The West Peoria Neighborhood Watch has included 20 years of watching and reporting for all West Peorians. Thanks for those years and go for another 20. Maggie Moore has been the person coordinating and guiding this watch that makes our…
Serendipity | Seven Grandchildren Greetings
Wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with joy, happy moments and knowing you are loved and cherished by many, especially your Grammie! As a child I was in love with Christmas. I understood…
Labor Roundup | December 2020
The AFL-CIO and SEIU last month complained to the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO), charging the Trump administration with violating numerous international labor laws during the coronavirus pandemic. The complaint from the Service Employees International Union and the labor federation…
Central Illinois specialty farmers: They are “our lifeline” for food
For years, Jimmy Buckley watched government subsidies go to big corn and soybean farmers growing crops that become fuel and animal feed. Buckley grows organic fruits and vegetables for hundreds of people in central Illinois yet until this year, he…
News Analysis: Vote yes on the graduated income tax
Misleading attacks on the ballot initiative to amend the state constitution to enact a graduated income tax (“Fair Tax”) range from scare-tactic lies to exaggerations that defy logic. Some opponents say that a Fair Tax will lead to taxing retirement…
Wasim Ellahi: Everyone deserves excellent, compassionate medical care
His mantra: If someone asks for my help, that’s all I need; we provide help. Dr. Wasim Ellahi was recruited to come to Peoria more than 20 years ago, and when he died Oct. 5, he left a legacy of…
The Lion’s Den | Every Vote Counts
Over the past months, one of the main points of discussion surrounding the upcoming presidential election has been voter suppression. Or in a broader sense, actions that may be viewed as a threat to the democratic process of voting. There…
Bill Knight | “Falsehood flies”
The last time Central Illinois’ 18th Congressional District was represented by someone other than a Republican was in 1939 when James Meeks finished his third term. So it’s not crazy for the GOP to be confident, even arrogant, about the…
Straight Talk | How times have changed!
There was a time when I watched TV news and read the newspaper free of any political influence. All forms of media provided information objectively, I thought. Years ago, the Peoria Journal Transcript had a Republican column and a Democrat…
Editorial | More newsroom cuts at Journal Star
Poynter Institute for Media Studies has reported on yet another round of staff reductions in Gannett newsrooms and other departments nationwide. Gannett recently purchased the Peoria Journal Star. The paper currently has less than 10 percent of the newsroom employees…
OpEd | Who has the essential qualities for presidential leadership – Biden or Trump?
BY FRANK H. MACKAMAN The most frequently asked question during these quadrennial presidential election marathons has to be “Who will win?” But that is the wrong question. With troubles deepening here and abroad, the question should be: “Who will govern…
Letter to the Editor | Demand proper disposal of toxic coal ash
As a grandfather, I am concerned about the poisonous remains of the coal that has been burned in the coal-fired power plants of Illinois. It worries me that these toxic residuals are left next to rivers and aquifers that provide…
Letter to the Editor | Vote NO for Kilbride
More than in any other election in recent history, voters this fall will elect leaders whose decisions and actions will directly affect our lives. One may not realize the importance of another significant measure on our Nov. 3 ballot. Illinois…
Letter to the Editor | Vote YES for Kilbride
Please vote yes to retain Tom Kilbride as Illinois Supreme Court justice. Kilbride has a long, distinguished history of service on the court, protecting ordinary Illinois citizens. Kilbride has been endorsed by both Democrats and Republicans, even though big-donor Republicans…
OpEd | Economic history of the graduated income tax; YES, it’s fair!
BY BILL FEIPEL Omaha, Nebraska was hot that July in 1892. But not as hot as the tempers of the farmers who descended upon it to form their own Populist Party. The Farmers Alliances of the south and west joined…
The Watch | Election Commission Updates
While it seemed November would never come, it has. Your elected officials continue to juggle multiple crises — COVID-19, crazy weather, plummeting revenues — as they anticipate a post-election future. On Sept. 8, Peoria County Election Commission received an update…
Real Talk | Love through the destruction
With the abundance of social chaos and the political and economic demise from multiple pandemics, there is no surprise that disparity continues to surround our society. These are trying times, and there remains real pain. However, I am constantly reminded…
Nature Rambles | Why we do what we do
With all of the disarray and confusion that we seem to be experiencing each day, have you ever wondered “is it worth it?” COVID-19 has forced us to focus on what normally would be something quite esoteric. Did I wash…
Inland Art | Buzz Spector
The widely respected book artist and writer Buzz Spector began his career in Chicago in the mid ’70s. His text-based projects have included installation, papermaking, printmaking, drawing and collage. A connoisseur of cartography, Spector’s words and images get uniform scrutiny.…
Art: What is it Good For? | Community as Medicine
Two years ago “Abraham Blue,” the 50-foot mural of Abraham Lincoln on the Peoria County Courthouse, came into our community. Many recognize the historic importance, but few know the real reason I (Doug) created this image. “Abraham Blue” represents a…
Heat Waves — In Red and Black | Universities’ Roles in the Climate Crisis
Illinois universities help fuel the climate crisis. First, no Prairie State university has dumped fossil fuel investments. These money-losing, risky holdings serve primarily to legitimize a planet-destroying industry. Second, as large fossil fuel burners, universities are major carbon emitters. Illinois…
West Peoria News | Heddington Oaks sale would help county
A referendum to dissolve West Peoria Township will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. Having performed the due diligence of weighing the costs and benefits for the citizens of West Peoria, the Township board decided dissolving the Township was in…