The Journal Star reports that newly-appointed circuit court judge, Kevin Lyons, has been appointed to a position in the Tazewell County Court House. So, it’s official. He’s Pekin’s problem now. The Peoria Journal Star announced he will be handling one…
City Beat
OMG! Black teens! RUN!
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on OMG! Black teens! RUN!
What do you call it when black teenagers leave a party? A riot. I’m sure you’ve heard about it. At about 11:00 p.m. on June 24, a group of teenagers were vacating a house in the neighborhood of West Thrush…
Peoria won’t have Aaron Schock to kick around anymore — well, most of us
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on Peoria won’t have Aaron Schock to kick around anymore — well, most of us
Where do you live? If you live in the heart of Peoria, you’ve voting for someone new in 2012. The Democratic Party has released a map of the state’s U.S. Congressional Districts. The good news is that the districts are…
No crime happened in Peoria today … if you believe the Journal Star
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on No crime happened in Peoria today … if you believe the Journal Star
I did some scanner blogging (I listen to the scanner and post updates to my blog) earlier this month. There was a police chase in which some armed robbery suspects tossed a rifle out of their car. There was a…
New WCBU format is a fair and balanced alternative to WMBD’s right-wing nonsense
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on New WCBU format is a fair and balanced alternative to WMBD’s right-wing nonsense
Steve Tarter’s column in the Feb. 26 Journal Star was about a woman who was so upset that public radio station WBCU shifted from classical music with some news to all news all the time, she dashed to the phone…
City clerk caught using city email to pass along racist jokes
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on City clerk caught using city email to pass along racist jokes
Peoria City Clerk Mary Haynes used her official city email address to forward a racially insensitive email to a Florida official. The Coastal Star, a newspaper with an online community-based Web site, reported that a Highland Beach town clerk was…
The canonization of Saint Patrick Urich
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on The canonization of Saint Patrick Urich
By the time you read this, Patrick Urich will have been hired as the new city manager for the City of Peoria. It’s a done deal. You don’t think that when he announced he was leaving his post as Peoria…
Is there a City Manager Gary Sandberg in our future?
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on Is there a City Manager Gary Sandberg in our future?
There was an article in the Peoria Journal Star discussing the possibility that current at-large council member Gary Sandberg might be a candidate for city manager of the city of Peoria. It will never happen. Now don’t get me wrong.…
Gordon energizes young voters, tosses older Democrats under the bus
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on Gordon energizes young voters, tosses older Democrats under the bus
The Journal Star’s “Word on the Street” column ran a post-election love letter to State Rep. Jehan Gordon and the young, energized voters who attended her victory celebration. No mention is made of her unnecessarily negative and misleading campaign ads.…
It’s not about defending a religion, it’s about opposing a slow slide into fascism
by Billy Dennis • • Comments Off on It’s not about defending a religion, it’s about opposing a slow slide into fascism
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” — Sinclair Lewis quotes (American Writer, 1885-1951) I’m stepping outside this column’s normal subject matter — news and media in Peoria — to discuss…