The City of East Peoria is establishing its own grocery tax to avoid losing revenue when the state grocery tax ends at the start of next year The city council voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of implementing the 1% grocery tax with some commissioners expressing regret but viewing it as a necessity “Budgets have been created and things have been purchased and the city's plan is based somewhat on the revenue the city gains from this tax being in place,” said Dan Decker the General Assembly approved repealing the statewide 1% grocery tax effective Jan Money generated by the state tax was being redistributed to the municipalities so the repeal effectively closed off a revenue stream for local governments – unless they chose to enact a grocery tax of their own “The only thing I can see out of all this mumbo jumbo and that is one taxing body took credit for lowering your taxes and put the burden on who was getting the money at the end to run their deal,” said East Peoria commissioner Michael Sutherland East Peoria Mayor John Kahl has been highly vocal in his criticisms of the state’s action He has estimated that East Peoria stood to lose around $2 million annually without a grocery tax in place “That is part of the revenues that go back to local government; it was never the state's money to take away,” said Kahl “But obviously we're finding out as time goes on the state really gets a thrill in Springfield of taking away more and more of local governments authority Commissioner Mark Hill explained to his colleagues that Illinois municipalities did have local grocery taxes until 1990 But that led to “a patchwork and amount of complexity” that prompted the state to enact sales tax reform and implement the 1% statewide grocery tax “The new law said the municipalities have the authority now to put the 1% sales tax back which doesn't make a lot of sense to me if it was complex and varied and time consuming before,” said Hill “It sounds like we've regressed and went back to that.” Kahl labeled the state’s repeal “nothing more than a political stunt” that shifted the taxing burden to the local governments 1 to pass their own grocery tax that would go into effect Jan “I know it's a difficult decision that I feel strongly that we have to make The council also voted 5-0 in adopting its annual appropriation ordinance and working cash budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1 The appropriation amount totaled $134.6 million up from $122.4 million in the current fiscal year ‘what can be legally spent.’ It's not what we're planning on spending but it's the legal appropriations that we can spend up to that amount of money,” said Hill The largest appropriation amounts go toward funding police ($34.2 million) and water and sewer maintenance ($14.9 million) The working cash budget amount has expenses at $99.3 million “The important thing to know is that we have complete transparency you can see down to the pennies where anything is has been planned The council also unanimously approved a measure aimed at keeping pedestrians from standing or gathering in medians at 10 designated intersections “Officers from the city's police department noticed on several occasions recently where they found pedestrians and people kind of occupying the medians at these busy intersections where medians are very minimal if they exist at all,” said city attorney Scott Brunton there has not been any fatalities or any injuries to date but it certainly created some concerns with the police department.” The move makes it an ordinance violation for anyone to stop or otherwise remain in the median and the immediately adjacent right-of-way at the specified intersections Occupying the median through three consecutive opportunities to cross the roadway would be considered a delay in violation of the ordinance and it has been an issue and a major safety concern So this is the best approach and best way to address it,” said Kahl The three identified Main Street crossings are at Camp The other Camp intersections are with River Road The remaining Washington intersections are at River “I've been at an accident on every one of those intersections and the number of times that an accident occurs and the vehicle ends up in the places where people would be standing I'm surprised we haven't had more issues with this in the past,” said Decker “People might be standing there thinking that they're not causing a problem then they are right in line to be hurt as well.” Become a WCBU sponsor OfficeMax in East Peoria is set to shutter its doors The 23,500-square-foot store is one of two in the Peoria area with another location at 4100 West Willow Knolls Drive in Peoria Store owner Troy Schulte said he could not comment on the closure and referred the Journal Star to OfficeMax media relations who did not respond to a request for comment through email and could not be reached by phone by the time of publication Schulte could not say when the last business day would be It is also unclear whether employees will be transferred to another location or receive severance packages Sales at the company, one of the nation's leading office supply chains, have been declining in the past few years. In September 2024, ODP Corp, the Louisiana-based owner of Office Depot and OfficeMax, reported total sales of $1.6 billion during the fourth quarter That number marks a decrease of 10% from the same time in 2023 The decline in sales was largely due to the closure of 47 retail locations and reduced online shopping traffic More: East Peoria takes next step toward construction of splash pad at Levee Park The East Peoria store, situated in a highly-dense retail area, has been open since 1998. According to its Facebook page customers can take advantage of several sales between now and the end of May including buy-one-get-one-50% off accessory brands and up to 25% savings on moving supplies The move comes as the city of Peoria is openly courting Boyd Gaming on building a new land-based casino across the river after the company announced plans to expand to the Illinois Gaming Board The Illinois Gaming Act and a 1991 intergovernmental agreement between the two cities both require the casino to be located in Peoria if the gaming operator decides to abandon its riverboat for land the local share of gaming revenues are split 50/50 between Peoria and East Peoria City planning and development director Ty Livingston noted that Par-A-Dice wouldn't be the only entity standing to benefit "The focus of the the TIF district is this entire district So there are properties that are on either side of the Par-A-Dice that are certainly would benefit from the redevelopment," Livingston said "So it is something that we're looking at the area in its entirety." A tax-increment financing district is an economic development tool used by local governments The tax increment is the new taxable property value created by improvements within the district's boundaries "It's using that property tax to reinvest in that specific area of the city to help it develop and come along where it hadn't been able to do that," said city attorney Scott Brunton Taxing bodies still get the revenue based off the property values that are frozen at the time of the TIF district's establishment but the new tax increment generated can be redirected into additional projects within the TIF District developers can be reimbursed for certain expenditures they make on improvements to properties The districts can be established for up to 23 years initially The city currently has three TIF districts: Camp Street the West Washington Street TIF encompassing the Levee District The East Peoria Riverfront TIF District would stretch along the northwestern stretch of Illinois Route 116 running roughly from Interstate 74 to Access Road 4 stopping just short of a mini-storage business lying opposite Highview Road The properties covered include not only the casino A vacant stretch of land south of Bass Pro Shops would also be folded into the new TIF District Livingston said the city is closely eyeing more commercial and mixed use developments for this area and so there's certainly opportunities for that mixed use development to happen here," he said noting that the area around the former Burger Barge in particular would be ideal for one or two story condominiums A new road into the development area would start from Bass Pro Drive That road would need to cross over Farm Creek to reach the new development area "The primary connector would be a connection that would take Bass Pro over to Main Street to likely a new signalized intersection," Livingston said "That's obviously something we'd have to work through with the Illinois Department of Transportation." Livingston said the predicted increase in estimated assessed values for properties within the TIF district is $50 million Flooding is one major factor that would have to be addressed if the area is to see more usage An assessment from Fehr Graham Engineering and Environmental indicates 97% of the area is currently prone to some level of flooding At least 50% of the TIF area has experienced chronic flooding over the past 10 years Planning documents argue flooding mitigation would be prohibitively expensive to install for private enterprise without public assistance Some of the measures that could be used include retaining walls and raising redeveloped areas out of the flood plain The proposal was heard before the Joint Review Board of the city's other taxing bodies in December The next steps after Tuesday's public hearing are the first reading of a TIF ordinance before the city council on Feb A development incentive aimed at helping East Peoria pursue growth along the Illinois River is now formally in place “This sets the stage for future development; [I] can't wrap it up any other way to say but [I’m] super excited to see this thing moving forward,” said Mayor John Kahl as the City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a package of three ordinances establishing the Riverfront Tax Increment Financing [TIF] District The Riverfront TIF covers along the northwestern stretch of Illinois Route 116 running roughly from Interstate 74 to Access Road 4 and stopping short of a mini-storage business opposite Highview Road The three TIF-related ordinances approved an eligibility study and redevelopment plan we were looking at what we called then ‘the 2010 project,’ which is the Levee District I remember talking with [former city attorney] Dennis Triggs just the economy was not the best at that time talked about how bright it was if we just stay the course,” said Commissioner Dan Decker “But this is the area that he talked about – quote unquote – ‘next.’ And once we worked through down here It's just so great to see – those that know Dennis he had tremendous vision and he has done a many great things for our community he was able to see that that was the next thing we would go for to make our community better TIFs are development tools used by local governments to incentivize improvements in a specific area The TIF locks in the property value for at least 23 years and increased tax value generated during that time can be redirected to further projects in the district Kahl highlighted the benefits of the Riverfront TIF during his State of the City address last week goes back decades on what it hoped to have developed out,” he said during his presentation Friday “The Levee District is almost complete; we’ve got the [new] Hampton Inn going up on the riverfront [next to Granite City] We've got The Putt Club now added with Bass Pro [Shops] and Holiday Inn Express “I remember I was at a working session that showed future development along this corridor where this TIF is at and it was designed to bring down some type of main road and connect 116 across Farm Creek into that new development that was planned for where Bass Pro is at So all we're doing is delivering on something that's been in the works for a long time there hasn't been a lot of redevelopment in 30 years.” The Riverfront TIF joins three other East Peoria TIF districts: Camp Street The location of the Riverfront TIF includes the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino property as well as the former Burger Barge restaurant and the United Facilities warehouse space Kahl touted other growth and development throughout the city he touched on preliminary plans for a Central Street Crossing district on city-owned property between CEFCU and Costco “We'll have mixed-use going down both sides of the street there another parking garage is planned for that space where we can close down that stretch of roadway and host community events.” Kahl said it’s a concept that dates back about six years He said optimistically the project could move forward later this year but our discussions with the two developers that have expressed strong interest So we laid out our vision to them [and] they jumped on it,” he said Kahl noted the 501 Blutowne project next to city hall is getting closer to completion identifying Brienzo’s Pizza as one of the restaurants planning to move into the ground-floor retail space He also touted the arrival of several new businesses in East Peoria with Best Buy and Boot Barn slated to open in the Levee District and Five Below being built next to Kohl's – and the announcement of a new Prairie Farms Dairy facility along Pinecrest Road “They reached out to the city and said that they were interested in building a new facility on this side of the river,” said Kahl whether it's them or a mom-and-pop [or] a large company We have a very pro-business attitude here.” he also highlighted construction of the new police station installation of new way-finding signage with the city’s updated logo and branding and ongoing development of Levee Park – including a new gateway that will feature operational bells preserved from the dismantled bell tower at the Four Corners A new major development district is in the works for East Peoria East Peoria Mayor John Kahl announced during his State of the City Address on Friday that the city is moving forward with plans to create an entertainment district on Center Street Kahl said the city has already been in talks with developers who "have made clear they're ready to go" in getting the development moving The district will include both residential and commercial spaces along both sides of Center Street multifunctional where we can close down that stretch of roadway and host community events whether it's live music venues," Kahl said Two developers have shown "strong interest" in moving ahead with development, including Indianapolis firm Flaherty and Collins, which is building the Bluetowne luxury apartment complex in East Peoria "They had always talked to the city dating back six years that once the Bluetowne project got up and running they'd be interested if the parcels were still available to do a second phase and that's what we had planned for Center Street," Kahl said Kahl said he got the impression that the developers would like to break ground sometime this year if the city and the developers can reach a final plan agreement Kahl did not have an estimate for what the financial impact of the district would be on the city, but he did liken it to the Levee District which has been a financial boon for the city "Look how East Peoria's benefitted from the Levee District," Kahl said "What a lot of people don't understand — and I go back to the council at the time those were very difficult decisions — that stuff didn't come free there was a major investment and East Peoria invested over $130 million in revamping its downtown and it's paid for itself." The boundaries of the Center Street Crossing district fall within the city's West Camp TIF District which would mean developers could benefit from extra incentives you have to be responsible with taxpayer money so when you sit down and have those discussions you're up front and transparent about 'hey this is what the city is willing to do' so you're either in agreement with those terms and willing to make the investment — but it's always been what we've done here is a good public/private collaboration," Kahl said The City of East Peoria and the East Peoria Community Foundation have purchased the equipment for a splash pad at Levee Park and the East Peoria City Council approved a bid for its installation during Tuesday’s meeting “Aupperle Construction included in their bid documents both a list of subcontractors and their qualifications pertaining to prior experience constructing Vortex splash pads,” Culp said in his report to the council did not include a list of subcontractors and did not include their qualifications indicating their prior experience.” Levee District: Levee District in East Peoria evolved from 'vacant brown space' to thriving destination The Community Foundation Board unanimously voted to recommend the approval of the bid from Aupperle Construction at their April meeting “The East Peoria Community Foundation sought an experienced splashpad contractor who offered the ability to coordinate additional disciplines (including) electrical and plumbing for this project,” he added The council unanimously approved the resolution on its first reading It will be laid on the table for public inspection for no less than one week Livingston indicated that installation of the splash pad The project marks the final stage of a three-phase development plan for the new park Phase One included a reading garden that was dedicated in 2018 and features landscaping and a Little Free Library drop box for books Phase Two included the construction of a large multi-purpose plaza Phase Three projects also include an amphitheater with terraced seating According to the East Peoria Community Foundation the total cost of the Levee Park development was $3 million with the last phase projected to cost approximately $1 million The foundation is funding the project entirely through grants and donations East Peoria Mayor John Kahl shared an optimistic vision for the city’s next few years Friday albeit while speaking at a venue with an uncertain future Kahl delivered his annual State of the City address from the banquet room at the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino, steps away from the riverboat gambling attraction that parent Boyd Gaming is looking to replace He told the audience at the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce event that the city values its business community “The reason why we thrive today [is] we're there to support you,” said Kahl they take in front of the [Illinois] Gaming Board and they approve it So that's their decision to make,” Kahl reiterated to reporters after his speech a couple years back when all this kind of kicked up and we've had a great partnership with them I feel strongly they probably appreciate all that we've done for them Let Peoria keep running their mouth on whatever they hope to do or hope to see; I can't speak for them.” Kahl’s stance remained unchanged from last summer, when he sent emails to Peoria Mayor Rita Ali expressing displeasure about her city’s attempts to lure Boyd’s local casino to the opposite side of the Illinois River While those emails suggested the change could permanently strain the relationship between the municipalities Kahl said Friday he doesn’t want that to happen “We need Peoria to be strong to lift this entire region “I can't focus on Peoria; I’ve got to focus on East Peoria I’ve brought up the Heart of Illinois Mayors’ Association; those guys know how I'm wired It's really about all of us working together to lift everybody up and I think my actions have demonstrated that.” whether it's improving where we're standing today or not They're one of how many beneficiaries of the new TIF district,” he said “This TIF was a vision that was always part of revamping East Peoria why don't you locate your business to East Peoria there's a nice plot of land out there.’ If the infrastructure isn't there you can't take to the table the benefits of locating your business in the community So this thing really need to be front and center.” Kahl noted another property that could benefit from the Riverfront TIF is the existing Hampton Inn at the casino complex with groundbreaking for construction of a new Hampton Inn along the riverfront near Granite City slated for April “My hope is the company that currently owns that property even though they're losing that [Hampton] flag and the TIF incentives are available to them to do that,” said Kahl Kahl highlighted a proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget showing 2.2% growth in revenue progress on the Blutowne mixed-use development under construction next to city hall and plans for a Central Street Crossing multi-functional entertainment district and just with all the things that we have going on We're just going to continue what we've been doing for the last decade really is to continue seeking growth,” he said Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEAST PEORIA (25News Now) - An East Peoria foster parent went through the unexpected after her dog traveled into the Illinois River Shannon Hampton felt completely distraught after her foster dog after an adoption event at the East Peoria PetSmart “I was completely distraught,” said Hampton She and another pet handler chased River throughout East Peoria “I looked up to see her running through the parking lot around the store behind and we both took off running,” said Hampton She traveled behind the buildings of East Peoria PetSmart She crossed both streets surrounding the Embassy Suites and Hucks gas station River ended up in the Illinois River for about half an hour, where she swam about 4,000 feet. Co-Owner Philip Foree, of Eye in the Sky Thermal Pet Rescue said that is not normal for a 20-pound dog With the help of social media and Eye in the Sky Thermal Drone Pet Rescue multiple traps were set throughout East Peoria “We were trying to figure out some other reason she was skittish,” said Foree Hampton said those in a similar situation should immedietely call for help because they are very guarded and could put themselves in danger,” said Hampton River is up for adoption. Those looking for more information can check out the Grafelman Farms Rescue website This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page In East Peoria, Golden Buffet opened its doors to the community on March 20 The new buffet business – situated at 206 W. Camp St. – fills the space formerly home to Farmer’s Buffet. The short-lived predecessor opened last March but shuttered roughly three months later the location has been transformed into a sleek Patrons can pile their plates with a variety of Asian and American entrees and sides “Indulge in a feast of delectable flavors, impeccable service, and an unforgettable dining experience,” the business wrote in a Facebook post about the opening The establishment is open daily from 11 a.m A lunch buffet is available between 11 a.m the business’s dinner buffet begins and continues until close Patrons will find an all-day dinner buffet on weekends and holidays 'We need you now:' Morton BBQ business seeks community support The lunch buffet is $13.99 for those 12 and up $7.99 for children who are 7 to 11 years old and $6.99 for children 3 to 6 years old The weekday dinner buffet costs $16.99 for those 12 and older $10.99 for kids 7 to 11 years old and $8.99 for children 3 to 6 years old customers can dine at the all-day dinner buffet for $17.99 Children between 7 and 11 years old can dine for $11.99 while the meal costs $9.99 for kids 3 to 6 Carry out options – priced by the pound – are also available More: Tazewell County food inspections for February Golden Buffet described itself as “a go-to destination for lovers of diverse all-you-can-eat dining experiences” and said it serves both American and international cuisine Recent photos of food at the restaurant have featured: the buffet features rotating selections of hot entrees and welcoming environment,” the business noted on its website “Whether you’re craving comfort food or exploring global flavors Golden Buffet ensures a satisfying meal with friendly service and a commitment to cleanliness." 'A future for this:' Peoria chef launches ramen concept while pursuing larger goals Website: https://www.goldenbuffetofpeoria.com/ Never miss the latest scoop: Sign up for PJStar Dining The Peoria area ended 2024 with one less Burger King location The fast food restaurant located at 1094 N. Main Street in East Peoria has closed, according to signs posted at the location. It was located next to a Shell gas station and across from Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino A note on the entrance says the location closed December 23, 2024. Burger King's store locator no longer lists an East Peoria franchise the logo has been removed from the marquee sign in front of the building and the billboard reads "permanently closed." Fast food closures: Three Peoria-area Pizza Hut locations have closed. Here’s what we know The Peoria Journal Star has reached out to Burger King and its parent company, Restaurant Brands International for comment Burger King continues to operate five locations in the greater Peoria area, including three in Peoria and one each in Morton and Pekin. The fast food giant announced in May 2023 it would close 400 locations by the end of that year When the Throttle Bar and Grill in East Peoria closed in October 2024 the building’s owner faced a choice between bringing in a new tenant or going into business for himself Bishop says the newly-named Fat Man Bishop's will open in the first week of March The name comes from what he calls himself on social media and when he posts Facebook videos of some of the food he makes at home that’s how he always refers to himself,” said his wife More: Bar opens as the 'newest hot spot' for sports, drinks in Peoria recreation center Since retiring from the Peoria Park District in 2020 Bishop found he had time on his hands and believed his prior restaurant experience would serve him in good stead Bishop previously owned The Village Inn in Spring Bay it will give me something to do,’” Bishop said It will open in early March after several months of remodeling and a great deal of support and assistance from his family Fat Man Bishop’s will offer home-cooked daily lunch specials and homemade soups along with typical tavern fare like sandwiches The Bishops also plan to offer a selection of imported draft beers and an expanded cocktail menu because it’s hard to go to a restaurant anywhere and get a home-cooked meal with homemade gravy “I think that’s going to draw a good crowd.” ongoing kitchen renovations mean Fat Man Bishop’s will initially offer a limited menu of Butch’s pizza and appetizers Bishop hopes to introduce the full menu by June he believes the restaurant’s high-visibility location along IL-116 will bring in patrons “There are about 60,000 cars a day that go by here,” he said “This property has always done well because it’s located perfectly for Washington There are major fingers coming right down this road from all those cities.” Looking for the scoop on Peoria food? Sign up for PJStar Dining Bishop added that future renovations will include a new beer garden with a wrought iron fence and brick pillars along with an upgraded parking lot with more spaces Fat Man Bishop’s already boasts the first Valley Pro Cat pool table in the greater Peoria area Fat Man Bishop’s predecessor’s theme was motorcycle culture While the Bishops are themselves both motorcycle enthusiasts and welcome bikers they are hoping to appeal to a wider demographic “We want it to be a place where everybody feels comfortable,” Bishop said or a Jeeper; we want you to feel comfortable and safe when you come here.” Both of RJ Duncheon’s parents are former Illinois State athletes so he might be expected to follow in those footsteps But the East Peoria junior didn’t fall into any parental pressure. His commitment to the ISU baseball program this past October was made completely independent they didn’t have much influence of me going there,” Duncheon said And that seems like a natural fit for the all-stater who has been recruited as a two-way player says ISU is a great school and the coaches were engaged early in the process East Peoria coach Matt Plummer says he’s never had a player recruited so early in his high school career “I think they’re getting a gem,” Plummer said and he’s just continuing to grow and understand.” It may be hard for the Journal Star all-area player to replicate his sophomore season during which he hit .458 on 49 hits with 18 doubles The right-hander also made 13 pitching appearances 67 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA in 57 innings he’s batting .447 on 17 hits with five doubles “I think it just was understanding guys are not going to challenge you and you need to learn to be selective enough not to get yourself out That mentality has carried over to the East Peoria program as whole Duncheon was a part of helping create the winter workouts — a first for Plummer in his three decades as a coach These offseason sessions have paid dividends this spring “He set the tone for what was expected this year all winter long,” Plummer said "The buy-in by the rest of the team was just second to none Duncheon is naturally a catcher and plays outfield One major adjustment he made during the offseason is going into every at-bat thinking he can hit the ball as far as he can to center or right field “That’s one of the biggest approach tactics I have used,” he said noting that he’s also starting his swing slower Duncheon has a 3-1 record with 42 strikeouts and a 1.27 ERA in 27.2 innings over six appearances attack" mentality whenever he toes the rubber Working on maintaining his pitching composure is key “His stuff is electric,” the 23-season coach said it naturally wants to reach down and get more That’s hard to throttle back because he’s such a competitor “RJ’s learning to just not try and strike everybody out because that’s what his mind wants to do … He’s a guy that is always going to give you a chance but he’s learning to be more of a pitcher and that’s exciting to me.” D-I bound: Peoria has 10 Division-I bound baseball and softball players. Here's how they're playing in 2025 Duncheon’s focus has always been on winning East Peoria picked up a key nonconference victory over Chatham Glenwood last Friday battling through a tough Mid-Illini Conference schedule can only help the Raiders EP shared the league crown with Dunlap in 2024 and looks to get back to the Class 3A sectional level for the first time since 2021 “The Mid-Illini is a great conference to be in,” Duncheon said “There’s so many teams that are good enough to beat anybody at any time Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter East Peoria took the next step toward incentivizing development of land along the riverfront near the Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino The city council this week unanimously passed three ordinances to set up a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District in East Peoria, north of Interstate 74 and along IL-116 up to Access Road 4. That area contains such businesses as Hagerty Steel, Federal Logistics and the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino “This really sets the stage for future development,” East Peoria Mayor John Kahl said “I’m super-excited to see this thing moving forward.” East Peoria initiated the process to create the district last year, and the Council hosted a public hearing Feb. 4 to hear residents’ comments and concerns on the proposed district Where is the new development district?The new TIF district will run northeast of I-74 and northwest of IL-116 up to Access Road 4. It will include several lots at Par-a-Dice Landing, the current location of the Par-a-Dice Hotel and Casino. Boyd Gaming indicated last year that they plan to build a new $100 million land-based casino in the Peoria area “We anticipate replacing our 30-year-old riverboat casino Par-A-Dice with a compelling new entertainment destination,” said Boyd Gaming chief executive officer Keith Smith during an investors’ conference call last month “While it is still early in the design process we could begin construction as early as the first half of 2026 pending regulatory approvals.” PREVIOUSLY: East Peoria wants to spur riverfront development. Here are the first stages of its plan What will be built in the new district?East Peoria director of planning and community development Ty Livingston said feedback from residents indicated they would like to see a mix of commercial and residential development He also said a wider variety of housing options can potentially attract new residents "While the Levee District will soon offer some of this type of development and along the Riverfront in this location north of I-74 is a good fit," Livingston said there may be the potential to attract more hospitality-related development for visitors to East Peoria." located near the intersection of Clock Tower Drive and West Camp will be more than five times the size of the current facility The new 38,000-square-foot facility will also have a second story Mayor John Kahl said the new station will make a big impact on the city It’s not just a big deal to those wearing the badge who serve every day to protect our community it’s a big deal for the community,” Kahl said Chief David Catton said having a larger space will be a big help “They’re going to be able to work in different areas of the building and do their job more efficiently,” Cotton said “I can think of all the times we’ve had to try to find space on different cases we were working on and it’s just going to be nice to be able to do all of that stuff in-house.“ The new station is expected to be built by May 2026 You can watch 25News - any newscast, anywhere - streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here An East Peoria nursing home is set to close in March after the property owner sold the facility to a new group that will steer it away from senior housing More: OSF HealthCare clarifies mask recommendation after pair of conflicting social media posts there is no indication of a sale of the Accolade property in Tazewell County records consultants and government agencies were in the process of finding new homes for residents taking into account their needs and preferences for a future residence Accolade also operates a location in Peoria at 5600 North Glen Elm Drive which is unaffected by the closing of the East Peoria location The company said that all departments at their other locations had job openings allowing them to retain many of the employees who worked in East Peoria The statement said that the decision to close was not something the company reached easily although it noted that this was merely an isolated decision and did not affect the company's overall health It said that they understood the impact that the decision would have on residents saying that contact information was provided if people had questions about the closure The company did not provided figures on how many people would be impacted by the impending closing of the East Peoria location More: Peoria Heights nursing home receives $100,000 in fines for violating state rules Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEAST PEORIA (25News Now) - East Peoria firefighters battled a house fire early Sunday evening but the person who lived there was not home at the time That resident was the only person displaced after the fire in the 500 block of Sanford Street according to Assistant Fire Chief Andy Ogburn Ogburn said two cats were found and returned to the resident The assistant chief estimates the fire caused about $15,000 in damage You can watch 25News - any newscast, anywhere - streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here East Peoria has been home to the Par-A-Dice hotel and riverboat casino on the Illinois River for more than 30 years With owner Boyd Gaming preparing plans for a new gambling facility Peoria city leaders have taken steps to make sure any land-based casino is located within their city’s boundaries in accordance with a long-standing intergovernmental agreement and updated state gaming law But what does this mean for East Peoria? Mayor John Kahl says he made his disappointment clear over the summer in emails with Peoria Mayor Rita Ali over what he sees as an effort to force a business to relocate from my perspective,” Kahl said in an interview with WCBU “I’ve pretty much laid out what my position is in those email exchanges between two mayors I really don’t care to entertain what Peoria has going on.” At its final meeting of the calendar year, the Peoria City Council approved the hiring of a financial adviser and outside legal counsel for the purpose of pursuing a land-based casino development project with Boyd Kahl says since he became mayor 5½ years ago he’s made a point of building strong rapport with the leaders of surrounding communities But the Par-A-Dice situation has strained relationships and my hope was to establish a good working relationship with Mayor Ali on this side of the river,” Kahl said I felt like we had a pretty good trusting relationship “I’m not going to get bogged down in their issues; let them sort that out East Peoria will continue to move forward.” The existing intergovernmental agreement has Peoria and East Peoria splitting tax revenue from the riverboat evenly Kahl says East Peoria would be proactive to address any shortfall “We’ve not sat back and sat idle on anything I look at the transformation throughout the last 40-50 years in East Peoria “We don’t get hunkered down in what other communities are doing and take care of our citizens and improve the quality of life there.” Kahl says East Peoria has been able to use tax increment financing, or TIF districts, to the city’s advantage in fostering economic growth and redevelopment. He says creation of a new Riverfront TIF will advance that effort “This is something that’s been discussed for, oh my goodness, well over a decade as part of East Peoria’s plans to continue its growth,” Kahl said. “Now that we’ve recently announced the Hampton Inn construction down on the riverfront next to Granite City that was always part of a redevelopment plan “So now we’re going to have that all complete (and) the next focus would be this next corridor Kahl says the city’s $13 million agreement with Frontier Hospitality to build the new Hampton Inn will coincide with a change at the current Hampton Inn location at the casino complex and my understanding is it’s for sale,” Kahl said “It’ll be another brand yet to be determined and that’s up to the owners and whatever they have worked out with the hotel brands East Peoria has been fortunate to have that brand in East Peoria and our focus is to ensure that we have it moving forward.” Kahl says East Peoria’s growth has allowed the city to keep its property tax levy “rate equivalent” for the past 30 years He says the three townships where East Peoria is located have seen property values increase about 23% in the past three years Kahl says by holding the tax levy dollar amount steady at $5.9 million providing a measure of relief when Illinois’ property taxes are the second-highest in the country “I think it’s incumbent on the taxing bodies to take a look at that,” he said they deserve property tax relief and we’re hoping to set a positive example by coming out of the blocks by holding the dollar amount the same.” Kahl says the bulk of East Peoria’s property tax revenue covers pension obligations while the city relies on sales tax to pay for most of their services East Peoria city and police department officials broke ground Friday for construction of the new police station on Camp Street The event followed the City Council's action Tuesday that locked in a $21.6 million maximum construction cost on the project The design for two-story station has 41,000 square feet of "functional space" with a range of features lacking from the current location in the city’s public safety building “We’ve never had any space to bring our community members into the police department,” said Police Chief David Catton The new station’s plans have a dedicated community room There’s also a crime lab for officers to work in something Catton says was impossible previously because there was no room to safely store equipment is there’s going to be a lot of safety with it,” said Catton “And the officers can do their job more effectively and efficiently and safely.” The benefits of the new police station don’t stop at the front door just across the street from East Peoria’s bustling Levee District a railroad crossing no longer sits directly in the path of where responding police cars may be headed “We wanted the public to see that we’re here and we wanted our retailers to know that we’re here “So being right across from the Levee District is a huge step and it’s definitely going to be a prominent place that you’ll be able to know we’re here.” the project will cost the city upwards of $24 million or $25 million altogether factoring in additional costs like architectural services That comes from budgeted capital funds and a repaid loan from the Blutowne Apartments construction project And I think when this project wraps up and this building’s open Construction is expected to wrap up in the summer of 2026 Major retailers Best Buy and Boot Barn have agreed to open stores in East Peoria's major shopping center the Levee District Best Buy will be moving its operations from its Peoria location on North Big Hollow Road to a storefront in the Levee District likely sometime this summer, according to Cullinan Properties Director of Marketing Kristy Johns Boot Barn is expected to open its doors next to Best Buy sometime in the fall or winter of 2025 Best Buy will be the larger of the two spaces East Peoria's Levee District is one of the Peoria region's busier hubs for retail and dining and is also the location for a new apartment complex coming online in the city The additions of Best Buy and Boot Barn will help keep the Levee District a go-to space for consumers “These announcements reinforce East Peoria’s position as a dynamic hub for commerce and community activity,” East Peoria Mayor John Kahl said in a news release “We are grateful to Cullinan Properties for their continued investment in our city and to Best Buy for reaffirming their commitment to the Metro Peoria area We also look forward to welcoming Boot Barn as a new retail option for our residents.” More: 'Incredibly excited': These new Peoria-area restaurants plan to open in 2025 Cullinan Properties said in a news release it is "thrilled" to bring Best Buy and Boot Barn into the Levee District “The addition of these stores is a testament to the growth and vitality of this community We are especially proud that Best Buy has chosen to remain in the Metro Peoria area and we look forward to seeing both stores thrive in their new locations," Cullinan Properties Executive Vice President Kathleen Cullinan Brill said Best Buy first opened its doors at Peoria's Evergreen Square shopping center in 1991 It then moved to its current home at Glen Hollow shopping center in 2003 whose 4th District is home to the Glen Hollow shopping center and he is "optimistic" that another retailer will move into the Best Buy space you never want to lose any retailer from your council district they've been at that location as long as I can remember and I am glad they are staying the area," Allen said "We've seen other retailers and especially national chains completely close because of the national climate so it's good to see that Best Buy is still going to be in the Greater Peoria area." The Levee District was the site of a Caterpillar manufacturing complex until 1998 Cullinan Properties became a partner in the city's effort to revitalize the area around 2008 and opened the Levee District in 2012 (This story was updated to add new information and a photo.) More: Residential and commercial development planned for prominent land in Peoria Heights Illinois statute requires municipalities that participate in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund to publicly post a list of all employees making more than $75,000 in total compensation The Journal Star is reviewing those public documents and sharing contents of the reports with readers for transparency. East Peoria's compensation report includes annual salary allowances for equipment and uniforms; holiday pay and on-call East Peoria has 48 employees earning at least $100,000 in salary according to the city's most recent compensation report The number of six-figure employees has steadily increased in the last five years there were 13 city employees making $100,000 or more the number fell to nine before increasing again to 17 in 2022 when the number of six-figure employees exploded to 48 According to City of East Peoria finance director Jeffery Becker the spike in the number of six-figure city salaries is primarily due to police officers working twelve-hour shifts rather than the eight-hour shifts they worked last year "Instead of working 80 hours every two weeks Here are the 20 highest-paid East Peoria city employees for 2024-25 based on their annual salaries In a municipality that clearly puts a premium on public safety East Peoria's highest salaries go to the police and fire chief The city's 20 highest paid city employees include five police sergeants Peoria salaries: These 12 city employees have the highest base salaries The information below is based strictly on East Peoria's 2024-25 compensation report and may not reflect any changes in employment titles and compensation since publishing earlier this year Zimmerman has an annual salary of $138,853 in his role as the city’s fire chief His $145,897 total compensation includes $8,219 for insurance and an $825 uniform allowance He has an annual insurance allowance of $22,306 and a $1,600 uniform allowance for a total compensation package of $160,452 a year Beck is East Peoria’s deputy fire chief and garners an annual salary of $129,989 His $157,920 total compensation also includes $22,306 for insurance The city finance director’s base annual salary is $125,423 Becker’s compensation package also includes an $8,219 insurance stipend and a $4,800 vehicle allowance for a total of $138,442 Billingsley serves as East Peoria’s deputy police chief and collect an annual salary of $124,874 and $4,662 in holiday pay amount to $153,442 in total compensation More: Why the salary of the East Peoria mayor has soared since he took office One of East Peoria’s four assistant fire chiefs Riggenbach collected $147,978 in total compensation according to the annual compensation report Andy OgburnOgburn’s base salary as an assistant fire chief is $120,057 His $147,663 total compensation also includes $22,306 for insurance Marmitt’s annual salary as an assistant fire chief is $120,057 adding up to $140,631 in total compensation Rieker earned a $120,057 annual salary as an assistant East Peoria fire chief; and also collected $13,460 for insurance and $4,790 in holiday pay for a total of $139,132 Brad PhelpsPhelps is a sergeant with the East Peoria Police Department His $139,094 total compensation consisted of a $120,023 annual salary A sergeant with the East Peoria Police Department Horn garnered an annual salary of $119,574 His $140,471 total compensation also included a $14,957 insurance allotment East Peoria Police Sergeant Bolton’s annual salary is $117,566 Crawford’s annual salary as a police sergeant is $115,464 He collected a $22,306 insurance allotment and $4,298 in holiday pay for a total compensation figure of $143,668 Dale OrrA sergeant with the East Peoria Police Department Orr garnered $142,813 in total compensation East Peoria business: Gas stations are common at many Peoria-area Kroger stores. What about EP? Frank serves as an officer in the East Peoria Police Department His $122,488 total compensation package consisted of a $108,800 annual salary Police Detective Alvarez collected a $106,822 annual salary along with $22,306 for insurance and $1,800 in on-call pay for a total compensation package of $134,526 Hutton’s annual salary as a police officer is $108,822 His $112,391 total compensation also included $171 for insurance Joshua HuttonAn East Peoria police officer Sauder garnered a $133,441 total compensation package Fresh branding: East Peoria has a new logo and slogan. Take a look Kruse has an annual salary of $106,202 as a fire lieutenant His $133,441 in total compensation included an additional $22,306 for insurance More: These city of Washington employees had the 10 highest salaries Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEAST PEORIA (25News Now) - Illinois State Police responded to two separate crashes in the westbound lanes of Interstate 74 earlier Thursday The first crash happened just before 10:30 a.m State Police said that crash involved three vehicles along with injuries and reported lane closure The second crash happened around 30 minutes later involving an unknown number of vehicles with injuries and lane closures as viewed from an Illinois Department of Transportation traffic camera at I-74 and Pinecrest PEORIA — The Bradley Braves have made an offer to East Peoria High School basketball player Quinton Kitt The 6-foot-5 sophomore wing says he received the offer from BU head coach Brian Wardle on Friday The dynamic scorer dropped a career-high 32 points in a game in early February then bettered that with 34 against Morton on Feb the latter leading a 72-69 overtime win that snapped the Potters' 17-game win streak he delivered a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Washington has also received an offer from Illinois State with Metamora star Matthew Zobrist and Manual combo guard Dietrich Richardson both already signed and set to reach the Hilltop next season Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com With a new Hampton Inn hotel coming to East Peoria, the city’s existing Hampton Inn at 11 Winners Way will operate under a new name The Iowa-based development firm Frontier Hospitality Group entered into an agreement with the City of East Peoria last November to build a new Hampton Inn on an undeveloped parcel of city-owned land The new hotel will be located at 220 Conference Center Drive near Logan's Roadhouse on the Illinois River “We plan to start building in the spring of 2025 and will open hopefully with favorable construction weather in spring or summer 2026,” said Frontier Hospitality Group spokesperson Jodi Hamilton Background: $13 million hotel headed for East Peoria riverfront. Here are the details The current Hampton Inn — located near the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino — is part of the Hampton by Hilton hotel chain, which is owned by Hilton Worldwide Franchise owner George Johnson indicated the hotel will be remodeled this year and will continue operations under one of Hilton’s other brands “The re-branding’s going to happen sometime this year,” Johnson said “We haven’t identified which Hilton brand we’re going to operate under yet.” The new Hampton Inn location will have between 90 and 110 rooms Frontier intends to invest $13 million in the project and will receive up to $1.3 million in TIF revenue The firm will also be entitled to Enterprise Zone incentives including sales tax rebates for building materials and a discount on the cost of a building permit The operators of the Accolade Healthcare of East Peoria nursing home plan to shutter the facility The St. Louis-based organization says the facility on Centennial Drive will close in early March Saxony Court Senior Living closes in early April it is also operated by Accolade Healthcare Accolade Director of Marketing Nicole McIntosh says the organization is working with government agencies to find spots at regional senior living facilities for the residents displaced by the closure The number of seniors affected is not provided in the statement There is also no information on the number of staff impacted though Accolade is providing “transition support” to sister facilities “The closure is due to the massive size of the campus and the resulting financial constraints,” McIntosh writes the property owner decided to sell the property and new ownership will not be operating the location as senior housing.” Tazewell County property tax records list the owner as Paradox East Peoria Property There’s no record yet of a sale in the property’s recent history Accolade Healthcare also operates senior living locations in Peoria The city of East Peoria is moving to implement a new $50 reconnection fee for water customers whose service is shut off for non-payment Mayor John Kahl said there's a group of "hundreds" of frequent flyers every billing cycle who only pay after their water is shut off A reconnection fee seeks to recoup the costs for staff needing to regularly reactivate their service "I don't know any other municipality or water company that provides this service that gives as much notice as we do to people that are either behind bills just choose not to pay their bill," he said A delinquency charge of $25 would also be added to the existing 10% per month penalty for unpaid water bills if not paid in full by the date outlined in the first deliquency notice sent by the city City attorney Scott Brunton said there would still be flexibility for handling billing issues administratively he said a reconnection fee wouldn't be triggered if a customer misses a single payment for a good reason like someone who suffered a medical issue and was put up in a hospital or rehab to recuperate just as you kind of discuss the various reasons that might occur that kind of grace is given by the city," he said "But also the city probably goes extra lengths (compared to) most (cities) to provide notice before they do shut offs." Kahl said the change also isn't targeted at "snow birds" who might shut their water off for a few months each winter but rather those who are regularly eating up staff time and resources The East Peoria City Council on Tuesday unanimously passed the ordinance on its first reading It comes back in two weeks for final approval An enduring and expanding Parade of Lights will mark a four-decade milestone this year with two new floats With a theme of "40 Floats for 40 Years," the annual event begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. The parade will kick off the East Peoria Festival of Lights The Parade of Lights will start at East Washington Street and Dolans Lane turning left at the intersection with Camp Street The floats will turn right from Washington onto Taylor Street and continue along Taylor in front of Central Junior High School ending at Taylor Street and Springfield Road at the U.S A downloadable map of the parade route is available at folepi.org Spectator parking will be available at East Peoria Community High School Washington St.; the Fon du Lac Park District administration building at 201 Veterans Drive; and Central Junior High School at 601 Taylor St Those who park at the junior high school or anywhere along Taylor Street must remain parked until the Santa Claus float has passed by A limited number of designated handicapped parking spots will be available along Taylor Street Springfield Road will be closed from Taylor Street to North Main Street from 5:45 p.m Taylor Street and the roads along the Washington Street route of the parade will begin closing at 6:15 p.m Gallery: PHOTOS: 2020 East Peoria Parade of Lights The parade will be broadcast live on WMBD-TV and streamed live on ciproud.com as well as the East Peoria Festival of Lights Facebook page The floats will be on display at the Folepi’s Winter Wonderland drive-through attraction trucks and vans; $30 for small buses (party school); and $150 for charter motor coaches The display takes about 30 minutes to drive through The Winter Wonderland entrance is off Springfield Road on Par 3 Lane 2023 Parade of Lights: What to know about East Peoria's Parade of Lights: Budweiser Clydesdales, start time and more History and holiday spiritThe Parade of Lights had humble origins “It’s amazing to think that 40 years ago the original organizers envisioned this as a one-time event and look at how it has grown and evolved over the past four decades," said Jill Peterson public relations coordinator for the city of East Peoria "We hope the East Peoria Festival of Lights gets everyone in East Peoria and central Illinois into the holiday spirit.” Related: 30 years of the Festival of Lights: 1984-2014 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPAXTON (25News Now) - An East Peoria man was arrested in Paxton after allegedly communicating with a minor for sex Paxton Police and the Chaos Task Force said Kevin S was arrested on preliminary charges of indecent solicitation of a child Police alleged he was in communication with a minor 15 years of age or younger and had made his way to Paxton where he was arrested The Ford County Jail confirmed he is no longer in custody CIProud.com Dumpster fire at East Peoria Residence Inn Normal Council extends moratorium on short term rentals Lilija Stevens sworn in as new Washington mayor Rader Family Farms to offer apple picking this fall A local restaurant is celebrating Cinco de Mayo