
By BUD GRIEVES Prior to reading In The Spirit of Wetlands, I was not familiar with the term “eutierria,” which is defined as a secular meditative experience that can occur in nature when boundaries between self and the environment seem…
By DOUG OBERHELMAN There are few wetlands in this world that don’t offer feelings of solace to sheer emotions of awesome being. From the Everglades, the Pantanal in South America, the Boreal Forest in the northern hemisphere, the Prairie Potholes…
In 2020, Florida took over management of a U.S. Clean Water Act program, so in the Sunshine State federal officials no longer decide whether wetlands can be dredged or filled for developments. Other states could follow, but Illinois seems content…
Food insecurity affects many Peoria families. Local organizations are finding innovative solutions to combat this complicated issue. Peoria Grown was founded in 2018. Founder Julie Eliathamby and her team work not only on tackling food insecurity, but health issues related…
This month, a controversial plan to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean could be approved over the objections of Japan’s public, local leaders and environmental activists. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority in May…
A legal case involving high-profile figures but receiving little coverage in six-plus years may have closed, depending on the outcome of a likely appeal. A motion for a summary judgment in the lawsuit alleging that the area’s current and former…
Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia brought her campaign for Illinois Secretary of State in Illinois’ June 28 Democratic primary to Peoria’s Labor Temple in April, when she was introduced and endorsed by retiring secretary Jesse White. If elected, Valencia will…
Ensuring workers rights was a key topic April 25, when Litesa Wallace, Democratic candidate for the 17th Congressional District, visited the West Central Illinois Labor Council. In particular, it’s vital that Congress passes the PRO Act — the Protecting the…
Peoria is buzzing with an expansive arts community. However, many are questioning if the art that is being widely displayed, performed, published, and viewed is representative of the city’s rich diversity — or if barriers have been preventing those artists…