Peoria – Peoria County is expected to reach record water levels along the Illinois River and its many tributaries by late Monday night. Based on current projections, the Illinois River is expected to crest at or around 29.9′. As a result, much of the areas around Chillicothe and Rome will be inaccessible due to water inundating local, township, and state routes. Residents should be prepared to leave their homes, if necessary.

When the flood levels have receded, residents may be in a rush to get back into their homes. There may be contractors and others in the area offering assistance, and, in a time of a disaster, unqualified individuals may attempt to take advantage of affected residents.

Peoria County will have representatives in these areas over the next several weeks conducting damage assessments and home inspections to determine the extent of the damage. Please be advised that a floodplain development permit is required for all improvements or repairs made to a structure. Building permits may be required for more intensive projects. It is important that property owners comply with these requirements to avoid fees, fines, and re-doing projects that do not meet code.

A flood open house for impacted residents will be held in the coming weeks to address financial assistance programs. Any questions related to flooding in unincorporated Peoria County should be directed to the Department of Planning & Zoning at (309) 672-6915.

Peoria County Courthouse Plaza – Friday, April 19 at Noon

Wear blue to show your support
Turn choices into change, prevent child abuse together
Join in a time of reflection and awareness for the abused and neglected children in our community.

There are 1,009 pending cases in Peoria County.

A Youth Services Network Panel Event

Across central Illinois, water levels are rising causing families to evacuate their homes. The Red Cross has set up a response effort to meet the needs of those affected by flood waters in our community. Shelters across the state are providing families with a safe place to stay and warm meal to eat. The response has now reached a level that we are requesting the assistance of our friends and neighbors.

Please donate to the Red Cross by visiting www.redcross.org/donate or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. Any gift, large or small, can make all the difference to flood victims in central Illinois.

Due to rising flood waters, The Heartland Partnership offices at 100 SW Water Street Peoria will be closing Friday, April 19th and will likely remain closed through April 26th. If you have a meeting scheduled at the office with The Heartland Partnership, EDC, CEO COUNCIL, the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce or SCORE please contact the staff person responsible today regarding a new location or rescheduled date.

At some point during the next few days, the electricity will be shut off to the building therefore our staff will not have access to their work email accounts nor office phones. If you need to contact staff please do so today to obtain their alternate contact information.

Adult outdoor lessons cover everything from driving to putting in these four 1.5 hour classes. Cost is $55/residents, $60/non-residents. Dates and time are below: Register with code: 54801.

Day-Date Time
Th: 5/2-5/23 5:30-7:00 pm

Come “play in the park” at our Annual Drama Festival on Saturday, May 4, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Corn Stock Tent in Bradley Park. Award- winning TEC school plays will be performed by Peoria students in our Theatre Education for Children after school drama classes. Enjoy a day of live entertainment with special guests, Arts Partners of Central Illinois. You will have an opportunity to share with them your ideas on promoting the arts in Peoria’s oldest neighborhoods. Bring your lunch and buy snacks and drinks at the concession stand; admission is free.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Call 309-681-2861 for more information.

(Peoria, IL / April 18, 2013) – Due to the excessive rain in central Illinois, the OSF Wildlife Trail Classic has been cancelled.

The 33rd annual race/walk through the trails at Wildlife Prairie State Park in Brimfield was scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 2013. Unfortunately, some of those trails are under water and will take weeks to get back into shape.

Race entries are non-refundable. Proceeds benefit the OSF Community Wellness Fund at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.

Race T-shirts are available for pick-up at the RiverPlex in downtown Peoria (600 NE Water Street).

If you would like to have your shirt mailed to you or need more information, contact Meta Rask at 309.282.1636 or meta.j.rask@osfhealthcare.org.

As the water continues to rise, many Peoria area families are being forced to evacuate their homes. In response, the Red Cross will be opening another shelter in the city of Peoria tonight. The shelter will be located at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 6801 N Allen Rd in Peoria. The shelter will be ready to receive flood victims at approximately 8:30pm.

Shelters can also be found on the “shelters” tab in the Red Cross Tornado App (available for DROID or Apple) or by visiting http://www.redcross.org/find-help/shelter. Anyone needing Red Cross assistance should go to this location or call (309)677-7272.

$2.5 million announced for continued engineering work and corridor studies.
PEORIA (April 18, 2013) – The Eastern Bypass Study this week got a green light with a boost of programming dollars from the state of Illinois.

Announced as part of Gov. Pat Quinn’s $12.6 billion, six-year infrastructure program was $2.5 million for continued engineering work and corridor studies of the Eastern Bypass.
“This funding announcement ensures the Bypass continues to breathe life at a time when we understand most funding is being allocated to important maintenance projects,” said Eastern Bypass Coalition Board of Directors President Mike Hinrichsen.

“We’re grateful the state sees the value in investing in such an important project for our future sustainability and competitiveness. We are exceptionally thankful to Gov. Pat Quinn, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider, IDOT Region 3 Deputy Director Joseph Crowe, as well as area legislators and policy makers with whom we have worked hard the past year and a half to get our message across.”

The proposed Eastern Bypass would be a new highway connecting Interstate 74 with Illinois Route 6, east and north of Peoria. The project is in Phase One (Corridor Selection) with a final corridor expected to be selected yet in 2013. Needed for the next phase (Alignment) is an estimated $10 million.

The Eastern Bypass Board of Directors, which meets regularly, plans to continue to seek additional funding for the project to ensure it proceeds at full throttle. Phase 2 includes final design and land acquisition while Phase 3 is construction, operation and maintenance.

The more than 75 governmental bodies, lawmakers, businesses, organizations and local leaders who have officially logged support with IDOT in the past two years argue the project would strengthen the region’s economic development and growth opportunities. There is a need for better surface transportation connections between manufacturing and distribution facilities spread across the region and better access for commuters in Woodford and Tazewell counties.

Luncheon featuring Congressman Schock will celebrate Pursuit of Happiness

Peoria, IL – Dress for Success Peoria to celebrate the pursuit of happiness at The Purse and Suit of Happiness Luncheon on Friday, April 19, 2013 at Embassy Suites, 100 Conference Center Drive East Peoria, Illinois. Doors open at 11:00 am with the program beginning at 11:30 am. Highlights include featured speaker, United States Congressman, Aaron Schock and the “purse and suit” of happiness journeys of two Dress for Success Peoria participants.

The women of Dress for Success Peoria are women of different races, ages, and backgrounds; women with different obstacles to overcome, women with different dreams and hopes all with one thing in common –they have all taken steps to improve their lives and the lives of their families. At Dress for Success Peoria, the purses and suits that are provided to the women served have a greater meaning beyond simply offering a self-esteem boost for a job interview. The road to happiness is often filled with a variety of obstacles. For those women served by Dress for Success Peoria, who struggling on their journey towards personal discovery and economic stability for themselves, those purses and suits become powerful weapons to remove the obstacles on their personal pursuit of happiness; those suits become hope on a hanger.

“At Dress for Success Peoria, we see the power of the purse and the suit. The transformation that takes place when a woman puts on a suit and feels empowered is inspiring”, stated Sarah Fletcher, Program Director of Dress for Success Peoria. “We are honored to be a part of her personal pursuit of happiness.”

The Keynote Speaker for the Purse and Suit of Happiness Luncheon, U.S. Congressman Aaron Schock was elected to a third term in November 2012. He was sworn into the 113th Congress in January 2013. He was the youngest member of Congress for his first two terms. Before joining the U.S. House of Representatives, he was simultaneously the youngest school board president in Illinois history as well as the youngest Illinois State Representative in history at the age of 23 years old.

“The key to a successful interview, and in turn making a career changing decision starts with looking the part, but for so many having the financial means to buy a new suit is not within reach.” stated Congressman Aaron Schock. By providing the women they are helping with business attire as well as education and training opportunities Dress for Success Peoria is empowering hundreds of women to have the self-confidence and the tools they need to succeed and create a better life in the process.”

Tickets for The Purse and Suit of Happiness are $40.

There will be a special 5 Grand Prize Raffle for the event. Tickets are $10 or 3 for $25 and the prizes include:
• Pink Sugar Boutique package
• Embassy Suites/ Peoria Chiefs Package
• Kate Spade Sunglass Package
• Weaver Ridge Golf Package
• 2 Pairs of Maui Jim Sunglasses

About Dress for Success – Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to more than 120 cities in 14 countries. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 650,000 women work towards self-sufficiency. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org to learn more.

About Dress for Success Peoria Dress for Success Peoria was founded in 1999 as a program of the Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service. To date, Dress for Success Peoria has suited more than 2000 women and currently has over 50 active members of the Peoria Professional Women’s Group. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org/peoria to learn more.