Just BloNo

The We Are One Coalition, made up of public-sector workers in numerous Illinois unions, are in a struggle to save worker pensions. Unionists from Bloomington-Normal, mostly from AFSCME and the Illinois Education Association, traveled on Thursday to Springfield to participate in a 400-strong rally and lobbying effort to stop any bill not accepted by public … Continue reading »

Recently Vision 2020 sponsored and assisted Heather Evert in removing part of her lawn and replacing it with richer soil, compost and native plants.  How does this fit into our vision? Vision 2020 Bloomington-Normal is part of the Transition Initiative, an international movement preparing for the impacts of climate change and peak oil by promoting … Continue reading »

Compiled by Corey Mattson. Protesters throughout central Illinois traveled to Chicago to oppose the agenda of NATO, which met in Chicago the weekend of May 18-20. The largest protest on May 20th, numbering in the tens of thousands, brought national attention to the institution’s role in promoting the 1%’s military dominance over the world’s population. … Continue reading »

Over 160 cyclists in Bloomington-Normal took part in the annual Ride of Silence, a national bike event honoring cyclists killed by motorists on U.S. roadways. Scott Richardson, an organizer of the action, said that this year’s ride was the largest ever, bolstered by the momentum of growing public support for more bike lanes on city … Continue reading »

Students and faculty all across the country dusted off their bikes and put on their helmets for the first annual National Bike to School Day on May 9th, 2012. National Bike to School Day, a day which promotes student-powered transportation, has empowered thousands of students across the country to go green—while having fun—on the way … Continue reading »

Carl Finamore, delegate to the San Francisco Labor Council (AFL-CIO) and former president of the Air Transport Employees Local 1781, visited Bloomington-Normal and shared his experiences as a witness to the Egyptian uprising. Carl visited Egypt in 2011 in solidarity with the revolution, and returned in 2012 to witness its unfolding. During his stay, Finamore … Continue reading »

Bloomington, IL – May 1, 2012 Members of Latinos United for Change organized a Rally and March for immigrant and worker rights on May 1, 2012. L.U.C. was joined by several community groups in an effort to make McLean County more, immigrant friendly. Over 100 community members congregated outside the McLean Count Museum of History … Continue reading »

Scenes of the May Day march to the Sheriff Emery’s office, demanding he use his lawful powers to stop enforcing ICE detainment warrants that have torn mothers and fathers from their children and otherwise wreaked havoc in the community. Photographs by Rachel Shively

There will be May Day rally and march to support immigrant workers and families, in celebration of International Workers Day. An injury to one is an injury to all! Join us May 1st, at 5 pm, at the McLean County Museum of History (200 N. Main Street).

Bicycling advocates are mobilizing in Bloomington-Normal around the issue of safe bicycle transportation. For many years, there has been a large community supporting biking and alternative forms of transportation in Bloomington-Normal. Two months ago, students at Normal Community High School inspired that community with their bike2school campaign, advocating for bike transportation to school and work. … Continue reading »

Help support the bike lanes proposed as feasible by the Main Street Feasibility Study! A bicycle lane spanning the entire length of the nine-mile Main Street corridor, through both Bloomington and Normal, is one of the proposals presented as feasible to city governments by the study. Beginning in January of 2011, the Main Street Feasibility … Continue reading »

“Big Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!” was one of the many spirited chants inside the lobby of Chase Bank on Oakland Avenue Saturday afternoon, as over 50 Bloomington-Normal demonstrators entered the bank and delivered a message for Chase Midwest Chairman, Glenn Tilton. Identifying as the 99%, the activists spoke with the bank … Continue reading »

Over 80 organizations and businesses participated in the 2012 Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo on Saturday, April 14th. The annual event, held in the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan campus, promotes alternatives for a green, sustainable society and healthy living. This year’s them was Creating Healthy Communities and was McLean County’s first ever … Continue reading »

Organized by Illinois People’s Action and Latinos United for Change, over 40 people rallied for justice in the Trayvon Martin murder case. Reverend Billy Ruffin, Pastor John Rayford, Erica Thurmond, Abel Mohamed, and Sonny Garcia spoke at the event. During his spirited speech, Sonny Garcia announced that Zimmerman, Trayvon’s accused murdered, had been charged with … Continue reading »

Hosted by Bloomington-Normal Coalition for Peace and Justice (BNCPJ) and Common Action Free School (CAFS), a panel presentation titled “Toward Peace and Justice in Palestine: Four Perspectives” attracted over 30 community members for a discussion of current realities in Palestine. The event was inspired by, and a continuation of, discussions on Palestine held by the … Continue reading »

[Diane Ravitch is speaking at Illinois State University this evening (see Corey Mattson's post below for details about Ravitch and her talk). What follows is my critique of the arguments Ravitch puts forth in her latest book, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education.] Diane … Continue reading »

Diane Ravitch, education professor and policy-maker, will speak on education reform in the United States, drawing from her recent book The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education. She will speak at the Braden Auditorium on Tuesday, March 27th, 7 – 8 pm. Ms. Ravitch is … Continue reading »

Over 30 community members gathered Thursday afternoon to help communication workers secure their first union contract with Verizon, holding a protest outside the Verizon office on IAA Drive. The workers are members of a recently organized local of the Communication Workers of America (CWA). The local is facing anti-union tactics in negotiations, typical in today’s … Continue reading »

Over 280 cities, towns and counties in Illinois – out of a total of 300 – voted in favor of municipal electricity aggregation. But Bloomington and Normal decided against the proposal – 59% against in Bloomington and 55% against in Normal. Municipal electricity aggregation allows a local government to bid for an electricity supplier, and … Continue reading »

— Compiled by Bill Rau and Corey Mattson — On March 20th, residents of Bloomington and Normal will be voting on a referendum that would result in lower electricity bills and could eventually lead to the municipal adoption of clean energy. The proposal is called municipal electricity aggregation, and below can be found resources to … Continue reading »

Over 60 people attended a community meeting at Heartland Community College to learn more about cooperative grocery stores and explore the possibility of opening one in Bloomington-Normal. The meeting was led by Mercy Davidson, Christina Schultz and Elaine Sebald, and included numerous presentations and sessions for audience participation. Mercy Davidson said in an introductory presentation … Continue reading »

— by William C. Rau — After this spring’s primary on March 20th, electricity power supply in Illinois could be transformed beyond recognition. Why? Because citizens in 267 cities, towns, and communities in the Ameren and ComEd service areas will be voting on municipal or community electric aggregation.(1) If Ameren customers in Bloomington and Normal … Continue reading »

Award-winning documentary “With My Own Two Wheels” screens at the Normal Theater Tuesday evening, 7 pm, hosted by Vitesse Bicycle Shop, the Town of Normal, and WGLT’s Good to Go. The movie weaves an international tale of how the bicycle can change and even save lives. All monetary proceeds will be donated to World Bicycle … Continue reading »

The economic downturn of 2008 unleashed an epidemic of home foreclosures that left no community in America uninfected.  On February 19, the Common Action Free School hosted “Taking Back the Land”, the first in a series of talks demonstrating civil disobedience as a potential cure.  The program’s first installment, hosted by Jenn Carrillo of Illinois … Continue reading »

Renegades for Peace, the student peace group at Illinois Wesleyan, organized a vibrant discussion on the current military threats of the U.S. government upon Iran. Over 50 attended attended the discussion, hosted by Alex Monzon of the Renegades and co-sponsored by the Common Action Free School (CAFS) and the Bloomington-Normal Coalition for Peace and Justice … Continue reading »

–by Anne McGowan– When each building is generating its own clean power with geothermal and solar energy, shared on a smart grid, power will be in the hands of us producers and users. We’ll then be able to thumb our noses at Big Oil and its current grip over our economy and government. Talk about … Continue reading »

About 20 Bloomington-Normal people assembled in downtown Bloomington Thursday afternoon to demand that the U.S. stop threatening Iran. The protest was part of an international day of action with over 80 cities in participation. The protests called for an end to the Mideast wars, opposition to sanctions against Iran, and opposition to military intervention in … Continue reading »

January 17, 2012 – Is curbside recycling coming to Normal this year? Most of the councilmembers on the Normal Town Council support passing the measure. Mark Peterson, Normal city manager, led a council presentation and discussion on the issue Tuesday night. Mr. Peterson said that recent efficiency gains with automatic waste pick-up, initiated in 2011, … Continue reading »

The Unit 5 School Board, now in the middle of contract talks with district bus drivers, voted unanimously Wednesday evening to direct Superintendent Niehaus to solicit bids from private bus companies. Numerous bus drivers, all members of a new union local, spoke during the public comment session prior to the vote, voicing their opposition to … Continue reading »