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The Pekin Hometown Voice

In the Spotlight

Last Updated: Jan 28, 2026 01:13PM • Subscribe via RSS • ATOM

In the Spotlight – Paco’s Taco Express Parks It on Derby Street

Jan 28, 2026 01:13PM ● By Scott Fishel

A food truck is often a brick-and-mortar restaurant’s way of taking its best offerings to a wider audience. The origin story of Paco’s Taco Express, 312 Derby St., is just the opposite. After nearly 15 years of dishing up authentic Mexican favorites from a food truck, owner Dena Fuller decided it was time to put down some roots.

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In the Spotlight – Ladendorf & Gambetti See a Bright Future for Pekin

Dec 30, 2025 08:25AM ● By Scott Fishel

Home ownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream. In Pekin and surrounding communities, Mary Ann Ladendorf and Baylee Gambetti are helping families make that dream come true. Since 2012, the team at Ladendorf and Gambetti REMAX Traders Unlimited has been matching people with homes and extolling the virtues of the town they call home.

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In The Spotlight – 37 Years of Service, Trust, and the Greg Ladendorf State Farm Insurance Agency

Nov 24, 2025 01:38PM ● By Scott Fishel

Ask Greg Ladendorf what it takes to succeed as a State Farm Insurance agent in Pekin, and he is likely to give a one-word answer: Trust.

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In The Spotlight – Tech Force IT Solutions Brings Service to You

Oct 31, 2025 09:21AM ● By Scott Fishel

Joey Courtney has one thing going for her that a lot of IT professionals don’t. She makes house calls. Or business calls, as the case may be. She wouldn’t have it any other way. As the owner (and sole employee) of Tech Force IT Solutions LLC, she takes her considerable experience and skills wherever they are needed.

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In the Spotlight – Lou Steger Is Retired, But the Business He Helped Build Continues to Grow

Aug 27, 2025 12:17PM ● By Scott Fishel

When Kim Swise, Sales and Marketing Manager for Charter Senior Living, takes prospective residents on a tour of the Pekin facility, she sometimes hears an unusual question: “Is that Mr. Steger from the furniture store?”

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In the Spotlight – Invest in Your Health at Tranquil Balances in Massage

Jul 30, 2025 11:27AM ● By Alexander Germanis

Few people understand just how far taking care of one’s health truly extends and how quickly one’s health status can change. Scott Douglas Shields, or Doug as people call him, understands both concepts on a very personal level.

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In the Spotlight – Pekin Lions Club Seeks New Members as It Celebrates 85 Years of Service

May 29, 2025 01:00PM ● By Scott Fishel

Much of what the Pekin Lions Club does in the community goes unseen by residents. Which is ironic since much of what the Lions Club does relates to sight and hearing services.

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In The Spotlight – Residents Are all Part of the Family at Charter Senior Living

Apr 28, 2025 01:29PM ● By Scott Fishel

“When residents move in, they become part of the family,” says Kim Swise, Sales and Marketing Director for Charter Senior Living in Pekin. And they remain a vital part of that family as long as they are a member of the independent/assisted living community on South 14th Street.

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In The Spotlight – Nearly Nu Offers Bargains For a Worthy Cause

Mar 26, 2025 07:27AM ● By Scott Fishel

Everyone loves a bargain. And there is even more to love when 100 percent of the proceeds from a great deal support a good cause. That is probably why so many bargain hunters in Pekin and surrounding communities have loved Nearly Nu, 1017 Derby St. in Pekin, since 1971.

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In The Spotlight – A Full Continuum of Care at Liberty Village of Pekin

Feb 26, 2025 12:40PM ● By Scott Fishel

Since November 1, 1988, Liberty Village of Pekin has provided seniors with individualized care, helping them thrive at every stage of life.

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