BY DAVID PITTMAN The proposed Donovan Pavilion in Donovan Park is a project in the wrong location, proposes an improper use of park land, creates permanent loss of open green space without replacement, and may have a negative financial impact…
The Watch | The heat remains on
On June 24, the Peoria City Council met virtually and did some internal housekeeping: Kiran K. Velpula, Ph.D., was sworn in as at-large councilor to fill Mayor Rita Ali’s unexpired term. Ali’s reappointments for 28 city commissions were approved. Community…
Nature Rambles | Pink in the Prairie
August and early September is a time for pink to join the color palette of the Illinois Prairie. The yellows of several species of sunflower still dominate, but nature seems to know that an ocean of yellow would be overstated.…
Inland Art | Duffy Armstrong
The career path of an artist is unique. They’re self-taught, supplement their practice through residencies, workshops; study under a master, learn through a university; the options are plentiful. Timing of their commitment is another variable that provides definition to one’s…
Art Alerts | September 2021
The Fine Art Fair is Sept. 25-26 along the riverfront on NE Water St. It’s the 59th anniversary of the Peoria Art Guild’s nationally recognized exhibition of original art. The Bridge-To-Bridge River Drive art festival runs 10 a.m. to 4…
Art: What is it Good For? | Seeing in a New Light
This coming October 2021 will be our 7th year writing this column. Every month we have written straight forward articles about art and creativity. We have spent little time talking to our reader about how to become more creative and…
Reflections From The Clergy | The Path Through Anger
I’m angry. I know I am not alone. We are angry. Lots and lots of us are angry. We stayed home. We stayed away from people, including those we love. We wore masks. We worked from home. We took care…
Heat Waves — In Red and Black | “Code Red for Humanity”: The 6th United Nations Climate Report
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assembles top climate scientists to report to policymakers, which is the purpose of their “grimdark” 6th report, IPCC6. IPCC scientists are known for rectitude and constrained predictions due to consensus decision…
Solar panels emerge from Peoria farm field
Illinois American Water Co. is converting an agriculture field off Galena Road to a nearly-10-acre solar field at 6111 N. Galena Road along the Illinois River. Karen Cotton, company spokeswoman, said the company is excited about this project that furthers…
Serendipity | Dedicated Baseball Fans
Baseball was introduced to me when I was a child. Not a formal introduction but a presence in our home. My Dad was a devoted fan, and my Mom tolerated the radio “noise” as she called it, in the background…
West Peoria News | Clean-Up Day
Beginning decades ago, the West Peoria Township started hosting Clean-Up Day. It started in the parking lot at the corner of Sterling and West Barker avenues and was organized strictly by volunteers. Work included renting large dumpsters, publicity, recruiting volunteers…
Labor Roundup | September 2021
NLRB officer: Amazon union election should be rescheduled. Amazon improperly pressured workers to vote against joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), and a new union election should be held, a National Labor Relations Board hearing officer recommended…
Kickapoo Creek Watershed: the untold story
When Cheryl Resnick moved to Peoria from the arid Southwest, she saw geology from the perspective of Arizona’s sweepingly dramatic landscape linked to ancient geological events and cultural heritage. She saw the absence of all that in central Illinois. Then…
Zombie Chlorpyrifos: Obama ban reversed by Trump; now in the courts
The life and death of a deadly neurotoxic chemical insecticide is entering yet another stage. Chlorpyrifos, used in central Illinois primarily on corn, is the focus of a potential class-action lawsuit filed in California. Use of chlorpyrifos has declined over…
Vaccine hesitancy
As much of the world desperately struggles to access COVID-19 vaccines, the Unites States marinates in skepticism and misinformation. Despite the availability of safe, free and readily available vaccines, too many Americans are still unvaccinated and that weakens immunity for…
PCCHD: New home?
BY SHARON WILLIAMS Eighteen months ago, Peoria County residents couldn’t have foreseen the far-reaching effects of a pandemic. It has been more than a century since our country has had to deal with something so fierce and unforgiving. We have…
As fires burn in West, sooty air blankets Peoria
Smoke from wildfires burning across 13 western states is blanketing the rest of the country in smoke and soot. In Peoria, the Air Quality Index hit 122, considered unhealthy for sensitive people. The threshold for safe air is 100. A…
The Lion’s Den | Words of the Day
Does everything in today’s world revolve around the issue of race? If this is the case, dialogue is the first step in understanding other viewpoints and creating sustainable, positive change. It then stands to reason that when we engage in…
Straight Talk | Where are the people?
It appears the long-term effects of the pandemic are creating problems beyond the retail and hospitality industries. Much has been written and spoken about labor shortages in restaurants and stores. However, there are difficulties for other businesses and events. Fans…
Bill Knight | Anti-protest laws
The troubling trend of anti-protest legislation is growing, but its recent successes in Republican statehouses isn’t new. There were earlier attempts, including one in Democratic-majority Illinois that failed. Barely. It’s all to chill involvement – “part of a larger trend…
Editorial | Gannett blames Biden and Pritzker for newspaper delivery problems
Many people who have paid subscriptions to the Peoria Journal Star are not receiving their newspapers. Delivery problems have plagued the Journal Star for years and are getting unbelievably worse. Recently, a subscriber complained to a circulation manager that he…
Letter to the Editor | Need media to emphasize science not “info-tainment”
In May of 2019, author and environmentalist, Bill McKibben tweeted: “Thinking about Mother Nature today. As of this morning, her CO2 concentration topped 415 ppm (parts per million) for the first time in many many millions of years.” He was…