By: Diane Benjamin This morning I had a long breakfast with the Edgar County Watchdogs, Kirk Allen and John Kraft. They call me when they are passing through town. For some reason they always pick places on the west side to eat, that gives me a chance to see how bad the roads are on […]
By: Diane Benjamin Back on December 20, 2013, the Pantagraph thought a sitting Alderwoman filing a complaint against Tari Renner, David Hales, and the rest of the Council was a big story: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/alderman-stearns-alleges-open-meetings-act-violation/article_5b8974e2-6916-11e3-986a-001a4bcf887a.html How about reporting on what happened? Start by hammering Lisa Madigan for taking more than two years to issue a determination! The […]
Don’t miss the two followup stories: http://blnnews.com/2016/02/15/dave-selzer-tax-deadbeat/ http://blnnews.com/2016/02/15/selzer-now-running-scared/ By: Diane Benjamin The post below appeared on Republican County Board member Dave Selzer’s Facebook page yesterday. The comments are even more revealing. Dave agrees with Democrat Tari Renner 75% of the time! The McLean County transparency rating by the Illinois Policy Institute is F. I knew […]
By: Ulysses Arn The status quo at the College of DuPage cost the taxpayers dearly and has resulted in the states second largest school being embroiled in scandal. The status quo is no more at the college thanks to a new board majority of reformers, several investigations(sadly, but needed), the ouster so far of two […]
By: Diane Benjamin Why has the media NOT reported truthfully on the City of Bloomington’s waste of $1.2 Million? Pantagraph? WJBC? Cities? WGLT? Maybe they interviewed Hales or Renner, but they wouldn’t be getting truth! If you clicked on the link to IMRF in this post: http://blnnews.com/2015/09/10/proof-they-lied/ you can get to their page showing FOIA […]
By: Diane Benjamin Cities 92.9 no longer employs Ian Bayne or Fistbump. I’m getting reasons why from a LOT of different sources, I will try to piece together what I know. First, I’m sure Ian’s listeners felt the same way I did. For the very first time we had a media source that represented us. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last Friday Ben was broadcasting from Fox and Hounds in downtown Bloomington. He interviewed one of the co-owners, Vickie Tilton. The conversation should have stuck to the salon and the services offered, but it veered into politics. Lister to Hour Two, starting at 11:05: http://cities929.com/portal.asp?pid=3557181&sid=3309 Vickie said she was raised in Uptown […]
By: Diane Benjamin Hillary Clinton and the City of Bloomington have a lot in common! Both think they are entitled to decide who is press and who isn’t. The UK’s Daily Mail frequently reports on things the American Press refuses to. One of their reporters was banned from covering Hillary events. The American press is in […]
By: Diane Benjamin At Monday’s Council meeting Tari shut off public comment. Unless the rest of the Council refuses to tolerate it, citizens have a much smaller voice at City Hall now under Tari. The rules say 15 minutes is allotted. 3 minutes for 5 speakers weren’t a problem before Tari’s agenda was revealed because 5 people […]
A reader called WJBC. They consider it over. Truth doesn’t matter to them either! By: Diane Benjamin The ONLY reason I started BlnNews is more than obvious. Local news didn’t exist. The Pantagraph and WJBC slanted every story to fit their purpose. They praised elected officials for their brilliance while in office, then blame them when […]
By: Diane Benjamin . . Nora filed for a dismissal in her case against Fistbump. Maybe she feared being laughed out of court! She should have known that before she filed! Tari: You went after Judy Stearns and lost! Remember the long standing ovation she received? Tari: You went after me and got a censure […]
By: Diane Benjamin Law and Justice Center (I may have altered the calendar slightly) The courtrooms don’t hold a lot of people, arrive early if you want to support Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech. Maybe Tari will show up and say again how knocking on a door is felony stalking. This is […]
By: Diane Benjamin Citizens of Bloomington need to watch Public Comment from tonight’s meeting. It starts about 5:30. https://youtu.be/PzTrILJQlLY Cities 92.9 sent a different representative tonight. He was a must see first speaker. Since the camera was on the speaker, viewers didn’t see Alderman Hauman get up and leave. Renner said after the speaker that she […]
By: Diane Benjamin Nora Dukowitz wants a court to approve why she doesn’t do her job. The Cities 92.9 reporter wanted questions answered and she refused to respond. Since Nora refused to see him at City Hall, he knocked on her door. She didn’t answer (no surprise), so he left his business card. That’s it, no stalking. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since I just got back from a road trip north where driving on roads means paying for the privilege, I haven’t been able to comment on Nora Dukowitz’s attempt to silence the press. I don’t remember a time when Bloomington had any real local press. Obviously Nora has no idea what it looks like. I feel […]
Meet Lupe Diaz, Candidate For Fifth Ward Alderman @ KEP’S KITCHEN On March 28th 3 pm to 5 pm Confirmed invited guests include: ☆Cities 92.9 FM Morning Host Ian Bayne, and Fist Bump ☆Alderman Kevin Lower ☆Alderwoman Judy Stearns All citizens and media are encouraged to attend. Food, and spirits will be served. Donations are welcome […]
By: Diane Benjamin Mayor Transparency Renner isn’t so transparent. Keep in mind, he teaches kids at Wesleyan! I had to file a lawsuit to obtain information RENNER wants hidden. The email below isn’t the only one I have, it’s just the first. Mayor Renner has a public persona, but out of the public eye he’s […]
by: Diane Benjamin How many Letters to the Editor has the Pantagraph refused to print supporting the Cities 92.9 flamingo campaign? Yesterday the Editorial staff wrote urging Bloomington to get busy fixing up downtown. It shouldn’t be a mystery why: They want to sell their building and there is currently no market for it. They have […]
by: Diane Benjamin I had NOTHING to do with this – other than take the picture. Earlier today it didn’t have a flamingo, but one landed while I was at church! I blacked out where it is to keep the thieves from hijacking it prematurely. Yes, it is on top of a street sign. It […]
by: Diane Benjamin This morning’s appearance by Mayor Renner on Cities 92.9 had at least 3 problems. Tari claims to be transparent, which would be wonderful. Unfortunately he gets in the way of transparency. Per Tari: 1) This years budget was discussed for 9 months. really? In open Council? NO! 2) Cuts and Taxes were […]
by: Diane Benjamin Tonight the City Council is expected to approve bills and payroll without any questions. Both are part of the consent agenda, meaning there is nothing to see here – just vote Yes. Before I get to the Pantagraph and WJBC, buried on page 123 is this: (h/t JS) http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=7009 346 CHICAGO CUBS […]
by: Diane Benjamin Mayor Renner really hates criticism. He also hates discussing issues. He is the new dictator of Bloomington. Renner is very upset about the Cities 92.9 Flamingo campaign. He is so upset he had the new Communications Manager, Nora Dukowitz, write an email to the station. I hope they post it on their […]
by: Diane Benjamin Maybe Mayor Renner thought he could take Alderwoman Stearns out last night because the media has given him very little push back. It was irresponsible for Cities 92.9 to run Renners degrading comments about Stearns and StarCom for 2 days without fact-checking the Mayor. After all, he is a well documented liar. […]
by: Diane Benjamin Primary season is cut-throat in Illinois because of the passions supporters have for “their” candidates. It’s messy, sometimes corrupt, and sometimes an evil system, but that’s all we have. Anointing candidates to avoid debate isn’t going to make the process better. One continual attack on GOP candidate for governor Bruce Rauner is […]
by: Diane Benjamin I caught 15 seconds of Scott & Colleen this morning-the radio was on the wrong station. 15 seconds was 15 seconds too many because they were both calling out the Congressman who confronted the Park Service employee barring the WWII vets from entering their memorial. They must not know the memorial is […]
It is such a shame the Pantagraph has so few readers now that nobody writes Letters to the Editor anymore. The paper is forced to print old stale editorials from other sources to fill the page. So sad. Of course, there is always a chance they don’t want your opinions heard. Meanwhile, try listening to […]
Now it can be said who WJBC discussed hiring and then changed their mind: Benjamin Yount. Yount would have been a return to the days when WJBC ruled the airwaves with good content and conservative talk. In case you don’t remember, it was a long time ago. WJBC used to be the top rated AM […]
Comments from a reader: I am a Certified Professional Geologist in Wyoming, with 13 years of oil and gas industry experience. I don’t know the geology of the area, but generally, oil and gas is much deeper than the aquifer. In most cases you can’t Frac more than a couple hundred feet up and […]
by Diane Benjamin The McLean County Regional Planning Commission has been very busy planning how to spend YOUR money. The complete Long Range Plan is available at: http://www.mcplan.org/egov/documents/1350666761_64351.pdf Keep in mind, these people are un-elected. You will never vote on the members of this commission. Some are elected in other areas of government, some are […]
by: Diane Benjamin I firmly believe the American people are too smart to fall for the same Obama lines again and they are WAY over voting for the first Black President. McCain was a lousy candidate. We were told banks would collapse without bailouts, I don’t blame anybody for saying – let’s give the guy […]
by: Diane Benjamin The article published September 5th was a glowing endorsement of wind energy – typical left wing propaganda. Here’s the subsidy facts according to the US Department of Energy and Institute for Energy Research: Federal Subsidies for electric power – fiscal year 2010 Total in millions $ $ […]
If you want to voice your opinion:, email: Jay Groves [email protected] Jay approved the contract. by Diane Benjamin http://illinoisstate.edu/president/speaker-series/fall-2012/jones.shtml See the above link. Van Jones will be speaking at Illinois State University for the Martin Luther King dinner 1/18/2013. He will be speaking about the ‘Greening’ of the US economy. The announcement leaves A […]
byline: Stanley Wonder Is it just me, or is something missing at Bloomington City Hall? No, not the usual trappings of government – the podiums, microphones, gavels, and flags. They’re all there, complete with the beautiful blue and gold of the United Nations. Huh? The UN? Isn’t that the organization that wants a New World […]
by: Diane Benjamin The following has come to my attention: *This Friday, August 31, 6:30 PM- 8:30: Showing of the Movie “Gasland” (about Hydraulic Fracking) *Where: Holy Trinity Parish Center, 704 N. Main Street, Bloomington Cost: Free A brief planning meeting will follow the showing PLEASE RSVP: (309) 827-9627 One BIG problem: This movie is full of […]
by Diane Benjamin The Pantagraph has a HUGE fear of being exposed for their bias reporting. This is in YOUR hands. They will never reform unless the citizens DEMAND it or quit paying them. Maybe their advertisers need to be contacted and asked why they are willing to support the spreading of flat out lies! […]
Byline: Stanley Wonder Would it be too much to ask why some of our Bloomington aldermen are taking “road trips” to observe other City Councils? The Pantagraph recently reported on a possible Open Meetings Act violation when four of them plus the Mayor trucked off to the Peoria meeting and met privately to talk city […]
by Diane Benjamin Once AGAIN: If you get your news from Associated Press – you aren’t getting the REAL news! Illinois wants to sell this prison to the Feds because: Obama wants to close GITMO and send all the prisoners to Illinois! The Illinois TEA Party already defeated this sale in 2009 when over 800 […]
Just the Facts: The United Auto Workers received a 39% Equity stake in the company Over 1000 GM dealerships were forced out of business Bond holders received a 10% stake – much less than invested Salaried employees lost most or all pensions benefits $50 billion of taxpayer money is still invested in GM – 500 […]
The City of Bloomington is “Visioning” – so what exactly is it? The Town of Normal “Visioned” the Uptown project – now the formerly sleepy town is BURIED in DEBT. Of course they have a plan to pay for it! Raise taxes – they already have. See this previous post: http://blnnews.com/2012/05/30/normal-il-what-is-up-with-the-debt/ A large part of […]
by Diane Benjamin Located by the entry to the Bloomington City Council Chambers there are two flags: US flag AND a UN Flag. The US Flag is NOT correctly displayed because the UN Flag is the same height! The City Council has been asked at least twice to remove the UN Flag. It is offensive […]
