🌱 Guilty Verdict In Peoria Murder Trial + New Mental Health Center

Welcome back, Peoria! Let's catch you up on the latest news making headlines in the city.

But first, today's weather: Hazy sunshine. High: 81 Low: 50.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Peoria today:

1. A man was convicted Wednesday of murdering a 50-year-old woman and leaving her body in the woods in East Peoria, according to WMBD. A jury found Christopher Sanders, 44, guilty of first-degree murder in the 2021 homicide of Mona Ellison. (25NN)

2. The driver of a stolen vehicle struck a Peoria police car Wednesday at the intersection of Sheridan and Lake, WMBD reports. No one was injured and the incident is being investigated. (WMBD)

3. A new mental health center is set to open in West Peoria. According to WMBD, Trillium Place and Carle Health will open the Young Minds Center next year in the former location of Heddington Oaks. (WMBD)

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Today in Peoria:

• "Tot Time: Outer Space" is held at the Peoria PlayHouse. (10 a.m.)
• Women In Leadership host a monthly luncheon. (11:30 a.m.)
• “Parks on Tap” visits Riverfront Park. (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Peoria police collected a car-full of groceries Saturday for families facing food insecurity in Central Illinois. Kroger customers donated to the “Pack the Cruiser” event. (PPD)
• The lineup is out for the Riverfront Summer Concert Series. (Park District)
• More than a dozen public swimming pools are open for the season. (Paid source: Journal Star)

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That's all for today!

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Peoria Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.