Drunk-driving crash survivor speaks to h.s. students
Sarah Panzau of Belleville says she's living proof that poor choices can result in life-changing consequences. Panzau in August of 2003 at the age of 21 was driving drunk -- so drunk her blood-alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit. Panzau missed a highway exit and her car rolled four times throwing her out the back window amputating her left arm. Panzau says she was hospitalized for several months with a list of injuries that took up a computer page and a half - including a broken...
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Marines Return To Peoria
A Heroes Welcome was given Friday morning when 33 Peoria based US Marine Reservists returned from a 7 month deployment in Iraq. The soldiers from Engineer Company "C' arrived in front of about 75 family members and friends just before 11:00 am at the Marine Corps Reserve Center on Plank Road. They left Peoria a year ago and went through 3 months of training at Camp Pendelton. The 33 Marines were attached with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment. They were based at Camp...
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City Hall Hosts Renovation Tour
A tour of Peoria City Hall took place Friday morning to show people what renovations the building will go through over the next few years. The Rediscovering City Hall Committee plans to restore the architectural beauty of the building the way it was when it opened in the late 1800's. Jim Bateman is a former Peoria City Councilman who serves on the committee.The Peoria City Council has put up $800,000 in this year's budget and plans to again next year. Insurance will cover another $800,000....
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Annual Cop On The Top Event Friday
Local law enforcement officers are participating in the annual "Cop On The Top" promotion Friday to benefit Special Olympics. Officers are perched on the roofs of Peoria's Dunkin' Donuts to raise money for the yearly Special Olympics. Peoria Police officer Liz Blair says the event also raises awareness for the continuing Special Olympics cause. The promotion runs from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm Friday afternoon. Blair says there are "Cops On The Top...
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Dee-Mack High School closed today
Classes at Deer Creek Mackinaw High School are canceled today due to electrical issues at the school. District 701 Superintendent Steve Yarnall tells WEEK News 25 classes will be held in the two elementary schools and all activities will go on as scheduled. Yarnall says only the high school classes are impacted.
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Overnight house fire leads to arrest
Unattended grease on the stove is listed as the cause of a 10-thousand dollar fire overnight in Peoria. Fire fighters were called to 804 East Virginia about 1:30 this morning. Battalion Chief Mike Ogburn says the fire was contained to the kitchen. Ogburn says one occupant suffered minor injuries while jumping through a living room window to escape the blaze. Turns out police were looking for that resident because of an outstanding warrant. Police say that person was taken into custody.
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County Board Sends Proposed Raises Back To Committee
The Peoria County Board voted Thursday night to send back to committee, a resolution to raise the salaries of 4 offices up for election this fall. By law, the County Board is required to set new salary for these offices by the end of May. The proposed salary increases this year include the Coroner, Circuit Clerk, Auditor and Recorder of Deeds. A one-time parity adjustment would bring these offices up to the salary level of the Treasurer and County Clerk. The...
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Major League Soccer To Play In Peoria
Get ready for Major League Soccer to debut in Peoria Tuesday evening June 10th. Bradley University and The Butcher Block at Junction City announced Thursday the Chicago Fire will play either league opponent Columbus or Real Salt Lake City at Shea Stadium in a 7:05 pm contest. The game is a part of the 2008 Lamar Hunt U-S Open Cup series. The winner will advance to the round of 16. Bradley soccer coach Jim DeRose says it's a first to have major sports professional teams...
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LaHood Co-Sponsored Lincoln Bill Signed By President
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush signed legislation that designates a massive swath of Illinois as the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. Bush signed the measure Thursday. It calls for up to $15 million in federal money over 15 years to fund grants to help keep alive the story of Lincoln. The area includes 42 counties in central Illinois where Lincoln spent his pre-White House years. The provision was part of a bill involving...
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"Playing with the Enemy" author visits Peoria
A Sesser, Illinois native led an interesting life before, during and after World War Two and now Warren "Gene" Moore's son is sharing that story with us. Gary Moore has authored "Playing with the Enemy." It talks about his father signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers at the age of 15. But then World War Two happened and Moore's father was assigned to the U-S Navy North African touring baseball team that followed Patton's 7th Army entertaining the troops. Later his father's team...
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Guest speaker for "Faith and Football"
The Peoria Pirates "Faith and Football" program will feature a special guest before Saturday's game against Green Bay. Former Metamora star and current Western Illinois defensive lineman Teague Dentino will deliver a faith based message to high school students. The event begins at 5:30 Saturday afternoon. Any high school student wishing to attend should enter through the Bradley Braves team door off Jefferson Street near the old Carver Arena ticket office. Students who attend will get...
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Pleasant Valley latchkey parent upset
A mother is angry after her Pleasant Valley School latchkey child showed up on her doorstep two hours too soon. Linda and Penn Tanni's six-year-old daughter goes to an afterschool program until she is picked up at 6:00 in the evening. But Linda Tanni returned home early from nursing school last Friday to cook for her family. She answered a knock at the door around 3:30 and saw her six-year-old daughter standing on the porch. Tanni tells WEEK News 25 she asked her crying daughter why she was...
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American Mausoleum customers want answers
(From WEEK News 25)
It was a day full of frustration for local families with loved ones laid to rest in a now closed mausoleum. American Mausoleum and owner Robert Wilton filed for bankruptcy in March. Today at a creditors' hearing, families were able to question Wilton over the closure. Because the mausoleum is closed, family members can't do anything with their loved ones who are entombed there. Instead, the grass is overgrown and the doors remain locked at the American Mausoleum...
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City and School Administration Subcommittee Meets For Final Time
The Joint Peoria City Council and District 150 Board of Education Subcommittee have decided to actively pursue uses for present and future vacant school buildings in Peoria. The Subcommittee met Wednesday afternoon at the District 150 administration offices. School Superintendent Ken Hinton gave examples of how the District has proceeded with closed schools in the past. He says the school board either looks into converted use within or outside the district, or they pursue...
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Man traveling across country by Horse and Wagon visits Peoria
A Montana man traveling across the country via horse and wagon made his way through the Peoria area Wednesday afternoon. Lee Crafton rode his wagon pulled by three horses across the McCluggage Bridge and went west all the way down War Memorial Drive and out of town. Crafton is traveling across the country and heading to California. Crafton previously traveled from Montana to Boston and now is heading to California and plans a trip to Alaska in 2010. Crafton on his website says he is doing this...
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Illinois House rejects lawmaker pay raises
(AP) - The Illinois House says now is not the time for legislators and other state officials to get a pay raise. But they may still see the extra money later this year.The House voted 94-to-8 today to reject a recommendation from the Compensation Review Board for raises over the next two years. Lawmakers would see a $7,000 increase, and Governor Rod Blagojevich's salary would climb by more than $20,000.The raises kick in automatically this summer unless both the House and Senate vote to reject...
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Concerts planned for Fourth of July this year
A couple of concerts are planned on Peoria's Riverfront as part of this year's Methodist Red, White and Boom fireworks show over the Fourth of July weekend.Event Organizers from JMP Radio Group say Cheap Trick with play in Festival Park July 3rd and country act Diamond Rio at the Cefcu Stage July 5th. Erik Soderstrom with Riverfront Entertainment says decent crowds are expected from each band. He expects between 3,000 and 7,000 for Cheap Trick and about 2,000 for Diamond Rio.The fireworks...
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