Tim Shelley

Local congressional representatives are speaking out about a string of President Trump’s tweets aimed at four Democratic congresswomen of color.

A Bradley University sophomore and his brother both were killed Friday in what police believe was a murder-suicide committed by their mother.

The area’s major health providers are working to assess and address the community’s biggest health needs.

The 70th Annual Heart of Illinois Fair starts tomorrow  at Expo Gardens. 

Roxy Baker is an organizer for the fair. 

“You know, events from years past, including the truck and tractor pulls, all the livestock shows and events, we have a celebrity swine showmanship competition," she said. 

Some new attractions include a Heart of Illinois Fair Pageant and a new wine tasting event. 

The fair runs tomorrow through Sunday. 

Click here for more information. 

A popular coffee spot in Peoria's Warehouse District is set to open another location in Peoria Heights. 

Zion Coffee Co. announced the planned opening of Zion Social at 4616 N. Prospect early next year. The location will include a mix of coffee and craft cocktails. 

"When we considered locations for our new concept, the Heights was a perfect choice based on its long-standing reputation for unique food and dining experiences," said Zion Coffee Co. owners Mike and Banu Hatfield in a statement. 

Zion Coffee Co. first opened in February 2017. 

A lack of math skills can often scare people away from pursuing careers in the trades. Illinois Central College has a program for that.

Peoria International Airport shattered another of its own records in May.

The airport saw nearly 62,000 passengers. That’s more than any previous May in the airport’s history, and also marks its third-busiest month ever.

Director of Airports Gene Olson explained what he believes is behind the recent high volume of flyers choosing Peoria. 

Four hundred and forty. That’s the number of potential years of life lost in Peoria County last year to homicides. 

U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-Moline) isn’t optimistic her former rival for Illinois’ 17th Congressional District will fare any better across the Mississippi River. 

Former Republican Congressman Bobby Schilling announced earlier this week that he will run for Iowa’s Second Congressional District. 

“Well, I defeated him twice, and I think he’s got a third loss coming his way," she said. 

Schilling lost his seat to Bustos in 2012, and failed to win it back in the 2014 race. 

One person is dead after a semi tractor-trailer struck another semi broke down on the side of Interstate 74 on Wednesday afternoon.

Proactive measures by community health organizations helped make a dent in Peoria County’s overdose death numbers last year. 

That’s according to Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator Monica Hendrickson. 

The 2018 Mortality Report shows that Peoria County saw a 22 percent drop in overdose deaths from 2017. Hendrickson says there are a few factors at work.

There are a lot of different ideas for filling the grocery gap on Peoria’s South Side and East Bluff. 

Peoria Fire Chief Ed Olehy  is working to craft policies to cut down on firefighter exposure to carcinogens.

One Central Illinois company wants to make it easier for schools to recycle food waste.

Better Earth Logistics is rolling out a new composting program for schools in Peoria and Tazewell counties. Co-founder Luke Rosenbohm said he wants to teach future generations how to cut down on wasted food. 

“America is one big pothole.”

That’s according to Obama-era Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

The Peoria Republican said Congress needs to look to his home state for inspiration on how to improve the condition of the nation’s roads, highways, and bridges.

"We need to take a page out of the Illinois book, and 30 other states around the country that have raised their own gas tax, and get a bold bill with a good vision," said LaHood. 

State Rep. Mike Unes (R-East Peoria) said he is displeased with the way the capital bill quickly took shape. 

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a $45 billion infrastructure upgrade plan into law last month. 

“There was thousands of pages of bills introduced in a matter of hours that spent over $40 billion that we were supposed to vote on without anybody reading it. That’s bad form," he said. 

The Republican legislator said lawmakers were asked to vote on doubling the state motor fuel tax without getting a chance to actually know which projects would benefit. 

A Peoria woman headed the wrong way on the interstate died when her vehicle collided with an RV on Saturday.

The Illinois State Police said Judy McLeese, 64, was headed west on eastbound Interstate 74 near Gale around 7:45 p.m. when her vehicle collided head-on with an RV. McLeese was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said McLeese was not wearing a seatbelt and likely died instantly. It is unknown why she was travelling the wrong way on the interstate. 

The driver of the RV was not injured. 

The Catholic Diocese of Peoria is preparing for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen after a  miracle was attributed to him.

Two Illinois State Police troopers were injured while attempting to arrest a Peoria man during a traffic stop near Morton on Thursday evening.

Police said a car driven by Damien Grant, 30, was pulled over at 5:15 p.m. for a traffic violation. During the stop, a trooper said they saw "criminal activity" happening in the vehicle. A second trooper arrived to help search Grant's vehicle, and a loaded handgun was found. 

A recent incident in Chillicothe now has the park district asking: just what are the state’s rules for breastfeeding in or near a public pool? 

On Tuesday, a woman was breastfeeding her daughter while dipping her feet in the water at Shore Acres Pool. An employee asked her to cover up or go somewhere else. The woman claimed this broke the law. 

Chillicothe Park District Executive Director Kevin Yates said mothers are allowed to breastfeed at all of their facilities. But he said there’s a discrepancy in Illinois law when it comes to nursing near a pool. 

Flooding on the Illinois River has claimed a toll on another annual event. 

For the first time, an Illinois governor joined in West Peoria's annual Independence Day parade. 

Independence Day got off to a bloody start in Peoria this year, with one person killed in a shooting and several others injured in multiple acts of violence.

One man is dead and another seriously injured after a shooting in South Peoria early Thursday morning.

Central Illinois isn’t exactly seeing knee-high corn by the 4^th of July this year.

Peoria County Farm Bureau Manager Patrick Kirchhoffer said the corn crop is “all over the place” this year due to delays caused by wet weather.

“We’ve got corn that’s chest-high in the Peoria area, and we’ve got corn that’s ankle-high. So it’s going to be a very long harvest season come this fall," he said. 

U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos says she is pressing for a federal disaster declaration for farmers in her district. 

U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos says she hopes funding legislation she recently helped push through the House makes it through the Republican-controlled Senate. 

Bustos is a Democrat who serves on the House Appropriations Committee. She said she hopes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn’t play partisan politics with the bills. 

A Pekin man is dead after a two-vehicle accident in rural South Pekin.

The Tazewell County Sheriff's Office responded to Illinois Route 29 and Main around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. 42-year-old Chad Williams of Pekin was found trapped in a vehicle.

He was transported to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead by Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. 

Harwood said a witness saw Williams pull out in front of another vehicle. 

The occupants of the second vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Get ready to celebrate the nation’s birthday with some fireworks.

The fireworks show at Glen Oak Park starts tonight around 9:15 p.m. As a result, Prospect will close from Nebraska to McClure around 7:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night, you can watch the UnityPoint Red, White and Boom fireworks show along the riverfront in Peoria or East Peoria. The show kicks off around 9:30 p.m. and wraps up around 10.

The Peoria Police Department is asking people to avoid sitting on Main between Washington and Water to keep the area clear for emergency vehicles.