By: Diane Benjamin It would have been nice if this document said what they wanted to annex. I’m only posting it in case it’s the Rt 150 property again. Previous story: https://blnnews.com/2025/03/13/downs-tonight-flooding-shaddyville/
By: Diane Benjamin Village of Downs agenda for tonight: https://media.rainpos.com/1071/MeetingAgenda_2025_03_13.pdf I’ve written many stories about the property on 150 a developers wants to build houses on that will flood Shaddyville. Even though the Zoning Board of Appeals has rejected this project 3 times, it is on the agenda for tonight. I’m sure the opposition will […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this story? https://blnnews.com/2024/09/30/will-downs-choose-flooding-over-people/ A developer still hasn’t given up on building housing on a hill on Rt. 150. The above story details how the homes at the bottom of that hill already flood. Building more houses on quarter acre lots will benefit the developer, the people at the bottom of the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Previous stories: At the Board meeting Thursday the developer withdrew his petition for re-zoning supposedly to redesign the subdivision. That action means it has to go through the Zoning Board. The residents of Shaddyville will be there.
By: Diane Benjamin More on this story: https://blnnews.com/2024/09/30/will-downs-choose-flooding-over-people/ Thursday the Board will decide whether to annex a corn field that drains downhill to an area prone to flooding. Below are a few pictures from the horrendous Shaddyville flooding of 2021. Note the field was able to absorb some of the rain then. Concrete doesn’t absorb […]
By: Diane Benjamin It will help understand this issue is you’ve driven Rt 150 from Bloomington to Downs. Right before the turn south to go through Downs there is a very low area called Shaddyville. The Kickapoo Creek runs along the south edge. The houses are older and not incorporated into the Village of Downs. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is an email I received from a taxpayer in Normal. The name is redacted but this person is pretty sure Normal will know who sent it. This confirms what Stan Nord has said over and over, Normal doesn’t care what citizens think. Add this to the list of homes with dirty […]
By: Diane Benjamin There was a time when Bloomington grew rapidly and had money to burn. Instead of investing in replacing ancient infrastructure the Council built a fire station that has never been used, the Coliseum, a water tower built too short to use, created give-a-ways to developers, and rehabbed the BCPA. The City Manager […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Tom DeVore is the bravest attorney in Illinois. He is the one that filed lawsuits against Pritzker’s illegal executive orders and won. Pritzker appealed and, since this is Illinois, the Supreme Court will hold out as long as possible before ruling. School Districts who claim they will lose funding if they […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last weekend’s flooding proved local governments care more about building new than maintaining the infrastructure they already have. Anybody think the underpass Normal is desperate to build won’t flood? Think it won’t get icy in the winter? How will Amtrak passengers get to the other side if either happens? Probably the same […]
By: Diane Benjamin Taken this morning: The next two are from a house just south of Ellsworth A house in Ellsworth is getting their basement pumped out, not the one in the picture. I hope the hose isn’t from the fire department, that would be an illegal use of public property:
By: Diane Benjamin I was driving west on Oakland during the light rain yesterday. There was flooding, especially in front of storm drains. This pic is NOT on Oakland – I wonder if it FLOODED? Hint Tari: It’s close to your precious downtown! Needs before Wants, remember? I doubt the flamingos are going to clean […]
