🌱 Shooting Victim Declared Brain Dead + Scientist Makes Hall Of Fame

Hello, everybody! It's Tuesday in Peoria and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Because community news matters!

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and warmer. High: 61 Low: 48.

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Here are the 3 top stories in Peoria today:

1. The Greater Peoria Chapter of Jack and Jill of America is helping to fight food disparity in the city with their donation of $2,300 to the nonprofit Peoria Grown. They will also partner with Market 309 to help neighbors stock up on healthy food. According to a recent study, about 20 percent of children in Peoria County are food insecure. That number climbs to nearly 25 percent in Peoria's African American communities. (CIProud.com)
2. 15 miles away in Dunlap, a 22-year-old woman was declared brain dead on Sunday after she was shot by the father of her children Friday morning, according to authorities. The Peoria County Coroner's Office said that 22-year-old Alexis Boland of Princeville was an organ donor and her wishes will be honored after an autopsy is completed. Walter Artis, 26, was arrested in Morton hours after the shooting. (25 News Now)
3. A Peoria scientist responsible for the chemical compounds that would lead to the invention of absorbent diapers has been inducted into the USDA Agricultural Research Service Hall of Fame. George Fanta had worked at Peoria's Ag Lab for over 50 years before retiring in 2021. His induction is a big honor; with tens of thousands of researchers over the years, a little over 100 of them are in the Hall of Fame. (25 News Now)

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Today and tomorrow in Peoria:

Monday, April 18:

• Spring Butterfly Craft At Peoria Public Main Library (5:00 PM)

Tuesday, April 19:

• John Mellencamp At Peoria Civic Center Theater (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• It's Tax Day and what better way to de-stress than with free things! Check out this list of businesses offering free food or other big discounts at the link. (Peoria Journal Star)
• The Peoria Fire Department is reminding everyone of the importance of having working smoke detectors after a Monday morning fire. The residents were able to escape unharmed after being awoken by their smoke detectors. (25 News Now)
• The Freedom and Remembrance Memorial site on Peoria's South Side is one step closer to opening after the raising of the American flag and the Missing In Action and Prisoners of War flag. An official dedication ceremony is expected later this spring. (25 News Now)

You're all caught up for today! See you tomorrow morning 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.