WCBU Reports

A Pekin pastor is calling for less automated moderation of internet content and for organizations to back up their history after the church's YouTube channel was deleted without warning in June.

Peoria Mayor Rita Ali remains steadfast in her belief that the planned Phoenix Manor permanent supportive housing development on the South Side ultimately will benefit the neighborhood.

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen is questioning some of the latest actions of President Donald Trump in the public and behind closed airplane doors.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey sounded off on issues important to farmers Monday during a visit to McLean County. The Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable [IALR] hosted an agricultural forum at Funk Farms Trust in Shirley. Pritzker and Bailey talked about issues facing farmers, in addition to more general topics pertinent to the race for governor.

Fall classes at Illinois Central College begin next week, and new president Jamonica Rolle says it’s a moment she's been waiting for since starting her position in July. In an extended interview, Rolle details what attracted her to ICC.

DeviceWise, a program that helps hospital staff prepare patients with medical implants for surgery, has been in development for more than eight years. It's reduced cancellations in Peoria by 10%.

With the November general election approaching, several Peoria organizations are coming together for a push to get more people involved in the process, particularly on the city's South Side. “The initial thing is to get them registered, then educate them and then hopefully spur participation,” said the Rev. Marvin Hightower, president of NAACP Peoria, ahead of Saturday’s Voting Rights Day of Action on the lawn of the Peoria Public Library’s Lincoln Branch.

Caterpillar is making a $10 million workforce development pledge to boost manufacturing careers in Illinois, as part of a broader five-year, $100 million “Building the Future Workforce Initiative” global commitment the company launched in 2025.

A Cincinnati-based Americana duo which used to call Bloomington-Normal home is returning to its stomping grounds, playing a trio of shows in Central Illinois next week. Stone & Snow's upcoming appearance in Peoria Heights is on the heels of an unexpected invitation to perform at the Great American State Fair.

In the past, Peoria built things that could only have been built here — Victorian mansions on the bluffs, a sandstone city hall once voted the best in the country, a hillside of mid-century modern homes designed by local architects. But the buildings going up in the Peoria area lately tend to look the same — flat-roofed blocks of brick, metal panel, and glass — the kind of efficient, from-nowhere construction spreading across every mid-sized American city. It wasn't always like this.

Eric Sorensen is the only meteorologist serving in Congress. The former television weatherman is looking to use that experience to help shape federal policy to help keep Americans safe from weather disasters. Sorensen found a Republican colleague, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska — another former broadcaster — to help form the Weather Enterprise Caucus.

Immigration enforcement is ramping up again in Illinois. The Illinois Head Start Association recently released a report sharing anonymous community stories about how Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, activity has affected children at Head Start centers. IPR's Peter Medlin sat down with Illinois Head Start Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl to discuss the report.

Silos — tower-like structures on farms that hold fermented feed for livestock — have dotted the Midwestern landscape for 150 years. But they’re threatened by development and old age. One “silo hunter” in northern Illinois has been tracking down silos her grandfather built before they disappear.

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Cory Boulton, Coordinator of Music Education and Director of Choral Activities at Bradley University, about The Lost Birds, an upcoming performance by the Gratus Choral Ensemble.

The American Heart Association is looking to broaden fundraising and prevention efforts to include more of Central Illinois. Historically, the group's focus has been on Champaign and Peoria. Dr. Colleen Blackburn, vice president of operations at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, wants to change that.

The Riverview Plaza tower in Downtown Peoria has been shuttered for more than two years, as the city pushes building owner MJ Illinois to fix the fire suppression, sprinkler and electrical systems.

Five employees of Pop-Up Chicken Shop lost their jobs on the Fourth of July after telling owner Aaron Francis they wouldn't work without the time-and-a-half listed in the company's employee handbook.

In the resumption of a quarterly interview series, East Peoria Mayor John Kahl says optimizing city growth is a key component of the 20-year comprehensive plan adopted in January.

As Illinois enters a new fiscal year, a new state agency is officially taking charge of a wide range of programs for infants, toddlers and their families. The Illinois Department of Early Childhood officially takes over as the agency in charge of programs ranging from in-home visits for newborns and their mothers to licensing and regulating childcare facilities and funding preschools. You'll hear from the agency's first director.

A Morton farmer faces a potential $250,000 fine by the Illinois Department of Agriculture for allegedly applying pesticides on a farm near the Bethel Lutheran School while the school hosted an outdoor event.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says a housing bill is likely to become law even though President Trump is holding it hostage. The president is refusing sign what's called the 21st Century Road to Housing Act until Congress acts on his voting security bill. During a stop in Central Illinois, Durbin told reporters the threat will not kill the measure that has elements even the president supports. During questioning by reporter Charlie Schlenker, Durbin noted the housing package received strong bipartisan support.

An East Peoria woman got a last-minute opportunity to take part the 250th July Fourth celebration, running a leg of Relay for America's non-stop flag carry from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois has landed a competitive three-year, $90,000 grant from Girl Scouts of the USA that will send girls facing financial and social barriers to overnight summer camp — man, if not all, for the first time.

Incoming Peoria Public Schools Superintendent Jerry Bell said he wants District 150 to work hand-in-hand with the business community in preparing students to meet evolving workforce needs. WCBU's Joe Deacon reports.

Illinois is leading the country in tornadoes this year and many of them have touched down in the state’s central region. Through a combination of fluctuating temperatures and a lot of precipitation, the National Weather Service [NWS] reports Illinois has seen 172 confirmed tornadoes this severe weather season. That's an all-time record for the state. Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford said that is also at least twice the number of any other state.

The Peoria Riverfront Museum will represent Illinois with a pavilion on the National Mall as part of the upcoming Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence. WCBU's Joe Deacon reports.

OSF Strive is expanding access to trauma-informed mental health services for victims and witnesses of violent crime in Peoria. WCBU's Rich Draeger reports.

The national average time to be seen by an emergency room doctor was two hours and 42 minutes. The longest in Illinois was over five hours. Hopedale Medical Center had an average wait time of only 50 minutes. WCBU's Tim Rosenberger reports.

Peoria School District 150 Superintendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat is using some of her final weeks in office to fight for continued funding of the Teacher Vacancy Grant, a state program she said transformed how the district recruits and keeps teachers.

Saturday night is the last sunset before the Summer Solstice, with Sunday as the longest day of the year. If the skies are clear, it could be a great night for star-gazing at the century-old Northmoor Observatory in Donovan Park. The Peoria Astronomical Society is in its 71st season of hosting public viewings each Saturday, from mid-May into October. Society president Dan Son and program chair Chris Schmidt talk tells WCBU's Joe Deacon what the viewings offer. Starting with Schmidt.

State lawmakers passed a budget and prevented another gas tax hike this spring -- but did not take action to regulate data centers. State Rep. Sharon Chung of Bloomington tells WCBU state capitol correspondent Evan Holden she wants data center regulations -- but did not want to see Gov. JB Pritzker take away their tax breaks.

Republican state Sen. Sally Turner is reflecting on the end of the spring session with the culmination of another passage of the budget late into the night. WCBU's Evan Holden reports.

Peoria is marking 50 years as a sister city with Friedrichshafen, Germany. A delegation of about 25 from Germany recently flew to Peoria to meet with their sister city colleagues. Mayor Rita Ali and Sister City Commission chair Patrick Roesler spoke with WCBU's Molly Hughes at a recent anniversary dinner about what the milestone means for both cities.

Democratic state Sen. Dave Koehler reflected on the end of this year's legislative session with bills failing to pass and several others squeaked through in the final hours of before the end of the spring session. WCBU's Evan Holden reports.

The Citizens Utility Board said Illinois American Water is trying to overcharge Illinois customers by more than $50 million through a rate hike request before state regulators. The consumer advocacy group is urging state regulators to reject both the rate increase and a proposed deal that would give the company a near-monopoly on private water in Illinois. WCBU's Molly Hughes reports.

Development of the Dee Hengst Amphitheater along the Illinois River in Peoria's Festival Park is advancing, with contracts approved for preliminary design, engineering and construction. The 5,000-seat outdoor performance venue is primarily funded by an $11 million donation to the city from the Hengst Foundation. In Part 2 of our latest regular interview with Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, she tells reporter Joe Deacon that the amphitheater will become an attraction that benefits the entire region.  

Peoria will again celebrate Juneteenth with the 3rd annual Ernestine Jackson Freedom Day Parade. WCBU's Rich Draeger sat down with NAACP Peoria Branch President Marvin Hightower to talk about the NAACP, Ms. Jackson herself and why its important to celebrate and remember now more than ever.

A push by Gov. JB Pritzker for unified zoning regulations across Illinois did not gain approval from state lawmakers in the spring legislative session. Pritzker's "Build Illinois" initiative aims to address a growing need for affordable and "missing middle" housing. But critics say the legislation stops takes oversight of housing developments away from cities. Peoria Mayor Rita Ali was among a coalition of mayors joining the Illinois Municipal League's opposition to the proposal. In our latest regular interview, Ali tells WCBU reporter Joe Deacon why.

Jessily Joseph was appointed executive director of the Peoria County Election Commission on May 21. "Success is having voters and citizens be confident in this process — and making voting accessible and secure," she told WCBU's Molly Hughes. That's the job ahead of her, with the Nov. 3 general election now less than six months away.

A state lawmaker sponsored a bill to require farmers spraying pesticides near a school or park to send an email 72 hours in advance notifying when they would be applying the pesticides. WCBU's Evan Holden reports.

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, who represents parts of Greater Peoria, doesn't want to block data centers from coming to Illinois. He also doesn't want them arriving without conditions and he's worried some data center developers will try to cut corners to get there.

In a visit to Central Illinois this week, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin energized local Democrats at a private event at the IBEW Local 197 building. Durbin, hosted by the McLean County Democrats, spoke to a crowd of about 50 supporters about his views on issues like the war with Iran and redistricting, while reflecting on his upcoming retirement, and offering advice to candidates.

Peoria City Council member Kiran Velpula sees a new medial and educational partnership as a way to build the city’s health care workforce and boost the regional economy. Velpula, who is also an assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria [UICOMP], is one of the driving forces behind the Greater Peoria Healthcare Education Consortium that officially launched last week after several years in development.

Connor Martin, who lives outside of Morton, said it is important for him to be a generalist in the legal profession so he can best represent his local community because there are so few lawyers in his region. WCBU's Evan Holden reports.

New Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon says the city deserves a police department that communicates openly, acts with integrity, and earns the public’s trust.

With uncertainty surrounding press protections at the national level, the state of Illinois holds a strong reporter privilege statute. That’s according to Don Craven, general counsel for Illinois Press Association and three other statewide journalism organizations. He’s held the job protecting journalists in court and legal litigation since the mid-1980s

Four Peoria tattoo artists are continuing their late-mentor’s work in the ever-changing world of tattooing with their own shop located downtown.

For the first two decades Dan Conlin owned the Jukebox Comedy Club, the money from the previous week's shows pays for the next one. Shows, bills, another week, another show. Then came the pandemic.

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen isn’t satisfied with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's answers about military layoffs in his Central Illinois district. Sorensen questioned Hegseth about the decision to cut up to 150 jobs at Rock Island Arsenal during a hearing held by the House Armed Services Committee on April 29.

The City of Peoria is considering a funding plan to help the Twin Towers Place condominiums pay for needed repairs and renovations.  But City Manager Patrick Urich points out that no money has been allocated quite yet. Rather, the city may look to establish a special service area to generate the funds.   Urich notes Peoria has used special service areas elsewhere in the city to assist with needed improvements or added services - such as around Junction City, the Louisville Slugger sports complex, and the Westlake and Grand Prairie shopping centers.  He says the Twin Towers condos may not have streets to maintain, but they are a "vertical neighborhood" that merits similar consideration for financial assistance.  Urich says any up-front money provided by the city would be paid back entirely over time ... and Peoria's financial risk would be minimal.  In part two of our latest regular interview, Urich tells reporter Joe Deacon how the special services area process would work for funding the Twin Towers renovations ... noting the buildings had a fire a number of years ago and had to exhaust all of their financial reserves.