Bad ink and quick news bites fuel fear and people end up labeling entire areas of a city as dangerous. An arbitrary boundary is created that people are afraid to cross. Because of that label, people see only streets of…
* The Renaissance Park Community Association reports that its first public art project is complete. The colorful 12 x 78-foot mural painted on the side of the Muir Omni Graphics building on West Main Street also includes six large-scale artist-designed…
‘Now or never’ in fight vs. TPP fast-track. Warning that it’s “now or never” in the fight against presidential authority to jam job-losing trade pacts such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through Congress, Communications Workers of America President Larry Cohen…
There is good evidence to support breast cancer screening, but there is controversy about which screening method is best. An ideal cancer test would never indicate a cancer that was not present (false positive) and never miss a cancer (false…
Contraceptives are accessible to some Peoria women, not all Teen-aged girls in some areas of Peoria have more than twice the pregnancy rate as their counterparts nationwide but limited access to long-term contraceptives. Overall, the teen pregnancy rate in the…
As winter temperatures drop, homeless people may be more visible, either scrambling on the streets to find emergency shelter or seeking momentary refuge in public spaces like libraries. Homelessness and the poverty that can drive it continue. In a 2014…
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…
My favorite section of the Journal Star is the editorial page and not because of anything editor Mike Bailey writes. I rarely read PJS editorials since they represent the far left. Thankfully the newspaper reprints columns by Charles Krauthammer versus…
The short answer is yes. The long answer involves violation of trust. Frank Abdnour secured city approval and installed an electronic sign for his restaurant, The Spotted Cow, 718 W. Glen Ave. The sign is up, running and looks…
The Tao Te Ching is a classic Chinese text from at least the fourth century BCE (Before the Common Era; means same as B.C. but does not refer to Christianity). I read from the Stephen Mitchell English version recently in…
The verdict rendered regarding officer Darren Wilson is not only a sickening moral decision on behalf of the people of Ferguson and its citizens, but a fraudulent disgrace of injustice on American people, the Brown family, African American parents and…
(“Counting on Methadone,” Community Word, December 2014) I’m very frustrated at the way most people look at methadone programs. I was an IV drug user back in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. I went to prison twice for writing checks…
I am writing to thank you for defending teachers in your recent Community Word column (Bill Knight, December 2014). It seems that more often than not, we teachers are under attack. Any time someone speaks up, and does so…
(Community Word, December 2014) Expanding Medicare and making it available to people younger than 65 is favored by most Americans, according to a recent New York Times/CBS poll. Expansion was favored by 59 percent of respondents. However, despite that positive…
Peoria has tied its economic future to Caterpillar Inc. for over a century. The corporation made several Top 10 lists in recent months. Here are two of them: Truth-out.org: Corporations: Sure We Don’t Pay Our Taxes, But We Want Tax…
Despite an official letter of opposition from the Marshall County Board and widespread opposition from local residents, an Iowa firm has received tentative approval from the Illinois Department of Agriculture for Sandy Lane LLC Hog Farm, a massive, 20,000-head hog…
The City of Peoria recently completed — well, sorta — a road project on Forrest Hill between Sheridan Road and Knoxville. The road is being repaved with new drainage, etc. Now, work isn’t exactly completed. They just stopped and reopened…
Kamil Mufti is resident scholar and imam at the Islamic Foundation of Peoria where he has served for the past six years. His interests (or passions) include expanding understanding of Islam and developing interfaith harmony. The most common stereotype people…
Oh, New Year’s Resolutions, how I love you! Let me count the ways! Maybe prior to counting, a more realistic assessment of my affection for you is necessary. I love the thought of an entire new year ahead, and the thrill of speculating…
Prior to the turn of the 20th century, there was a long tradition of pushing oneself away from the table on Christmas and finding an excuse to go traipsing off through the woods. Part of the tradition was to take…
Peoria County Deputy James Middlemas will become police officer for the City of West Peoria on duty Tuesday through Saturday from 6:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. beginning Jan. 5, 2015. We are fortunate to have a day officer on duty.…
