Rock Road to close for summer

Rock Road, which is also McLean County Highway 40 or 500 North Road, between 3500 and 3600 East roads will be closed to through traffic starting Monday, April 25 through Thursday, September 1, weather permitting, for bridge replacement.  MORE

Chiefs blow 4-run lead in 9th, fall in 10 to Clinton

The Peoria Chiefs lead 7-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth inning but allowed seven unanswered runs and lost 10-7 in 10 innings Tuesday night to the Clinton LumberKings. With the loss the Chiefs are 6-6 on the season and will face the LumberKings in the third game of the series Wednesday with first pitch at 11 am.MORE

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…