Peoria Times

2 days ago | peoriatimes.com | Judy Bluhm

How is your attention span? Do we pay enough attention to our surroundings? Are we becoming too immersed in technology? Researchers claim that humans are becoming more easily distracted and self-absorbed. How can we stop and smell the roses if we don’t even see them? Dear readers, “paying attention” is a whole lot harder than we care to admit. Several years ago, in Washington, D.C., a man stood at the metro station and began playing a violin.

4 days ago | peoriatimes.com | Joe McHugh

The Family Care Center aimed to address mental health issues among veteran and military families when it was founded in 2016 by Dr. Chuck Weber. Now employing over 900 professionals across the country, the organization recently opened in Peoria to provide innovative in-network care to a population in need. “I'm very blessed to not only to be part of this organization, but also to be in this community,” Weber said.

5 days ago | peoriatimes.com | David Leibowitz

She passed away a few days after Christmas 2017. My mother still speaks to me, though, her voice knifing through the din that often occupies my mind. A favorite saying, a line from a book. Or I catch the faint floral scent of Chanel No. 5, the perfume she wore on special occasions. That’s when I feel her presence the most. Still pushing and prodding me into being the son she raised me to be. Yesterday afternoon I was driving to a meeting when John Denver came on the radio.

6 days ago | peoriatimes.com | Joe McHugh

When racing legend Mario Andretti sought a second Valley location for his Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, the site had to be perfect. The brand’s managing partner, Eddie Hamann, said Glendale was the top choice, considering the city’s values and population growth. “We're not the type of brand that's going to build this in every corner of every state,” Hamann said. “Every city we pick, they are cities that align with our values and the values of the Andretti family.

1 week ago | peoriatimes.com | Alicia Venter

Make-A-Wish helps fulfill a terminally ill child’s dream in the United States every 33 minutes. Their ability to do so largely comes from partnerships, outreach and the financial support of the community. In Arizona, Make-A-Wish is using the golf greens as a catalyst for their mission, partnering with The Wigwam Resort and the West Valley Mavericks for its annual fundraising tournament. “A wish is not just a nice thing to have. It is very much seen as a necessity.