By: Diane Benjamin Remember the ISU table flipper? https://blnnews.com/2025/11/21/update-on-derek-lopez-hes-still-being-held-in-custody/ The court record shows he tried to get out on bond, the order on his motion isn’t available so I assume he is still being held. There was a pretrial conference held in April, I have no idea when his trial will be. Local Public Defender […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when ISU wouldn’t give me emails that mentioned Charlie Kirk? https://blnnews.com/2025/11/15/isu-foia-fail/ ISU claimed there were too many emails, even when I narrowed the request to ONE DAY. I wasn’t the only person trying to find out what staff were telling students about Kirk. Another FOIA was filed by Chad Berck on […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can’t post links to this information because a PACER account is required to access federal case information. Lopez has one charge against him. His court appointed attorney requested bail, the judge denied it. An Order of Protection against him was granted, I don’t know who requested it. The below was copied […]
By: Diane Benjamin Cloudfare, the company keeping the internet safe from attacks, was attacked earlier today. It appears to mostly back up and running but it has affected WordPress and therefore my posts. I don’t know if stories are going to anyone who hasn’t subscribed. Now would be a good time to subscribe if you […]
By: Diane Benjamin At the 8/25/2025 Council meeting a LONG list of email public commenters was read. I FOIA’d the City for those emails in September. I received a response with EVERY NAME redacted. Of course that isn’t legal. Nobody at Council meetings makes an anonymous public comment. No one who emails the Council can […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Nayoka Griffis was just elected to the Normal Township Board last April. She quit already with no explanation given by Krystle Able who posted she is accepting applications to fill the seat. You have to prove you are democrat. 2) Another No Kings protest Saturday. Why are friends and neighbors struggling […]
Update to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/29/lopez-arrested-again/ Thanks to a reader who sent this to me:
Update to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/29/derek-s-lopez-arrest-details/ By: Diane Benjamin Derek Lopez, the guy who flipped the Turning Point USA table at ISU, was arrested again: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/22/derek-lopez-confession/ Lopez lives in El Paso which is in Woodford County. No other information is available. He might only be in custody because he hasn’t appeared before a judge yet, I […]
By: Diane Benjamin The County finally recorded Derek Lopez’s arrest. Enter his name here to see it: https://publicaccess.mcleancountyil.gov/PubAC_SearchCriminal.aspx It appears he was charged with 3 counts of disorderly conduct and 1 count of criminal damage to property. Expect a plea bargain even though he admitted guilt: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/22/derek-lopez-confession/ The record shows he didn’t appear in court […]
By: Diane Benjamin It is alway nice when criminals confess. Derek Lopez wrote the below on X. He blamed the victim and not himself, typical deflection: . Below are excerpts from an email sent by Turning Point USA: . Pick a side.
By: Diane Benjamin If you didn’t know, the McLean County Sheriff’s office has an app that allows looking up inmates being held: https://mcleancountyil.gov/95/Sheriff I know it feels like too many accused persons are let loose with no bail, but the app is currently showing 218 inmates. One of them is Lopez even though initial reports […]
Lopez was arrested. This does not say he was banned from campus: By: Diane Benjamin Make sure you read this entire post because Unit 5 is involved too. In case you missed the first story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/15/more-reasons-isu-should-be-embarrassed/ Since it appears ISU did nothing, including the ISU police, the same guy repeated his criminal activities: . This […]
