Straight Talk

Monroe

Happy Birthday Woodruff High Woodruff High School was closed in 2010 by a slim 4-3 vote of the District 150 school board. All of those board members who foolishly destroyed the high school are gone, but not the Woodruff Alumni…

Monroe

QUICK THOUGHTS The editor has requested a short column this month, so I’m going to share some thoughts about my morning show, “Breakfast with Roger and Friends,” that started in 2002 as “Breakfast with Royce and Roger.”  We lost Royce…

Monroe

BOB BAIETTO TO RETIRE Peoria County board member Bob Baietto will not run for re-election. The 12th District representative has been a member of the board since 1996, serving on a variety of board committees including Public Safety and Justice…

Monroe

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY That’s the question facing Peoria’s city council regarding the purchase of Illinois American Water Co. Those who support buying the water company believe it could be a gold mine for the city and those…

Monroe

Caterpillar rumor It’s only a rumor. These days everyone repeats rumors especially if it’s about President Trump, someone in his family, or someone in his administration. However, this rumor is about Caterpillar and its announced plan to move some 200…

Monroe

What If? As the basketball season draws to a close, Bradley fans have to be wondering about the future of the sport on the Hilltop. Yes, this past season under coach Brian Wardle was better than the year before, but…

Monroe

Bob Michel was a hero  Bob Michel is gone. At the age of 93, the Peoria native slipped from this world to the next leaving a history of accomplishments and service unmatched by anyone from this city or this state.…

Monroe

What’s right with Peoria   I’m old and growing older. One of the few benefits of old age is we know what life was like years ago and see what it is today. Others can not. Peoria was different in…

Monroe

COUNTY AUDITOR RESIGNS Not many people, especially those holding public office, will walk away from a job paying $96,000 a year, but Carol Van Winkle did. The Peoria County Auditor, angry and frustrated with the county board, resigned from her…

Monroe

Exclusive PARK DISTRICT ENDS MARKETING The marketing department and all of its employees at the Peoria Park District are gone. It was done with one swipe of the management dismissal brush. That includes the head of the department, we’re told,…