The steel bins are innocuously, innocently tucked into corners of parking lots, silently pleading for donations slipped into flip-down doors. But contributions to these bins may not help the needy as much as people assume. In fact, the donations are…
If it’s a tag-team match between Hitler, Stalin and the Boogeyman on one side, and Santa, Jesus and Bernie Sanders on the other, I stand with the latter trio. “Ho! Ho! Huh?” you say? The connection is socialism. I don’t…
Imagine sitting in your bathroom. Now imagine staying there. For more than a year. That’s how long some 30 percent of Illinois inmates are in solitary confinement, concedes the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Another 10 percent suffers such isolation…
Earth hasn’t become Bizarro World, DC Comics’ cubical planet where a flawed copy of Superman talks in twisted negatives. When that super-powered villain says, “I love you!” he means he hates you. If Bizarro says, “I’m sad you succeeded,” he…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s turnaround agenda could seriously hurt everyday people. And it wouldn’t be a double-whammy. It would be more like a quadruple-whammy. Squared. The Republican’s proposed cuts to human services in particular could weaken everything from health care and…
Demographics are destiny, it’s been said. Not necessarily, of course, but a new book by Paul Taylor – scheduled to speak at the Peoria Area Labor Management Council (PALM) at 11:15 a.m. May 19 at the Par-A-Dice Hotel – offers…
The E.D. Edwards Energy Center in Bartonville along the Illinois River reduced the amount of toxins it released in the last decade, but it continues to spew dangerous chemicals and is still burning coal. Further, according to both environmental activists…
For years, the Joe Maddon-Peoria story has been that in 1984 Maddon introduced himself to the new Peoria Suns owner Pete Vonachen by saying, “Hi, I’m Joe Maddon, and I’m your manager. I just want you to know that I’ve…
An unarmed pedestrian is stopped on the street as a suspect and beaten by cops as a crowd gathers and protests. Unfortunately, that’s increasingly common, except in this scenario, the victim is white, the police African American, and society dominated…
Time magazine last month had a cover story bashing teachers that was not just one-sided, but as misleading as less-respected voices on radio and TV. This month, such ill-founded resentment may echo in grumbling about schools’ holiday breaks or misinformed…
