BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- An alderman wrapping up his first term in office seeks re-election for Bloomington Ward 1. Jaime Mathy began his road in government after opening a bakery with his wife in 2005. Mathy and his wife became aware of the Downtown Bloomington Association and got involved. The association is known for promoting commerce and opportunities. “I have a propensity for talking and expressing opinions and I ended […]
BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- A member of the Bloomington Planning Commission is putting her best foot forward to run for Ward 3. Over twenty years ago, Sheila Montney moved to Bloomington by herself with only her dogs to keep her company, and she has never looked back. Originally from a small town in Arkansas, Montney grew up with parents who divorced when she was in elementary school. Her mother met her dad […]
NORMAL, Ill.- Less than two weeks out from the municipal election there are some things that you might want to know. There are two election commissions, and the County Clerk handles all elections except the Bloomington Municipal one because there is a separate commission called the Bloomington Election Commission. “People go, ‘Why is that? There are about five out of 102 counties that have two election jurisdictions,” said county […]
NORMAL, Ill.- Normal's Planning Commission chair is seeking a Normal Town Council member spot. Town of Normal Council Member Kevin McCarthy says his understanding of municipal government and feels financially that the town of Normal is in good hands if the people choose McCarthy for the upcoming race. McCarthy says his understanding of municipal government and his financial strategies that he already contributes to the town of Normal makes him the choice for residents. "I […]
NORMAL, Ill.- Mayor Chris Koos will be trying to hold the mayoral seat against second-time challenger Marc Tiritilli. Koos has served as mayor for 18 years and he said his strong points in this election are his track record and a positive relationship with Illinois State University. "He [Tiritilli] has publicly said a couple of times that he is more concerned about permanent residents than he is about the students […]
NORMAL, Ill. - A previous alderman that served almost two decades is now seeking re-election for Bloomington Ward 9. Jim Fruin is a real estate agent and a retired State Farm employee. Fruin explains how his experience has led him to seek re-election. “The primary reason is that others have encouraged me to, in the last election cycle. Due to this election cycle, we will lose a lot of experience. And so, others have asked me to return again. I served eight […]
NORMAL, Ill. - A recently retired Illinois State University professor is now running for Bloomington Ward 9. At ISU, Thomas Crumpler prepared students to be elementary teachers with a focus on reading and literacy. He also directed an endowed literacy center for eight years at ISU. Crumpler retired as a professor in December of 2020 after working in the College of Education for 22 years. He explains why he chose to run for Ward 9. “The current Alderwoman who represents […]
NORMAL, Ill. - A candidate running for Normal Town Council believes the local, state, and federal governments are all at a crossroads. David Paul Blumenshine has thrown his hat in the ring to build Normal in his vision. He describes government across the country as being "in limbo," and sees a limited government as what is not only best for Normal, but for America. "I believe that America is at […]
NORMAL, Ill.- A Normal resident says he sees a shortcoming in the Normal Town Council. Karl Sila says the council is dominated by the current mayor, Chris Koos, and the Town manager Pamela Reece. Sila was part of a protest at Koos’ bike shop, a protest in regards to the Coronavirus shut downs. Sila says the shutdowns were prolonged and negatively affected students, especially being that students work in many of […]
