Originally published on March 10, 2021 5:14 pm
Andre Allen will appear alone on the April 6 general election ballot for voters in the City of Peoria s 4th Council District.
The Peoria County Election Commission says Steve Kouri formally withdrew from the race before ballot printing began.
Kouri came in first place in the February primary, with more than 50% of the vote. Allen came in second, with 42.8%. Third-place finisher Patricia Melaik drew 6.7%.
But Kouri withdrew from the race after accepting an appointment to the Illinois Human Rights Commission.
Allen is dean of students at Methodist College and the chairman of the Peoria Advisory Committee on Police-Community Relations. He came up just short of winning an at-large city council seat in 2019, placing sixth in a contest with five open seats and 10 candidates.
Originally published on February 5, 2021 5:48 pm
Peoria s Fourth District will soon have a new city council representative, with three candidates on the ballot for the upcoming primary election.
Andre Allen, Steve Kouri and Patricia Melaik are vying for the seat that has been held by Jim Montelongo since 2013. Montelongo opted to run for mayor instead of seeking re-election, opening the seat to a council newcomer.
Allen is dean of students at Methodist College and chairs Peoria s Advisory Committee on Police-Community relations, in addition to serving on the boards for the Peoria Public Schools Foundation, the Peoria Promise Foundation and the Tri-County Urban League. He is making his second bid to join the council after falling just short of election to an at-large seat in 2019.
Originally published on January 8, 2021 2:54 pm
After a year that saw nationwide protests condemning police brutality, the Peoria Advisory Committee on Police-Community Relations is hoping to use 2021 to continue building trust in local law enforcement.
The committee held a virtual town hall Thursday night to hear public comments about the year ahead, and the overarching message was clear: the community must come together to tackle crime in Peoria.
“The fist is stronger than the finger,” said committee chairman Andre W. Allen. “We are one community, one Peoria, and we have to unite to address these issues.”
The virtual meeting format is new to the committee that wants the public to know that questions and concerns relating to law enforcement remain a priority, even if members and the public are unable to meet in person. In years past, events have been held in ZIP codes with higher crime rates to make solutions accessible for those with the most immediate need.