Good morning, troops. It’s Tuesday, May 8.

The Peoria-area residential real estate market is stable, according to relatively recent reports. Uncertainty related to Caterpillar Inc.’s decision last year to move its headquarters from Peoria didn’t seem to depress the market all that much.

Total transactions in 2017 were about the same as 2016, but fourth-quarter sales were up more than 10 percent.

Now, a financial technology company has calculated Peoria County is among the best in Illinois in which to buy a residence, rather than rent.

SmartAsset ranks Peoria County fourth in a top-10 Illinois list it released Tuesday morning. The firm’s study compares average rent and home prices to find where buying makes the most sense, according to a news release.

The key metric appears to be the shorte...

PEORIA, Il. – The past six months have all led up to the next three games. The puck dropped in game one of the SPHL finals Wednesday night in Peoria, the Huntsville Havoc taking on the Peoria Rivermen in a best of three series.

The Havoc is trying to win its first President’s Cup since 2010, but it didn’t take long for the team to fall behind in game one. Three minutes into the first period, Peoria on a power play, winger Joe Kalisz to connects on a one timer for a 1-0 lead. Huntsville would later tie the game on a power play goal of its own from Derek Perl, but the Rivermen would score two more times and lead 3-1 at the first intermission.

Peoria would score the first goal of the second period, but after that, the Havoc offense exploded...

A Peoria real estate agent was fired after mocking comedian Patton Oswalt’s deceased wife during a Twitter exchange gone sour Monday night.

The Peoria Journal Star reports that Oswalt put out a humorous tweet praising former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired by President Donald Trump after she instructed the Justice Department not to defend his recent executive order temporarily banning non-U.S. citizens from seven countries in Africa and the Middle East from entering the United States.

Oswalt tweeted: “Trump: ‘You leave this White House now!’ Sally Yates rides bus to city. Becomes a taxi dancer. Leads dance revolt against pimp. Triumphs.”

Trump: "You leave this White House now!" Sally Yates rides bus to city. Becomes a taxi dancer. Leads dance revolt against pimp...

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PEORIA — A 46-year-old Tazewell County man has died of suspected synthetic cannabis use, Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said Monday.

Three deaths have been reported in the state from synthetic cannabis use, including a 22-year-old Peoria man who died March 29. Harwood has said his death is still being investigated. The third death was reported Monday afternoon by the Illinois Department of Public Health. A department spokeswoman said only that the victim was from central Illinois.

In a news release Monday night, however, Harwood said he was “notified of a death related to suspected K2/Spice use.” The victim was a 46-year-old Tazewell County man who was pronounced dead at 10:25 a.m. Monday at a Peoria hospital.

His name and other details are being withheld at this time, Ha...

He was born July 31, 1929, in Chicago to Irving and Dorothy Gordon Greenberg. He married Bonnie Mosiman on Feb. 9, 1994, in Peoria. She survives.

Also surviving are his children, Dean Greenberg of Carbondale and Nina Dunavan of Austin, Texas; his grandson, Abraham Traverso of Carbondale; his great-grandson, Mateo Traverso; and his sister, Nancy Plotkin of Chicago.

Preceding him in death were his parents and granddaughter, Leah Dunavan.

He was a graduate of the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor.

He was a United States Navy veteran, serving his nation during the Korean War. Arthur was a noted attorney in the Peoria area for many years, engaging in the practice of law from 1957 to 1978, 1982 to 1997, 1999 and 2000...

View Slideshow 1 of 4 The sign taped to the back of the chair reads, ‘home sweet home.’ Many area professionals gathered at the Peoria Dream Center Thursday, March 15, 2018, to experience a month in the life of a family living at or below the poverty line.

More than 80 area professional participated in a poverty simulation at the Peoria Dream Center.

The Heart of Illinois United Way hosted the event. Stephen Peterson is the Vice President of Resource Development for the organization. He says the simulation aims to help participants start to understand what it might be like to live at or just above the poverty level month to month.

“We want to bring that education and awareness and hopefully start even a deeper conversation about how people can get involved in their community and help out...

So you want to look at some open houses for sale in Peoria this weekend? Good idea. An open house planned by the right realtor can help you in any number of ways. Open houses provide you information on how to list and show your own house and they can give you an idea of the quality of homes in an area before you waste too much time going house to house.

The best open house of all? The open house that you end up owning. Take a look at the open houses in and near Peoria listed by our partners at realtor.com.

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PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A central Illinois group is making progress on expanding housing for needy veterans.

Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois operates the Downing Home for Veterans in Peoria. It has received approval from the city’s planning commission to expand onto two additional vacant lots.

The (Peoria) Journal Star reports the new wing will mean housing for five new residents. The building now houses 10 veterans. Goodwill provides job training and other assistance.

Goodwill President Don Johnson says the organization hopes to break ground this spring on the addition, pending Peoria City Council approval. Construction should be complete by late summer.

The housing facility is named for the late Gen. Wayne A...

Kudos to ALPHA MEDIA Country WXCL (THE NEW 104.9 THE WOLF)/PEORIA, IL, which raised $70,124 during "JOHN & JAYMIE’S RADIOTHON" to benefit ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL. This brings the station’s total raised to nearly $7 million across its 28 years of fundraising.

"The WOLF PACK and people of CENTRAL ILLINOIS really came through for the kids and families of ST. JUDE by becoming Partners In Hope and filling our ‘HEART OF HOPE,’" said WXCL Dir./Content CHRIS MICHAELS. "It does my heart good to see the community continue to come together to make miracles happen."

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• First Sgt. James Cowen will talk about the overall mission of the Illinois National Guard. He will also give insights into what it is like to become a Soldier and serve our nation domestically and abroad.

WHO:

• Illinois National Guard

• Recruiting and Retention Battalion

• Girl Scouts of Central Illinois

WHAT:

• Community event includes games hosted by the Girl Scouts and the Illinois National Guard

• First Sgt. James Cowen will talk about the overall mission of the Illinois National Guard. He will also give insights into what it is like to become a Soldier and serve our nation domestically and abroad.

WHEN: Saturday February 03, 2018 at 11:00AM Central Time (US & Canada) WHERE: Northwoods Mall2200 W. War Memorial Dr.Peoria, Illinois 61613 NOTES:

• For additional inf...