Lincoln’s past and present intersect at Route 66 Steve Stein October 27, 2023 Lincoln is a city that is steeped in history but not immune to modern challenges.It’s the only city named for...
Direct Descendants Scott Fishel September 28, 2023 Religious freedom is fundamental to the American experience. From the beginning, immigrants came to the nation’s shores to escape persecution...
‘The Epitome of Resilience’ Scott Fishel August 28, 2023 When asked to describe the people of Canton, Mayor Kent McDowell doesn’t hesitate.“Canton is the epitome of resilience,” he said.With...
‘West Bluff, Best Bluff’ Scott Fishel August 1, 2023 A mural on the east side of One World Café sums up how many residents of Peoria’s West Bluff feel...
Get Your Kicks in Pontiac Scott Fishel June 28, 2023 If summer is the season for road trips, Pontiac may well qualify as the premier road trip destination in central...
Making the Most of Things in Mackinaw Scott Fishel May 22, 2023 Mackinaw is not the smallest of small towns in Tazewell County. But as small towns go, this village of 1,800...
It’s Happening in the Heights Scott Fishel April 27, 2023 "Wait! What? Is that a bird up there? A woodpecker? It’s huge! Is it real?”So goes a newcomer’s astonished discovery...
‘Out with the old, in with the new’ Scott Fishel March 31, 2023 East Peoria Mayor John Kahl Standing at the roundabout in East Peoria’s Levee District, one would never imagine that the surrounding...
The New Normal Scott Fishel February 28, 2023 At its simplest and most functional, Normal’s Uptown Circle resolves a troublesome intersection of streets in the town’s historic business...
All Aboard for Galesburg Scott Fishel January 1, 2023 Galesburg is a railroad town. Evidence of the city’s proud railroading heritage is everywhere.School sports teams have names like the...
Opportunistic Ottawa Scott Fishel November 30, 2022 Ottawa has been called one of the “10 small towns in Illinois that offer nothing but peace and quiet.” ...
Progress and Promise in Pekin Scott Fishel October 27, 2022 Legend has it that Pekin was named for Peking (now Beijing), the capital of China. It’s an appealing but apocryphal...
The Washington Way Scott Fishel October 1, 2022 When Washington residents find themselves going in circles, it’s not because they are lost or confused. In fact, they couldn’t...
Living It Up Local in Eureka Scott Fishel September 1, 2022 No McDonalds. No Walmart. No Starbucks. No big box home center or national hotel chain. What Eureka, Illinois doesn’t have...
Eureka’s Maple Lawn Homes celebrates a century of care Laurie Pillman September 1, 2022 It’s easy to find Maple Lawn Homes CEO Jeremy LaKosh. Just look for the man everyone waves at. “People come...
‘God can start some things’ Phil Luciano September 1, 2022 At South Side Mission, an ambitious new project has roots stretching back almost a century. In 1925, Helen Haien would...
Brimfield Beckons Steve Tarter April 1, 2022 If you ask Dan Fishel what he likes about Brimfield, the mayor has plenty to say. Just don’t call him...
