Saturday, January 28th @ Luthy Botanical Garden

The Peoria Park District’s Luthy Botanical Garden will host an art auction in the Garden Conservatory from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. More than 60 Illinois artists have been invited to participate.

The auction will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, and a silent auction will take place from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served during the silent auction. There is no admission fee.

WCBU, Peoria Public Radio, will broadcast a special call-in program featuring Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis and East Peoria Mayor Dave Mingus at noon on Monday, January 30th. The phone lines will be open for listener questions and comments. The station can be heard at 89.9FM and online at wcbufm.org.

Bradley University students will participate in Global Game Jam (GGJ) 2012, the world’s largest game jam event, for the first time this year.

The 48-hour event starts at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27, and ends at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday in the Caterpillar Global Communications Center, located at 834 N. Duryea. Students will work in teams of 3-5 people to develop a game from start to finish. Though many choose to design and develop digital games, participants also can choose to create a board game, card game, or other type of game. On Friday, participants will be given the game theme set by global jam organizers. Alumni and instructors will be available to assist participants with the various stages of game development such as design, art, sound, and programming.

The first Game Jam event was held in 2009. Last year, teams in 44 countries participated and, over the course of one weekend, created more than 1,500 games. The event brings together thousands of game enthusiasts participating through many local jams around the world. Global Game Jam is a project of the International Game Developers Association.

The Bradley event is coordinated by the University’s Video Game Design Club, the Department of Interactive Media and the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems.

Wine and Roses, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, February 11 at Luthy Botanical Garden, has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. We apologize for any disruption of plans. A replacement event will be held in the near future.

For additional information, call (309) 681-3506.

Join the River Spirit Flute Circle at the Peoria Park District’s Forest Park Nature Center on the following Saturdays from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.: January 28, February 25, March 17 and April 28.

Listen to Native American flute music or try your hand at playing this beautiful wooden instrument. All levels are welcome, and the circle is open to the public. No previous musical experience is necessary. Randy Starnes, a local flute maker, is the leader of the group and will have flutes for you to borrow or purchase. Bring your own flute if you have one.
There is no fee, but donations are appreciated. For additional information, call (309) 686-3360.

The Morton Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the 2012 Women In Business breakfast series. “We had great participation last year and we plan to build upon that momentum as we continue to provide a nice mix of personal and professional development opportunities with a splash of networking.” said Allison Vershaw, Program Director.

The 90 minute breakfast will be held in the Terrace Room as the Best Western in Morton. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. for networking/buffet breakfast, followed by one of the great programs listed below.

February 9: Heart Health for Women, Melissa Chrisman, American Heart Association
April 19: Engaging Generations in the Workplace, Kathie Brown, UofI Extension
June 14: How Social Media Works for Your Company, Sarah Krupka, WEEK
August 9: Learning to Say “NO”, Robin Albright, Zinger Zanger
October 4: Stress Free Holidays, Char Richardson, Richardson Counseling
December 13: Financial Management for Women, Carolyn Weaver, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Tickets for the breakfast are $25 each or you can purchase the entire series (6 breakfasts) for $120. Log onto: www.mortonchamber.org/wib to register today!

Midstate College is proud to announce the hiring of Amber Schappaugh as full‐time faculty in the Allied Health Department. Amber obtained a Bachelor Degree in Health Service Management from Midstate College, and she is currently pursuing a Master Degree at University of Illinois at Springfield in Gerontology. Amber is a Registered Medical Assistant through American Medical Technologists, and in her previous professional experience, she has worked in both a private physician office and a group physician office.

Amber chose Midstate College as an employer due to her positive experience as a student. In her position, she is most excited to motivate college students. In her words, Amber is most looking forward to, “helping students learn about healthcare and inspiring them to love the profession as much as I do.”

For more information, please contact Ashley Spain, arspain@midstate.edu or 309.692.4092
ext. 1040

Two Bradley University Sports Communication students have been selected by NBC/Universal as interns for the Super Bowl in Indianapolis on February 5.

Seniors Zach Keesee of Ransom, Illinois and Josh Koebert of Germantown, Wisconsin were selected earlier this month and will begin work on Monday at NBC offices in Indianapolis. They will have writing and public relations assignments in the days leading up to the game.

Keesee also is one of ten Bradley students who will intern with NBC during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. NBC officials were so impressed with Bradley students when they interviewed them for the Olympic internships last summer that they returned to Bradley for the Super Bowl opportunity.

“This extends a wonderful partnership between Bradley’s Department of Communication and NBC/Universal, and speaks volumes about the high opinion NBC has of our students,” said Dr. Paul Gullifor, chair of the Bradley Department of Communication. “Our students are now participating in the world’s largest sporting event in the Olympics, and America’s greatest sporting event in the Super Bowl.”

NBC was attracted to Bradley after University President Joanne Glasser and Gullifor met with network officials in New York last year to discuss the University’s top-notch academic program and its high-quality students. Bradley offers a one-of-a-kind sports communication curriculum and has a long tradition of educating world-class sports announcers and broadcasting professionals. Among the university’s notable alumni are Charley Steiner, Andy Masur, Jack Brickhouse, Ralph Lawler, and Chick Hearn. Students underwent rigorous preparation before meeting with NBC officials, including mock interviews with alumni, advice on resume writing, and an overview of Olympic and NBC history.

Bradley is a 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. Our size provides students extensive resources not available at most private colleges and the personal attention not commonly found at large universities.

Through Februrary 29 – In the Main Library Gallery : Black History Month Art Exhibit Open Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Works by Peoria’s talented African American Artists including: Preston Jackson, Jonathan Romain, Elijah T. Sansom, Nicola Blease Perry, Rashad Reed, Andrea Reed, Larry Hendricks. Free.

January 28 – 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. History Channel Author and Historian Lance Zedric -The Alamo Scouts at Peoria Public Library North Branch – McKenzie Room – As seen on The History Channel, this program focuses on the men who made up the Alamo Scouts. During WW II, the Alamo Scouts liberated 197 Allied prisoners in New Guinea, and provided forward reconnaissance and tactical support of the Sixth Ranger Battalion in the liberation of the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War Camp on Luzon, in February 1945, freeing 511 Allied prisoners. FREE