Serendipity | So Long Ago

According to the calendar I’ve kept for decades, my high school graduation was 55 years ago. More precisely it was on Wednesday, June 1, 1966 that my classmates and I walked down the aisle of St. Mary’s Cathedral as students,…

West Peoria News | Cannabis lounge

The 20th Annual Night Out Against Crime is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3 at City Hall. The event is sponsored by the West Peoria Neighborhood Watch. Its regular monthly meeting will be 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug.…

Labor Roundup | August 2021

400 religious leaders urge passage of PRO Act. Saying that protecting and expanding workers’ right to organize is a moral imperative, and a boost to workers who most need it, more than 400 religious leaders signed an open letter to…

Rain gardens and the art of noticing

William Hope

Professor William Hope at Knox College works with students to harness observational skills with manual labor for an embodied understanding of the correlation between bioswales, deep-rooted perennials, the Anthropocene and experiential learning. Hope, associate professor of anthropology and sociology, helped…

Coffee shop “contained” in Hanna City

Ron Gulley

HANNA CITY – After talking with a friend, developer Ron Gulley knew that building a successful coffee shop in rural Peoria would need to be at a good location and unique. He settled on Ill. Route 116 and shipping containers.…

Lead water pipes: Invisible public health threat

Lead water pipes are a major public health risk, especially in Peoria that has among the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the country. Illinois recently passed legislation calling for replacement of lead service lines carrying water from the…

The Lion’s Den | The History of History

“History is written by the Victors” is a term often attributed to Winston Churchill. In its simplistic interpretation, those in power are in a position to provide their historical narrative. In recent weeks there has been a political outcry over…

Straight Talk | Not good “news”

A number of incidents in the local media prompts me to focus on Peoria’s broadcasting industry. Let’s start with the dismissal of WEEK TV’s talented meteorologist, Jesse Guinn. Guinn reportedly was unceremoniously fired without notice or any kind of preliminary…

Editorial | Deliberate Misunderstanding

S.A. Shepler (c) 2021 Community Word

It is not antisemitic to advocate for Palestinian human rights and respect. It is not antisemitic to protest war against Gaza. It is not support of Hamas, a terrorist organization, to object to bombing Gaza. It is not antisemitic to…

OpEd | Fulton v. City of Philadelphia

Editor’s Note: A column in the next issue of Community Word will analyze the Supreme Court ruling against Philadelphia affirming the right of Catholic Social Services to refuse to accept same-sex couples as foster parents. BY EMILY GILL By the…

The Watch | History in Peoria

At last, here are a few historic happenings which do not involve global illness … Rita Ali became the first woman and first person of color to serve as Mayor of Peoria when she was sworn in on May 4.…

Real Talk | Take Your Knee Off Our Necks

A metaphoric knee has been on the necks of Black people for over 400 years in this country. That knee was literally displayed on May 25, 2020 when police officer Derek Chauvin applied pressure to George Floyd’s neck with his…

Inland Art | Jan Brandt

Jan Brandt

I met Jan Brandt many years ago when her gallery and studio space was located at the historic Coca-Cola Bottling Plant on Bell Street in Bloomington. I was seeking a new gallery to visit beyond my typical stops in Peoria…

Art Alerts | July 2021

From Bronzeville to Harlem

In artist Preston Jackson’s sweeping exhibit “Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story,” the sculptor tells narratives of American migration and immigration, hope and opportunity, freedom and the struggle for equality through hundreds of small bronze and steel figures, relief sculptures,…

Judge calls for student CCC

U.S. Federal Judge Joe Billy McDade spoke at the graduation of the Peoria Park District’s Elite program recently and called for establishment of a student CCC program like one implemented as part of the New Deal during the administration of…