Science Brief | Vaccine Hesitancy

The unvaccinated may not be who we think they are, according to The New York Times. In a recent analysis, The Times reported that the United States has among the world’s highest COVID-19 deaths per capita, but vaccinations are widely…

Inland Art | Jennifer Costa

Jennifer Costa

The introduction of mass production and industrialization provided conveniences for modern society but at the cost of aesthetic negligence of manufactured objects. In the late 19th century, the Arts and Craft Movement sought design reform emphasizing knowledge of materials and…

Art: What is it Good For? | Gratitude

Hello Peoria

November is National Gratitude Month, and as we wind up our seven years of writing for the Community Word, we want to express our gratitude to Clare Howard. In 2014, Clare took a chance on us when she asked us…

Art Alerts | November 2021

“Sublime Idioms,” a Masters of Fine Art exhibit by Lisa Nelson Raabe, is on display at Heuser Art Gallery (1400 West Bradley Ave, Peoria, IL 61625) in Bradley University’s Heuser Art Gallery now through Dec. 10. CINEMA Will Smith, portrays…

Serendipity | Season of thanks

Gratitude isn’t something we acquire on our own. It doesn’t happen at birth, but it’s likely to develop if, and it’s a huge if, adults teach children to say thank you and explain why it’s meaningful to others. Babies, toddlers,…

West Peoria News | Trunk ‘n Treat

Although this is the November issue of Community Word, it will be available in late October. Here is a reminder for the Trunk ‘n Treat planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 in Heddington Oaks parking lot for…

Labor Roundup | November 2021

Bakery union follows Nabisco settlement with Kellogg strike. Almost 1,400 workers at four Kellogg Co. plants went on strike two weeks after settling a five-week work stoppage at Nabisco/Mondelez Members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers work…

Ray LaHood

Former Congressman and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, speaking at Riverfront Museum on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, said he was on the U.S. House intelligence committee when terrorists struck America, but neither the House nor Senate intelligence committees had…

The Lion’s Den | Dystopian nightmare

Date: September 11, 2021. Location: Somewhere near Nowhere. Journal Entry: 9112001 It’s been 20 years since the attack that changed the world as we know it. At 8:46 am, the first tower was hit. At 10:28 am, it was down,…

Bill Knight | Bradley’s College Bowl championship

Bradley College Bowl

Fifty-two years ago this fall – weeks after anti-war protests roiled U.S. campuses and 18 years after a basketball scandal tarnished Bradley’s image – the university returned to the country’s spotlight by becoming the first undefeated school in the 1969…

Straight Talk | Honoring Tami Lane

Hollywood could not have created a better setting for the ceremony honoring Peoria’s Academy Award winner Tami Lane. City of Peoria and Peoria Public School officials, along with family and friends, gathered Thursday, Sept. 9, near the entrance to Hines…

Eviction moratorium: the other half of the story

S.A. Shepler (c) 2021 Community Word

It’s easy to understand workforce diversity helps with product development because it takes into account all demographic perspectives. Mazda neglected to take into account the Spanish population when it named a car model the Mazda Laputa. Laputa can be translated…

OpEd | Equity versus Merit

In a June column in the PJS, George Will objected to progressives’ goal of equity, which he interprets as governmental efforts to improve the conditions of favored groups. He argued that “merit” is the antonym of “equity.” He agreed when…

Peoria loses two Civil Rights icons

Sam Polk worked his way up the ranks of the City of Peoria’s Public Works Department. But he built his legacy in the Peoria branch of the NAACP. He was the sturdy and steadfast bridge between the NAACP of the…

Real Talk | Preserving the 15th Amendment

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, between Jan. 1 to July 14, 18 states enacted 30 laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote. In particular, Black and brown Americans will be disenfranchised, because many of these…

The Watch | Once more into the breach

On Aug. 10, Peoria City Council discussed old tires, which are costly to the city when dumped. The initial resolution required businesses that dispose of tires to register, pay a $50 fee and keep records. Fines were to defray costs.…

Inland Art | Spirit of Place

Gaylord Schanilec

Over many years, book artist, naturalist, wood engraver, and printer Gaylord Schanilec has built a solid reputation in the world of fine press artists’ books. I recently visited Schanilec in his loft studio in St. Paul, Minn., to learn more…