Bradley University has received a grant award of $300,000 over two years from the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation to aid three schools in Peoria School District 150.

Bradley, in collaboration with District 150, will use the funds to hire personnel to assist with the implementation of the full service community schools model at Manual Academy, Harrison Community Learning Center and Trewyn K-8 School, as well as develop the Mobile Parent Resource Center. The staff will coordinate programs and services during non-academic hours, build relationships with students, teachers, administration, parents, neighborhood residents and the larger community, and reach out to the community to meet the needs of students and families at the designated schools.

Bradley, its College of Education and Health Sciences and the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service were appointed Lead Agency for Peoria’s Full Service Community Schools Initiative in 2010 by the Peoria School District 150 School Board.

Joanne Glasser, President of Bradley University, and Gerald Shaheen, Chairman of the Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance, will announce a milestone achievement in the University’s historic fundraising effort at a news conference on October 27th.

The Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance was publicly launched in April 2008 at a red-tie gala with a goal of $150 million. Proceeds of the Campaign are supporting the development of five new buildings, scholarships, enhanced technologies, and new academic programs.

Peoria Public Library will host the elegant ladies of the Titanic on an imaginary voyage on Saturday, November 12 at 11:00 a.m. at North Branch and at 3:00 p.m. at Main Library.

This free program encourages Edwardian dress and is appropriate for ladies ages 10 and up. Those attending will enjoy a lovely tea party while learning about the most fascinating voyage of an era. Elegant Edwardians such as Lady Astor and Mrs. J.M. Brown sailed on the Titanic. Learn about the times and read a “character card” as part of the program to learn what happened to the various passengers.

For anyone interested in what might be the world’s most famous voyage, this free program will return you to an lost era. For more information please call 309-497-2120.

Local authors Norm Kelly and Bob Sulaski appear together at a joint book signing on Saturday, November 12 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Peoria Public Library North Branch to talk about their books False Face and 59 Years of Drumsticks and Pigskins.

Kelly, author of False Face, is well known for his tales of Peoria crime, gangsters and prohibition. False Face is fiction but loosely based on Kelly’s experiences as a private investigator. Barn burnings and a serial killer challenge the local sheriff to track down a killer in this latest tale.

Sulaski was co-captain of the 1952 Woodruff High School football team that played in the last Woodruff-Spalding Turkey Day game. He wrote 59 Years of Drumsticks and Pigskins to memorialize the memory of this Peoria sports tradition that started with a “Peace Conference” game in 1915 and ended in 1973. Several generations of Peoria men and boys played in and watched this annual rite.

A portion of the proceeds of all book sales go to support the Friends of Peoria Public Library. Call 309-497-2120 for more information.

As leaves fall, the volume of materials collected under the City’s Yard Waste Collection program increases significantly. Yard waste collection will continue through December 18, 2011, but the majority of materials collected under this program are usually placed out for collection by the end of November.

Peoria Disposal Company will be progressing through each collection district until they are completed with that district. What this means is, if the Monday route cannot be completed on Monday, they will start where they ended on the Monday route on Tuesday before starting the Tuesday collection and so on for the week. In this manner, all routes should be completed by Friday of each week.

All yard waste materials need to be placed out for collection before 6:00 a.m. in the appropriate containers or yard waste bags, and cannot exceed 50 pounds in weight. The City does not permit leaves to be raked to the curb for collection.

Earth Day is Everyday 2011, “Earth, More than a Planet,” is being held at the Peoria Civic Center on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. Approximately 850 third grade students from Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties are participating in this free event to celebrate our planet and gain a greater appreciation for our environment. Children will experience a variety of hands-on activities and programs designed to promote our precious planet Earth.

Climb Theatre, a Minnesota-based theater group that focuses on social issues, will perform their play “Claudia Versus the Trashinator.” Other presenters include the Forest Park Nature Center, Muir Omni Graphics, Tazewell County Health Department, and Wildlife Prairie State Park.

Hosted by Peoria County Recycling and Resource Conservation, other sponsors include Caterpillar, Inc.; Veolia; Hitchcock Scrap Yard; Peoria Disposal Company; Midwest Fiber Recycling; Farnsworth Group; Midland Davis; and more. These generous sponsors help make this event possible for all participating schools. For more information on this unique event, contact Peoria County Recycling and Resource Conservation, (309) 681-2551.

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) will be in East Peoria TODAY, SUNDAY, October 23rd, 2011 from 3:00-5:00 pm to host his annual summer reading program celebration event. Schock will be reading to the kids and talking with them about the importance of reading. The kids will also have the opportunity to enjoy a fall festival during the celebration event.

WHO: Congressman Aaron Schock
WHAT: Congressman Schock will host his annual summer reading program celebration event. Congressman Schock will be reading to the kids and talking with them about the importance of reading. The kids will also have the opportunity to enjoy a fall festival during the celebration event.
WHERE: Eastside Centre, 1 East Side Drive, East Peoria, IL 61611
WHEN: TODAY, SUNDAY, October 23rd, 2011 from 3:00PM – 5:30PM CT

LANE CLOSURE: INTERMITTENT LANE CLOSURES

The following road will have lane closures:

Road work on: Bristol Hollow Road
Where: At Cedar Hills Drive
Date of work: October 24 – 25
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Type of work: Culvert replacement

Motorists are encouraged to find an alternate route during the construction. For more information, call the Highway Department at 697-6400

America Needs a Six Year Highway Bill

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) released a YouTube video this week as he continues his push for a long-term transportation and infrastructure bill. Schock issued the following statement regarding his effort:

“We need to focus on investing in our nation’s rails, roads, highways, bridges and infrastructure. We need to pass a fully funded and paid for six year highway bill – this is something that has been done by every President for the last 25 years.

“I say ‘fully funded’ and ‘paid for’ because this bill must be both. For the last couple of years the highway bill has been funded for only short increments, which does nothing to create the certainty employers need as they consider a new project. Secondly, it would be irresponsible to pass such a bill without paying for it. I believe we can find the money to pay for a long-term bill by using the revenues from new oil and gas leasing combined with the current revenues people already pay at the pump – motor fuel tax. This would help boost the demand of American-made energy, lower the cost and at the same time ensure we have money to pay for these vital investments to our country’s highways and infrastructure.

“A highway bill not only will put people back to work now, but will also help reduce the burdens and lower the costs to businesses who manufacture goods and transport their merchandise to reach worldwide customers. If we can lower the cost of doing business here in the United States, we can help attract more high paying manufacturing jobs in this country. With the passage of the Panama, Colombia and South Korean free trade agreements, its now more important than ever to ensure we are investing in our infrastructure to help move U.S. products to new markets.”

State Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) brought Illinois State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Chris Koch and Gery Chico, President of the Illinois Board of Education, to the 92nd District to tour local schools.

“My current tour of local schools has shown me many improvements to that have been made in schools and a commitment from educators and students to do better,” explained Gordon. “I wanted Dr. Koch to come and see the changes that have taken place at Manual Academy since they received the school improvement grant from the Illinois State Board of Education.”

Dr. Koch first toured Trewyn School, a Manual feeder school to see the exciting changes that have taken place. Trewyn Principal Renee Andrews and Carl Cannon, who are implementing Cannon’s E.L.I.T.E. Program in the school, joined Koch for this tour.

Koch also made a stop at Manual Academy to see how funds have been used from a School Improvement Grant (SIG) from the Illinois Board of Education. Manual Academy has received $4 million of a total of $6 million from the School Improvement Grant, the remainder of which they will receive next school year.

The tour of Manual Academy included a look at initiatives including the Methodist Health Clinic, a vocational training class, and the pre-school classroom. Gordon, Koch and Chico were also given a demonstration of the presenting of the colors by the JROTC and a performance by the high school drum line and choir. The tour, led by Manual Principal Taunya Jenkins, also included the opportunity to speak to teachers and students about programs that have been put in place to help students prepare for college.

Before the tour, Gordon sponsored a lunch for Dr. Koch and community leaders from across the community, including school and district administrators, school board members, community members and business leaders. Dr. Koch was given an update about on the new initiatives underway at District 150 schools.

“Education reform has been an important issue in Springfield and in Peoria. While the state passed landmark education reform, for many years the Peoria community has come together to try to find solutions to the problems our schools face and to find better ways to help our children,” Gordon said. “I wanted state education leaders to have the opportunity to see the innovative solutions our schools have implemented.”

Gordon is a member of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. For more information, or for any questions, please contact Rep. Gordon’s Constituent Services Office at 309-681-1992.