Heroes Among Us – Susan McCabe Our Local Honeybee

Like a honeybee, our local hero Susan McCabe takes care of flowers for all of us to enjoy. She does this without any financial aid or assistance. And if you’re like me, you assume tax dollars are being spent on the beautiful flowers and a city employee oversees planting and taking care of them. But like me, you’d be wrong with your assumption. Read More »

PCHS SkillsUSA Local Students Win National Awards

Pekin Community High School had 10 students travel to Atlanta, Georgia from June 24th through June 29th representing the Career and Technical Education programs for the high school. Read More »

PCHS Registration

As the 2024–2025 school year approaches, we are excited to welcome our PCHS Dragons, both old and new. And, believe it or not, school registration has begun! PCHS will host several in-person and online registration events to prepare our students for their first day of school. Read More »

Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act

The Dirksen Congressional Center is offering up multiple opportunities over the next two months to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, the signature achievement of Pekin’s U.S. Sen. Everett Dirksen. Read More »

Now Is the Time to Start Your Scouting Adventure

I was a Cub Scout as a kid growing up in the small town of Minier in southeastern Tazewell County. We had weekly den meetings in the Minier Christian Church basement, which was on my way home from the grade school. Read More »

Honoring Stan Newell

Young men of my generation spent the latter part of our teenage years with the possibility of serving in Vietnam occupying our minds. Whether or not we went ourselves, we had friends who served, and a few of those were injured, killed in action, or held as prisoners of war. Read More »

Pekin Lions Club

We sell anywhere from 12,000 to 24,000 donuts during the festival. We are just west of the Royal Ave Shelter in the Pekin Park. Read More »

Kiwanis Club of Pekin

On Tuesday, June 18, the Kiwanis Club of Pekin hosted the Ralph T. Brower Memorial Bike Rodeo at Pekin Boys and Girls Club. With 77 kids in attendance, 24 bicycles given away and a million smiles, this event continues to be a huge success. Read More »

The Pekin Rotary Club

The Pekin Rotary Club is ushering in the new Rotary year with Drew Eilts as our President for 2024-2025. Originally from Ottawa, IL, Drew now calls Germantown Hills home with his wife Jamie of 17 years and their four children: Colin (12), Josie (10), Maisie (8), and Max (4). Read More »

Pekin Bicentennial Marked By Placing Wreath at Gravesite of Pekin’s First Mayor

As a sign of respect for the City of Pekin’s historic leaders on the occasion of the celebration of Pekin’s Bicentennial, current City of Pekin Mayor Mary Burress and Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman arranged to place gravesite flowers for Joshua C. Morgan at Prairieville Cemetery in Lee County. Read More »

Tazewell County Clerk’s Office Employees Donate $1,508 for Kids Muddy Madness — County Clerk & Recorder Of Deeds Employees Have Raised $10,608 Since 2019 For Annual St. Jude Fundraiser

The Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds Employees participated in the 2024 Kids Muddy Madness for St Jude. Tazewell County Clerk John C. Ackerman was a sponsor of the event once again this year and the employees gathered this year a total donation of $1,508. Read More »

Senior Transportation Service

In 2001 the first wave of Baby Boomers turned 65 and the last wave reaching that age in 2030. More than 71 million adults will be over 60 by that time and according to a recent study done by AARP’s National Household Travel Survey, more than 20% of those 65 and older will not be driving. Read More »

Life is Difficult

Stacie McCormack grew up in Pekin and after graduation started working at Menards. There she found something more important than building supplies, she found John, the love of her life. After three years of dating, they got married in 2007. Read More »

In Search of History… August 2024

The next meeting of the Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society will be Tuesday, August 13th at 7 PM when TCGHS member and author Verna Hankins will discuss her book 1924-2024: Remembering Those Who Died and Suffered. Read More »

A Local Pekin Podcast

In late 2021, I received a phone call from then Pekin Mayor Mark Luft. He shared with me his disappointment that our community was getting its news and information on what was happening locally via social media. Read More »

Why Water Softeners Are Important

For many Pekin residents, hard water is a way of life. While it's not necessarily harmful, the white residue on faucets, the difficulty getting soap to lather, and the frustration of cleaning cloudy dishes can be real headaches. Read More »

From the History Room – Pekin in 1924: A City Celebrates Its Centennial

Great crowds gathered during the first week of July for three days of memorable Pekin Bicentennial events. On the morning of the Fourth of July, a standing-room-only crowd came to the Pekin Municipal Building for the 1976 time capsule opening ceremony. Read More »

The YWCA of Pekin

The YWCA of Pekin was founded in 1928 and has been serving the Pekin community since. We are currently at 315 Buena Vista Ave., snuggled between the Pekin Public Library and the United State Post Office. Read More »

A Word from Mayor Mary – Shop Local: Shop Derby

Just as growing up comes with growing pains, rebuilding a road comes with some construction pains. As the current phase of the Derby Street project comes close to completion, I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the business community in that area who stuck it out. Read More »

Did You Receive Your Paper in the Mail?

When we started this publication, our goal was to direct mail to every household with a 61554 zip code. We knew this was going to be expensive but thought it was a worthy investment to be assured of everyone getting our new publication. Read More »

Value of an Employee

I have learned through time as a leader that my success does not hinge on me, but rather on those I surround myself with. When I first came to Pekin, as the new police chief, this held true as I learned who the leaders within the City were and how they functioned. Read More »

Pekin Marigold Festival – Get Ready to Rock!

This year, the Pekin Marigold Festival promises to “Rock the Bicentennial,” commemorating the City’s 200 year anniversary with rock and roll flair. Read More »