By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader I wrote in June about the Olympia property taxes debacle. In this story I quoted their website stating a meeting would be held July 14th (if needed). That link at the bottom no longer works, This is the new link to meeting dates: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/395/district/5796161/24-25_BOARD_OF_ED._MEETINGS-DATES.docx__3_.pdf July 14th (if needed) was […]
Part 1: https://blnnews.com/2025/06/18/olympia-school-district-facts-part-1/ By: Diane Benjamin The Olympia Schools superintendent sent 2 emails about the property tax error: . From Part 1 – enrollment is decreasing. According to this story the District has been deficit spending for a decade: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-05-21/olympia-school-district-frustrated-by-error-that-led-to-incorrect-mclean-county-tax-bills With 110 fewer students since 2018, why do they have deficits? According to Illinois Report […]
Part 2: https://blnnews.com/2025/06/18/olympia-schools-district-facts-part-2/ By: Diane Benjamin This story has facts needed for the NEXT story. If you want the best possible chance of fleecing taxpayers you put a referendum to increase taxes on the Primary ballot where few people bother to vote. The Mclean County schools did that on April 1st to get a 1% […]
By: Diane Benjamin Hendricks is the mayoral candidate who has never read City Code since he flagrantly violated it more than once: https://blnnews.com/2025/03/25/cody-hendricks-chief-cheater/ Did he do the same thing when he was on the Pekin City Council? Below is proof Hendricks makes up the world he wants people to see while ignoring reality: The way […]
By: Diane Benjamin The unofficial results the County prints don’t have the detail Bloomington does. https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/27439/Unofficial-Summary-Report_all_precincts 11,187 out of 59,375 registered voters bothered to vote. (18.84%) 7,842 voted Republican 3296 voted Democrat 5 voted libertarian, again with no candidates on the ballot 44 voted nonpartisan 6 voted blank Trump received 5,947 votes (76.89%) Biden received […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you haven’t checked the Illinois Report Card for Olympia, see the High School and some District information here: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=profile&Schoolid=170640160260009 The other schools are also available by searching. The high school is below State averages in Language and Math. They also have a 42% chronic absenteeism rate. 82% of 9th graders are […]
By: Diane Benjamin In Illinois there are rarely any penalties for people who break campaign laws. Evidently CODE based on State Law is just a suggestion. (Heard any electioneering charges yet?) Keep in mind Hendricks teaches CIVICS at Olympia, somebody please check what version he teaches! Bloomington Code: https://ecode360.com/34402871 It violates City Code to run […]
By: Diane Benjamin One reason: https://illinoisavengers1.wixsite.com/savederek/post/covid-cash That link has a BUNCH of questions school districts MUST answer. You can access all the payouts Illinois forked over to schools in emergency relief funds from that link too. I pulled out McLean County. Here’s your homework: Start sending FOIA’s. Blind copy me please, blnnews@yahoo.com Since lots of […]
