A FIRST FOR PEORIA – With portraits of past Peoria mayors in the background, Dr. Rita Ali, in blue jacket, takes the oath of office as the city’s first female mayor and first Black mayor during a ceremony Tuesday, May 4, at Peoria City Hall.
A FIRST FOR PEORIA – Outgoing City Council member Denise Moore watches as Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich lauds outgoing Mayor Jim Ardis during a ceremony Tuesday, May 4, at City Hall.
A FIRST FOR PEORIA – Outgoing Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis smiles as he presides over his final City Council meeting Tuesday, May 4, at Peoria City Hall.
A FIRST FOR PEORIA – New Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, top, talks with city manager Patrick Urich, far right, communications specialist Stacy Peterson, middle, and new City Clerk Stefanie Tarr during a swearing-in ceremony Tuesday, May 4, at Peoria City Hall.
Illini Bluffs shortstop Addie Welsh makes an off-balance throw to first base for an out against Brimfield in the sixth inning Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at Brimfield High School. Illini Bluffs defeated the Indians 8-3.Washington’s Easton Harris (2) celebrates a run in the first inning against Dunlap on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at Dunlap High School. Washington defeated the Eagles 5-2.Lisa Friebohle, owner and head baker at Guilty Pleasures Cupcake Bakery, 328 W. Washington St. in East Peoria’s Levee District, stands behind the display case featuring some of her elaborate gourmet cupcakes.BASEBALL OPENER – The Peoria Chiefs run out of the dugout during player introductions Tuesday, May 11, at Dozer Park.
BASEBALL OPENER – Jessica Wolfe and her son Ethan, 12, of Pekin take their seats behind home plate before the start of the home opener between the Peoria Chiefs and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Tuesday, May 11, at Dozer Park. Seating was altered at the stadium with every other row blocked off to comply with COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
BASEBALL OPENER – Season ticket-holder Spencer Timm of Peoria stands with the rest of the fans and players for the National Anthem at the start of the home opener Tuesday, May 11, between the Peoria Chiefs and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Dozer Park.
BASEBALL OPENER – Peoria Chiefs shortstop Moises Castillo puts the tag on Wisconsin baserunner Yeison Coca for an out in the fourth inning of the home opener Tuesday, May 11, at Dozer Park.
BASEBALL OPENER – Piper Raincole, 8, of Peoria boogies down to “YMCA” during the Peoria Chiefs home opener against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Tuesday, May 11, at Dozer Park.
Pat Bernardi of Pekin tries to navigate a crumbling section of sidewalk along Court Street in Pekin. Bernardi is leading a class-action lawsuit alleging that many sidewalks throughout the city do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Telecommunicator Don Hale works at his station at the Tazewell County Consolidated Communications (TC3) facility in Pekin. The consolidated police/fire/EMS dispatch service for Tazewell County began operating in 2019.
Hannah “May” Reliford, 21, of Eureka, was the subject of a lewd conversation between a Eureka police officer and a Woodford County sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop in March.
Joe Zich, owner of 309 Cultures, stuffs jars with one pound each of Purple Kurry Kraut, his homemade brand of sauerkraut he creates in the kitchen at Sunrise Health Foods in the Metro Centre.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Richwoods High School graduate Arwen Bullock hugs her boyfriend Isaac Bushnell as graduates greet their friends and families after the ceremony Saturday, May 15, outside the school.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – New Peoria High School graduate Dionysius Hogan celebrates after the graduation ceremony Saturday, May 15, at Peoria High School.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Jaiah Thornton elbow bumps an administrator after getting her diploma during graduation ceremonies Saturday, May 15, at Manual High School.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – More than 300 graduates take their spots in the gym for a graduation ceremony Saturday, May 15, at Richwoods High School.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Friends and family cheer for their graduate during a ceremony Saturday, May 15, at Peoria High School.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Manual High graduate Nyla Burton, left, squeezes her best friend Kinnidi Moore for a photo after a graduation ceremony Saturday, May 15, at Manual High School.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Friends and family surround a new graduate outside Richwoods High School after a ceremony Saturday, May 15, in the school gym.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Patricia Hurt hugs her grandson Julian Smith as he walks onto the gym floor for a graduation ceremony Saturday, May 15, at Peoria High School.
PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATION – Manual graduate Tamra Tinsley shows off her diploma as she poses for photos in a steady drizzle after graduation ceremonies Saturday, May 15, at Manual High School.
STREETS BELONG TO ME – Members of the Pride Time Legends and Pride 2 9-10 teams get hyped up before their game at the inaugural Streets Belong to Me 3-on-3 basketball tournament Saturday, May 22, on the Peoria riverfront.
STREETS BELONG TO ME – A player takes a long shot on Court #1 during the Streets Belong to Me 3-on-3 basketball tournament on the Peoria riverfront.
STREETS BELONG TO ME – Lakers coach Landon Reed confers with his young players before a game in the inaugural Peoria Hoopfest on Saturday, May 22, on Water Street in Peoria.
STREETS BELONG TO ME – Referee Leon Teague, right, gives 7-month-old French bulldog Nova a little attention between games at the inaugural Streets Belong to Me 3-on-3 basketball tournament Saturday, May 22, on the Peoria riverfront.
Tracy Carson wraps a mask around a plastic Virgin Mary in a Nativity scene Saturday, May 22, outside her West Bluff House. Tracy and her husband Jason were both sick with COVID-19 last Christmas and couldn’t celebrate the holiday with family. So they decided to have Christmas in May, complete with outdoor decorations.
Zac Zetterberg, left, curator of art and director of exhibits for the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and Emily Vanderpol, senior manager of installation design for the American Museum of Natural History, work on the saliva dripping from a full-size Tyrannosaurus rex’s teeth while setting up Tuesday, May 25, for “T.rex: The Ultimate Predator,” a new exhibit on its worldwide tour debuting May 29 at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.
CHEER COACH – Breiana Wells-Nickerson, or Coach Bre, helps Ada Cook, 6, with a back bend during a recent class for 5-8 year-olds at her dance and cheerleading academy Coach Bre Cottage, 2390 W. Nebraska Ave., in Peoria.
CHEER COACH – Young dancers practice their moves in a mirror during a recent class at Coach Bre’s Cottage in Peoria.
CHEER COACH – Breiana Wells-Nickerson, or Coach Bre, leads a cheerleading exercise for 5-8 year-olds outside her dance and cheerleading academy Coach Bre Cottage, 2390 W. Nebraska Ave., in Peoria.
CHEER COACH – Layah Keeton, 6, sits in the window sill as she and classmate Ada Cook, also 6, wait their turn to practice handstands during a cheerleading/dance class for 5-8 year-olds at the Coach Bre Cottage academy in Peoria.
CONFERENCE TRACK MEET – Shotputters huddle together for warmth as they wait their turns to throw Friday, May 28, during the Mid-Illini Conference Girls Track and Field Championships at Canton High School.
CONFERENCE TRACK MEET – Dunlap’s Paige Acklie hands the baton off to teammate Saniya Mathew in the 4X800-meter relay Friday, May 28, 2021 during the Mid-Illini Conference Girls Track and Field Championships at Canton High School. Dunlap finished in a time of 10:22.38, second to Metamora at 10:15.06.
CONFERENCE TRACK MEET – Morton’s Katelyn Baumann, left, and Canton’s Katie Goldring clear the last hurdle and eye the finish line in the 100-meter hurdles Friday, May 28, during the Mid-Illini Conference Girls Track and Field Championships at Canton HIgh School. Goldring edge Baumann for the win in a time of 15:58.
CONFERENCE TRACK MEET – Washington girls track and field coach Ben Page runs to congratulate Adelyn Davidson on her victory in the 800-meter run Friday, May 28, during the Mid-Illini Conference Girls Track and Field Championships at Canton High School.
CONFERENCE TRACK MEET – Metamora’s AJ Taylor, left, shares a moment with Morton’s Annaliese Sturhahn after the 4X200-meter relay Friday, May 28, during the Mid-Illini Conference Girls Track and Field Championships at Canton High School. Metamora won the event with a time of 1:54.35.
ALL YOU CAN CARRY – Benjamin Anderson of Galva carries a big load of automobile parts that he and fiancée Carolyn Carlson collected during the Neals Auto Parts All You Can Carry promotion Saturday, May 29, at the salvage yard at 3407 W. Farmington Rd. in Peoria. The event allowed customers to pay a $3 entry fee, then $85 per person for all the parts they could carry over a ten-yard distance. No dragging or throwing. Participants weren’t allowed any carrying devices like buckets and wheel barrows, but could make their own out of the parts they could find.
ALL YOU CAN CARRY – Don Nosalik, left, of Tiskilwa piles another part on the car hood strapped to his son Shawn Nosalik of Peoria as Shawn prepares to carry the hood piled high with salvaged parts Saturday, May 29, at Neal Auto Parts on Farmington Road in Peoria.
ALL YOU CAN CARRY – A customer loses his grip on a large pile of salvaged auto parts during the All You Can Carry Event on Saturday, May 29, at Neal Auto Parts on Farmington Road in Peoria.
ALL YOU CAN CARRY – Chad Watson, foreground, and his bother Tony of Galesburg work at pulling some of the parts they need out of a scrapped car during the Ally You Can Carry Event on Saturday, May 29, at Neal Auto Parts in Peoria.
