HANNA CITY – After talking with a friend, developer Ron Gulley knew that building a successful coffee shop in rural Peoria would need to be at a good location and unique. He settled on Ill. Route 116 and shipping containers.…
Kira Santiago could have relocated from central Illinois to work in the Chicago area, but the soil lured her back home. “Farming near Chicago was something to consider, but people need to come back to this soil. Someone has to…
Lead water pipes are a major public health risk, especially in Peoria that has among the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the country. Illinois recently passed legislation calling for replacement of lead service lines carrying water from the…
“History is written by the Victors” is a term often attributed to Winston Churchill. In its simplistic interpretation, those in power are in a position to provide their historical narrative. In recent weeks there has been a political outcry over…
A number of incidents in the local media prompts me to focus on Peoria’s broadcasting industry. Let’s start with the dismissal of WEEK TV’s talented meteorologist, Jesse Guinn. Guinn reportedly was unceremoniously fired without notice or any kind of preliminary…
The saying “Think globally, act locally” has a parallel in how news is received. Whether international or digital sources, national press, broadcasters or print, headlines stressing Big News can seem to imply important events or acts happen far away, not…
It is not antisemitic to advocate for Palestinian human rights and respect. It is not antisemitic to protest war against Gaza. It is not support of Hamas, a terrorist organization, to object to bombing Gaza. It is not antisemitic to…
Editor’s Note: A column in the next issue of Community Word will analyze the Supreme Court ruling against Philadelphia affirming the right of Catholic Social Services to refuse to accept same-sex couples as foster parents. BY EMILY GILL By the…
At last, here are a few historic happenings which do not involve global illness … Rita Ali became the first woman and first person of color to serve as Mayor of Peoria when she was sworn in on May 4.…
A metaphoric knee has been on the necks of Black people for over 400 years in this country. That knee was literally displayed on May 25, 2020 when police officer Derek Chauvin applied pressure to George Floyd’s neck with his…
Most people don’t think of a prickly thistle as being a rare and desired species. Roadsides are often lined with some type of thistle. Most of these are seen as noxious weeds that are invasive species brought from other continents.…
I met Jan Brandt many years ago when her gallery and studio space was located at the historic Coca-Cola Bottling Plant on Bell Street in Bloomington. I was seeking a new gallery to visit beyond my typical stops in Peoria…
In artist Preston Jackson’s sweeping exhibit “Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story,” the sculptor tells narratives of American migration and immigration, hope and opportunity, freedom and the struggle for equality through hundreds of small bronze and steel figures, relief sculptures,…
The Peoria area has a history filled with innovation from the first car built by Duryea to the current Natural Fiber Welding. What is perhaps less known are the past Peorians who led the way for equality, equity and understanding…
U.S. Federal Judge Joe Billy McDade spoke at the graduation of the Peoria Park District’s Elite program recently and called for establishment of a student CCC program like one implemented as part of the New Deal during the administration of…
When the annual World Economic Forum draws the wealthy and powerful to Davos, Switzerland, things happen. The 2019 initiation of a 1 trillion tree planting scheme (https://www.1t.org/) – 1t for short – is an example. Does it mean that the…
BY DAVID ZALAZNIK Ben Dwyer died May 26, 2021 of ALS. I don’t remember exactly when Ben and I met. He was a photographer at WMBD-TV for almost 40 years here in Peoria and I started in late November 1989…
When my husband and I were engaged, we often wondered what topics or situations would cause arguments between us. We had read about typical ones: money, in-laws, where to spend Christmas dinner, putting the cap on the toothpaste, how many…
A sincere thank you and appreciation to the West Peorians who volunteered on a hot and humid June 5 to pick up litter in our community. I saw many out doing this clean-up to keep West Peoria clean. For those…
Workers’ Rights Amendment on Illinois ballot next year. A labor-backed Workers’ Rights Constitutional Amendment passed the House in May on a bipartisan 80-30-3 vote. Having earlier passed the Senate 49-7, the amendment is set to go before voters in the…
GALESBURG — Started in 2014 as a student initiative, the one-acre Knox College Farm has blossomed into a chemical-free operation that produced more than 2,300 pounds of food last year used in the school cafeteria and shared with the community.…
BY GARRY MOORE In many cities throughout the country, African Americans will observe Juneteenth–the name given to a unique American occurrence that marked the end of slavery in Texas. It’s also referred to as Black Independence Day (an alternative to…
