Peoria

PEORIA, Ill. -- Trees sparkled with lights, and stockings hung on mantels next to family portraits. The warm glow of Christmas beckoned from living rooms throughout this industrial city in middle America.But behind the tinsel lies a different truth. A divisive, six-month strike at the monolithic Caterpillar plants here has poisoned family relationships, pitting relative against relative.For these families in the heartland, labor strife has ripped a hole in the heart of Christmas."It's been like a civil war," said Larry Garrison, a 28-year employeeof Caterpillar Inc., manning the picket line outside his plant near Peoria.

The Single-A baseball game between Peoria and Dayton (Midwest League) had slipped into the realm of absurdity even before the first inning was over, as three hit batsmen - one struck in the head - resulted in a free-for-all between the two clubs. It was ratcheted up several notices when Peoria pitcher Julio Castillo took the inadvisable step of hurling a baseball at the home Dayton dugout, missed and hit a fan who had to be taken away on a stretcher. Castillo was arrested and jailed. The umpires, trying to restore order under riotous conditions, ejected 15 players and both managers.

PEORIA, Ill. - It's a tricky business, taking the pulse of Peoria. As in any town, opinions vary - from the tugboat operators guiding barges up the Illinois River to the fresh-faced boys, lean as cornstalks, in town for the state high school basketball tournament to the Lebanese restaurant chef whose eyes dart between the war on television and the parsley she is chopping for tomorrow's tabouli. Go to the One World Cafe, a coffee house on the fringe of Bradley University and you're likely to hear one thing.

Caterpillar Inc. Shares climbed 68 cents, or 1 percent, to $65.93. Strong international growth offset weakness in the United States and lifted the Peoria, Ill.-based construction equipment company's quarterly profit 11 percent.

PEORIA, Ariz. - How will it play in Peoria? The answer to that often-asked question may depend on whether "it" comes with air conditioning and a side of guacamole. In a striking sign of the Sun Belt's growing sway, Peoria, Ill. - the quintessential heartland city invoked by countless politicians, marketers and show-biz producers in their pursuit of the typical American - has been bypassed in size by its lesser-known cousin, Peoria, Ariz. According to U.S. Census estimates released last month, the Phoenix suburb had 123,319 residents, an increase of 13 percent in just two years, putting it ahead of the Rust Belt city on the Illinois River, which declined slightly to 112,670.

CLEVELAND -- Peoria.You hear that word and what do you think?Cows. Chickens. Hayrides. Rural Illinois and 4-H clubs."Everybody just assumes that I'm a big country boy," said Jim Thome, who is Peoria's most famous citizen these days.Aren't you? "I grew up in the inner city," Thome said.You look hard at the Cleveland Indians third baseman. The inner city? In Peoria? You didn't know that Peoria had enough neighborhoods to start dividing up the city. Besides, didn't Thome grow up milking cows and shucking corn?

NEW YORK -- After months of controversy on Capitol Hill, the debate over the television industry's on-air parental guidelines is moving today to the viewers for whom they were intended:Three hundred families from Peoria, Ill., the town that is synonymous with Middle American values and market research, will rate the ratings in a televised, "Oprah"-style congressional hearing.The families -- who agreed to watch television closely last week to prepare for the hearing -- will tell moderator Sander Vanocur and the members of a House subcommittee what they think of the 4-month-old ratings system and how it helps -- or does not help -- them to screen out potentially objectionable programming.

CollegesNavy -- Named Don DeVoe men's basketball coach.HockeySt. Louis Blues -- Recalled G Guy Hebert from Peoria of the IHL.

HockeySt. Louis Blues -- Assigned D Jeff Batters and F Patrice Tardif to IHL Peoria. Sent junior players Jamie Rivers to OHL Sudbury and QMJHL Stephane Roy.

Caterpillar Inc. Shares climbed 68 cents, or 1 percent, to $65.93. Strong international growth offset weakness in the United States and lifted the Peoria, Ill.-based construction equipment company's quarterly profit 11 percent.

On December 7, 2005, BERTHA LOUISE POCOCK (nee Borleis); beloved wife of the late John Edward Pocock; devoted mother of Barbara Lee Coady of Ellicott City, Berta Lou Dietz and husband Donald of Anchorage, Alaska; loving grandmother of Layne Coady, Leslie Dietz, Dana Handeland and Drew Dietz. She is also survived by six great grandchildren, a loving brother Fred L. Borleis and wife Dorothy of White Marsh, MD, a devoted friend John Trace of Peoria, AZ, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

PEORIA, Ariz. - How will it play in Peoria? The answer to that often-asked question may depend on whether "it" comes with air conditioning and a side of guacamole. In a striking sign of the Sun Belt's growing sway, Peoria, Ill. - the quintessential heartland city invoked by countless politicians, marketers and show-biz producers in their pursuit of the typical American - has been bypassed in size by its lesser-known cousin, Peoria, Ariz. According to U.S. Census estimates released last month, the Phoenix suburb had 123,319 residents, an increase of 13 percent in just two years, putting it ahead of the Rust Belt city on the Illinois River, which declined slightly to 112,670.

PEORIA, Ill. - It's a tricky business, taking the pulse of Peoria. As in any town, opinions vary - from the tugboat operators guiding barges up the Illinois River to the fresh-faced boys, lean as cornstalks, in town for the state high school basketball tournament to the Lebanese restaurant chef whose eyes dart between the war on television and the parsley she is chopping for tomorrow's tabouli. Go to the One World Cafe, a coffee house on the fringe of Bradley University and you're likely to hear one thing.

How much would you be willing to pay for a brand-new laptop computer? Ten dollars? Fifty? Do we hear $100?A new company has entered the growing world of online auction sites, and Baltimore is playing guinea pig for the venture."

NEW YORK -- After months of controversy on Capitol Hill, the debate over the television industry's on-air parental guidelines is moving today to the viewers for whom they were intended:Three hundred families from Peoria, Ill., the town that is synonymous with Middle American values and market research, will rate the ratings in a televised, "Oprah"-style congressional hearing.The families -- who agreed to watch television closely last week to prepare for the hearing -- will tell moderator Sander Vanocur and the members of a House subcommittee what they think of the 4-month-old ratings system and how it helps -- or does not help -- them to screen out potentially objectionable programming.

CLEVELAND -- Peoria.You hear that word and what do you think?Cows. Chickens. Hayrides. Rural Illinois and 4-H clubs."Everybody just assumes that I'm a big country boy," said Jim Thome, who is Peoria's most famous citizen these days.Aren't you? "I grew up in the inner city," Thome said.You look hard at the Cleveland Indians third baseman. The inner city? In Peoria? You didn't know that Peoria had enough neighborhoods to start dividing up the city. Besides, didn't Thome grow up milking cows and shucking corn?

On December 7, 2005, BERTHA LOUISE POCOCK (nee Borleis); beloved wife of the late John Edward Pocock; devoted mother of Barbara Lee Coady of Ellicott City, Berta Lou Dietz and husband Donald of Anchorage, Alaska; loving grandmother of Layne Coady, Leslie Dietz, Dana Handeland and Drew Dietz. She is also survived by six great grandchildren, a loving brother Fred L. Borleis and wife Dorothy of White Marsh, MD, a devoted friend John Trace of Peoria, AZ, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

The Single-A baseball game between Peoria and Dayton (Midwest League) had slipped into the realm of absurdity even before the first inning was over, as three hit batsmen - one struck in the head - resulted in a free-for-all between the two clubs. It was ratcheted up several notices when Peoria pitcher Julio Castillo took the inadvisable step of hurling a baseball at the home Dayton dugout, missed and hit a fan who had to be taken away on a stretcher. Castillo was arrested and jailed. The umpires, trying to restore order under riotous conditions, ejected 15 players and both managers.

Indians: Cleveland designated hitter Eddie Murray played in his 2,821st game, moving past Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and into 13th place on the career list.Mariners: The club announced that Chris Bosio, on the disabled list with an ailing right knee after off-season surgery, will make a start for Single-A Lancaster on Monday. He pitched five innings in minor-league spring training in Peoria, Ariz., yesterday.Pub Date: 4/04/96

BOSTON -- The Green Bay Packers are the new living-room pet of sports. They are the last pro sports team that does not play in a metropolis. They almost made the Super Bowl, but were beaten by the Dallas Cowboys.The Packers, the only nonprofit, publicly owned pro team in a city of 98,466, were proclaimed ''America's Small-Town Team'' by the New York Times business pages. The players leap into the stands after touchdowns. Players sneak bratwurst from fans at tailgate parties. While the Cowboys are the most ostentatious and insufferable winners in sports, the Times called the Packers, 120 miles from the state's biggest city, Milwaukee, a ''refreshing exercise in public pride and a mutual long-term commitment.