Too cold to skate

Skaters
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Cody Rock, 17, tries to see his breath while skating on Fulton St. in downtown Peoria with friends, from left, Justin Johnson, 17, Zach Bell, 18, and Tyler Noland, 20, on a chilly Sunday afternoon. The group was on their way back home to Canton after attending a party in Bloomington Saturday night and decided to stop in Peoria to skate and stretch their legs. Thanks to the cold they didn't last long, packing it up moments later and continuing on their way. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Purim carnival

Purim carnival
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Aaron Pearce, 9, Blake Randall, 9, and Shoshana Pearce, 5, play a basketball arcade game during a children's carnival celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim at Anshai Emeth synagogue on N. University St. in Peoria Sunday afternoon. Purim, which will actually fall on the 3rd of March this year, is a festive holiday in which Jews commemorate being saved from extermination in Persia, as told in the Book of Esther. Children wore costumes ranging from Spiderman and Cinderella to biblical figures such as Esther and Aaron. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

'We cry with the families'

'We cry with the families'
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Jennifer Rovinski of Roseville, a small town near Galesburg, is reflected in a plaque engraved with the likeness of her late husband, Petty Officer 1st Class Gary Rovinski, 44, who was killed June 5, 2006 by a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq. Her husband's funeral was one of 5 held in the same Galesburg church since 2005 for members of the military killed in combat. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Patriot Guard

Patriot Guard
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Patriot Guard captain Tom Godfrey stands in front of his Knoxville home holding one of 150 American flags he keeps to hand out to other Patriot Guard members at military funerals. Five funerals for combat deaths have been held at one Galesburg church since 2005. Godfrey is a Vietnam Army veteran with a daughter currently working as a contractor in Iraq and two other children who have also served there. Flying over his house is a flag he keeps at full mast 24-hours a day, in honor of the troops currently serving in Iraq. The Patriot Guard is a group formed in 2005 that shows respect to fallen soldiers and shields mourning families from protesters at military funerals. It has more than 80,000 members. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Before the thaw

Before the thaw
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Icicles dangling off my roof the night before warmer temperatures moved in, ending weeks of nights in the single digits.

Vigil for Pekin teen

Vigil for Pekin teen
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Emily Johnson, 17, Russell Schacherbauer, 16, and Heidi Hancock, 19, pray for Pekin high school senior Shawn Black at a memorial vigil in his honor at the Pekin Community High School Tuesday night. Black and his father were both killed in a fire in their apartment in Pekin last Thursday. Johnson, a Junior at PCHS, decided to hold the vigil for the unpopular teen because, she said, everyone deserves to be remembered. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Victory

Victory
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.







Whitney Rumbold holds up the Super-Sectional Champs plaque to the crowd after helping lead the Stark County Lady Rebels to victory over the Princeton Tigresses at the 2007 Monmouth College Class A Super-Sectional in Monmouth Monday night. Rumbold's 10-11 shooting, including 5-5 outside the arc, helped Stark hold a commanding lead through most of the game, winning 54-40. The Lady Rebels will now go on to the State Finals in Normal on Friday. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Rebels

Rebels
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

The cheering section for the Stark County Lady Rebels root for their team as they take on the Princeton Tigresses at the 2007 Monmouth College Class A Super-Sectional in Monmouth Monday night. The Lady Rebels won 54-40. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Equine auction

Equine auction
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Gary Wessels, along with clerk Kerilee Butts, auctions off horse-riding equipment at his Galesburg Horse Market auction, which is held at the Heart of Illinois Arena on N Galena Road, in Peoria Sunday afternoon. The monthly event brings plenty of buyers from the area looking for deals on everything from saddles and stirrups to horses. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 1

Anglers on ice 1
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Rich Klockenga of Edwards pulls a crappie from the frigid waters of an icy lake near the small town of Victoria on Sunday morning with temperatures dipping below zero. Short ice seasons in recent years have provided few fishing days for Klockenga, a trend he believes to be associated with global warming. This year's cold snap, however, with weeks of temperatures in the single digits and sometimes dipping below zero, has formed thick ice and given local anglers a much longer ice fishing season. Klockenga, a retired electrician, has been taking full advantage, spending 21 straight mornings on the ice until a recent snowstorm forced him to stay home. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 2

Anglers on ice 2
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Rich Klockenga threads a homemade jig before dropping a line through the ice. He makes them himself, pouring the lead and carefully hand painting them a variety of fish-baiting colors like fluorescent yellow and hot pink. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 3

Anglers on ice 3
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

The fish not biting, Rich Klockenga, front, and his son Tony Klockenga head off to another fishing hole. Rich, a retired electrician, is enthusiastic enough about the sport to head out every morning, with or without company. But he enjoys it when his son, an electrician living in Metamora, or other friends are able to join him. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 4

Anglers on ice 4
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Rich Klockenga unhooks a redear sunfish early on a frigid January morning. Panfish, such as bluegills, crappie, and redear sunfish are the most common catches for Klockenga. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 5

Anglers on ice 5
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Rich Klockenga exits his son,Tony Klockenga's, shelter while fishing at Oak Run, on a morning so cold that few, if any, other fishermen felt the urge to come out to the popular, though private, fishing spot. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 6

Anglers on ice 6
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Rich, front, and his son Tony Klockenga fish a favorite spot at Snakeden Hollow, near Victoria, Ill. on Rich's 20th consecutive morning of ice fishing in early February. The lake was once a coal-mine before being turned into public park land. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 7

Anglers on ice 7
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Tony Klockenga's breath freezes when it hits the frigid air on a particularly cold morning of fishing near Victoria. When he is able, Tony likes to join his father, Rich Klockenga out on the ice. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 8

Anglers on ice 8
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Tony Klockenga crouches by a hole from within the only slightly warmer protection of a two-man ice fishing shelter protecting him from the blistering gusts of wind moving across the ice. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Anglers on ice 9

Anglers on ice 9
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Rich, left, and Tony Klockenga head out to a favorite spot at Oak Run, near Dahinda, Ill. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Storm prep

Storm prep
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

WMBD-TV videographer Tamie Yost was one of several customers buying shovels and salt from Nena Do It Best Hardware on W Forest Hill Avenue in Peoria Monday afternoon to prepare for the likely overnight blanketing of Peoria with 4-8 inches of snow and ice. Few customers purchased as many shovels as Yost, however, who walked out with 14; thirteen for the news team and one for herself. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Rah rah 1

Rah rah 1
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Erin Wolford, 15, center front, Erica Turnbull, 16, right front, and other members of Peoria's Central Illinois Gymnastics Academy practice their routine before competing in the Illinois Cheer & Dance Team Championships at the Peoria Civic Center Exhibit Hall on Sunday. Dozens of teams from across the state participated in the competition in front of a full house in the Civic Center Theater. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Rah rah 2

Rah rah 2
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Morton's Cheertime USA small senior level 5 cheerleading team says a prayer before taking the stage to compete in the Illinois Cheer & Dance Team Championships at the Peoria Civic Center on Sunday. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Dancing the night away

Dancing the night away
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Bob Brown has a ball as he polkas around the room with Rebecca Somogyi, a member of the Phi Omega sorority at Eureka College during the Valentine's Day dance at Snyder Village retirement and assisted living community in Metamora Thursday night. Members of the sorority and the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity attend the annual event where residents first enjoy dessert before dancing the night away. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Fisticuffs

Fisticuffs
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Peoria's D.J. King dukes it out with San Antonio's Ryan Flinn in one of two fights that sent players from both sides to the penalty box during the first period of action between the Peoria Rivermen and the San Antonio Rampage at Carver Arena Wednesday night. The Rivermen quelled the Rampage 3-2. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Kids Count

Connect Four
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Orlando Jackson, 10, plays Connect Four with friends while others play Battleship or watch television at the Boys & Girls Club of Peoria Monday after school. The organization Voices for Illinois Children just released a study, Kids Count 2007 -- The State of Children's Health, which measures the state of health for Illinois children according to eight criteria. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Victorious

Victorious
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Roberta King, her daughter Erin King, 19, and son Billy King, 14, react as the Colts take the lead over the Bears in the first half of Superbowl XLI during a party at the home of friends David and Robin Hunt in Peoria. Erin came home from ISU to party with her familiy because she couldn't find any other Colts fans there. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Early advantage

Early advantage
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Sam Marincic, 8, front, and Jack Compton, 12, cheer for the Bears as they take an early lead over the Colts during a Superbowl party at the home of friends David and Robin Hunt in Peoria. The Bears failed to hold on as the Colts regained the lead, ultimately winning 29-17. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Bummed

Bummed
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Bears fans Katie Zakhar, Jeff Kallister and Paul Guse show their disappointment as the Bears fall further behind the Colts while watching Superbowl XLI at Gorman's Pub in Peoria Sunday night. In front of Kallister and Guse is a candle of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which the fans brought for good luck. The Bears lost 29-17. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Not so lucky charms

Not so lucky charms
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Bears fan Paul Guse sits by a candle of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Walter Payton collectors cards he brought for good luck while watching Superbowl XLI at Gorman's Pub Sunday night. The charms powers were not strong enough to prevent the Bears from falling to the Colts 29-17 in Miami. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Uber fans

Uber fans
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Jake, 8, Greg, Lisa and Paige Skibowski, 5, show off Jake's Bears-themed bedroom in their Peoria home Thursday night. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

Canton and Pekin firefighters battle an ongoing blaze in downton Canton as outside temperatures dropped into the single digits. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR

Itty bitty baby

Itty bitty baby
Originally uploaded by davidzentz.

With the reflection of her parents, Joe and Amanda Pickens, looking on from outside her incubator, tiny Ariana Nicole Pickens sleeps at the Children's Hospital of Illinois at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Ariana, who weighed only 12.6 ounces when she was born prematurely in December, now weighs about 2 pounds. Her parents hope to take her home in a month or two. DAVID ZENTZ/JOURNAL STAR