Tickets are now available for the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s “FORE the Fun of It,” an evening of miniature golf, unlimited culinary delights and drinks, plus live music. This fundraiser will take place on Friday, May 3 from 6:00-10:00 p.m.

Fourteen Peoria-area restaurants and caterers will each provide one or two of their signature dishes for guests to enjoy as they putt around a specially-made miniature golf course set up inside the museum. The evening begins with a cocktail hour and silent auction from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Golfing, food-to-fill, and music from the Sally Weisenburg Trio continues until 10:00 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to all skill levels, with a special award for the best team-theme (name and costume). Raffle tickets for an iPad Mini and $500 gift certificates from Jones Bros. Jewelers and Hearth and Patio are also being sold now to the general public ($10 each, 5/$45, 10/$80).

Tickets for the event are just $55 for a single, $100 for a couple, and $190 for a foursome. Reservations can be made online at www.PeoriaRiverfrontMuseum.org. Contact Kala Pierce at 309-863-3010 or kpierce@peoriariverfrontmuseum.org for further details.

PEORIA, IL – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) advanced a bill through the House of Representatives today that would give Wildlife Prairie Park back to the Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park from the state.

“Wildlife Prairie Park is one of the Central Illinois’ greatest treasures,” said Gordon-Booth. “I am so grateful for the work that the Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park is undertaking to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy and learn from this unique setting. I look forward to continuing to work and assist the Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park in the future. I also want to thank Representatives Unes and Leitch. This truly was a bipartisan effort and I greatly appreciate their leadership.”

William Rutherford founded Wildlife Prairie Park on 480 acres of land. The land is used for the protection and conservation of natural ecosystems found in Central Illinois. The Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park gave the state of Illinois possession of the park in 2000. After years of budget cuts to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park have offered to take over the maintenance of the park to keep it open to the public

House Bill 1292 requires that the Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park to maintain the education and recreational facilities of the park. If passed, the state of Illinois will transfer the maintenance and management responsibilities to the Friends of Wildlife Prairie Park.

“Wildlife Prairie Park is one of a kind,” said Bill Cirone, board member of Wildlife Prairie Park. “Our board wants to make sure that we preserve an important educational opportunity and tourist destination in Central Illinois. We would like to thank Representative Gordon-Booth for her leadership on this issue.”

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration. For more information about this or other upcoming legislation, please contact Rep. Gordon-Booth’s constituent service office at (309) 681-1992 or repjgordon@gmail.com.

The Central Illinois Youth Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Glenn Block, performs their 2013 Spring Concert: “Orchestral Fireworks”, on Sunday, April 14, 2013, 6:30 p.m., at Metamora Township High School Auditorium. Tickets are $10 Adult and $5 Student, and are available at the door.

The program features works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and John Williams. In addition to the chamber ensembles of CIYS, the concert also features a solo performance by the CIYS 2012 Concerto Competition winner, violinist Stevan Lukich, performing the first movement of Antonin Dvorak’s Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53.

Dr. Glenn Block is the newly appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Central Illinois Youth Symphony. Dr. Block is the Director of Orchestras and Opera and Professor of Conducting at Illinois State University since 1990. He is a frequent guest conductor, both abroad and in the US. In his 23-year tenure as former Music Director for the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, his contributions brought international recognition to the program and growth to five full orchestras, chorus, jazz and chamber music. Born in Brooklyn, Dr. Block was educated at the Eastman School of Music. He received his Ph.D. from UC San Diego.

Violinist Stevan Lukich, age 18, is Concertmaster of the Central Illinois Youth Symphony. An accomplished young violinist, Stevan has performed with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra-as winner of their Young Artists Competition-and with the Birch Creek Symphony, for which the Music Critics Association of North America noted, “His playing has warmth and lyricism, and demonstrates maturity well beyond his years”. His string quartet won the Chamber Music Competition at the renowned Meadowmount School of Music last summer. Stevan is a member of the CIYS Honors String Quartet and the Cygnet String Quartet. Stevan is a senior in high school and is the son of Mike and Janice Lukich of Chillicothe, IL.

The Central Illinois Youth Symphony (CIYS) is an organization whose vision is to transform youth through music. Celebrating its 47th concert season, the CIYS offers students enriching experiences not readily found in area schools. Founded in 1965 by area music educators, the CIYS has grown from a single high-school orchestra to a full program embracing students from grade 3 through 12 of all instruments and ability levels. The opportunities presented students include learning to master full symphonic works, collaboration with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and regular engagement with professional musicians and visiting guest artists.

Students are drawn to the CIYS from 28 communities in a 50 mile radius of Peoria. Annual spring auditions place students into one of three progressive orchestras and 7 small ensembles. Admission is blind to need, race and gender, and has broad community support. More information can be found at www.ciys.org.

Peoria – The Peoria City/County Health Department will host a community presentation featuring the Healthy Living Kiosk. Wilma Ruffin, M.Ed, BS, BA, Manager Research Department of Surgery at Henry Ford Health System of Detroit will demonstrate the Healthy Living Kiosk on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. at Four Points by Sheraton, 500 Hamilton Blvd., Peoria, Illinois.

The Healthy Living Kiosk offers a dynamic, interactive tool in community partnership for health. Whether the community includes business employees, a religious congregation or a school district of teachers and students, the Healthy Living Kiosk is designed to make individuals and the community healthier. The Kiosk offers over 30 interactive disease tutorials including diabetes, smoking, drug abuse, and cancer.

The public is invited to join in what will be an informative presentation featuring interactive education to address health issues.

To RSVP for the presentation, call 679-6110 or email sknox@peoriacounty.org.

For information about the Healthy Living Kiosk visit http://healthylivingkiosk.com/. For
more information about other public health issues, visit the Peoria County/County Health Department website www.pcchd.org.

House advances bill addressing cost-of-living increases

SPRINGFIELD, IL – With a collective focus on getting control of Illinois’ public sector pension crisis, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) and state Rep. David Leitch (R-Peoria) furthered their push for meaningful reform aimed at ensuring the retirement security of area constituents while being fierce stewards of taxpayer dollars.

“We must continue to work collaboratively to craft a solution to our pension crisis with all stakeholders committed to getting the job done,” said Gordon-Booth. “While nothing about this issue is easy, it is incumbent upon the Legislature to take affirmative action to halt our continued fiscal decline due to ballooning pension debt.”

Under House Bill 1165, passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) would be based on the first $25,000 an employee earns. Any salary beyond that threshold would receive an additional $750 each year. Taking into consideration lower-income annuitants, retirement plans valued at less than $25,000 would still be eligible to receive 3% compounded adjustments until they reach the threshold.

The COLA changes passed by the House are projected to save the state $15.1 billion in contributions to the State Employees Retirement System (SERS), and result in savings of more than $100 billion when including the General Assembly, State Universities and Downstate Teachers’ retirement systems, each of which are included in the legislation. COLA’s already earned remain will remain in place, and changes will only impact future cost-of-living adjustments for current and future retirees.

“A few of us opposed the financially irresponsible bill to create the 3% compounded COLA to begin with,” Leitch said. “Now that the day of reckoning has arrived, we must deal with the mess that threatens the very sustainability of the pension systems themselves.”

Additionally, under House Bill 1165, current and future retirees would have the year in which they can receive their cost-of-living adjustment delayed. While retirees who are age 67 and older would be unaffected by this delay, those under age 67 would have their COLA paused until either they reach age 67 or until the 5th anniversary of their retirement, whichever comes first.

For more information, contact state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth at (309) 681-1992 or state Rep. David Leitch at (309) 690-7373.

Peoria, Illinois (March 22, 2013)–Methodist Hospice Services is seeking caring, compassionate individuals to join our team of dedicated volunteers. Flexible, individualized opportunities range from assisting patients and families to working on administrative or special projects. Free volunteer training sessions will take place April 22nd, 23rd, and 25th.

To obtain a volunteer application or inquire about the program, contact Kristen or Karen at 309-672-5746. Join our team and make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.

The Illinois Council of Orchestras has announced that the Peoria Symphony Orchestra
has been named as the 2013 Professional Orchestra of the Year

This prestigious award is given annually by the Illinois Council of Orchestras recognizing excellence in the field of music performance.

According to Greg Clemons, ICO Awards committee chair “There were a number of highly qualified applicants this year in that particular category and the selection of a winner was a difficult decision for the committee. The ICO Awards Committee voted unanimously in favor of the PSO for the award.”

The award will be presented by a representative of the Illinois Council of Orchestras in the near future.

Peoria, IL – March 21, 2013 —in 2012, BNI members in central Illinois passed over $15 million dollars of business referrals in their chapters. $9 million of that — nearly 2/3rds — was done in Peoria chapters. In recognition of that success, Jeff Ensinger, BNI’s Central Illinois Executive Director, is starting a new East Peoria BNI chapter, which will meet in Uncle Bucks Fish Bowl and Grill Restaurant at the Bass Pro Shop in East Peoria. An informational meeting has been scheduled for the new East Peoria Chapter at Uncle Bucks Fish Bowl and Grill Restaurant on March 28 at 7:30 a.m.

Each BNI chapter allows only one person per professional classification, but the East Peoria introductory meeting is open to all interested business professionals. The average BNI chapter has 23 members and passes business leads between members, for sales opportunities both inside and outside the group. Interested business owners should RSVP by calling 309 453-2463 or emailing jeff@bni-il.com .

“BNI has created a formula for success for small businesses,” Jeff Ensinger said. “If you are a reputable and trusted business owner or sales person, we would like to show you how BNI delivers business results for small business owners like yourself. Our numbers stand for themselves – if you are willing to do the work, BNI can deliver business opportunities.”

As the largest and most successful referral organization in the world, BNI has more than 6,200 chapters worldwide. BNI is a driver of success for its member companies in central Illinois.

Peoria, IL (March 22, 2013) A slate of nationally known speakers will address the issues of civility in public discourse at a half-day national public policy symposium hosted by the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service at Bradley University on April 16.

The symposium on “Returning Civility to Public Discourse” will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Peplow Pavilion in the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center. Admission is $50 for the general public, and $40 for OLLI members and ICC Adult Community Program participants. Register online at http://www.bradley.edu/academic/continue/professionals/civility/index.dot.

Jim Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and a 30-year Member of Congress, will give the keynote address. He will discuss “The Importance of Civility in the Public Service Arena” during the 12:15 p.m. luncheon.

The morning sessions will feature discussions of how to constructively communicate, find common ground, and arrive at bipartisan solutions.

The presentations and speakers follow:

Mickey Edwards – Director, Aspen Institute-Rodell Fellowships in Public Leadership and 16-year Member of Congress; “The Parties Versus The People.”

John Fortier – Director, Bipartisan Policy Center; “The New National Commission on Political Reform.”

Donald Wolfensberger – Director, Woodrow Wilson International
Center for Scholars; “Getting Back to Legislating.”

David Yepsen – Director, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute; “The Role of Media in Our Lack of Civility.”

Clarine Nardi Riddle & Jonathon Miller – Co-Founders, No Labels; “The No Labels Movement.”

Frank Mackaman – Director, The Dirksen Congressional Center; “Civility in the Golden Age, 1959-1969.”

Dr. Robert Prescott – Chairperson, English Department, Bradley University; “Why Words Matter.”

Dr. Jackie Hogan – Chairperson, Sociology Department, Bradley University; “Why Words Matter.”

The symposium is endowed by the Dirksen Congressional Center in partnership with the IPL. The Institute promotes a return to statesmanship at all levels of government. Its goal is to become a Midwestern think tank advocating for a bipartisan leadership approach to resolve America’s most pressing problems.

Bradley is a top-ranked private, independent university in Peoria, Illinois, offering 6,000 students the choice of more than 100 academic programs. Bradley links academic excellence, experiential learning and leadership development with an entrepreneurial spirit for a world-class education. Its size provides students with extensive resources not available at most private colleges and the personal attention not commonly found at large universities.

Sean Casey, director of “Tornado Alley” and star of the Discovery Channel’s wildly popular Storm Chasers series, will be visiting Peoria Riverfront Museum next Friday, March 29, and Saturday, March 30 for the movie premiere of “Tornado Alley” in the Giant Screen Theater.