Drawing was never my favorite pastime. I wasn’t good at it, recognizing that even at an early age. But papers, stationery and notebooks, I loved. Some people believe handwritten notes on colorful paper are only memories, and for sure technology…
Columns
West Peoria News | Christmas carolers
by Sharon McBride • • Comments Off on West Peoria News | Christmas carolers
West Peoria Scouts and their families will again be caroling for the community 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7 when they tour in their holiday float. When you hear the music and fire sirens, go outside and…
The Lion’s Den | Are we our brother’s keeper?
by Daniel McCloud • • Comments Off on The Lion’s Den | Are we our brother’s keeper?
During the Monday Night Football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts on October 11, 2021, news broke that NFL head coach Jon Gruden had been fired from his $100 million job as the head coach of the…
Straight Talk | Peoria County Auditor: To be or not to be?
by Roger Monroe • • Comments Off on Straight Talk | Peoria County Auditor: To be or not to be?
By a vote of 15 to 2, the Peoria County Board Thursday evening, Oct. 14, approved its 2022 budget. That budget was controversial to some because it reduced the operating budget for the office of County Auditor Jessica Thomas by…
Bill Knight | Farewell to a fine journalist
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Bill Knight | Farewell to a fine journalist
Journalists don’t pursue their career for thanks. Compensation mostly is indirect, learning issues and interacting with people much more than pay. (A favorite quote about journalism-as-a-calling is from Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and novelist Anna Quindlen, who said,…
Real Talk | The struggles of Black police officers
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Real Talk | The struggles of Black police officers
Dear Black or Brown Officer, When I was a little boy growing up in South Peoria, I spent a lot of my time dreaming and reading comic books. Being a thin and stout-statured young man, I was no stranger to…
The Watch | Onward
by Terry Bibo • • Comments Off on The Watch | Onward
Peoria City Council met Sept. 14 with all members present. A $100,000 grant was approved to Peoria Opportunities Foundation to cover sewer expense overage, with additional funding from Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA). The grant was approved, with Councilor John…
Nature Rambles | Bell Bowl, a Prairie in Peril
by Mike Miller • • Comments Off on Nature Rambles | Bell Bowl, a Prairie in Peril
In Illinois, the prairie state, finding prairies can be a real challenge. Over 99.99% of Illinois native prairie has been destroyed. Most prairie has been converted to agriculture. The areas that were too hilly to plough or too dry or…
Inland Art | Jennifer Costa
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Inland Art | Jennifer Costa
The introduction of mass production and industrialization provided conveniences for modern society but at the cost of aesthetic negligence of manufactured objects. In the late 19th century, the Arts and Craft Movement sought design reform emphasizing knowledge of materials and…
Art: What is it Good For? | Gratitude
by Doug and Eileen Leunig • • Comments Off on Art: What is it Good For? | Gratitude
November is National Gratitude Month, and as we wind up our seven years of writing for the Community Word, we want to express our gratitude to Clare Howard. In 2014, Clare took a chance on us when she asked us…