BY DAVE WEIMAN Boredom, loneliness, and helplessness have been called the “Three Plagues of Nursing Homes.” But, they apply to other levels of services for the elderly, too. A retired carpenter who loved to work with his hands, but due…
News
Environmental News Brief
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Environmental News Brief
Junk Science Journals Two scientific journals known for their industry ties have become go-to publications for researchers who minimize risks from chemicals, according to an article published by Center for Public Integrity. Critics are charging the two peer-reviewed science journals,…
“Unimaginable injustice” 45 years in prison
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on “Unimaginable injustice” 45 years in prison
Is Cleve Heidelberg INNOCENT? BY CLARE HOWARD On a cold, gray Friday afternoon in mid-January, Marcella Teplitz and Andrew Hale drove east on Harmon Highway from the site of the old Bellevue Drive-In movie theater. Outside the theater ticket booth…
Food deserts
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Food deserts
Distance and income leave some neighborhoods hungry for good food BY BILL KNIGHT The need is chicken-or-egg. And meat and fruit . . . . Neighborhoods need full-service groceries for consumers to shop for healthy food, but businesses need customer…
Agriculture biotechnology: challenging law; violating justice
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Agriculture biotechnology: challenging law; violating justice
Biotechnology in agriculture is upending traditional notions of justice and liability; public policy is failing to keep up with the problem. Both chemical and organic farmers are venting frustration over harm. Lawsuit over Viptera GMO corn American farmers suffered billions…
Recognition and demand grow for organic farmer
by terrabrockman • • Comments Off on Recognition and demand grow for organic farmer
BY TERRA BROCKMAN The Illinois Department of Agriculture has named a fifth generation central Illinois farmer, Harold Wilken, the winner of the annual R.J. Vollmer Award for Sustainable Agriculture. Wilken, together with his wife Sandy and son Ross, are the…
Leitch to conclude 27-year career in Legislature
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on Leitch to conclude 27-year career in Legislature
When State Rep. David Leitch, former Journal Star reporter, Commercial National Bank vice president and strongly pro-business Republican, announced recently he would not run again, expressions of admiration came from Democrats. Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, and Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria,…
From jail architects to jail teachers in the era of mass incarcerations
by Clare Howard • • Comments Off on From jail architects to jail teachers in the era of mass incarcerations
The presidential debates confirmed that reducing America’s burgeoning incarceration rate is a bipartisan goal. “Three-strikes-and-you’re-out,” tougher drug sentencing even for non-violent drug crimes and mandatory sentencing guidelines have all added to the problem. Today, as presidential candidates from both parties…
The Myths of Immigration
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on The Myths of Immigration
Robert Reich, Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton and professor at University of California, Berkeley, has tackled “The 4 Big Lies about Immigrants – and the Truth” in a recent piece on his blog. Debunking these myths gives an important…
DIRTY POLITICS?
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on DIRTY POLITICS?
Steve Shearer is well-known by folks who follow politics. He’s been a part of Aaron Schock’s political life almost from day one. At one time he was Schock’s chief of staff. Like Schock, Shearer has been questioned by the F.B.I.…