Sunday’s Journal Star brings news of “a few changes.” There’s no longer a separate business section in Sunday’s paper, so they’ve moved Paul Gordon’s column into section A and axed the Wall Street Journal content. In the comics section, they’re discontinuing “Hi & Lois,” “Hagar the Horrible,” “Prince Valiant,” and “Comics for Kids,” all of which produce new strips every week. They’re keeping the “Peanuts” reruns from the 80s, though. With the elimination of the KidzBuzz page, that cuts the comics section to four pages.
They’re also discontinuing the “Faith & Values” page, the “Pet World” column by Steve Dale, and Joan Lloyd’s column. Lloyd’s column will be replaced with a column called “Shoestring Living” (apropos, don’t you think?) by Chicago freelance writer Molly Logan Anderson.
Subscription rates were raised in October, and just last month the paper laid off 11 employees including Sports editor Bill Liesse, Statehouse bureau reporter Adriana Colindres, and State editor Lisa Coon. Now they’re cutting a little more content, probably to save on newsprint costs.
I’m guessing that by the end of the year, the Journal Star will be a two page newsletter- and a huge advertising supplement. That’s just about what it is now.
I have been taking the paper for most of my adult life. I am getting really close to canceling it. I hate the idea of not having a local paper with local news but the content is getting really poor. I can read the headlines on their web site and get AP stories online so why do people buy it?
Bill Dennis was right. The scenario he gave when Gatehouse took over PJS was right on the money, I’m sorry to say. A once-fine news service has stagnated.
I just paid for another 8 weeks subscription to the Journal Star. I too, have been getting the paper for almost 25 years. I am not really sure I will re-up my subscription in eight weeks. Paper price goes up, paper gets SMALLER. I used to read the Pekin Times in about 8 minutes. I can now read the entire journal star in that time……what’s going on?
Please understand that the decision to make cuts did not come from the PJS but from the (unprintable words inserted here)company that owns (and is ruining) them. The PJS had no choice or say in this decision.
I find it very sad. I would love to see an employee-owned paper – even online only – develop in our community. We must have a free press to stay free.
sad to say but this is a problem in alot of cities across the country like Peoria. I think it may just be a matter of time before the printed paper is history.
C.J. – Off topic here but are you going to post your thoughts on the PJStar article about the Main Street facelift being back on the agenda for some council persons? I really want to better understand the issues. I don’t live in this area but love it nonetheless and would like to see the area be all that it can be.
Here is my HOWEVER though — what gives with all the traffic flowing through this area??? How will it ever be pedestrian friendly when it appears to be a used as a major thoroughfare? I used to take my children to piano lessons at BU at 5:00 ish during the weekday and it was a nightmare. I had to be driving in the area because it is the only way to get to BU, but what are others’ reason for using this route vs. the expressway??
I am glad Ms. VanAuken is interested in focusing attention on the development of this area once again, BUT, more parking lots!! How does that make the area more appealing??? When you think of other urban areas that are draw for people to live and visit, parking is not abundant and yet folks still manage.
Frustrated — Those who could use the expressway got used to using Main during the time I-74 was under construction. Many of those never went back to the expressway after it reopened. As long as the city maintains this thoroughfare as if it were a highway, it will continue to be used as a highway. If it were narrowed and traffic were slowed to the proper speed for a neighborhood artery, those with the need for speed would find an alternate route — like the expressway, which is built for that purpose.
More than half the traffic along the Main St/University/Western corridor is pass through traffic. They are neither going to or coming from the West Bluff. Meanwhile, I-74 is deeply underutilized after the upgrade. The Adams/Jefferson/Washington (folks taking I-474) corridor are deeply underutilized. Nebraska Ave is deeply underutilized, preferring Farmington-Main for their east-west movement off Sterling. Commuters have basically gotten in the habit of driving through town rather than take these larger corridors, which in most cases is actually faster.
Wait till you pick up today’s PJStar.
Pretty thin offering.
Quit the weekday edition last Spring. Switched to weekend only. Dropping the weekend, now – that was planned before this “news”.
On the plus side, we’ve been taking the Morton paper for the past several months.
I had occasion to read the Sunday Chicago Tribune for the first time in a number of years. I was stunned by the wealth of information and timely topics under discussion. The PJS is continue down a road of destruction.
I can only hope that the futue will bring a day where the PJS becomes an insert supplied locally to subscribers of the Chicago Tribune
Did you all see that the Times-Observor will be no more? Am I mistaken or didn’t the company who operates the PJS just buy the Observor? I was just about ready to be sure that I received a copy to read more of Bartells'(sp?) articles about 150 principals.