Consolidating industries are apparently learning from other near-monopolies, and are using pretexts to boost prices — and profits — at the expense of consumers. An ag advocacy group, Farm Action, this winter wrote the Federal Trade Commission asserting that despite…
When I was a kid, at 4 p.m. every Saturday, I made sure that I was in front of the television to watch one of my favorite shows of all time, Star Trek. So that we’re clear, I’m talking about…
People of a certain age may hear “Pleasant Valley” and think of the Monkees’ ’60s musical-comedy TV show, but Pleasant Valley School District 62 sees no laughing matter in meeting teaching obstacles some might feel are insurmountable (though it has…
More than 91% of employees at the Peoria Public Library are living “paycheck to paycheck,” according to a survey of staff this winter. What’s arguably worse for them — and maybe embarrassing for the City of Peoria and taxpayers –…
“This second exhibited selection of work from the collection of John and Jeff Heintzman brings together meditative, spiritual and playful qualities of the gesture, marks made and accentuated by the artist’s hand. These works not only perpetuate the impulse to…
I have been threatening to break up with a bad girlfriend for years. She takes more than she gives, hurts people with impunity and has little empathy for those she maims or kills. Our years together have been thrilling. Once…
Recently we visited the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in New Mexico near Albuquerque and perused the exhibition on the Ancient Puebloan culture and history. We learned about the massive destruction of the Native Americans by successive waves of colonizing nations…
Basketball fans know how the sport plays in Peoria. Finally, some of those stories from an extra-special time in the city’s lore will be captured in print when “Playgrounds to the Pros: Legends of Peoria Basketball” (3 Fields Books, University…
This year marks the 35th year that I have had the opportunity to be involved with annual winter Bald Eagle counts along the Illinois River. Surveys provide a snapshot of Bald Eagle numbers on a particular day across the state.…
Climate and Equity Jobs Act program helps fight the scarcity and inequality that economics creates Last month, I explored physical shortages of water and nature-based approaches to closing deficits in drinking water. A more common American problem is rapidly accelerating…
