Central Illinois beer enthusiasts are fortunate to have plenty of options to whet their appetites and wet their whistles.But when some brewers who operate area taprooms look beyond their handiwork for a drink, what suds do they prefer?Nick in the Morning asked three area brewers what their favorite beers were other than their own. As might be expected, Buckhorn and Red, White and Blue were not among them.But in some respects, the brewers preferred more ..read more

PEORIA — Julia Salvatierra and Jose Garnica are taking on a big challenge amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The couple has launched a new restaurant in Peoria, called Cuco's Tacos.Located at 2626 N. Sheridan Road, it's a small space with just two tables for dine-in customers.It's built to be a carryout-curbside venture, which has become a necessary fact of life during the pandemic.Salvatierra, 39, and her husband, Garnica, 48, are joined by their ..read more

PEORIA — Even though it’s not considered a topic for polite conversation, colon cancer takes center stage on Suzanne Monen Miller’s Facebook page on the 18th of each month."Keep your rear in the clear. Early detection is key!" Miller wrote in June. "No matter your age or family history, take care of your body and know the signs. If something looks weird or something doesn’t feel right, GET CHECKED. Colorectal cancer can happen to anyone."Miller ..read more

PEORIA — A Peoria man was in jail Monday night after allegedly shooting at a Peoria police officer earlier that day.Laeland D. Howard, 26, was arrested in connection with the incident that occurred just south of Downtown on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a weapon by a felon, obstructing police and two traffic warrants.According to Peoria police, a plainclothes officer was near the intersection of ..read more

PEORIA — The move to in-person learning for Peoria Public Schools lasted less than a month for middle-schoolers as the district announced Monday that it would go all online after Thanksgiving."Even though cases within Peoria Public Schools have not reflected the rise in positivity regionally and locally, we cannot ignore the recent surge in cases in Peoria," read a statement from the district. "Starting Monday, Nov. 30th, following Thanksgiving break, all ..read more

Pritzker administration officials urged Illinoisans to reconsider their Thanksgiving holiday plans as new cases of COVID-19 continued to threaten medical facilities’ abilities to cope with it.Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said people should consider if their Thanksgiving plans could jeopardize loved ones who may be; more vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus."Things are getting worse and so those initial plans you made several ..read more

PEORIA -- Local health officials reported 13 deaths within the past 72 hours that are related to COVID-19 pandemic.All three counties in the Tri-County Area had at least one person die. Peoria County had eight deaths while Tazewell County had three and Woodford County saw one person die over the weekend.The Peoria City/County Health Department initially reported nine deaths for Peoria County but later, revised the numbers saying one of those deaths had ..read more

PEORIA — Former Peoria City Councilwoman Gale Thetford has filed paperwork to seek a spot around the horseshoe next spring.She was one of many who appeared at the Peoria Election Commission office on Monday to file their petitions to be put on the ballot for the February primary or the April general election.Thetford served two terms as the representative of Peoria’s 3rd District from 1997 to 2005 before losing the spot to Bob Manning. She ..read more

SPRINGFIELD – A new report from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget shows that without significant new revenue, spending cuts or a combination of both, the state will face a budget deficit of $3.9 billion in the current fiscal year and continuing deficits of $4 billion or more in each of the next five fiscal years.It also projects that the state’s backlog of unpaid bills could grow to as much as $33 billion by fiscal year 2026, up from the current ..read more

WASHINGTON -- Gary Manier has been the city's mayor since 2001. Lilija Stevens has been an alderman on the City Council since 2019.Stevens announced Monday she's running for mayor in the April 6, 2021, election. Her announcement came two days after Manier, Washington's longest-serving mayor, said he's seeking a sixth term.This will be the city's first nonpartisan mayoral election.Voters in 2018 approved a switch from partisan to nonpartisan city elections by ..read more