I am a football fan. I can’t deny it. Even as I write I am anticipating my favorite team playing tonight on Monday Night Football. And I do want them to win. I care. In many ways football is a…
Serendipity for October 2014
In the winter of 1967, Jane and I met in a training class for Ozark Airlines Reservation Agents at Greater Peoria Airport. I graduated from high school the previous June. Jane was 13 months older and more mature. She had…
West Peoria News for October 2014
With garbage pickup in front of our homes, it is prudent that the cans be taken off the streets to the rear of homes the evening after the trash is removed. The neighborhoods do not look like ‘living is best…
September heralds the change of the seasons
The cool nights of mid September herald the change of the seasons. The once raucous night calls of katydids and tree crickets of summer literally slow down as the autumn unwinds. Soon the nights will be silent of their song…
Cinnamon might help with diabetes
Background – Over the past 10 years over 100 medical articles on cinnamon and diabetes have been published. Partly because of these articles cinnamon is sold with labeling stating that it “Helps Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels Already in the…
Marine Suicide in Downstate Illinois
By Burton Rabbe In the small towns, in the country, it is either marriage or war that we honor. The chickory here are sky blue. Paler than dress blue. Paler than gun blue. Paler than the bluebirds. The…
Music and Theater Roundup for October 2014
MUSIC/RoundUp Oct.5: Jim Breuer & Rich Aronovitch. 7 pm Limelight Eventple Oct.7: Carlos Santana, “The Corazon Tour.” Peoria Civic Center arena. Oct. 9: Don Williams. 7:30 pm Peoria Civic Center Theater. Oct.11: The Schwag, with Jaik Willis and The Sites.…
Neighborhood notes for October 2014
Peoria & neighborhoods at regional conference Peoria neighborhood leaders, City staff, and Peoria’s resident police officers attended Regional Neighborhood Network Conference, Richmond, Ind., Sept. 11-13. The purpose of the conference is to inform, educate, inspire residents to use what they…
Change 150 & District 150 goals collide; some wonder about direction of Peoria’s schools
Change may be coming to District 150, but it may not be the type of change everyone believes is best for education. Since voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of Sue Wolstenholm to replace Laura Petelle on the District 150 School…
America’s health lags behind comparable nations
Everyday people might understandably fear West Nile Virus or Ebola, but a new report in the Annual Review of Public Health journal says it may be smarter to fret about policymakers’ decisions and wasteful health-care spending – which haven’t meant…
Deceptive or Informative: Pro-choice and anti-choice people go toe-to-toe on North University
People with two philosophically opposing agendas stand along the sidewalk on University Street just north of Willow Knolls Drive. One group wants to put the other group out of business. There is the Illinois Choice Action Team wearing vests with…
Community Word purchased by local group
For only the fifth time since 1977, Community Word is changing ownership. The newspaper started in 1977 as the West Bluff Word, and it survived through four owners and turmoil in the newspaper industry. Its roots are in the Peoria…
White joint, black joint
It’s time for Lathan to go
It’s my personal opinion that no District 150 superintendent in Peoria’s long and historic history has ever caused more anger, chaos, and animosity than Grenita Lathan. No district school superintendent has lost more school court decisions. No superintendent has moved more principals…
Propaganda, not facts drives the GOP
The mere accumulation of facts doesn’t always lead to good conclusions, judgment or wisdom. Too many of us, progressive and conservative alike, can fall victim to extrapolation or correlation. An example of extrapolation is extending some inference based on…
As Peoria becomes more ‘New Urbanist,’ it needs to rethink how it offers mass transit
Why is the city so Hell bent on approving, again and again, new centers of living and shopping far, far away from the core of the city? Every new strip mall out in the hinterlands doubles the miles that Peoria…
Roundup-ready weeds: Brought to you by Monsanto
by Herman Brockman The big ag pesticide/transgenic crop companies have undying faith in the “solve a problem created by our technology with yet more of our technology” principle. An example in the news of late (see, e.g. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/decision-could-boost-use-popular-weed-killer) is Dow…
Acorn Equality Fund Scholarships are available
A total of $40,000 will be awarded for 2015 scholarships at the Acorn Equality Community Breakfast on Dec. 6. The Acorn Equality Fund provides academic financial support for gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered students, allies or the children of gay,…
Peoria march in support of people of Ferguson, MO
by Chama St. Louis On 8/18/14 it was my dream for the Black community to stand as a symbol of positivity, support, and healing for our extended family in Ferguson. I wanted to say we love you and our community…
Why legalize recreational marijuana?
Illinois has legalized medical uses of marijuana as part of a pilot program, but recreational marijuana remains illegal in the state. Colorado, on the other hand, legalized medical marijuana in 2000 and recreational marijuana eight months ago. Colorado has not…
Past and present in Ferguson
By Michael Brown It would be hard to be alive in America right now and not know something about what has happened in Ferguson, Missouri. A young man has been shot and killed. I have had the surrealistic experience of…
Serendipity for September 2014
Frank Sinatra released the album, “September of my years” in 1965. I was 17, and he was turning 50 that December. The album, still in my possession, included the Grammy Award winning “It Was a Very Good Year” and other…