New book profiles the ‘greatest central Illinois native you never heard of’
William Engelbrecht says that Elmwood native Nelson Dean Jay may be the best-kept secret in central Illinois.
A Toulon insurance agent says this is the hardest market in 40 years. Here's why
John Leezer has been selling insurance since 1982 when he joined his father’s independent insurance agency in Toulon, the Stark County town some 40 miles northwest of Peoria.
Goodwill CEO: ‘No one should be throwing clothing away’
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois has seen remarkable growth in recent years. Don Johnson, the organization’s CEO since 2016, says the reason for that is convenience.
Betty Friedan, who initially saw Peoria as vaudeville joke, later said hometown inspired her
Friedan became one of the leaders of the women’s movement, a cause she fought for throughout her life. Friedan died in 2006 at the age of 85.
Colleen Callahan: 'Warm, down to earth and knows her stuff'
It doesn't matter if you lived on a farm or not, if you’ve lived in central Illinois for any length of time, you’re probably familiar with Colleen Callahan.
Erik Reader keeps his eye on downtowns
Erik Reader has a thing about downtowns. It doesn’t matter if they’re small or mid-sized or if they’re on a river or surrounded by cornfields, Reader wants to see them get ahead.
WTVP operations manager talks about changes over 37 years
Jackie Luebcke can recall her first day on the job at WTVP-TV Channel 47, Peoria’s public television outlet.
Turning ‘Forgottonia’ into ‘Unforgettable’
As executive director of the Macomb Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hedblade wants to alert the public about the attractions and advantages of a section of the state that, in the past, felt neglected.
Exploring the lost world of TV sci-fi in the 50s
The land of Lincoln has deep circus roots
Steve Gossard will tell you that Illinois is a circus state. The former curator of special collections—including circus collections—at Milner Library at Illinois State University in Normal has made it his business to research the state’s rich circus history.