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…
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…
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,…
December is for Reflection and Celebrating the Season of Joy As I write my last column of 2017, I reflect on the extraordinary public service careers of three outstanding Central Illinois citizens. My mentor and friend, former Congressman Bob Michel, passed…
Just before Christmas 1946, Dorothy Day permanently left Maryfarm in Pennsylvania, one of dozens of Houses of Hospitality her group, Catholic Worker, started setting up in the 1930s. This Christmastime, Day remains an impressive figure. Her granddaughter Kate Hennessy has…
Setting the Record Straight A story in the sports section of the Peoria Journal sent me scrambling to research Bradley basketball because I felt the writer had made several errors. He wrote that current basketball fortunes could lead to a…
Racism is measurable, quantifiable, toxic Poverty, discrimination and injustice are the planned, intended consequences of racism, a system of beliefs sustained by fake assertions. Joe Madison, host of the Sirius talk radio show “The Black Eagle,” spoke at the Peoria…
Applauding Peoria’s Comprehensive Sex Education Curriculum When a child is born, a doctor says, “It’s a boy” or “It’s a girl.” Assigning someone’s sex is based on biology — chromosomes, anatomy and hormones. But a person’s gender identity — the…
BY HARRY ELGER When the Hubble telescope was positioned outside the distortion of Earth’s atmosphere, an extrapolated estimate of 2 trillion galaxies became visible. The universe is 13.82 billion years old. Earth is only 4.52 billion years old. Humans are…
Santa is taking the time to stop by and enjoy breakfast with West Peoria kids 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 2. He has checked with the Franciscan Complex and booked a time for breakfast there for him and Mrs.…
Unannounced visitors aren’t necessarily my favorites, mainly because I don’t always live organized and clutter free. I can pull it together given adequate notice, but spur of the moment isn’t my forte. Likely it’s a genetic thing. My mother was…
Monday, Dec. 4, Chicago sculptor Donna Hapac will open an exhibition at the Hartmann Gallery at Bradley University displaying forms and themes she has explored over the last three decades. I first met Donna in graduate school in the MFA…
MUSIC Dec. 1-2: Chicago Farmer. 7 p.m. Apollo Theater. 673-4343. Dec. 1: “Nutcracker 2017,” 7 p.m. Limelight Eventplex. 693-1234. Dec. 1: Central Illinois Youth Symphony and Concert Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. ICC’s Performing Arts Center. 678-6541. Dec. 1: Bradley Women’s Choir. 7:30…
Racism and America Earlier this year, I participated in an event called “Let’s Talk: Improving Racial and Cultural Relationships” at the Universalist Unitarian Church. The event consisted of two large group 4-hour workshops and 2-3 small group discussions around Ta-Nehesi…
Personal contacts & issues beat cash & pro-Trump campaigns. Unionists talking face-to-face about issues that matter to voters beat cascades of corporate cash and pro-Trump campaigns from right-wing candidates in November elections, said unionists, who added that being anti-Trump helped,…
What does Peoria have in common with Chicago? One thing that both share are iconic buildings by renowned Chicago architect William W. Boyington. Boyington designed many structures in the Chicago area during the later half of the 19th century, including the Old…
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…
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…
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…
FALL IS FOR FUNDRAISING As you read this column, our community will be honoring a number of extraordinary citizens who have contributed to making their communities and Central Illinois in particular an extraordinary place to live. These fundraisers honor our…
