In the depths of winter with snow blanketing the countryside, Evan Barry picks kale and spinach in his hoop houses. His organic produce is regularly stocked at Sous Chef, 1311 SW Adams in Peoria. “With few farmers growing produce through…
Illinois may not have the worst contamination of PFAS “forever chemicals,” according to a new study by the Environmental Working Group, but the toxic compounds are present in water systems and groundwater in Peoria, Galesburg, Bloomington and the Quad Cities.…
The census 2010 undercount in Peoria County cost $54 million a year in lost revenues, according to Robin Grantham, community development & engagement manager with PCCEO.
Lester Bobby Mason chopped cotton in Mississippi as a youth along with 11 brothers and sisters. But when 14-year-old Emmett Till was brutally beaten to death in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman, Mason’s mother decided in order…
Everyone remembers the saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” When scrutinized, this phrase is a thought process that is used as a defense mechanism to fend off insults and verbal barbs that…
In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act setting standards for the electronic exchange, privacy and security of health information. Commonly known as HIPPA law, it was designed to protect everyone’s health records. Hospital and medical office…
The word poverty can conjure thoughts of Appalachia, Ethiopia or inner-city neighborhoods, but often the reality of the less fortunate isn’t “them.” It’s “us.” The poor are used to being ignored. Poverty increased in almost one-third of U.S. counties since…
Are fast food franchises a valuable mechanism for economic growth in African-American communities or a blight that spreads high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and more? Apparently, depending on your perspective, it can be either or it can be both. Fast…
BY ANTHONY WALRAVEN, Change Peoria Every year in the State of Illinois, over a quarter of a million people pass through the 92 jails in the 102 counties of our state, and 90% of those people are detained pre-trial, most…
BY SHERIFF BRIAN ASBELL I have not seen any proposed legislation related to the elimination of cash bail; however, I believe this will be a dangerous practice if not properly vetted. I am a proponent of true pre-trial reform which…
Early spring cleaning and preparation for a long election season apparently dominated the agendas for several local governments recently. According to Local Government Observer (LOGO) reports from the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria, the Peoria County Election Commission…
March is one of those months that many would like to bypass. It’s not the depth of winter anymore, and spring seems like it will never arrive. From my perspective, March is the perfect month to revel in the last…
In 2004, climate scientists predicted “more intense, more frequent and longer lasting heat waves” this century. In 2008, the 2nd National Climate Assessment projected heat waves in the Midwest every summer by midcentury. Last year, the Union of Concerned Scientists’…
There is a story of a famous poet Māgha in the 6th century who was carefree with his wealth and lived in poverty towards the end of his life. One day, a poor man came to his door asking for…
Dan Devening’s work is a meticulous hybrid of disciplinary practices. He treads the periphery of painting, collage, graphic design and architecture, looking for new paths between demonstrated customs and proven structures.
The public education system in the United States is broken. A quick Google search reveals some of the problems that are nationally prevalent. Achievement gaps. Overcrowded. Underfunded. Outdated. High dropout rate. School-to-prison pipeline. These harsh realities have existed for decades…
Hours before heading to Chicago and days ahead of the second PeoriaCon, Jason Johnston leads onlookers through a display of comic and other artwork on display at Studios on Sheridan. The 41-year-old Peorian, who formerly worked trade shows with Events…
March 9-April 17: 7th Central Time Ceramics exhibit. Bradley University’s Heuser Art Gallery & Hartmann Center Gallery. March 12: “African American Art in Bronzeville.” Lecture by Juarez Hawkins, Chicago artist, curator and professor. 10-11 a.m. Peoria Riverfront Museum; and 6-7…
What happened to the purist Republican Senate during the trial of Bill Clinton? In 1999, President Clinton was charged and impeached by the House of Representatives for lying under oath and obstruction of justice. The independent counsel who brought the…
On Oct. 29, 1999, former Archbishop Desmond Tutu officially presented President Mandela the five volumes of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report. Tutu, head of the TRC, had heard long hours of personal testimony from the victims of atrocities…
The Residents’ Association has experienced some recent resignations and needs volunteers. The group meets on the third Thursday each month excluding July and December. For more information call Nick Baker at 696-4280. Time is rapidly approaching for the 2020 census.…
Journalists unionizing at Sports Illustrated, alternatives in Phoenix, Miami. Arbitrary firings by a new management firm with no sports news experience, plus an uncertain future relying on “stringers” led more than 90% of the remaining 80 full-time staffers of Sports…
