Welcome People

There are many vibrant cultural communities in the Peoria area, but not all are as well represented as the Filipino American Society of Central Illinois, or FASCI.

A Central Illinois World War II Veteran received the highest honor the French government can bestow on Tuesday.

Rev. James DeLoatche is a familiar face at Grace Baptist Church in Peoria, where's he's preached for the last 35 years. He's also a decorated veteran who served in one of the most notorious conflicts of the Vietnam War.

It's been an uncertain growing season for Central Illinois farmers, with periods of drought giving way to several consecutive days of rain. Now, it could be a record-approaching harvest.

Doug Cruitt says he hopes to build on his past successes - and his failures - as the new executive director of Peoria's Distillery Labs tech and innovation center.

It doesn't matter if you lived on a farm or not, if you’ve lived in central Illinois for any length of time, you’re probably familiar with Colleen Callahan.

As noted in part one of this story, autism spectrum disorder can present itself differently in every individual who has it. And with more and more children being diagnosed, making sure those with autism, as well as anyone who is neurodiverse, is set up for success in the classroom becomes a top priority for parents and educators.

Peoria artist Peytin Fitzgerald's "Falling in Between" is on view at Joe McCauley Gallery at Heartland Community College. Fitzgerald is a printmaker and self-taught textile artist who learned how to sew as a grad student during COVID. The show explores what is passed down intentionally — and inevitably — through generations.

Erik Reader has a thing about downtowns. It doesn’t matter if they’re small or mid-sized or if they’re on a river or surrounded by cornfields, Reader wants to see them get ahead.

Jessica Tilton is a former Bradley University biology lecturer, future medical school student and current Miss Illinois 2023.