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The Hometown Heroes of Peoria
Lori Jensen (right) pictured with her family. She has been named a Hometown Hero in the Volunteer category.

VIDEO: Giving back is a way of life

Lori Jensen has always had a passion for community service, but it hit particularly hard just before businesses and school closed for the pandemic, in 2020.
Former Peoria High School educator Bobby Gonzalo (left) has been named a Peoria Hometown Hero.

VIDEO: Active involvement, selfless approach makes for a community legend

The son of a sheep herder, Bobby Gonzalo spent his early years in a Peoria that probably wouldn’t be recognizable to the average resident today, one that was still steeped in its agricultural ways.
Axiom Lead Pastor Gavin Linderman has been named a Hometown Hero in the spiritual leader category.

VIDEO: Peoria pastor's path leads from rock and roll to revelation

Gavin Linderman was still a student at Peoria Accelerated High School when his band, Desole, signed a record deal with California-based Abacus Recordings, a subsidiary of Century Media.
Axiom Lead Pastor Gavin Linderman has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the spiritual leader category for 2023.

Get to know the newest Peoria Independent Hometown Hero

For his service to the Peoria community, Axiom Lead Pastor Gavin Linderman, has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the spiritual leader category for 2023.
Restaurateur Joey Lucidi has been named a Peoria Hometown Hero.

VIDEO: A lifetime of service in the restaurant industry

Joey Lucidi has restaurant service in his blood.
Joey Lucidi, owner of Westside Concepts, has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the entrepreneur category.

Get to know the newest Peoria Independent Hometown Hero

For his service to the Peoria community, Joey Lucidi, owner of Westside Concepts, has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the Joey Lucidi category for 2023.
Tad Snidecor has been named Hometown Hero. (Submitted photo)

Leading with empathy: Snidecor named Peoria Hometown Hero

Marine Tad Snidecor was working in the Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma on April 19, 1995 when ex-Army soldier and security guard Timothy McVeigh parked a rented Ryder truck in front it. …

VIDEO: Peoria family fights for children with Congenital Heart Defects

Reagan Norris was born May 2, 2019 and diagnosed with a cleft lip and a critical Congenital Heart Defect known as right-dominant Unbalanced Atrioventricular Canal defect.

VIDEO: Peoria-based Hope Effect bringing foster care to the world

It’s not uncommon to hear the echoes of an overburdened foster care system in the United States. But some might not know that many developing countries do not even offer a foster care option at all, mired in a system of institutional orphanages that often cause more harm than help.

VIDEO: Farming the future of Peoria

The centerpiece of the Peoria city logo is farmland in lines flanked by a Saguaro Cactus and the sun, with rays in lines extending the farmland into the sky.

VIDEO: Palmer drops historical knowledge

Norman Palmer weaves a yarn.

VIDEO: Spreading the modern language of code

Nick Suwyn has been spreading the good word from Peoria for a while now.

VIDEO: Bringing today’s youth in-step with spirituality, personal growth

Mike Chavez first met Joe Eriquez at the age of 13 when his mom was in prison and his father was not in his life.

VIDEO: Building self-confidence in Peoria students

When David Hill started teaching at Peoria High 40 years ago, the only high schools serving the city were his and Cactus High.

VIDEO: Serving up sustenance in the West Valley

More than a year ago, DPS Trooper Casey Rhinehart was helping a disabled vehicle on the U.S. 93 near Wickenburg.

VIDEO: Setting students on the right path

The roots of Elmar Cobos run deep in Peoria.

Video: Bringing all the tools to today's youth

Peoria Police Officer Beth Griffin keeps her tool belt well stocked.

Get to know the newest Peoria Independent Hometown hero

Beth Griffin has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the Emergency Responder category.

VIDEO: Continuing the spirit of outreach in Peoria

Peoria resident Mike Heath came to know the spirit of outreach as a boy watching his father, Charles, who owned and operated a Standard Oil/Chevron gas station, donate his free time to several organizations and help people with advice on car repairs.

Get to know the newest Peoria Independent Hometown hero

Mike Heath has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the volunteer category.

VIDEO: Acosta named Hometown Hero in Leader of Tomorrow category

Maylee Acosta says she’s not entirely sure where her passion for service was born but it certainly came to the forefront as a young girl at Sundance Elementary School when she would ask her …

Get to know the newest Peoria Independent Hometown Hero

Maylee Acosta has been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in the Leader of Tomorrow category.

Peoria family fights for mental health in military

A new law is one way to change things for the better in this country — that is, if lawmakers could agree on anything these days.

VIDEO: Get to know the newest Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes

Teri and Patrick Caserta have been named the Peoria Independent Hometown Heros in the Health Care category.

Video: Hamby named Peoria Independent Hometown Hero in Trailblazer category

Theaters across the country were dark in 2020, into 2021, and have only recently begun to find more widespread life since COVID-19 began to spread.

Peoria Heroes honored for exemplary work in the community

The inaugural Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes luncheon took center stage, Feb. 24, as 12 individuals who either work or live in the city were honored for their service to the community.

Peoria teacher introduces students to science

It was around the sixth grade when Diego Cardenas Rivera started to take an interest in STEM disciplines. At that time he became involved with the MESA program at Peoria High School. He learned about …

VIDEO: To the moon and back - Peoria teacher brings adventure of science, space to classroom

For Peoria Unified School District teacher Jennifer Cheesman, science and space really are the final frontiers.

Recovering from the explosion, coming out on top

As a fire fighter for the Peoria Fire-Medical Department, Capt. Hunter Clare was badly injured in an explosion at an APS battery facility in Surprise in April of 2019, and has yet to return to full duty work.

Pushing through PTSD to give back to vets in need

Olga Tipton-Tucker’s call to serve her country has long been in her temperament — her dad served in the military for 23 years and she was surrounded by male figures who served as well.

Hometown Heroes launches by recognizing long-time Peoria resident

Over the years, Dean Slack, 83, has donated his time to the Peoria community in an astounding variety of ways. His dedication to the community has earned him a nomination for the first Peoria …

Parsons honored as Peoria Hometown Hero in Community Cheerleader category

To Ken Parsons, business and community are intrinsically intertwined.

VIDEO: Making a home for Peoria’s seniors

Cleanliness is great. But caregiving is next to godliness. Just ask the family members of the clients who Rosalina Vilar cares for.

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