Fifteen programs — business law, religious studies, statistics — will be cut; 61 faculty spots on chopping block
Nature Rambles: Ancient branches swirl into our past and future
If left to its own devises, the old oak, which spans 10 generations, could easily outlive several more. Perhaps the fact that it is still standing says something about an improvement in our environmental ethics.
Heat Waves — In Red & Black: As the world burns, Ethanol helps fuel the fire
Unintended consequences rear their ugly head with the profligate promotion of ‘clean’ corn fuel that has turned the crop into a net negative for the environment
Labor roundup: Shutdown looms over federal employees; UAW reaching out to other automakers
Consequences include more than 800,000 federal workers could be required to work without pay or be locked out of their jobs; no new Social Security cards will be issued and veterans’ benefits claims stop being processed; hiring of law enforcement and other essential employees stops; processing visa and passport requests stop; and inspections of food, water, workplaces, chemical plants, and hazardous waste sites come to a halt.
Arts Alerts: Lots to do to begin New Year this month
Ana V. Fleming’s ‘Until the Darkness’ exhibit at Peoria Art Guild; ‘Puff (or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic)’ at Corn Stock; Comedy at Jukebox and Cafe Santa Rosa
Op-Ed: Gaza must be free from Hamas
Heinous terror attacks on Oct. 7 prove that Israeli safety is in jeopardy
Xavier Jackson: Bad look — Derek Chauvin deserves another trial
I believe former officer Chauvin contributed to the death of George Floyd, but I have come to believe he did not get a fair trial. There was quite a lot of bungling by others that could have changed the outcome that day.
The Watch: County zones solar farm; City Council talking taxes; ballots will include postage
League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria observers attend and report on local government meetings.
West Peoria News: Holiday buzz about City Hall, and sound of silence
The city will be ushering in a state-of-the-art facility, complete with solar technology, additional meeting room capacity, and well-planned space for the office staff. The proposals include a relocation of the Memorial Wall from its current location at Franciscan Park to the proposed civic plaza.
Paul Gordon: Fear the fallout if 45 is elected 47th president
All I hope for between now and next November is that voters take the time to really study the issues. I mean, really study them and form their own opinions rather than simply taking the words they hear on Fox News or MSNBC as gospel
The Lion’s Den: Sustenance has sustained the soul of our survival
Home cooking — the preparation, unique ingredients, smells and tastes — reminds us of what we’ve had to do to persevere, especially during the holidays
Emily Gill: Nationalism narrows space for Christianity
Patriotism that is perceived through religious lens can be detrimental
to constitutional values our Founding Fathers framed for the United States
Enrich our Earth: Community composting ‘great’ for the health of our soil, our food, our people — our planet
There’s a way to address the common human activities of discarding food, which results in dramatic methane emissions, especially from landfills — composting; and the Peoria area has a convenient, simple way to make a big difference: community composting.
Bill Knight: Price-fixing? EGGS-actly
Public blasts WTVP
Viewers comment on the financial crisis at public TV station
Straight Talk: Christmas sings ‘support Israel’
More than 200 people raised their voices under the direction of the talented Lee Wenger with wife Denise Adams at the grand piano and son Christopher on guitar. That was almost double the audience’s size last year when we resurrected the community event.
Nature Rambles: The view from the hill flows on for forever
The final resting area of a historic pony truss bridge is a very interesting travel wayside: It now sits at the top of two separate watersheds. … Rain falling east of the bridge will wind its way to the Illinois River through Crow Creek south of Henry. Rain falling west will meander to the Illinois via the Spoon River near Havana.
Fluddle follow: Farmers finding productive uses for wetlands
This film captured the recent efforts by farmers are deciding to restore wetlands as part of a new way of managing their agricultural operations. Their restored wetlands are quickly becoming oasis for migratory birds, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians
Inland Art: Regarding the black hole
With exquisite rendering, Justin Henry Miller skillfully combines a perversion of implied slick surfaces with indulgent colors, creating a sort of Freudian exploration of desires. Yet, within one’s visual vocabulary, a familiarity emerges as if these fundamentally different elements harmoniously converge.
Believe it: Violent crime is actually dropping
New FBI data released recently shows crime rates have fallen to pre-COVID-19 pandemic numbers
Labor roundup: Unionists blast Hamas, push cease-fire
With the Middle East war continuing, and with Israeli military entering Gaza to try to oust Hamas forces, union leaders from the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees and the Government Employees back Israeli’s response to Hamas’s attacks. Meanwhile, more than 240…