Kim Blickenstaff rode into Peoria like the proverbial knight on a white horse with wads of money and a load of ideas for improving life in central Illinois. The highly successful businessman, who made a fortune in the healthcare industry,…
Boy Scout Troop 11 held an Eagle Court of Honor for Ethan Edley on Jan. 8. Ethan is the troop’s Eagle Scout No. 75 since 1943. It is an impressive number of Eagles because of all the commitment, effort, hard…
A barren wasteland lay in between the way I see myself and the way I am seen by others. The perception and programming of people further clouds the actual reality of that distance. I am 55 years old and at…
Upon entering the 22 VA Art Exhibit last November in the Downtown Branch of the Peoria Public Library, I immediately felt connected to a wide range of creative works. Walls were lined with paintings, photos, recycled art, quilts, writing, carvings,…
On October 16, 1854, in Peoria, Abraham Lincoln argued against expanding slavery and touched on a citizen’s role, that when he governs himself that is self-government, “but when he governs himself and also governs another, that is more than self-government.…
If you’re reading this, then you made it to the year of our Lord, 2023. Perhaps there is light snow on the ground and a solitary robin sitting on a frosty tree limb just outside your window. If you’re lucky,…
At 123 years old, the National Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest running citizen science project in existence. Its roots date back to 1900, when ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested that people should go out at Christmas and count…
After an absence of three years, the annual Peoria Journal Christmas Sing returned Tuesday, Dec. 13, without the involvement of the local newspaper. Apparently, Ebenezer Scrooge, new owners of the Peoria Journal Star, had no interest in continuing what they…
Remember when Christmas celebrations signaled time to bring out the “good dishes” because paper plates and napkins were not allowed? Paper products weren’t so popular in the 1950s and ’60s whatever the celebration, but particularly not for the Big Holidays.…
