🌱 Bob Michel Bridge Closes + Early Monday West Peoria Bar Shooting

Good morning, neighbors. It's Tuesday in Peoria and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and cold. High: 40 Low: 24.

🏠 If you're a real estate agent in Peoria, of course you're looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. We can help you do that with an exclusive sponsorship in the Peoria Patch newsletter. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Peoria today:

1. The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early Monday morning shooting incident that happened in West Peoria at KG’s Bar and Grill on Farmington Road. The initial call came in around 1:40 a.m. stating that several people had been shot. The victims left the scene and went to a local hospital, but deputies were able to learn the incident started with a fight in the parking lot. Currently, officials are looking for a suspect described as a Black man armed with a gun; no further information was available at the time of this writing. (25 News Now)
2. St. Patrick's Day hit nearby West Peoria a little early this year with the city's first-ever parade for the holiday on Saturday, Mar. 11. Crowds were decked in green and ready to celebrate their Irish heritage while cheering on more than 20 floats. The parade's grand marshal was a senior at Bradley University from West Peoria’s sister city in Ireland. (25 News Now)
3. Peoria-area drivers will need to be aware that the Bob Michel Bridge is closed as of Monday for improvements. If you typically use the bridge, you will now be detoured across the Illinois River on the Murray Baker Bridge carrying Interstate 74 from Peoria to East Peoria. The project is expected to be finished in November. (Journal Star)

Today in Peoria:

• Legally Blonde: The Musical At Peoria Civic Center Theater (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• There are only a few days left to get tickets for the Styx show on Thursday being held at the Peoria Civic Center Theater at 7:30 p.m. They're doing a world tour for their latest album, Crash of the Crown. (Discover Peoria)
• In case you missed it, Pinky's down in nearby Tremont opened for the season this past Saturday. If you're ready for some ice cream, make sure to check the calendar to find out the store's hours. (Discover Peoria)
• It's Pi Day, and what better way to celebrate than with hands-on pie fun over at the Fondulac District Library in East Peoria. Kids from 8 to 14 years old will have some fun with Pi Day activities, including making a pie for a snack. (Fondulac District Library)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (March 14)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today! See you all soon for another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.