The Journal Star’s “Word on the Street” column ran a post-election love letter to State Rep. Jehan Gordon and the young, energized voters who attended her victory celebration. No mention is made of her unnecessarily negative and misleading campaign ads.…
Author Archive for Billy Dennis
October has been cruel to the Peoria City Council
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
Dan Irving, who represents the fifth district, was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery following an altercation between him and his estranged wife at her Alta dress store. As of this writing, he was awaiting word on what charges, if…
Judging the judges and finding the wanting
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
There is a school of thought that says we shouldn’t elect judges. The thinking is that when judges’ jobs depend on making the voters happy, you start getting decisions that are merely popular, and not necessarily founded in the law.…
It’s not about defending a religion, it’s about opposing a slow slide into fascism
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” — Sinclair Lewis quotes (American Writer, 1885-1951) I’m stepping outside this column’s normal subject matter — news and media in Peoria — to discuss…
Addressing an omission in Journal Star coverage
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
First, I applaud Peoria City Manager Scott Moore for moving to an older Peoria home in an older Peoria neighborhood and fixing it up. Second, I was annoyed that Moore had to go before the Peoria Historic Preservation Commission and…
Canton prison doesn’t seem all that warm and fuzzy now
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
I used to work at the Canton Daily Ledger. It’s owned by GateHouse Media now, but then it was owned by Conrad Black’s American Publishing Company. It’s hard to believe, but those people were even scummier than GateHouse. Black is…
Taken to class by Bradley University journalism students
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
I had the pleasure of spending an hour last month with a bunch of young journalists at Bradley University. I was invited to talk about blogging and journalism with Terry Bibo’s news writing class. To provide an air of legitimacy…
This is a review of Mel’s Cafe that really isn’t a review at all
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
I called Dad on Thursday morning and invited him to lunch. Usually we pick a Chinese restaurant. But I had something different in mind and I broached the subject. ‘You know,’ I said. ‘I’ve been thinking of going to Mel’s…
I was banned — City Beat March 2010
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
I suppose I have no choice but to comment on what happened to me last month’s at Peoria School District 150 headquarters. I was banned. Or more accurately, I was prevented from attending a press conference. Only it wasn’t a…
Peoria citizen media takes its next step
by Billy Dennis • • 0 Comments
The Community Word publisher Debbie Adlof and myself have started a news business. It’s called TellPeoria Online Media. You can visit our business site at http://tellpeoria.com and see some recent press releases to see what we’re all about. But the…