isn’t legal. Nobody at Council meetings makes an anonymous public comment. No one who emails the Council can […]
By: Diane Benjamin 10 people spoke at public comment. Of course the first 3 or 4 were Koos supporters who always show up to support more spending. The room was packed – standing room only and they stayed for the whole meeting. No, I didn’t watch the entire 2 1/12 hour discussion. I didn’t have […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Review this story about the underpass, it has lots of the underpass history: https://blnnews.com/2024/11/27/normals-underpass-history/ See the email in that story. The underpass SAVES 50 FEET for the low cost of $40,000,000+. Tonight’s Packet PDF page 76: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5414 Social media comments have destroyed Koos and Company ever since this idea was floated: . […]
By: Diane Benjamin H/t a reader https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/community-fight-hate-bullying Not In Our Town doesn’t fight hate and bullying in Bloomington-Normal. They fight what THEY consider hate and bullying. Just in the last few months Not In Our Town said NOTHING about: NIOT are frauds and so is anyone who was coerced into signing their stupid pledge card. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thanks to an anonymous US mail source for this story. I had to file a FOIA request before reporting it. The actual number might be higher, but I’m going with 7. Before showing you this story I need to tell you a backstory. Firefighters and police respond to evil and unimaginable violence […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Nayoka Griffis was just elected to the Normal Township Board last April. She quit already with no explanation given by Krystle Able who posted she is accepting applications to fill the seat. You have to prove you are democrat. 2) Another No Kings protest Saturday. Why are friends and neighbors struggling […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to this story the Normal Council held a special meeting last night: https://www.wglt.org/politics-and-government/2025-10-30/completing-uptown-normal-underpass-to-require-tax-hikes?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook The project is unaffordable, so staff wants to raise taxes. Drivers stuck behind trains blocking the tracks can watch walkers and bikers go under the tracks. Keep in mind Normal could have had a FREE overpass years ago […]
By: Diane Benjamin To get the whole picture, readers have to combine the video and the meeting documentation about the downtown transfer station: PDF page 29 https://connect-transit.com/file/3878/2025%2010%2028_Meeting%20Packet.pdf Once Connect Transit found out the old Pantagraph building wouldn’t work for the downtown transit center, this happened: . Bloomington has wanted to get rid of the Market […]
Update to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/29/lopez-arrested-again/ Thanks to a reader who sent this to me:
By: Diane Benjamin Connect Transit employees, who are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union, have been working without a contract since June 30. Public comment at the Connect Transit Board meeting featured the union’s president and financial secretary/treasurer. Union members also attended respectfully and held signs. According to the speakers, the Connect Transit attorney has […]
