Donna Helems of Washington has struggled since losing her job as a personal care assistant for the elderly since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. With a disabled daughter and three grandchildren, she hopes to make a holiday a bit more cheerful for her family with a Journal Star Christmas Fund basket.
JUVENILE COURT – Tenth Judicial Circuit Judge Frank Ierulli shares some encouraging words with a minor making positive progress during a hearing in the juvenile deliquency courtroom at the Peoria County Courthouse.
JUVENILE COURT – Most reviews in the juvenile deliquency courtroom at the Peoria County Courthouse are held via Zoom with Judge Frank Ierulli, left, on the bench and prosecutor Eric Summers present in the courtroom. Various counselors and social workers remotely attend the hearing to represents their young clients.
JUVENILE COURT – Judge Frank Ierulli smiles on a Zoom call after vacating part of a juvenile’s sentence during a review in the juvenile delinquency courtroom at the Peoria County Courthouse. Ierulli must weigh the threat a minor may still pose to society against their commitment toward rehabilitation. Juveniles who fail to make progress and behave properly sometimes end up back in the Juvenile Detention Center.
RICHWOODS UPSETS PND – Peoria Notre Dame players slap hands during introductions before the start of their game against Richwoods on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 at PND High School. The Irish fell to the Knights 52-45.
RICHWOODS UPSETS PND – Richwoods’ Ethan Martin (24) battles for a rebound with Peoria Notre Dame’s Cooper Koch, foreground, and Nelson Reynolds in the first half Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 at PND High School. The Knights defeated the Irish 52-45.
RICHWOODS UPSETS PND – Peoria Notre Dame’s Nelson Reynolds, middle, steals an inbounds pass from Richwoods’ Jaylen Brown in the final seconds of their game Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 at Notre Dame High School. The Knights defeated the Irish 52-45.
BRADLEY ROUTS SIU-EDWARDSVILLE – Bradley forward Rienk Mast, middle, high-fives his teammates during player introductions before their game against SIU-Edwardsville on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated the Cougars 80-55.
BRADLEY ROUTS SIU-EDWARDSVILLE – Bradley’s Rienk Mast, left, stuffs SIU-Edwardsville’s Ray’Sean Taylor (30) as teammates Ja’Shon Henry (22) and Jayson Kent defend in the first half Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated the Cougars 80-55.
BRADLEY ROUTS SIU-EDWARDSVILLE – A pair of young Bradley fans, and some older ones, vie for a T-shirt tossed into the crowd by cheerleaders during their game against SIU-Edwardsville on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021 at Carver Arena.
PND TAKES DOWN METAMORA – Peoria Notre Dame’s Delaney Cook, left, celebrates with teammates Molly Rickey (3) and Biz Daley (20) after the Lady Irish rallied to beat Metamora 46-45 on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 in Metamora.
PND TAKES DOWN METAMORA – Metamora’s Alyssa Russell, bottom, tries to hang on to a loose ball as Peoria Notre Dame’s Elizabeth Hanley, left, and Mya Wardle try to take it in the second half Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 in Metamora. The Irish defeated the Redbirds 46-45.
PND TAKES DOWN METAMORA – Metamora head coach Kyle Weyeneth, left, and assistant coach Ryan Davis, right, direct the Redbirds against Peoria Notre Dame in the first half Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 in Metamora. The Irish defeated the Redbirds 46-45.
Peoria Park District Board of Trustees member Alex Sierra looks out over his childhood playground, Trewyn Park, in South Peoria. Just 22, the Manual High and University of Illinois grad is Peoria’s youngest elected public official.
RIVERMEN SHOOT DOWN KNOXVILLE – Rivermen goaltender Eric Levine blocks a shot from Knoxville’s Razmuz Waxin-Engback in the first period Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena.
RIVERMEN SHOOT DOWN KNOXVILLE – Rivermen captain Alec Hagaman tangles with Knoxville’s Riley Robertson in the second period Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena.
RIVERMEN SHOOT DOWN KNOXVILLE – Peoria’s Alec Baer scores on Knoxville goaltender Kristian Stead in a shootout Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena. The Rivermen won the shootout to take a 5-4 win over the Ice Bears.
RIVERMEN SHOOT DOWN KNOXVILLE – The Rivermen congratulate Alec Baer (91) after his game-tying goal against Knoxville in the third period Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena. The Rivermen defeated the Ice Bears 5-4 in a shootout.
RIVERMEN SHOOT DOWN KNOXVILLE – Peoria captain Alec Hagaman, left, and teammate Marcel Godbout, right, congratulate goalie Joseph Noonan on a 5-4 win against Knoxville in his SPHL debut Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Carver Arena.
PET ADOPTION – Abie Casey drove two and a half hours from the Chicago area to adopt Milkdud, a one-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix, at the Peoria County Animal Protection Services shelter at 2600 NE Perry Ave. in Peoria. Pet adoptions are on the rise in the Tri-County area.
PET ADOPTION – Scooby, a one-year-old pit bull mix looks out from his enclosure in the adoption kennel at the Peoria County Animal Protection Services shelter on Perry Avenue in Peoria.
PET ADOPTION – Jenny Hettinger, an Peoria County Animal Protection Services officer, hands out treats to dogs up for adoption in the kennels at the shelter on Perry Avenue in Peoria.
PET ADOPTION – Odin, left, a 7-month-old pit bull mix, and Ares, a one-year-old pit bull, wait for adoption in the kennel at the Peoria County Animal Protections Services shelter on Perry Avenue in Peoria.
PET ADOPTION – Flurry, a nine-month-old pit bull, puts both paws on the glass of his enclosure in the adoption kennel at the Peoria County Animal Protection Services shelter on Perry Avenue in Peoria.
METAMORA DEFEATS MORTON – Morton’s Seth Glatz leaps to defend against Metamora’s Drew Tucker in the second half Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 at Morton High School. The Redbirds defeated the Potters 62-42.
METAMORA DEFEATS MORTON – Metamora’s Tyler Mason, right, falls backwards after colliding with Morton’s Beau Durbin in the first half Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 at Morton High School. The Redbirds defeated the Potters 62-42.
METAMORA DEFEATS MORTON – Metamora’s Drew Tucker (24) goes to the basket against Morton’s Hudson Strube in the first half Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 at Morton High School. The Redbirds defeated the Potters 62-42.
BRADLEY VS. ST. JOSEPH – St. Joseph’s Cameron Brown falls to the court after losing the ball while teammate Jordan Hall, left, and Bradley’s Terry Roberts chase it down late in the second half Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 in the Peoria snow.
BRADLEY VS. ST. JOSEPH – Bradley’s Ja’Shon Henry takes a hard foul from St. Joseph’s Jordan Hall in the finals second of their game Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at Carver Arena.
BRADLEY VS. ST. JOSEPH – Bradley’s Ja’Shon Henry dunks over the St. Joseph defene in the second half Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at Carver Arena.
TOYZ N DA NEIGHBORHOOD – Ashley Hefren, left, of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria, talks with Teriah Dotson, 3, middle, and her brother Terrence Dotson, 6, about the toys they acquired during the Toyz N Da Neighborhood giveaway Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at the East Bluff Community Center in Peoria.
TOYZ N DA NEIGHBORHOOD – OYZ N DA NEIGHBORHOOD – Members of the Richwoods High School Marine Corps JROTC cheer on a group of kids as they rush to pick out a toy during the Toyz N Da Neighborhood giveaway Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at the East Bluff Community Center in Peoria. Kids had thirty seconds to pick out a toy from tables of donated gifts.
TOYZ N DA NEIGHBORHOOD – Prince Hyde-Todd, right, and his twin sister Patience, both 4, carry their toys atop their heads during the Toyz N Da Neighborhood giveaway Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at the East Bluff Community Center in Peoria.
TOYZ N DA NEIGHBORHOOD – Armani Reteguin, 7, right, and Ramiro Reteguin, 6, enjoy each other’s company as they play the parts of elves during the Toyz N Da Neighborhood giveaway Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at the East Bluff Community Center in Peoria.
TOYZ N DA NEIGHBORHOOD – Jae’Marie Boyd, 1, takes a close look at her new toy during the Toyz N Da Neighborhood giveaway Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at the East Bluff Community Center in Peoria.
