By: Diane Benjamin More on this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/04/can-your-3rd-grader-read-likely-no-in-public-school/ The 3rd graders tested last spring weren’t affected by school closings during COVID. They weren’t old enough to be in school. They were in: 3rd grade – 2024/2025 2nd grade – 2023/2024 1st grade – 2022/2023 Kindergarten – 2021/2022 Illinois schools were closed for COVID in March […]
By: Diane Benjamin Julie Emig was absent again. Proving Covid is now no big deal, Tim Gleason attended by zoom from the other side of the wall. He stated he had direct exposure to Covid and didn’t want to sit next to other council members and possibly expose them. Remember when people were required to […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/708/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 You still have less than a 1% chance of dying from Covid. I have no idea what “New Hospitalizations” means:
By: Diane Benjamin Any mention of COVID cases is now fear porn. https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/708/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 Notice anything? Viruses always weaken, COVID is weakening. Any talk to the contrary is to scare people. Mail in ballots will be pushed again, seen 2000 mules? You would understand why if you did. (Maybe people have just realized hospitals don’t use […]
By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Health Department hasn’t updated their cases page since 4/22/2020: They probably will now: https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/708/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 Note: Total cases: 50,506 Total deaths: 366 In other words, people in McLean County that caught COVID had less than a 1% chance of dying. Start listing the ramifications now.
By: Diane Benjamin The Covid vaccine was created for a strain that doesn’t exist anymore. The Illinois Department of Public health numbers prove being vaccinated doesn’t keep you out of the hospital or prevent death. The break-through numbers as of 2/16/2022 are: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-breakthrough.html As of 12/29/21: https://blnnews.com/2021/12/30/idph-update-breakthrough-cases/ These numbers explain why Joe Rogan was attacked […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2022-02-14/unit-5-school-board-calls-special-meeting-for-wednesday-on-covid-19-rules Repeat a lie often enough and people will believe it? I’m thrilled most parents aren’t experimenting on their kids with a vaccination! Omicron isn’t deadly. Unlike the original Covid it doesn’t attack the lungs. Omicron is providing herd immunity because it isn’t deadly. I know, I have it! It’s wonderful for […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Did you hear the UK will no longer require masks anywhere, including schools? https://www.india.com/news/world/uk-to-lift-additional-covid-restrictions-from-next-week-says-boris-johnson-5194531/?fbclid=IwAR0YbCYFx_sis73chTIP2kRw4Pi0unJwUNsYHLFiHP_ooIbbVE8s150920M Anybody who remotely follows the news knows Omicron has been very short lived in countries that got it first. (South Africa and UK) Some people haven’t heard being vaccinated doesn’t prevent getting Covid. Community Players […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve been updating and posting the chart below for months. One reader told me he doesn’t understand it, so I will explain it again. The Illinois Department of Public Health used to claim they don’t track hospitalizations and deaths in fully vaccinated people, but then they started posting it. The problem is […]
I’ve been with WordPress since 2012. WordPress prides itself on customer service and has always responded quickly every time I contacted them. They call their support staff Happiness Engineers. They have ALWAYS sent a 1 click survey to see if their customers were happy with the Happiness Engineers assistance. Note: When this site was restored […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow the money. The link to the information below is available from the McLean County Health Department website. Clicking on the COVID-19 Vaccine tab takes you to the IDPH website – Illinois Department of Public Health. I have been tracking breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths in Illinois which proves the vaccinated can still […]
https://www.kabc.com/2021/11/08/bravo-state-farm-backs-aaron-rodgers-after-vax-comments/ State Farm backs Aaron Rodger! Good for them, bad for WGLT. By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader The only reason I started writing almost 10 years ago was because journalism is dead. If stories aren’t purposely not covered to protect fellow democrats, words are twisted to make the consumer believe something that never happened. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Other countries and even some states aren’t abusing their kids with masks. This teacher has it right, the abuse isn’t going to end until we all demand it! The local positivity rate was down to 3.6% as of two days ago – it hasn’t been updated since. Note how many people under […]
By: Diane Benjamin I redacted the name. This email was received by FOIA, but it represents many others. Parents have been convinced their kids are going to die if they get COVID. Some parents can’t wait for their child to get the shot when they have no data for what it will do to them […]
By: Diane Benjamin No financial information is available as of 6/30/21 because it is Connect Transit’s year end. Next month we will know the loss for the year. Fares went back into affect in June, ridership on the huge buses went down. Was that because rides are no longer free? Mobility rides are up since […]
By: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Board Health Committee met yesterday. One mother gave Public Comment. Julie Bakewell presented the Resolution below to Committee Chair Susan Schafer. The Resolution is a revised version of one another Illinois County has already passed. Julie spells out why Pritzker’s Executive Orders are meaningless and IDPH and ISBE have […]
By: Diane Benjamin All of the below is from a reader because District 87 isn’t making their policy public, even to parents. One would think more than a year into the lockdowns and refusing to hold regular in person classes for many months, a policy would be in effect to make sure students aren’t losing […]
By: Diane Benjamin If Normal passes an ordinance tonight to punish small businesses just trying not to close permanently here is what they are doing: Ignoring where COVID does kill people There is no proof bars and restaurants spread the virus but there is lots of proof nursing and group homes do. We know what […]
Originally published in July, updated December 15, 2020. Think science matters? It doesn’t. An overview of the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of face masks. 1. Studies on the effectiveness of face masks So far, most studies found little to no evidence for the effectiveness of cloth face masks in the general population, neither as […]
By: Diane Benjamin Before Covid restrictions put more businesses with video gaming out of business, the City is taking action. Not to help them stay in business, the Clerk will now allow other businesses to get on a wait list for new licenses. I found it hilarious that previously they thought this was too difficult. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner tested positive for COVID. He stated himself Monday night he had symptoms for 13 days. So far reports to me have him going to a local restaurant and a grocery story WITH symptoms. Don’t forget his dancing antics without a mask too. What are citizens going to tolerate? Is the […]
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, […]
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 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 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 If you can’t read the below, the Age Range for the most cases is people in their 20’s. Most of the deaths are people over 70. Hospitalizations aren’t showing a large increase. https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/708/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19
By: Diane Benjamin Who is currently being tested for COVID? Lots of people who think they might have it and people scheduled for surgery surgery. Of course testing sick people means the percent positive goes up. Decisions based on testing mostly people who think they might have COVID isn’t science! If mostly sick people are […]
By: Diane Benjamin List of mayors who have announced they will not enforce Pritzker’s illegal ban on in-door dining: Libertyville, Orland Park, Morton Grove, Itasca, East Peoria, Springfield We don’t live in a dictatorship even though Pritzker has anointed himself one. Many courts have ruled against him, yet he continues to fail basic government: Call […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last stats from the CDC: Cases 8,248,612 Deaths 223,070 US population 330,000,000 That means only 2.5% of the population has tested positive. We are currently testing over 1 million people a day. It also means that only 2.7% of those who tested positive have died. Joe Biden is campaigning on COVID. He […]
By: Diane Benjamin The meeting lasted a little of an hour. Tari wasn’t there because the internet was out at his house. Mboka Mwilambwe acted as mayor. Tim Gleason was also absent, nobody said why. Maybe he didn’t want to be present when they voted on his contract extension and raise – without any discussion. […]
By: Diane Benjamin During Tuesday’s night Normal Town Council meeting much was made about the Financial Trends Reports and what a valuable tool it is. This year it isn’t. It recaps what happened from 4/1/2019 through 3/31/2020. Something happened around the time this report ends: Glance through the report. It contains little current information: http://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/17189/Financial-Trend-and-Condition-Report-FY2019-20 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal met for almost 4 hours last night. See the 6:00 pm Work Session story here: https://blnnews.com/2020/09/09/stealing-more-from-you-the-town-of-normal/ I’m going to start with the END of the regular meeting since I might have been one of the few still awake watching it. Chris Koos is attempting to fix his image since he was […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last Wednesday Normal passed ordinances limiting gatherings to 10 or fewer people within the ISU campus area and additional bar and restaurant social distancing restrictions. This was in response to the skyrocketing infection rate of COVID in the campus and Uptown area. Town hall is located near the epicenter of the outbreak […]
By: Diane Benjamin The illustrious Mayor of Normal has been spewing edicts for months and calling them Executive Orders. He forgot 6 other people were elected to govern Normal. He failed to get his compliant majority to at least have input. He must have forgotten he just barely won 3 years ago and therefore doesn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Who knew chatting can’t spread COVID! After dinner drinks at the bar doesn’t spread COVID either, Still don’t believe in #FakeNews? See this story by the ISU media about the President of ISU: https://www.wglt.org/post/person-fundraiser-fuels-social-media-safety-buzz Does the picture of Dietz “chatting” show he is following the “rules”? Masks, 6 feet away, etc? It […]
By: Diane Benjamin If the massive debt and failure to listen to citizens isn’t bad enough, ISU students will remember Mayor Chris Koos thinks he’s a doctor with the right to spew edicts that must be obeyed. He doesn’t, but that doesn’t stop him or the compliant businesses owners terrified of this tyrant. Only the […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you listen to the media, COVID is going to kill everyone. Therefore kids can’t be in school and voting has to be by mail. This site has a lot of interesting stats you will never hear from the media – it doesn’t fit their narrative. The rates of people dying from […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council met for a whopping 16 minutes last night, they didn’t have an Executive Session. Tim Gleason started the meeting with a COVID update. He claimed cases are up because people have been traveling now and are out and about more. He ignores the obvious: College kids are back and out […]
By: Diane Benjamin From McLean County Health Department Note the dates: Interesting points: The people testing positive aren’t that sick People in their 20’s are the biggest group testing positive Why was the color scheme changed? They couldn’t find a new color for adding a category? The infection rate is staying ridiculously low! 2.1% https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/708/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Executive Orders used to at least be signed by Chris Koos. No longer! Now the Town of Normal is issuing edicts from on high as press releases. Your elected Council Trustees had NO input and were not asked to agree or disagree. This is the latest: https://www.normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/16779/Outdoor-Dining-Press-Release—extension-announced-through-November-1 Businesses affected by actions […]
