As October 31st approaches, we want to remind everyone about the importance of safety while trick or treating this Halloween. The city would like to encourage you to take your children out trick or treating between the hours of 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. to take advantage of the daylight hours.

In addition, here are a tips that can help to keep your child’s Halloween experience both safe and memorable:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you.
• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards or use alleys.
• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks and never cross between parked cars or out driveways.
• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters.
• Be sure a child’s mask allows full visibility and breathing.
• Avoid costumes that drag on the ground. Have each child carry or wear something well lit like a glow bracelet.

Local media personalities, elected officials to join lawmaker in serving breakfast to say thanks

Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) will be hosting a free Veterans’ Appreciation Breakfast on Saturday, November 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the American Legion Post 2 Hall located at 110 E. McClure Ave. in Peoria. Several area media personalities, elected officials and community leaders will serve as waiters for veterans at the breakfast.

“Everyday we go to work, school, or spend time with our family, while members of our military face threats to life and limb in order to protect us and others from harm,” Gordon said. “I would like to show a small token of my appreciation by hosting a free pancake breakfast for our veterans and current military men and women, as well as their loved ones.”

Veterans and their family members will be able to come to the American Legion Post 2 Hall for a free pancake breakfast that will include pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. Gordon will be joined by local Peoria dignitaries to help serve veterans and current military.

“With so much dissension between political parties and groups in our country, we must recognize the issues that unite us, the first among these are making sure our veterans and the brave men and women in our military have the resources and support they need at home, I want them to know how much we appreciate them,” Gordon added. “I look forward to being joined by community leaders from every sector in acknowledging the sacrifices made by our veterans.”

For more information about Rep. Gordon’s Veterans Appreciation Breakfast, please contact Rep. Gordon’s constituent services office at 309-681-1992 or e-mail her at repjgordon@gmail.com.

The following book clubs will meet in November and are open to new members. Discover the joy of discussing a great book with others this month!

Biography and Non-Fiction Book Club will meet on Sunday, November 13 at 3:00 p.m.at North Branch to discuss The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum.. Deborah Blum shares the untold story of how poison rocked Jazz Age New York City. In The Poisoner’s Handbook Blum draws from highly original research to track the fascinating, perilous days when a pair of forensic scientists began their trailblazing chemical detective work, fighting to end an era when untraceable poisons offered an easy path to the perfect crime. A beguiling concoction that is equal parts true crime, twentieth-century history, and science thriller, The Poisoner’s Handbook is a page-turning account of a forgotten New York.

Book ‘Em Mystery Book Club will meet on Sunday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.at North Branch to discuss New Tricks by David Rosenfelt. Andy Carpenter gains possession of an adorable Bernese puppy whose owner had been brutally murdered. However, his playful new friend is valued by several people, many of whom are willing to resort to violence to get what they want.
The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Club meets on November 14 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss Nightlife Rob Thurman. Call 497-2149 for more information and meeting location. Trolls, vampires, and other preternatural creatures dwell in New York City, where humans are oblivious to their presence. Carl Leandros is only half human. His father’s dark lineage is the stuff of nightmares, and he and his entire otherworldly race are after Carl.

A Little Romance Book Club meets on Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. at North Branch to discuss Coming Home by Mariah Stewart. Vanessa finds a home in St. Dennis until her past catches up with her and she turns to Grady Shields for help.
The Evening Love to Read! Book Club will meet on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at the North Branch to discuss The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock by Donald Spoto. This is the definitive life story of Alfred Hitchcock, the enigmatic and intensely private director of such memorable films as Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, The Birds, and more than forty other films. Spoto traces Hitchcock’s life from his English childhood through the golden years in Hollywood when he became one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Lakeview’s Leaky Cauldron will meet on Wednesday, November 30 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. to discuss Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This book club is open to all ages. For more information and meeting location, call 309-497-2200.

Talk About Good Book Club will meet Wednesday, November 30, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the North Branch to talk about Secret of the Mansion and The Red Trailer Mystery by Julie Campbell, Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon, and The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West. Secret of the Mansion: Thirteen-year-old Trixie Belden and her friends search for hidden treasure in a mysterious mansion owned by an old miser. The Red Trailer Mystery: While traveling by trailer in upstate New York to find a runaway, Trixie Belden and Honey Wheeler investigate a case of mysterious trailer thefts. Tower Treasure: Joe and Frank discover the location of stolen jewels and papers and help remove suspicion from an innocent man. The Happy Hollisters: The adventures for the Hollister family begin as soon as they move into their new house on the shore on Pine Lake in Shoreham. First, the moving van carrying their toys and their father’s important new invention disappears. Next, they learn that their house may be haunted, with a treasure hidden somewhere inside!

The largest and most successful fundraising effort in Bradley University’s history, the Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance, has concluded, raising a record $161,206,751.

Launched publicly in April 2008 with a goal of $150 million, the Renaissance Campaign provides essential resources for scholarships, academic and curricular development, construction and renovation of facilities, and endowment support.

Caterpillar Inc. provided the largest donation in the University’s history with a lead gift of $30 million. Nearly 29,000 donors worldwide, including almost 8,000 first-time contributors, joined the Peoria-based corporation in supporting the effort.

“We took our vision for Bradley’s future from coast to coast, meeting with alumni and friends, to ask them to imagine with us what we’ll do next,” said Bradley University President Joanne K. Glasser. “We don’t have to imagine any longer because of the many academic and physical developments from the Campaign. The Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance has been everything we hoped for and more.”

Including Caterpillar’s gift, 29 donors contributed $1 million or more. More than 16,000 alumni, representing 26 percent of living alumni, donated nearly $60 million to the campaign. Also notable was the support from current and retired faculty and staff who committed $3.1 million to the effort.

“We are profoundly grateful to all of our donors – alumni, friends and corporations – for making the transformation of our campus and curriculum possible so that we can meet the needs of students, faculty and alumni now and well into the future,” Glasser said.

Since the beginning of the Campaign four campus buildings have been completed – the Markin Family Student Recreation Center; the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center; the Main Street parking deck; and the Renaissance Coliseum. The expansion and renovation of Westlake Hall — the campaign’s fifth building project – will be finished in 2012. An alumni quad is under development.

In addition to the construction projects, 79 new scholarships were created, $52 million was directed toward academic and operational enhancements, and $30 million was earmarked to increase the University’s endowment which now approaches $250 million. The Renaissance Campaign began accumulating gifts and commitments in June 2005.

“These are amazing achievements that have been made possible by the people who believe in Bradley and our vision to become a university of national distinction,” said Gerald Shaheen, chairman of the Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance. “I believe this campaign is a turning point for Bradley, an effort that will serve as a catalyst, propelling Bradley toward national distinction.”

The Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance, the largest in Bradley’s history, is the University’s third consecutive successful campaign. In the 1980s, The Campaign for Bradley raised $31.7 million. In the 1990s, the Centennial Campaign collected $127.4 million, the most substantial Bradley fundraising effort at the time.

[CW received the following press release about their rate increase proposal filed today]

Approximately $180 million of infrastructure investments drive request; Cost for water service remains at about a penny per gallon for typical customer

Today Illinois American Water filed a rate case with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) requesting an increase in rates of approximately $7.06 per month for a typical residential customer using 4,500 gallons of water per month in the Peoria District service area. Rates will not change until the fall of 2012, following ICC review and approval.

A typical customer in the Peoria District will continue to receive quality, reliable water service for about a penny per gallon. The company’s request would increase the monthly bill for a typical residential customer to approximately $43.65 a month (excludes fire protection charges, municipal taxes and franchise fees, which vary by community). The water company cannot increase rates on its own. The process before the ICC typically lasts 11 months and requires the company to provide thousands of pages of documentation to show that the rate request is needed.

Illinois American Water’s ongoing investment in water system improvements and the increasing costs of delivering quality, reliable service to customers are the main drivers behind today’s rate request. The proposed increase reflects approximately $180 million in investments across the state, including approximately $55 million in the Peoria District, not reflected in current water rates.

There is no immediate impact to customers. Following today’s filing, a comprehensive review process by the ICC is the next step in the rate-making process. Public hearings and opportunities for public comment are part of the process, under the direction of the ICC.

Illinois American Water’s rates are based on the full cost of providing water service, as reviewed by the ICC. The company works to control operating expenses while balancing the need for regular investment in the water system. While many municipally-owned water systems are able to cover costs with taxes, fees and other revenue sources as a way to keep water bills lower, investor-owned, regulated water utilities are required to recover all costs through water rates charged on the customer’s water bill.

Many communities are facing the challenges of aging water systems and associated rate increases. The U.S. EPA says the nation’s water utilities will need to make more than $335 billion in infrastructure investments — $15 billion in Illinois — over the next 20 years to replace thousands of miles of pipe and for upgrades to treatment plants, storage tanks and other assets to ensure public health.

Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning musician, Grant Norsworthy, will lead “An Evening of Praise” at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 20th at First United Methodist Church of Peoria. The concert will take place in the church’s 700 Main Street auditorium (corner of Main and Perry in downtown Peoria). The concert is free and there is free parking around the building.

Grant will be leading a B1 concert at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 19 at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Washington, Illinois.

Originally from Australia, now based in Nashville, Tennessee, Grant has been a bassist with top bands such as PC3 (Paul Colman Trio) and SONICFLOOd. Through stories, word pictures and songs, Grant possesses a rare ability to reshape sometimes overwhelming concepts into deep-yet-simple thoughts that propel listeners to realization and action. Learn more about him at www.grantnorsworthy.com.

Church Women United Peoria will sponsor a brunch with a program following on Friday November 4th 2011 at 9:30 a.m. World Community Day – “Living our faith: Unlocking Action” @ Glen Oak Christian Church, 1115 E. Republic, Peoria. For tickets call 309. 691.2451 Come and be inspired!

Will be held on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28 – 2 10:00 AM, DOWNTOWN LIBRARY

This Friday, October 28th, Peoria Families Against Toxic Waste and Sierra Club Heart of Illinois Group are holding a press conference to discuss the impending Illinois Supreme Court decision regarding the delisting of EAF waste. The conference will take place at 10:00 AM IN the Peoria Public Library, Main and Monroe Streets, in the 2nd Floor meeting room.

Case No. 110882 – Sierra Club et al., appellants, v. Illinois Pollution Control Board et al., appellees is an appeals case with the Appellate Court, Third District. PFATW and HOISC have been fighting the delisting of EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) waste. The IEPA classified EAF waste as non-hazardous, allowing the treated materials to be disposed of in standard municipal landfills.

PFATW and HOISC continue to argue that EAF waste is a hazardous material, even after treatment, and should be disposed of in a hazardous waste landfill.

On the Supreme Court site (http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Announce/default.asp), the decision will be posted as part of an “Opinion Announcement.” Anyone can sign up for an email notification or a tweet on the same page.

Last spring, state Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) fought for consumers by voting against legislation that would guarantee automatic rate hikes on consumers’ electric bills. Although the bill passed, the Governor vetoed the legislation this summer and today Gordon continued her fight for consumers by voting in support of the veto to prevent the automatic rate increases.

“As I walk door to door in our community, I hear from the residents of this district that worry about paying their utility bills,” said Gordon. “I worry about our seniors and people on fixed incomes, and that’s why I voted against higher electric rates.”

The electric rate hike legislation, Senate Bill 1652, which passed the House and Senate last spring despite objection from Gordon, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, AARP, and the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), was vetoed by Governor Quinn earlier this year. Governor Quinn’s veto was overridden in the House Wednesday with a two-thirds majority.

Under current law, any changes in electric rates need to be approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) and go through an eleven month review period before being finalized, with the ICC having oversight of approving rates that are reasonable and just. Senate Bill 1652 removes much of the oversight and review of the ICC, granting utility companies greater power in deciding rate increases which could go into effect yearly.

“As we are still grappling with the effects of this recession, I cannot justify asking struggling families to pay more on their utility bills,” said Gordon. “I will continue to fight to protect the interests of the working families of Illinois.”

For more information, please contact Rep. Gordon’s full-time constituent service office at (309) 681-1992 or email her at repjgordon@gmail.com.

Rally outside Congressman’s office to call for support of jobs creation legislation

Members of SEIU Healthcare Illinois will rally outside the Springfield office of U.S. Representative Aaron Schock (R-18th) and call on him to support legislative efforts to create jobs.

The group, concerned about rising unemployment and the security of their own jobs, will deliver a large poster with photographs of home care workers on the job and the deteriorating infrastructure in need of repair in Rep. Schock’s district. The poster carries the message: “There’s work that needs doing.”

Investing in social programs like home care and child care creates jobs and vital services for the most vulnerable citizens and repairing and upgrading America’s infrastructure – bridges, roads, class rooms, transportation and energy systems — would create hundreds of thousands of jobs and spark the country’s economic recovery.

The group also argues that corporations are sitting on nearly $2 trillion in stockpiled profits instead of creating good American jobs, while big businesses and billionaires continue to reap the benefits of generous tax give-aways

The 1:30 p.m. rally will occur outside Rep. Schock’s office at 235 S. 6th St. where the workers will attempt to deliver the poster and seek Rep. Schock’s support for legislation to create jobs.

WHAT: Rally urging Congress to pass legislation that creates jobs
WHEN: 1:30 p.m., Thursday, October 27, 2011
WHERE: Office of Rep. Aaron Schock (R-18th), 235 6th St., Springfield, Ill.
WHO: SEIU Healthcare Illinois home care workers