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.
-
In a public unveiling, the university unveiled the memorial bench and posthumous degree in honor of Carol Rofstad. Her murder is still unsolved after over 50 years. -
The exemption rate for the estate tax of family farm operations was set at $4 million in 2013. The McLean County Farm Bureau said $6 million is a fair rate to account for inflation, but the Family Farm Preservation Act has struggled to make it through the Illinois legislature. -
The "Taking Steps to End Child Abuse Color Run" is in its 16th year this April. It is held in the memory of Duncan and Jack Leichtenberg of LeRoy, the 2009 victims of childhood domestic violence. -
The Normal Police Department has made technology one of its top priorities in 2026. That includes a new video drone that officers can bring to crime and crash scenes. -
The exhibit area closed for renovations in January. It will officially reopen on Thursday, April 9, featuring pretend play and education on agriculture, farming and the sources of food in Central Illinois. -
Joseph Brooks, 22, will serve 55 years in prison for the first-degree murder of officer Aréanah Preston. He was one of four people charged in her death. -
Bishop Louis Tylka of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria said his parishes have seen a significant increase in attendance recently. It comes from a mixture of curiosity and hunger for faith amid many populations, especially youth. -
The McLean County Museum of History announced the 2026 class of History Makers at a media event Wednesday morning. It includes former ISU softball coach Melinda Fischer, former County Board Chair John McIntyre, counselor Feli Sebastian and community activists Camille and Art Taylor. -
Adam Elpayaa was recognized as one of the top pizza makers at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. The event hosted 780 competitors from around the world. -
The Department of Justice quietly reassigned its senior attorneys off of the Recognition and Accreditation Program, which provides training and standards for non-attorneys to give legal advice and sometimes litigate issues. The Immigration Project in downstate Illinois has 30 DOJ reps.
