Journal Star (Peoria)
Trump threats to Iran more hostile
President Donald Trump, ahead of his April 7 deadline for Iran to make a deal, issued a stark warning that a wave of expected U.S. military attacks on critical infrastructure would leave the country unable to recover. “A whole civilization will die...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran rejects new ceasefire proposal
Iran on April 6 rejected the latest ceasefire proposal to end the war, the country’s state-run media reported, as mediators scramble to reach an agreement ahead of President Donald Trump’s deadline to strike Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump issues more threats against Iran
President Donald Trump took to social media on April 5 to applaud the U.S. military’s rescue of the second airman whose fighter jet was shot down over Iran – and to issue an expletive-laden threat against the Middle Eastern nation to reopen the Strait...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New job, new outlook
There is a song that Armando Flores uses to describe his relationship with the people of Peoria Heights. More specifically, it’s one set of lyrics from the infamous theme song to the television show “Cheers” that Flores holds dear when thinking about...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
1 rescued after U.S. jet downed over Iran
One crew member of a U.S. F-15E fighter jet that went down over Iran on April 3 has been rescued, according to a U.S. official. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the jet, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Popular musicians, theater and more
As the weather starts to warm up, big concerts, community theater and other events will be happening in Peoria. Here are 15 things to do in the Peoria area during April. 1. An Evening with David Sedaris Best-selling humorist and social satirist...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Birthright citizenship under review
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court gave a tough – but not dismissive – review of President Donald Trump’s effort to redefine who is an American, debating April 1 as Trump added to the historical significance of the case by becoming the first sitting...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Hegseth: Expect ‘decisive’ days ahead in the war
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on March 31 said the upcoming days in the war with Iran will be “decisive,” as President Donald Trump demanded allies reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves and average gas prices rose above $4 a gallon. Hegseth, speaking...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran threatened with targeted strikes
President Donald Trump on March 30 said the United States was engaged in “serious discussions” with Iranian officials on a deal to end the war – but threatened to launch strikes on the country’s power, oil and water facilities if negotiations...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Chicago man sentenced to prison in fatal Peoria hit-and-run
A Chicago man accused of leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run crash in January 2025 was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday in Peoria County Circuit Court. Demoriele L. Sims, 37, pleaded guilty in January to a single count of failing to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LAND CONCERNS
Peoria residents are raising concerns about a deal between the owners of the closed Detweiller Marina and O’Brien Steel that would allow for an expansion of the company’s riverfront facilities, saying that they weren’t given any forewarning about the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
President delays the strikes on power plants
The Pentagon is weighing sending an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East as the war with Iran rages, multiple news outlets reported. It remained unclear when a decision will be made on whether to send the additional combat soldiers, according...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Envoy: U.S. has sent ‘action list’ to Iran
The Trump administration on March 26 confirmed for the first time that it has passed a 15-point “action list” to Iran through Pakistani officials to end the war. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed the diplomatic efforts at a Cabinet meeting, saying...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Peoria applauds developer as it approves tax hike for shopping center
PEORIA — The City Council showered praise on the owner of a popular Peoria shopping center as it approved an increased sales tax for businesses at the center. Members of the council applauded developer Les Cohen, the owner of the Westlake Shopping...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
IL court rules employers must pay for after-hours activities
Jenna Schweikert SPRINGFIELD — Illinois law does not specifically shield companies from having to pay employees for time spent completing required pre- and post-work activities, the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled. Although federal regulations...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Hopes give way to selloff
SINGAPORE – Investors losing hope for a quick resolution of the Middle East war are scrambling to cushion portfolios against prolonged strife and a bigger oil shock, as they seek shelter in cash and energy shares while cutting bonds and bets on tech...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Indigenous sculpture unveiled at Bradley Park
With another one of his proud creations standing over his right shoulder at Laura Bradley Park on Friday, Preston Jackson, a Peoria-based sculptor, spoke to the assembled crowd about how it had a connection with everything and everyone, no matter their...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Beloved Italian eatery celebrates in Peoria area
In Italian, “avanti” means forward. True to its name, Avanti’s Ristorante continues forward after six decades as a beloved and enduring staple in the Peoria area. It is a place where memories have been made for patrons and employees alike – from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Troops deployed to Middle East region
Despite President Donald Trump’s promises of the war with Iran ending soon and broad domestic disapproval of further involvement, the United States is sending more troops to the region, a defense official said. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Strengthens the overall college experience’
Illinois Central College student residences will reopen beginning in August following their sale to a local investment group. ICC announced Wednesday that ICC Educational Foundation has completed the sale of the student residences to a group led by...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Stratton secures U.S. Senate primary victory
PEORIA — Former Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton has won the Democratic primary to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, receiving a significant boost from voters in Cook County. Stratton defeated U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and U.S. Rep Robin...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Revelers brave cold on St. Patrick’s Day in Peoria
Newlyweds Danyelle and Matt Phelan enjoy each other’s company during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Downtown Peoria. The Peoria couple were married earlier in the morning.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FOUND A ‘PERFECT SPOT’
Twisted Pasta began rolling out unique pasta products last year – a sandwich stuffed with spaghetti, a fettuccine-filled garlic bread cone and other Italian-inspired innovations. “We wanted to do something a little different,” owner Kyle Graves said....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CHAMPIONS
The Manual High School boys basketball team held off Quincy Notre Dame to win the Class 2A boys basketball state championship on Saturday at State Farm Center in Champaign. The Rams ended a 29-year drought between state titles and gave the program its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Friendly neighborhood bar’
Malik Qattoum is no stranger to the restaurant industry. For 14 years, he worked at LongHorn Steakhouse. h It was a good, comfortable position. And while he dreamt of securing a business for himself, he was hesitant to take the plunge. h Yet, Qattoum...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PEORIA PRIDE
The Manual boys basketball team will play for a Class 2A state championship at noon Saturday at State Farm Center in Champaign. A win would give Manual a sixth state title and first since completing the historic Class AA four-peat from 1994-97.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Experts: Anthropic has a strong case against Pentagon
NEW YORK – Anthropic’s lawsuit challenging its Pentagon blacklisting is likely to test the reach of an obscure law aimed at guarding military systems against sabotage, and legal experts say the artificial intelligence lab appears to have a strong case...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
At least 2 dead after tornadoes hit Midwest
At least two people were dead after severe thunderstorms swept across a swath of the country, unleashing devastating tornadoes in the central United States. A large tornado, rain and hail hit the small community of Lake Village in northwest Indiana...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump threatens Iran over waterway
President Donald Trump on March 9 predicted the Iran war will end “very soon” now that U.S. forces have decimated the country’s navy, air force and political leadership, but a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps slammed the president’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Oil prices soar as Iran names leader
As the U.S.-Israel war with Iran entered its 10th day on March 9, oil prices soared over fears of a prolonged conflict, President Donald Trump demanded “unconditional surrender” and the Pentagon made public the name of the seventh U.S. service member...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Golden girls
See full coverage of Washington and Dee-Mack’s state championship wins in
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CHAOTIC DISPUTE
PEORIA — There is a war of dueling narratives growing out of Downtown Peoria’s long-embattled Twin Towers Mall. A new ownership group, Make Solutions LLC, took over the mall late last month, acquiring it from its previous nonprofit owners for $1. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump demands Iran’s surrender
President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” in a social media post the morning of March 6, insisting “there will be no deal” to end his 7-day-old war with the battered Persian Gulf power. The president added in a social media post...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
U.N. group condemns the strikes on Iran
The United Nations’ Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran, a group that investigates human rights abuses in the country, issued a statement that “strongly condemns” the U.S. and Israeli strikes that launched the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
U.S. submarine sinks Iranian warship
Trump administration officials pledged more firepower in the war with Iran after officials said a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship, with reports of at least 80 people killed. The United States and Israel will soon control Iranian airspace, and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump criticizes top U.S. allies over war
President Donald Trump slammed top U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom, as the war with Iran expands and warned Americans that they may have to deal with “a little high” oil prices as crude costs soared and the stock market tumbled. “If we have...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ST. PATRICK’S DAY, COMEDY AND MORE
As winter comes to an end and we prepare for spring, the calendar is packed with performances and popular annual events. Here are 15 things to do in the Peoria area in the month of March. 1. Symphony orchestra presents ‘A Little Night Music’ The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran air strikes mark Trump’s biggest gamble
WASHINGTON – With his large-scale attack on Iran, President Donald Trump has seized a legacydefining moment to demonstrate his readiness to exercise raw U.S. military power. But in doing so, he is also taking the biggest foreign policy gamble of his...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
An enduring presence
Consistency, quality and customers are at the heart of The Fish House’s enduring presence in Peoria. That is according to founder and owner Gary Waldsmith and son and general manager Justin Waldsmith. h The restaurant is celebrating its 50th...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Clinton depositions show changed Democratic Party
WASHINGTON – In late February 2016, Hillary Clinton cruised to an overwhelming victory in the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary – an unambiguous statement of the former first lady and secretary of state’s dominance over her party as she...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cafe planning to close its doors
PEORIA — The eatery Meet me on Madison has announced it plans to leave the Twin Towers Mall following new ownership taking over the first floor plaza. Business owner Amy Tomblin said in a Facebook post the business’ last day of service there will be...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump touts economic gains in State of the Union speech
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump declared the country is booming, his opponents are “crazy” and his administration is engaged in unprecedented levels of “winning” in a marathon State of the Union address that comes as polls showed deep skepticism of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ex-ICE lawyer testifies to Congress about academy
ICE supervisors are teaching “new cadets to violate the Constitution” amid President Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations, a former agency lawyer testified to members of Congress. “The ICE academy is deficient, defective, and broken,” former...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump pledges ‘obnoxious’ tariffs after court ruling
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump vowed to impose new “obnoxious” tariffs after the Supreme Court overturned his signature economic policy, teasing more measures and different tools that he can use. “The court has also approved all other Tariffs, of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FROM ‘BUY AMERICA’ TO ‘BYE AMERICA’
LONDON – U.S. investors are pulling money out of their own stock market at the fastest pace in at least 16 years as Big Tech returns fade and better-performing overseas markets look more attractive. In the last six months, investors in the United...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘We were just thrilled’
For Samer Aldroubi, Sous Chef has been his “primary grocery” since before the COVID-19 pandemic. h He was drawn to the fresh meat and produce. He said visiting felt like a trip to the farmers market. Now, Aldroubi is carrying the mantle of Sous Chef...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Alleged trade leaks led to Andrew’s arrest
WASHINGTON – It wasn’t Jeffrey Epstein’s illicit past that led to the stunning arrest of Andrew MountbattenWindsor on Feb. 19. It was the alleged leak of confidential information from the former prince to the convicted sex offender while Andrew acted...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
These ‘patterns of behavior are not hidden’
PEORIA − Police Chief Eric Echevarria continued his long-standing criticisms of the juvenile justice system in Illinois on Wednesday, one day after a stolen vehicle and ensuing police chase led to six arrests. Echevarria said repeated criminal...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bolstering a ‘cornerstone’
Renovations to the Peoria Civic Center are set to begin in March, with work primarily focusing on modernizing the building’s exterior to bolster its position as a “cornerstone” of the city’s downtown. The Civic Center said Tuesday that the first phase...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Civil rights icon ‘kept the dream alive’
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering civil rights icon who battled alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., negotiated global hostage releases and shamed corporations for their lack of diversity and failure to support voting rights, died on Feb. 17. He...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘JOE STOWELL WAS BRADLEY BASKETBALL’
PEORIA — Joe Stowell died on Valentine’s Day, but his love affair with Bradley Braves basketball and his place within the hearts of the program and its fanbase will live on. h An icon in a program with a long, proud legacy, Stowell died Saturday at age...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New business aims to offer upscale, Yemeni coffee for all
PEORIA – The big day finally arrived for a new Yemeni coffee shop. Matari Coffee Co. welcomed the community to its first Peoria location with a soft opening on Friday, Feb. 13. Since starting in 2022, Matari Coffee Co. has expanded to include 11...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘VIBRANCY’
PEORIA — There are 38 vacant storefronts along Main Street in Peoria, stretching from the riverfront Downtown up to West Main Street and Bradley University’s campus. But there is a plan to fill them — a $25 million plan involving stakeholders from the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘I want freedom’
PEORIA — A few dozen Dunlap High School students took advantage of their half-day of school Friday and gathered outside to protest Immigrations and Customs Enforcement actions taking place across the country. Students held signs, blew whistles and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ruffin in court on sex abuse allegations
The former boys basketball coach at Peoria High School made his first appearance in court Wednesday after a teenager came forward and told police the pair had engaged in sexual activity in his office at the school. Daniel C. Ruffin, 41, was charged...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Peoria hopes to see housing developments by Northwoods Mall
PEORIA — Housing developments, including an apartment building and condominiums, are among the targeted projects city officials would like to see happen near Northwoods Mall. Peoria on Tuesday approved plans for a new tax increment financing district...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
6 more suspects found in Epstein files, officials say
WASHINGTON – Two House members who led the effort to force the Justice Department to release more documents about accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein said they discovered at least six more suspected accomplices. The department began Feb. 9 allowing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sainthood progresses for late Peoria archbishop
PEORIA — The Catholic Diocese of Peoria has been given the green light from the Vatican to move forward in the beatification process for Archbishop Fulton Sheen, according to Bishop Louis Tylka. Tylka, in a video released Monday, said date and more...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Social media reshaping research on substance use
When you think of tools for studying substance use and addiction, a social media site like Reddit, TikTok or YouTube probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the stories shared on social media platforms are offering unprecedented insights...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TAPS AND TEES
After years of planning and preparation, Fairways is teeing up to welcome the public for a series of soft opening events. h For co-owner Matt Rixner, reaching this point “seems unreal.” h He and Nick Babcock joined forces to bring a restaurant to the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MAGA vs. Bad Bunny splits Super Bowl LIX
Sen. Tommy Tuberville was thrilled to attend the Super Bowl in 2025 when he hitched a ride on Air Force One, joining President Donald Trump and several other Republican lawmakers for the big game. “Happy Super Bowl Sunday,” the Republican senator for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New design for casino could avoid legal battle
Boyd Gaming on Thursday scrapped its plans to build a 29,000-square-foot building on land in East Peoria and instead has proposed a new casino on a permanently moored barge on the Illinois River, which could avoid litigation with the city of Peoria. h...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Concerns raised over Peoria store’s request to sell liquor
PEORIA – Concerns over crime and proximity to child-focused spaces were some of the issues raised by Peoria’s Liquor Commission on Feb. 2 as it considered a site application for the sale of packaged alcohol at King Zone. Representatives for the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Boys hoops coach arrested on charges of child solicitation
Adam Duvall Peoria High School boys basketball varsity head coach Daniel Ruffin was arrested Monday on child solicitation charges involving a 16-year-old female student. Peoria police officers interviewed and subsequently arrested Ruffin, 41, on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SHORT ON DAYS LONG ON ACTS
February may be the shortest month of the year, but the calendar is packed with a wide variety of events and experiences to enjoy in central Illinois. h Here are 16 things to do in the Peoria area during February. 1. Joe Bonamassa in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump actions worry free-speech advocates
The FBI search of a Washington Post reporter’s home on Jan. 14 was a rare and intimidating move by an administration focused on repressing criticism and dissent. In its story about the search at Hannah Natanson’s home, at which FBI agents said they...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘A following & friendships’
Nancee Vespa was a fixture at Kelly Seed and Hardware in Peoria for 50 years. Vespa began working at the store in the early 1970s for her father, Harold Church, who owned the business at the time. She had been a teacher for 10 years and after the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Grayson sentenced to 20 years in prison
SPRINGFIELD — The former Sangamon County Sheriff ’s deputy convicted of fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a 36year-old Black mother of two children, in her home in the Cabbage Patch neighborhood in 2024 was sentenced to 20 years in prison at a Jan. 29...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Homan pushes for ICE reset in MN
White House border czar Tom Homan on Jan. 29 vowed to “draw down” the federal presence in Minnesota as agents focus on more “targeted” enforcement, a major shift in operations that comes amid backlash following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Police: ICE actions pose ‘danger to communities’
PEORIA — Peoria police Chief Eric Echevarria said Tuesday night the Peoria Police Department will hold firm with Illinois state law and will not assist federal immigration efforts in the city and added that he has seen the “impact of unchecked power,”...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump calls for ‘honest’ Pretti investigation
MINNEAPOLIS − President Donald Trump on Jan. 27 said he will be “watching over” an investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti and distanced himself from his top officials’ previous comments about the shooting, as his administration grapples with the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cold, and a bit white
A winter storm brought snow, bitterly cold temperatures and high winds to Illinois. Here’s a look at some snowfall totals from around the region and state. How much snow fell in the Peoria area? Peoria reported 2.7 inches of snow during the weekend,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY’
PEORIA — Up to 200 homes, ideally in the price range of $250,000 to $300,000, are what the city hopes to see built at Exposition Gardens, according to multiple city officials who spoke with the Journal Star. h A large housing project, which will create...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Minnesotans start strike to protest surge by ICE
MINNEAPOLIS – Scores of businesses across Minnesota were closing up for the day on Jan. 23 in what religious leaders and labor unions described as a general strike to protest President Donald Trump’s deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Authorities ID man killed in house fire
The Peoria County coroner has identified the man killed Tuesday, Jan. 20, in a Chillicothe house fire. Michael J. Brodbeck, Jr., 62, was transported to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria unresponsive, not breathing and with no...
Read Full Story (Page 1)