Thanksgiving

Another Thanksgiving and another self examination and reflection on my life. It was nine years ago Thanksgiving eve that my dear husband, Jack, left this physical life, and changed my life forever after. I think many times of both the bad and good that comes with the passage of life. I love the part...
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Precious Memories, How They Linger

When my great grandparents – the Callahans, moved westward from North Carolina, not once did they forsee all the wonderful miseries they were about to enjoy. Finding Ohio somewhat sort of “Eden,” Julius and Martha migrated to the hills of Kentucky where they settled to raise a family. It wasn’t long before they were...
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Tell-tail signs of Christmas

Even though it doesn’t seem that Christmas should be around the corner, all the tell-tale signs are there. Traffic patterns have been adjusted. Lines are longer at eating establishments. And, parking lots are replete with the sights, sounds and smells of everyone’s “special” Christmas tree. What lends to the significance of that “special”...
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Giving sober consideration to a tax inrease

Giving sober consideration to a tax inrease


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Small Farms Conference in Peoria December 1st

Editor’s Note: Do you ever find yourself craving truly fresh produce for your meals and snacks? There’s nothing quite like a fresh tomato or fresh green beans to put on your dinner table. Did you ever consider that perhaps local restaurants and chefs might also like to have access to fresh produce to serve...
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Consequences of driving drunk in Illinois

Consequences of driving drunk in Illinois

With the holiday season fast approaching, there will be lots of opportunities to attend parties that offer alcoholic beverages. Many partygoers who decide to drink may then decide to drive a car afterwards, even though it is no secret that the roads are heavily policed around the holidays to nab intoxicated drivers. The Secretary...
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Results of Clean River Committee Sampling Study

The City of Peoria’s Clean River Committee recently released sampling results from their River Study. The city is trying to develop a long-term plan to control sewer overflows and to protect the Illinois River. The study revealed that sewer overflows are only part of the problem. In their recent press release, City of Peoria...
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Airport agreement a win-win deal

When I was on the Peoria County Board everyone agreed that it was very important to develop and maintain positive intergovernmental relationships. Matter of fact, it was an annual goal. The recent agreement for the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department to take over one aspect of security at the Greater Peoria Airport is a good...
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The solution to environment issues is to find common ground

There’s a new vision for some public policy, and the country cries out for it. It doesn’t matter whether those cries come with tears of frustration, tears of sorrow, tears of joy, or tears from pollution. Jobs can be created by promoting smart energy solutions to global warming. The planet can be helped without...
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Call of the wild

n spite of the deluge, our twenty plus year old tent held up fairly well. Never mind that there were little drips of water occasionally making their way onto our sleeping bags. For the previous two days we could hardly believe how nice and warm and sunny it had been, for October. Not any...
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OK, this time we’re serious. Seriously. OK. Starting right … now.

”A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Macbeth, 5. 5 That’s it? That’s all there is to this? It was quite a let down at Peoria Police HQ last week. I was looking forward to months of increasingly bitter acrimony and accusations of racism as the city...
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Inside out

Welcome to the penultimate month of a year that slipped right through our grasp! Thankfully, November ushers in a time of gathering and feasting on the fruit of our labor – a time when joy and cheer are, at the very least, manufactured. I guess you could say that’s a good thing – it’s...
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