GARDEN STREET CAFE – Longtime server Kenna Luke chats with a friend and customer during the grand opening Saturday, June 1, 2024 of the Garden Street Cafe under new ownership in South Peoria
GARDEN STREET CAFE – A steady stream of customers patronize the Garden Street Cafe in South Peoria on the opening day Saturday, June 1, 2024 of its new ownership.
GARDEN STREET CAFE – Cooks Early Johnson, left, and Rick Burr fill the order counter with breakfast plates at the Garden Street Cafe during its grand opening under new ownership Saturday, June 1, 2024 in South Peoria.
GARDEN STREET CAFE – Jeff Harris stands outside the Garden Street Cafe, 1317 W. Garden Street in South Peoria, on the opening day Saturday, June 1, 2024 of the longstanding restaurant under his ownership.
STATE SOFTBALL – Illini Bluffs Tigers head coach Lindsay Lox high-fives her team during player introductions before the Class 1A state softball championship game Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Alwood Ridgewood Spartans upset the top-ranked Illini Bluffs Tigers 3-1 for the title.
STATE SOFTBALL – Illini Bluffs’ Sara Finn celebrates her home run off the first at-bat against Alwood Ridgewood in the first inning of the Class 1A state softball championship game Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Alwood Ridgewood Spartans upset the top-ranked Illini Bluffs Tigers 3-1 for the title.
STATE SOFTBALL – Illini Bluffs shortstop Chloe Eeten tags out Alwood Ridgewood baserunner Brynlee Wirt in the sixth inning of the Class 1A state softball championship game Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Alwood Ridgewood Spartans upset the top-ranked Illini Bluffs Tigers 3-1 for the title.
STATE SOFTBALL – Alwood Ridgewood’s Gabrielle Dean, facing, celebrates after scoring against Illini Bluffs in the third inning of the Class 1A state softball championship game Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Alwood Ridgewood Spartans upset the top-ranked Illini Bluffs Tigers 3-1 for the title.
STATE SOFTBALL – Illini Bluffs’ Cora Ellison, facing, and Shelby Stokes hug while the Tigers try to console one another after their 3-1 loss to the Alwood Ridgewood Spartans in the Class 1A state softball championship game Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.
STATE SOFTBALL – The Alwood Ridgewood Spartan reach out to touch their Class 1A state softball championship trophy Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Alwood Ridgewood Spartans upset the top-ranked Illini Bluffs Tigers 3-1 for the title.
THE PUTT CLUB – Oliver Syck, 4, takes aim during a miniature golf session on the outdoor course at The Putt Club, a new minigolf and entertainment center at 1001 Bass Pro Drive in East Peoria.
THE PUTT CLUB – A pair of cabanas complete with televison sets are available for rent on the outdoor miniature golf course at The Putt Club, a new minigolf and entertainment center that just opened at 1001 Bass Pro Drive in East Peoria.
THE PUTT CLUB – Dozens of television sets line the walls in the bar and grill of The Putt Club miniature golf and entertainment facility at 1001 Bass Pro Drive in East Peoria.
THE PUTT CLUB – Patrons can take in a spectacular view of the Murray Baker Bridge from the outdoor seating area of The Putt Club, a new miniature golf facility at 1001 Bass Pro Drive in East Peoria.
THE PUTT CLUB – Work is nearing completion on the indoor miniature golf course at The Putt Club in East Peoria.
DOWNTOWN HOMELESS – Glenn Giles, 59, hangs out in his tent under a tarp, chatting with visitors in an encampment along Interstate 74 behind the Peoria’s Womens’ Club and New Hope Apartments in downtown Peoria.
DOWNTOWN HOMELESS – Shawn Williams tidies up his new tent at a homeless encampment behind New Hope Apartments in downtown Peoria.
DOWNTOWN HOMELESS – Tents are set up behind a fenced-in parking lot along Fayette Street in downtown Peoria.
Aaron Bencher, left, 19, and his girlfriend Catherine Judah, 23, pose for a photo in a park in Spring Bay. Bencher was severely beaten in April by three men at his home in Spring Bay in what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity. Judah, who is eight months pregnant, walked in on the beating and the men ran off.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – Fans dance to the bluesy-rock sound of Peoria band Cole Hollow as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront. Cole Hollow opened for 90s alternative rock band Everclear.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – Peoria rock band Cole Hollow performs on the CEFCU Center Stage as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront. Cole Hollow opened for 90s alternative rock band Everclear.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – Peoria rock band Cole Hollow performs on the CEFCU Center Stage as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront. Cole Hollow opened or 90s alt-rockers Everclear.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – Zack Crall of Cole Hollow pounds the skins during the band’s performance as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront. The Peoria-based band opened for 90s alternative rockers Everclear.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – The Murray Baker Bridge shines in the background while popular 90s alternative rock band Everclear performs as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – Art Alexakis, lead singer of Everclear, performs with the band as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront.
RIVERFRONT CONCERT – Everclear’s Freddy Herrera, left, and Art Alexakis perform with the band as part of Park-A-Palooza festivities Friday, June 7, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront.
CAMP 53 – Peoria native and Houston Texans lineman Kendrick Green huddles with kids attending his Camp 53 football camp Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Peoria Stadium.
CAMP 53 – Dozens of young football players work out during NFL lineman and Peoria native Kendrick Green’s Camp 53 football camp Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Peoria Stadium.
CAMP 53 – Former Woodruff football player Zack Belk pressures young football players as they run through drills during NFL lineman and Peoria native Kendrick Green’s Camp 53 football camp Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Peoria Stadium.
CAMP 53 – Former Peoria High star football player Malachi Washington, left, works with young football players in a running drill during NFL lineman and Peoria native Kendrick Green’s Camp 53 football camp Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Peoria Stadium.
CAMP 53 – Aubrey Webb, 12, of Peoria practices tackling during NFL lineman and Peoria native Kendrick Green’s Camp 53 football camp Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Peoria Stadium.
CAMP 53 – Youth football players show some enthusiasm as they run through drills during NFL lineman and Peoria native Kendrick Green’s Camp 53 football camp Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Peoria Stadium.
CAMP 53 – Andi Flessner, 7, of Peoria touches the top of the climbing wall during the Peoria Park District’s Park-A-Palooza on Saturday, June 8, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront. The three-day festival featured a kids adventure area with bounce houses, a zip line, an obstacle course and other attractions, as well as live music, a soda pop tasting event, and a nighttime drone show.
CAMP 53 – Kendo Williams, 5, of Peoria has a ball on an extreme air jumper during the Peoria Park District’s Park-A-Palooza on Saturday, June 8, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront.
CAMP 53 – Evelyn Tapp, 6, of East Peoria screams with delight as she slides down the zip line during the Peoria Park District’s Park-A-Palooza on Saturday, June 8, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront.
CAMP 53 – Sakyah Brown, 11, of Joliet who was in Peoria visiting her grandmother, takes a spill on a bounce house obstacle during the Peoria Park District’s Park-A-Palooza on Saturday, June 8, 2024 on the Peoria riverfront.
CAMP 53 – Dunlap High School’s Jack Piper threw 74 strikeouts and a 0.63 ERA in 67 innings with the Eagles. He’s the 2024 Journal Star Baseball Player of the Year.
CAMP 53 – Dunlap’s Jack Piper throws from the mound on the high school’s baseball field. Piper’s right arm and stellar batting skills helped the Eagles to a 28-7 season and a strong run to the Class 3A sectionals. The senior pitcher is the 2024 Journal Star Baseball Player of the Year.
CAMP 53 – Metamora junior Kaidance Till ended the 2024 season with a .509 batting average, 44 runs, 32 walks, 10 stolen bases and a .954 fielding percentage. She repeats as the 2024 Journal Star Softball Player of the Year.
CAMP 53 – Metamora junior shortstop Kaidance Till repeats as the 2024 Journal Star Softball Player of the Year.
A pair of grilled cicadas await consumption on a kebab.
RICK’S CRISPY CHICKEN – Rick Hutchison, owner of Rick’s Crispy Chicken, chats with a customer at the drive-through window of the restaurant at 10516 N. State Street in Mossville. Hutchinson parlayed his experience as a veteran Kentucky Fried Chicken manager to start his own small chicken shack.
RICK’S CRISPY CHICKEN – A plateful of Rick’s Crispy Chicken and biscuits at the popular Mossville eatery.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Runners funnel through the starting gate of the 2024 Steamboat Classic early Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Sky Newell of Peoria gets a neck rub from his uncle Bruce Gardner before the start of the 2024 Steamboat Classic races Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Runners make their way up Main Street at the start of the 2024 Steamboat Classic on Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Taylor Zarvell (1536) of Peoria and Sydney Conley of West Peoria react at the finish line of the 2024 Steamboat Classic 4-mile race Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Weston Taylor (2185) of Peoria reacts and looks over at Jackson Taylor (2186) as they cross the finish line of the 2024 Steamboat Classic 4-mile race Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Anthony Nyambura of Iowa runs down Main Street under the watchful eyes of “Abraham Blue” during the 2024 Steamboat Classic on Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
STEAMBOAT CLASSIC – Connor Riss (3280) of Grayslake, winner of the Steamboat Classic 15K race, high-fives his fellow runners as they finish Saturday, June 15, 2024 in downtown Peoria.
JUNETEENTH PARADE – Members of the 40+ Double Dutch Club show off their skills during the inaugural Ernestine Jackson Juneteenth Freedom Day Parade on Saturday, June 15, 2024 in South Peoria. The parade, honoring Peoria’s first Equal Employment Opportunity Officer and activist Ernestine Jackson, kicked off the annual Juneteenth Festival at John Gwynn Park.
JUNETEENTH PARADE – Saniya Taylor, 3, foreground, waves a Juneteenth flag as she and her big sister Amara, 5, wait for candy to come their way during the inaugural Ernestine Jackson Juneteenth Freedom Day Parade in South Peoria.
JUNETEENTH PARADE – Peoria Mayor Rita Ali kicks off the inaugural Ernestine Jackson Juneteenth Freedom Day Parade on Saturday, June 15, 2024 in South Peoria.
JUNETEENTH PARADE – Kids grab candy thrown from passing floats during the inaugural Ernestine Jackson Juneteenth Freedom Day Parade on Saturday, June 15, 2024 in South Peoria.
ALL STAR BASEBALL – Members of the West Team meet Peoria Notre Dame’s Jackson Campbell at home plate after his three-run homer in the first inning of the Large School game of the annual McDonald’s All Star Games on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at Dozer Park in Peoria.
ALL STAR BASEBALL – Illini Bluffs’s Josh Vaughn of the South Team pitches during the Small Schools game of the annual McDonald’s All Star Games on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at Dozer Park in Peoria.
ALL STAR BASEBALL – East Peoria’s Owen Hidden of the East Team reaches for an errant throw to third base as Brimfield’s Kyle Binder of the West Team slides during the Large School game of the annual McDonald’s All Star Games on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at Dozer Park in Peoria.
ALL STAR BASEBALL – Lewis Sams of the North Team makes a difficult throw to first base for an out against the South Team during the Small School game of the annual McDonald’s All Star Games on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at Dozer Park in Peoria.
