The national president of the Sierra Club said at the annual meeting of the state conference of the NAACP held in Peoria that attempting to protect the coal industry because it provides jobs is a shortsighted argument based on a…
Articles
Rents could further burden tenants in coming years
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Rents could further burden tenants in coming years
Many young adults piled up huge student debt to get college degrees enabling them to pay off loans but face a slowly recovering job market. On the other side of the career spectrum, retirees worry that fixed incomes won’t be…
by Roger Monroe • • Comments Off on
ON THE AIR AGAIN! It’s exciting, and the timing is perfect since I love the sounds of Christmas. “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” is returning on Internet Radio as “Breakfast with Roger and Friends,” starting 6 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.…
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on
If it’s a tag-team match between Hitler, Stalin and the Boogeyman on one side, and Santa, Jesus and Bernie Sanders on the other, I stand with the latter trio. “Ho! Ho! Huh?” you say? The connection is socialism. I don’t…
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…
Strengthening Peoria’s economy will take ‘horse sense’
by Bill Knight • • Comments Off on Strengthening Peoria’s economy will take ‘horse sense’
It’s jarring when reality thumps wishful thinking. But “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride,” as it’s said. (Maybe the central Illinois equivalent is, “If wishes were caterpillars, butterflies would come.”) Anyway, the Peoria economy seems to be crying, “My…
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.…
Clergy, laity pray for justice for Cassidy
by Community Word Staff • • Comments Off on Clergy, laity pray for justice for Cassidy
Hundreds of Central Illinoisans for years watched Father Terry Cassidy mimic a fish that’s unaware it’s surrounded by water. It’s been his light-hearted effort to show how people often don’t realize they’re surrounded – by grace. But Cassidy, 64, now…