Peoria, IL, USA 104.9 The Wolf
(Peoria FIre Dept.)
Ardis’ last day on the job will be May 14, according to a news release.
Ardis joined the fire department in 1994 and served as the assistant chief and division chief of operations before becoming chief in 2019.
âChief Ardis has been a passionate leader of the Peoria Fire Department, and his concern for the well-being of the citizens and the employees of the Fire Department is second to none. I wish him all the best in retirement,” said Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich.
Assistant Fire Chief James Bachman, who has also been with the department since 1994, will replace Ardis as chief.
(Peoria FIre Dept.)
Ardis’ last day on the job will be May 14, according to a news release.
Ardis joined the fire department in 1994 and served as the assistant chief and division chief of operations before becoming chief in 2019.
“Chief Ardis has been a passionate leader of the Peoria Fire Department, and his concern for the well-being of the citizens and the employees of the Fire Department is second to none. I wish him all the best in retirement,” said Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich.
Assistant Fire Chief James Bachman, who has also been with the department since 1994, will replace Ardis as chief.
Editor s note: This story includes references to sexual assault of children. Resources are available in the video above and at the bottom of this story.
A Fort Collins man was found guilty Tuesday of sexually assaulting a close friend s child more than two decades ago.
James Bachmann, 57, was found guilty of five charges:
Sexual assault on a child under the age of 15 while in a position of trust, a Class 3 felony;
Sexual assault on a child in a position of trust in a pattern of abuse, a Class 3 felony;
Sexual exploitation of a child, a Class 3 felony;
Possession of sexually exploitative material of a child, a Class 1 misdemeanor;
The jury trial has begun in the case of a man accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting his friends’ son during the boy s early teen years.
James Bachmann, now 57, was initially arrested in July 2002 on suspicion of sexually assaulting his friends child two to three times per month for three years, while the child was in seventh through ninth grades, according to arrest documents at that time.
The victim who is now in his 30s with a child of his own told his parents back in 2002 that Bachmann inappropriately touched him during sleepovers at Bachmann’s house when Bachmann thought he was asleep, Deputy District Attorney Luke Birky told the jury during opening statements Thursday.
PEORIA Low morale and job insecurity are causing members of the Peoria Fire and Police departments to leave, officials there told members of the City Council on Monday.
And the pandemic s economic devastation has led to large numbers of minorities either retiring or quitting those two departments, causing a decrease in the fire department of Black people from 2019 to 2021. The police department saw its numbers rise from 2019 to 2020, then then saw a drop from 24% to 22% in 2021.
These revelations came during a report on minority hiring efforts within those two departments, given periodically to the council.
Both Assistant Fire Chief James Bachman and Interim Police Chief Doug Theobald said recent budgetary woes have led to a demoralization of staff in those departments.