On Monday, July 21, the Peoria County Highway Department has changed its seal coating operations from Sterling Ave to Airport Road. Therefore, seal coating on Sterling Ave will not be done on Monday. Please see the following information for the Airport Road maintenance project. Thank you.

Peoria County

Official News Release

Link to this news release:  http://www.peoriacounty.org

Sterling Ave Lane Closures

  LANE CLOSURE – INTERMITTENT LANE CLOSURES

Peoria County – Weather permitting, the following road will have intermittent lane closures:

The Peoria County Highway Department requests motorists find an alternate route. For more information, call the Highway Department at 697-6400.

Come celebrate the opening of the 2014 season on Monday, July 21^st. During the months of July and August, Tanners Orchard will be open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday thru Saturday. Free apple cider and donuts will be given away during the opening week. 

There are many events planned for our 67^th season, visit our website often for updated events. Enjoy your special gathering in our garden dining area, perfect for birthday parties, family reunions, get-togethers, you name it, Tanners is a fun location for events. Call Tanners at 493-5442 for availability. 

The orchard sports over 11,000 trees and 17 varieties of apples. We grow over 20 acres of pumpkins along with various other fruits and vegetables. Find a large assortment of gifts and delicious food offerings in our Farm Market and Apple Bin Bakery. Our Back 40 Fun Acres will keep the entire family busy for the day. 

Since 1947, four generations of the Tanner family have welcomed you to an amazing country farm experience. At Tanners Orchard you’ll find a family atmosphere where fun is the order of the day.

Performance on the Prairie continues through AugustPeoria, Ill. —

Shoppes at Grand Prairie is hosting a free summer concert series, Performance on the Prairie, every Sunday through August 24^th from 12-3 p.m. in Center Court.

“Our customers are really enjoying our summer concert series, Performance on the Prairie,” noted Cindy Patterson, Marketing Manager, dma | property, LLC. “This series, and its performers, provides a fun and family-friendly atmosphere that’s perfectly suited for Sunday afternoons.” 

The Performance on the Prairie concert series is free and open to the public. Performances take place every Sunday through August 25^thin Center Court, lasting from noon-3:00 p.m.  Seating areas are available, but chairs and blankets are encouraged. Leashed and well-behaved pets are welcome.      

• July 20^th – Barry Cloyd
• July 27^th – Banjovi & Potts
• August 3^rd – Mike Cheesman
• August 10^th – Barry Cloyd
• August 17^th – Jazz on the Side
• August 24^th – Banjovi & Potts

 About Shoppes at Grand Prairie – Shoppes at Grand Prairie is an open-air lifestyle center located in northwest Peoria near US-150 and Route 91. Anchored by Bergner’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Marshalls, DSW and Old Navy, the tenant mix includes more than 50 specialty stores and restaurants, many of which are exclusive to the Peoria market.

LANE CLOSURE – INTERMITTENT LANE CLOSURES

  Peoria County – Weather permitting, the following road will have intermittent lane closures:

The Peoria County Highway Department requests motorists find an alternate route. For more information, call the Highway Department at 697-6400.

The wait is over! The brand new Courtyard by Marriot® Peoria Downtown is officially open for business and booking reservations. The newly completed addition to Peoria’s downtown hospitality complex is very excited to be a part of the community and looks forward to providing great service, quality accommodations and a comfortable experience for all their guests.

Come on in and check it out!

• • State-of-the-art lobby space
• • Open social spaces
• • Indoor Saline lap pool and whirlpool
• • 116 spacious guest rooms and suites
• • The Bistro – Eat. Drink. Connect.
• • The Market – 24 hour self-serve pantry
• • Climate controlled walkway connecting to Peoria Civic Center

Courtyard by Marriot Peoria Downtown management team:

• Joe LoMonaco, Managing Director
• M. J. Schettler, Director of Sales & Marketing
• Jeff McCLinden, General Manager

Reservations can be made on-line at www.courtyard.com. For more information contact Mary Jo Schettler at 671-5050.

Contact: Mary Jo Schettler, Courtyard by Marriott Peoria Downtown at 533 Main St.

• Office: 309.671.5050
• Cell 309.369.6044

The week-long 4G STEM Camp (Girls + Games + Gadgets = Genius!) involving 7th and 8th grade girls concludes on Friday with lab projects and a gala presentation on the Bradley University campus.
The 4G STEM camp was designed to spark participants’ interest in careers in the STEM field and increase the size and diversity of the local STEM workforce.
Partners from Bradley University’s Center for STEM Education, Illinois Central College, Economic Development Council of Central Illinois, Workforce Alliance Central Illinois, The Office of Math, Science and Engineering Technology Education at UIUC, and University of Illinois Extension came together to plan the day camp for girls entering 7th and 8th grade.

Peoria County – The Peoria City/County Health Department is reporting the first West Nile virus positive bird sample detected in Peoria County for 2014. “The positive bird is an indication that West Nile virus is circulating in our area and individuals should take appropriate preventive measures to protect their health,” states Wil Hayes, Director of Environmental Health for the Peoria City/County Health Department.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Common West Nile virus symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches. Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks. However, four out of five

people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms. In rare cases, severe illness including meningitis or encephalitis, or even death, can occur. People older than 50 are at higher risk for severe illness from West Nile virus.

Hayes further states, “The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions include practicing the three “R’s” – reduce, repel and report.”

• REDUCEexposure – Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn. Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, including water in bird baths, ponds, flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.
• REPELmosquitoes -When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535, according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
• REPORT mosquito breeding grounds – In communities where there are organized mosquito control programs, contact your municipal government to report areas of stagnant water in roadside ditches, flooded yards and similar locations that may produce mosquitoes.

Surveillance for West Nile virus includes laboratory tests on mosquito batches, dead crows, blue jays, robins and other perching birds, as well as testing sick horses and humans with West Nile-like disease symptoms.  If a dead bird is found between now and October 15 and appears to have died of natural causes, you should report it to the Peoria City/County Health Department at 309-679-6161.

For more information on public health issues, visit the Peoria City/County Health Department’s website at www.pcchd.org.

(Peoria, IL – July 16, 2014) Phillip J. Olsson, MD, FACP, HMDC, Executive Medical Director of OSF Home Care Services and Medical Director of OSF Hospice and OSF Richard L Owens Hospice Home, was recently granted the Hospice Medical Director Certified credential by the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board.

Dr. Olsson was recognized for commitment to improving the quality of life by displaying professional competency in hospice medical care. Hospice practice includes patient care, medication management, performance improvement, engagement in interdisciplinary group (IDG) activities, and much more. Professional certification affirms a knowledge and experience base for hospice practitioners to display commitment to their career, dedication to patient and family care, and the sustainability of the hospice organization and hospice medicine.  HMDC designation is granted for six years and is renewed through continued validation of knowledge and re-examination.

Dr. Olsson is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Nephrology and Hospice and Palliative Care.  He served for more than 30 years in a Peoria-area Nephrology practice and now confines his practice to home care, palliative care and hospice.  Dr. Olsson is a member of the Peoria Medical Society, Illinois State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Home Care Medicine and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine where he is a member of the Ethics Special Interest Group.

The Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB) is a not-for-profit certifying body established to design, implement, and evaluate a certification program for hospice medical directors and other physicians who provide hospice care for patients. HMDCB is solely responsible for the development, administration and evaluation of the certification program. The mission of HMDCB is to relieve suffering and improve quality of life by promoting the excellence and professional competency of hospice medical directors. Information about the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board including a directory of certified hospice physicians is available at www.HMDCB.org.  To learn more about OSF Home Care Services, including OSF Hospice and the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home, visit www.osfhomecare.org.