Darryl Townsend felt a strange sense of alarm as he walked into the Peoria County Courthouse, through security, past armed guards. He was there for his GED test, but it was not test anxiety he was experiencing. It was knowledge…
Sixty-seven years ago this month, the NAACP’s Crisis Magazine published a harsh denunciation of world-renowned African-American entertainer and activist Paul Robeson, and a new book rekindles memories of Robeson’s travails – including the 1947 Peoria incident that some say was…
If you are reading this column on or before Nov. 6, please vote. Election Day is Nov. 6. This Election Day offers an opportunity to chose a Governor of Illinois. Incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner is being challenged by Chicagoan J.B.…
“Never underestimate desperate people. You never know how far they will go to get what they want.” — Anonymous Does that quote apply to the CEO Council? After learning of the personal attacks on Mayor Jim Ardis and councilwoman Denise…
The label “Americana” means music that blends folk, gospel, country, R&B and gospel, but it’s no uniform, sound-a-like genre. Artists carve out distinctive sounds mixing acoustic and electric, creating an eclectic delight. Edward David Anderson’s record released in October is…
Paul Flynn, business manager of IBEW Local 34, lamented recently about a columnist in the Journal Star who ridiculed the transfer of the Hotel Pere Marquette from the local ownership of Gary Matthews and partners to INDURE Build-to-Core Fund, National…
Issues that should disturb us include Russian interference in our sacred elections, Putin’s admission of support for Trump as President and the Russian spy Maria Butina’s work with the NRA. I long for presidents who governed our foreign policies when…
The Senate’s recent confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court likely means curtains for reproductive rights, environmental protection, union membership, voting rights, public education, medical coverage, even LGBTQ rights, as cases involving these issues work their way through…
BY DALE GOODNER Margaret Chase Smith probably never expected that her “Declaration of Conscience” would become listed as No. 41 in American Rhetoric’s Top 100 Speeches of the 20th century. The Republican Senator from Maine delivered that speech on June…
As a society, we have been embroiled in a battle over equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community for years now. We have fought for legal recognition of marriage and gender status, healthcare coverage and equal services and simple non-discrimination protections.…
It’s not everyday that I get stumped when I’m out in nature, but every once in a while, I see something that I have no idea what it is. A few weeks ago, Peoria Park District staff and volunteers were…
Before Bill Conger became curator of exhibitions and collections at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, his critical capability was honed at the University Galleries at Illinois State University. He worked with Barry Blinderman for more than a decade, a highly productive…
I could use this space bemoaning why I vehemently oppose Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme court. It is clear to most of us that he got the benefit of the doubt simply because he is a white man. Being…
Knowledge and ability to turn back the clock could make results both interesting and heartwarming on many levels. November and December usher in festivities and celebrations and, for many, an abundant sense of nostalgia. Add the well-known picture of the…
Music Nov. 1: ORGŌNE, with special guests Ridgeracer. 8 p.m. Kenny’s West Side Pub. 676-1693. Nov. 2: Hoobastank, with Secondhand Serenade. 8 p.m. Monarch Music Hall. 966-0826. Nov. 2: Cousin Eddie “Live at the Five Spot.” 5:30 p.m. Contemporary Art…
We are at the stage of life where as a couple we are halfway into retirement. One of us is already there, the other has a way to go. So we spend a lot of time discussing this topic. How…
Incompetence and greed” is how a source described corporate, out-of-state management at the Peoria Journal Star, now owned by GateHouse Media headquartered in New York. Within just the last few months, the newsroom’s already devastated staff was cut by another…
West Peoria’s 25th anniversary celebration is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 8 in City Hall. Landscape yard waste pick-up ends the last Friday in December; the waste needs to be placed in bags or containers clearly marked…
This month’s mid-term election “really is all about power,” said former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, and unionists must use the vote – and convince others to cast ballots – to yank power back from the corporate elite. “The nation is…
Vote to save your life. Vote to save the planet. https://www.thedailybeast.com/kavanaugh-and-supreme-court-to-planet-drop-dead
In France, bread is still baked daily and consumed with every meal. The list of ingredients numbers three. In America, the culture of real bread baking died long ago. Now, bread is manufactured by Wall Street corporations. It has a…
Peoria city officials are attempting to negotiate a civil penalty imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice for failure to adequately redress the combined sewer overflow problem that results in raw sewage flushing into the Illinois River. This has been…
