PEORIA Pour one out for several outdoor drinking fountains that have been either shut off or removed from facilities within the Peoria Park District.
It s one of the lesser-known effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and one that Emily Cahill, the district s executive director, said could be temporary as vaccinations ramp up around the nation and central Illinois.
But the district will not turn on any of its 45 outdoor fountains which have been off since last year in 2021. Nor is it going to replace the ones that were removed due to a malfunction or other operational issue until it gets the green light to turn them back on.
Live election coverage: Denise Jackson wins 1st District Council seat Journal Star staff
As results came in, several races began to tighten.
The race for the 2nd District seat on the Peoria City Council narrowed as challenger Peter Kobak winnowed incumbent Chuck Grayeb’s lead to just 115 votes with four precincts left to be counted.
Peoria s treasurer race was split nearly 50-50, with Stephen Morris holding a minimal lead over Brooke Petty Sommerville.
The mayor s race has gradually tightened throughout the night, with Rita Ali holding a slim 51-49 lead over Jim Montelongo with just 19 of the city s 95 precincts still remaining. Votes are mostly out in the 3rd and 5th districts, with a few additional precincts remaining to be counted in the city s 2nd and 4th districts.