https://www.bradleyillinois.com/reporting/ Original reporting by The Bourbs, Kankakee County, Illinois: investigations, meeting coverage, weekly government roundups and the tools we build. Edited by Stan Gromer. en-us thebourbsnewsletter@gmail.com (Stan Gromer) Fri, 06 Nov 2026 18:27:10 +0000 https://www.bradleyillinois.com/img/logo.pnghttps://www.bradleyillinois.com/ https://www.bradleyillinois.com/election/library/ bf-2026-11-05-election-library Thu, 05 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs How the Bourbonnais Public Library referendum ran precinct by precinct on Nov. 3, and how it compares with the road district question on the same ballot. StoryelectionlibraryreferendumBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/election/road-district/ bf-2026-11-04-election-road-district Wed, 04 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Precinct-by-precinct results of the Bourbonnais Township road district question against the last township board race, with the map. Storyelectionroad districtprecinctsBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/august17-committees.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-august17-committees-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Three of seven members came, so nothing could be approved. The fire chief asked to act as village fire marshal, and the administrator set his last day. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/november2.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-november2-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The board cuts the mayor's lawyer's $44,769.50 bill, 4–2, and a trustee says the 30-day emergency appointment has expired. Nineteen claims, graded. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/july20-committees.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-july20-committees-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Finance argued over $1,750 taken off the forensic auditors' final bill for attorney Cainkar's review, and questioned a $17,500 engineering contract for Main Street trees. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/october14.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-october14-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Pickleball lights priced at about $40,000 installed, a request to extend TIF District 3, and the audit waiting on four answers. The only votes were on minutes. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/june30.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-june30-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Five days after the June 25 vote: a half-size Oak Street parking lot, tree bids, a truck repair, and an auditor's $225-an-hour request nobody at the table claimed. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/july14.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-july14-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs No hearings or petitions. Fifty minutes on how Manteno should grow, from stalled Springfield bills to an AI-drafted pitch for a Sam's Club near I-57. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/august12.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-august12-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Four trustees approved $367,125.39 in bills at an 8 a.m. special meeting. Whether the meeting's call and notice met Village Code and the Open Meetings Act is graded Open. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/october13.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-october13-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs A stand-in presenter pitched a 4.8 MW Tesla battery storage site off Route 50. Safety questions went largely unanswered, nobody voted, and commissioners said battery storage should need a special use permit. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/july28.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-july28-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Two trustees absent. Agreement on drafting clerk pay of $100 a meeting, a split over docking the forensic auditor, vendor background checks dropped, and an argument over porta-potties. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/july8.html bf-2026-11-03-manteno-july8-html Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Two days after the attorney vote, four trustees backed a pickleball league pilot, limited one company's bench sponsorship, and set Gotion's fire brigade deadlines. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://flockreports.com/ bf-2026-11-02-flockreports-com Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 FlockReports.com An independent public-records project cataloguing documented problems with Flock Safety and similar license-plate-reader networks: officer misuse, federal and ICE data sharing, city rejections and repeals, audits and lawsuits across all 50 states, with 6,360 entries and 14,192 sources as of Nov. 2. Tool we builtFlockALPRsurveillancedatabase https://www.bradleyillinois.com/election/ bf-2026-11-02-election Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Live Nov. 3 results pulled from the County Clerk and cross-checked against the Daily Journal, with a precinct map and year-over-year history for township and local races. Tool we builtelectiondata toolKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-11-02-daily.html bf-2026-11-02-newsletter-archive-2026-11-02-daily-html Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bradley awards Abbey Construction $1.55 million 5-0 and sets a Dec. 8 kickoff event. Bourbonnais takes up a zoning variance and the Grove at Goselin Park concessions agreement; Manteno considers Thies Park pickleball lights; Kankakee moves to end its HB Equities agreement for 169 S. Schuyler. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBradleyBourbonnaisMantenoKankakee https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/slots/explorer.html bf-2026-10-31-research-slots-explorer-html Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs A searchable explorer of every licensed video gaming location in the county: machines, monthly play, local tax share, year by year, built from the Illinois Gaming Board's own reports. Tool we builtslotsdata toolKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/adopt/ bf-2026-10-31-adopt Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Every adoptable dog, cat and critter at county shelters and rescues, updated daily from Animal Control, the Humane Foundation, River Valley, Sunrise Center, New Beginnings and more. Tool we builtpetsdirectoryKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/slots/ bf-2026-10-31-research-slots Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Players have lost $365,974,439 in the county's video gaming machines since 2012. We added up 169 months of Illinois Gaming Board reports: the record years, every town, the machines that take the most, and where the money goes. Investigationslotsvideo gamingpublic recordsKankakee County https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/10/27/bradley-waterpark-dec-8-kickoff-abbey-paving-contract/ bf-2026-10-27-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-10-27-bradley-waterpark-dec-8-kickoff-abbey-pavin Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Bradley Waterpark Gets a Dec. 8 Kickoff Party Instead of a Groundbreaking, Plus a $1.55 Million Paving Contract StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/edition/2026-10-26/ bf-2026-10-26-edition-2026-10-26 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs An eleven-page digital paper for Monday, Oct. 26: county news, sports, events, jobs, classifieds, adoptable pets, obituaries, births and the farm report. Launchdigital editionnewspaperKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-10-26-daily.html bf-2026-10-26-newsletter-archive-2026-10-26-daily-html Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bradley's Oct. 26 site concrete and paving vote for the indoor waterpark, and the two Manteno Committee of the Whole sessions set for 7 a.m. Oct. 27. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBradleyMantenoBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/township-assessor-voicemail/ bf-2026-10-22-research-township-assessor-voicemail Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs A voicemail meant for "Steve" landed on Highway Commissioner Jason Diaz's phone 13 days before the Road District vote. The full, unedited recording, every word in writing, and what the public record says. InvestigationBourbonnais TownshipassessorrecordingBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/what-were-watching.html bf-2026-10-22-what-were-watching-html Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Land deals, rezonings, public-body purchases and quiet money moves across Kankakee County, tracked before they become news. Every lead is built from recorded deeds and public agendas. Tool we builtleadsdeedsagendasKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/kankakee-council-2026-10-19.html bf-2026-10-20-kankakee-council-2026-10-19-html Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs What the Kankakee City Council did on Oct. 19, from the agenda, the packet and the meeting itself. StoryKankakeecity councilmeetingKankakee https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/october19.html bf-2026-10-20-manteno-october19-html Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Another quiet night: four trustees, three votes, all unanimous. The bigger numbers came from the audit discussion. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/bourbonnais-explorer.html bf-2026-10-20-bourbonnais-explorer-html Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs 6,208 parcels by land use, owner type, zoning and taxable value per acre, 7,124 buildings, local businesses, the development pipeline, IDOT crashes and traffic counts, census block groups, sewer mains and service districts. Tool we builtmapparcelsdata toolBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-10-19-daily.html bf-2026-10-19-newsletter-archive-2026-10-19-daily-html Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily The Oct. 19 run across the county, meeting by meeting, with a separate full story on Kankakee's new fire chief and the $372,850 roof work awarded without bids. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisMantenoKankakeeKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/bradley-money-monitor/purchasing-cards.html bf-2026-10-13-research-bradley-money-monitor-purchasing-cards-html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Every Village purchasing-card charge from 13 months of statements, from $20,383.86 of meat to the Mayor's own card, itemized and sourced to the statements obtained under FOIA. InvestigationBradleypurchasing cardsspendingBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/bradley-money-monitor/ bf-2026-10-13-research-bradley-money-monitor Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs $1,681,007 in Village money, a rescinded restaurant lease reborn as a BEDC deal, and a mall bought $2.28 million over appraisal, traced through Bradley's own check register and board packets. InvestigationBradleyBEDCspendingBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/10/13/bradley-awards-first-waterpark-site-work-contract-tenco/ bf-2026-10-13-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-10-13-bradley-awards-first-waterpark-site-work-co Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Bradley Awards First Waterpark Site-Work Contract: Nearly $2.9 Million, One Bidder StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/Flock/ bf-2026-10-12-research-flock Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Bourbonnais operates 12 Flock Safety license plate readers shared with 1,700+ agencies. We filed FOIA requests, analyzed nine months of network audit logs, and built an interactive tracker to show how your data moves. InvestigationFlockALPRsurveillanceFOIABourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/TrashService/ bf-2026-10-12-research-trashservice Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Three decades of Kankakee County trash-hauling contracts. We pulled the 2010, 2015 and 2021 contracts, tracked the rate changes, and produced a video and a podcast episode on what residents actually pay. InvestigationtrashcontractsBourbonnaisBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/Flock/flock-tracker.html bf-2026-10-12-research-flock-flock-tracker-html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Interactive tracker of who searched Bourbonnais's license-plate-reader data, from which agency and how often, built from the audit logs released under FOIA records 26-2081 and 26-2082. Tool we builtFlockALPRdata toolBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/Flock/foia-requests.html bf-2026-10-12-research-flock-foia-requests-html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Every request, response and document in the Bourbonnais Flock Safety records fight, in order, with the files. Data & documentsFlockFOIAdocumentsBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-10-12-daily.html bf-2026-10-12-newsletter-archive-2026-10-12-daily-html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily What the Bradley Village Board took up Oct. 12, including a gas station special use permit, and the week's agendas in Bourbonnais and Kankakee. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBradleyBourbonnaisKankakee https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/videos.html bf-2026-10-08-manteno-videos-html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Full recordings of the twelve Village of Manteno board and committee meetings at the center of the 2026 governance crisis, June 15 through October 5. Data & documentsMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/october5.html bf-2026-10-08-manteno-october5-html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Six votes, all unanimous, and the office staff the mayor talked about "unionizing" already had a union. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/bourbonnais-township-files/ bf-2026-10-06-research-bourbonnais-township-files Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs A ten-part review of Bourbonnais Township's audits, budgets, ordinances and meeting video: the money it holds, the aid it gives, who gets paid, the $100,000 tornado gift, the records fight and what the Road District vote does. Published as a Facebook series Oct. 6–12, 2026. SeriesBourbonnais TownshipauditsFOIABourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/tips/ bf-2026-10-05-tips Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs A tip line for Kankakee County. Anonymous tips are welcome; every tip is read and reviewed within 24 hours. Tool we builttipsKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/jobs-report.html bf-2026-10-05-jobs-report-html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs A live labor-market report: open jobs by industry and town, median posted pay, top employers hiring, and the trend over time, rebuilt nightly from the jobs database. Tool we builtjobsdataKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-10-05-daily.html bf-2026-10-05-newsletter-archive-2026-10-05-daily-html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Three municipal boards and the county ZBA meet Oct. 5: Bourbonnais's deputy village clerks resolution, Kankakee's zoning, sewer cleaner and cyber plan, Manteno's B&F Construction reconsideration, fire-inspection IGA and building inspector appointment. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisKankakeeMantenoKankakee County https://bradleywaterpark.com/mattel/ bf-2026-10-01-bradleywaterpark-com-mattel Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Every announced Mattel-branded park, Bradley's included, in one tracker: Bellevue, Orlando, Roanoke Rapids and Greeley, with each project's status and documents. Tool we builtwaterparkMattelBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/10/01/mattel-wonder-renderings-barbie-surf-hot-wheels-tower-bellevue-first/ bf-2026-10-01-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-10-01-mattel-wonder-renderings-barbie-surf-hot-wh Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Mattel's New Wonder Waterpark Renderings: Barbie Surf, a Hot Wheels Tower, and Bellevue Goes First StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/10/01/mattel-new-ceo-roger-lynch-what-it-means-for-bradley/ bf-2026-10-01-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-10-01-mattel-new-ceo-roger-lynch-what-it-means-fo Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Mattel Is Changing CEOs. Here Is What That Does, and Doesn't, Mean for Bradley StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/10/01/bradley-clears-land-next-to-waterpark-groundbreaking-still-no-date/ bf-2026-10-01-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-10-01-bradley-clears-land-next-to-waterpark-groun Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Bradley Is Clearing Land Next to the Waterpark Site. The Groundbreaking Still Has No Date StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/10/01/judge-throws-out-greeley-vote-catalyst-still-paused/ bf-2026-10-01-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-10-01-judge-throws-out-greeley-vote-catalyst-stil Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com A Judge Threw Out Greeley's Vote. The Catalyst District Is Still Paused StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-09-28-daily.html bf-2026-09-28-newsletter-archive-2026-09-28-daily-html Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bradley's Sept. 28 meeting and executive session, and the Bourbonnais, Kankakee and Manteno meetings of Sept. 21 whose official minutes had not been posted. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBradleyBourbonnaisKankakeeManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Datacenters.html bf-2026-09-24-datacenters-html Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs We asked 22 Kankakee County governments whether they have signed secret deals with developers or hold any data center records. Here is who answered, who turned over records, and who hasn't said a word. Investigationdata centersNDAsFOIAKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/september16.html bf-2026-09-22-manteno-september16-html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The special meeting the mayor said she would veto in full, and what was actually voted. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/september21.html bf-2026-09-22-manteno-september21-html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The written veto of every item from the September 16 meeting, read against the statute that governs vetoes and overrides. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/toolbox.html bf-2026-09-22-manteno-toolbox-html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs For every dispute on the record, the lawful fix, who holds the tool, and the vote it takes, with every statute and code section read from its text. ExplainerMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/bourbonnais-road-district/the-full-record.html bf-2026-09-22-research-bourbonnais-road-district-the-full-record-html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Every document behind the road-district question in one place: the resolutions, the budgets, the meeting video timestamps and the correspondence, so readers can check the guide against the sources. Data & documentsBourbonnais Townshiproad districtdocumentsBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/bourbonnais-road-district/ bf-2026-09-22-research-bourbonnais-road-district Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs A plain-English guide to the Nov. 3 ballot question: what a yes vote actually does, why nothing changes until 2029, and what happened when a neighbor asked the board to show the savings math. ExplainerBourbonnais Townshiproad districtballot questionelectionBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/changelog.html bf-2026-09-22-manteno-changelog-html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs MantenoIllinois.com becomes bradleyillinois.com/manteno/. Every page keeps its file name; every page now carries a byline; nothing in the findings changed. UpdateMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/nogotionno.html bf-2026-09-22-manteno-nogotionno-html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs A picture book about the never-ending battle over a battery plant in Manteno, Illinois, by people who just want to be left alone. StoryMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-09-21-daily.html bf-2026-09-21-newsletter-archive-2026-09-21-daily-html Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bourbonnais's second reading on the PSI special use permit could produce a vote Monday night; Bradley and Manteno agendas, and what is still pending from Sept. 8. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisBradleyManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/census-story.html bf-2026-09-15-census-story-html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The Census Bureau's 2025 estimates, town by town, against 115 years of counts: which places grew, which shrank, and how the county compares with the state. StorycensuspopulationdataKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/census.html bf-2026-09-15-census-html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Every Kankakee County town and township, every census since 1910, plus the 2025 estimates, as an interactive time machine built from Census Bureau bulk files, decennial reports and ACS tables, with every figure sourced. Tool we builtcensuspopulationdata toolKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-09-14-daily.html bf-2026-09-14-newsletter-archive-2026-09-14-daily-html Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily What the five Sept. 8 meetings took up, with the caveat that minutes were not yet posted for any of them, so outcomes stayed unconfirmed. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisMantenoKankakee CountyBradleyKankakee https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/september9.html bf-2026-09-10-manteno-september9-html Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The September 9 committee meeting, in plain English. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/september8.html bf-2026-09-09-manteno-september8-html Wed, 09 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The September 8 board meeting: no administrator, no code officer, and the votes that left it that way. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-09-07-daily.html bf-2026-09-07-newsletter-archive-2026-09-07-daily-html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily All five local governments meet Sept. 8. Bourbonnais takes up a cannabis retailers' tax, a major development at the I-57 interchange and two TIF agreements that could pass the same night, with the rest of the county's agendas. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisBradleyKankakeeMantenoKankakee County https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/09/03/watson-groundbreaking-guest-list-no-date/ bf-2026-09-03-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-09-03-watson-groundbreaking-guest-list-no-date Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Watson Has a Guest List for the Groundbreaking. He Still Doesn't Have a Date. StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/09/03/the-fourth-wonder-park-roanoke-rapids-north-carolina/ bf-2026-09-03-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-09-03-the-fourth-wonder-park-roanoke-rapids-north Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com There Is a Fourth Wonder Park, and We Missed It: Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/09/03/the-two-mattel-park-companies-everyone-confuses/ bf-2026-09-03-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-09-03-the-two-mattel-park-companies-everyone-conf Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com The Two "Mattel Park" Companies Everyone Confuses, Including Us StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/09/03/the-glendale-warning-mattels-other-park-lost-its-developer/ bf-2026-09-03-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-09-03-the-glendale-warning-mattels-other-park-los Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com The Glendale Warning: Mattel's Other Park Just Lost Its Developer StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/09/03/mattel-quarterly-call-mentioned-waterparks-zero-times/ bf-2026-09-03-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-09-03-mattel-quarterly-call-mentioned-waterparks- Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Mattel's Quarterly Earnings Call Mentioned Waterparks Exactly Zero Times StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/09/02/greeley-reverses-itself-sends-forty-year-tax-to-november-ballot/ bf-2026-09-02-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-09-02-greeley-reverses-itself-sends-forty-year-ta Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Greeley Reversed Itself in Six Days and Sent a 40-Year Tax to the Ballot StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-08-31-daily.html bf-2026-08-31-newsletter-archive-2026-08-31-daily-html Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bradley Auto Sales gets its 5-0 approval after four earlier tries. The rest of the Aug. 24 agenda, Kankakee's council, and where Manteno stands going into September. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBradleyKankakeeManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/baseball/ bf-2026-08-29-baseball Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Every team and tournament at 315 Sports Park, with high school baseball, softball and soccer results, stat leaders and record boards, scraped weekly. Tool we builtsports315 Sports ParkBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/08/26/bradley-hires-springfield-lobbyist-groundbreaking-moves-to-fall/ bf-2026-08-26-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-08-26-bradley-hires-springfield-lobbyist-groundbr Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Bradley Hires a Springfield Lobbyist, and Quietly Moves Groundbreaking to Fall StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/august20.html bf-2026-08-20-manteno-august20-html Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The meeting we missed, written up from the recording and the minutes. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/august17.html bf-2026-08-17-manteno-august17-html Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The August 17 board meeting, published the night it happened: the Rule 21 arrest order and what followed. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/audit.html bf-2026-08-17-manteno-audit-html Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs What the Greene forensic audit of the Village actually found: the bidding, banking and land-sale concerns, the figures both camps cite, and what the auditors did not say. ExplainerMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-08-17-daily.html bf-2026-08-17-newsletter-archive-2026-08-17-daily-html Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bourbonnais swears in its second officer of the month and takes up proclamations for K-9 Knight and Consul General Charlotte Montel; the Aug. 3 votes were all 5-0. Manteno's Gotion fire brigade MOU is confirmed unanimous, and the LaRocque suspension is laid out item by item. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisMantenoBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-08-10-daily.html bf-2026-08-10-newsletter-archive-2026-08-10-daily-html Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Bradley takes up the SWPPP and mass-grading award for the indoor waterpark and a Midland States Bank draw-down line for the parks bond program. In Manteno, Administrator Chris LaRocque is suspended five days without pay and four items are stripped from the agenda. Bourbonnais's Aug. 3 outcomes, pending minutes. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBradleyMantenoBourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/august3.html bf-2026-08-04-manteno-august3-html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The August 3 meeting, including the override vote, graded against the recording and the code. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-08-03-daily.html bf-2026-08-03-newsletter-archive-2026-08-03-daily-html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily The July 21 ruling: no complaint had been filed, so the court had no jurisdiction to grant the restraining order. Vasselli says a complaint is coming within 72 hours. What is on Manteno's Aug. 3 agenda, and the week in Bourbonnais, Bradley and Kankakee. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsMantenoBourbonnaisBradleyKankakee https://www.facebook.com/TheBourbs bf-2026-07-29-www-facebook-com-thebourbs Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs An hourly, autonomous news desk for The Bourbs+ Page: credited reposts of county news, meeting previews, Park Check, Now Hiring, Who Do You Call, Your Town and The Deep Cut, every link verified live before it posts. LaunchFacebooksocialKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/Research/bourbonnais-stop-signs.html bf-2026-07-25-research-bourbonnais-stop-signs-html Sat, 25 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The Village of Bourbonnais installed eight all-way stop signs in July 2026. The village's own records show what the decision was based on, and what it wasn't. InvestigationBourbonnaistrafficFOIABourbonnais https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/july20.html bf-2026-07-21-manteno-july20-html Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs What the board did on July 20 and what the record shows, item by item. Meeting coverageMantenovillage boardmeetingManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-07-20-daily.html bf-2026-07-20-newsletter-archive-2026-07-20-daily-html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily The July 6 vote on the Continuous Retention Letter and the scene around it, from the recording; two ordinances also pass. The mayor's attorney from Vasselli Law is expected July 20. The rest of the week's agendas across Bourbonnais, Bradley and Kankakee. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsMantenoBourbonnaisBradleyKankakee https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/legal.html bf-2026-07-18-manteno-legal-html Sat, 18 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The three contested legal questions in the attorney dispute: whether the June 25 special meeting was lawfully convened, who may appoint the village attorney, and whether the removal was lawful, read against the Municipal Code and the Open Meetings Act. ExplainerMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/lawsuit.html bf-2026-07-17-manteno-lawsuit-html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs The Village sued four of its own trustees. What the complaint says, what the trustees answered, and where the case stands. ExplainerMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/index.html bf-2026-07-16-manteno-index-html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs An independent, document-based record of the Village of Manteno governance dispute between Mayor Annette LaMore and the Board of Trustees, built from FOIA records, recordings and the Village's own documents. Launched as MantenoIllinois.com; moved into The Bourbs Sept. 22. LaunchMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/manteno/claims.html bf-2026-07-16-manteno-claims-html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Chloe, The Bourbs Every public claim in the Manteno dispute graded against the documents: True, False, Misleading or Open, with the source for each grade. ExplainerMantenovillage boardManteno https://www.bradleyillinois.com/foia.html bf-2026-07-11-foia-html Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Stan Gromer, The Bourbs Request-by-request tracker of the FOIA requests sent to every Kankakee County municipality about data center agreements, non-disclosure agreements and related records, with each body's response. Data & documentsdata centersFOIAtrackerKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-07-06-daily.html bf-2026-07-06-newsletter-archive-2026-07-06-daily-html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Manteno's board majority brings a retention letter for Joseph Cainkar to a regular meeting after the disputed June 25 special meeting; Kankakee's council takes up a roughly $89 million state agreement to rebuild I-57 at IL-17 plus first readings of the budgets; Bradley closes the 136 S. Clinton zoning case. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsMantenoKankakeeBradleyBourbonnais https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/06/24/bradley-renaming-itself-to-mattelville/ bf-2026-06-24-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-06-24-bradley-renaming-itself-to-mattelville Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Bradley renaming itself to Mattelville StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-06-22-daily.html bf-2026-06-22-newsletter-archive-2026-06-22-daily-html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Trustees move to override Mayor LaMore's vetoes of the remote-attendance ordinance and a $9,350 tree contract, and a new village attorney is on the agenda. Bourbonnais opens its FY2027 budget and a first reading of Ordinance 26-2552 pausing data centers. Kankakee considers a $150,000 comprehensive plan with Teska. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsMantenoBourbonnaisKankakeeBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-06-08-daily.html bf-2026-06-08-newsletter-archive-2026-06-08-daily-html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily Manteno's Ordinance 26-03 sends 2025 tax money back to homeowners, Clerk Allen Pickrel resigns and Steven Orth is appointed, and contracts for the administrator, police chief and public works director go through. Kankakee clears downtown street closures for Juneteenth, Sunset Stroll and Merchant Street Music Fest. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsMantenoBourbonnaisKankakeeBradleyKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/government.html bf-2026-06-02-government-html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs What Kankakee County governments and school boards have on the agenda each week: agendas, key items and highlights from Bourbonnais, Bradley, Kankakee and every K3 school district. Tool we builtgovernmentagendasmeetingsKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/newsletter-archive/2026-06-02-daily.html bf-2026-06-02-newsletter-archive-2026-06-02-daily-html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Daily The first edition of This Week in Local Government: Bourbonnais votes on a $72,656 Harbor House grant and second readings of its solar-farm moratorium and TIF extension; Kankakee weighs a four-year deal to host the APBA national championship on the river; the county takes 15 blighted properties through the IHDA program. Weekly gov rounduplocal governmentweekly roundupmeetingsBourbonnaisBradleyKankakeeKankakee County https://www.bradleyillinois.com/coming-soon.html bf-2026-05-22-coming-soon-html Fri, 22 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs Every new restaurant, store, venue, housing development and major construction project announced for the county, tracked from permits, agendas and announcements. Tool we builtdevelopmentbusinessKankakee County https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/05/07/could-what-just-happened-in-texas-happen-to-bradleys-waterpark/ bf-2026-05-07-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-05-07-could-what-just-happened-in-texas-happen-to Thu, 07 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Could What Just Happened in Texas Happen to Bradley's Waterpark? StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/05/07/bradleys-waterpark-is-getting-bigger-and-groundbreaking-is-almost-here/ bf-2026-05-07-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-05-07-bradleys-waterpark-is-getting-bigger-and-gr Thu, 07 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Bradley's Waterpark Is Getting Bigger, and Groundbreaking Is Almost Here StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://www.bradleyillinois.com/towns/ bf-2026-05-06-towns Wed, 06 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The Bourbs A page for every incorporated community in the county, from Kankakee to the smallest prairie village, with its events, restaurants, services and government. Tool we builttownsdirectoryKankakee County https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/02/26/a-tale-of-two-waterparks-greeley-voters-halt-1-1b-district-shifting-the-spotlight-to-bradley/ bf-2026-02-26-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-02-26-a-tale-of-two-waterparks-greeley-voters-hal Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com A Tale of Two Waterparks: Greeley Voters Halt $1.1B District, Shifting the Spotlight to Bradley StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/02/06/192/ bf-2026-02-06-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-02-06-192 Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark Officially Coming to Bradley, Illinois StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley https://bradleywaterpark.com/News/2026/02/06/a-billion-dollar-gamble-on-the-prairie/ bf-2026-02-06-bradleywaterpark-com-news-2026-02-06-a-billion-dollar-gamble-on-the-prairie Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000 BradleyWaterpark.com A Billion-Dollar Gamble on the Prairie StorywaterparkMattelBradleyBradley