A barren wasteland lay in between the way I see myself and the way I am seen by others. The perception and programming of people further clouds the actual reality of that distance. I am 55 years old and at…
Upon entering the 22 VA Art Exhibit last November in the Downtown Branch of the Peoria Public Library, I immediately felt connected to a wide range of creative works. Walls were lined with paintings, photos, recycled art, quilts, writing, carvings,…
With one bellwether election barely behind us — ringing in five new Peoria County Board members — another will toll in the immediate future. Meanwhile, the nitty-gritty work of government grinds on. Peoria City Council On Nov. 8, Township Supervisor…
BOOKS • Writer (and Community Word co-owner) Burt Raabe will be signing his poetry collection “Zen and the Art of Underground Sprinkler Maintenance” and reading selections at I Know You Like A Book on Jan. 11. • Former U.S. Attorney…
Peoria taxpayers are paying outside attorneys to sue the county and also to defend the county in a 13-month-old lawsuit by County Auditor Jessica Thomas, whose office was changed by the County Board in 2021 and eliminated by voters in…
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,…
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…
After an absence of three years, the annual Peoria Journal Christmas Sing returned Tuesday, Dec. 13, without the involvement of the local newspaper. Apparently, Ebenezer Scrooge, new owners of the Peoria Journal Star, had no interest in continuing what they…
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…
“Elvis was a hero to most … but he never meant shit to me you see. Straight up racist … that sucker was simple and plain.” That lyric from the Public Enemy classic, “Fight the Power” shaped my opinion of…
