Tag: bike trails

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Nationwide gas prices, Illinois highest east of the Rockies

By: Diane Benjamin A friend was recently in the Quad Cities. The Iowa side had long lines at the pumps with Illinois plates. https://wirepoints.org/this-weekend-try-to-fill-your-gas-tank-anywhere-but-illinois-wirepoints/#respond Besides the State Sales Tax (6.25%) and State Motor Fuel Tax (.39) and Federal Gas Tax (.19), both Bloomington and Normal added .08 in local motor fuel taxes. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/75413201/ Any surprise […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Ethically challenged Koos

By: Diane Benjamin From a 2014 Pantagraph story titled: Normal gets award for being bike friendly https://www.pantagraph.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/normal-gets-award-for-being-bike-friendly/article_992c233d-4b52-55bc-88a7-f14cafee5883.html NORMAL — The town of Normal on Tuesday received a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists, joining more than 325 communities from across the country honored by the group. The award recognizes […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

What do you call a politician who votes HIS pocketbook?

By: Diane Benjamin Story from 2018: https://www.adaptbn.com/home/2018/6/25/going-local-vitesse-cycle-shop Excerpt: “Constitution Trail has been a big benefit to biking and to bike sales,” said Chris Koos, owner of Vitesse Cycle Shop in Normal. I bet you thought all those Bike Trail extensions Normal keeps making their citizens pay for while the roads are less than adequate were […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Koos is a Conflict of Interest

By: Diane Benjamin The University of Illinois at Chicago recently rated Illinois as the second most corrupt state in the country: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/corruption-costs-illinois-taxpayers-at-least-550m-per-year/?fbclid=IwAR11VlYYI6ARmHozjFT0DQgsFig-PgAJNkYwkSGbD1jj3AvL_hCEGbDrJK8 Central Illinois isn’t exempt. The Town of Normal is famous for calling new bike trails a Quality of Life issue. It is – for bike shop owner and Mayor of Normal: Chris Koos. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Your Monday bills Bloomington:

By: Diane Benjamin On Bills and Payroll for Monday night:  http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=242&parent=9535 HR and the Water department needed more auditing?  Sikich did the City audits. Consultants: Only $47,000+ US Conference of Mayors?!? Pantagraph: only $9300+ Yeah! Bike Trails. Remember SLBB?  (Sick Leave Buy Back)  Remember how they were going to fix it? . .