By: Diane Benjamin https://www.normal.org/27/Government The Council meeting below is from 11/2/2020. Mayor Chris Koos states for the record Town policy is to refer any violations of Pritzker’s Executive Orders to the Health Department. He does not say the police will be sent to investigate because he knows no laws are being broken. Just hit play, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The information below was reported to me by a reliable source. Defendant: Mr. Brown shot through a door at his wife and kids in 2017. Today Judge Costigan let him off with time served. He was not able to post bail of $30,000 and has been in jail since his arrest. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin This was posted on Facebook by a Jenn Carrillo buddy: DB is evidently me. When Straza was running in Ward 5 against socialist Lawler of course I would pick Straza. But Straza decided to reach for the moon without having any experience in Bloomington government that I know of. I don’t remember […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was contacted by a citizen pertaining to the treatment of a student. The student has an IEP – Individualized Education Program. Since schools are required by law to provide an education, IEP’s are legal documents that provide rights and protections for parents and students needing special education so they can thrive […]
By: Diane Benjamin See previous story: https://blnnews.com/2020/12/02/normal-shut-down-a-local-business/ I FOIA’d the Body Cam video listed in the Police Incident Report, it didn’t take long to get a response: Evidently: Since no arrests were made (because no crime was committed), they won’t release the video. If the police show up at your business, ask for the warrant. […]
Since everyone isn’t on Facebook, I am posting Marc’s latest story here: What does it take for residents to have a water-quality problem fixed? Apparently, a lot of public activism. For nearly two years, the neighborhood at Grove and Ruston has been experiencing substandard water quality with issues such as brown water, bad taste, and […]
See story update: https://blnnews.com/2020/12/02/body-cam-video-at-maggie-mileys-denied/ By: Diane Benjamin A comment made by radio host Steve Suess during his November 21st show needed an investigation. https://www.spreaker.com/user/cities929/november-21-2020 Fast forward to 87:00. Steve talked about an establishment in Normal that was shut down by Normal police for continuing in-door dining. He didn’t ask the owner for permission to use […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT did this story about Mboka Mwilambwe’s bid for mayor: https://www.wglt.org/post/mwilambwe-touts-council-experience-bloomington-mayoral-bid?fbclid=IwAR2V0jLhdCCUinq7tHKN80kTa2tyam6ZGOhV7lzeF6N8iu8QfKFonJN2N3M#stream/0 One paragraph hacked off former illegal immigrant Jenn Carrillo: Although Mboka has never said that I remember, he was likely a LEGAL immigrant. He wasn’t the sneak across the border type or overstay a visa. Jenn Posted this: Here’s the deal […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-SgGF0uzhIlXeWqdYlJ0blXEhDPLrrfh/view PDF page 49: Mark Peterson recommended keeping Executive Session Minutes a secret. The law requires a review twice a year. Bloomington is still hiding them from decades ago. See PDF pages 53 and 54: Connect is participating again this year with Stuff-The-Bus in support of Children’s Home and Aid. See the […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-SgGF0uzhIlXeWqdYlJ0blXEhDPLrrfh/view I could write the same story as every other month. Expenses for October were over $1,1 MILLION, Income was a little less than $59,000, meaning a loss for ONE MONTH of $973,317. No big deal since government keeps throwing them millions of dollars to them to run empty buses. Of course […]
By: Diane Benjamin Numerous items Normal citizens need to know: Below is part of an email written by Stan Nord. The yellow is City Manager Pam Reece’s response to his email. Pam does not understand citizens saw Target being looted and the destruction to police vehicles while the police did nothing. They know Mayor Chris […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the Responsible Cites PAC? https://blnnews.com/2020/09/02/the-document-you-must-see/ Mayoral candidates Chris Koos in Normal and Mike Straza in Bloomington had to pretend to leave the group when they decided to run. Now Responsible Cities is pretending they don’t already know what candidates they are going to endorse. For mayor it will be Chris Koos […]
By: Diane Benjamin Or is it just the Friends and Family that get mentioned: (Facebook) The rest of you serfs don’t deserve accolades for just trying to hang on when government doesn’t care about your business. (Especially if you are a restaurant) April 2021: Vote to end the Normal Friends and Family Plan! Picking winner […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Supreme Court ruled the Constitution doesn’t get thrown out the window because of a virus – no matter how deadly people think it is. Justice Neil Gorsuch strongly criticized the court’s previous approach. He wrote: “It is time—past time—to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is […]
Help these guy out!
By: Diane Benjamin Figure out LIMITED Government yet? I remember posting about limited government years ago and getting comments like “you don’t want police and fire”. Obviously that isn’t what LIMITED Government means. Government uses your money for their folly because they can. You would have much more money in your pocket if government only […]
T That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks H both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed A acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal […]
Nick is running against Jenn Carrillo buddy Patrick Lawler.
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 Of course we know the local elections are not non-partisan. Koos and Renner don’t hide the fact they are Democrats. Carrillo and Crabill don’t hide they are socialists. Scott Preston is involved with the local GOP party. The association list goes on and on. When elected, ideology isn’t suddenly thrown out the […]
These were set to me like a FOIA request: Mayoral candidates: Trustee candidates Lots of interesting stuff here I will write about later!
By: Diane Benjamin The last day to file for the Bloomington or Normal councils was yesterday. There is still time to file for school boards. The Bloomington Election Commission was lightning fast posting the petitions of of those running for office: https://www.becvote.org/wordpress/petitions-challenges/ Petitions for Normal were filed with the Town Clerk. Evidently they are SECRET […]
By: Diane Benjamin Public Comment was filled with the far left again wanting special treatment for illegals. Of course they hate Donna Boelen’s Welcoming America initiative because it doesn’t ban dealing with ICE. I wonder how Corey Cottrell’s family fells since he was killed by an illegal? https://blnnews.com/2019/07/12/corey-cottrell-memorial-ride/ The far left doesn’t care that Corey […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner started last night’s meeting with a Small Business Saturday proclamation. I wonder how he explains reports on social media of the POLICE being used to close down restaurants in town that refused to stop in-door dining. (Possibly more on that one in the future) Reports are the police told the […]
By: Diane Benjamin From Facebook: 1) The Dobskis should sue Jeff Crabill for defamation. Executive Order’s aren’t law Mr. Attorney. You should know that: 2) Quit being the SILENT MAJORITY! Hundreds of “them”, TENS of THOUSANDS of YOU!
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I got an email from a citizen after they saw leaves being collected in their neighborhood on Sunday. They wanted to know if staff was being paid overtime to do it. I’ve also had inquiries about staff emptying garbage cans on Sundays in parks. I asked Public Works about both. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner won’t be doing a proclamation tonight about being thankful this Thursday, but he will be doing one declaring November 28th Small Business Saturday. I wonder if bars and restaurants qualify? What small businesses haven’t been put out of business yet Tari? Some items on the Consent Agenda: Bloomington will authorize […]
By: Diane Benjamin A total of 28 companies are now together to force Washington DC to mandate ONLY electric vehicles sales by 2030. Rivian is one of them: https://carbuzz.com/news/tesla-joins-forces-with-rivian-and-lucid?fbclid=IwAR1YXsy5C8YHQnRkDVCHzySENQ_LlyCPIfarQdNj-lFG7vPd2F52hXTv6_E Rivian wants to force you to buy a ridiculously priced vehicle because they produce it. How about we all grow radishes and get a law passed […]
By: Diane Benjamin Vowing to uphold both the Constitution of the United States and the State of Illinois is beyond the left. Tari Renner proved that again at the emergency Liquor Commission meeting yesterday. See the short video clip as reported by Cities 92.9: https://www.cities929.com/2020/11/21/bloomington-mayor-renner-whines-at-liquor-commission-hearing-about-the-states-attorney/?fbclid=IwAR3IAg490VjyNCDqMzrrp8xgykB7fmsDgfxZdlbgmHMyl4m6kPGO9oEyrO0 Tari expect State Attorney Don Knapp to enforce Pritzker Executive […]
Press Release: Derek Mead To Run For Bloomington City Council Ward 3 I am honored to announce my candidacy for Bloomington City Council Ward 3. The consolidated election is April 6, 2021. A lifelong resident of McLean County, including the past 8 years as a resident of Ward 3, I look back with great thankfulness […]
By: Diane Benjamin Someday SLBB is going to end. It cost you MILLIONS because employees were allowed to spike their pensions which meant additional funds had to be paid into the retirement system. Add that to the MILLIONS spent on a never used fire station and more spent on a never used water tower. Add […]
By: Diane Benjamin One hundred years ago tomorrow America celebrated the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock. Tomorrow should be celebrated as the 400th anniversary, but those re-writing history don’t want celebrations. The enemies within want to destroy the civil and religious freedoms that formed the United States. In case you think […]
By: Diane Benjamin I received a FOIA yesterday from the Town of Normal. This isn’t the only communication you need to see, but I will start here. I didn’t redact the senders information because she deserves praise for writing it. Her thoughts represent many.
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 Of course the current meeting room is frequently booked – it’s free. Does that mean taxpayers should build 2 more free rooms? The big reason given for the Bloomington Library expansion is it was built decades ago for a smaller population. That doesn’t explain the consistent decrease in circulation since 2013, except […]
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday Chris Koos posted this on his official Mayor’s Facebook page: Marc’s response: Koos obviously doesn’t understand the difference between the TOTAL Sales Tax Rate and the LOCAL Sales Tax Rate. Other taxing bodies like to take money too. Going to say the debt you racked up isn’t a problem next Koos? […]
By: Diane Benjamin The only way for anyone to know Normal is attempting to sell 4 units at 305 S. Linden is if they saw it on the Town website. (or here) https://www.normal.org/bids.aspx?bidID=267 It is located on a busy street yet there is NO For Sale sign on the property. The property isn’t listed with […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal managed to have an almost 2 1/2 hour meeting. Much of it was spent trying to straighten out YOUR thoughts about the Town government. Kathleen Lorenz reiterated again payments can not be discussed because they were already approved in the budget. Pam Reece gave a long diatribe about a payment to […]
