I did it. Never thought I would. I quit taking the Peoria Journal. I’ve been a reader for decades. Before that, I was a carrier delivering the Peoria Journal Star in the morning to the south of my North Madison home. In the afternoon I threw the Peoria Journal Transcript on porches of houses to the north, far north of my neighborhood.

Back then the paper was cheap and so were those who paid us in the circulation department. If a customer didn’t pay, the paper made us pay. The paper was thick and filled with news. It was a quality newspaper. At one time, they had Republican and Democrat writers. There was balance of opinions on the editorial page. Chuck Dancey was the best of the best editors and highly regarded. How times have changed and not for the good.

Time was I could pick up the paper, relax and read it. Today, reading it raises my blood pressure and angers my senses. Balance is gone, replaced by hate. The newspaper doesn’t dislike the President of the United States. They hate him. In one edition, they had five stories attacking the man in one form or another.

There are times you can’t read the getting smaller sports section without a “damn the President story” blaming him for million dollar athletes refusing to honor the flag, the country and our veterans. Even the headline writer has to put hatred into his work with headlines like, “Contentious Trump barrels into G-7 summit,” and “Trump claiming victory before the game starts.” The latter headline was dubbed “Analysis,” which was inaccurate and should’ve been tagged “Opinion.” Another opinionated headline was, “Trump tones down rhetoric.” Heck, the newspaper can’t even write an objective headline.

Virtually every story by today’s newspaper writers is filled with personal political views and opinions. Readers are no longer permitted to reach their own conclusions.

The recently dismissed or retired editorial writer Mike Bailey loved trashing the President column after column. All one needed was to see his headline and know it was a “hit” piece.

So why read it. Yes, there are lots of examples and reasons for quitting the paper. The sports section used to be one of the best in the nation. Not anymore. We’re in the middle of the baseball season and scores and standings are now usually in the back of the small section. A recent Saturday edition had a huge boring basketball photo and two of only three front page sports stories were features that should’ve been in back pages. I’m not a golfer, but the 147th British Open should’ve been on the front page, not buried on page 4. Apparently, the sports department has no interest in golf unless it’s their own golf tournament. Meanwhile, the cost gets higher as the paper gets smaller and the writing becomes less interesting and more to the far left. Don’t need it. Don’t want it. I’ll get my news from television. The local stations do an excellent job of reporting local stories and they do it sooner.

The End of the Trail(s)

Sorry to say the River Trails Apartment project is dead. Opponents, as few in number as they are, like to take credit, but the city just had too many hoops and bureaucratic obstacles to overcome. Of course, the move of Caterpillar headquarters to Deerfield didn’t help the overly optimistic developer’s confidence either. So, Peoria’s riverfront is left with a dismantled retail failure and green space used by a few who walk and ride as they look across the Illinois River to see bustling retail stores, hotels, and restaurants ringing up robust revenue for East Peoria. On the other hand, Peoria has the tax supported museum and Riverplex, so all is not lost . . . completely.

Refreshing

Surfing TV several nights ago, I came upon an awards ceremony. Expecting winners to trash the President and call for ending ICE and border agents, I was surprised, pleasantly surprised. Country singer Carrie Underwood was presented the Disney Humanitarian Award. The presenter listed multiple acts of service and charities she has supported during her career. An impressive and lengthy list it was. I was moved by her acceptance remarks. She mentioned God twice. That probably upset the ACLU. There was no hate, no attacks of the President or the country. How unique. How refreshing.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” –Abraham Lincoln