Eight minutes and 46 seconds was the time it took for Dereck Chauvin and his fellow officers to murder George Floyd. But it has been 401 years since Africans were kidnapped and brought to this country as slaves. From 1619…
Straight Talk | The end of an era of caring
The Peoria County Board approved a resolution that will allow voters to determine whether Heddington Oaks can be sold. The measure will be on the November ballot. Voters should not be confused whether their vote will determine the nursing home’s…
Bill Knight | Protesters and infiltrators
The country’s protests about police brutality persist despite distractions and infiltrations. The distractions stemmed from social-media hoaxes such as the June 4 warning that “antifa operatives are organizing a plan to bus large numbers of antifa terrorists to the vicinity…
Editorial | Sincere Williams: A rising voice in Peoria’s justice community
Most of America and the world are appalled by the murder of George Floyd who died with his neck under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer while other police officers passively looked on. If you don’t see this…
Letter to the Editor | Black man working alone in Peoria at night confronted by men armed with military assault weapon
Editor’s Note: At the end of this letter is information from the police incident report, Gannett Corp. and the Rev. Marvin Hightower, president of the local chapter of the NAACP. I am a 51-year-old African American man, and I have…
OpEd | Distancing Can Be Other Than Social
Although people of all ages can be victims of COVID-19, we share a common awareness that some folks are more vulnerable than others. This fact has promoted a mentality that makes us wonder when someone has died whether they were…
Real Talk | Breaking Democracy. I can’t breathe.
As I reflect on my grandmother, I understand the rule of thumb instilled in her to live by and fear Jim Crow –– a fictitious name but one with real life ramifications. My great grandfather was on the run from…
The Watch | Budget woes
Your government officials are still Zooming, still adapting, still dancing backward around COVID-19. And the bills are just starting to arrive. All members of the Peoria County Election Commission met via Zoom on May 12 to confront a knotty problem:…
Nature Rambles | Early cicadas
During the second week of June, I heard a noise from the canopy of the woods that I haven’t heard for some time . . . “weee-eeeerrr” repeated at regular intervals. Then it dawned on me –– It is a…
Inland Art | Dan Ramirez
“The falling away of illusion” is a description that Buzz Spector, artist, writer and longtime colleague of painter Dan Ramirez, uses in discussing perception in the artist’s “Contemplation of the Virgin: var#3.” The essay appears in Ramirez’s “Certainty & Doubt”…
Art: What is it Good For? | The Power of Art in Social Justice Reform
What makes art “public?” Is it the approval of a committee or government, or is it the number of people who see it? Is it how large the work is, or how much change it can bring? Is it beautiful…
Reflections From The Clergy | Black Lives Matter; A Story Worth Telling
Inspired by the book “It is not necessary to breathe!” by Ali Ben Jaber Alfaifi We are in Minneapolis, in the United States of America; the land of dreams. The sounds of auto machines, horns, traffic and the hustle and…
Heat Waves — In Red and Black | Coronavirus Climate Crisis Crosswalk, Part 1. The Heat Resistant City
Let me open with a question. Do we want vibrant street life and festivals, hallmarks of healthy cities, to survive as global warming turns urban heat islands into frying pans? Who will saunter down streets radiating oppressive heat? Very few,…
Serendipity | Step by step
Walking has survived the test of time for helping to achieve and maintain good health. While not exactly a miracle cure, people of all ages have found that putting one foot in front of another for an extended period of…
West Peoria News | One large neighborhood
One of the traditions of Troop 11 Boy Scouts in West Peoria is the commitment of leaders for the boys to become Eagle Scouts. On June 1, Alex DeSutter became the troop’s 73rd Eagle. His Eagle project was the landscaping…
Labor Roundup | July 2020
Two Cicero workers died, two fired after complaining of safety at bakery. Two workers at Bimbo Bakeries in suburban Chicago died due to COVID-19 shortly after two others were discharged following public complaints of inadequate safety measures. Gerardo Mello and…
Industrial food chain crashes; local food rises
Gaping holes on America’s grocery store shelves reflect panic buying and underlying weaknesses in the industrial food chain. Filling those voids are the local farmers and processors who supply seasonal food, meat, eggs and dairy to shops that promote local…
A warden, an inmate and a friendship
Retired prison warden Keith Nelson will tell you right off the bat, he’s not soft on crime. He’s a strong, imposing man and can meet your eyes with a stern look. Peoria artist Jonathon Romain will tell you right off…
COVID-19 fear grips Gaza
BY WAFAA A. ALUDAINI Being a journalist in Palestine means you have a story every day of oppression and brutality due to the occupation. In stark contrast, you also have stories of resilience and steadfastness by vulnerable people of Gaza.…
Straight Talk | Loss of another Peoria icon
Peoria lost another leader with the death of Ray Becker, the city’s greatest builder of buildings. One of the few advantages of being old is I don’t have to dig through newspaper files or view news videos to talk about…
Bill Knight | Being coroner during COVID-19
It’s common to praise first responders, especially in the pandemic. What of “last responders”? Coroners. On Illinois’ deadliest day in the global coronavirus outbreak, Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood reflected on first realizing the potential challenges ahead. Months ago, the…
Editorial | When emotions clash with science-based public policy
There is something pathetic, ridiculous and depressing watching scores of people picketing the state capital in Michigan carrying assault weapons and protesting orders to stay home and wear a face mask in public. But even more depressing is listening to…