Helping veterans in the Tri-County area with small home repairs is the focus of the Illinois Valley Fuller Center for Housing (IVFCH), a not-for-profit organization incorporated in June and affiliated with The Fuller Center for Housing, an organization working to…
The Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois Announces its October First Tuesday event at the Contemporary Art Center
The Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois is holding its monthly networking opportunity for central Illinois women on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 from 5:00-7:00 PM at the Contemporary Art Center. Join local area women who are passionate…
Peoria Players semi-annual Vintage Clothing & Collectibles Oct 19
Costume Mistress Bonnie Larson will hold her semi-annual Vintage Clothing & Collectibles Sale on Saturday, October 19 from 8:00 am to noon in the Peoria Players lobby. Many unique and hard-to-find collectibles, along with clothing and costumes from all eras…
Rocky Horror Picture Show returns to Peoria Players
The Rocky Horror Picture Show returns to Peoria Players for more midnight madness! Join us for this Peoria tradition. The movie will play on the big screen while the live performers act along onstage. Dress as your favorite character and…
Gordon-Booth legislation makes it harder to committ frauid
A new law backed by state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, will help fraud and abuse in state programs by punishing anyone who participates in Medicaid fraud. “Medicaid is an important program that provides assistance to people who cannot afford it…
Pragmatic progressive, bipartisan leader
Hours before a fund raiser at a White Sox game in U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, busy State Sen. Dave Koehler took time to chat with the Community Word about the award he’s receiving on Sept. 21, when the Peoria…
Happy anniversary, Debbie
Peoria Council Searches for Replacement to Fill Sandburg’s Seat
Following the death of Peoria City Councilman Gary Sandburg, council members are weighing in regarding who should fill the at-large seat. It has been over a month since the sudden and unexpected passing of Peoria City Councilman Gary Sandburg who…
The Politics of Food: Corporations, not science, shape the nation’s food policies
Do you feel outraged to live in a country that allows toxins to be marketed to children as food? Do you feel angry that the government allows corporate profit to trump truth? Take these examples: · “Zero trans fat”: Misleading…
Giving Back
Jonelle Polk McCloud is very familiar with that rewarding feeling of success in achieving personal goals. Her accomplishments are many, both on and off the basketball court, and in and out of the classroom. She has the trophies, certificates and…
Art in the Heart of Illinois
For over 135 years, the Peoria Art Guild has worked to exhibit contemporary art, created by some of the most talented and professional artists from all over the world. They’ve made it their mission to showcase talented artists with combined…
Local man part of military’s anti-rape effort
EXCLUSIVE The national media has done an excellent job exposing the military’s failure to support women who were victims of sexual abuse and attacks. Too often, the military ignored cases of rape. It’s been so bad, critics allege, that many…
Manna from Heaven
As days shorten, attention turns not just to football, but to such real life topics as harvest and preparation for winter. We tend to plan ahead more now than at any other time of the year. It’s a time of…
The Country Needs a Better Minimum Wage
Whether slinging hash at a fast-food franchise in Peoria Heights or clocking in day labor booked out of a downtown office, minimum-wage workers need better pay. The country needs a better minimum wage – and one that includes everyone who…
Shame on the city council — shame
The Peoria City Council ought to be ashamed of itself. This was not a case of some street department worker caught leaning on his shovel. This was not some clerk at the finance department caught pocketing a buck. This was…
Ironic Headlines
By Dolores M. Klein, Peoria, IL I’m sure the Suffragists were an ongoing “pain in the neck,” during all those years from when Abigail Adams pleaded with the framers of the Constitution to “remember the ladies … regard us as…
It’s War, Folks!
By Ed Klein, Peoria, IL We’re all aware of the many wars being waged around the world today. However, the war I’m referring to is one being waged right here in the United States. No, not the war against Christmas,…
West Peoria News for September 2013
The West Peoria Neighborhood Watch is again this year sponsoring the annual West Peoria Night Out Against Crime on Saturday, September 7th from 3:00 until 5:30 p.m. Other local organizations assisting are the City of West Peoria, West Peoria Township,…
‘Ransomware’ Scary Messages that Lock up Your Computer
Our computer repair store in East Peoria has seen a rash of Ransomware computer threats. It’s not just here that this is happened. I read an article recently where a guy fell for the scam. He admitted to child pornography…
In like a flood
When I was a child, the nightly news seemed like a foreign movie. It seemed that everything bad and evil happened on the other side of the planet, far from our suburban home. When we went to church and heard…
Whatever our age, life is a classroom
While my youngest child’s last time to celebrate the first day of a new school year, not counting college, was in 1994 as a high school senior, sentimentality reigns supreme for me each year when summer vacation ends and kids…
‘Worldfest’ celebrates cultural diversity in Central Illinois
With September upon us, Peoria’s various ethnic groups are gearing up for the 10th Annual WorldFest, the biggest celebration of cultural diversity in the area. This year’s event is set for Saturday, September 14th at the Civic Center. Record crowds…