h/t a reader There was yet another fire at Rivian Thursday morning. One side of the plant was evacuated. The fire was big enough to need a large emergency response. I hear 3 fire engines and 3 rescue squads. This is NOT the first plant fire!
By: Diane Benjamin I got mine today. 🤑 I looked up some random properties to see how bad the tax increases are. Bloomington: Net taxable value for 2023 is $55,521, taxes increased $213.28 from last year (Dist 87) Net taxable value for 2023 is $136,131, taxes increase $382.70 from last year (Unit 5) Normal: Net […]
By: Diane Benjamin A reader sent this pic yesterday. The driver was across 2 lanes for a long time on College Ave: At the 4/23 Board meeting Connect Transit General Manager David Braun stated that if the electric grid ever went down they wouldn’t be able to charge their electric buses. Hey David: If the […]
By: Diane Benjamin WMDB reported this story 3 weeks ago thinking you would remember. Since you probably don’t: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tomb-of-the-unknown-replica-to-come-to-bloomington-as-part-of-dar-convention/ar-BB1kTH2r A replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be featured at the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution convention in Bloomington. It will be in the back lot of the Doubletree. Viewing times […]
By: Diane Benjamin Monday was Tim Gleason’s last meeting so the Mayor had to do a list of his accomplishments. Mentioned was getting them through COVID which wasn’t difficult when the Feds threw many millions of dollars to them and tax receipts skyrocketed because of inflation. The new budget is spending LESS on roads than […]
By: Diane Benjamin Pulled from the Consent Agenda was approving a Community Change Grant from the EPA who is handing out $20 billion. (Inflation will continue as the Feds spend money they have to print) The money isn’t free, it’s still taxpayers who will be responsible for the debt. Bloomington wants $20 million, most of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington City Council last night: Occasional reminder that Ward 1 Alderman Kearns does not believe in Liberty and Justice for All. She never says the Pledge of Allegiance: Just an example of Mr. Giggles at work:
By: Diane Benjamin The entire County is going to be taxed to fund the airport. This was passed in Springfield without a vote from the County residents and by representatives that don’t represent them (Chung and Koehler). Remember: Taxation Without Representation? Details here: https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/cira-authority-expansion-means-new-tax-for-rural-mclean-county-property-owners/article_e7aeccb8-3339-11ee-966e-fb07c1b7d8e3.html The County is also forced to pay for the Bloomington Election […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tim Gleason’s base salary as City Manager was $212,862.84. The 2023 total compensation report is finally posted: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30290/638487793683670000 A contract for Monday night’s City Council meeting for Jeff Jurgens shows a base salary of $210,000. https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2570155/Jurgens_CM_Contract.pdf Gleason had much more experience than Jurgens. Jurgen’s in a lawyer and Gleason isn’t. Since a […]
From the realtor: Note: This house has been vacant for years! It isn’t their sewage. By: Diane Benjamin If you live in the 300 block of West Main in Stanford you probably do. If not, wait until the temperature warms up a bit: . That isn’t a creek, it’s raw sewage! The story I was […]
Apparently the long time director who retired did not submit a grant request before the deadline. Now PATH is in crisis mode. By: Diane Benjamin 988 is the local suicide prevention hotline at PATH. I hear at a Board meeting this morning the 988 staff was laid off because funding (I think from the State) […]
By: Diane Benjamin Have you heard the commercials wanting to sell you protection for your property title? The McLean County Recorder’s office is offering this service for FREE. Go here: https://recorder.mcleancountyil.gov/External/User/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fexternal Sign up for Property Check to be notified when any documents are filed on your property! This only works for properties in McLean County.
By: Diane Benjamin If you don’t remember, Palestinians were dancing in the streets the day we were attacked. Over half a million civilian Ukrainians have died in their war with Russia. Note: No calls for a ceasefire in that war that has been going on for over two years. See the resolution passed by the […]
By: Diane Benjamin This video is of wind turbines near Broadwell Il. It was WINDY yesterday, but none of them were turning. I saw a small solar field on the west side of I55 too, a nice hail storm will destroy it. Only the un-informed would believe either will provide enough energy to fuel the […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was in Springfield yesterday along with thousands of other pro-life citizens. The march is about all life in a state that doesn’t respect any life. There were many inspiring speakers, including pro-life legislators. It was impossible to get pictures of the entire crowd without being on top of the capital, but […]
I was right. Congrats Jeff. Now cancel rebranding and fix the roads! By: Diane Benjamin I predict Jeff Jurgens will be named City Manager. He wouldn’t be named today if the council wasn’t already on board. Jurgens is one of the good guys, at least in my dealings with him. Of course any City Manager […]
See the agenda here: https://go.boarddocs.com/il/trivalley3/Board.nsf/vpublic?open
By: Diane Benjamin It’s pretty clear that shows drawing a couple hundred people or less lose money. Broader appeal shows can make money. All BCPA event reports are here: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-2097#docan2735_6873_64 The report for this show is being revised after I questioned $32,000 for “stage hands”. It should have only been $26,872.74 per Katherine Murphy. Either […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you’ve ever watched a council meeting you know why I call him Mr. Giggles. Those giggles hide the fact that he’s a big government guy and pushes a progressive (communist) agenda. Can’t Bloomington do better? https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-15/mwilambwe-to-run-for-2nd-term-as-bloomington-mayor?fbclid=IwAR0pqO6wAXClBrJMohOXCUvF6sQlDT4B1FNa2HwPj3OwLAA2m1M6xwqZS5Y Mwilambwe to run for 2nd term as Bloomington mayor Excerpts: Mwilambwe said he wants to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Surrena Fish was back with an update on Tent City. She claimed there is a waiting list now and police had to be called to break up a fight. Just hit play to hear her comments. The Connect Transit update on the downtown transfer station isn’t that long. If you don’t want […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington has been tired of spending money on the Market Street Garage for many years, but I certainly don’t remember a vote to hand it over to Connect Transit. That garage belongs to Bloomington residents. I can’t wait to see how they make this one legal. An Intergovernmental Agreement will probably appear […]
By: Diane Benjamin We know in 2021 The Immigration Project was 99.95% funded by tax dollars: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/12/the-immigration-project-you-dont-know/ Using the new Benjamin Chat Box on OpenTheBooks.com I searched under “Vendors” for payments made to them. Try it, incredibly easy to use! Results are emailed to you after it searches multiple databases. In 2022 ISU gave them […]
By: Diane Benjamin Maybe the League of Women Voters can investigate since they think they are the arbiter of truth: https://blnnews.com/2024/04/01/league-of-women-voters-squash-the-1st-amendment/ See this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-12/mclean-county-clerk-addresses-disability-voting-incident-at-county-board-meeting Skip down to the Amendments sections: The Board didn’t vote to “relax” anything. They didn’t “waive” anything. The Attorney General ruled Public Comment policy that was in effect was: […]
By: Diane Benjamin In case you missed this story: https://blnnews.com/2024/04/12/no-one-was-denied-the-right-to-vote/ Piling on by the far left because laws are immaterial, Corey Beirne had to add his 1 cent brain: DEI is Marxist ideology that eliminates exceptionalism. I hope Corey gets a DEI doctor some day. Microaggressions are merely attempts at limiting speech for fear somebody […]
By: Diane Benjamin There was no discrimination. Feelings are immaterial, adults know that. Just because you “feel” discriminated against doesn’t make it truth. Adults move on, they don’t need to grandstand. Thanks for clarifying your divisiveness Krystle. Vote by mail in November, no poll workers to deal with.
By: Diane Benjamin The video below is from Public Comment at the McLean County Board meeting last night. Just hit play. These speakers expect poll workers to be perfect. Perfection doesn’t exist. Nobody is perfect. 4 people spoke and then Kathy Michael. Why anyone would sign up to be a poll worker if they aren’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin April 28th will mark 12 years for BlnNews.com. I only started writing because I saw lousy local reporting on things that matter. The 1st Amendment guarantees Freedom of the Press – unless government has other plans. There is a hearing going on today in the House because they are considering a Press […]
By: Diane Benjamin OpenTheBooks.com has a wonderful new feature for seeing how your money is spent. It’s called BENJAMIN chatbox. It isn’t named after me, it’s named after Benjamin Franklin. Click this link and look in the lower right corner: https://www.openthebooks.com/ You can search salaries, pensions, and vendor payments for anyone who gets tax dollars. […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Another reader just sent this pic: Remember Public Safety is a high priority! Your taxes paid for the fire department response. 😁 Spraying water:
B: Diane Benjamin In case you missed this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-08/town-of-normal-and-firefighters-are-repairing-relationship-after-no-confidence-vote-in-chief Quote: In a September letter to the mayor and council obtained by WGLT under the Freedom of Information Act, the Local 2442 of the International Association of Firefighters union said 84% of membership voted no-confidence. The Town of Normal is now covering fire calls in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Future council are NOT bound by the actions of this council. If they were this plan from 2013 would have already been a reality: . If you want people elected who actually care about the roads, start voting for them! A few things in that plan were done, like Way Finding signs, […]
The report finally got posted around 11:00am. Since it was beautiful yesterday I was outside and haven’t looked at it in depth. I will though. The email I received didn’t explain why it was late. By: Diane Benjamin I’ve got more to report from last night’s meeting but it will wait until tomorrow. Bills and […]
By: Diane Benjamin When Dr. David Mouser ran Tri-Valley, according to former employees, he told students “don’t tell your parents”. Tri-Valley is tiny compared to District 87, yesterday’s lockdown reasons were harder for him to keep secret. The message below was sent to parents. It isn’t a false alarm (as reported by media) when “a […]
By: Diane Benjamin The cameras worked last night. A new voting system actually worked last night. Bloomington now has TWO tent cities. Another one sprung up under the Center Street bridge – according to a Public Comment (19:45). The reason people are illegally living in tents in downtown Bloomington is because the first person was […]
By: Diane Benjamin The County Board meeting is Thursday, the Executive Committee meets today and may make changes to what is proposed. The changes failed to pass in February because of democrat shenanigans: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/14/a-legal-public-comment-policy-isnt-on-the-county-board-agenda-blame-democrats/ See the new policies from the Rules Committee starting on PDF page 4: https://mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/10128 Summary: 15 minutes allotted (not enough for […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s agenda: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/f6fa5291-5bbe-11ee-ae13-0050569183fa-d854eb82-3702-4140-9de6-ac3a8e3f379d-1712335286.pdf If you forgot or never heard, Bloomington has a water tower that has never been used because it wasn’t built high enough: https://blnnews.com/2015/08/04/more-ineptness/ That one won’t be mentioned tonight because the City must maintain the appearance of competence. On the agenda is building another one: This one disturbs me […]
By: Diane Benjamin As inflation eats your prosperity government is of course obliged to contribute to your demise. Their costs go up too. The only difference is all they have to is raise your taxes and fees to compensate. Try that with your boss. BNWRD is the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. At the April 8th […]
