Fans of democracy, rejoice! League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria has expanded its coverage of local government in the wake of journalistic cutbacks. First: thanks to the dedicated Observers. Second: there is such a wealth of information we can…
Columns
Nature Rambles | Be on the lookout for first signs of spring
by Mike Miller • • Comments Off on Nature Rambles | Be on the lookout for first signs of spring
Each year, as March moves into April, spring tempts us with its erratic presence. One day is 70 degrees and the Cardinals and Song Sparrows are busy singing in the brush. The next day is blanketed with snow and the…
West Peoria News | Spring cleanup April 30 at West Peoria city garage
by Sharon McBride • • Comments Off on West Peoria News | Spring cleanup April 30 at West Peoria city garage
The City of West Peoria is pleased to host a Spring Clean Up Day on Saturday. April 30th from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. It will be held at the City Garage on Hillside Drive. Visit the West Peoria website or watch…
Inland Art | Forces of nature, power of community
by Robert Rowe • • Comments Off on Inland Art | Forces of nature, power of community
Woodcut artist, printmaker and book artist, Karen Kunc, channels her experience of growing up in the Midwest, specifically Nebraska, into her polychrome woodcut prints. “My prints suggest extremes of weather and natural forces at work, a sense of the micro/macrocosm…
Art Alerts | April 2022
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Art Alerts | April 2022
The Peoria Art Guild planned to launch “Sculpture Walk 2022” along Washington Street this month with eight different pieces, after input from the Public Arts Advisory Commission and a city engineer, according to City spokeswoman Stacy Peterson. Meanwhile, the Art…
Heat Waves — In Red and Black | The Grid-AC Conundrum
by William Rau • • Comments Off on Heat Waves — In Red and Black | The Grid-AC Conundrum
A climate crisis conundrum involves heatwaves, air conditioners, and blackouts. Air conditioning saves lives during heatwaves, but soaring AC demand can crash the grid and claim lives. Today, the top 20% of peak electricity demand involves the hottest 200 hours…
Serendipity | Music to my ears helps me appreciate my life through the years
by Sandra Dempsey Post • • Comments Off on Serendipity | Music to my ears helps me appreciate my life through the years
Musical talent was never something I excelled in or modestly accomplished. What I lacked in musical ability was compensated by appreciation and enthusiasm. I loved listening to music, still do, and am proud of my lyrics recall. Might it be…
Real Talk | African Americans struggle just like crabs in a barrel
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Real Talk | African Americans struggle just like crabs in a barrel
When Crabs are pulled from the ocean and thrown together in a barrel, the crabs will pull down any other crab that tries to get out before them. This is how the term “Crabs in a barrel” came to be.…
Bill Knight | Harmless revenue stream or dangerous scheme; Do you wanna bet?
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Bill Knight | Harmless revenue stream or dangerous scheme; Do you wanna bet?
Illinois is soaked with gambling, from lotteries and casinos to off-track betting and video slots in what seems like every gas station with a few square feet of seating over by shelves of over-priced junk food. This month, things will…
The Lion’s Den | Throw another log on the fire
by Daniel McCloud • • Comments Off on The Lion’s Den | Throw another log on the fire
We’re living in a world of cosmic slop, cast back into the primordial pool. I escape from this madness through reading; literature is one of my safe havens, and if Jay-Z can travel first class to change the forecast, as…