WCBU Reports

Jessily Joseph was appointed executive director of the Peoria County Election Commission on May 21. "Success is having voters and citizens be confident in this process — and making voting accessible and secure," she told WCBU's Molly Hughes. That's the job ahead of her, with the Nov. 3 general election now less than six months away.

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A state lawmaker sponsored a bill to require farmers spraying pesticides near a school or park to send an email 72 hours in advance notifying when they would be applying the pesticides. WCBU's Evan Holden reports.

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U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, who represents parts of Greater Peoria, doesn't want to block data centers from coming to Illinois. He also doesn't want them arriving without conditions and he's worried some data center developers will try to cut corners to get there.

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In a visit to Central Illinois this week, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin energized local Democrats at a private event at the IBEW Local 197 building. Durbin, hosted by the McLean County Democrats, spoke to a crowd of about 50 supporters about his views on issues like the war with Iran and redistricting, while reflecting on his upcoming retirement, and offering advice to candidates.

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Peoria City Council member Kiran Velpula sees a new medial and educational partnership as a way to build the city’s health care workforce and boost the regional economy. Velpula, who is also an assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria [UICOMP], is one of the driving forces behind the Greater Peoria Healthcare Education Consortium that officially launched last week after several years in development.

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Connor Martin, who lives outside of Morton, said it is important for him to be a generalist in the legal profession so he can best represent his local community because there are so few lawyers in his region. WCBU's Evan Holden reports.

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New Peoria Police Chief Brad Dixon says the city deserves a police department that communicates openly, acts with integrity, and earns the public’s trust.

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With uncertainty surrounding press protections at the national level, the state of Illinois holds a strong reporter privilege statute. That’s according to Don Craven, general counsel for Illinois Press Association and three other statewide journalism organizations. He’s held the job protecting journalists in court and legal litigation since the mid-1980s

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Four Peoria tattoo artists are continuing their late-mentor’s work in the ever-changing world of tattooing with their own shop located downtown.

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For the first two decades Dan Conlin owned the Jukebox Comedy Club, the money from the previous week's shows pays for the next one. Shows, bills, another week, another show. Then came the pandemic.

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