Simmons named new principal at Notre Dame
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 22 May 2014 17:52
- Written by The Peorian
Randy Simmons, with 35 years experience as an educator that includes leadership positions, was officially named the new principal at Peoria Notre Dame High School. He has been assistant principal the past year.
Simmons, who retired from Peoria School District...
CAC to host Recognize Richard fundraiser starring Richard Pryor Jr.
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 13 May 2014 18:35
- Written by Kevin Kizer
With an official downtown location secured, the Richard Pryor Sculpture Committee will hold its first Recognize Richard fundraiser on May 24 at the Contemporary Art Center, starring Richard Pryor Jr.
The goal of the fundraiser is to begin raising the $100,000 needed to cast the bronze statue of Richard Pryor created by Peoria artist Preston Jackson. All proceeds from the event will go towards the statue, which will be located at the corner...
Park District moves into new offices at Lakeview
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 16 February 2014 16:09
- Written by Paul Gordon
Spirit of Peoria ready to set sail for the season
- Details
- Published on Friday, 09 May 2014 15:50
- Written by Paul Gordon
A new season aboard the Spirit of Peoria is underway and the paddlewheel boat will again offer some of the most unique entertainment to be found in central Illinois.
With some new events planned, including themed cruises with flowing juices, owner and Capt. Alex Grieves believes this could be one of the Spirit’s best years on...
Ardis: State of the City is proud, but much work lies ahead
- Details
- Published on Monday, 27 January 2014 16:51
- Written by The Peorian
As it continues to bask in the glory of being named an All America City for the fourth time, Peoria will continue to see growth and a revitalized downtown -- with unprecedented help from City Hall -- in 2014, Mayor Jim Ardis said in his annual State of the City address delivered Tuesday.
Ardis told nearly 600 people at the event at the Peoria Civic...
Helping child abuse victims starts with 'first responders'
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 24 April 2014 12:44
- Written by Paul Gordon
Last in a series
Child abuse, said Clete Winkelmann, is one of those things that make people want to cover their eyes and run away.
"We don't do that," said Winkelmann, CEO of Children's Home in Peoria. "We run into the situation. We are basically the first responders...
PAAR Turkey Drive sets record; tornado relief events successful
- Details
- Published on Monday, 16 December 2013 17:38
- Written by Paul Gordon
Peoria-area Realtors set another record in its annual Turkey Drive, with help from local partners and national suppliers while they keep finding ways to help victims of the Nov. 17 tornadoes.
The Peoria Area Association of Realtors said Monday that the annual fundraiser reached $23,600 this year, topping the previous record of $23,000 set last year. That will...
CASA: Giving children a voice
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 23 April 2014 11:18
- Written by Kerri Rae Hinman
Third in a series.
FOLEPI, Santa Parade lead off a weekend of holiday activities
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 27 November 2013 15:39
- Written by Paul Gordon
After the tummy settles a bit from Thursday's feast, there is much to do this weekend in the Peoria area — even if Black Friday isn't your thing.
The area's holiday themed festivities actually begin Thursday evening when the City of East Peoria opens FOLEPI's Winter Wonderland, the drive-through extravaganza in Fon du Lac Park at the top of Springfield...
The ultimate goal: Keeping families intact
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 22 April 2014 11:20
- Written by Paul Gordon
Second in a series.
There is no question what the goal of child welfare agencies is when it comes to disposing of child abuse or neglect cases: To keep the family together.
Where there is grey area is with the question of what's in the best interest of the child....
Benefit concerts to aid tornado victims
- Details
- Published on Monday, 25 November 2013 18:03
- Written by Paul Gordon
Musical instruments and singing voices will become tools to help those affected by the Nov. 17 tornadoes at a pair of upcoming benefit concerts in Peoria and Bloomington.
On Tuesday the Peoria Symphony Orchestra plays a Tornado Relief Benefit Concert at 7 p.m. at the Peoria Civic Center Theatre.
The concert will feature selections from Handel's Messiah and the audience will be invited to sing along with musicians and vocalist from...
Protecting the kids is everyone's job
- Details
- Published on Monday, 21 April 2014 09:47
- Written by Paul Gordon
The responsibility for ensuring the safety of children or ridding them of the horrors of abuse or neglect should extend beyond child welfare services, police agencies and juvenile courts.
Those in professions that cause them to be mandatory reporters of abuse and neglect or even suspicions of such should not be the only people that do...
Disaster relief available; more coming
- Details
- Published on Monday, 18 November 2013 17:42
- Written by Paul Gordon
Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday declared seven Illinois counties, including Tazewell and Woodford counties, as state disaster areas.
That news came just before Quinn toured several of the areas hit by tornadoes on Sunday, including Washington, the hardest hit community as it lost as many as 500 homes as the result...
Leadership Luncheon Awards to be revived
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 04 March 2014 20:07
- Written by Paul Gordon
Mass, reception will conclude Catholic high school sesquicentennial
- Details
- Published on Friday, 30 August 2013 11:07
- Written by The Peorian
The Peoria Catholic Diocese will conclude its year-long celebration of Catholic secondary education in Peoria with a mass and reception Saturday afternoon.
A mass will be conducted at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, 607 NE Madison Ave., at 4 p.m. Saturday. A catered reception will follow at the Spalding Pastoral Center at 419 NE Madison...
Glen Oak Park and Power of Play to benefit from Macy's program
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 04 March 2014 14:48
- Written by The Peorian
Glen Oak Park and its Power of Play campaign have been selected for “Heart Your Park,” a program
A taste of the judging of the Taste
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 15 August 2013 16:16
- Written by Kevin Kizer
With the Taste of Peoria still fresh on the palate, I thought now would be the perfect time to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the food judging that occurs just before the event. I myself am a judge and have been for the past three years. It’s a burden I will continue to shoulder as long as they continue to invite me back to eat free food.
The judging itself takes place in the Gateway Building. Around 50 judges of all sizes, shapes...
Rated PG: Washington will be back
- Details
- Published on Monday, 03 March 2014 17:39
- Written by Paul Gordon
At 10 a.m. today (Tuesday, March 4), from my house on the far west side of Washington, I could hear only one thing ̶ a lone tornado siren blowing somewhere in town. I will admit, there was an eeriness about it.
I heard no other sirens, including the East Peoria siren that is closer to where I li
ve and is loud enough to wake the comatose. They didn’t...
Remembering an area sportswriter: 50 years after his Cubs-Cards ‘cusp’
- Details
- Published on Monday, 12 August 2013 10:43
- Written by Bill Knight
Jean Wheat of Dunlap recently passed on, a sad reminder of conversations in which she recalled the bittersweet time 50 years ago when her brother, sportswriter Ralph Ray, grappled with being a Cubs fan in St. Louis, then a baseball fan who came to love the Redbirds.
Wheat had reminisced about her brother Ralph, who went from rural west-central Illinois to the top of sports journalism at The Sporting News.
Jean recalled...
A Furious Rant Fueled by a Furious Cool Book
- Details
- Published on Monday, 17 February 2014 18:39
- Written by Kevin Kizer
"Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the World That Made Him"
David Henry & Joe Henry
Algonquin Books
A Note From Your Humble Author:
Oh Sweet Lorraine: A Love Song 75 Years in the Writing
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 24 July 2013 16:00
- Written by Kevin Kizer
These are the types of stories we live for at The Peorian! Earlier this year, Jacob Colgan and Green Shoe Studios in East Peoria held a contest for aspiring singers/songwriters. While they received many submissions via YouTube (as they requested), the most surprising one came in a very large manila envelope via the mail. It was the entry of 96 year-old Fred Stobaugh.
Fred had just written...
