News

What are the odds this is COVID-iocy? New BA.5 variant may be most contagious as diligence in fight wanes

What’s worse than being sick and tired is being dead. It’s OK to be curious or concerned about monkeypox, an emergency. But it’s far less contagious than COVID-19 (only about 12,000 monkeypox cases have been reported, and no deaths). And…

Dash of devotion

South Side Mission

The free meals at the South Side Mission feed poor souls every day. But what’s been cooking in the kitchen nourishes the hearts and minds of a ministry of culinary artists. Chef Chris Franzoni has been devoted to teaching aspiring…

Have a beer, and a smile

Beer

No matter the job, sometimes you know: “I want a beer.” Beer’s not therapeutic or medicinal, of course (although maybe there’s some study that Ivermectin taken daily with a case of beer reduces awareness of strokes). I’m no expert (you’re…

Magic of brewing = alchemy of beer

Novelist Arthur C. Clarke wrote, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” and at a time when we marvel at images from the James Webb space telescope, much less cryptocurrency, it’s understandable to take for granted how beer is…

Peoria County Courthouse briefs

Judge rules County must use outside counsel in Thomas case Judge James Mack on June 27 granted a motion to disqualify the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s office from representing the County Board in County Auditor Jessica Thomas’ lawsuit because the…

‘Wings over Water’ humbling, hopeful film at Riverfront Museum

With so many wetland drained and plowed, conservationists such as Charlie Potter, CEO of the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation and a producer of the new “Wings over Water” documentary, decided people don’t know enough about it and decided to “change…