was recently reminded of the time, when I was driving my daughters and their friends up Springfield Road to Fondulac Park. On our way we saw a man struggling to ride his bike up the hill. With no traffic, I slowed down to cheer…
Musings
What a different kind of spring we’ve had this year. After the 80 degree weather it almost seems that summer has ended and cool weather is back. It is definitely an unusual year for weather. I haven’t even got my…
The Community Corner
4th Installment Features …… info from Peoria City/County Health Dept. and Peoria County [Editor’s Note: The Community Word offers this column to various agencies and governmental organizations in an effort to inform the public just what it is that they do for our Peoria-area…
April Happenings
April Happenings thru April 8 – Lily Show at Luthy Botanical Gardens. Call 686-3362. April 5 – “Understanding Your Tax Bill,” from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at ICC’s North Campus on University St. This workshop give property owners in Peoria County a chance to learn how…
News briefs
Methodist Offers April “Coffee with the Doctors” If you’re among the growing number of people who has difficulty hearing, Methodist Medical Center is offering a free opportunity to learn the causes and treatments. In another of its regular “Coffee with the Doctors,” Methodist Medical…
Peoria Park District news
FORGET THE LAWN—WE’RE HUNTING FOR EGGS UNDERWATER! Why hunt for eggs on the lawn when you can hunt them UNDERWATER at the AquaPlex? The Peoria Park District and the RiverPlex Recreation and Wellness Center will hold their annual Underwater Egg Hunt for children…
Summer camps at Peoria Park District
The Peoria Park District offers many great summer camps for children at various locations with different themes. For more detailed information regarding specific camp dates and registration fees, check the SummerPlaybook available April 21, or visit http://www.peoriaparks.org/camps-for-kids. This summer, the Peoria Park…
Democrats Look Ahead to Primary
With the March 20 primary on the horizon, Democratic candidates are hoping to sway voters in their direction. As part of a continuous dialogue between candidates and their potential constituents, Democrats vying for the 18th District congressional seat are touting their…
Who do I choose?
Kindermusik Gives Children a Lifelong Love of Music and a Foundation for Learning
When you visit Trinity Lutheran Church, the beauty, enthusiasm, and positive atmosphere make for a great place to worship. In the case of their program that makes an impact on children, the Kindermusik at Trinity classes are no exception. Marie Dicke, who hosts…
A Fine Romance Awaits You in March and April
By Trish Noack, Supervisor of Public Relations @ Peoria Public Library “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, 1910-1965” exhibit and programs are coming to Peoria Public Library in March and April to tell the story of the many Jewish composers,…
Exclusive
Marketing is one of the fastest growing professions in the country. Colleges and universities now offer degrees in marketing. Every successful business has a marketing department or at least a marketing officer. I want to tell you about one of…
NCAA Hardly ‘Squeaky’ Clean: BU Guest Speaker
When Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Taylor Branch comes to Peoria this month, he’s returning to “the scene of the crime.” But the crime wasn’t the 1951 indictment of Bradley University players like Gene “Squeaky” Melchiorre, caught up in the scheme to fix basketball games. The crime…
Goose Music or ‘Sky Carp’
Irene Cull was a botanist, but her enthusiasm for all things natural was contagious. It was March, just over 30 years ago, and my wife, Mary, and I were on our way to a prairie conference in Chicago. Irene was scheduled…
Book burnings all around
There’s a rumor we’ve burned some Korans in Afghanistan and some Muslims go on a murder spree. Oh, really not good. President Obama apologizes for the burnt Korans. And the religious right goes nuts. Also not good. Iran starts burning Bibles (or so…
Guest editorials
Is ALEC Smart – or NOT? by Ed Klein, Peoria, IL How many of you have heard of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC? Not very many, I’m sure. It is a secretive tax-exempt organization with, as its brochure points out,…
Mr. Safety
If you’re a teenager, you probably think your Dad is a dork. His quirks, habits and rules seem so alien that you swear you’ll never be like your parents. Good luck with that. I used to call my Daddy “Mr.…
Grammie’s Words of Wisdom and Love
Dear Jensen Reed, When you are old enough to understand, I will tell you of the absolute joy that greeted your early arrival January 27th. Literally hundreds of people have prayed for you, my dear grandson, even before you were…
West Peoria News for March 2011
This year’s General Primary Election is: March 20, 2012. Early voting for West Peoria voters will be March 9, 2012 in City Hall from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. All registered voters have received new voter registration cards. The last day to…
Musings
This is the beginning of the thirteenth year of writing this blog, as someone recently called it. I started it in 1998 right after Jack died on the eve of Thanksgiving that year. The person who called it my blog…
Community Corner
Editor’s Note: The Community Word offers this column to various agencies and governmental organizations in an effort to inform the public just what it is that they do for our Peoria-area community. This month we are proud to present two contributions!] THE…
Shop Talk
By Greg Speck Do we even think about “wellness?” Should “wellness” mean using prescribed pharmaceutical drugs as main stay actions when other remedies might be available? Jeanne Garrett became involved in “wellness” when a family member developed strange physical and…