Webinar offered Tuesday, September 9, at noon

The year after every decennial census, the Supreme Court requires every state to rearrange its congressional and state legislative boundaries so that each district in a given legislative chamber is equal in population. That is, the states must redistrict their legislatures. But this is no simple exercise in head counting and geography. Since the boundaries of their districts can mean political life or death for hundreds of officeholders and candidates around the state, redistricting is perhaps the most politically intense process of the decade. The process results in a completely new political map. It also results in voter confusion.

To learn more about our state’s redistricting options, tune in to this free webinar (http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lgien/), offered by University of Illinois Extension and the Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs (http://igpa.uillinois.edu/).

Recorded sessions are available (http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lgien/online.cfm).

This week the Community Center held the first seminar offered by the East Bluff Neighborhood Academy and what a great presentation it was! Dr. Rita Ali guided the group as we learned the basics of grassroots organizing. By the end of a couple of hours (classes are 5:30 – 7:30 with dinner included!) we summarized the evening with some powerful words that came from the heart of all of us present: justice, opportunity, educate, peace, empowerment and vision.

Please join us next week, Tuesday September 2, as Lisa Ruby from Ruby & Associates will present “Getting The Word Out” Marketing and Communications. The East Bluff have so many great things going on but how do we let people know? Be there on Tuesday to find out and also enjoy dinner, door prizes and the company of your neighbors!

Don’t let the heat stop you from coming! Classes will be located in air conditioned classrooms in the Center. You can register online http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c054aa8a72ba1fb6-east or visit our Facebook page, East Bluff Neighborhood Academy, to view the schedule. For more information contact ebnapeoria@gmail.com or call the Center at (309) 682-5823, ext. 2.

The Peoria Park District administrative and recreation offices, located at the Noble Center, will be closed on Monday, September 1.

Other Peoria Park District facilities closed that day include Franciscan Recreation Complex, Owens Center, and Proctor Center.

The RiverPlex Recreation and Wellness Center will be open limited hours from 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

SUBJECT: Peoria Community Against Violence hosts Peace Walks

Beginning this Friday, August 29th the Peoria Community Against Violence will host a series of 5 peace walks throughout Peoria. See the attached flyer for additional information. All walks will meet at designated area at 5:45 p.m. and walk will begin at 6:00 p.m. Designated areas include:

1. August 29th, 2014 – East Bluff Community Center (512 E. Kansas)

2. September 6th, 2014 – Logan Park (1414 S. Livingston)

3. September 12th, 2014 – Morton Square Park (1125 W. Lake St.)

4. September 20th, 2014 – Colombia Park (300 McClure)

5. September 26th, 2014 – Proctor Center (309 S. DuSable)

If you have any questions regarding the upcoming soccer match, feel free to contact Krista Coleman at kcoleman@peoriagov.org or (309) 494-8233.

PEORIA COUNTY – During National Preparedness Month in September, Peoria City/County Health Department (PCCHD) remembers our commitment to prepare and protect people during hazardous events. Health Department staff plan and prepare for public health emergencies, respond to health threats, and protect people from health hazards. Those hazards may be from tornados, flooding, power outages, natural or man-made disasters, or disease threats, including new diseases, such as the Ebola Virus or other diseases that may develop.

“We often hear questions about what we are doing for the public when we hear about threats from unfamiliar and sometimes dangerous communicable diseases,” states PCCHD Director of Infectious Disease Jean Bellisario. “We have staff who are dedicated to providing surveillance, investigation, and control for communicable diseases. We work with federal, state, and local health systems to assure reporting of diseases. We work with our community partners to help protect people in our area. Prompt notification of a communicable disease allows us to prevent further transmission of disease,” adds Bellisario. “Information we receive through our reporting and surveillance programs also helps us monitor disease trends, identify groups that may be at high risk of illness, and develop policies and programs to prevent the spread of these diseases.”

“Adding to our surveillance activities, our Health Department also employs vigorous efforts to plan and prepare for all public health hazards, not just new diseases,” states Jason Marks, PCCHD Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. “We know there are risks that cannot be fully controlled, so it makes sense that we plan with community partners and with the public for those risks. A major focus in our plans is to work and help people know how to be prepared for possible hazardous events, such as tornados, summer heat, flooding, infectious diseases, power outages, and even natural or man-made disasters. We help individuals to be better prepared by getting an emergency kit of supplies, making a plan with family members of what to do in an emergency, staying informed and ready to act, and even getting involved in their community. While preparing and protecting are important, our overall plans include informing and including the public in this whole process in order to achieve our goal of being a prepared community for all hazardous events.”

To learn more about Preparedness and other important Public Health issues, visit the Peoria City/County Health Department website at www.pcchd.org.

A Stormwater Utility Study, which suggests a new monthly ‘user fee’ for better quality of life, flood protection, and to avoid further contamination of rivers and streams, is the topic for the Greater Peoria League of Women Voters meeting on Thursday, Sept. 4, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 

The meeting takes place at the Peoria School District 150 Board Room, 3202 N. Wisconsin, Peoria.  It is free and open to the public.

The speaker will be Maggie Martino, Planning Program Manager at the Tri County Regional Planning Commission.

The 2014 regionally focused feasibility study is a collaborative effort enabled by Peoria County sharing a partial EPA grant with the units of government in Peoria and Tazewell Counties. The 13 local governments that participated, shared their costs with matching funds included the cities of Peoria, East Peoria, West Peoria, Pekin,  North Pekin, South Pekin,  Bartonville along with Peoria County, Limestone Township, Cincinnati Township, Hollis Township, Washington Township and Morton Township.

Stormwater management is needed because as development occurs and the natural land cover is replaced by hard surfaces — buildings, parking lots, roads — the amount of the rainfall that runs off and the rate and volume of runoff increases. The quality of the runoff is altered, resulting in increased flooding, increased land surface erosion, increased channel erosion, increased pollution in the streams, public health issues related to insects and viruses, and an impact on the overall quality of life in the community.

The feasibility study process that was used in this study included six steps: the development of a stormwater management expenditure plan; data analysis; review of billing options; development of a revenue plan; development of a public education and outreach plan outline; and development of a general draft ordinance.

This important new project will affect every resident in the area. The event includes a question and answer session.

PEORIA – (August 27, 2014) Registration is open! After a record number of participants last year, the Mark Linder Walk for the Mind needs your help to keep the momentum going.  

Starting with just 150 walkers in 2003 and raising $12,000, the Mark Linder Walk for the Mind last year had more than 750 participants and raised $50,000 for brain cancer research at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. But the need to fund continued research is ongoing. 

The Walk is named after Mark Linder who started the event in an effort to reach out to brain tumor survivors and help raise funds for brain tumor research. While Mark died in 2005 at age 31, the Walk lives on and to date has raised more than $330,000 for research. 

This year Dr. Patrick Elwood, the “central Illinois father of neurosurgery” is the honorary chair for the walk. 

WHAT:           Mark Linder Walk for the Mind one mile walk and raffle

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Peoria RiverPlex. Registration and raffle opens at 7:30 a.m. The Walk begins at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:         Peoria RiverPlex along the Peoria Riverfront

ALSO:  Entry fee is $20 for adults and $10 for children (10 years and younger). Survivors are free. Children’s activities are provided. The extensive raffle includes tickets and hotel Package to a Chicago Bears Game; Box Seats and Hotel Package for the Chicago Cubs 2015 Season; Chicago hotel packages; Maui Jim sun glasses; numerous restaurant gift certificates; autographed racing memorabilia and more. 

Other Walk activities to raise money for brain cancer research are planned in August and September. To register for the Walk or for more information, including other activities, go online to www.marklinderwalkforthemind.org or check out the Mark Linder Walk for the Mind on Facebook. 

This is the third year that all net proceeds will be donated to the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Funds raised help support Dr. Andrew Tsung’s vital research to understand the mechanisms that make cancers grow and invade.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS – The American Red Cross and the Illinois Department of Transportation are making it

easy for local residents to designate a sober driver this Labor Day weekend. Each year, the Red Cross and their partners team up to offer free, non-alcoholic beverages to designated drivers.

At participating locations on Labor Day weekend and day, designated drivers can enjoy free nonalcoholic beverages in special “This is MY red solo cup” cups and they will also be using “Be safe, have a designated driver” beverage napkins. Bars will hang posters indicating their participation in the event.

This is the seventh year the Red Cross has sponsored the designated driver promotion. Last year, the Red Cross distributed about 2,000 cups to area bars.

Participating locations include:

• Crusen’s, 2117 West Farmington Road, Peoria, IL
• Crusen’s, 426 E War Memorial Dr., Peoria, IL
• Goodfella’s Pub & Pizza, 1414 N. 8th St., Pekin, IL
• Jac’s Dog House, 2024 Broadway, Pekin, IL
• Kelleher’s Irish Pub, 619 SW Waters St., Peoria, IL
• Kouri’s Pub, 2929 Court St., Pekin, IL
• Two25, 225 NE Adams St., Peoria, IL
• Yesterdays’ Bar and Grill, 363 Court St., Pekin, IL

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.