Security privileges are revoked for Peoria County Board member Brad Harding. Harding's key-card to get into security entrances won't work because he violated Courthouse rules. The Journal Star reports Peoria County Sheriff Mike McCoy review surveillance video and consulted with the Peoria County State's Attorney, County Board chairman and the Chief Judge of the 10th Judicial...more

A victory celebration for the Salvation Army Tree of Lights campaign is truly that. The Army raised just shy of $1,522,000 during the 2011 campaign. That's a record and an 8-percent jump over the year before. Jim Moore says he and his wife Paula, who co-chaired the campaign, are overwhelmed by the community's support. The money raised through the Tree of Lights campaign represents...more

State Farm Insurance plans to hire 3,000 people across the U.S. and Canada and add 900 agents. The Bloomington, Ill.-based company said Friday that the hiring will replace positions it has left open as the country's economy struggled the past few years.  State Farm spokeswoman Holly Anderson said the jobs will be mainly in customer service, claims and IT. Three-hundred will be in...More

After three days of controversy, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity says it is reversing its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood. "We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives," a Komen statement said.  As first reported by The Associated...More

Some Peoria residents expressed doubt and distrust as to how the city will spend funds from the Southtown TIF District at a town hall meeting Thursday night. Many residents feel the city has misspent funds ever since the Southtown Tax Increment Finance District was established in 1978. The Southtown TIF expires in 2013. Among many suggestions, most people at the meeting agreed TIF...more

(From WEEK News 25) - Tensions ran high at a neighborhood meeting tonight in East Bluff. Residents are fed up with the crime on their streets. "30 years is a long time for a citizen to wait for a reaction from law enforcement," said one resident. Residents at this meeting Thursday are here to discuss the rising rate of crime where they live. The latest example: a car...more

(AP) - Two Republican incumbents who represent Illinois districts in the U.S. House won't have primary challengers. U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert of Hinsdale and U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock of Peoria won't face challengers in Illinois' Republican primary on March 20. The Illinois State Board of Elections ruled 5-3 on Thursday that...more

There's good preliminary news on the violent crime numbers for Peoria in 2011.  Homicides, shootings, aggravated assaults and most acts of violent crime were all reported be be lower than in 2010, according to Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard.  There were 17 homicides last year compared with 23 in 2010, which a 30 percent drop.  Settingsgaard says the numbers of...More

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the renowned breast-cancer charity, is facing an escalating backlash over its decision to halt breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood. Some of Komen's local affiliates are openly troubled, and at least one top official has quit, reportedly in protest.  Komen has been deluged with negative emails and Facebook postings since news broke Tuesday that it was...More

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the renowned breast-cancer charity, is facing an escalating backlash over its decision to halt breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood. Some of Komen's local affiliates are openly troubled, and at least one top official has quit, reportedly in protest.  Komen has been deluged with negative emails and Facebook postings since news broke Tuesday that it was...More

Caterpillar officials say a plant in Canada where workers have been locked out over a contract stalemate, will now be permanently closed.  The plant is a subsidiary of CAT, called Progress Rail Services.  A CAT statement says that the cost structure of the Electro-Motive plant was not sustainable and efforts to negotiate a labor agreement failed.  The plant employed about 450...More

It's never to early to start thinking of pumpkins...especially in the pumpkin capital of the world of Morton, Illinois. Plans are already underway for this year's Morton Pumpkin Festival in September. Executive Director of the Morton Chamber of Commerce, Jennifer Daly, says the theme this year will be, "Peace, Love and Pumpkins"...a tribute to the 60's. "The...more

Officials from Planned Parenthood are concerned about a Susan G. Komen For The Cure  decision to stop giving grants to them mainly used for breast exams.  The amount is said to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO Carol Brite says the issue seems like a double edged sword. Brite says her organization thinks...More

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn gave his  State of the State address on Wednesday. Here are quotes and  reaction from Illinois lawmakers and officials:---  "Cuts alone will not get us to a better budget. We must  build and grow our Illinois economy like never before to keep Illinois moving forward." Illinois Gov. Pat....More

Gov. Pat Quinn used Wednesday's State of the State address to call for ending an Illinois tax on natural gas. The Democratic governor also proposed the creation of a new tax credit for parents with children, which he said will save $100 a year for the average family of four. And he called for expanding an existing tax credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans. In...More

Campaign Ellen is underway. It's an effort to get popular talk show host Ellen DeGeneres to appear at this year's Women's Lifestyle Show October 27th. It's getting started with a postcard campaign. Pre-addressed postcards are available at a number of locations, including all Krogers and PNC Banks, with room for you to write a message to Ellen telling her why she should...more

Norwood Primary School in Peoria and Willow elementary school in Pekin are both 2011 Illinois Honor Roll winners just announced the the Illinois State Board of Education and Northern Illinois University.  Both schools made both the Spotlight Schools list and the Academic Excellencen catagory. Spotlight Schools recognizes recognizes high poverty, high performing schools beating the...More

The Peoria Heights Village Board and it's top officer have come to terms, to temporarily put the ambulance department under the police chief's umbrella.  Chief Dusitn Sutton says he has already started to institute policy and procedures within the ambulance side of the Peoria Heights Fire Department. The action is a result of the recent resignation of the ambulance...More

Not to be outdone by the State of the Union, State of the State and State of the City....Peoria County is now in the game.  The first State of the County address was presented this(Tuesday)morning before a large breakfast audience at the Ivy Club.  Peoria County Board Chairman Tom O'Neill gave the opening remarks. O'Neill reminded those in attendance the County has...More

It's about time for Gertie the Groundhog to make her official forecast at Wildlife Prairie State Park. Remember Gertie's forecast last year? It came on the heels of the blizzard of 2011...officially 15 inches of snow with a peak wind gust of 52 miles an hour. NBC's Willard Scott remembers. His Today Show segment was live from Wildlife Prairie State Park. "I've...more

The president and CEO of the Peoria Area Convention and Vistitors Bureau has resigned...two years into a three year contract.  The Journal Star reports Bob Marx resigned last Friday. Marx was hired in September of 2009. The Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau represents...more

So what are the specifics of the new crime fighting task force the Peoria Mayor referred to during last week's State of the City address?   Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard says both the city and Peoria County will team up with state and federal law enforcement and county, state and federal prosecutors all with the purpose of bringing down major criminals.  The...More

Early in June, you will have another time of departure option if you want to fly direct to Denver.  United airlines, specifically United Express will ad one more daily departure and arrival to it's schedule at Peoria International Airport.  Airport Director Gene Olson says the current arrival-departure  from the Mile High City has been performing strongly, so United is adding...More

It looks as if Peoria set a new temperature record for today(Monday), January 30th.  The temperature unofficially hit 60 at about 330pm for about an hour Monday afternoon, likley breaking the previous record of 56 set 23 years ago in 1988. 

In a weekend call to Egyptian Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tan-tawi, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta applauded recent elections, asked him to help in lifting a travel ban on U.S. citizens and expressed concern over restrictions on nongovernmental organizations, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said this morning.  One of the U-S citizens who was told at the Cairo airport he was on a...More

Gas prices in Illinois are at the highest they've ever been for this time of year. Triple's A's Fuel Gauge Report is forecasting an average of $3.51 a gallon for the month of January, up 29 cents from last year. Spokesperson Beth Mosher says it's all about oil prices and demand. "Oil prices have been up and down, and demand has been way down from where it...more

Weight training is part of the regular training regiments for student-athletes at Bradley University, no matter the sport. Bradley men's basketball coach Geno Ford tells WMBD's Greg and Dan, "Weight lifting has changed in the last five years or so to include core lifting and Olympic-style lifting." "That's to avoid guys bulking up too much up top and injury...more

Peoria native and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood updates the situation involving his son Sam during a funtion in Michigan Saturday night.  The Obama Administration continues to urge Egypt to lift travel restrictions on several U-S citizens, one of them Sam LaHood, to take them off a "No Fly" list and let them leave the country. Ray LaHood tells reporters Saturday...More

At last week's annual State of the City address, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis highlighted it with a planned crime fighting initiative.  That's the second year in a row the Mayor made his major point centered around public safety.  In 2011, Ardis put out a challenge to Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard and Peoria County Sheriff mike McCoy to put their heads together to look...More

A four month old boy was pronounced dead at OSF St. Francis Medical Center ER, after being found unresponsive while two other small children slept with the infant in an adult bed.  The incident occurred Saturday morning.  The victim is identified at Deangelo Fullilove-Lindsey.  The infant was staying at his Aunt's residence at 601 R-B Garrett Avenue.  The Aunt is...More

Doug McDermott scored 24 points and No. 15 Creighton turned back two Bradley comeback attempts in the second half for a 73-59 victory Saturday night. A school-record crowd of 18,436 watched as the Bluejays (20-2, 9-1 Missouri Valley Conference) won their 10th straight. Bradley (6-17, 1-10) has lost 13 of 14. Josh Jones and Gregory Echenique each had 14 points for the Bluejays, who have...More

Sam LaHood comments on his current plight in Egypt.  The country is bagging 10 Americans and European pro-democracy activists from leaving over concerns about their coordinated job to a help Egypt with transition to democracy.  Sam LaHood a Peoria native and son of Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood, is one of those that isn't being allowed to leave. Sam LaHood was told a...More

The annual Illinois Music Educators Association Conference continues in Peoria through Saturday afternoon.  More than 10,000 people are attending the event this weekend.  The public can attend the musical performance events.  Friday is the All-State Jazz Concert in the Peoria Civic Center Theatre at 800pm with admission at $5 dollar per person.  Numerous public events...More

The suspect who allegedly held up the Bartonville Hardees Tuesday afternoon has been apprehended.  33 year old Matthew Caudill of Peoria was taken into custody Thursday and taken to Peoria County Jail.   Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel says his department learned Caudill had been arrested earlier Tuesday by Creve Coeur Police after waving a toy gun at an employee of the Creve...More

The Tri County Regional Planning Commission Thursday night narrowly defeated pursuing a proposed study for bus shuttles to and from area Amtrak stations.  IDOT offered to pay for the study, to compensate for recommending against a direct Peoria to Bloomington-Normal passenger train link for now.   But, by an 8-7 vote, Tri County took a pass.  Board Chairman Mike Phelan says...More

Peoria Christian School is closed Friday due to a water main break on North California. Officials say there is no school at either the Main campus or Monroe campus.

U.S. Transportation Secretary and Peoria native Ray LaHood has spoken publicly for the first time about his son being detained in Egypt. Sam LaHood was one of several Americans placed on a no-fly list and not allowed to leave the country. LaHood works for the International Republican Institute as the director of the Egyptian program. The group works to promote democracy in the country. The...More

The Peoria Metro Area jobless rate increased slightly for December, according to the latest figures. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports unemployment is 8.1 percent in the Peoria MSA, up two-tenths of a percent from November, when it was 7.9.  Over the year, the percentage of those out of work in the region dropped six-tenths of a percent.  The Peoria Metro area.... More

Bishop Daniel Jenky of the Peoria Catholic Diocese says new regulations announced by the Obama administration impact the Catholic Church's ability to offer health insurance. The government is now requiring church related institutions to provide contraceptive coverage to employees in their healthcare plans. Jenky, in a letter to be read to parishoners this weekend, calls the...more

Improving global economy, record U.S. exports and increased global demand are reasons behind a record-breaking year-end financial report for Caterpillar. Cat reports a year-end profit of $4.9-billion, or $7.40 per share. That compares to 2010's profit of $2.7-billion, or $4.15 per share. Sales and revenue for the year totaled just over $60-billion. Caterpillar...more

The son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is one of several U.S. citizens barred from leaving Egypt. That's according to a multimedia journalism organization known as Politico. Sam LaHood heads the Egyptian program for the International Republican Institute. He tried to board a plane in Cairo to leave the country Saturday, but was told he was on a "no fly...more

One woman is in custody following a stabbing in Pekin. 28-year old Rebekah Watson is charged with aggravated battery, accused of stabbing another woman during a fight. Pekin police say it happened about 9:00 Wednesday night in an apartment in the 200 block of Sunny Ridge Court. Police say the victim came home to find a laptop missing and while accusing Watson of the theft, Watson was offended and...more

A McDonough County man is being held on $50,000 dollars bond for several charges including burglary, theft, criminal trespass and resisting arrest.  Sheriff's Deputies say 46 year old Russell Coates, known as Rusty, of  Blandinsville allegedly chased a woman outside her house in the village on Monday. Officers say the homeowner arrived home to find Coates inside her...More

The original deadline was to be January 31st.  With the Council's 8-3 vote,...More

If there is something good that can come out of a tragedy, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis is going to try.  Mayor Jim Ardis announced Wednesday during his State of the City address he is forming an initiative to fight violent crime.  Ardis told the annual gathering at the Peoria Civic Center the task force will include Peoria Police, Peoria Sheriff's, the U-S Attorneys Office, Peoria...More

Peoria police are asking for the public's help in finding the suspect or suspects responsible for a series of business burglaries. Those break-ins started January 10th in the 3300 block of West Chartwell Road with other burglaries reported January 12th and January 15th. A surveillance video of one burglary shows a man  kicking open a door and then swiftly moving about. The picture with...more

The Peoria City Council Tuesday night was set to consider a plan to shift some TIF money from Southtown to save some interest on bonds for the pending downtown Marriott Hotel project.  But, that's not what happened.  1st District Councilma Clyde Gulley led the charge with the support of a vocal gallery of Southtown residents, who turned out to protest removing money...More

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a new policy allowing cameras in trial courts on an experimental and limited basis. Chief Judge of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, Michael Brandt, thinks it can work. "I think it's embracing an openness that will be embraced statewide," Brandt tells 1470 WMBD. Is Brandt worried attorneys and witnesses may grandstand in front of the...more

(From WEEK News 25) - It has been almost three decades since the Peoria Fire Department lost one of its own, but those years and that sacrifice have not been forgotten. A ceremony held Monday at Lutheran Cemetery in Peoria honoring fallen firefighter Vernon "Butch" Gudat who lost his life battling a fire on Main Street January 23rd, 1983. Dozens of firefighters, friends, and...more

(From WEEK News 25) - Welcome Home! That's what almost two dozen families were saying Monday night as the greeted their Airmen from the 182nd National Airlift Wing out of Peoria. The soldiers are returning home after a 2 1/2 month deployment in Afghanistan. It's only been a couple of months, but it's seems much longer for families waiting at home. For some seasoned...more

Pekin police are looking for suspect who held up Papa John's at 1639 Broadway Road late Sunday night. Pekin public information officer, Detective Don Jolly, says one man pointed a gun at workers and customers and demanded money from an employee. The employee removed the cash register drawer and put in on the counter. Jolly says the suspect then took the register drawer and ran...more

Does our local federal legislator think Peoria County has a chance to win a bid to get at new Caterpillar plant here? 18th District Congressman Aaron Schock says he is encouraged, but still thinks the state of Illinois needs to get it's ducks in a row first. "When I talk to Caterpillar, it's concerns are issues like workmen's comp, libability reform, tax rates...things...more

A body is found in a Peoria hotel. WEEK News 25 reports the body of 50-year old Carl Spears was found Saturday afternoon in a room at the Red Roof Inn on War Memorial Drive. Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll says an autopsy will be conducted Monday, but Spears had an open wound on his back. Peoria police says Spears had been in and out of Methodist Medical Center and Proctor Hospital...more

Bradley got 43 of its 48 points from the trio of Taylor Brown (game-high 17 points), Walt Lemon, Jr.... More

Moisture and rising temperatures towards 32 degrees are resulting in condensation on paved surfaces this(Sunday)morning.  The National Weather Service says  areas of black ice are possible as excess water freezes.  Some freezing drizzle mixed in with drizzle in complicating the problem.  Slippery travel conditions are most prominent on bridges...overpasses and ramps....More 

A Tazewell County jury finds 21-year-old Paul Klawer innocent of the aggravated criminal sexual assault of a fifteen year-old girl. WEEK News 25 reports Klawer admitted to having sex with the teenager, but said he believed the girl was of legal age. Meanwhile, Klawer still faces sentencing in March for his actions leading to the alcohol-related death of 17 year-old...more

A Chillicothe man is convicted of murdering his wife in front of his teenage daughter. WEEK News 25 reports 41-year-old Gordon Moore is found guilty of first degree murder by Peoria County Circuit Judge Timothy Lucas during a bench trial. His attorneys did not contest Moore killed his wife, Teresa Moore, last January. Moore will be sentenced in March and will serve...more

Skip Stewart says he will be in Peoria this summer. Stewart pilots a modified biplane and the Journal Star reports, although he has not signed a contract, Stewart says will be part of a Prairie Air Show June 8th and 9th along the Peoria riverfront. Air Show officials have not formally announced where the Air Show will be this year, but a news conference is scheduled for Tuesday. In addition, it's...more

Sharing services between the city of Peoria and Peoria County isn't as simple as it might seem.  The City-County Metro Committee met Thursday to discuss possible ways to merge Information Technology.  The group seemed to agree a total merge isn't prudent.  Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich says each public body has varying needs.  Urich says there are still ways to step-up...More

Another of the elements of the Obama Administration's healthcare plan, will likely be repealed next week.  18th District Congressman Aaron Schock says he has co-sponsored legislation to eliminate the CLASS program, was approved by the Ways and Means Committee, which he sits on.  Schock says the CLASS provision was put into the place to provide for the elderly and seriously...More

Peoria County is under a traffic collision alert until further notice.

If you have missed an historic Main Street fast food staple, you'll be glad to know it's coming back.  Mr. G's Chicago Style Restaurant is project to re-open this Spring under a new owner with a successful food track record.  One World Cafe owner Bob Eid confirms to the Journal Star he has acquired the build and business.  Eid says plans are to offer most of the same menu items...More

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until midnight Friday.  The National Weather Service says snow should develop Friday afternoon.  The heaviest snow should fall between 5 and 8 pm. Snowfall totals could reach between 2 and 3 inches, with the higher amounts north of Peoria County.  Roads will be come snow covered and slippery this afternoon and remain hazardous...More

Three Peoria County Sheriff's employees were injured Thursday by an inmate getting ready for transfer to prison. The Journal Star reports inmate Edjuan Payne assaulted jailers after being taken out of his cell. One of the employees had to be taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released. Two others received treatment at the scene. Payne was convicted in Peoria County court earlier...More

Another round of snow is on its way to the Peoria area Friday and a Winter Weather Advisory has been issued. Meteorologists are expecting a light, fluffy snow, with two to three inches of accumulation. WEEK News 25's Chuck Collins says its not the amount, but rather When the snow will fall that could cause issues. He says it will be a nuisance during the afternoon commute home. Collins says...More

The rumors are flying about where a 2012 Prairie air Show will be held.  We'll find out for sure Tuesday morning when air show officials make an announcement at the downtown Gateway Building.  Prairie Show Director Brett Krause tells 1470 WMBD's Scott Robbins,  all he can officially say is, there will definitely be a show this summer.  The rumor mill has speculated the...More

A pending agreement has been signed which likely will bring another Illinois hospital into the OSF Healthcare family.  OSF officals announced Thursday a definitive agreement has been signed with Ottawa Regional Hospital.  OSF spokesman Jim Farrell says there are still a few steps to complete.  One is sealing the deal with the Ottawa Regional Hospital board.Farrell says in the...More

Light snow is expected to develop across north and central Illinois Friday morning.  The National Weather Service says an upper level disturbance is tracking along the upper midwest into the Great Lakes.  Snow in the Peoria area should continue through Friday evening, then taper off  Friday night.  Total accumulation should range from 1 to 2 inches with higher amounts in...More

The event season in downtown Peoria is now gearing up following the holidays.  Peoria Civic Center Marketing Director Marc Burnett this weekend will bring in 20,000 people from Friday through Sunday.  Burnett says the Midwest Cheerleading & Dance Team Championships are in town Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Also, the annual family fest goes on all day Saturday  That coupled...More

An official closing date for the city of Peoria's downtown redevelopment project likely will be delayed again. City officials indicate developer Gary Matthews has indicated he will not be ready to close on the purchase of the Pere Marquette by January 31st.  That's the hard date the city gave Matthews to sign, or the city could back out, no strings attached.  Sources told 1470 WMBD...More

"Testing and Preparing for Tomorrow" is the theme behind the second series workshops as part of Peoria Public Schools' Parent University. College prep testing is among the topics to be discussed. Marsha Dodson is a consultant with Empowering Parents, which is partnering with District 150 in the effort."The whole idea is to get parents engaged at at early age in their child's...more

Food Network star Paula Dean's admission of being diabetic the past three years has put a nationwide spotlight on the disease. The American Diabetes Association estimates nearly 26-million adult in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes. Meanwhile, another 79-million have a condition that increase their risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Sonia Gajula with Joslin Diabetes Center tells...more

(From WEEK News 25) - The Peoria Air show has drawn in more than 50,000 spectators at a time to the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. That used to be the show's location, up until last year. After its contact was cancelled, the show's home has been up in the air, But there's been recent talk of a new destination. That could be the Peoria Riverfront. Air show Director...more

A Pekin woman has been arrested for allegedly having a regular sexual relationship with a 15 year old boy.  32 year old Maria Beoletto had recently been living in the same house as the boy and his family after she broke up with her husband over Christmas, according to the Journal Star.  Pekin Police were alerted to the possible situation and went to the home Sunday.  Officers...More

Republicans are denouncing President  Barack Obama's decision to reject a plan for an oil pipeline from  Canada to Texas. House Speaker John Boehner says Obama is breaking his promises to create jobs. Obama says he's turning  down the project not because it isn't worthy, but because  Republicans set a February deadline for him to make a decision. And he says there wasn't time...More

President Barack Obama says he's denying  an application for a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline because a  GOP-mandated deadline didn't allow time for a full review. Obama says his decision isn't a judgment on the merits of  the proposed $7 billion pipeline. Rather, he's citing the  arbitrary nature" of the Feb. 21 deadline that was set by a GOP-written provision in a...More

It's full speed ahead for Quest Charter Academy after a $500,000 loan from the Peoria County Board is unanimously approved. That will allow for upgrades to two buildings as Quest starts putting together it's high school. Quest's current location in the former Loucks School will get some life-safety work, while another locale - more likely the former Columbia School will get some fix up. But...more

The expansion plans at Pekin's Excel Foundry and Machine will not only boost the local economy, but the state's goal to increase it exports in the global marketplace. That's the feeling of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Quinn tells WMBD's Greg and Dan, "Last year Illinois increased its exports 32 percent." "Our goal is to double our exports from our state to world as fast as we can...more

The East Peoria City Council took the next step to seek more development around it's already announced 2 big new downtown projects.  The Council approved proceeding with establishing 2 new business districts around planned big box stores.  Councilman Gary Densberger says the areas around the new Target and the new Costco now have been created.  Two public hearing will...More

Peoria police are investigating a couple of overnight incidents. A pizza delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint by what were described as two black males. The incident reported just after 10:00 Tuesday night in the 1400 block of South Stanley. Then, a fight between two men was reported just before 1:15 Wednesday morning in the 3400 block of Molleck. Police say both men were injured, one of them...more

An expansion announcement Tuesday by Pekin's Excel Foundry & Machine brought out not only 18th District Aaron Schock, but Governor Pat Quinn among other state and local elected officials.  Excel CEO Doug Parsons announced plans for company growth and more employees.  Parson expects 100 more employees will likely added over the next 2 years along with a $15 million...More

It's all about the message.  That's the summation of Michael Eric Dyson's speech at Monday's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon at Peoria Civic Center.  Main event coordinator Alma Brown says Dyson's talk was well received. Brown says the final product eased the strife her committee went through trying to secure a final speaker for this year.  Actor Forest Whittaker had to...More

Authorities now say a man who died while deer hunting in western Illinois was shot to death by his father in a likely accident. The Knox County Sheriff says 34-year-old Steven Hayworth Jr. of Washington died near Williamsfield. The sheriff said Hayworth was walking about 400 yards ahead of his father, 59-year-old Steven Hayworth, and another hunter trying to flush deer. Two deer ran toward the...more

Peoria police are investigating a number of reports of tires slashed. Nearly a dozen instances were found just before 2:30 Tuesday morning in and surrounding the 1200 block of North Underhill. No one is...more

Peoria Public Schools will take another look at its policies involving discipline. There will also be a review of what specific punishment is handed out for cell phone use. Peoria District 150 school board member Debbie Wolfmeyer says, "I know there's a thinking out there all the schools are out of control. I do not believe that's true." "But," Wolfmeyer continues, "I...more

Bradley men's basketball coach Geno Ford hears from one special fan during his live radio show with 1470 WMBD's Greg and Dan. Senior Sgt. Dan Symbersky spoke with the coach from Afghanistan. "We really appreciate the Bradley Braves because it's a great escape for us," says Symbersky. "Especially in an environment that can be kind of stressful at times. We listen every week, like...more

A former Morton superintendent of public works has died. The Journal Star reports 62-year old Bob Wraight died Friday while shoveling snow. Wraight included on the list of the top ten public works directors in the country in 2006. Wraight was a 35-year employee of the city of Morton...33 years as public works suprerintendent. Visitation will be 5 til 8 Tuesday at Trinity Church in Morton, with...more

(From WEEK News 25) - Three days after the murder of 81 year-old Billy Price, police tape still rests on his yard. Peoria Heights Police say Price was killed inside around 11 PM Thursday by 31 year old-old Joshua Peecher after a dispute over $20. "I think that it was just an act of rage," says Peoria Heights Police Chief Dustin Sutton. "I think with him owing the individual...more

Police say close to six people have been taken to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, following a two car accident on 116 just east of Trivoli. Peoria County authorities tell WEEK News 25 high winds and drifting snow, caused one car, headed east bound to swerve in to the west-bound lane. It collided with an oncoming car. Passengers in both vehicles were taken to the hospital with what...more

This is the 17th year Peoria native Jim Thome has been closely involved with a charity function close to his heart. Thomes hosted the Joyce Thome Benefit for Children's Hospital of Illinois Saturday night at the Peoria Civic Center. Thome continues the benefit for two reasons.  To raise money for the cause and to continue to honor his mother.  Thome spoke with news partner WEEK...More

There's now a total of 4 suspects in custody related to 2 shootings in Peoria Thursday night.  One of those being held is one of the victims. The Journsl Star reports Peoria Police arrested 28 year old Andre Ewing Saturday afternoon at OSF St. Francis Medical Center.  Ewing was the 2nd man shot, in in the 2600 block of Lavelle, about less than an hour after another man was found with...More

The death of a Peoria Heights man is being investigated as a homicide. The Peoria County Coroner's office says 81-year old Billy Price was pronounced dead at his Kelly Avenue house around 10:25 Friday night. Price died of multiple head injuries not believed to be accidental. Peoria Heights police have also issued a state-wide search for Price's vehicle which is missing. It's described as a...more

(From WEEK News 25) - One person is injured, and others shaken tonight, after the second three-car accident on the Murray Baker Bridge in two days. Friday morning police responded to a three car wreck pile-up that left one man injured. East Peoria police say shortly after 3 Saturday afternoon, a motorist was stranded on the bridge. Other cars were trying to maneuver around that vehicle. When one...more

A shooting suspect's bond is set a half-million dollars. 21-year old Juan Nesbit is being held in the Peoria County Jail on one count of attempted murder. Authorities accuse Nesbit of shooting Jason Lindsey Thursday night outside Hedge Hill Apartments off Big Hollow Road. Police say Lindsey was shot in the head and chest. He was taken to a local hospital. His condition...more

So what will the latest natural gas delivery rate hike to Ameren cost you? Ameren spokesman Leigh Morris tells the Journal Star customers in the area that used to be called Ameren CILCO will pay an additional $3.44 a month. The Illinois Commerce Commission granted a $30-million increase to Ameren, which had requested a $51-million hike. The new rate is expected to go into effect...more

A Peoria man is sentenced to life in prison. Edjuan Payne was convicted of killing Orvette Davis in May of 2010. Payne beat, strangled, cut and stabbed Davis in her house...then dragged to an alley with her infant son next to her. The baby suffered skill fractures, but survived. The life sentence was handed Payne because this was...more

No injuries are reported from a house fire in Peoria centered in an upstairs bedroom. Firefighter saw light smoke coming from the upstairs of the house at 908 Sumner when they got there just before 4:00 Friday afternoon. Residents who were outside say they got home and saw smoke. All occupants, including one person who was sleeping a couch downstairs and the family dog got out okay. Battalion...more

Peoria police have arrested on man in connection with a Thursday night shooting. 21-year old Juan Nesbit is booked on a charge of attempted murder in the Peoria County Jail. Police found Jason Lindsey shot once in the head and once in the chest outside Hedge Hill Apartment off Big Hollow Road. Lindsey was taken to a hospital, but his condition is not being released. Another man was shot in the...more

Peoria Public Works Director Dave Barber says mother nature gave city road crews quite a battle during the 5 inch wind and cold driven snowstorm Thursday.  Barber says the timing and impending elements made the early fight tough.  Barber says crews had gotten to about 40 percent of residential streets by mid afternoon Friday.  He says trucks were back out on the main roads...More

The complicated death of a Peoria teen has been ruled a homicide by a Peoria County Coroner's Jury.  The jury ruled Thursday 16 year old Jaquille Tidwell Johns died from head injuries due to blunt force trauma.  Johns was allegedly beaten by Willie Mason, who is charged with second degree murder.  The incident occurred in November when Johns and a young friend were found inside...More

Peoria Police continue to investigate two shootings in the city within minutes of each other Thursday night.  One still unidentified man was shot once in the head and once in the chest, according to Peoria Police Lt. Liz Doyle.  He underwent surgery at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, where he is still undergoing treatment.  That indcident occurred in the 3700 block of Hedge Hill...More

A professor at Georgetown University will be in Peoria Monday. Michael Eric Dyson will be the featured speaker at Peoria's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon. Dyson tells WMBD's Greg and Dan while King's message lives on, there is still work to be done. "There's been incredible disparity between black and white wealth in this country, the unemployment rate is hovering near 17 percent for...more

Sandwiches,...more

Peoria police are investigating two shootings. One man was shot multiple times at Hedge Hill Apartments off Big Hollow Road around 6:20 Thursday night. WEEK News 25 reports the victim was shot in the head. The Journal Star reports the victim, who has not been indentified, was in critical condition at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Nearly five minutes later, police were called to a house in...more

The snow drought comes to an end in a big way. The National Weather Service reports as of midnight, 5 inches of snow fell in Peoria yesterday. That snapped the string of 320 days since the last snowfall of at least an inch in Peoria February 25th of last year. Henry reported 3.9 inches. Three and a half inches reported in Eureka and Kickapoo as of 10:00 Thursday night. The Winter Weather...more

An issue which concerned some Peoria County Board members in committee, turned into a unanimous approval of a Quest Charter Academy loan.  The County Board Thursday night said OK to lending the charter school $500,000 dollars over 10 years at 3 percent interest.  The money will go towards expanding the school into the former Loucks-Edison and Columbia school facilities. Concerns...More

An East Peoria man remains in serious condition at OSF St. Francis Medical Center after he was hit by and SUV on War Memorial Drive Wednesday afternoon.  20 year old Michael Koeppel of East Peoria has just exited a CityLink bus at War and West Cannes Drive.  The Journal Star reports it appeared to authorities Koeppel might have been struck by the vehicle which had been stopped...More

A $500,000 dollar loan to Quest Charter Academy will be considered by the Peoria County Board Thursday.  Quest approached the county with the request.  The charter school is expanding operation to the former Loucks-Edison and Columbia Middle School, in addition to it's existing facility in the former Thomas Jefferson School building.  Quest officials say money is needed for...More

IDOT...More

The YWCA Day Center at 826 SW Adams is open 6:30am to 8:00pm so those who need a warm place, have one. People can enter to get warm or take advantage of the many services the center offers. The center provides shower services, laundry, kitchen usage, phone access and case management. Case Managers are available to help those displaced in this winter weather find a permanent place to stay. Also,...more

Peoria and Central Illinois is under a Winter Weather Advisory until 6:00 tomorrow morning. It's because of the first winter storm we're experiencing of the season. Sustained winds began overnight, then the snow. Three to five inches now expected along and north of I-74. News 25/HOI 19 Chief Meteorologist Chuck Collins says the advisory is in effect not only because of the snow, but also the...more

City of Peoria crews are treating primary intersections with a sand/salt mix, and plowing all primary streets. The storm system will continue to bring snow and high winds throughout the day and this evening. Streets are expected to be snow covered. Motorists should allow extra time to travel, and be prepared to make frequent stops.  In order to avoid accidents, please travel at a reduced...more

Peoria Public Works Spokesman says the city will mobilize crews once snow fall reaches 2 inches of accumulation. "If we get into a heavy snowfall, we will treat those primary streets one time, eliminate that bond, and then we put the plows down and keep them down," says David Haste. Peoria...more

The city of Pekin has issued a parking ban beginning at 600am Thursday morning in anticipation of the snow event.

Williams says the LTD has booked over 1,400 hotel rooms - meaning an economic impact of $320,000 to the...more

You knew it was get here soon enough...snow. Old Man Winter is threatening to break our current streak of days without an inch of snow - today makes 318. A strong cold front will sweep across the state tonight with snow starting west of the Illinois River before sunrise Thursday, spreading east across the remainder of the area during the morning. The snow will continue into Thursday night, with...more

The consequences of bullying and other hate crimes can be serious and lasting.  That's the message Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan brought to the forum of a Hate Crimes Summit held at Illinois Central College Tuesday.  Madigan gave the keytone address in front of community activists, ministers, educators and law enforcement officials in a effort to get them up to speed on how to...More

Maybe consolidating school district has a way to save money is not such a good idea after all. That's the finding of the state's Classroom First Commission, headed by Illinois Lt. Governor Sheila Simon. Simon tells WMBD's Greg and Dan, in some cases, consolidating school district could be costly. "Sometimes if you have school school districts merging into one you have teachers paid at...more

Peoria Public School is providing assistance to students considered homeless. There are 422 of them, according to District 150 Family and Community Coordinator York Powers. But, Powers says there could be more. Based on the number of students getting free or reduced-price lunch, the number could be more like 600 to 800. "Not every family wants to designate itself as homeless or going...more

The Peoria City Council Tuesday will consider the first big re-development agreement in the new East Village Growth Cell TIF.  OSF St. Francis Medical Center wants to build a facility called, the Jump Trading Simulation and Conference Center. If approved, OSF would receive 75 percent of the TIF increment generated. Also on the agenda, a delayed decision about a controversial Liquor...More

Peoria School District 150 will pay for bus drivers from Naperville-based First Student during the 2012 calendar year. What started out as a 90 day contract because of a shortage of bus drivers the start of this school year is now extended through this year by a 6-0 vote of the District 150 school board. District 150 will pay a minimum of ten First Student drivers $33 an hour, but the...more

(From WEEK News 25) - As the controversy around Kenny Mienders' allegations against the police department dies down, the Washburn Village Board is now faced with a new predicament; How do they move forward with just one full-time patrolman on duty? Trustee Rob Stanfield expected the Village Board may go into an executive session to discuss what is best for the town and its police...more

President Barack Obama says his chief of staff William Daley is resigning after a year on the job to return to his native Chicago and spend more time with his family. Obama says Daley will be replaced by Budget Director Jack  Lew, whom Obama called the "clear choice" for one of the toughest  jobs in Washington. Although Daley's tenure was rocky and he's leaving earlier...More

With Peoria and Peoria County now split again when it comes to Congressional Districts, count on some local appearances by unfamiliar faces during the Primary campaign.  The newly approved maps basically split Peoria horizontally in half.  The 18th and it's incumbent Republican Aaron Schock still holds onto north Peoria and north county.  The 17th now includes south Peoria and...More

A motorist involved in a single vehicle crash early Friday morning has died.  51 year old Steven Putman of Morton was pronounced dead this(Monday)morning at 445am at OSF St. Francis Medical Center.  Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll says Putman suffered multiple injuries including to the head and spine from the accident.  The Coroner says Putman was driving his SUV on I-74...More

What to do with a couple of former school buildings. The Peoria District 150 school board Monday night will be asked to declare the former Blaine-Sumner school building and the one that housed Keller East to be declared no longer necessary for school purposes and put them on the auction block. The same is true for the vacant lot at the corner of Antionette and Blaine near the former Blaine-Sumner...more

An overloaded extension cord is to blame for a Peoria house fire. Firefighters arrived at 1618 North Peoria around 4:30 Sunday afternoon to find smoke coming from one side of the house. They found the fire had started in the basement and made its way to the first floor kitchen through the inside of the wall. The fire was quickly put out without injuries. The Red Cross helped in finding shelter...more

A major water main break in the city of Elmwood has resulted in a boil order being called for a portion of the community.  City officials says the boil order affects residents south of Main and west of Lilac in Elmwood.  The boil order will remain in effect until further notice, even after he water main is fixed.

The assignments have been made.  Now it's up to the high schoolers to complete their robotics.  Bradley University hosted a regional FIRST Robotics competition Saturday.  It's the 6th annual.  Selected high school student teams from the region got instructions to complete their science projects in 6 weeks.  Tools and product are provided for the teams, they it's on...More

Number are showing more than one million customers have passed through the doors of East Peoria's Bass Pro Shop since it opened almost 4 months ago.  Company officials report the performance of the local retailer has exceeded expectations.  Comparisons with other Bass Pro stores indicate people going through the doors in East Peoria, are in line with other company operations around the...More

Multiple shots fired forced Peoria Police to block off portions of Monroe and Evans Friday morning about 1045am.  Officers say shot came from inside at house at 1007 Monroe.  Peori Police Lt. Vince Wieland told WEEK News 25 two individuals were arrested following the incident.  No one was injured.  Wieland says at least one of the guns which was shot, was a cap, or a...More

Illinois has been given the lowest credit rating of any state in America by Moody's Investors Service.  Moody's lowered Illinois' rating Friday by another notch, to A2. No other state has such a low rating from Moody's. Only  one other state, California, even gets the next-highest rating. A lower rating generally means the state has to pay more interest when it sells bonds....More

A victim of an early morning vehicle crash on I-74 is reported to be in serious condition. Police say a man maybe in his 50's was driving on 74 near University about 600am when the car went off the road for an unknown reason.  The SUV was reported to be on it's side.  The driver was apparently ejected from the vehicle, according to witness reports.  The accident delayed traffic...More

East Peoria Festival of Lights coordinator Dan Cunningham says there are two pieces of good news when it come to the 2012 event.  One is, FOLEPI is seeing the bottom line for the festival is on the profit side for the first time in several years.  Secondly, Cunningham says the council has now approved a low bid to finish off conversion to L-E-D lighting for all floats. Cunningham...More

After a ribbon-cutting Saturday morning 4 of the 5 Peoria Public Library branches will be re-opened.  The McClure Branch will be hold the event at 1000am following a lengthy closure for re-modeling.  Library spokeswoman Trisha Noack says extensive work and upgrading has been completed inside.  She says there's now just one facility left to complete.  She says the...More

Reports of an apparent "school prank" forced a Code Red lockdown at Pontiac High School Wednesday.  Sources indicate a so called "prankster" got ahold of a hand held school walkie talkie and called in erroneous "red alerts" at two separate times, putting the campus on lockdown once for well over one hour.  The first indcient occurred around 1100...More

The decision on a request to acquire 1.6 acres of for a Muslim cemetary in the East Bluff will have to wait at least a month.  The city of Peoria Zoning Commission deferred a decision on the Special Use until it's February meeting.  The request by the Islamic Center of Peoria has met with some consternation by residents in the immediate area of the proposed land.  Most of the...More

Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law pension reforms aimed at fixing some loopholes in the system. The law takes effect immediately. It aims to end the practice of so-called double dipping for public employees. In some cases, employees took leaves to work for their unions but continued to build benefits in government pension systems based on union pay.  The law also closes a loophole made...More

A West Peoria beating suspect is reportedly in the hospital being evaluated after being stabbed Wednesday night.  The Journal Star reports 27 year old Julian Cobix was also being held under police guard while a head wound was treated.  Police says Cobix faces charges of aggravated battery and domestic battery after he's released from the hospital.  Officers were called to a...More

Members of a local book club are happy with the selection of a new speaker for the Martin Luther King Junior Luncheon in Peoria. Officials with the Public Employees for Community Concern have announced journalist and commentator Tavis Smiley is now out as the speaker for the event. This comes after a group of seven women who are members of the same book club wrote an editorial saying they would...More

A group of East Bluff residents are concerned about a plan by the Islamic Center of Peoria to put a new cemetery in the area. The Peoria Zoning Commission will hear a request this afternoon to obtain a special use to allow for a 641 plot Muslim cemetery at 1500 East Elmhurst Avenue. Several residents in the area of the proposed cemetery expressed concerns to the Journal Star about the plan...More

The Illinois Department of Transportation is getting $186 million for its high-speed rail project. U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood awarded the money to IDOT on Wednesday. LaHood's office says the cash will be used to  extend construction of the rail corridor to Joliet. That'll allow for 110-mph service along nearly 70 percent of the route.  Construction is already under way...More

U-S Senator from Illinois Dick Durbin introduced his for Democratic candidate for the newly drawn 17th Congressional District.  Durbin introduced Cheri Bustos during a fly-around stop in Peoria Wednesday morning.  Bustos resides in the Quad Cities.   Bustos outlined her top priorities.  They are creating jobs, protecting social security and expanding affordable...More

(AP) - Ameren, which supplies electricity to central and southern Illinois, has filed a plan with the Illinois Commerce Commission seeking a rate hike to help pay for an upgrade of its distribution grid. Vice president Craig Nelson says Tuesday's filing is the beginning of an effort by the utility to modernize the grid over the next 10 years to meet the service...more

Changes to the structure of the East Peoria Festival of Lights has resulted in record breaking numbers for 2011.  Event coordinator Dan Cunningham reported to the city council Tuesday night, FOLEPI increased revenue by about 110,000 dollars this year compared with 2010. After some expenses, that means a $70,000 dollar loss last year turned into a $30,000 profit this year....More

Peoria police are looking for the suspects who robbed an individual. Police say two black men, one armed with a gun, approached the person just after 7:00 Tuesday night near Nebraska and Linn. The suspects made off with $70. There were no...more

Monical's Pizza has closed its East Peoria location for good. The Monical's on Veteran's Drive closed effective New Year's Day. WEEK News 25 reports an e-mail from the company says there are currently no plans to re-open the restaurant. Gift cards and certificates may be redeemed at any other area Monical's...including those in...more

Illinoisans wore galoshes more often than snow boots in December - and barely broke out the parkas. State climatologist Jim Angel says the average statewide temperature in December was 35.7 degrees - almost 6 degrees above  average. That's the ninth-warmest December since the state began  keeping records in 1895. The highest temperature was 67 in Cairo on Dec. 5.  All that...More

A contract stalemate between Caterpillar and a local Canadian Auto Workers Union group has resulted in a worker lockout at a plant in London, Ontario.  The London Ontario Frees Press reports about 500 union employees at London's Electro-Motive Diesel facility were not allowed into the plant to work beginning Sunday following a scheduled holiday shutdown.  CAT claims Local 27 of the...More

An underage drinking party in Pekin early New Years morning results in 25 arrests.  Most of those apprehended were 19 or 20 year old male and females.  Two 17 year olds and one 18 year old were also taken into custody.  Pekin officers were called to the residence at 2503 Brooklawn about 300am Sunday morning.  While waiting for back-up, officers noticed at least two people...More

The Peoria area saw the largest drop in traffic fatalities in Illinois, when comparing the 2011 statistics with other state police districts.  Trooper Dustin Pierce says District 8 saw a reduction of 13 traffic related deaths when comparing last year to 2010.  He says there were 23 fatalities in the 5-county district in 2011.  There were 36 road deaths the previous year. Trooper...More

If you still have room to make another New Year's Resolution, officials from Peoria Disposal Company hope you decide to recycle. More than 2,000 households made that decision last year and it's hoped more will do it in 2012. Allison Peffer is coordinator of PDC's recycling program. "For every ton of materials a family recycles in our area we conserve enough energy to power a home for five...more

Administrators and teachers within Peoria Public Schools are preparing for the rest of this school year and next. Superintendent Grenita Lathan says it hoped registration for next school year can be completed by the end of February. To that end, curriculum fairs are planned later this month at District 150's three high schools and the Woodruff Career and Technical Center. "Our arriving 9th...more

(From Bradley University) - Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame announcer Dave Snell will participate in his 1000th Bradley Basketball radio broadcast on 1470 WMBD, all in succession, Saturday night when the Braves host #24 Creighton at Carver Arena. Since making his debut as the Voice of the Braves Nov. 30, 1979 in Bradley's game against #2 Kentucky at the Great Alaska Shootout, Dave has provided...more

Bond is set at $1-million for a man charged in the shooting death of Yahya Mahmoud Abu Qulbain. WEEK News 25 reports 23 year-old Robert Buford continues to be held in Peoria County jail on first degree murder charges. Buford is accused of shooting Mahmoud November 4th while he sat with a woman in a car in the 500 block of East Republic. Mahmoud was released from the hospital November 23rd,...more

Fire officials in Banner are still trying to find out what caused a house fire. Fire fighters saw flames coming from the living room of the house in the 100 block of Hymen Street when they got there just after 6:00 Monday morning. One person was able to escaped unharmed. Timber Hollis fire personnel helped...more

(From WEEK News 25) - The owner of a downtown daycare says she hopes that some sort of retaining wall will be built to obscure the view of a strip club going up nearby. Lynne Costic says she intends to be a good neighbor with Al Zuccarini, who plans to build a strip club behind City Link's Transfer Center in downtown Peoria. It would replace his current one on Main street which will be...more

Firefighters have contained the blaze that destroyed part of a massive clock factory in northern Illinois, but officials say it may be a week before it is extinguished. Police Chief Doug Bernabei says the fire that broke out around midnight on New Year's Eve at the Westclox complex in Peru is smoldering and then will erupt in flames. Bernabei says the city's fire department and departments...More

The new year is likely to be anything but a happy one for Rod Blagojevich. But the prison-bound former governor has posted a message  via his Twitter account and Facebook page wishing any supporters a happy 2012. The 55-year-old added that "these are dark and extremely challenging times" for him, his wife and two daughters. The ex-governor reports to prison in March to begin...More

Bond has been set for a man accused of robbing a Pekin Bank last week.  24 year old Casey Rice is being held in Tazewell County Justice Center following his arrest Friday.  Rice is being held on $100,000 dollars bond pending an initial court appearance, likely on Tuesday.  Rice allegedly stuck up Herget Bank in the 2200 block of Broadway last Wednesday afternoon about...More

Illinois State Police issue 24 tickets during a holiday weekend roadside safety check. The check was conducted late Friday evening through early Saturday morning on Route 116 near Highview Road in East Peoria. Officials say 3 of the tickets were for alcohol and drug violations, 9 for driver's licence violations, 8 for improper vehicle registrations and three other criminal arrests. In...more

Fire engulfs a house in Banner. Fire fighters from Copperas Creek  with help from Timber-Hollis crews are battling the blaze in the 100 block of Hymen Road in Banner. No other details are available. Copperas Creek fire fighters requested an additional truck and manpower from Timber-Hollis around...more

(WEEK News 25) - Before you judge such a large group of people for doing such a largely (let's say brave) thing, you should realize eight local charities that benefit children will receive the proceeds from the people taking this plunge. "We've donated over 88,000 over the last nine years, so we're hoping to break 100,000 this year,: says East Peoria Boat Club's Commodore, Darren Leeper...more

Peoria's New Year's baby arrives at Methodist Medical Center. The girl was born at 12:30 Sunday morning. The parents do not want their name and address released, but say they'll name their baby Virenda. Virenda is 6 pounds, 15 ounces and 18 inches in length. Hospital officials say mother and baby are...more

A Putnam County girl is in critical condition at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center following a one car accident Friday. Authorities say 16-year old Katlyn Casford of Granville was driving on Route 26 near Hennepin when she lost control of her car and hit a guardrail. Casford was first taken to Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton and later...more

Peoria police are investigating separate shooting and stabbing incidents. One man was shot in the chest around 11:15 Saturday night in the 1000 block of East Virginia. Later, a woman suffered a stab wound to a forearm around 1:45 Sunday morning an apartment in the 2700 block of Trewyn. No details on the condition of the victims...more

One Peoria firefighter is injured while putting out an apartment fire. The fire was reported just before 3:00 Sunday morning in the bedroom of an upstairs apartment at Knoxville Manor Apartments near Knoxville and Glen. Fire official say the firefighter suffered a minor cut to his neck from falling glass. The cause...more

Among the usual plethora of new laws on the books statewide in the new year, the Peoria County States Attorney thinks one will particularly stand out.  Jerry Brady says it will be illegal to sell a synthetic recreational drug to now be sold in convenience stores and gas stations.  Brady says the synthetic marijuana's overall legality will be on the legislative docket in 2012....More 

Bond has been set at one million dollars for a man charged with the shooting and eventual death of another man.  Robert Buford continues to be held in Peoria County jail on first degree murder charges.  Buford is accused of shooting Yalya Doud, also kniown as John, Malhmoud November 4th while the victim sat in a car on East Republic. The 45 year old Malmoud was shot in the chest...More

Area public bodies are happy budget money is being saved so far this winter on road treament and snowplowing expenses.  Everybody seems to be talking about the lack of a winter so far this season.  News 25/HOI 19 Chief Meteorologist Chuck Collins says the lack of snow, so far, is unusual, but not unprecedented.  He says is 2002, we didn't get our first measurable snow until...More

There will be fireworks in Peoria on New Year's Eve after all. Event organizer Pat Sullivan had said he came $2,000 short of raising the money needed to pay for third annual display. The Journal Star reports Sullivan says the company furnishing the fireworks is donating the additional money. The fireworks will begin at 9:00 Saturday night, New Year's Eve, along the Illinois River between...more

(AP) - Two people are facing charges after pulling up to a Galesburg McDonald's drive-thru completely nude. Police in Galesburg say a 19-year-old El Paso man and a 21-year-old Galesburg woman were released from Knox County Jail after being ordered to appear in court to face public indecency charges. Police say the two were still in the McDonald's parking lot when officers arrived just before 2:00...more

There's yet another resignation by a village trustee in Sparland as the village board starts to reassemble itself. The Journal Star reports Trustee Mike Durham resigned Thursday. That makes now four village trustees, the former mayor, plus the village clerk and treasurer who have resigned the past couple of weeks. Meanwhile, trustee Charlie Kear is now interim mayor. Bob Lockhart and Charlie...more

There will be no fireworks display in Peoria New Year's Eve. Event organizer Pat Sullivan tells the Journal Star it's because of a lack of sponsorships. He had been able to organize the fireworks display at 9:00 New Year's Eve the past two years. Sullivan says he came up $2,000 short of the $6,000 needed to put on the show. Sullivan's hoping the New Year's Eve...more

The man who allegedly robbed a Pekin Bank Wednesday has been identified and an arrest warrant has been issued.  Pekin Police and Tazewell County States Attorneys Office are searching for Casey Rice on charges of aggravated robbery.  The suspect is wanted for sticking up Herget Bank at 2201 Broadway Wednesday afternoon just after 100pm.  He implied a weapon, but did not show one,...More

A suspect has been charged in the death of another man early last month.  Peoria Police arrested Robert Buford in connection with the incident. On November 4th,  Yayba Mahmoud Abu Qulbain was shot in the 500 block of East Republic.  Qulbain later died from his injuries.  Buford is being held in Peoria County Jail awaiting official charges by the Peoria County States Attorney.

We didn't have a white Christmas this year, and we definitely won't have a white New Years either.  In fact, for the first time in recent memory, only one dusting of snow has been recorded so far this winter season.  City of East Peoria Streets Superintnedent Karl Mustard says his crews have only been out once so far, and that was only for light street treatment.  Mustard says a year...More

None of the 79 Sears and Kmart stores that Sears Holdings Corp. plans to close are in Illinois. The Hoffman Estates-based retailer announced the specific stores it would close on Thursday. It said earlier this week that  it would close up to 120 stores nationally after poor holiday sales. The retailer had reached an agreement with Illinois officials to keep its headquarters in Illinois....More

A Milwaukee woman has been charged with two counts of first degree murder for the recent death of her Marquette Heights mother.  43 year old Gina Gonzalez reamins in Tazewell County Jail where she was originally charged with domestic battery following an alleged altercation with her mother, 70 year old Quan Phan on December 19th.  Phan was pronounced dead at OSF St. Francis Medical...More

Designated drivers will be able to enjoy free non-alcoholic beverages during their New Year's Eve celebrating at participating bars. This is the 7th year the American Red Cross, IDOT and Baumgarten Distributing are teaming up for the effort. Red Cross spokeswoman Marie Dietrich tells 1470 WMBD, "They can celebrate but they want to be rewarded for being designated drivers as well. This is...more

(From WEEK News 25) - The new year brings tax increases in some communities. One of them locally is Peoria Heights. The retail tax rate there for most non food purchases has 7.75%. It will increase by a half percent to one come Sunday. The final tax rate combines the city's 1.5% tax with the county and state's rate to a total of 8.25%. Store owners say they don't think it will make a...more

(From WEEK News 25) - This year is the 47th edition of the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament but the stars of this story aren't the 10 people on the court; they're the 20 to 30 people sitting off to the sides. "Take care of the benches, the balls, the assignment of locker rooms, so we've kind of got a person for every face of the tournament," says Pekin's Athletic Director Rick...more

A bank in Pekin was apparently robbed early Wednesday afternoon just after 100pm.  Reports indicate the financial institution was the Herget National Bank at Broadway near Parkway on the city's eastside.   One young male subject possibly in his 20's with facial hair and wearing a hoodie went into the bank and handed the teller a note and implied a weapon.  The subject...More

Even though the new 25 miles per hours signs have been posted on Main Street from Sheridan to Farmington Road for weeks now, people are still trying to adjust.  Peoria Public Director Dave Barber says the speed was reduced from 20 to 25 at the request of the Bradley University Student Council.  Barber says the street in the campus area is a mix of cars, pedestrians and bikes. So,...More

There are a number of new laws taking effect at the start of the new year. A couple of them involve traffic safety. Starting January first, a school bus company with reasonable suspicion a driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs can require that driver to submit to testing before driving a school bus. A driver who refuses the test for fails the test will have his or her school bus...more

There's plenty of interest in the 18th District Congressional seat now occupied by Peoria Republican Aaron Schock. Tuesday was the deadline for nominating petitions to be submitted for the March Primary. Schock wants to keep his job and he will face a primary challenge for the Republican nomination by Darrel Miller of Danvers. There will be a Democratic primary, as well, between Matt Woodmancy...more

Fire damages most of the building housing Chuck's Towing in Pekin. An employee called 911 about 3:00 Tuesday afternoon and Pekin fire fighters had the fire put out within minutes. The Journal Star reports there were no injuries and no one was inside the business at the time of the blaze. The cause of the fire is being looked into, but is believed to have started...more

The head of the Illinois Lottery hopes the state can start selling online lottery tickets in the  coming months.  Michael Jones is superintendent of the Illinois Lottery, which has long wanted to take the lottery online. Jones says that a legal opinion last week by the U.S. Department of Justice  supporting state-regulated online gambling means their stance is vindicated. Jones...More

Gov. Pat Quinn says it's bad news that Sears  Holdings Corp. plans to close up to 120 stores nationally after poor holiday sales. But he says the news doesn't directly affect Sears' agreement to keep its headquarters in Illinois. Quinn says he hopes Sears won't close stores in Illinois. Sears' decision to close stores was made public less than two weeks after Quinn signed legislation...More

It's a typical move this time of year around the 10th Judicial Circuit.  A judicial "musical chairs" of sorts is put in place in the new year to give attorneys and the judges they deal with a change of pace.  One notable change is former Peoria County States Attorney Kevin Lyons will be moving back to the Peoria County bench from his first assignment in Tazewell...More

As they say, the 3rd time's the charm.  After booking difficulties with two potential speakers, the Peoria Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon Committee now has a rock solid committment.  Noted author, TV and radio commentator Tavis Smiley will give the keynote address at the 20th annual event January 16th at the Peoria Civic Center.  MLK Committee spokeswoman Alma Brown says

Tough decisions lie ahead for state lawmakers, according to Republican State Senator Darin LaHood of Peoria, to close a 9-billion dollar budget gap. And, LaHood says, 2012 is the year those decisions should be made. "We have to do everything as we can as state legislators to be frugal and to cut spending significantly," LaHood says. "Especially things are non-essential in our...more

Peoria police are investigating a shooting. Officers responded to a call of shots fired in the area of Howett and Lincoln around 8:45 Monday night. Twenty minutes later, one person arrived at Methodist Medical Center by private vehicle with what police describe as a graze wound to an arm. Police later found a possible crime scene in the 1900 block of Howett. The name and condition of the victim...more

The Red Cross helps a Peoria County family with a place to stay following a fire. The fire was centered in the chimney of a house at 7801 Mohawk Trail in Bellevue about 8:30 Monday night. Limestone Township fire officials tell the Journal Star smoke filled the upstairs and crews had to remove the chimney to get rid of the smoke. There were...more

(From WEEK News 25) - It was supposed to be a day of excitement and anticipation, but for the Jones family of Pekin, this is what became of their home on Christmas Eve. Hours after the fire, Teresa Jones, her husband and four children put out a public cry for help. She says the answer was loud and clear. "I took phone calls until about 11:30 that night... Well, about 12:30, and I took...more

If you want something to do with the family on New Years' night after watching the traditional parades and the bowl games, you have the chance to visit East Peoria's Festival of Lights an extra night.  The city had decided keep the event open January 1st since New Years Day falls on Sunday, and Monday still condsidered a working holiday. City spokeswoman Jill Peterson says the hours...More

One East Peoria City Councilman echoes most public officials in the city of 23,000, when it comes to enjoying a Merry Christmas.  Tim Jeffers says if the early success of one of it's first major new retailers is any indication, look for more results in the future.  Bass Pro Shop opened in September and the results look encouraging.  Jeffers says one source told him 20,000...More

The day after Christmas is typically one of the busier shopping days of the year, too.  Since Monday is the official non-working holiday, many have the day off to get the stores for a variety of reasons.  Robby and Michelle Stouffer from Chillicothe took advantage of advantageous weather to get around.  The Stouffers also wanted to get a good start on redeeming a popular...More

The cause of a Christmas Day Peoria house fire is under investigation. Fire fighters thought they had a fire in a bedroom of the house at 1809 West Smith when they got there just before 4:00 Sunday afternoon. The fire was actually on the front porch beneath a bedroom window causing the window to break out. All residents were outside when crews arrived. They said a box of wrapping paper was under...more

Peoria police arrest a man they say is at least partly responsible for a string of recent home invasions and burglaries in the area. 21-year old Vernon Shelby is in the Peoria County Jail. WEEK News 25 reports Shelby has confessed to one incident Friday in the 600 block of North Graceland Drive in Peoria and three other incidents in November. Some items taken in the burglaries have been...more

Pekin's Avanti's Dome has a new General Manager. He is 33-year old Brian Wonders of Peoria. The Journal Star reports Wonders was appointed to the post last week after former General Manager Steve Brown left. Wonders is a coach with Peoria Notre Dame High School. He is also a former Central Illinois Director for the Internet High School Sport Center and a former community relations director for...more

A Christmas night fire forces two Bartonville men to stay with relatives but their house is not believed to be a total loss. The fire was reported about 5:30 Sunday evening at 5021 Lauder Court where Justin Vogle and several relatives were gathered. The Journal Star says fire was coming from the roof when everyone got out after smelling smoke. Vogle says he was using the fireplace but nothing...more

An autopsy has not conclusively determined the death of a Chillicothe man. The body of 29-year old Patrick Nelson was found Friday afternoon on a beach near the Illinois River. The beach was along an empty lot in the 17300 block of North Second Street near Chillicothe. Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll says while the autopsy did not reveal a cause of death, there was...more

(From WEEK News 25) -  A Pekin family is asking for the public's help after a fire destroyed much of their home late Christmas Eve morning. Teresa Jones says her home caught fire around 11:20 a.m. She says it started when faulty wiring in an electrical-outlet sparked in the kitchen. The fire then spread across the room, eventually reaching a pan sitting on the stove, which was full...more

A Rockford man is being treated at OSF St. Francis Medical Center for critical/life threatening injuries after he was involved in an accident Friday afternoon on I-39 at mile marker 31 near Minonk. The victim is identified 21 year old Andrew Dall.  The victim was driving north on the Interstate 39 when his car swerved  to the right, then to the left, hitting a concrete culvert in the...More

Peoria Police are investigating a shooting at an apartment complex just south of downtown early Saturday morning.  Officers arrived to the call of a shooting just after 430am and found an unidentified person had been shot in the area of the head.  The bullet reportedly entered and exited the person's neck.  The incident occurred in the 100 block for Village Green Court.  The...More

A previously quiet village of about 500 people in Marshall County has recently been mired in controversy on several fronts.  The opening of strip club has caused division with Sparland village officials.  There have been questions of legitimacy of certain "proxy" votes during meetings.  Now, two-thirds people in public positions have resifned.  That leaves three...More

Patients at the Children's Hospital of Illinois get a visit from Santa. This is the 15th year Bill Turney, in his role as Santa, drops off toys he, his family and friends have donated to the effort. Turney says his labor of love started this way, "A message from church about doing something personal for somebody and all I had was football cards." "Then I read in a magazine the...more

Peoria fire fighters put out a blaze at a one story house at 2223 West Butler just after 4:00 Friday morning. Heavy smoke and flames were seen coming from the rear of the house. Seven people were sleeping at the time. Peoria fire officials say one of the occupants woke up the others after hearing noises and everyone escaped without injury. The cause...more

Zero fatalities....thats the goal set by law enforcement for the state of Illinois this holiday season. Authorities from several agencies plan to be out on saturation patrols and conducting roadside safety checks. Trooper Dustin Pierce with the Illinois State Police says police will look for drunk drivers and motorists not wearing seat belts, speeding and using their cell phones to text. Pierce...More

The local unemployment percentage has dipped below the 8 percent mark for the 3rd time since the economic downturn in 2008.  Numbers released for November by the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows  the Peoria Metro area now at 7.9 percent.  June was also 7.9 percent.  The jobless percentage dropped to 7.2 percent in January.  November's numbers are a four...More

The 64th annual Journal Star Christmas Sing takes place tonight. The song leader will again be former Peoria Mayor Jim Maloof. The sing begins at 7:00 in Peoria Civic Center Great Hall. "If you've never been there, don't miss it, it's going to be great," Maloof tells WMBD's Greg and Dan. "It's inside at the Civic Center with no weather problems." As always, a large screen...more

(AP) - Court records show there's a history of violence in the family of a woman authorities say shot her three children and boyfriend before killing herself. Authorities say 30-year-old Sara McMeen of Emington shot 29-year-old Daniel Warren, 8-year-old Skyler Lemke, 7-year-old Ian Lemke and 10-month-old Maggie Warren Friday...more 

The Mayor of East Peoria says it's still one of his missions in life.  Feeding the hungry has been a passion with Dave Mingus going back to when his full time position was with Neighborhood House.  He still helps at the agency.  Mingus says he recently surveyed the cumulative totals of the hungry in the Peoria area for the holidays.  He says there's beeen a significant...More

Are you and your family hitting the road this holiday season? If so, Triple-A spokesman Nick Jarmusz says you won't be alone. Jarmusz says Triple-A is estimating a two percent hike in the number of people driving to their holiday destination. "For Illinois, that adds up to about 4.25 million people traveling by car 50 miles or more," Jarmusz tells 1470 WMBD. Jarmusz says gas prices...more

A search for a 13-year old East Peoria girl results in an AMBER alert, but the girl was later located safely. East Peoria police say they were told Tuesday afternoon the girl did not return home from school and was last seen entering a car near the area of High Oak Drive and Wood Court. Turns out the girl called her non-custodial parent while on the way to school and told her to pick her...more

Few details are being released about two inmates who walked away from the Federal prison in Pekin. The Journal Star reports the pair walked away from a minimum security camp around 7:00 Tuesday night. The Tazewell County Sheriff's Department says the two were back in custody - in its...more

Getting around Peoria is being made a bit easier thanks to dozens of cameras through the Illinois Department of Transportation. Everyone can now visit the website gettingaroundpeoria.com to see the cameras. IDOT officials say there are about 40 cameras set up throughout the Peoria area on state and federal routes. Randy Laninga with IDOT says  this lets you see how traffic is flowing...More

One of two men injured in an electrical accident at a Caterpillar facility in East Peoria is in serious condition with burns. An official with OSF Saint Francis Medical Center says that 39-year-old Robert Klimko came to the hospital with burns to an arm, a leg and his abdomen after the Monday accident. Klimko was then moved to a Rockford hospital.  Mike Everett of the International...More

The nation's airlines are predicting nearly 43-million travelers will fly to their holiday destinations. Peoria International Airport Director Gene Olsen says it's important you arrive at the airport early - at least 90 minutes before your scheduled departure. "The thing to remember about that is the airlines usually do not have a whole lot of empty seats," says Olson. "So if...more

This, after nearly ten Heights volunteer firefighters resigned a week ago. Mayor Mark Allen says personnel issues with the Fire Department were first brought to his attention in September. He says he talked to the...more

Five village officials in Sparland, including the mayor, have resigned. Trustee Mike Durham says the resignation letters were found over the weekend in - what he calls - "a neat pile" at Village Hall. The officials are: Mayor Linda Medearis, Village Clerk Susan Persinger, Treasurer Margo Danger-Smith, and trustees Louis Lenz and Ralph McCasky. The resignations are effective...more

One of the special speakers the ribbon cutting for the new cancer research center in Peoria Monday reflected on the way the process of building the facility started. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood was still 18th District Congressman when he and other lawmakers met to figure out ways to fund the center. LaHood says it is nice to see the idea now become reality. He says this facility will...More

Illinois authorities investigating the deaths of a family in the small farming community of Emington say the mother shot her three children and live-in boyfriend before  killing herself. The murder-suicide Friday afternoon claimed the lives of 30-year-old Sara McMeen, 29-year-old Daniel Warren and McMeen's three children: 8-year-old Skyler Lemke, 7-year-old Ian Lemke and 10-month-old Maggie...More

The need to feed the poor is rising in the immediate Peoria area.  And, the Heart of Illinois United Way is adding to it's funding distribution to help.  President Michael Stephan announced Monday the United Way has cut a check for $25,000 in additional dollars for 5 local agencies to be provided more food staples for the poor.   The money will be given to Salvation...More

The interim President and CEO of Methodist Health Services Corporation is losing the temporary tag. Debbie Simon has been given the full-time job by the Methodist board. Simon had served as the interim since Michael Bryant's departure earlier this year. Board Chair Karen Stumpe says the board was impressed with the level of trust employees, physicians and the community afforded Simon and they...More

"It gives us more space...more 

Two men arrested in connection with a weekend Peoria homicide appear in bonding court. WEEK News 25 reports 34-year old Ahmad Macklin is being held on one-million dollars bond, while bond for 46-year-old Johnny Thomas is set at $50,000. Both were still in the Peoria County jail on Sunday Night. Macklin is charged with first degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Jacob Gann, who was found...more

(From WEEK News 25) - The Billups family says a range of emotions run deep, walking to the grave of Albert Billups-Wilson on his birthday. The 8-year-old boy from Peoria's East Bluff was killed by a stray bullet in a drive-by shooting on August 11th. "They made sure he didn't get to make nine," says his grandmother, Alma Billups. Little Albert is what the family called him. Alma...more

(AP) - One of the biggest highway makeover projects in central Illinois is a step closer to fruition. Following two decades of planning, state funds have been dedicated for the interchange at Interstates 74 and 155 near Morton. That's along with repaving and widening of roads between Morton and East Peoria. The project is...more

(AP) - State officials are encouraging Illinoisans to participate in a program that helps injured military service members overseas. It's called "Operation Hero Miles." Through the program with United Airlines people can donate frequent flyer miles and give military families a chance to see their loved ones. The program helps with airlines tickets for...more

Two people have been arrested in connection to the death of a Peoria man found in deceased in a downtown apartment building Saturday morning. Peoria Police were called about 6:15am to the third floor of 105 Southwest Perry to a report of a man lying in the floor not breathing. The man, identified as 28 year old Jacob Gann, was pronounced dead about an hour later. Authorities say he had...More

A fiery accident on Interstate 474 and Route 29 late Friday afternoon is now being blamed on tire failure. Illinois State Police say that is what caused 25 year old Daniel Schafer of Mountain Home, Idaho to lose control of his semi tractor trailer about 5pm while traveling on the I-474 overpass above Route 29. The trailer detached from the rig and dropped off the overpass onto Route 29...More

Peoria Police believe foul play was involved in the death of a man found on the third floor of an apartment building Saturday morning. Officers were called to 105 Southwest Perry about 6:15am to a report of a man down and not breathing. First responders determined the unidentified man was dead upon arrival. He is described as being 20 to 30 years old. Police say the exact cause of death has not...More

EMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - The Livingston County sheriff says authorities are not searching for a suspect after five people were found dead in the small eastern Illinois town of Emington. Sheriff Martin Meredith says Livingston County dispatch received a call at 2:36 p.m. on Friday afternoon. He says first responders found five people, who were pronounced dead at the...More

It is probably wiser for Peoria to pursue a rail link with Bloomington-Normal than to try a direct route to Chicago or St. louis.  That's the assessment of U-S Transportation Secretary and Peoria native Ray LaHood.  LaHood made those comments during a speech to a Rotary Club group in the city Friday. LaHood says the numbers don't add up for a direct link from the Windy City or...More

Peoria's 18th District Congressman Aaron Schock says he appreciates the bi-partisan support of the house concerning two major year end bills.  Aaron Schock says his chamber OK'd both the one trillion 43 billion dollar government funding bill, and the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance extension bill.  Schock says the latter bill might be more of a fight in the Senate....More 

35-percent of the Salvation Army's Tree of Lights campaign goal has been collected so far this holiday season. Spokesman Rich Draeger says the $1.575-million fundraising effort will continue even once the red kettles go away next weekend, but there will be some special kettle matches next week. The money raised goes to support Salvation Army programs, such as the food pantry. Draeger says...More

An issue virtually everybody notices when watching TV is the occasional loud commercials.  That problem is about to end.  This week, the Federal Communications Commission approved a new regulations, directing all TV systems to maintain steady volume levels.  Audiologist Ann Elizabeth Jacobson with Illinois Neurological Institute in Peoria says all viewers notice it, but people...More

The EDC For Central Illinois is assisting Peoria County's effort to lure a new Caterpillar plant to the area.  EDC President Vickie Clark confirmed a proposal is being finalized by Peoria County, requesting CAT build it's new North American Plant here.  Big Yellow has been looking for sites after previously announcing they were moving about 1,000 production jobs from Japan back to this...More

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says millions of  dollars in federal grant money will help eliminate slow zones on  the rail line between downtown and O'Hare International Airport. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that Illinois will receive more than $44 million for a trio of transportation projects, two in the Chicago area and one in  Alton.  LaHood...More

Illinois' unemployment rate dipped slightly in  November to 10 percent. The Illinois Department of Employment Security on Thursday reported that the state's seasonally adjusted rate is down from  10.1 percent. The agency says Illinois has added 600 jobs. IDES Director Jay Rowell says the state's economy is taking small, positive steps. Rowell points out that the state has recorded job...More

A federal court has upheld a new congressional map drawn by Illinois Democrats. The map preserves existing Democratic-leaning districts and creates new ones. It also forces several Republican incumbents to run against each other in primaries. Republicans had sued to overturn the map, claiming that Democrats drew only one Hispanic district when more were needed because of population growth. A...More

Prairie Air Show Director Brett Krause says plans for an air show in Peoria for 2012 are very close to being finalized.  But, he admits it will not be at it's normal location for at least one year.  All Krause can say is the airshow will be held in the Peoria community and will be a very big event. Krause does say he is in negotiations with Peoria Airport to reorganize the...More

The Salvation Army Toy Shop is open for the next couple of days. Spokesman Rich Draeger says over 5,000 children will end up with toys. Most of them come from the Marines Toys for Tots Program. Draeger says each child gets a big toy, stuffed animal and board game, along with other stocking stuffers. Older kids get a gift card for Wal-Mart. He says more help is needed Friday. Anyone...More

A well known local theater actor has died at the age of 81. Mike Dentino passed away at a local hospital late Wednesday afternoon. Dentino was a retired Caterpillar salesman and performed in countless shows at multiple theaters in the Peoria area. Funeral arrangments are pending.

Illinois State Police have arrested two Peoria residents on gun and drug charges after a traffic stop.  Troopers stopped a vehicle near Forrest Hill and Easton early Wednesday morning for a traffic violation.  The trooper noticed the smell of cannabis.  A search of the vehicle turned up a load semi automatic handgun, later determined to be a stolen weapon.  The officer also

Caterpillar's Board of directors voted Wednesday to maintain it's quarterly cash dividend of 46 cents per share of common stock.  It will be available to stockholders of record at the close of business January 20th.  The dividend will be payable February 18th.  CAT has paid higher dividends to stockholders for 18 years running.  A cash dividend has been paid every year since

The Heart of America Amercian Red Cross based in Peoria has been found in violation of federal labor laws.  The ruling follows action taken by the union, saying the Red Cross changed terms and conditions for employees after they unionized in 2007. Local AFSCME Council 31 says the judgement verifies the  Red Cross prevented freedom of employees to unionize.  The American Red...More

National home sales figures will be lowered dating back to 2007 after the private trade group that collects them said the numbers were too high, but locally a big change is not expected. The National Association of Realtors said Monday it will release the downward revisions for previously occupied homes on December 21. Among the reasons for the inflated figures, the Realtors group says: changes...More

Bradley University's President is once again dealing with cancer. Joanne Glasser sent a letter to the Bradley community Tuesday saying the breast cancer she was first diagnosed with in 2008 has returned. She says thanks to early detection she will have surgery, but will not require either radiation or chemotherapy. Glasser says her physicians believe she will make a full recovery. She is...More

The East Peoria City Council Tuesday night put it's official stamp on bringing another business to the new downtown.  Costco becomes the latest business to eventually settle in the city.  The firm will pay East Peoria $1.5 million dollars for the land.  Costco joins Target as another large anchor help fill the 90 acre plot.  Holiday Inn and Suites, Hometown Community Bank and...More

There's no decision yet on the fate of another 400am liquor license request in the downtown bar district.  A motion to defer was approved 10-1 Tuesday night to seek more information about an application by the owners of Players Club located at 815 Southwest Adams.  The site has been a bar several times, but has a history of illegal activity.  Councilman Eric Turner, who also serves...More

Illinois lawmakers have approved a $330 million package of tax relief to businesses and individuals.  The state Senate approved the business measure 44-9 on Tuesday. The individual tax relief passed 48-4. Both now go to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, a supporter.  Sears and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange see the most benefit. The companies had threatened to leave Illinois without...More

The busiest day for processing holiday postal packages was Monday.  But, a local postal official says, not to worry, there is still a small window of time to get packages and letter postmarked for on time delivery. Michael Clark says you need to remember, Christmas is less than two weeks out.  Clark says if you get your packages to the post office by Tuesday or Wednesday, you should...More

(AP) - A federal judge in Chicago has agreed to delay the start of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's prison term. U.S. District Judge James Zagel on Tuesday agreed to allow Blagojevich to report to prison on March 15. Blagojevich had previously been ordered to begin serving his 14-year prison term on February 16, but his attorneys asked for the additional time so the 55-year-old...More

How much of an impact can technology have in the classroom? A lot according to the former Governor of West Virginia. Bob Wise visited Peoria Tuesday to talk about how items like an I-Pad can help students learn at their comfort level. Wise says using computers can help the teacher know how to better educate individual students. He says a child can sit with a teacher at a computer and the...More

No one was injured in a fire at Westporte Apartments in Peoria early Tuesday morning. Peoria fire crews were called to 2805 Larchmont Lane about 2am on a report of an apartment fire. Firefighters found a small kitchen fire in one of the units. It was extinguished with five minutes. The occupant of the apartment, Ali Hawija told firefighters he was cooking with oil in a pan and left the kitchen...More

It's really an application of the laws of economics and physics.  For every action, there's a reaction.  That's how the new taxy levy enacted by the Peoria Public Schools Board is summed up by it's Comptroller/Treasurer.  The 150 board approved the new levy Monday night which now will be sent to the Peoria County Clerk to be reflected on property tax bills. Dr. David...More

Construction can now begin on the passenger rail line between Chicago and Moline. The Illinois Department of Transportation said Monday that it has reached an agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration and partner railroads. Officials say the more than $220 million project will create 2,000 jobs and be finished by 2014. About $177 million in federal money and $45 million in...More

The Illinois House has approved tax  breaks for businesses, including some big names like Sears and  the Chicago Mercantile Exchange that are threatening to leave the  state. That measure would cost the state about $150 million next year and $218 million the year after that. It also includes broader tax breaks, like a credit for  research and development and a more...More

The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed former Bradley University guard Anthony Parker.  Parker averaged 8.3 points in 72 games last season. The 36-year-old veteran is a candidate to be Cleveland's starting  shooting guard. Parker originally signed with the Cavaliers prior  to the 2009 season.

The Illinois House has approved tax  breaks aimed at helping the state's poor and middle class  families. The measure is the first half of a large tax-relief package. The other half offers aid to businesses, including some big-name companies threatening to leave Illinois. The bill increases the earned-income tax credit, which  lowers tax bills for poor families. It also would...More

An effort to grant Archbishop Fulton Sheen sainthood took place in Peoria Sunday morning. Documents were presented before congregants at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in an effort to honor Sheen. Bishop Daniel Jenky led to ceremony. "Sheen was not just a local boy, he was known throughout the country and throughout the world and there is great support for this...More

Unfunded mandates and the use of state funding meant for local government is a growing concern in the city of Peoria and Peoria County. City Manager Patrick Urich says the use of Personal Property Replacement Tax dollars meant for local government to pay for the Regional Office of Education is a blow to the city and shifts in funding like this need to end. He says this puts the city in a...More

A home under re-modeling suffers moderate damage due to a fire Saturday afternoon.  Peoria fire crews called to 2203 North Bigelow in the East Bluff about 330pm.  Firefighters found smoke showing from the residence when they arrived.  They found the fire in the rear side of the one story structure.  The blaze was quickly knocked down and contained to the area where it...More

A propane tank exploded in the garage of a home north of Washington early Saturday morning, eventually spreading to the attached two story home.  The house was completely destroyed.  Firefighters were called to 1929 West Cruger Road just south of Cummins Lane and Route 24, just after 700am.  The family of 3 and a Rotweiller dog escaped the blaze unharmed.  Fire crews from...More

Northern Tazewell firefighters are called to the 1900 block of West Cruger Road near Washington on a report of a fire in an attached garage which spread to the house. The fire was reported just after 7:10 Saturday morning. Germantown Hills and Eureka fire departments were been dispatched to the scene to help put out the fire. There are reports of gas grill propane tanks exploding. The residents...more

Peoria School District 150 is releasing information about an attempted abduction at one of its primary schools. A district spokesman tells WEEK News 25 a student told Glen Oak School officials about the attempted abduction Thursday morning. Through a Skylert phone message, as well as letters sent home with kids, parents were notified about the incident. The letter describes the man allegedly...more

A local woman tells police she was robbed at gunpoint...by a man wearing a gas mask. The Journal Star reports the 58-year old victim told police it happened about 6:00 Friday morning in her driveway in the 1000 block of East Wilcox as she was walking to her car. The woman said she was holding a lunch bag and her purse in her left hand and a cup of coffee in her right hand. She said she threw...more

Illinois Central College gets just over $2.5-million dollars from the state to demolish Dirksen Hall on what is considered the old campus in East Peoria - over ten years after asking for it. No timeline for the demolition is set. The state's Capital Development Board has yet to schedule the project. And, ICC has to find new homes for the heating and air conditioning, architecture and metal...more

(From WEEK News 25) - The holidays are a time for families to be together. For military families, it is a hard time to be away from loved ones deployed or stationed far from home. The big surprise at the Head Start Child Care Center in Pekin Friday wasn't the guest reader for story time, or the kid's stirring rendition of Frosty the Snowman, complete with egg shakers. The surprise was for four...more

Officials from both the city of Peoria and Peoria County gave their wish list to state legislators Friday for the upcoming year and a lot of the focus was on economic development. Peoria County Administrator Lori Curtis Luther told the lawmakers more incentives need to be available to local municipalities to try to draw and keep businesses here. She says the financial support from the state...More

The Peoria Public Library is about to reach a significant milestone. "Between now and the end of the year, someone will check out the one-millionth book this year from the library," according to library director Ed Szynaka. Szynaka says this would be the first year that's happened and would be a 25 percent increase over last year. The library's efforts toward improved customer service,...more

A group of objectors was successful in getting the Peoria County Board to deny a zoning change request Thursday night.  The group called Preserve Farmland came to the meeting in full force to support keeping a 70 acre parcel of land zoned Agriculture.  The site is located at Cameron Lane and Smithville Road in Limestone Township.  The petitioner, Washington Trails Edge. LLC...More

An economic expert from Bradley University says the unemployment benefits have saved or created 2.3-million jobs. A panel who discussed the economy Thursday at the Peoria Labor Temple are urging federal lawmakers to extend the benefits. Dr. Kevin O'Brien with Bradley says every dollar spent through the benefits doubles. Mike Everett with the Labor Council of West-Central Illinois says the...More

Peoria Catholics plan a weekend Mass to mark the next step in an effort to canonize a local archbishop. Advocates who want the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen made a saint have finished an investigation into a miracle they attribute to the Illinois native. They will box and seal the investigation during a Mass on Sunday at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria before...More

A couple of well known politicians will face off for a Peoria County Board spot next year.  The Chairman of the Peoria County GOP has filed papers to run in the 17th District.  Rudy Lewis will challenge incumbent Peoria County Chairman, Democrat Tom O'Neill.   Lewis says his political dealings with O'Neill have been fair in the past.  Lewis thinks once elected to the...More

Detweiler Golf Course will remain open in 2012. The Peoria Park Board made that decision Wednesday based on staff recommendations and public input. The board had considered closing Detweiler as a way to save money in its 2012 budget. Season golf passes will include unlimited play at all golf courses and the Pitch and Putt - except Kellogg's 18-hole course. Kellogg's 18-hole course will have a...more

Lindsey Hall will be the new Superintendent for Morton School District 709 starting July first. Hall, who is current assistant superintendent for human resources for the DeKalb school district, will replace the retiring Roger Kilpatrick. The Journal Star reports Hall will be paid $170,000 year and her contract will run through June of 2015. The Morton Dist. 709 school board unanimously...more

Peoria Airport Director Gene Olson wants to make you aware of some traffic pattern changes at the flight facility.  With the new terminal up and running, it's now time for the old building to come down.  Olson says the changes are due to trucks needing a path to haul away the rubble of the previous structure.  The Director says traffic into the airport will be...More

Peoria 73rd District State Representative Dave Leitch says he he glad Rod Blagojevich is going to jail for a long time.  The Deputy Republican Leader of the House says the 14 year sentence is the minimum the Ex Governor should have received.  Leitch says the trials were focused on the selling of the Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.  But, Leitch says it's...More

46th District State Senator Dave Koehler hopes the state of Illinois can now move on from the regime of Rod Blagojevich now that the former governor has been sentenced on corruption convictions. Koehler is hopeful this closes the Blagojevich chapter in state government. He says everyone needs to make sure more ethical and upright people get into public offices. Koehler is hopeful the 168 month...More

A federal judge has sentenced Rod Blagojevich to 14 years for corruption that included trying to sell or trade an appointment to the Senate seat vacated by  President Barack Obama. It's one of the stiffest penalties for corruption in a state with a history of crooked politics. Blagojevich apologized for his crimes and asked for mercy in addressing the judge earlier Wednesday. His attorneys...More

(AP) - Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is making his final plea for leniency to the judge who will impose his sentence, saying he "never set out to break the law." While he apologized for his crimes, Blagojevich said he did not know he was breaking the law. He told Judge James Zagel that he thought what he was doing was "permissible," but that he...more

The Better Business Bureau is warning of a phishing scam involving alleged calls from Microsoft. Vice-president of the Central Illinois BBB, Jessica Tharp, says callers impersonating Microsoft workers claim they've been notified by your virus provider about serious virus issues on your computer. You are then directed to download a program that hands over remote access to your computer to fix...more

Governor Pat Quinn has commuted the sentence of a man who maintained his innocence for two Peoria murders in 1977. Johnny Lee Savory was twice convicted of the stabbing deaths of 14-year old James "Scopy" Robinson and his 19-year old sister Connie Cooper. Savory was 15 when he was convicted of double murder but eventually won a new trial after an appeals court said his confession had...more

Tennis shoes strung up across utility poles may seem humorous or innocent to some people. During our...more

A car is stolen after an overnight home invasion in Peoria. Officers were called to a house in the 3400 block of Richwoods around 3:20 Wednesday morning. Police say a woman was tied up during the incident and her car was taken. The investigation continues and...more

The contest in District 17 pits the current Peoria County Board Chairman, Democrat Tom O'Neill against Republican Rudy Lewis. Lewis is the chairman of the Peoria County Republican party. In...More

Spreading the holiday spirit is the goal of Carl Cannon's ELITE program. This the 10th year the Peoria Park District's ELITE Youth Holiday Choir will visit various businesses, community organizations and public places supporting the program. Cannon tells WMBD's Greg and Dan he tells his kids they have a chance to save a life. "To somebody who's depressed, lost a job or loved one or...more

Early Childhood classes at Central Intermediate School in Washington will not be held today because of cleanup from a Monday afternoon fire. The school was evacuated briefly because of the small fire in the early childhood classroom. The Journal Star reports the fire had actually been put out with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived, so students were only outside about 10 minutes...more

Peoria firefighters are still trying to determine the cause of a garage fire. Heavy smoke and fire were seen coming from the unattached garage at 2111 West Ann St. when fire crews arrived about 9:20 Monday night. The fire, contained to the garage, was put out within ten minutes. There were no injuries.

The village of Morton has a new police chief. He is Craig Hilliard, who has been a full-time member of the Morton police department since 1986. The Village Board approved his promotion Monday. Hilliard has been serving as interim chief since Nick Graff retired in August. The Journal Star quotes Morton Mayor Norm Durflinger as saying Hilliard was the only candidate interviewed for the job and...more

An already crowded democratic field for 46th District State Senator just added another person Monday morning. Marvin Bainter of Lewistown has filed petitions for the seat currently held by Dave Koehler. Koehler  also filed his petitions before the 5pm deadline after announcing late Friday plans to run for the Senate seat instead of 17th District Congress. Current ICC board trustee...More

Representatives of Peoria's Friendship House are thanking the community for stepping up again this year for the Stuff-A-Bus campaign. About 11,000 pounds of food was collected this year, up about 1,000 pounds from last year. Jeff Turnbull with Friendship House says it shows how compassionate people are in this area. He says when anyone considers that a child i hungry or a family cannot eat for a...More

It's that time of the year. You're out in the midst of the hussle and bustle doing your holiday shopping moving from place to place to find those special gifts. But it's also the time of year would-be burglars could take advantage of your bearing money and merchandise. Peoria police spokesman, Officer Doug Burgess, says for one thing keep items you've purchased in the trunk. "Someone...more

Current Tazewell County Coroner Carl Powell will face a challenge in the March primary election. Retired Morton dentist Jeff Baldi has announced his bid for the Republican nomination. Baldi will challenge fellow Republican Powell, who has been coroner since Dennis Conover retired in September. Baldi's experience in forensic dentistry was used to help identify bodies after the 9-11 attacks in New...more

(From WEEK News 25) - More than 100 children whose dreams became reality celebrated Christmas together in East Peoria. The Central Illinois Dream Factory held its annual Christmas party at the Itoo Hall this afternoon. The Central Illinois Dream Factory celebrates Christmas this time each year, inviting children whose dreams are in the works as well as children whose wishes have been...more

A local man is reported missing and the Peoria County Sheriff's office is asking for help in finding him. The family of 58-year old Thomas Stenger says he's been missing since November 12th. A Peoria County police report claims Stenger has a heart condition. Unconfirmed reports indicate his medicine was left at home. Stenger's truck was reportedly found at the East Peoria Wal-Mart. Anyone...more

(From WEEK News 25) - The topic of conversation among local Republicans on Saturday was a Democrat. As a group of Peoria County Republicans running for office gathered for breakfast Saturday morning, 46th district state senate candidate Pat Sullivan had something new to chew on. Incumbent Dave Koehler is suddenly back in the race, after announcing Friday that he's decided to end his bid for the...more

(AP) - A man whose attack on a Peoria County Jail officer forced the victim to have hip-replacement surgery has been sentenced to the maximum of 14 years in prison. Circuit Court Judge Steve Kouri told 25-year-old Josiah Gamble the severe injury Rick Wieland sustained will stay with the victim for life, so the punishment should be severe...more

(AP) - Two Peoria men are sentenced to at least 25 years in prison for their roles in a home invasion a judge labeled horrific. 21-year-old Jordan Tennon was ordered to spend 27 years in prison and 19-year-old Ellis Trevino got 31 years in the January storming of the East Bluff home. The two suspects from Peoria pleaded guilty...more

In a statement released by a candidate who plans a run for the 46h District Senate seat on the Republican ticket,  Pat Sullivan says Dave Koehler hasn't leveled with the people as to why he suddenly abandoned his race for Congress.  Sullivan alleges Koehler's campaign was "stuck in the mud with no groundswell of support, a paltry amount of money raised, a looming defeat in the...More

One of the two candidates already on the ballot for 46th District State Senator says he will drop out of the race now that incumbent Dave Koehler wants to run for the post again. Peoria County Board member Allen Mayer says he will withdraw his petitions after Koehler files his on Monday. He says this was an easy decision because Dave Koehler is his friend and has done a good job...More

Dave Koehler has taken himself out of the race for 17th District Congress and instead wants to remain in the Illinois Senate. The 46th District State Senator released a statement late Friday afternoon saying Illinois has always been more important to him than Washington and it recently became clear he can make the most positive change for his constituents and neighbors by staying in the...More

A man told authorities he was walking in the 800 block of University about 5:15am when two black males approached him and displayed handguns. The victim says he was pushed to the ground and the suspects went through his pockets before the man gave them his money. The two robbers then got in a four...More

A continuance has been granted in the upcoming felony trial of a Peoria City Councilman.  Dan Irving faces one count of soliciting a prostitute. Judge David Brown moved the jury trial to March 5th of next year, after the prosecution asked for a delay.  Irving was in Peoria County court Friday morning for a pre-trial hearing.  The jury trial was originally supposed to begin...More

A Peoria woman tells police her purse is stolen outside Bergner's at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. Peoria police say the victim says a black male and a black female struck her from behind with an object and knocked her down around 9:50 Thursday night. The woman suffered wrist and knee injuries. Later, police say a man to his house in the 1000 of East Gift just after midnight and found someone in...more

Talks been two organizations, one public and one private, have resulted in an economic expert being brought into the fold by the public group.  Frank Knott, with ViTAL Economy has been contracted for $25,000 dollars by Tri County Regional Planning Commission to offer his expertise in his regional approach to economic development.  The private group, the Economic Development for...More

Tuesday's vote was a product of the state's "rudderless,...More

A handgun at Limestone High School last week. Thursday morning, a Pekin Community High School student was escorted away by Pekin Police for bringing an unloaded BB gun on school premises. Fortunately nobody was harmed in any of these scenarios, unlike April 20th twelve years when two young men in black fired an...more

One of two Limestone High School students arrested for having a gun in school last month pleads guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. The unloaded weapon was found in a Limestone restroom November 22nd. The school was placed on lockdown following the discovery. WEEK News 25 reports during a hearing Thursday, Peoria County Judge Chris Fredericksen also denied the student's request to be...more

A vote in the Illinois House to offer tax breaks to businesses failed in the Illinois House this week, but it doesn't mean the possibility is dead. The tax breaks were going to be used as incentive to keep companies like Sears, CME Group and CBOE Holding Corp here in the state. The $250-million package passed the Illinois Senate. State Treasurer Dan Rutherford believe if the process of...More

The Peoria Fire Department is asking you to help "Keep the Wreath Red." This is the 16th year of the department's effort to promote fire safety during the holiday season. Division Chief of Fire Prevention, Melanie Anderson, says all 12 fire houses in the city have hung wreaths with red lights. "Every time we have a residential or commercial fire we will exchange one of the red...more

(AP) - The Illinois governor's office says Ohio has offered $400 million in incentives to lure away Sears' corporate headquarters. A spokeswoman for Gov. Pat Quinn tells The Columbus Dispatch Ohio's pitch is about four times the offer Illinois has considered making to keep Sears Holding Corp. from leaving. A person familiar...more

Police are looking into a burglary at the Walgreen's at Knoxville and McClure in Peoria. Police responded to a burglar alarm just after 1:00 Thursday morning and found the front window broken in. A review of the in-store security cameras found one man enter the store and leave with a pillow case full of items. No suspects...more

Peoria police are investigating two armed robberies to citizens. One man told police a gun was held to his back and he was beaten near Dechman and Nebraska around 11:20 Wednesday night. Cash and a debit card were taken. The victim denied treatment. Then, around 1:00 Thursday morning police say one person was robbed by two white males, believed to be at gunpoint, at Abraham and Sons Amusement at...more

The Peoria Park District Board of Trustees approves a $44-million budget. Cost saving measures include the closing of Detweiler Golf Course, now to be maintained as part of Detweiler Park. But area golfers complain to the board about a planned revenue source of a $200 hike in season golf fees to $725. The Journal Star says golfers questioned why they should pay more to play on golf...more

(From WEEK News 25) - Board members from Peoria's East Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services met Wednesday with Peoria City Council members to discuss the organization's request for $60,000 in funds. New loan regulations prevent the NHS from giving home improvement loans to East Bluff residents, as had been done in the past. Councilman Tim Riggenbach advised using the money to pay police...more

There's a buzz in East Peoria again over more new economic development.  But, one city councilman, says while he's happy about growth, he disagrees with the incentives the city gives incoming business.  Commissioner Chad Joos expressed his views, just before the Council voted 4-1 to approve a development deal which will bring a Target store in as a new downtown anchor. Joos is...More

East Peoria Festival of Lights enters Phase II Friday night.  That's when Winter Wonderland opens, according to coordinator Dan Cunningham.  Cunningham says this year, all the floats are coordinated in one centralized two mile stretch.  That's a change from previous years when floats were spread out around the city.  Cunningham says the event has been going through financial...More

(AP) - Federal prosecutors say ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich should be sentenced to 15 to 20 years in prison. The 54-year-old Blagojevich was convicted of 18 corruption-related counts, including allegations that he tried to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. A federal judge will sentence him next week...more

A Peoria man is dead after being struck by at least two vehicles on Plank Road in Peoria County. The Peoria County Coroner's office says a third vehicle may have been involved, but that driver left the scene. 43-year old Jose Cervantes was pronounced dead at the scene around 8:15 Tuesday night. Cervantes was walking along Plank Road around 7:00, about an hour after being released from the...more

Three Stark County teenagers are dead after a Tuesday afternoon crash near Kewanee. The Henry County Sheriff's Department isn't providing many details about the crash. Deputies says the victims' names are not being released yet pending notification of family, but the deputies confirm that three people were pronounced dead. Two other people were taken by helicopter from Kewanee Hospital to a...more

Caterpillar is announcing plans to build a new, state of the art, $150-million engine manufacturing plant in India. The company is also investing another $62-million in an existing truck manufacturing plant in Chennai. Caterpillar officials say the new investments are part of the company's goal to be its industry's leader in India. As part of Caterpillar's 2015 corporate strategy, the...more

A 15-year old boy pleads guilty in Peoria County juvenile court to charges related to a gun found at Limestone High School. The .22 caliber semiautomatic weapon was found in a restroom at the school last Tuesday. The Journal Star reports the boy pleaded guilty to a count of unlawful use of a weapon in return for other gun-related charges being dropped. The judge ordered the boy to be held in...more

Peoria police are investigating a report of a man being shot. The victim arrived at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center by private vehicle around 7:45 Tuesday night. Police say the man was shot in the armpit area. The victim, who has not been identified, claims to have been shot while sitting in a care near Adams and Stanley Streets. The Journal Star reports officers were able to find glass from car...more

Securing Bass Pro Shop in East Peoria has served as the impetus to complete the long awaited development for the new downtown.  The East Peoria City Council Tuesday night voted 4-1 to proceed with an agreement with Cullinan Properties, which in effect will bring a Target store to the new downtown.  Target is the 2nd largest discount retailer in the U-S, and ranks 33rd on the Fortune...More

Ten months incarceration is the sentence for a former FBI agent from Peoria. Federal Judge James Shadid ordered 44 year old Jerry Nau to serve five months in the Bureau of Prisons and five months home detention for using a false document. Nau previously pleaded guilty to preparing a false evidence receipt saying $43,000 of money seized from a drug dealer was placed into evidence. Authorities...More

It's almost hard to believe, but a business traditional is back on it's feet in West Peoria.  The famed Haddad's Market officially began serving customers Tuesday morning, only 11 months after a blaze completely gutted the old store.  The fire occurred on New Years' Eve, but owner and operator Mark Wrhel Tuesday was like New Years' of a different type.  Wrhel says while being...More

Is Congressman Aaron Schock mulling a bid for Illinois Governor? The answer is yes according to Crain's Chicago Business. GOP insiders tell a Crain's reporter Schock is definitely interested in the seat currently held by Democrat Pat Quinn. The report says Schock is far from a final decision, but has begun to test the gubernatorial waters. A Shock spokesman tells Crain's people bring up the...More

There's a lot more to agriculture than planting seeds and waiting for Mother Nature to put water on it. The technology involved in agribusiness is in full display this week during the 30th annual Peoria Farm Show at the Peoria Civic Center. John Sampson is marketing director for Midwest Shows. "Farming is a capital-intensive business," Sampson tells 1470 WMBD. "You can get an idea...more

A newly released audit shows a $2.4-million surplus in District 150's Education Fund. That compares to nearly $7-million in the red last year. It's because of belt-tightening and the recent school closings. Interim Comptroller/Treasurer David Kinney says taxpayers can smile because they'll be...more

(From WEEK News 25) - A group of Bradley students, parents and alumni are taking a stand against what they believe is an unfairly passed resolution that will allow the university to hand out condoms to students free of charge. Although the students would not have to pay for the condoms, an additional amount would be added to each student's health fees to cover the cost of the...more

More commercial development news is on tap at the East Peoria City Council meeting Tuesday.  Dominating the short agenda is an amendment to the original agreement between the city and the company which will run the new Holiday Inn Hotel complex as part of the new East Peoria downtown. And, what's been rumored for about a year, might come to fruition at the council meeting.  The...More

The victim of a shooting and robbery has died about three weeks following the incident.  45 year old Yahya Doud Mahmoud of Peoria, also known as "John" was pronounced dead at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, three days after being released from the hospital.  Peoria Police say Mahmoud was shot in the chest while sitting in his car with a woman in the 550 Block of East...More

$260-million is expected to be added to the regional economy due to recent plants announced by Caterpillar. Officials from Big Yellow announced capital improvements at plants in East Peoria and Decatur would total $640-million and create about 300 jobs. Economic Development Council Director Vickie Clark says the move creates another 162 jobs due to the dollars from the additional jobs...More

No injuries are reported during an overnight fire in a vacant 111-year-old church in Peoria. Peoria fire department spokesperson Melanie Anderson says police reported smoke and flames coming from the roof of the building at Main and High Streets. "The structure is already red-flagged, meaning it's an unsafe building with holes in the floors," Anderson tells 1470 WMBD. "The fire...more

Two Peoria District 150 school board seats will be up for grabs during the March Primary. The District 2 seats occupied by current board president Linda Butler and board member Lynne Costic are expiring. The deadline for filing petitions is 5:00 p.m. next Monday. There is no primary for District 150 school board - so, the outcome becomes final during the spring election. The two winners will take...more

A sneak preview of a 2012 tax levy will be presented to the Peoria District 150 school board Monday night. The board will meet as a Committee of Whole at Trewyn School. Sources say interim Comptroller/Treasurer David Kinney is expected to recommend a tax levy that will remain the same or could save the owner of a $100,000 home $3 to $5. Meeting as a Committee of the Whole the board...more

There are already some primary races taking shape on the first day of the filing period for the 2012 election. Two candidates, as expected, have filed for the democratic nomination for 46th District State Senator. They are current Peoria County Board member Allen Mayer and former Peoria City Councilman Jim Polk. The bid for the newly created 88th District State Representative seat pits the...More

An economic development consultant is just a vote away from becoming a player in the Peoria area. Frank Knott of ViTAL Economy will join the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission if they OK the move this week. Knott spoke at an economic forum sponsored by Tri-County in October. Two weeks ago, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis made the motion at the Illinois River Valley Council of Government...more

Peoria fire fighters are called to put out a fire in a church building at Main and High Streets. A passerby reported smoke around 3:30 Monday morning and fire fighters found fire inside the building when they arrived. What was the Hale Methodist Church was built in 1900. The building served as a Methodist Church many years and later became...more

(From WEEK News 25) - Haddad's is bringing in the new year with a new floor plan, some new faces and an all around facelift to accompany what its owner calls classic charm. "It won't seem as small and cluttered to them," says owner and operator Mark Wrhel. "It gives them that elbow room to be able to be able to move up and down the aisles a little easier." The extra room...more

One juvenile is in custody following a report of a home invasion. Peoria police say what's described as a group of black juveniles broke into a house in the 900 block of Millman just after 6:45 Saturday night. One was arrested and property was recovered. Later, around 8:00 Saturday night, police say one person was robbed by three black males while walking in the 1400 block of Tiffany Court. A...more

Saturday's rainfall is a record setter in Peoria. The National Weather Service reports 1.36 inches of rain was reported. That breaks the old record for November 26th of 1.1 inches set in 1966. Another two-tenths of an inch of rain fell after midnight for a total of 1.56 inches. Other rainfall totals reported in the area...more

A suspect left with over $450 dollars in cash after committing an armed robbery of a Peoria business Friday evening.  Police were called to the Digital Store at 2521 War Memorial Drive just before 900pm to the report of the armed robbery.  Store employees told police a weapon was implied, but not shown during the incident.  The subject ran from the store in an unknown...More

2 unidentified persons were shot apparently during the same incident at the Taft Holmes Friday night.  Officers were called to the area of 250 Eaton about 745pm to the report over over 20 shots fired.  Officers eventually found one person who had ducked into an apartment suffering from a gunshot wound.  Another victim showed up at Methodist Medical Center ER a short time...More

For the 27th year, East Peoria is holding a night time parade.  The annual Parade of Lights kicks off Saturday evening at 545pm.  Eastside Centre's Dan Cunningham says the parade will follow an altered route this year because of construction around the future new downtown project. Cunningham says the event will start at it's traditional spot, the corner of Dolans and...More

A 21-year old man is Peoria's latest homicide victim. Officers responding to a report of shots fired found Monterrius Dillard of Peoria unresponsive around 11:00 Wednesday night in a vacant lot next to 1406 West Martin, the victim of multiple gunshot wounds. Medical personnel attempted to revive Dillard at the scene, but he was pronounced dead less than 40 minutes later. An autopsy is scheduled...more

Warm temperatures brought thousands to downtown Peoria for the 124th annual Santa Claus Parade this day after Thanksgiving. The Grand Marshall this year was recently retired WEEK-TV weatherman Lee Ranson. He took credit for the sunny skies. Ranson says if he was to be the grand marshal there had to be grand weather. He says he has been attending the parade since he was a child. Mike Unes walked...More

Black Friday is underway. Long lines of customers were waiting for the doors to open at Midnight at Target and Best Buy. Those lines at both stores stretched to the rear of both buildings. The line nearly encirlced the building at Best Buy. April Thompson of Peoria Heights was first in line at Target. She got there at Noon Thursday for that honor. Thompson says she's no stranger to wanting to be...more

Officers responded to the initial reports of someone possibly shot in the backyard at 517 Vine in the North Valley about 430am this(Thursday)morning.  Once on the scene, Peoria Police didn't find anyone shot, but did get reports from witnesses of at least 4 shot fired in the immediate area.  Authorities continue to investigate. 

Peoria Police are investigating a homicide which occurred late Wednesday night, in the Goose Lake area of the city's southside.  Officers were called to the 1400 block of Martin about 1100pm to a report of shots fired.  Responders found a black male lying in a vacant lot next to 1406 Martin, the victim of multiple gunshot wounds.  Officer say he was unresponsive.  Medical ...More

An initiative by the Peoria Mayor and two local social service agencies continues for the 3rd year at Friday's Santa Claus parade.  City spokeswoman Alma Brown says Mayor Jim Ardis wants those attending the annual parade to bring down unused clothes and non-perishable food for collection.    Brown tells 1470 WMBD's Scott Robbins to look for people collecting items when you...More

Shoppers looking for toys can look at a recently released report to find out which items could be a hazard to a child's health. Illinois PIRG has released the 26th annual Trouble in Toyland report which focuses on toys with toxic substances, that present choking hazards or are too loud. Celeste Meiffren  with Illinois PIRG says small toys continue to cause problems for small children. She...More

Now it's time for the real work to begin.  That's the overall assessment of the Peoria City Manager following adoption of the 2012 fiscal budget Tuesday night.  Patrick Urich says the biggest priority will be a staffing restructure following personnel cuts.  Urich says with some many staff reductions in so many departments, there will been quite an adjustment curve into 2102....More

Even though the unemployment percentage doesn't reflect it, there has been a strong trend of people going back to work in the Peoria area.  Just released Illinois Department of Employment Security numbers show 1,300 jobs were added between September and October.  Over the year, 7,800 more people have gotten position in the non-farm sector.  The unemployment rate for October...More

"Toys, Treasures and Traditions" is the theme for this year's 124th Peoria Santa Claus Parade. The parade starts at 10:15 Friday morning. Parade chairperson Susie Stockman says there's a new look to one of the more popular attractions this year. "We have redone the Viking ship," Stockman says. "We have added water to the base of it so it looks like it's in the ocean...more

If you live in Peoria, you will begin paying a much higher trash collection fee beginning January 1st.  The Peoria City Council finally OK'd the new garbage fee structure Tuesday night, just before passing the 2012 fiscal budget.  Trash fees collected on water bills will more than double  from $6 dollars a month presently.  The city will charge $13 dollars a...More

An unloaded gun was found in Limestone High School Tuesday prompting a lockdown of the facility. Two male students, ages 14 and 15, were taken into custody in connection with the discovery of the weapon. Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel says the gun was located in boys bathroom after school resource officers were told there might be a weapon in the school. Fengel says no one was in danger...More

The Peoria County Regional Office of Education closed it's offices for a two hour period Tuesdayso an informational meeting could be held to discuss local budget cuts.  In a surprise move last week, the Peoria County Board voted to remove $35,000 of the $300,000 it funds for the ROE.  The Board said the move was a message to the state, that it wasn't happy about the...More

A Peoria man is accused of starting a fire in the apartment building where he lives. 30-year old Eric Johnson is booked in the Peoria County Jail on a charge of aggravated arson. A sprinkler had put out the fire in a fifth floor apartment at 301 NE Jefferson by the time fire fighters got there around 9:00 Monday night. Crews used shopvacs and squeegies to mop up the water damage. There were no...more

A Washington man faces three counts of armed robbery in connection with a couple of holdups earlier this month. 23-year old Bradley Dragoo is accused of robbing the Subway in the 1800 block of North Knoxville October 6th and the Dairy Queen on North Sheridan October 7th. Dragoo is also charged with residential burglary in connection with a break in at...more

No matter the outcome of legal and internal investigations into the Penn State sex abuse scandal, people should remember the victims. That's according to officials from Peoria's Center for Prevention of Abuse. Sara Dillefeld, who supervises counseling at the Center, tells WMBD's Greg and Dan, "The earlier children can report or disclose the abuse has happened to a trusting and caring adult...more

One person is arrested while in the process of burglarizing a Peoria County business. Peoria police say county deputies found the suspect inside Mark's Market at 2705 West Farmington Road around 3:45 this morning. The suspect's name has...more

Peoria's HazMat unit monitors air quality while Limestone Fire Fighters put out a fire Monday night inside a building at AZ Galvanizing at 6718 W. Plank Road. Peoria Fire Batallion Chief Mike Morgan tells the Journal Star an air conditioning unit filled with oil was dipped into a vat of liquid zinc. The oil bubbled out and the unit caught fire. There...more

A Peoria apartment fire is put out by a sprinkler before fire fighters arrive. Fire fighters did find light smoke coming from a fifth floor apartment at 301 NE Jefferson when they got there just after 9:00 Monday night. Crews used shopvacs and squeegees to mop up the water damage left from the sprinkler. There were no injuries. The cause...more

An autopsy is scheduled Tuesday on a Chillicothe man killed on his property Sunday. 76-year old Arco Rosenow was spreading gravel on a private road leading to his house on Hallock Hollow Road when his road grader overturned. The Peoria County Coroner's office says when Rosenow left his pickup truck to tend to the grader the pickup shifted pinning him between his truck and an embankment. The...more

The Federal Trade Commission is saying no to plans for the affiliation between OSF Healthcare System and Rockford Health System. The FTC has requested a preliminary injunction to stop the affiliation from moving ahead in 2012. Officials from OSF Healthcare and Rockford Health System say they'll go to court to challenge the FTC's request. The agencies argue combining two of Rockford's three health...more

Tuesday's Peoria City Council meeting will mostly deal with review of recent ongoing issues including a vote to adopt of the 2012 fiscal budget.  The city's refuse collection and fee schedule will be looked into again, following last Thursday's controversial vote.  The Council last week failed to adopt the primary option by one super majority vote.  Then, they quickly adopted...More

The city of Peoria Public Works fleet is all prepared for the first winter precipitation.  Director Dave Barber says three brand new large snow plow trucks have been fitted, and the rest of the fleet is equipped also.  Barber says there are are 3 levels of attack plans the city has in place.  Level One is a storm of less than 2 inches of snow.  He says that is the bulk of...More

Law enforcement will be out in full force again during the extended Thanksgiving holiday season.  High ranking officers from several regional agencies gathered at Springdale Cemetary Monday morning to plead with the public this is not where you or a passenger in your vehicle want to end up this weekend.  District 8 Illinois State Police Commander Lt. Jeff Jacobs says authorities...More

Five people are arrested after a gun is found in the car they occupied during a traffic stop. Officers stopped the car near Adams and Chicago about 1:15 Monday morning. Peoria police say officers spotted an open bottle of alcohol in the car while one passenger, 32-year old Kwan Watkins was being arrested on an outstanding warrant. Officers then searched the vehicle and found a 9mm...more

(From WEEK News 25) - Friends and family members of a Peoria teen who died from injuries he suffered from a beating took time to remember him Sunday evening. Several hundred people gathered for a candlelight vigil in honor of 16-year-old Jaquille Tidwell Johns. He was taken off life support Friday night and died early Saturday morning. The Manual Academy sophomore was beaten November 11 after...more

We visited the Thanksgiving Lunch at Trewyn Middle School for families in the south Peoria community. They arrived as families, and by themselves. It was time to gather. It was time to eat. It was time for Thanksgiving dinner. The fusion of a uniquely American holiday, and a Christian act of...more

Battalion Chief Ron Jones says fire fighters arrived to find the single stall unattached garage fully involved.  There was no damage to the residence nearby.  There were no...More

A Caterpillar Group President and CFO challenged a crowd of about 650, a high competitve edge will increase our standard of living, so our children will have a better life.  Ed Rapp was the featured speaker at the 36th Annual Community Thanksgiving Luncheon at the Embassy Suites Friday.  Rapp gave of message of "not" taking anything for granted as we approach...More

(AP) - Illinois' unemployment rate went up slightly in October even as the state added 30,000 more jobs. Officials said Friday that the unemployment rate in Illinois is 10.1 percent, above the national rate of 9 percent. Though the state added jobs in several industries, state unemployment went up because more job-seekers are re-entering the workforce...more

A Knox County judge has sentenced killing spree suspect Nicholas Sheley to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sheley is sentenced for his conviction in September in the 2008 death of 65-year-old Ronald Randall of Galesburg. Judge James Stewart also gave Sheley concurrent sentences of 30 years for aggravated vehicular hijacking and seven years for possession of a stolen vehicle...more

It's official. Delta Air Lines will resume direct flights between Peoria and Atlanta. The new flights will operate three times daily, complimenting Delta's existing service to Detroit and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Delta had previously offered flights from Peoria to Atlanta but stopped the Atlanta service in 2009 due to cost-cutting. Peoria's Atlanta flights, using 50-seat regional jets, will start...more

Six volunteer fire departments battle a blaze that destroys a house near Manito. WEEK News 25 reports no injuries are reported in the fire in the 1000 block of Copper Creek Road west of Spring Lake. Peoria fire fighters put out a blaze in a vacant house at 1821 West Smith. The house was reported to fully engulfed in flames when they got there just before 3:00 this morning. No injuries are...more

A 16-year old Peoria boy is on life support a week after being beaten in a vacant house. The Journal Star reports Jacquille Tidwell Johns will be an organ donor. Johns and another boy were inside the vacant house on West Kettelle Street last Friday night when the owner of the house who lives across the street noticed movement. There are differing stories on what happened next from the boy who was...more

Lost in the reality that the 2012 Peoria city budget might be passed as early as next Tuesday, is the fact the garbage fee issue is still undecided.  The City Council Thursday night held a final budget session to attempt to tie up the last questions, suggestions and additions to the operating plan.  City Manager has led the staff to trim a $5.5 million dollar budget deficit with...More

An amendment, lowering the appropriation Peoria County gives to the Regional Office of Education was the only point of contention in passing a balanced 2012 budget.  The County Board voted 17-1 to approved next year's $134.6 million dollar financial guide.  But, the board vote 11-7 to remove about $35,000 dollars from the $300,000 dollar ROE funding.  The move was...More

The Caterpillar Visitors Center holds a "topping out" ceremony at the construction site of the 50,000 square foot facility on Peoria's Riverfront. A similar ceremony was held at the adjacent Peoria Riverfront Museum project last month. The ceremony is the placing of the final structural beam for the facility. Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman says everything is on schedule...more

An 11-year old Washington boy is dead after becoming entangled in rope in his backyard. Thomas Sawchuk was pronounced dead in the emergency room at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center at 6:00 Wednesday evening, less than an hour after his mother called 911. The Peoria County Coroner's office says the boy went out to play after he got home from school and his mother later looked out a window and...more

Peoria police arrest four people on various weapons charges after two separate traffic stops. 19-year old Ian Gayles of Peoria was stopped for a traffic violation near Main and University. Officers spotted marijuana in plain sight and later during a search of the car found a semi-automatic gun, ammunition and more marijuana. Officers during a second traffic stop in the 1100 block of North...more

Are you traveling to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family? Triple-A says you won't be alone. Nearly 42-and-a-half million Americans nationwide will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Triple-A spokesperson Beth Mosher says 2.2-million of those travelers will be in Illinois. That's despite the fact the price of a gallon of gas specifically in the...more

The future of Peoria's Detweiler Golf Course will be in the hands of Peoria Park District trustees November 30th. That's when the Journal Star reports the board will vote on a $44-million budget proposal that likely will include closing Detweiler Golf Course to save some money. There will also likely be fee increases for various activities. The trustees are also expected to vote on whether to...more

Delta Air Lines is coming back to Peoria. The Journal Star quotes sources as saying the airline will resume direct daily flights between Peoria and Atlanta in April. The official announcement is expected Friday. Delta stopped its Peoria to Atlanta service in early 2009 saying it needed to save money. Last week, AirTran announced it is halting direct service between Bloomington and Atlanta next...more

Peoria police are investigating a home invasion, burglary and a possible kidnapping. Police say five black males, two of them armed with guns, entered a house in the 2100 block of West Callender around 2:20 Thursday morning. One resident told police he was forced into a bathroom and tied up and when he came out after the men left, his roommate was gone. No names have been released.

An armed standoff at a north central Illinois high school has ended without any injuries. Police say an 18-year-old man carrying a shotgun entered  Princeton High School Wednesday afternoon. The gunman positioned  himself against a wall inside. Police say he was "highly distraught and emotional."   As officials evacuated the school, police and administrators tried to...More

The dialogue about how the Peoria City Council is determined was mostly well received Tuesday night. A council discussion about whether to place a referendum on the Spring 2012 ballot asking votes if they wanted to change from a 5 member and 5 at large council lasted over 3 hours.  The council eventually voted against two proposed revisions, so the city will remain divided into 5 districts...More

How would the American Red Cross respond in the event of an earthquake in Illinois? That was the purpose of an earthquake drill Wednesday in Morton which included eight Red Cross chapters in 27 counties. The scenario was an earthquake in the southern part of the state, which caused minor damage here. Alyssa Pollock with the Central Illinois Chapter organized the event. She says its vital to be...More

The way you vote for the Peoria City Council members will remain the same for the foreseeable future.  The Council Tuesday night voted down two options to change the number of districts, and kept at-large councilman and cumulative voting on the ballot.  Two separate options on the same resolution were given the thumbs down, so the 5 districts will stay intact, with 5...More

Two people are in custody for an armed robbery in Peoria Tuesday morning. Peoria police say 23 year old John Finley of LowPoint-Washburn and 21 year old Kevin Roderick of Peoria were taken into custody for armed robbery about 10am after they were pulled over by officers at Corrington and Sheridan. Authorities say prior to the arrest a white male entered the Smoker's Outlet at 3301 North...More

Peoria's top elected official is receiving a lot of attention in a volleying match through the print media.  Mayor Jim Ardis wrote an opinion piece published in the Chicago Tribune in October questioning the state's job creation plan.  In the piece, Ardis offered a set of solutions.  Ardis says he then received a letter from the state Department of Commerce and Economic...More