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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Fire Chief Ryan Gibson told WGLT he understood prices are high for everyone, and the fire department needs to cover its own rising costs. He said three ballot questions would increase the department's budget to cover equipment and staffing needs, if approved. -
After continually being impressed with the care they got from Heartland Community College graduates, Bud and Fran Davis amended their will to give money to the nursing program after their deaths. That time came Thursday with the reveal from their estate. -
Normal City Manager Pam Reece said the town is working with Bloomington and McLean County to reduce the risk of accidents involving e-mobility devices, and is still monitoring possible data center regulations. -
Community benefits agreements, or CBAs, are legal documents for the investment and enforcement of specific provisions between a data center developer and a community. In the latest in WGLT's ongoing series about data centers, some sources tout CBAs as a tool of trust — while others say they are empty promises. -
Democrat Buck Farley has represented District 5 on the McLean County Board since 2023. He and his Republican opponent, former bank examiner Jeff Lord, describe finances as their top priority. -
Republican Jerry Klinkner is challenging incumbent William Bessler, a Democrat, for the seat to serve District 4 on the McLean County Board. The candidates agree on cost of living as a key issue, but differ in how to achieve lower costs. -
Congressional approval ratings are in the tank. By some measures this is one of the least productive sessions of Congress in living memory. WGLT's Charlie Schlenker reports those things may not change much any time soon. -
The war in Iran — or conflict, depending on who you ask — is perhaps the top foreign policy issue facing voters this midterm election. WGLT's Charlie Schlenker reports on how the congressional candidates in the districts of Bloomington-Normal perceive the country's position against Iran. -
The Ecology Action Center had thought the county's recycling rate in 2024 topped 50% for the first time ever when it was actually 43%. In calculating the 2025 numbers, the center found data previously confirmed was misreported by another agency. -
Mayor Chris Koos honored Terri Ryburn as the Town of Normal's Citizen of the Year at a reception on Tuesday. Ryburn is retiring in December as caretaker of the historic Sprague's Super Service on Pine Street.
