When seeking to discuss and describe the developments of Black music during slavery and the subsequent Civil War, one must first trace the origins of Black music before it arrived in America. To do that, one must examine the history…
Straight Talk | These tragic child deaths need more investigating
For the second time, the Peoria area lost another child to physical and mental abuse. For the second time, I fear the deaths will die from lack of attention and meaningful response. While 35-year-old Leslie Jett will die as an…
OpEd | Case of county auditor needs serious auditing
Taxpayers, please take note of a unique court case, 21-MR-992. It is open to the public and the next Hearing is set for 1:30-2:30 p.m. June 16, in Peoria County Courtroom 203. The County Auditor is asking for relief (court…
OpEd | American genocide
My cousin, Loquacious “Lolo” Jackson, had borrowed my baseball glove. I am not sure exactly when, but Barack Obama was still president then. My son and I have never had a catch. It is entirely possible, given my current level…
Peoria up for Co-Responder Pilot Program
A new bill plans to change how Peoria Police respond to behavioral crisis calls by adding mental health care workers to their emergency team. If it succeeds in Peoria, it has the possibility of becoming the standard statewide. Peoria is…
Nature Rambles | How to tame Garlic Mustard invasion?
From beneath the melting snow, it can be seen. Shriveled, green rosettes of leaves, awaiting the warmth of spring. Each of these rosettes represents a plant that has found a toe-hold along our wooded paths in central Illinois. Each is…
The Watch | Three cheers to the county for streamlining collection of our real estate taxes
When public officials collaborate to make government more effective, flag it. Hence, three cheers for a new method of collecting real estate taxes prompted by the Peoria County Treasurer and Peoria Township Collector. Stephen Morris, Township Collector, recommended all in-person…
Inland Art | Endless possibilities
Turn on photocopy machine, open lid, select copy on the home screen, scan with nothing on the glass plate and accumulate sheets of grainy black paper with heavy toner. Cut, tape, tear and glue paper. Repeat or mix up the…
Arts Beat | May 2022
ART Peorian Steve Spain presents highlights from his collection of original animation cels from Disney at the Riverfront Museum through May 8. THEATER Peoria Players Theatre is bringing back “Mamma Mia!” May 13-15 and 18-22 featuring Dedra Kaiser, Celeste Matheson,…
Heat Waves — In Red and Black | Illinois unprepared for killer heat
Deadly heat gets no respect. Natural hazards that count — tornadoes, floods, etc. — are property-destroying traumas. Homeowners, public infrastructure, and insurance companies all take big hits. The Great Flood of 1993, for example, destroyed 24,000 Illinois homes and 884,000…
Environmental News and Notes | May 2022
ISU student recovers usable nutrients from wastewater Senior Illinois State University environmental health and sustainability major Rowan Carroll is addressing the widespread issue of nutrient pollution harming public health and aquatic life through a process she’s developed that not only…
West Peoria News | Memorial Day celebration, big yard sale on calendar
The West Peoria Resident’s Association (WPRA) has activities planned for May to involve residents. May 14 is scheduled for a community-wide yard sale. Sale hours are planned for 7 a.m.-3 p.m. WPRA will post signage and also run ads in…
Serendipity | Old-school Momming, modern-day executive?
My Mother was an interesting blend of strictness, kindness, compassion, tolerance, and don’t be fooled by her smiling face. She was strict, but not mean spirited. Her goals were not always mine, which caused some friction when I was a…
Labor Roundup | Peoria Starbucks involved in case that the coffee stores broke law; Amazon wrangling with workers
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled that Starbucks broke the law in resisting workers’ campaigns to unionize — the first time in the national organizing drive. The company retaliated against the workers “to discourage employees from engaging in…
Village people
It takes a village, so it’s been said, to help a community succeed, and Bernice Gordon-Young is literally using that philosophy to help meet her city’s needs. Gordon-Young started It Takes a Village of Peoria, Inc. six years ago and…
Students say ‘Yes’ to a free prom dress and so much more at ITAV giveaway
It Takes a Village held its fourth FREE Prom Dress Giveaway on March 19. But that doesn’t come close to describing the atmosphere that president Bernice Gordon-Young and her village people provided for the hundreds of high school students who…
Lawmakers working to improve school lunches
An effort to improve the quality of school meals for lower-income and minority students is making its way through the Illinois General Assembly. The Better School Lunches Act has moved on to the Senate after passing unanimously through the Statehouse…
Bill Knight | Persistence can pay off with Peoria rail service
Hooray! Hold on … Don’t plan to ride the rails to Chicago to see an exhibit, ballgame or concert yet. Amtrak’s 50th anniversary was in 2021, but it’s been years that Amtrak fans like me have driven to Galesburg or…
Straight Talk | Primarily, interesting manuevering; but school names?
With the filing for the June primary completed by the 5 pm Monday, March 14, deadline, political observers noted some surprises. The biggest was news that Andrew Rand did not seek re-election to the Peoria County Board. Rand represents District…
Real Talk | Learning more about race, racism and discrimination is critical … lest we forget
Recently while watching a podcast that DL Hughley was on as a guest, he made a very interesting statement. Hughley said, “the most dangerous place for Black people to live is in White people’s imagination.” That statement illustrates how successfully…
The Lion’s Den | Wonder drug: Empathy-1619
They had finally done it. The smart kids at Florida A&M University had created the drug that would wipe out racism and injustice in all of its forms. But, of course, none of this would have happened if not for…