By: Diane Benjamin At tonight’s meeting the County Board voted in what sounded unanimous for Erika Reynolds to fill out the rest of Don Knapp’s term. Erika is a current employee of the State’s Attorney’s office. Don Knapp has been appointed judge in the Circuit Court and is running unopposed in November for the same […]
By: Diane Benjamin The race for Circuit Court Judge has only ONE issue. Next Tuesday is the REPUBLICAN primary. One person running is a Republican – Don Knapp, one is a Democrat pretending to be a Republican – Amy McFarland. I don’t care who has more experience or more qualifications, those issues should have been […]
By: Diane Benjamin Why is a Democrat running in the Republican Primary? 1) Why is Adam Kinzinger trying to buy a local judge? 2) What is just as disturbing as Adam Kinzinger, who hasn’t lived in the 11th Circuit for a long time, trying to buy a local judge, is all the democratic influence being […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2022-05-12/in-survey-attorneys-rate-mcfarland-higher-than-knapp-in-judicial-primary-race Listen to the actual interview. The reason given for McFarland rating higher than Knapp is because she is already a judge and Knapp isn’t. The few lawyers that responded thought Knapp held a political office. Next look at the current sitting judges, two are past State’s Attorneys: Jason Chambers and Bill […]
By: Diane Benjamin If this story wasn’t enough to help you decide who should be eliminated in the primary: https://blnnews.com/2022/03/21/democrat-running-as-a-republican/ then, this will help. Guess who donated $5000 to McFarland? Trump hating, January 6th farce committee member, and soon to be former Congressman: https://www.illinoissunshine.org/committees/37064/ Check out the rest of the donations McFarland has received, at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two “Republicans” will be on the June primary ballot for 11th Judicial Circuit Judge. “Republicans” is in quotes because one has never been seen at a Republican event before deciding getting elected as a Democrat isn’t possible in McLean County. (more on that in a minute) One candidate filled out the statement […]
By: Diane Benjamin More than one citizen is questioning the integrity and ethics in the Town of Normal. Below is a letter from a citizen with the name illegally redacted. Writing an email to the Council is no different than Public Comment at a meeting. Normal redacted the name in violation of the FOIA law. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal owns their very own massage chair. It is kept on the 3rd floor in the HR Department. The door is kept closed most of the time so people visiting HR don’t see it. I’m told users have a sign in before using it, the Town claims they don’t […]
A police report was filed! By: Diane Benjamin I’m not sure why anyone would ever hire Justin Barr, but an area guy did. According to his plea bargain Justin Barr should be in jail for violating his probation. https://blnnews.com/2020/02/27/justin-barr-woodford-and-will-counties/ The victim sent me a copy of a lawsuit filed in April 2021. I don’t know […]
I hope Dawn Shannon and Cities 92.9 have filed police reports:
By: Diane Benjamin Vowing to uphold both the Constitution of the United States and the State of Illinois is beyond the left. Tari Renner proved that again at the emergency Liquor Commission meeting yesterday. See the short video clip as reported by Cities 92.9: https://www.cities929.com/2020/11/21/bloomington-mayor-renner-whines-at-liquor-commission-hearing-about-the-states-attorney/?fbclid=IwAR3IAg490VjyNCDqMzrrp8xgykB7fmsDgfxZdlbgmHMyl4m6kPGO9oEyrO0 Tari expect State Attorney Don Knapp to enforce Pritzker Executive […]
By: Diane Benjamin John Butler and his lawyers have been telling media John didn’t know his employees were stealing concession money. Evidently he’s such a great guy he agreed to a misdemeanor and paid $450,000 in restitution just because. That of course was after spending who knows how many thousands (hundreds of thousands?) on attorneys […]
See this story for more information: https://blnnews.com/2020/08/25/john-butler-the-rest-of-the-case/ Page 1 of release from State’s Attorney Don Knapp. More documents should be coming, this summary doesn’t state why $450,000 was agreed to. It also doesn’t say if Butler agreed to jail time. See the entire document here:
By: Diane Benjamin I have filed a Request for Review with the Attorney General’s office based on this meeting held by Dr. Susan Kalter, the Chair of the Academic Senate at ISU: https://blnnews.com/2020/07/16/looks-like-a-revolt-at-isu/ Part 2 was supposed to happen tonight to finish what didn’t get done last Thursday. Tonight’s meeting has been postponed indefinitely, the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Obviously the name is a fake, the police need to find out the real name. WGLT reported she is afraid for her safety if her real name was known – she should be afraid. Jail isn’t a fun place I hear. What did she do? She admitted to creating the “boycott list”. […]
By: Diane Benjamin See yesterday’s story: https://blnnews.com/2020/01/20/ever-heard-of-the-public-building-commission/ Frist, there is State Law governing Public Building Commissions – it was enacted in 1955: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=683&ChapterID=11 Excerpts: They are separate from other government agencies They have to keep minutes, receipts and disbursement records They are subject to an annual audit They can sign contracts and borrow money I have […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story from Conservative Review: Chicago Hellhole Parole Free Bail Jailbreak Violent Gun Felons The story is mostly about how felons, even convicted of gun violence, end up back on the streets. Unfortunately, McLean County made the story: We know crime decreased for decades due to mandatory sentences. That trend is […]
By: Diane Benjamin State’s Attorney Don Knapp obtained the charging statements from Will County against Justin Barr. He forwarded them to me. When I posted the original story I had no idea how huge this story would be. I have talked to people from multiple counties who also claim to be victims. See it here […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m hearing stories from all over central Illinois about people who have hired Justin Barr and feel ripped off. All the reports started when I published this story: https://blnnews.com/2019/01/12/lexington-guy-arrested-in-joliet-he-has-history-here/ If you are a victim and have NOT filed a police report, you need to now. If the police refuse to take the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Joliet chose Bloomington’s City Manager. Bloomington had 3 candidates to replace him – all from Illinois. Bloomington chose Decatur’s City Manager. He then chose another guy from Decatur as an assistant. The Streator City Manager has now been chosen by Decatur. The Bloomington City Clerk came here from Arizona. She didn’t stay […]
By: Diane Benjamin The charges previously dismissed by a judge against John Butler for theft from the Coliseum are going to be re-filed on January 2nd. A reader asked me after he noticed an arraignment scheduled on the County website. I emailed State’s Attorney Don Knapp and asked him what was going on, this was […]
From sources in Ma: Amber was denied custody! Change: Michael is not being released today, holding him to determine if warrant is valid. Michael is being released today, judge doesn’t think the warrant is legal! By: Diane Benjamin Amber Buck may have violated her probation with a FAKE call to the police in […]
Don Knapp was appointed with ZERO discussion. The fix was in. By: Diane Benjamin The County Board meets this morning at 9:00. On the agenda (Item 7) is the Chairman’s pick to replace Jason Chambers as State’s Attorney. https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6150 I predict Chairman John McIntyre picked the current Assistant County Administrator Don Knapp. Don is […]
By: Diane Benjamin This note is on the McLean County State’s Attorney website: http://www.mcleancountyil.gov/index.aspx?NID=96 Sources tell me the State’s Attorney job is mostly administrative, I don’t buy it. If the State’s Attorney has never tried a case or prosecuted anyone, how can they know the people they are supervising are competent? I bet prosecuting the […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s getting harder and harder to see that ANY laws matter, at least for government. Officials can twist facts, feign illness, and violate the law knowing nobody is going to prosecute. The Town of Normal Council is doing their part Tuesday night: I don’t know if this “planning session” has taken […]
Today I got this response: Obviously there is no reason why this lame response couldn’t have been given within the 5 days allowed by law. The Grove information came from this document dated February 2015: http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=12052 Since many more houses have been built at the Grove since 2015 – Tari is relying on old information. […]
By: Diane Benjamin This was on the Consent Agenda for last Monday’s meeting: http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=242&parent=9534 Many old minutes are approved at meetings like this. Alderman not on the council when the meetings took place are approving minutes YEARS after the meetings. What’s the law? 30 days or the next meeting! The Bloomington City Council is GUILTY […]
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