The United States spent more than $74 billion on Afghanistan over the course of a 20-year war, the longest in American history. To many people, the withdrawal of U.S. troops felt messy, dishonorable, chaotic, emotional, disloyal, and terrifying. The Peoria…
Author Archive for Clare Howard
Clare Howard is the editor of the Community Word. She can be reached at communityword@yahoo.com
Medical and economic bonanza
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Medical and economic bonanza
Construction of the $237 million OSF Cancer Institute represents the largest capital campaign in the 144-year history of the OSF mission, said Bob Sehring, CEO of OSF HealthCare, speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility. Of the 38…
Editorial | In our backyards: America’s favorite toxic weedkiller
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Editorial | In our backyards: America’s favorite toxic weedkiller
This time of year, it’s a common sight to see homeowners carrying large jugs of Roundup and spraying driveways, sidewalk cracks and roadsides. It’s always astonishing to see people wearing shorts and sandals as they spray. They give no thought…
Solar panels emerge from Peoria farm field
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Solar panels emerge from Peoria farm field
Illinois American Water Co. is converting an agriculture field off Galena Road to a nearly-10-acre solar field at 6111 N. Galena Road along the Illinois River. Karen Cotton, company spokeswoman, said the company is excited about this project that furthers…
Kickapoo Creek Watershed: the untold story
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Kickapoo Creek Watershed: the untold story
When Cheryl Resnick moved to Peoria from the arid Southwest, she saw geology from the perspective of Arizona’s sweepingly dramatic landscape linked to ancient geological events and cultural heritage. She saw the absence of all that in central Illinois. Then…
Zombie Chlorpyrifos: Obama ban reversed by Trump; now in the courts
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Zombie Chlorpyrifos: Obama ban reversed by Trump; now in the courts
The life and death of a deadly neurotoxic chemical insecticide is entering yet another stage. Chlorpyrifos, used in central Illinois primarily on corn, is the focus of a potential class-action lawsuit filed in California. Use of chlorpyrifos has declined over…
Editorial | Gannett blames Biden and Pritzker for newspaper delivery problems
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Editorial | Gannett blames Biden and Pritzker for newspaper delivery problems
Many people who have paid subscriptions to the Peoria Journal Star are not receiving their newspapers. Delivery problems have plagued the Journal Star for years and are getting unbelievably worse. Recently, a subscriber complained to a circulation manager that he…
Rain gardens and the art of noticing
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Rain gardens and the art of noticing
Professor William Hope at Knox College works with students to harness observational skills with manual labor for an embodied understanding of the correlation between bioswales, deep-rooted perennials, the Anthropocene and experiential learning. Hope, associate professor of anthropology and sociology, helped…
“Wildflower meadow bouquets” tell story of season, time and place
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on “Wildflower meadow bouquets” tell story of season, time and place
Kira Santiago could have relocated from central Illinois to work in the Chicago area, but the soil lured her back home. “Farming near Chicago was something to consider, but people need to come back to this soil. Someone has to…
Lead water pipes: Invisible public health threat
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Lead water pipes: Invisible public health threat
Lead water pipes are a major public health risk, especially in Peoria that has among the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the country. Illinois recently passed legislation calling for replacement of lead service lines carrying water from the…