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…
Inland Art | Angela Dieffenbach
In the recent Central Time Ceramics exhibition at Bradley University Angela Dieffenbach’s entry from her “Pharma Farma Series” deadpanned a bit of veiled theater. “Aunt Dolly” an earthenware lamb’s head secured at eye level was an interloper in the midst…
Art & Justice | Michael Adams
The power of an image can foment social change. Images can depict reality opposed to stereotypes, can promote understanding and whittle away at entrenched racism. Peoria artist Michael Adams understands that power. He drew on his experiences as an African…
Science Briefs | June 2020
Green economic recovery from COVID-19 Companies worth more than $2.4 trillion are calling for a green economic recovery from the global pandemic, according to Bloomberg Law. Two-thirds of these 150 companies signing a statement calling for a green recovery are…
Reflections From The Clergy | Thresholds in our lives
When encountering thresholds, we often talk as if our work is that of successfully “passing through” them. We speak of “making healthy transitions.” We seek out advice and support as we decide which thresholds to lean into and which to…
Lester Mason’s life sentence under review as COVID-19 targets prisons
Lester Bobby Mason, 76, has been asking for a sentencing review and clemency for nearly 40 years. He now has that opportunity. He was sentenced to natural life in prison with no chance for parole under the now-widely discredited three-strikes…
Heat Waves — In Red and Black | Coronavirus and climate crisis: a crosswalk
Parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis are spooky. The surge of COVID patients pushed hospitals to the breaking point in New York and required refrigerated meat trucks to store bodies. It may yet overwhelm hospitals in states…
Serendipity | Day by day
Growing older doesn’t bother me as it happens with or without my approval. Favoring the more positive, romantic approach, I bought into the idea popularized by poet and playwright Robert Browning. In an 1864 published work, he wrote, “Grow old…
West Peoria News | Fourth of July parade canceled
It has been a season of cancellations, and sadly I announce the cancellation of the 50th West Peoria Fourth of July parade, ceremony and festivities. Typically, the event attracts hundreds/thousands to our community and involves the efforts of many West…
Labor Roundup | June 2020
Meatpacking plants must remain open despite COVID-19 sickening workers. The virus forced some plants to close, but they reopened under an order from President Trump using the Defense Production Act. Employers haven’t properly safeguarded workers with the tests, protective gear…