Ben Howell
Graduate AssistantBen Howell is a graduate assistant at WGLT. He joined the station in 2024.
Ben is a graduate student at Illinois State University in the communication program. He also completed his undergrad at ISU, graduating in 2025 with a bachelor’s in mass media. During that time, he held internships at WGLT and WZND, where he was news director and general manager.
After graduate school, Ben hopes to continue covering local news and telling audiences more about the stories and events within their community. Outside of the station, he is an avid fan of movies and video games, trying to collect as much physical media as he can.
Contact Ben at bjhowel@ilstu.edu.
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In a one-time show on June 6, the McLean County Museum of History will serve as the backdrop of a special projection show. Visit BN coordinated the project for ISU fine arts faculty to illustrate and animate images for the show. -
The AFSCME Local 1110 president spoke at Friday's ISU Board of Trustees meeting. He said workers are glad to be back at work but are still upset with university leadership. ISU's president said none of the administration viewed the negotiations are personal. -
With a combination of state funding and repayment from student fees, the Illinois State University Board of Trustees on Friday approved $84 million in funding for three new STEM facilities. They include a new teaching building, an annex and a greenhouse. -
Don Craven, an attorney for multiple journalism associations in the state, said Illinois is in good shape compared to other states. Amid uncertainty at the federal level, he defended his work in courts and litigation to protect the profession. -
At Wednesday's forum, only one resident spoke in favor of a data center. The other 24 people raised concerns over water use, pollution, land use and transparency from the city. -
The changes in the SNAP work requirements could leave more than 120,000 people without benefits. Food pantries are uncertain about the future with rising cost and demand. -
In the same vein as "No Kings" protests, the Bloomington-Normal rally of the national "May Day Strong" protest called for an end to attacks on laborers. The Illinois Federation of Teachers called special attention to addressing the lack of higher ed funding. -
McLean County property tax bills total $483.6 million from the 2025 assessment period. It's a 4% increase from last year. -
The East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging and the University of Illinois Extension are both leaders in the Bloomington-Normal Dementia-Friendly Task Force. The new group wants to set objectives for supporting those with dementia and their families through a survey which closes June 15. -
After 32 years at Central Catholic High School and 28 as head girls basketball coach, Debbie Coffman has decided to retire. She finished her career with an overall record of 632 to 204.
