by Daniel McCloud • • Comments Off on The Lion’s Den: Here’s to new year full of good ole days for the future of us all
If you’re reading this, then you made it to the year of our Lord, 2023. Perhaps there is light snow on the ground and a solitary robin sitting on a frosty tree limb just outside your window. If you’re lucky,…
by Mike Miller • • Comments Off on Nature Rambles: Surf Scoter catching waves on Illinois
At 123 years old, the National Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest running citizen science project in existence. Its roots date back to 1900, when ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested that people should go out at Christmas and count…
by Brian Ludwig • • Comments Off on Benchmark in history: Peoria High grad Darrin Gayles, federal judge in Southern District of Florida
There are plenty of people Peorians can be proud of here, there and everywhere. One such person to have particular pride in is the Honorable Darrin Gayles. The Peoria High graduate sits on the federal bench in Miami as…
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Park District trustee planting trees of hope
The prime time when trees were center stage passed with fall’s spectacular colors gone or muted into stands of dark-brown red oaks. But forests in the city may yet be in the wings, awaiting their cue. There are initiatives to…
by Nichole Gronvold-Roller • • Comments Off on Inland Art: Riverfront Museum taps impressive collection to show excellent exhibits
Before the origination of public art museums, exposure to distant cultures was limited to private collections and travel of elite society and nobility. The history and development of museums have a rugged lineage with the political controversy of questionable artifact…
by Mike Miller • • Comments Off on Nature Rambles: Our prairies need more Dawgs to look after them
The first time I can remember being exposed to the Illinois prairie was more than 40 years ago on a hike led by Hal Gardner at Jubilee College State Park. It was part of a “Prairie Day” event to build…
by Daniel McCloud • • Comments Off on The Lion’s Den: Wake up so you dig what woke really is
“I Never Sleep Cause Sleep Is The Cousin Of Death” – Nas (New York State of Mind) Upon winning a second term as governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis declared in his victory speech that “Florida is where ‘Woke’ goes to…
by Lisa Nelson Raabe • • Comments Off on Inland Art: Marrying mediums, Qingjun Huang and Liu Yang creating happily ever after
Two talented photographers from China, husband and wife Qingjun Huang and Liu Yang, arrived in Peoria in March 2022. Finding Peoria a very livable city, they are building their artistic connections in the U.S. from here. This fall their…
by Mike Miller • • Comments Off on Nature Rambles | Stage set for sassy scenery: Sassafras leaves harbinger for spectacular fall
Fall color has definitely been spectacular this year along the bluffs of the Illinois River. There is really never a year that has dreadful fall color. It is just some years stand out from others. This year, we…
by Sharon McBride • • Comments Off on West Peoria News: Fall back, look forward to November events
It is time to change your clocks to regular time on Nov. 7 from Daylight Savings time to regular time. Set your clocks back one hour. The consolidated elections for the City of West Peoria fall on April 4, 2023.…