By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 75: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5414 . The underpass is going to be even more expensive when a new contract is proposed for construction later in April. It’s possible the Town is stripping amenities to bring down the cost, all the fancy items will be added back in future years. Chris Koos, Kevin McCarthy, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The story below is the most comprehensive one I’ve seen. Mayors from more than two Illinois cities are headed to Rome on diplomatic mission that includes meeting with the Pope. Maybe Koos and Brady can give everyone a report on what they accomplished – other than site-seeing. What happened to separation of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Quote from the story below: While Bloomington saw more births than deaths, domestic outmigration of more than 1,000 residents led to overall population decline. Why are people leaving? Duh, taxes. We can quit worrying about a housing shortage. People will continue leaving since there is no reason to stay good enough to […]
If you thought Chris Koos would abandon the way-to-expensive underpass, you’d be wrong. The cost will be even higher.
By: Diane Benjamin I found this while looking for who went on the One Voice trip to Washington DC: . The Lorenz donation was a pass-thru from someone who wanted to remain anonymous, it wasn’t from the Republican Party. Smart? Nope. Bloomington is beholding to the Democrat Party thanks to Cody Hendricks and Jenna Kearns. […]
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 […]
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 What does this screen shot from last night’s Normal Town Council meeting tell you? . Does the Deputy Clerk have her hand over her heart? It sure doesn’t look like it. The citizens of Normal are paying the salary, benefits, and pension for a Deputy Clerk who refuses to say the Pledge […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hear the Planning Commision meeting last Thursday was around 4 hours long. Many citizens from the area spoke, their quiet neighborhood and property values will be affected. Chris Koos’ handpicked commission members mostly ignored them and approved the project. I think 3 story buildings got reduced to 2 stories. Will that […]
By: Diane Benjamin Democrats now completely run the Normal Township. Expect tax increases in your future. Krystle Able got 5,045 votes – Chris Koos was re-elected with only 3,914. Is this how a socialist and cohorts got elect? By handing out presents on the ISU campus – getting votes from students who don’t have to […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-03-04/housing-water-taxes-take-center-stage-at-bloomington-mayoral-forum Remember when environmentalists cried over countries carving farmland into the Amazon Rainforest? You won’t find old media reporting this, look on X. . How does Cody explain this destruction so people can get to a Climate Summit? What about “Ban natural gas” Chris Koos? The propaganda has always been to take […]
By: Diane Benjamin Twelve days later (yesterday): Flash Back to 2017: https://blnnews.com/2023/02/10/koos-is-upset-trains-are-blocking-his-crossings/ Chris Koos told WGLT freight trains should be shorter so they don’t block the tracks for so long. Instead of building an underpass on Linden for pedestrians and vehicles, Normal still plans a vanity underpass. You should have this fact memorized by now: […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Since Chemberly Harris has little money for her mayoral campaign, I haven’t paid any attention to what she’s doing. https://www.illinoissunshine.org/committees/39918/ Then yesterday a reader told me I needed to see the video she posted to Facebook. I taped a little of it, see her whole video here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563272094358 Harris […]
By: Diane Benjamin The same far left cabal voters soundly defeated 4 years ago just regrouped as different people. Cody Hendricks is no different than Jackie Gunderson. Abby Scott is no different than Jenn Carrillo and Jeff Crabill. If socialists/Marxists are supporting you, it’s not a stretch to see you are one too. Abby Scott […]
By: Diane Benjamin AOC and Bernie Sanders are progressives. Basically anyone who wants to use government to shape the future the way they want it to be is progressive. If you don’t agree with that vision you are ignored. Defund the Police was progressive. https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/01/22/bloomington-normal-mayors-fail-win-unions-backing-reelection The local unions refused to endorse Chris Koos as they’ve […]
By: Diane Benjamin The only reason I went to the bid opening is because I’ve written many story about the underpass. Just SEARCH blnnews.com for even more. Don’t ever forget the underpass saves walking 50 feet: . Don’t ever forget Normal could of had a FREE overpass: See this link: https://blnnews.com/2019/12/05/normal-taxpayers-fleeced-again/ . Don’t ever forget […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos and Chemberly Harris are trying to defend passing a 1% grocery tax in the press. https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/04/normal-narrowly-approves-local-tax-groceries/ If you didn’t watch the meeting video you missed even some far left trustees hammering Pritzker for claiming he reduced taxes by eliminating the 1% tax. It was never State revenue, they just collected […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/09/02/normal-decide-tuesday-1-local-grocery-tax-replace-state-tax Excepts: Maybe 4 member of the council will vote yes for a local grocery tax which allows the 3 running for mayor to vote no. Maybe a few will be “sick” and unable to attend. 😁 I don’t plan to watch, you need to. This is why EVERY tax increase should […]
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-07-15/chris-koos-announces-bid-for-6th-term-as-mayor-of-normal I wonder what the price tag for the underpass (only walkers and bikers can use) is up to now? I hear he has told people for many years he doesn’t want to run again but does anyway. What is he trying to make sure nobody finds out? . .
By: Diane Benjamin Of course Normal Mayor Chris Koos didn’t say those words. For once he is very transparent in what he did say: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-02/mayor-of-normal-town-does-not-owe-alan-beaman-a-further-statement The case was filed by Alan Beaman in 2014. How much did Normal waste on legal fees before they decided to settle? Would a jury have awarded Beaman more money? […]
By: Diane Benjamin The vote to confirm Chris Koos to the Amtrak Board was 91-7. Two Senators didn’t vote. Seven Senators voted against him: See the vote here: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00014.htm#position I wish Mike Braun, Josh Hawley, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott, and Tommy Tuberville would state why!
By: Diane Benjamin November is a new record loss. See wages and stay tuned. This is going to take more than one story. I have proof the Proterra Electric buses are junk. Connect has 12. One might still be operating, the count of working electric buses changed weekly. It never went up – only down. Many millions of your tax dollars were […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos’ 3rd nomination to the Amtrak Board is finally happening. Note the quorum requirement had to be waived to move it forward, it looks like the whole Senate will vote next week. Voiding rules makes this nomination perfect! https://www.congress.gov/nomination/118th-congress/15?loclr=cga-nomination
By: Diane Benjamin From 2009-2010 Democrats controlled all 3 branches of government. Joe Biden had the same thing in 2021 when the Senate was 50-50 giving Kamala Harris the tie breaking vote. They could have legalized illegal immigrants and DACA and recipients all by themselves, they didn’t even try. If they care so much about “migrants” why didn’t they? […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this link directly from the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/09/fact-sheet-president-bidens-budget-lowers-housing-costs-and-expands-access-to-affordable-rent-and-home-ownership/ One excerpt: Restrictive zoning means not allowing multi-family housing in established single-family neighborhoods. Biden is willing to pay LOCAL government for EQUITY. So how much is Normal planning to collect to change the zoning at Beech and Shelbourne? Since no one currently elected […]
By: Diane Benjamin Connect transit is tired of people noticing the empty or close to empty buses roaming Bloomington-Normal so they fixed the problem. Check out of the new electric buses. h/t a reader They’ve gone from darkened windows to covering them completely. We still know the bus is mostly empty. CT didn’t have a […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) For readers who get email notifications of stories: I did change a setting that should make your email notification look different. I needed the change to make the stats calculate accurately. 2) This is the article that makes what the Town of Normal wants to do with banning natural gas illegal: […]
By: Diane Benjamin Quote: “Climate change is getting to be a significant issue and we’re going to have to do things outside of the realm of just makes economic sense,” he said. Source: WGLT Does Chris Koos know heavy equipment doesn’t run on electricity? Economic sense isn’t spending a likely $30 million to dig a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Doug Farr was paid $80,000 for the Uptown South MASTER PLAN that includes no natural gas: https://blnnews.com/2023/03/07/normal-buy-local-is-immaterial/ This story is to document what the 4-3 vote was proclaimed to mean. In a year or two when a subsidized developer is found I predict the same council will claim the document labeled MASTER […]
By: Diane Benjamin The climate change pushers ignore facts. When they claim the earth is burning because of fossil fuels they use temperatures since the 1960’s when a new ice age was being predicted. They will not tell you the 1930’s were hotter than now! https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/bloomington-normal/month-august Why were the 1930’s so hot? It certainly wasn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Normal bought the two Rivians? The pickup was $73,631. The SUV was $77,931. Both numbers include $1000 down payment. Council thought the two vehicles would be added to the fleet so they could be used as necessary. The pickup has regular plates that no one has ever explained. The SUV […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois doesn’t care about passing illegal laws. They play sue me if you don’t like it, their oath of office is meaningless. HB 3337 is attempting to make Normal legal by changing the rules that ONLY apply to them. Equal justice under the law doesn’t apply to the citizens of Normal. It […]
By: Diane Benjamin Every citizens who wasn’t allowed to speak to THEIR council Monday night should have been outraged when Chris Koos cut off Public Comment after 30 minutes. They are making decisions that will affect your life and they don’t care what you think. The rest of the crowd should have stood up and […]
Online submission to the entire Council dated March 10, 2023 Dear Mayor Koos, Since I have not heard back from you, I am resending this letter regarding the Zoning Board vote on Wednesday. Please note, our concern is not about the legality of marijuana. It is about common sense and location. We were appalled by […]
By: Diane Benjamin Flashback to April 15, 2019. RC McBride was voted off the Town Council and Jeff Fritzen opted to retire after serving 32 years. (Obviously the Normal voters don’t believe in term limits) Not only did Fritzen get a bike from Koos’ shop at taxpayer expense, both got proclamations for their exemplary service […]
By: Diane Benjamin Watch which local media sources report this story. It will prove who is #FakeNews and who isn’t. Refer back to this story: https://blnnews.com/2023/03/07/normal-buy-local-is-immaterial/ Chris Koos wants Uptown 2.0 built without any natural gas pipelines. Normal thinks that is “sustainable”. It’s also illegal. In Koos world laws don’t matter however. He didn’t want […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos claimed on Facebook recently that Normal’s sewer system is fine: See 2:50 on the video. Nord asked about this payment: Pam Reece verified the Maplewood area has sewer problems. Oops Koos. _________________________ 16:25. Koos decided to let Kevin McCarthy read the LONG list of appointments before the Council voted. Stan […]
By: Diane Benjamin More proof Koosville is not government for the citizens. Normal is whatever Koos wills – kneel now serfs! https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4604 The people who serve on Normal’s Boards and Commission don’t work for the citizens – they work for Koos. Citizens aren’t allowed to know who is being appointed until after the Council approves […]
By: Diane Benjamin Is Koos a narcissist for the heading on this letter? Note how many times he references Our Normal. In other words if you are part of “his” club you can stay, others aren’t welcome. -Do you get to live in a Town property for $120 a year? -Are you invited to the […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you have ever watched a Normal Town Council meeting you know the Council is immaterial. Asking questions that might stop whatever is on the agenda will get you called “Out Of Order”. Government For and By the People is a joke in Normal. Kevin McCarthy proved this point when he went […]
