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…
OpEd | Your shopping dollars can save a village
BY NANCY LONG Getting tired of wearing a mask? Your workplace is shut down? Waiting for Food Stamps? It’s serious, even if you or loved ones don’t get COVID-19. Consider the families at the other end of the supply chain.…
Real Talk | Surviving COVID-19
Last month I wrote this column about how I was managing sheltering in place. Little did I know at the time, that I was also surviving COVID-19. In March and April, I was hospitalized –– both times with chest pain,…
Reflections From The Clergy | Ramadan amidst COVID-19; a blessing in disguise
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on humanity at large, people of all backgrounds and walks of life. This encompasses faith communities worldwide. Being cut away from worship places is not an easy task for any faith community, although…
The Watch | Voting and COVID-19
A few months ago, if you said public officials were zooming, it might have been an insult. During a pandemic, some public bodies aren’t meeting at all. Springdale Cemetery Authority Board, for example, cancelled its meetings for March, April and…
Nature Rambles | Treasure hunt
May was a month that all birders enjoy. This spring was no different. The peak of songbird migration usually occurs mid-May, and usually lasts only a short time. Many of the species that birders enjoy seeing only spend a couple…