http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/pryor18.html
July 18, 2001
PEORIA, Ill.—The city of Peoria will
begin the process of renaming seven city blocks after comedian Richard
Pryor.
The City Council voted 8-3 Tuesday
to begin the process, but it will vote again as early as next month to
officially rename the seven-block stretch in the south Peoria neighborhood
where Pryor grew up. The city will also likely hold a public meeting on
the issue.
If the proposal is approved, the
city will rename six blocks of Sheridan Road and the first block of Persimmon
Street for the comedian.
‘‘I’m prepared to move forward on
this—the sooner, the better,’’ Councilwoman Marcella Teplitz said before
the vote.
In April the council twice rejected
naming streets after Pryor, with some members saying that his history of
drug use, womanizing, and profanity-laced comedy routines would reflect
badly on the city. Others said the city’s street-renaming policy isn’t
defined and other distinguished Peoria natives were being overlooked.
Councilman Clyde Gulley Jr. last
week proposed to name a short block of Sheridan Road and a city park after
Pryor. But at Tuesday’s meeting, Gulley instead proposed naming the seven
blocks after the comedian.
He also presented the council with
signatures from 5,000 Peoria residents who supported renaming the six-block
stretch of Sheridan Road.
‘‘Throughout Peoria, people want
this done,’’ said resident Marc Porch, who is planning a comedy festival
and other annual events to honor Pryor. ‘‘It has always been more than
a street. It has always been planned as a tourist attraction.’’
The Grammy Award-winning comedian
has starred in concert films and comedy movies. He suffered near-fatal
burns in a 1980 fire linked to cocaine free-basing. He announced in 1991
that he has the degenerative nerve disease multiple sclerosis and now spends
most of his time at home in California.
Copyright 2001 Associated Press
ASSOCIATED PRESS