After nearly a decade with no pay raises and constant increases in their share of health insurance premiums, employees at Peoria’s only daily newspaper may see a small increase in pay and a commitment to freeze their share of health…
News
Salting our roads — and water and fields
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Salting our roads — and water and fields
There are always trade-offs, it seems. In “Inherit the Wind,” the Henry Drummond character (Spencer Tracy in the film version) sums it up: “Progress has never been a bargain; you have to pay for it. Sometimes I think there’s a…
Mark Clark’s body in morgue unclaimed; family never notified
by contributor • • Comments Off on Mark Clark’s body in morgue unclaimed; family never notified
BY LAWRENCE J. MAUSHARD Editor’s Note: Peorian Mark Clark was 22 and a member of the Peoria NAACP and leader of the Peoria Chapter of the Illinois Black Panther Party. He was running a BPP free breakfast program for children…
Medicaid expansion helps more women
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Medicaid expansion helps more women
For those who consider access to safe, legal abortion a basic human right, there was a sense of justice when Gov. Bruce Rauner defied many in his base and signed House Bill 40 into law. The legislation, effective Jan. 1,…
Food nutrients going up in smoke
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Food nutrients going up in smoke
BY CLARE HOWARD Yet another sign of global climate change is no further away than your morning bowl of cereal. As the world continues to burn fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, scientists are linking increasing levels…
Jerry Klein: “The Last Sail”
by Terry Bibo • • Comments Off on Jerry Klein: “The Last Sail”
BY TERRY BIBO As always, Jerry Klein appeared bemused. A young reporter, I was racing out of the Journal Star building, probably to conduct an interview. A fine arts critic, he was wandering in, probably to compose a review. The…
Questioning pension mergers
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Questioning pension mergers
Illinois has 628 separate police and fire pension funds, each with administrative costs. Ohio, by contrast, has one Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund. At a recent talk in Peoria, Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston and gubernatorial candidate, said merging multiple…
Current Events Echo Historical Racism
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Current Events Echo Historical Racism
BY CLARE HOWARD Wendel White’s photography painfully deepens our understanding of racism in America. His images speak softly but the message screams at full volume. Racial discrimination in America has surely evolved over the past century forged by legislation, litigation…
Following tax dispute, Bielfeldt Foundation open for business
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Following tax dispute, Bielfeldt Foundation open for business
Greater Peoria has more than 630 nonprofit enterprises, according to Nonprofit Explorer data from the investigative journalism site ProPublica.org – from the Caterpillar Foundation and the Creve Coeur Club to Forest Park Foundation and the Tri-County Urban League. However, few…
Police training for hate rallies
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Police training for hate rallies
BY CLARE HOWARD Hate rallies and hate crime are on the rise nationwide. Southern Poverty Law Center outreach director Lecia Brooks gave police training materials to local law enforcement officers during her recent visit to Peoria. She said hate groups…