Columns

Arts Beat | October 2019

Oct. 5: 7th Annual Fox Fall Fest. 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Fox Pub and Café. 692-3693. Oct. 8: USAF Band of Mid-America in concert. 7 p.m. Five Points Washington. 444-8222. Oct. 11: Harlan, Meister, & Mitts. 7 p.m. at the Hungry…

Art Inc. | Dia de los Muertos: Love Never Dies

Dive into a dynamic cultural experience at The Romain Arts & Culture Center (formerly known as Greeley School) with a very special tribute to the life of Glen Barton! This inaugural evening of cocktails, authentic Mexican cuisine, silent & live…

Faith in Place | “Equity is important”

On Oct. 29, during the Illinois legislature’s “Veto Session,” Faith in Place and Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition will bring citizen lobbyists to Springfield from all over the state. These concerned citizens will talk with legislators and petition the governor for…

West Peoria News | Marijuana survey

With a new Illinois recreational cannabis law taking effect Jan. 1, city leaders want to know what you think of the legalization of cannabis. Go to City Hall 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8 to learn how this could affect our community…

Serendipity | Dance preparations

Something about October stirs up countless memories and nostalgic feelings. The season is changing dramatically and beautifully, and pictures of couples enjoying Homecoming and other fall events pop up on Facebook. Sometimes memories are accompanied by smiles or laughter, or…

Bill Knight | Market forces, climate change, lawsuits drive closure of coal fired power plants

It was a slap in the face but no shock when Texas-based Vistra Energy announced its closing of somewhat modernized coal-burning power plants near Canton, Coffeen, Havana and Hennepin, Ill., to meet terms of a deal negotiated with the state,…

Views & Perspectives | Congress should debate and pass laws to protect innocent, law-abiding citizens

As Congress returns from the August break to Washington, there is an urgency to seriously protect innocent, law-abiding citizens from those who are mentally ill or just simply intent on killing fellow citizens. New laws that significantly fund mental health…

Straight Talk | Courthouse challenges

As the various county departments are busy preparing budgets for 2020, there are other challenges in the Courthouse. The County Board appropriately approved the recommendations of chairman Andrew Rand to fill the vacancies created with the deaths of State’s Attorney…

Bill Knight | ‘Traditional Christian beliefs’

Three years ago, I went to an interfaith meeting at Peoria’s Islamic Foundation, where an evangelical pastor, a Presbyterian minister and elected officials all spoke on Americans’ freedom to worship, and apart from all of their insightful words, the turnout…