BY Eliida Lakota It is amazing to me the extent government officials will go to deny innocent people their constitutional rights –– people who are protecting their land and water. I attended the protest at Standing Rock and saw law…
Art. What Is It Good For? | Creative Healing
By Marianne Huebner A few years further back than I like to admit, I went to a mile-marker class reunion. It was there where my career as an art therapist took center stage like a bearded lady at a carnival.…
Inland Art | Barry Blinderman
While my column is generally about art in the Midwest, this month’s notes on Barry Blinderman’s retirement from Illinois State University speak to a germane link between coastal and inland art. In the 1980s, Barry was the director and co-owner…
Perspectives on U.S. Healthcare Policy | Policy in the Classroom
Upon walking into a class at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP), you will usually find me and my classmates debating the next step in managing a patient’s case. But at other times, you may see…
Nature Rambles | Look and Listen
June is the month when several species of milkweed come into bloom. This is Butterfly Milkweed, above, with distinct orange flowers. Native milkweeds are important nectar sources for many species of insects. They are also crucial nurse species for Monarch…
Real Talk | A nation’s wasted mind
I sat in a popular fast food chain and observed a woman talk and respond to herself and write down circles as if she was journaling the best novel that ever existed and I wondered to myself, how was I…
Serendipity | Quickly 70
Turning 70 is not without challenges. When the age category is asked on questionnaires, it means moving one more down the list to mark an X or circle. Not a big deal to some, but definitely a visual reminder that…
Science & Environmental Briefs | June 2018
In Denmark, people use about four, single-use plastic bags a year. By contrast, Americans use an average of one single-use plastic bag a day. Stores in Denmark do not provide free plastic bags. In 1993, Denmark implemented a tax on…
New Publisher at Peoria Journal Star
Announcements were made in the Journal Star and the Rockford Register Star regarding reorganization within GateHouse Media. Paul Gaier was named president and publisher of the Journal Star. However, readers of the Rockford paper were informed Gaier continues as publisher…
West Peoria News | Jamboree Run
There is a new starting time for the 21st Jamboree Run which steps off 5 p.m. Saturday, June 2 from the corner of Heading and Sterling avenues. Run proceeds will be used for local organizations. Registration fee is $30, and…
Arts Beat | June 2018
Music June 1: “Catch A Wave” (Beach Boys tribute). 7:30 p.m. ICC Performing Arts Center. 694-5136. June 1: Peoria Rhythm Kings. 10 p.m. Kenny’s Westside Pub. 676-1693. June 1: Cousin Eddie Live at the Five Spot. 5:30 p.m. Contemporary Art…
Labor Roundup | June 2018
“Medicare for All” campaign got Sanders, Ellison boost, but mixed congressional reception despite more than 150 nurses from around the country descending on Capitol Hill last month. The nurses were members of National Nurses United; they were praised by the…
When jail provides hope
Romie Anderson and Maurice Young both landed in the Peoria County Jail after decades of minor crimes. That was a stroke of luck for both of them. In jail, both men ended up in a GED class together and encouraged…
Hate groups within law enforcement
Racists and neo-Nazis with guns and badges within the ranks of local law enforcement across the country is antithetical to American democracy, yet the evidence is visible and documented by the FBI, Office of Homeland Security and Southern Poverty Law…
Concerns mount for Water Warriors
BY ANDREA ROTH East Peoria resident Teresa Kaiser changed how she thought about water eight years ago. “We came home after a few days away, and I opened the freezer and an overwhelming swimming pool smell hit me,” Kaiser said.…
Peoria tap water assessments
Disinfection byproducts in tap water vary widely based on the source of the water, the geographic location, the treatment methods used and even the season and weather. Karen Cotton, spokesperson at Illinois American Water Co. in Peoria, said treatment methods…
“Fakebook news”
Bobbi Millinger realized she should be skeptical of news on Facebook. “We truly thought that we were being careful about who we were interacting with, given the need for discretion on social media. We were very aware that people can…
How to avoid fake news
Between Facebook and the Internet, the 24-hour-a-day news cycle, traditional media outlets, competing political organizations with competing agendas –– fake news is thriving. Democracy, not so much. “I do not know how a democracy functions when you don’t know what…
Straight Talk | Bad PHA decision
It was a bad decision. The board of the Peoria Housing Authority hired the director of the Springfield Housing Authority and agreed to pay her $168,000 a year. On the surface, that sounds reasonable, although the salary is rather exorbitant.…
Views & Perspectives | Spring is a season of hope and anticipation
Spring is the season of hope and anticipation. The services of Passover and Easter at the beginning of April allowed for hundreds of Central Illinoisans and people across the country to celebrate in their synagogues and churches. The Pope’s Easter…
Bill Knight | Minor League Baseball: Pays less than minimum wage
When the Peoria Chiefs take the field for 16 home games this month, know that they’re working for peanuts (sans Crackerjacks). One of 16 teams in the Class-A Midwest League, the team is one of 244 clubs in 19 minor…
Editorial : Gutting science from public policy
“Fact-based,” “research-based,” “evidence-based” –– all terms that used to be the gold standard for evaluating the world and formulating public policy. No longer, at least not in Washington, D.C. Now these terms are banned by the Trump administration. We now…