Tulsa police arrested three people in connection with a deadly shooting over the weekend near 56th Street North and Peoria Investigators said at least six people went into the victim's home and assaulted him was attacked in his home by a group of people that included Decorian Coleman (Washington's cousin) 16-year-old Mar'quice West and 19-year-old Contu "Tu" Everett Deputies with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office arrested Everett on Tuesday Tulsa Police arrested Coleman and West previously police say Coleman and West returned to the house later that night and West used a rifle to shoot the victim once in the stomach Previous: 1 killed in shooting at Tulsa home Sunday night; Investigators seeking leads about suspect 16-year-old Mar'quice West and 19-year-old Contu \"Tu\" Everett Previous: 1 killed in shooting at Tulsa home Sunday night; Investigators seeking leads about suspect and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office is reminding citizens to avoid driving through flooded areas With the departure of one national chain from 9315 N another national retail chain is moving into the North Peoria location The property is the future site of a Dollar Tree discount variety store expected to open in early February The building neighbors the Kroger located off Knoxville Avenue The CVS pharmacy here closed in 2022 as part of a nationwide shuttering of more than 300 locations expected between 2022 and 2024. The property was vacant for two years before being sold for $750,000 to Joseph Ocala LLC, a Florida-based firm run by the Peoria-based Joseph Health Group. Dollar Tree currently operates 12 stores in the greater Peoria area — six in Peoria two in East Peoria and one each in Bartonville More: Beck's has had 'preliminary' discussions with city officials about a new location on Knoxville Avenue. The Peoria City Council is the last governing body yet to approve plans for a new subdivision in the city’s northwest corner The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously passed the proposal to turn just over 19 acres west of Radnor Road and north of Alta Lane into 34 single-family residential lots and 15 duplex lots call the development Kona Breeze Subdivision City staff says the subdivision fills the last piece of a development plan that dates back years starting with annexation of the land in 2005 According to a report from city staff the proposal is generally in line with the city’s unified development code it includes an almost 700-foot cul-de-sac — longer than the city code’s 400-foot limit Staff told the Planning and Zoning commission members that other developments in Peoria allow for longer-than-regulation cul-de-sacs and staff had no objections The proposed plat is nestled beside Trailview Estates and requires expanding streets heading out of the existing development The area lies within Dunlap School District 323 No one spoke during an opportunity for public comment on the proposed project The proposal moves forward to the Peoria City Council's meeting for its vote on Tuesday Become a WCBU sponsor Peoria will no longer pursue the development of an airport City officials had been eyeing a possible airport and business development for state land in north Peoria including restrictions due to adjacent land “We were looking at more of a Scottsdale-esque size airport and trying to see what we could actually accomplish to where we could actually bring more business travelers to the West Valley and be able to have more of a corporate jet community here in the Northwest Valley," said Mayor Jason Beck He says the plan involved working with others “We were never planning on building an airport with taxpayer dollars What we had always intended to do is work with an airport provider that would actually go down this path and have a private airport that would be a private/municipal airport partnership," he said The study determined that economic development is still possible in the area Deputy City Manager Mike Faust clarified that private parties can still pursue an airpark Plans to build a new subdivision in North Peoria were unanimously approved by the Peoria City Council on Tuesday night The council approved plans to build the 19-acre Peoria Kona Breeze subdivision on its consent agenda with no debate Realty Green Acres LLC is proposing to build a subdivision with 34 single-family homes and 15 duplexes that will sit on a parcel of land just north of Alta Road and west of Radnor Road in Peoria Kona Breeze will sit adjacent to the Trail View Estates subdivision and an Ameren power substation and feed into the Dunlap School District. The plot of land was annexed to the city of Peoria in 2005 Plans for the subdivision include a 693-foot cul-de-sac which would be longer than the 400-foot limit allowed by the city That cul-de-sac would be an extension of West Hearthwood Drive which currently ends where the new subdivision would begin North Sawmill Lane would also be extended south to accommodate the new subdivision More: From road projects to public safety, how Trump funding freeze could impact Peoria CIProud.com Garage fire in North Peoria destroys vehicles Fire breaks out in Peoria’s East Bluff Monday afternoon Everybody’s Got a Story: Megan Couri Gives Back to Community Through Art ‘This world can be a better place,’ says speaker at 33rd annual MLK luncheon Congressman Sorensen addresses concerns at Peoria town hall What's the cheapest day of the week to buy gas Two men are dead after a head-on crash near N Peoria Avenue and East 46th Street North authorities said Officials said one was dead on arrival and the other died at the hospital One car was travelling southbound trying to pass a vehicle which led him into oncoming traffic where the crash happened Tulsa Police are still on-scene gathering more information regarding the crash where it will assemble and test microchips for the semiconductor industry Notably, the plan will support companies like Apple Inc. and the nearby Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Amkor’s complex will be the largest of its kind in the nation and will create about 2,000 jobs in the northwest Valley Here’s what we know so far about Amkor’s plans to expand the footprint of the Silicon Desert is an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test Company it’s become a leading provider of testing and packaging semiconductors for major companies like TSMC and Intel The company employs about 30,000 people in 11 countries Semiconductor packaging for cell phones makes up half of Amkor’s overall revenue Another 21% of its business comes from testing microchips for the automotive industry Amkor will test and package microchips that TSMC is producing at its north Phoenix complex for Apple In July, Amkor was awarded $600 million in CHIPS Act subsidies for the project When is Amkor starting construction?In November Amkor closed on 56 acres of property that the master-planned Vistancia Development community owned off Loop 303 and Lone Mountain Parkway It purchased the slice of Vistancia’s 320-acre commercial core called Five North at Vistancia for over $4.12 million It was gifted the remaining 50 as part of the three-way development agreement it entered with the city of Peoria and Vistancia in February it must get construction going by the end of September 2025 The first phase of the plant must be finished by Sept Failure to do so means Amkor will pay the city $5,000 daily until the phase one portion of the site is completed Amkor’s facility must be fully built by September 2034 it also must have invested at least $700 million in site improvements and construction That includes $2.1 million in turn-lane improvements between Lone Mountain Parkway and Desert Cactus Lane, a requirement outlined in a subsequent three-way agreement with Peoria and Vistancia As required in the initial development agreement Amkor must meet a series of employment benchmarks throughout the facility’s construction it must employ at least 550 full-time workers Here’s how that must break down over the coming years: Another 300 employees must be working at the plant when it is fully open Failing to hire the minimum number of employees by the milestone dates would put the company on the hook for $5,000 a month but not to exceed $2.4 million until it reaches the agreed-upon goal City officials have explained that while Amkor is responsible for creating 850 total jobs The company and the city have expressed confidence in surpassing that minimum as Amkor has touted the creation of about 2,000 jobs about a third of the jobs will comprise engineers with a bachelor’s degree or higher most of whom will need an associate’s degree High school-level graduates with a background and interest in STEM education will round out the rest of the Amkor team in Peoria Construction is underway to create more homes near Amkor’s and TSMC’s facilities in the north Valley Developers of a 6,500-home community called Saddleback broke ground last month near Loop 303 and Vistancia Boulevard The 5,300-acre development will have 2,500 acres of open space and neighborhood parks A few miles east, off 83rd Avenue and Happy Valley Road, a 903-square-foot mixed-use project called The Trailhead is being built It includes a shopping center with retail and restaurant space Other developers are eyeing land directly around TSMC applied to rezone a five-acre site for a 147-unit affordable housing complex near 30th Avenue and Deer Valley Road And Georgia-based homebuilder PulteGroup submitted applications to Phoenix to rezone about 6,300 acres for a proposed development that could include nearly 20,000 housing units Before PulteGroup can proceed with the development it must first acquire the land through a public auction as the state land department currently owns the property the city is committed to providing Amkor with a maximum of 980,000 gallons daily of reclaimed water during the project’s first phase and nearly 2 million gallons daily for both phases Amkor will pay the city 50% of the costs to treat the reclaimed water It also must return at least 80% of its wastewater after retreating it through an industrial pretreatment program the company must build “in principle,” to collaboratively design and construct a recycled water facility Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami A fire on Saturday caused $200,00 in damage to a gym under construction in Peoria Firefighters and paramedics responded about 10 a.m. to 2924 W. Townline Road on a report of smoke in the building, according to a news release from the Peoria Fire Department. Crews reported light smoke showing from a large commercial building that was under construction. The site is the future home of Titan Fitness The building owner was on scene and said the structure was empty and all those who had been working at the site were accounted for Fire crews found heavy smoke coming from a sauna that was in the bathroom of the building How much will it snow in central Illinois? Here's the latest forecast Crews opened the sauna and surrounding walls finding heavy fire that had spread to the void space of the ceiling The blaze was extinguished within 15 minutes Crews were on scene for hours ventilating smoke from the structure and checking for further spread A fire investigator determined the cause to be accidental Titan Fitness owners announced plans in 2023 to build a new $3.5 million gym near the intersection of Townline Road and West Grand Parkway behind the Walmart on Allen Road the deputies of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office arrested a man accused of abandoning puppies deputies were dispatched to 10600 N Peoria Avenue for a possible animal dumping after 4:30 pm Witnesses told deputies that they saw a man dumping four German Shepard puppies and a female dog on the side of the road the suspect reportedly threw hamburger buns on the ground before driving away TCSO said the witnesses provided deputies with a picture of the van and tag number The vehicle came back as belonging to 51-year-old Israel Hernandez Razo Razo was arrested on five counts of abandoning animals on public or private roadway The last undeveloped piece of a Peoria growth cell established nearly 20 years ago is one step closer to becoming a new 19-acre subdivision On Thursday, the Peoria Planning and Zoning Commission approved a preliminary plat design for a new subdivision to be built in North Peoria that would have 34 single-family homes and 15 duplexes in what city officials said would be the final piece of development for an area tabbed for housing in the early 2000s The subdivision will be located in the Dunlap School District Peoria Assistant Director of Community Development Leah Allison told the commission that the area the subdivision is proposed to be built on which sits north of Alta Road and west of Radnor Road is the last chunk of undeveloped land in a growth cell the city established in 2007 More: A look back at major road projects in Peoria this year, and what's coming in 2025 which includes the existing subdivisions to the north and east was first established and targeted for residential growth in North Peoria it was allotted a capacity of 258 lots to meet the threshold the sewer system could handle Allison said the city has been keeping close track of the sewer capacity as the development has continued in the growth cell This final development will bring the total number of lots in the cell to 257 engineer and plat designer Steve Kerr told the commission The area the subdivision is proposed to be built on was originally eight acres larger but Ameren purchased that land to expand its electric substation which sits directly west of the proposed subdivision Preliminary plat designs — which include a waiver for a 693-foot cul-de-sac longer than the 400-foot limit allowed by the city — were approved unanimously by the planning and zoning commission on Thursday No one spoke against the subdivision proposal Final approval of the plan will head to the Peoria City Council on Jan More: 2 Illinois cities have highest property taxes in country relative to home value, study says Pleasant weather in Illinois also carries construction season with it Several road projects are scheduled in Springfield this year Here are a few of the major ones that could impact your commute as well as an overpass between 11th Street and 19th Street The city will also be coordinating construction of railroad tracks for the new Union Pacific corridor from Ridgley Avenue to Stanford Avenue In October, the project received more than $150 million in federal funding to help finish the massive project The SRIP is on track to complete in August of 2027 More: Illinois drivers may soon be able to get retro license plates for their vehicles Welcome centers are being replaced on Interstate 55 northbound at mile marker 102 and southbound at mile marker 104 The $27 million project is started last summer and are expected to complete in summer of 2026 Construction is expected continue until spring of 2026 the state plans to expand the portion of the interstate to three lanes in each direction Two lanes of traffic will be open for travel in each direction with the use of the shoulders as adapted lanes There will be intermittent lane closures throughout the summer More: Here are the 10 most dangerous intersections in Springfield These projects are overseen by the city and the Illinois Department of Transportation The city will be milling and overlaying various streets This means workers will resurface the streets by applying a new layer of material as the following streets will be resurfaced: Washington the city will overlay 11th Street from Madison to Reynolds More: New think tank report finds Illinois highways among the worst in the US. Here's why The city spends around $13 million annually on standard maintenance with overlays He added that every dollar spent on preventative maintenance saves $10 in reactive maintenance "so we always try to do the right improvements at the right time for the streets in order to spread the taxpayer's dollars further and keep our streets in good functioning condition." Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register He can be reached at tackerman@gannett.com Roughly 500 north Peoria residents packed a gymnasium last week seeking answers about the massive industrial complex Amkor Technology will soon develop near their homes which is looking to support the region’s growing semiconductor industry sparked outrage and a host of environmental concerns since announcing its plans to double the size of its advanced packaging campus within the upscale Vistancia community Company and city officials called the move a business decision as Amkor will need to meet its customers’ growing demands for microchips amid the explosion of artificial intelligence But for Vistancia residents who looked to raise their families or retire in the quiet the expanded complex will further disrupt their way of life as it’ll neighbor their homes "That tranquility is now under serious threat," Peoria resident Michael Lindbeck told The Arizona Republic in a letter to the editor this week He and his neighbors are questioning how the project will affect their community’s air and demanding to know the types of chemicals Amkor is planning to use The growing consternation comes months before Amkor must start building the campus just west of Loop 303 between Lone Mountain Parkway and Vistancia Boulevard Looking to provide explanations to the community’s pressing concerns newly seated Councilmember Matt Bullock hosted a "talk-show-format" town hall in Vistancia on Thursday night That meant those in attendance couldn’t step up to microphones and ask their questions he worked to keep the hourlong discussion light by peppering in jokes and anecdotes while encouraging everyone to submit their inquiries online so he and the city could answer them later quickly wore thin with one resident garnering applause when she shouted for Bullock to “talk about what’s important.” alongside City Manager Henry Darwin and Deputy City Manager Mike Faust sharing details of the project and how it must follow environmental protections and design standards set by the city Amkor’s impending arrival is meant to foster the economic development Peoria officials have planned in the northern corridor That’s where the city wants to create a hub for innovation, helping it become a major player in the Silicon Desert, which the nearby Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in north Phoenix has helped spur Peoria and the master-planned Vistancia Development signed a three-way agreement that set the groundwork for the company to build its $2 billion complex Amkor will support the region’s expanding semiconductor ecosystem by testing and packaging microchips for data centers and smartphones it will also test semiconductors for the automotive industry the facility will span about 2 million square feet with some structures as tall as 118 feet — roughly twice the overall size Amkor initially planned to build The nearest neighborhood is about a quarter of a mile from the facility Within that distance is also the American Leadership Academy a new charter school being built along El Mirage Road Amkor must get construction going by September it must also meet a series of development and employment benchmarks or face city-imposed fines While the agreement commits Amkor to hire at least 850 people by the time the plant opens in September 2034 the company expects to deliver 2,000 jobs to the northwest Valley Vistancia residents have raised questions over Amkor’s project in the past year but their dismay grew louder in early January after the company announced that the complex was doubling Expressing their frustrations to the media and at City Council meetings many have said they felt misled by Amkor and local leaders for not notifying the public sooner about the project’s expanded footprint who largely oversees economic development around Peoria confirmed that the city learned of the updated plans “toward the tail end of the year.” Faust and a city spokesperson did not provide a specific date “That’s when we asked Amkor to come to a community meeting,” he said the most logical place to land it was the first of January We didn’t think it was appropriate to try to land it a week before Christmas.” Amkor’s senior vice president and chief of staff of its business unit unveiled the updated concept at a community meeting on Jan He acknowledged that the initial concept for the project was “a little bit smaller” and “shorter” than what’s now being proposed we have to have a large-scale facility to be competitive in the United States,” he said noting that it prompted the company’s decision to “put a second manufacturing floor on the building which increased the height.” residents have implored the council to withdraw its support for the project and are advocating for Amkor to find a new site Councilmember Bullock explained at the town hall last week Citing a recent conversation he had with company officials Bullock said Amkor can’t delay its project by waiting months to purchase land elsewhere “We cannot wait that long because of the business that we're in,” he said paraphrasing Amkor’s position on the matter “If they don't get building quickly — again Company officials also told Bullock that Amkor would face financial penalties from the city if it does not start building soon. It could lose its funding from the CHIPS and Science Act the Biden-era legislation that invested billions of federal dollars to strengthen the nation's role in making microchips Amkor secured $407 million in federal funding for the project in December Bullock noted that the grant comes with strings attached notably requirements for the facility to undergo routine site inspections and audits That’s in addition to state- and city-led inspections “They'll have a state inspector on site all the time and they'll have city inspectors on site regularly doing audits,” he said they have to put themselves in a position for that to happen.” a resident shouted: "Are there smokestacks?" Bullock responded that the facility wouldn't have smokestacks residents still have environmental concerns Many want to know about the types of chemicals Amkor plans to use Others have expressed doubt about the capabilities of the city’s infrastructure to adequately maintain the quality of water coming out of Amkor’s facility The group Citizens for Smart Growth worries that the reclaimed water Amkor sends back to the city will be contaminated “forever chemicals” and seep into city aquifers Addressing the residents’ concerns about environmental impacts City Manager Darwin touted his experience as a former chief operating officer at the U.S Amkor will only use reclaimed water from one of the city’s wastewater reclamation facilities The city will first treat that domestic wastewater at the reclamation site before sending it to Amkor ensuring it meets the Clean Water Act and city standards before sending it back to the city the city must provide Amkor with a maximum of 980,000 gallons daily of reclaimed water during the project’s first phase of the buildout and nearly 2 million gallons a day for both phases Amkor will pay the city 50% of the costs to treat the reclaimed water over the next decade “There will be no discharges of wastewater to the ground surface,” Darwin said “It will all be discharged from our sewer system and discharged to our system in a manner that does not negatively affect the operations of our wastewater treatment facilities.” the city and Maricopa County will require the company to provide a list of the substances found on site “They are still in the process of working with this with the county and with the city on that list,” he said adding that the city will publish the list when it is available In an emailed statement following the town hall Amkor echoed the sentiment but did not provide an estimated timeline on when that list will be submitted to the county and city “Our employees are specially trained to handle and our facilities are designed to accommodate substances associated with semiconductor testing and packaging,” the company stated follow all state and federal laws governing the handling of those substances and their public disclosure.” There have been no reports of violations or citations issued against Amkor by the U.S. EPA. Maricopa County's Environmental Services said it hasn't received any complaints related to Amkor's Tempe office The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality was not immediately available Tuesday to confirm whether it has gotten any complaints related to Amkor a new school and two shopping centers with grocery stores already located near the Amkor site residents have also raised questions about traffic impacts Faust noted that the facility will be highly automated meaning “the amount of people working in the facility relative to the square footage is much lower than you might think.” Amkor intends to schedule shift changes at 4 a.m to avoid placing any additional strain on traffic during the morning and afternoon rush hours He also highlighted a handful of road improvement projects underway or will soon get started around Vistancia One of those is the state-led effort to finish El Mirage Road so it connects Loop 303 in the south and Jomax Road in the north After the town hall, Faust also pointed to a separate three-way development agreement Amkor, the city and Vistancia signed last fall that obligates them all to complete millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements to the area Thursday’s town hall came weeks after Amkor submitted its site plans for the project which must get approved before the company can file its construction plans Zoning and property rights governing the use of Amkor’s land have long been established Maricopa County approved the master plan development for Vistancia (formerly Lakeland Village) in 1999 Peoria annexed the Five North portion of the development two years later Planning Director Chris Jacques told The Republic last month that the city has the responsibility during the evaluation process “to determine that the facility and campus conforms with all relevant regulatory requirements in place." is arguing that the project does not comply with Peoria’s General Plan a municipality’s voter-approved road map for long-term growth The group is encouraging the city to reject the site plans In a letter sent to the city on the day of the town hall Smart Growth’s attorney Tim La Sota pointed to a section of the General Plan that shows how Amkor’s land is designated as a “mixed-use neighborhood village center.” areas in the entire country that can be described as a ‘neighborhood village center’ that features a 2 million square foot 118-foot industrial packaging and/or manufacturing facility,” La Sota stated hotels and educational institutions are among the typical uses that the General Plan allows in a neighborhood village center “Not one of those typical uses would indicate the type of large-scale industrial use contemplated by Amkor,” La Sota stated While the city’s attorney is drafting a response to La Sota’s letter a Peoria spokesperson told The Republic on Monday: “Amkor represents a significant employment center and this project further advances Council’s strategic priority of Economic Development."   A review of the General Plan shows that it does allow neighborhood village centers to include "employment" and "civic" uses The employment use is classified into two categories: business commerce and industrial Bullock said that residents can expect Amkor to launch a communication blitz in March as well as mailers to the 8,500 Vistancia homes Amkor will also lead additional town halls and create a webpage to provide information about the project Amkor will continue to communicate with the Peoria community and broader public to address concerns,” the company stated in an email “We recognize this is an ongoing process and are committed to providing as much information as possible as plans proceed.” Like this story? Get more West Valley news straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free weekly West Valley Newsletter Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami (Editor's note: An earlier version of this story contained an incorrect spelling of the victim's last name.) (This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.) The Peoria County Coroner's Office has identified the man killed Saturday night trying to cross a street in north Peoria before being hit by a Volvo Theodore P. Connor, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene after he was hit by a grey 2000 Volvo while trying to cross Allen Road on Saturday night. Coroner Jamie Harwood said that at 6:24 p.m., they, along with Illinois State Police were called to the intersection of Allen Road and Willow Knolls Drive in north Peoria after they received a report of a man struck by a vehicle Harwood said Connor had "severe" multiple blunt force trauma injuries and broken bones The Volvo was driven by a 19-year-old from Springfield who was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries Witnesses told state police and the coroner's office that the Volvo was driving along southbound Allen Road when Connor attempted to cross and was hit State police and the coroner's office are continuing to investigate the accident More: Man killed in fatal car wreck on Interstate 74 Monday morning near Goodfield A 44-year-old Peoria man died Saturday when he was hit by a car while attempting to cross a busy North Peoria street Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood on Monday identified the victim as Theodore P Harwood said autopsy results indicate Connor suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries and broken bones The incident occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m near the intersection of Allen Road and Willow Knolls Drive According to the Illinois State Police witnesses said Connor entered the southbound right lane of Allen just south of the intersection in an attempt to cross the roadway He was struck by a gray Volvo driven by a 19-year-old Springfield man who was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening Southbound Allen remained closed for close to five hours State Police said the investigation remains active A man is dead after a shooting early Monday morning in far north Peoria Peoria police responded to a report of four males breaking into vehicles just after midnight in the 8900 block of North Scrimshaw Drive officers were told multiple gunshots were fired A 22-year-old man was found with an apparent gunshot wound and was pronounced dead on the scene Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said Clay Megan of N New homes will soon be going up in Saddleback a new 5,300-acre northwest Valley community that eventually is projected to grow to 6,500 houses Lennar and Taylor Morrison – will launch the development in Peoria with more than 300 new houses that will be for sale next year “These renowned home builders bring us one step closer to achieving our vision to offer home buyers a myriad of options and price points,” said John McKinnerney which is developing the property near the Carefree Highway The western edge of the development will reach 169th Avenue Saddleback will include 2,500 acres of open space neighborhood parks and wellness-focused amenities “Exponential job growth" is expected in Peoria over the next decade Camelot is building a luxury gated community in Saddleback with properties that are expected to start at $1.5 million  “Peoria is experiencing incredible growth and we’re seeing increased interest in luxury homes in the area,” said Julie Hancock Camelot builds million-dollar homes in Scottsdale The northwest Valley is drawing big employers including TSMC and Amkor The West Valley is dominating home building and expected to for the next few decades president of new-home research firm RL Brown Reports The median new home price in the northwest Valley is about $650,000 That’s about $150,000 less than the Valley’s median new home price Lennar is building 289 houses in Saddleback’s Saltbrush neighborhood that will start in the $500,000s the desirability of this location for raising families along with the beautiful mountain setting are all fantastic reasons Saddleback is a great master plan,” said Jeff Gunderson senior vice president of land acquisition for Lennar Taylor Morrison is building 293 homes in Saddleback’s initial phase of development with multiple floor plans and lot sizes “We look forward for a bright future for north Peoria,” said Greg Vogel of Land Advisors Organization which brokered the land sales for the developer The Tulsa Housing Authority partnered with the City of Tulsa to build what it's calling the city's largest-ever investment in affordable housing Phoenix at 36N will be the first phase of a seven-phase redevelopment of the former Comanche Park public housing property The development is on the corner of North Peoria Avenue and East 36th Street North Ginny Hensley from the Tulsa Housing Authority says phase one of the project will include a four-story mid-rise building with 100 one and two-bedroom units over 3,000 square feet of retail commercial space The project is a part of Tulsa's second Choice Neighborhoods Initiative development THA and the City of Tulsa have been awarded $50 million from the U.S Department of Housing & Urban Development for the Envision Comanche plan it will be a 545 mixed-income housing unit with single-family homes “This area of Tulsa hasn’t had market rate apartments maybe ever and so we’re creating that market here and that’s really exciting for us and we think that it’s going to be a catalytic project in terms of spurring additional development along this corridor here at 36 Street," Hensley said Hensley says leasing for Phoenix at 36N should begin summer of next year and will offer Comanche Park residents the first right to return MaKayla Glenn graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and the National Association of Black Journalists MaKayla started with News On 6 in August 2022 “This area of Tulsa hasn’t had market rate apartments maybe ever and so we’re creating that market here and that’s really exciting for us and we think that it’s going to be a catalytic project in terms of spurring additional development along this corridor here at 36 Street,\" Hensley said so does the pressing question: Is there enough water to support everyone In Peoria, this concern is at the forefront. The city is unlocking thousands of acres for new development and welcoming a significant Amkor semiconductor plant Peoria is expanding its Beardsley Water Reclamation Facility aiming to increase its capacity and send more reclaimed water to the growing northern region of the city This expansion is crucial for treating the rising wastewater volumes and ensuring a sustainable water supply for the city's future wastewater undergoes a comprehensive treatment process it passes through tanks where bacteria break down organic matter and exposed to UV rays for final disinfection before being directed to a pump station that either sends the water north or replenishes aquifers Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip Connect with us: share@abc15.com Facebook | Instagram | YouTube “A lot of it is biological process and mechanical process and the rest of it is just gravity,” said City of Peoria Utility Treatment Supervisor Thomas Jessing the facility processes about four million gallons daily it will handle up to six million gallons each day equivalent to filling nine Olympic-sized swimming pools the plant may be expanded to treat up to nine million gallons This increased capacity will support North Peoria's rapid development and provide treated water for public green spaces While this reclaimed water isn't used for drinking its increased availability means that more potable water remains accessible to residents A notable example is Paloma Community Park which previously consumed 39 million gallons of potable water annually for lake maintenance and irrigation the park has transitioned to using reclaimed water Peoria also envisions the Peoria Innovation Core a 10.5-square-mile area in the city's north This initiative aligns with Mayor Jason Beck's vision for Peoria's development While the treated water won't flow from household taps (it's channeled through purple 'Do Not Drink' pipes) city officials emphasize its safety and its vital role in supporting Peoria's sustainable expansion Report a typo — 2 News is following the ongoing Phoenix 36N Project since the announcement in 2022 The project aims to bring more affordable housing to north Tulsa through the Tulsa Housing Authority we wanted to ensure everything is still going as planned 2 News visited the construction site and found the exterior four-story building is almost done there's a bodega store where residents can shop for fresh produce at a reduced price two-bath apartment is one of over 500 mixed income and sized units that will be available for residents the operations manager of Key Construction how he and his team are building the complex so quickly "We've got a great team of guys out here building this building They spend a lot of time planning and preparing so that when we do get guys on site we can build and go fast and do it right,” Betsworth said the Tulsa Housing Authority demolished Comanche Community Park off 36th North and North Peoria and began the 36N project WATCH: in June 2 News attended the project's groundbreaking and listened to residents of north Tulsa who had been ignored for affordable housing in previous years "All these different developments kind of all over Tulsa but we're also excited we aren't pricing people out of the neighborhood,” Rodalyn Abode said Ginny Hensley with Tulsa Housing Authority told us this project shows the city is trying to gain the trust back of north Tulsa "One of those reasons that's been so important is that a lot of promises were made to this community over the years The next steps for this project are finishing the exterior Tulsa Housing Authority told us as long as construction continues to run smoothly they will begin the leasing process for future residents in the summer of 2025 A vacant former CVS building in North Peoria is off the market The property at 9315 N. Lindbergh Drive in Peoria was sold for $750,000 to Joseph Ocala LLC, a Florida-based LLC run by the Joseph Health Group in Peoria did not return multiple Journal Star phone calls about the group's plans for the building It is unclear what plans are for the property but the exterior trim of the building has been painted green The CVS closed in 2022 and was part of a nationwide closing of over 300 CVS locations the company announced would take place between 2022 and 2024 a CVS in Peoria Heights and South Peoria have closed in recent years More: Former Family Dollar site in Peoria has been sold. Here's what we know A man was shot and killed in Far North Peoria early Monday morning after vehicle break-ins were reported near a Peoria apartment complex, according to the Peoria Police Department Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood later identified the victim as 22-year-old Clay Megan of North Scrimshaw Drive in Peoria Megan was shot in the neck and died instantly Police were called to the 8900 block of North Scrimshaw Drive shortly after midnight Monday morning on a report of four males breaking into vehicles While police were in route to the scene another report came in that gunshots had been fired at the same location The Journal Star reached out to Peoria police on Monday morning for more information on the person killed and the circumstances surrounding the shooting Peoria police spokesperson Semone Roth said there were "no additional details to release at this time."  Police are still investigating the incident and have no suspect information (This story was updated to add new information and a photo.) More: Peoria man pleads not guilty in shooting that killed 10-year-old boy near apartment PEORIA — Titan Fitness began the heavy lifting needed to restore its new site in Peoria and eventually resume construction Monday as part of recovery from a January fire Titan Fitness owner Chris Cupi, in a Facebook video update, said BluSky Restoration was on scene Monday to begin work in the facility Saunas, training and smoothies: Peoria gym plans to build new $3.5 million facility "We've been waiting for this quite a while and the insurance companies have released it … for people to be working in there and beginning the process of demolition and cleanup of the smoke smell and get us back going and get us back in the building." Firefighters and paramedics responded to 2924 W Townline Road on a report of smoke in the building according to a January news release from the Peoria Fire Department and there were no injuries and all workers were accounted for Titan Fitness and the city of Peoria entered a redevelopment agreement for the gym to construct a new $3.5 million facility The development includes a 30,000-square-foot 24-hour access facility with infrared saunas private training room and a child care area double the size of its current space Titan Fitness purchased the land for its new site for $525,000 More: Fire causes $200K in damage to gym building under construction in Peoria "We're moving forward and it will be worth the wait!!" declared a post on the Titan Facebook page, referring to the restoration process. Dates are not yet established for completion, but Titan promises updates via social media 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 Incumbent Peoria City Councilman Denis Cyr is being challenged by retired Caterpillar scientist Hind Abi-Akar in the city's 5th District that has historically been home to tight elections Peoria's expansive 5th District encompasses most of North Peoria but extends as far south as Prospect Road near Peoria Heights while reaching north of Mossville a financial adviser and former professional hockey player beating challenger Ryan Hite by a comfortable margin of 2,863 to 1,647 votes in 2017 he won the seat by a one-vote margin over Peoria's now-Mayor Rita Ali A challenge for the seat now presents itself in Abi-Akar a retired scientist who worked at Caterpillar for 28 years and earned a doctoral degree while working for NASA Both candidates spoke with the Peoria Journal Star ahead of April 1 general election to give their views on key issues facing the city Here's what to know about where each candidate stands: Why is each candidate in running for office in the 5th District?Cyr is running again in the 5th District because he feels he has built strong relationships across the city and points to his record as evidence that he has been an effective member of the council I just love serving my community the last eight years," Cyr said "I've started a lot of stuff in the 5th District and I'd like to keep working on some of the stuff I've started She told the Journal Star there have been a number of issues such as the city's controversial homelessness ordinance the city's backyard chicken debate and the shutdown of fire engines 20 and 8 that she feels Cyr has been on the wrong side of she wants to take a "step up" and serve the city as a councilmember More: 'Target on our backs': Why Peoria donating a fire engine to Ukraine sparked concerns "All of these (issues) we spoke up while we were there and it looked to me like we are really missing a good voice I was a bit taken aback with the level of involvement," Abi-Akar said believes his record on the council is his strong suit and endorsements he has garnered on the campaign trail are evidence to him that the district feels he's been a strong councilmember it's building relationships with the people of the 5th District of the city of Peoria is really my proudest achievement You look at all the people that are endorsing me right now there's 34 homeowners associations in the 5th District and a lot of them are endorsing me." that sparked Abi-Akar to challenge him in the election equity and I have this deep desire to really service the people where they are and there are a number of votes that he did where I would not have taken that route," Abi-Akar said based on evidence and based on my beliefs." Cyr and Abi-Akar agree on one key point when it comes to combatting crime in Peoria — the real solution to the problem is a long-term one that will take much effort from key stakeholders to put together and I look at it as a Christian man.," Cyr said "No one has ever told me my solution is wrong we need to go back to good education and good jobs When you achieve those three things crime will come down Now what's the timetable for something like this but really for a plan like this to work you need 10 or 20 years." Abi-Akar said Peoria needs to delve into understanding the "root causes" of crime to put together a long-term solution She points to things such as school truancy housing instability and lack of opportunities for people as some of the items that need to be addressed in putting together a solution but with experts and organizations that know how to deal with the issue," Abi-Akar said "The way I think about it is almost two-phased One is short-term where you have to deal with the issues here and now and understand where the areas are that are hot areas and why they are hot areas She also said she think Peoria has had some good ideas that have just gone in the wrong direction like the city's Cure Violence initiative that has recently been mired in controversy and is the subject of a police investigation regarding a potential misuse of funds More: Downtown Peoria will soon have a new councilperson. Here are their visions for growth but I think it was more of a mismanagement and to tell you the truth a lack of oversight," Abi-Akar said of Cure Violence "We did not discover this until down the road Youth crime in particular is a problem that has confounded police and city officials alike This has been an issue on Cyr's radar since he first joined the council and told the Journal Star it is a difficult problem to parse out in few words He said the City Council needs to take time to have "intelligent conversations" about youth crime "Eight years ago I sat down with the then-chief of police and he told me these kids start picking up guns at age 13.' We need to find a way to get to these kids when they're in school from six to 13," Cyr said there is enough blame to go around for everyone there I don't think we can blame just one person We need to have an intelligent conversation about what the problem is and what the solution is." Abi-Akar also said the key to solving youth crime is reaching children when they are young she said beginning in preschool the process should begin in evaluating support systems and opportunities for children She believes Peoria's business community could play an integral role in lowering youth crime rates Abi-Akar said setting up internship and other hands-on programs that bring youth into Peoria businesses take care of these kids and show them mentorship and show them a different way and a different world that they've never seen before," Abi-Akar said The city owes roughly $365 million in pension payments for public safety employees between now and 2040 It is a financial burden that looms over every city budget discussion at the yearly payments the city is required to make continue to rise Peoria paid pay $33.3 million toward pensions in 2024 and will pay $39.7 million by 2029 and an estimated $76 million in 2040 Public safety pensions are guaranteed by the state constitution in Illinois and current law requires pensions funds to be 90% funded by 2040 City Manager Patrick Urich has told the council on multiple occasions that public safety pension costs could someday put the city in a position where it would either have to raise revenues or cut services to meet the payments Both Cyr and Abi-Akar say the city needs to urge lawmakers in Springfield to take action on pensions and offer relief to municipalities Cyr said the city of Peoria is in the strongest financial position "probably that it's ever been" but said the time to make a plan for pensions is now More: Elections could drastically change the makeup of Peoria City Council "We've got enough money to probably keep paying for the next seven I've said before the party is in Springfield and they send us the bill right here in Peoria If Springfield does not do anything to help us out Cyr said the city will likely have to issue bond payments in the next seven to eight years to cover pension costs and said the council needs to make payments to "level off" the top of the mountain that is pension payments Abi-Akar said she would like to legislators in Springfield extend the pension funding deadline from 2040 to 2050 to give cities more room to work in making the payments legislators and the unions on a long-term solution would be the best route don't kick the can down the road," Abi-Akar said She added Peoria needs to keep "pushing the state" to come up with a solution but also meet with union leaders to find a resolution that could be mutually beneficial "This needs to remain on the table and discussed often and discussed by bringing in experts and by bringing in people who are impacted and talk with them," Abi-Akar said "But it has to be budgeted every single year and the state an extension from 2040 to 2050 is a good idea For months a looming decision from Boyd Gaming on how and where it will build its planned new casino facility in the Peoria area has caused a rift between leaders in Peoria and East Peoria who both believe the new facility should be built on their side of the Illinois River East Peoria believes that Peoria is overstepping by insisting that Boyd Gaming honor a decades-old contract signed between the two cities which states that should a land-based casino be built in the Peoria area that it must be built in Peoria Both Cyr and Abi-Akar have simple answers to this predicament They both believe that the contract is the contract and East Peoria and Boyd Gaming should honor it "The contract is black and white and I obviously am going to side on the side of the contract," Cyr said and I am sure they'll fight it and they're not going to easily give up But the contract is black and white and they should follow the contract But this is 2025 and I am sure it will end up in court somewhere." Abi-Akar said she also believes Peoria needs to stick with the contract saying "it was done for a reason." but it is an income base and I think we need to follow the contract .. We need to increase the tax base and that's through income So if we can come up with these businesses How should Peoria approach the next water company buyout discussion?Every five years the Peoria City Council is tasked with the question of whether or not it should purchase the city's water infrastructure system from Illinois American Water The council last tackled this issue in 2023 which means any new council members elected in this cycle will have to answer this question for themselves in 2028 In 2023 the estimated price tag to buy the water company was between around $277 million for a purchase price with Peoria needing to borrow roughly $345 million to make the deal The council ultimately voted 7-4 in 2023 not to move forward in the purchasing process but Cyr was one of four council members who voted yes on moving forward and said he thinks the council "at least" has the responsibility to look at it when it comes before them He did add there was "no appetite" to buy the water system from a majority of the council in 2023 it's going to depend on what the water rates are if there's an appetite for it or not — last time there was just not an appetite for it," Cyr said but I think overall we have a responsibility to have a discussion have a discussion when it comes back up again." Abi-Akar is skeptical that Peoria could handle operating the water infrastructure and would be hesitant to put the city into the water business can the city really manage this multi-million dollar .. is the city really in the business of managing this I would say no until I see real evidence that it can," Abi-Akar said you need really experts there and they are experts at what they do." One potential experiment Abi-Akar said she would support is Peoria utilizing federal funds available for lead pipe replacements to purchase a piece of the water infrastructure as almost a test run into seeing how and if the city is capable of managing the larger system Every candidate running in all of Peoria's municipal elections claims they are the best choice to support business growth and development in the city That sentiment is no different in the District 5 race Cyr believes that his record during his eight years on the council shows that he is the right choice for business in Peoria He also points to his career as both a small business owner and financial adviser as evidence that he is the right person for Peoria's business community in the 5th District "You don't get an endorsement like that unless you do a good job so again I think my record speaks for itself and I think I have been the best choice for small businesses for many years," Cyr said More: Perception vs. reality: Does Downtown Peoria have a crime problem? Cyr said the 5th District has seen developments in the time he's been there including two new TIF districts such as the one on Allen Road that is slated as the home for Maui Jim's new headquarters He also points to the Galena Road TIF that houses Natural Fiber Welding and plans to build a $40 million business park Abi-Akar said she believes Peoria's businesses community is lifted by manufacturing and said it is "absolutely foundational" the city works with the businesses But she also believes there is opportunity for city to attract green energy companies that work in manufacturing and processing of new trends we can take advantage of it," Abi-Akar said let's take advantage of that because these can be a source for green fuels She said Peoria needs to not just expand but expand with "sustainable businesses that are looking forward into the future." she said Peoria needs to loosen red tape and make it easier to do business by reducing fees and making permitting easier AZ — Residents in Peoria claim they were “misled” and “lied to” over Amkor’s development plans to build a high-tech chip packaging plant just off Loop 303 in Five North at Vistancia "We were originally told that Amkor was coming that it was going to be no more than 500,000 square feet total over two phases and the max height for it would be 54 feet,” Megan Staub “Our last community meeting with Amkor presented that it's now going to be about 2.1 million square feet and 118 feet tall so more than double what was originally told and sold to us.” Staub and a handful of other local Peoria residents told ABC15 they did not find out about the change in scale of the project until a community meeting last week when Amkor Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff in the Business Unit told the crowd “we’ll be pretty close to the TSMC height,” but “about one-third of the TSMC area.” "Every meeting has continually changed for what was promised,” another resident told ABC15 The updated proposal will employ roughly 2,000 employees and represent approximately two million square feet in size when the project is complete RELATED: CHIPS funding finalized for Amkor's West Valley packaging factory Peoria City Councilmember Matt Bullock said the decision to scale up was a business need and that Amkor always had the ability to expand under the zoning and entitlements on the property that date back to the 1990s "Since there was only a little bit of space to build out (footprint) they had to build up and add a second floor to double the assembly lines in each of the 2 buildings,” Bullock told ABC15 in an email "The City of Peoria could not say 'no' to the size and height when they were told by Amkor that Amkor was going to exercise its right to build to the limit of the zoning entitlement.” While Staub acknowledged the zoning didn’t change “The community doesn’t want an industrial building you know when there was no residential anything out here then maybe an industrial plant would've worked but it has definitely changed since 1990,” Staub said RELATED: Amkor gets 50 acres of donated land for $2 billion Peoria chip factory "The market demand for their services and recent infusion of federal dollars allows for the company to build at a size that continues to meet the zoning requirements of this site that have been in place for well over 20 years,” adding that "Amkor’s presence will spur the additional retail commercial and restaurants in the area by providing a daytime and nighttime customer base.” Amkor noted that it has not yet submitted its final site proposal to the city Residents told ABC15 that if Amkor doesn’t scale back or move locations "We just retired and now we’re thinking about moving again and it just breaks our hearts to have to do that,” Lee Cox said