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peoriatimes.com
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February 3, 2022
Peoria’s Hometown Newspaper
INSIDE
This Week
SPORTS......... 16 Deven Raper, Chris Blose anticipating local race
Ruiz investigation tied to HR complaint BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Peoria Times Staff Writer
Peoria Fire-Medical Chief Bobby Ruiz was investigated before he retired Dec. 31 due to an anonymous complaint the city received in the fall, according to documents obtained by the Peoria Times. Ruiz was the chief for nine years. The October complaint alleged that Ruiz had shown favoritism toward a recently promoted deputy chief, whose name is redacted in documents, allowing him to
“remain at home, not work,” for 83 days while on the payroll so he could study for a paramedic exam. Ruiz and others told the city during the investigation that the 24-year firefighter in question accepted a promotion to a vacant deputy chief position last spring, and, while not strictly required, the paramedic certification is important for leaders in that role to have credibility. Paramedic certification requires more extensive training than the emergency medical technician certificate, and para-
Peoria Times Staff Writer
City of Peoria celebrates district’s young artists
OPINION...................... 9 BUSINESS.................. 14 SPORTS...................... 16 FEATURES.................. 18 RELIGION................... 20 YOUTH....................... 22 CLASSIFIEDS.............. 25
medics earn on average 33% more than EMTs nationally, according to the jobs site Indeed. But the employee was having difficulty passing the exam after attending the sixmonth paramedical school in 2020-21. After failing the exam three times, Ruiz ordered the employee to “go home and do what (he needed) to pass the exam,” according to an interview in the report. During the time away from duties beSEE COMPLAINT PAGE 3
Teacher’s award nets $1K for Peoria kids BY SCOTT SHUMAKER
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A Cheyenne Elementary math teacher and basketball coach has won an award from education company McGraw Hill, and the recognition will pay dividends for local students. On Jan. 26, McGraw Hill announced four national winners of the ALEKS All-Star Educator Award, and among the winners was Cheyenne Elementary sixth and seventh grade math teacher CeCe Jacobs. The Peoria Unified School District teacher was one of only two K-12 teachers recognized. The award honors teachers who have used the company’s ALEKS program, an adaptive learning tool for students in math and chemistry, to improve learning for stu-
Cheyenne Elementary math teacher CeCe Jacobs won the ALEKS All-Star Educator Award from education company McGraw Hill on Jan. 26. The award comes with a $1,000 donation to a nonprofit of Jacobs’ choice.
dents. Jacobs uses the program, which assesses students’ math knowledge, then she tailors exercises to their needs. She said it’s something students can use when they finish a class activity early, or she can assign it as an “intervention” for students who need extra help. She said the program’s ability to check students’ knowledge is helpful in closing learning gaps resulting from pandemic disruptions. “Learning loss over the last few years in the pandemic is evident,” she said. “(ALEKS) is just helping us close all these gaps.” All-Star Educators receive a $250 gift card from McGraw Hill, and the company will also donate $1,000 to a nonprofit of the
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SEE TEACHER PAGE 4
