Beginning Friday, August 1, 2014, at approximately 9:00 am, Forrest Hill Avenue will be 1-way Eastbound traffic from Sheridan Road to North Street because of an unforeseen utility conflict. This will be in effect until the end of August.
Local traffic should follow posted detour signs and truck traffic should follow detour signs from Knoxville Avenue to War Memorial Drive.
For more information, contact Laura Savorgino (Resident Engineer), Farnsworth Group, at (309) 922-3673.
Peoria – Teachers of all grades and subjects are encouraged to participate in a free Composting Workshop on Monday, August 11 from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. at Hollis Grade School, 5613 W. Tuscarora Rd, Peoria. The workshop is presented by Peoria County’s Recycling and Resource Conservation Department in conjunction with Hollis Grade School staff. Teachers from the tri-county area are invited to learn why composting food waste is important, how to compost food waste produced at school, and a variety of classroom activities to encourage composting. Teachers will be provided the information necessary to begin a successful composting program in their classroom or their school.
Teachers participating in the workshop will earn Continuing Professional Development credits through the Illinois Science Teachers Association. Teachers may register for the workshop by contacting Peoria County’s Recycling Educator Becca Cottrell at 681-2551 or rcottrell@peoriacounty.org.
Peoria Public Library, with partners District 150, The Peoria Humane Society and Friends of Peoria Public Library, signed up 5, 595 Summer Readers who each read three hours a week for up to seven weeks and came to the library weekly to sign in. Their reward after five weeks was a voucher for a free Chiefs ticket and after six weeks a Party Pass to the Summer Reading Party at Peoria Riverfront Museum on Tuesday, July 29 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Readers are expected to attend in record-breaking numbers.
The Summer Reading Party will include every feature of the museum, including all Galleries, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not exhibit, the Big Screen Theatre and the Planetarium, as well as Balloon Art by The Unique Twist and free parking. At 8:00 p.m. the prize drawing will be held for prizes ranging from dinners or treats at 15 different area restaurants, including dinner for 10 at Olive Garden, to a family membership at Forest Park Nature Center to gift cards to Lowe’s or Shell Gas or a family cruise on the Spirit of Peoria. Summer Readers with a Party Pass must be present at the 8:00 p.m. drawing to win.
The theme for the Summer Reading program was “Paws to Read” and the summer was filled with paws related programs from the Barking Ballroom to Dog DNA to the opportunity to read to a therapy dog or watch a pet-related movie. Families who read together and encourage children to keep reading over the summer help reduce the “summer slide” of knowledge.
Summer Reading Sign Up for 2015 will start next May.
Power of Play Campaign Announces Completion of Construction Fundraising, Offers Other Ways for Community to Help Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum
Peoria, IL—The Power of Play Campaign affiliates are pleased to announce the most recent commitment made to its Campaign. Polly and Glen Barton have generously pledged the remaining funds necessary to complete construction of the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum at Glen Oak Park. The recent Demolition Celebration, held on July 15, 2014, marked the start of construction of the facility, which is one part of the campaign’s efforts to make Glen Oak Park a daylong destination for children and families.
“We are thrilled to support this project. We truly believe that the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum, along with Peoria Zoo, is necessary to our community. We look forward to the benefits that the children’s museum will bring to the children of our region,” says Polly Barton. “We are proud to ensure that the project finishes on time and help the campaign as it works to strengthen the capacity of our community to educate our children.”
“We are thrilled that the Bartons have once again shown their support for Glen Oak Park in such a wonderful way,” said Bonnie Noble, Executive Director of Parks and Recreation at the Peoria Park District. “Their gift will not only help us to continue our progress, but hopefully encourage others to step forward and make a commitment to the children of central Illinois.”
One way to help is to participate in the Peoria PlayHOUSEwarming shower. The campaign has established a wishlist on amazon.com that features toys and program materials needed by opening day of the children’s museum. Items may be purchased and then shipped directly to Glen Oak Park or may be hand-delivered to Peoria Zoo’s entry pavilion. All items donated are tax-deductible.
To learn more, please visit the campaign’s facebook page at Power of Play Peoria. Regular updates on construction progress and the HOUSEwarming shower will be posted there.
About the affiliation: With support from the Peoria Park District, the Junior League of Peoria and Peoria Zoological Society have joined forces to create a daylong destination for learning through play at Glen Oak Park—building the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum and expanding Peoria Zoo. As nonprofit organizations, both are backed by engaged groups of volunteers and have a long history of working with each other and with the Peoria Park District on quality projects, including:
About the Junior League of Peoria: Established in 1936, the Junior League has more than 400 dedicated, creative women volunteers who come from varying backgrounds but share a common goal of bringing people together to improve quality of life in our region.
About Peoria Zoological Society: Dedicated to realizing the vision for the “new” Zoo, Peoria
Zoological Society supports capital development and growth of Peoria Zoo.
On July 23, 2014, 22 Alligator Snapping Turtles (AST) that had previously been housed at Peoria Zoo were released into the wild in southern Illinois. Helping with the release were four members of the Zoo’s staff.
The Zoo’s partnership in the AST recovery program started in 2006. A staff biologist from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) approached the Zoo about working on a newly conceived AST recovery program. The Zoo was eager to help reintroduce a species that was endangered in the state and thought by many to be extinct in Illinois. In November of 2006, 37 yearling turtles arrived and were placed in an off-exhibit area. Over the years, more turtles were added and some were transferred to other holding facilities.
In 2009, IDNR conducted its first successful release of AST. With knowledge gained from that release, a more ambitious release was planned for 2014. In all, 97 turtles of varying age classes were chosen for release. To maximize their chance for survival and minimize any negative effects on other wildlife in the release areas, all of the turtles were taken to the University of Illinois for physical exams. Of particular importance was a blood test for Ranavirus, which has been implicated as a major factor in the worldwide decline in amphibians.
After the exam and test results showed the turtles to be in good health and free of Ranavirus, a date was set for release and the Zoo was invited to send staff members to participate. Dawn Petefish, Collections Curator, and Doug Holmes, Reptile Keeper, were chosen to go as they have done the majority of the work involved with the program. Two other keepers, Paul Wenzel and Katie Carlson, also made the trip to be part of this extraordinary experience.
Processing the turtles took several hours with measurements taken, and individual identifiers and transmitters being attached. Paint was applied to camouflage the adhesive used on the transmitters and the humidity did cause a problem with the paint drying. Doug Holmes said, “It’s the only time I actually sat and watched paint dry”.
After processing, the turtles were taken to areas chosen to maximize their chance for survival. Then the Zoo staff was given the honor of actually putting the turtles into their new homes. Said Dawn Petefish, “A lot of people have worked really hard to get the ASTs to this point, and I am grateful to have been involved with such a collaborative effort and to finally see these animals reintroduced to the wild is truly special.”
Peoria Zoo continues to hold 43 turtles off exhibit with one turtle on exhibit in the Tropics Building. The staff is anxious to hear news of the latest release and to continue their work as a partner in this important conservation program.
Alligator Snapping Turtle Facts:
For additional Information contact Dawn Petefish at (309) 681-3501.
The Peoria Public Library Board of Trustees has learned that Peoria Public Library Lincoln Branch, an original Carnegie Library in service for over 100 years, has been placed on The National Register of Historic Places.
The designation joins a local landmark designation from the City of Peoria Historic Preservation Commission and recognition by The Central Illinois Landmark Foundation.
“National Register designation of Lincoln Branch is a tremendous honor for Peoria Public Library and for Peoria as a whole. It is a celebration of Andrew Carnegie’s generosity, a celebration of the Library’s stewardship of Lincoln Branch spanning more than a century, and a celebration of the magic that is created in a community when a structure of historic and architectural significance plays as important a role as a library does,” said Peoria Public Library Board of Trustee President Margaret Cousin.
According to the National Park Service website, “The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.”
In April of 2012 when Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation presented Peoria Public Library with two markers in recognition of “outstanding work” performed on Lincoln and McClure Branches during the Peoria Public Library $28 million renovation project, William Ordaz said that historic preservation impacts jobs and the economy, property values over the long term and heritage tourism.
Peoria Public Library Lincoln Branch, located at 107 N.E. Monroe Street, was built in 1910 with a $20,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie as part of his public library building program. The funding was tied to a requirement that the city receiving the funding levy a tax to support the library pre-construction. The city also had to furnish a building site and offered Lincoln Park, a full city block in the center of the bustling and growing Southside neighborhood. Lincoln Branch was the first branch library in the city although outreach services had been provided at Manual High School.
The recent capital building program included a renovation of the neo-classical masterpiece, together with adding a 12,000 foot addition on the rear of the building. The addition is sheltered from the street view by a garden wall and links to the original Carnegie building with a glass corridor.
Lincoln Branch is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, although closed every Wednesday, and is open on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. The branch includes several meeting rooms, public computers, a computer lab and a Storytime Room and serves a diverse community with full library service.
(Peoria, IL / July 28, 2014) – OSF Saint Francis Centers for Breast Health has been named a recipient of the Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Breast Centers, acknowledging its dedication to providing exceptional patient care and treatment.
Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer among American women with one in eight developing invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. By carrying the Women’s Choice Award seal, OSF Saint Francis has signified its commitment to a global mission to elevate the patient experience.
OSF Saint Francis Centers for Breast Health earned the award by having met the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) standards from the American College of Surgeons, for carrying the Seal of the American College of Radiologists as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, and for scoring above-average on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) patient satisfaction measures.
“Finding breast cancer at its earliest stages is at the heart of what we do. Today’s most advanced technology combined with the passion and expertise of our staff is the reason our patients enjoy the benefits of an award-winning breast center close to home,” said Jennifer Hopwood, MSN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President, Patient Care, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. “We are honored for our Centers for Breast Health to be recognized among America’s best! Our team truly lives the Sisters’ Mission to serve with the greatest care and love.”
The Women’s Choice Award helps women and their families by providing recommendations they can trust – from other women – when making healthcare choices.
Thousands of families waitlisted while CHA pays for posh high-rise condos for select few
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) today sent letters to the incoming Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Julian Castro and HUD Inspector General David Montoya regarding oversight of a new supervoucher program at the Chicago Housing Authority CHA). According to a report released over the weekend by Crain’s Chicago Business, some families are receiving taxpayer-funded CHA ‘supervouchers’ to rent in the city’s priciest, most exclusive high-rise communities, some of which include concierge and dog-grooming services.
“The rapid growth of Chicago’s supervoucher program – both in the number of recipients and the dollar amount of monthly payments – warrants a comprehensive audit,” Schock wrote to HUD. “As Congress seeks to meet the needs of our nation’s poor amid tightened budget constraints, it is dispiriting to know that HUD and CHA willingly award to a single voucher recipient living in a high-rise Chicago condominium enough rent assistance to help three whole families living in poverty somewhere else in the city.”
Bradley University’s year-long theme celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Civil Rights may have wrapped up, but the lessons learned from it continue.
Thanks to the generosity of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois, we are able to provide a DVD of our April 11th capstone event featuring keynote speaker Rep. John Lewis, a Civil Rights icon and the only living member of Dr. Martin Luther King’s inner circle. The DVD will be shared with approximately 90 schools (K-8 and high schools) throughout the area to educate, motivate and inspire students. The intent is to supplement current curriculum and class discussions about civil rights.
This is the first campus wide year-long theme to be adopted at Bradley. The goal was to raise this generation’s awareness of the intense discrimination that existed and the struggles fought in order to move our country forward.
For more information on this outreach please contact the Office of Public Relations at Bradley University at 677-3260 or 677-2242.