Journal Star (Peoria)
‘AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY’
PEORIA — Up to 200 homes, ideally in the price range of $250,000 to $300,000, are what the city hopes to see built at Exposition Gardens, according to multiple city officials who spoke with the Journal Star. h A large housing project, which will create...
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Minnesotans start strike to protest surge by ICE
MINNEAPOLIS – Scores of businesses across Minnesota were closing up for the day on Jan. 23 in what religious leaders and labor unions described as a general strike to protest President Donald Trump’s deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement...
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Authorities ID man killed in house fire
The Peoria County coroner has identified the man killed Tuesday, Jan. 20, in a Chillicothe house fire. Michael J. Brodbeck, Jr., 62, was transported to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria unresponsive, not breathing and with no...
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Developers reach compromise on parking for new building
PEORIA HEIGHTS — New public parking will be added to Prospect Road as part of an agreement between the village and the developers of the Save A Lot property. Parking in Peoria Heights is often a hot commodity and topic of conversation and was a major...
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DOJ investigating MN demonstration
The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into a Minnesota demonstration that interrupted a church service Jan. 18. A group of protesters entered Cities Church in St. Paul, alleging that Pastor David Easterwood serves as the acting...
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‘They understand what works and what doesn’t’
Former government workers seeking seats in Congress CAPE MAY, NJ – It was Megan O’Rourke’s dream job. As a top climate scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she oversaw grants for research projects aimed at making food production healthier...
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MLK
The life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. are once again being celebrated and honored. The civil rights icon, whose work to end segregation and racism through nonviolence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, is the only non-president...
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Officials identify baby killed in Chillicothe fire
The Peoria County Coroner’s Office has identified the 8month-old child who died in a fire Wednesday at her home in Chillicothe. A’Maya R. Johnson was pronounced dead at 4:24 p.m. Wednesday afternoon following a fire at her home at Pinewood Estates in...
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Elevated lead levels found in some water samples
PEORIA – Routine water testing from the latter half of 2025 found elevated levels of lead at some test sites, according to a message from Illinois American Water. Between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, the company collected 111 water samples – focusing...
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ICE detention centers expanding in U.S.
President Donald Trump’s second term has brought sweeping changes to immigration enforcement. One of the top takeaways: Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention has expanded dramatically, both in the number of people being held and the sites...
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Chase Bank to take over vacant shopping center
EAST PEORIA — A long vacant East Peoria shopping center is getting a new lease on life as the site of a Chase Bank branch. Located in East Peoria’s historic Four Corners area, the buildings that once housed the Town Centre I shopping center had been...
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MILLIONS OF BARRELS OF BEER
PEORIA HEIGHTS — The history of the Pabst Brewing Company in the Peoria area is more than a century old. The Pabst Building that sits in the 4500 block of Prospect Road in Peoria Heights is 76 years old, but the brewing company as a whole predates...
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Officials decry killing of woman in Minneapolis
Thao Nguyen and Jeanine Santucci The city of Minneapolis is reeling in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a woman by an immigration agent, as federal and local authorities clash over the latest violence in President Donald Trump’s nationwide...
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Maduro opponent vows to return
WASHINGTON – Venezuela’s main opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has vowed to return home quickly, praising President Donald Trump for toppling President Nicolás Maduro and declaring her movement ready to win a free election. Trump appears,...
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Maduro, wife plead not guilty in court
Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro pleaded “not guilty” in federal court on Jan. 5 on U.S. drug trafficking charges, days after he and his wife were captured by U.S. forces in a surprise attack on the oil-rich country. Maduro, dressed in prison...
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Show & conventions
A new year is upon us in central Illinois. There is still a diverse selection of events to check out in the area. Here are nine things to do in January. 1. An evening of comedy with Charlie Berens Comedian, best-selling author, journalist and...
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Key Illinois and Peoria elections to watch this year
Two key dates are on the 2026 calendar that could have pivotal impacts on Illinois and the Peoria area. Primary elections for federal and statewide offices will be held on March 17. General elections will be on Nov. 3. These are the elections...
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Staunton restaurant owner faces deportation
Business owner and father Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval is preparing for his deportation to Mexico — a country he left decades ago and where his attorney said he is afraid to return because of cartel violence, citing, in part, his cousin’s murder at the hands...
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Big events on calendar for 2026
As a new year dawns, many Americans are reflecting on 2025, a year marked by historic events including the inauguration of a president, the appointment of the first American pope, and major pop culture moments like the release of “Wicked: For Good” and...
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13 road projects to watch for in the Peoria area
In Peoria County, 2026 is expected to be another year filled with road work. Here’s a look at some of the plans for the city and county in the coming months and years. University and Northmoor intersection in Peoria Work is slated to begin in spring...
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Experts expecting more economic growth in 2026
A seesaw year for the U.S. economy in 2025 looks set to give way to a stronger 2026 thanks to tailwinds from President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, less uncertainty around tariffs, the ongoing artificial intelligence boom and a late-year run of...
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Bad flu season getting worse in U.S.
Flu is surging across the United States amid a busy holiday travel time. The state of New York is among those most heavily hit. For the week that ended Dec. 20, the state of New York reported its highest number of positive flu cases (71,123) ever...
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‘It defies logic’
The economic challenges facing farmers are largely the same as always. But recent tariffs on imports added a new layer of anxiety for the U.S. agricultural community, especially in states like Illinois where farming is a crucial part of the...
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‘Illinois is facing an energy crisis’
Illinois’ electric grids may soon face power shortages and further price increases as fossil fuel plants go offline and data centers fueling the rise of artificial intelligence demand ever-increasing amounts of power. That’s the conclusion of a new...
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Dozens help man in a wheelchair conquer Kilimanjaro
After climbing Africa’s highest peak – in his wheelchair – Jeff Harmon said the Mount Kilimanjaro he had envisioned wasn’t the mountain he encountered in Tanzania. “It was everything my visioning and dreams were not,” Harmon, 51, said after returning...
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‘It’s comfort you can hold in your hands’
PEKIN – Jason Xia remembers his mother and grandmother preparing noodles and broth in the kitchen when he was young. In a written statement, he said the homemade bowls offered warmth during cold winters and “became my earliest understanding of what...
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FBI received complaint about Epstein in 1996
The FBI received a complaint about Jeffrey Epstein in 1996, nearly a decade before it investigated his activities in Florida and more than two decades before the Justice Department brought sex trafficking charges. The complaint was made public as part...
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These Peoria-area restaurants and bars are open on Christmas Day
With festive décor found in front yards and presents piling up beneath the tree, it is clear that Christmas is right around the corner. This year, the holiday falls on Thursday, Dec. 25. For many, it is a time to gather with loved ones, give...
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Brown shooting suspect found dead
PROVIDENCE, RI – Though the suspect connected to the deadly Brown University attack and the fatal shooting of an MIT professor was found dead in New Hampshire, the questions and fallout have only begun. Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez...
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Trump plays blame game in address
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump delivered a forceful defense of his first 11 months in office during a prime-time address from the White House, blaming Democrats for Americans’ economic anxieties in a combative speech that set the tone for the 2026...
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Lawmakers fail to extend health care subsidies
WASHINGTON – Congress has run out of time to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that will expire at the end of the year, meaning health insurance premiums are about to go up for millions of Americans. That reality became clear after a...
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Longtime Peoria business files for bankruptcy
Peoria Charter Coach filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday, a setback for a venerable Peoria-based business that serves thousands of customers a year. The company filed its petition for Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central...
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Police arrest son in Reiners’ deaths
Police have arrested Nick Reiner, the son of actor-director Rob Reiner and his film producer wife, Michele Singer Reiner, following the deaths of the couple. Nick Reiner, a 32-year-old screenwriter, was taken into custody on Dec. 14, and is being held...
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‘A lot of info before we get on scene’
At a relatively quiet meeting of the Peoria Safety Network this fall, Chief of Police Eric Echevarria made a revealing comment about his department’s use of ShotSpotter technology to detect shootings throughout the city. While cities such as Chicago,...
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Paper mill closure leaves workers behind
CHILLICOTHE, OH – As Jeff Allen drove past the place he worked for nearly 37 years, he looked toward the sky and witnessed something in early December that he hadn’t seen in months. Smoke billowed from the red-andwhite striped smokestack at the...
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Boyd unveils plans for new East Peoria casino
PEORIA — Boyd Gaming will attempt to build its new $160 million casino, a replacement for the Par-A-Dice Riverboat Casino, in East Peoria, settling months of speculation while also raising new questions. Officials from Boyd Gaming unveiled their plans...
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Peoria gets first look at designs for riverfront amphitheater
PEORIA — An $11 million donation will be made to the city of Peoria for the construction of an amphitheater on the Peoria riverfront. The Peoria City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to accept a donation from the Hengst Foundation, which...
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Trump announces $12B aid package for farmers
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump unveiled a $12 billion assistance package for farmers hurt by ongoing trade wars and inflation. “This relief will provide much needed certainty to farmers as they get this year’s harvest to market and look ahead to...
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A CHILLING EFFECT
A new survey conducted in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September is providing new insight into how college students – and those at Utah Valley University, where the conservative activist was killed – view free speech on campus. The...
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Justices mull presidential control of agencies
WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump’s attempt to increase his power by taking control of independent agencies comes before the Supreme Court on Dec. 8 in the second of at least four major cases on Trump’s expansive view of presidential authority the...
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10-YEAR MILESTONE
PEORIA – Tony Olson was a regular at The Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern on Tuesdays. First, for work. Then, as a patron. “Once I started having lunch there, it was a regular thing,” he said. “I would be there no matter what on Tuesdays right around 11...
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Property put up for auction
The main floor mall of Twin Towers Plaza in Downtown Peoria was put up for bid, with the property’s ownership looking to find someone who can help them create a “vibrant downtown multiuse hub” for local business. Bidding began on the main floor...
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A Christmas classic: Peoria museum holds tree-lighting
The Peoria Riverfront Museum lit up its 75-foot Christmas tree in the fourth annual tree-lighting ceremony Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 outside the museum on Water Street. The event kicked off the museum’s Christmas in the Village, which will take place at...
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Holiday fun, concerts and more
The holiday season has arrived in central Illinois, and the calendar is full of big holiday concerts, festive experiences and more. Here are 20 things to do in the Peoria area during December. 1. 2025 PNC New Year’s Eve Kids Countdown The 2025 PNC...
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Beloved TV star visited multiple Peoria businesses
PEORIA – The star of a beloved children’s TV show made an appearance at multiple local businesses recently. Need a clue? He starred alongside a dog who was blue… Steve Burns, known for his role in “Blue’s Clues,” was in town for the 2025 Illinois...
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2026 results key for Vance’s future
WASHINGTON – Vice President JD Vance has a lot riding on the November 2026 midterm elections. He is seen as the front-runner to be the next Republican nominee for the White House, yet he faces the more immediate challenge of being one of his party’s...
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New owner, building and state-of-art tech
PEORIA — Matt Coulter loves golf so much he’s been walking a proverbial course for over 30 years just to get right back to where he started. The Peoria native bought Illini Golf in late May from Bill Ott, the longtime owner of the Peoria golf...
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Experts: Kelly case unlikely to see trial
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon’s investigation into alleged misconduct by Sen. Mark Kelly faces significant legal challenges over what laws the Arizona Democrat may have violated, as well as President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s...
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING
There is no print edition of the paper today, but you can find today’s puzzles, comics, national news and sports here in the eNewspaper.
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ALL LIT UP
An annual central Illinois tradition has returned for its 41st year. h The East Peoria Festival of Lights drive-through display opens Friday, Nov. 28, and runs every night through Sunday, Jan. 4. Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5...
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ILLINOIS COMIC CON TAKES OVER PEORIA
ABOVE: Artist and vendor Banshee N D’Attic of Springfield lets out a cry from atop Falkor as John Marks records the action on Nov. 22, during the Illinois Comic Con at the Peoria Civic Center. Marks is an artist and fabricator who’s created interactive...
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Chicago shuns anti-violence grants
Chicago will not apply for federal community violence intervention grants after the Trump administration reshaped the program to focus on law enforcement and immigration, the city said last week, calling the new stipulations an effort to politicize...
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Senate approves plan to end shutdown
WASHINGTON – The Senate approved a deal late Nov. 10 to end the nation’s longest-ever government shutdown, putting Congress on the brink of resolving a weeks-long fight that has disrupted flights and halted food stamps for millions of Americans. In a...
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Shutdown appears closer to ending
WASHINGTON – The longest-ever government shutdown is on the verge of ending, as food aid benefits are in limbo and flight cancellations and delays disrupt travelers. The U.S. Senate on Nov. 9 took the first big step toward voting on a bipartisan deal...
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Two parades among the best things to do in November
The holiday season is just around the corner in central Illinois, and the calendar is full with parades, activities, music, comedy shows and more. Here are 14 things to do in the Peoria area in the month of November. 1. Pekin Winter Wonderland...
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Rising costs and popular competitors
Rebecca Hearn has been on a crusade of sorts this year. h Her goal? To encourage people to support small, local businesses. The cause hits close to home at her restaurant, Untamed Chef. In April, Hearn shared a video showing the restaurant’s sparsely...
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‘A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE’
More than 500 people in the business community gathered at the Embassy Suites Riverfront Hotel and Conference Center in East Peoria Wednesday for the presentation of the 2025 Official Community’s Choice Awards. h More than 150 awards were presented in...
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Flight cuts coming due to shutdown
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced in a Nov. 5 news conference that there will be a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports due to the impacts of the ongoing federal government shutdown. Duffy’s comments came two days after he warned...
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Democrats sweep off-year elections
President Donald Trump received a rebuke as Democrats swept every major contest on Nov. 4, which they hope foretells a nationwide backlash to Republican control in Washington in the pivotal 2026 midterm elections. The results represent the first...
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‘Much more than vice president’
WASHINGTON – Richard Bruce Cheney was the most powerful and the most controversial vice president in American history. Cheney, 84, died surrounded by family members on the evening of Nov. 3, of complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular...
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Man sentenced to 15 years for hit-and-run collision
A Peoria man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a hit-and-run collision that killed a 28-year-old in 2023. In July, John Timothy Jr., 41, had been found guilty of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving a death. He struck Akeem...
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Developer has big plans for downtown 500 block
Storefronts sit empty along the 500 block of Main Street in Downtown Peoria. Gerald Ritterbusch and developer Jeff Giebelhausen want to change that. The two are working to redevelop the units to create a stretch of complementary businesses along the...
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A LOSS OF JOY AND LIFE
PEORIA — Elisha Gilbert was shot to death in his car, and some of the world’s joy died with him. “All his life he was doing positive things,” said his mother, Jessica Gilbert. “He brought joy to everyone around him. There are so many memories with...
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Judges: Government must fund SNAP
Nearly 1.88 million Illinois residents participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may still get their benefits in November after decisions by two federal judges in late October. A federal judge in Rhode Island said he would...
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Massey family members react
PEORIA — Family members and supporters of Sonya Massey, fatally shot in her home in an area of Springfield known as Cabbage Patch, said a second-degree conviction for former Sangamon County Sheriff ’s deputy Sean Grayson is not enough. The conviction...
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Caterpillar hurt by tariffs, helped by data centers
Caterpillar hit record marks for sales and revenues in the third quarter of 2025, but its overall profits continue to take a hit from the increased costs of tariffs, CEO Joe Creed told investors on Wednesday. The global manufacturer posted a record...
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Will Illinois get food stamps in November?
The government shutdown is nearing its fifth week, making it the second longest in U.S. history behind President Donald Trump’s last shutdown in 2019. Though Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are considered mandatory spending,...
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Striking nurses find new, winged patients
Walking the picket line for more than 80 days, Ian Lacombe and many of his fellow nurses at Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, missed the nurturing nourishment they received from helping to heal hospital patients. h After Lacombe rescued an...
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Food banks brace for surge amid shutdown
WASHINGTON – Cynthia Kirkhart, the CEO of Facing Hunger Foodbank in Huntington, West Virginia, has already had to explain to customers this year why the organization is rationing bags of potatoes. The food bank has had to shrink its allotments as...
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HIGH STAKES
Last year, a staggering $265 million was put into video gaming terminals across the city. That money was a boon in tax revenue for Peoria and the state, and also helps the businesses with the terminals cover their costs. h While the money is a strong...
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SNAP program may be in jeopardy
SPRINGFIELD – The Central Illinois Foodbank, which helps deliver food to thousands of families in the region, is dolling out more food as it braces for the possibility of a major food assistance program ending on Nov. 1. Federal officials with the...
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‘He lifts us up’
IOWA CITY, IOWA — The sports world measures everything by numbers. But there is no measurement for bravery, or determination, or dignity. Luke Johnston inspires those around him, makes them better. That’s what captains do in sports, and that’s why the...
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Government shutdown is one of longest in history
WASHINGTON – The federal government shutdown is already one of the nation’s longest at 23 days with no end in sight, as Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain locked in a bitter stalemate. The shutdown has placed 750,000 federal workers on...
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Opening arguments in Grayson case set to begin
PEORIA — A jury has been sworn in and opening arguments are set for Oct. 22 in the murder trial of a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy charged with killing Sonya Massey in her home just outside of Springfield in 2024. The jury includes one Black...
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Longtime Peoria shopping center put up for sale
A shopping center along Lake Avenue in Peoria is currently up for sale, with a $3.35 million price tag. Oak Cliff Park, located at 201 East Lake Ave., was put on the market on Sept. 2, the first time the property has been placed on the market since it...
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Hundreds of protesters attend ‘No Kings’ rally in Peoria
PEORIA — More than 1,000 people, including U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, lined War Memorial Drive in Peoria on Saturday to protest the Donald Trump administration in a “No Kings” rally. More than 2,500 “No Kings” rallies took place across America on...
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