WCBU 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.  

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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.

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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.

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