On August 3 at 10:00 a.m., A ribbon cutting ceremony will announce the grand opening of Running Central’s newest store location. Running Central has relocated to 4450 N. Prospect, Ste. C-1, Peoria Heights, IL, which is part of the Heritage Square Development.

Eastbound Pennsylvania will be closed to through traffic at Berkeley Avenue, and detoured to Glen Oak Avenue on August 3, for the installation of a new water main. The road is expected to be closed until August 5. Westbound Pennsylvania traffic will be closed at Missouri Avenue.

Local traffic will have access to Peoria Avenue and Missouri Avenue from Pennsylvania. Please plan an alternate route during this closure to avoid delays. As always, drive safely through construction zones.

Bradley University has been rated among the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, which has featured the University in the 2012 edition of its college guide, “The Best 376 Colleges.”

Only 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and three colleges outside the U.S.A. are profiled in the guide. Detailed profiles of the colleges based on opinions from independent college counselors, students and parents, and school visits are included.

“I am very pleased that Bradley University is held in such high regard among the nation’s colleges and universities,” said Bradley President Joanne Glasser. “At Bradley academic excellence, experiential learning and leadership development provide a world-class education for our extraordinary students.”

The rankings are based on The Princeton Review’s survey of 122,000 students attending the colleges included in the book. Topics range from assessments of their professors as teachers to opinions about their financial aid and campus food.

Bradley was cited for focusing on providing students with “everything they need to be successful.” Students surveyed said, “Bradley is all about teaching the individual student” and “developing one’s intellect for what comes next.”

The Princeton Review explains the basis for each of the rankings in the book and at www.princetonreview.com/college/college-rankings.aspx. The school profiles and ranking lists in “The Best 376 Colleges” are posted at PrincetonReview.com.

The Italian American Society of Peoria will hold its 82nd Annual Italian Summer Festa on Sunday August 14th from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. at Hickory Grove Park in North Peoria. (Hickory Grove Road off Knoxville Ave, follow signs)

We believe that our event is one of the longest consecutive running Italian Festa’s in the country and has been running longer than Major League Baseball has been holding its All-Star Game!!

The Summer Festa originated in 1929 as a time for Italian families to get together for fellowship and support, and has since developed into a non profit, fun, family centered community event bringing a little bit of Italy to Central Illinois.

The Festa is the major fund raiser for our scholarship fund. So far we have given nearly $70,000 to local college students. It also helps us support local charities such as Peoria Rescue Mission, Neighborhood House, The Journal Star Red Stocking Fund, the Crises Nursery, and The Salvation Army.

Once again, we are honored to have our food prepared by Barrack’s Cater Inn. The menu will include children’s and adult spaghetti meals with salads, meatball and sausage sandwiches, Italian beef, and of course homemade Italian Pastries. Prices from $2.00 to $7.00.

Fun, traditional and contemporary music will be provided by Roberto Dietrich. We will once again have our Regalia Gift Shop with all kinds of Italian tee shirts, hats, pins, and our own Society cook books.

There will be Bocce demonstrations and Bocce tournaments for all ages. Prizes will be awarded to all tournament winners.

Other events and attractions will include scholarship awards, a silent auction, face painting, an inflatable attraction and various other games with prizes. Kids Corner open from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Admission is $3.00 at the gate. Children under 12 are free and so is parking.

Contact Rob Facker 309-253-0841 for special discounts for youth groups of 15 or more.

Further information can be found at our website: www.italianamericansociety.com or by calling Rob Facker at 309-253-0841.

State Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) visits Getz Fire Equipment as they receive a state grant to help train employees. Gordon was joined by Mark Denzler from the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. Jason Getz and Kathy Thomson, from Getz Fire Equipment gave Rep. Gordon a tour of the facility and discussed how the company has grown over the past 50 years in Peoria.

Join Peoria City/County Health Department in celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2011, as well as August Breastfeeding Promotion Month in Illinois. The celebration is designed to raise breastfeeding awareness and highlight the collective efforts in our area and around the world to protect, support and promote breastfeeding.

In recognition of this important observance, the Health Department is participating in a breastfeeding week celebration at Tower Park in Peoria Heights on August 3 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Central Illinois Breastfeeding Task Force.

Breastfeeding is healthier for both mom and baby, saves money, and is the natural way to feed babies. Breastfeeding reduces the lifetime risk of obesity, an important issue for our community. Breastfed babies also receive some protection against infections, asthma, allergies, and childhood cancers. Mothers who breastfed have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Breastfeeding also strengthens the special bond between mother and baby. An added advantage for breastfeeding is the reduction in costs of infant feeding and for illness care for both families and for the community.

Newly established national goals aim to increase breastfeeding to over 80% by 2020. These goals also focus on increasing support for working mothers who are breastfeeding their babies. Federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs in the Peoria area reveal only 52% of women breastfed last year.

To support these national goals, the Peoria City County Health Department’s WIC program has a peer breastfeeding counselor, nurses, and nutritionists with specialized training in supporting mothers in successfully breastfeeding their infants. This team of committed professionals provide information, counseling, and support to help babies and moms receive the health benefits that breastfeeding can provide.

For more information about Public Health issues call the Peoria City/County Health Department at 679-6600 or visit our website at www.pcchd.org .

Each year, more than 15,000 children are diagnosed with Type I diabetes. From 2004-2010, the Pediatric Diabetes Resource Center (PDRC) at Children’s Hospital of Illinois has averaged 91 new patients each year. The PDRC currently serves more than 800 children.
The number of people, including children, living with Type I diabetes is on the rise. The PDRC offers a multi-disciplinary approach to help both the child and their family receive the educational and emotional support they need to manage the disease.

Join us for a new event being held to raise awareness about and donations for the PDRC:
WHAT: SWEET KIDS CRUISE-IN AND CAR SHOW
WHEN: Saturday, August 13, 2011 from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
WHERE: Old Rusche Farm Area, 200 Block Rusche Ave., Creve Coeur, IL

There will be dash plaques for the first 50 participants along with a Mayor’s Award and PDRC Patient’s Award for Best of Show.

There will be a DJ providing music, food, 50/50 drawing, raffles and door prizes, too.

For more information contact Dan at 309.645.7977 or via email at sweetkidscruise@yahoo.com.

Enjoy a Dairy Queen Blizzard and help a child

The annual Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day will be Thursday, August 11, 2011.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of Dairy Queen Blizzards will be donated to Children’s Hospital of Illinois. Dairy Queen locations in Peoria, Bloomington, Washington, Morton, Pontiac, and Canton are participating.

Local Dairy Queens have raised over $135,000 in the last five years to benefit children and their families at Children’s Hospital.

In an effort to keep central Illinois children safe on the road, Division 20 Kiwanis Clubs are donating 132 car seats to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois. This marks the 25th year the service organization has made a donation of car safety seats.

Please join us for the announcement Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at Advanced Medical Transport, 1718 N. Sterling Ave. in West Peoria. The announcement will be held in conjunction with a Car Seat Safety Check offered from 1:00-4:00 PM at AMT by the Children’s Hospital Advocacy Department.

Division 20 Kiwanis Clubs include: Canton, Dunlap, East Peoria, Elmwood, Eureka, Hanna City-Farmington, IVC Chillicothe, Limestone, Morton, Pekin, Peoria-Downtown, Peoria Heights, South-West of Peoria, Suburban Peoria and Tremont.

THE SHANGRI-LA CHINESE ACROBATS® will appear at Five Points Washington on Friday October 28, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available for purchase on Monday August 1st by visiting www.fivepointswashington.org or calling (309) 444-8222.

Produced by IAI Presentations, Inc., THE SHANGRI-LA CHINESE ACROBATS® offers more than a glimpse into the fascinating traditions of the Orient. It consists of sensational Chinese acrobatics, balancing feats, martial arts displays, and much more. A truly Oriental spectacular and a show for all ages, the grace and precision of the acrobats are the triumph of years of dedicated training and discipline. Chinese acrobatics are, in fact, more than just a series of stunts. Most of these acts clearly demonstrate the achievement of perfection through finding harmony between mind and body – an ancient concept in the Orient. The art has been formed by centuries of tradition.

On their annual sold-out theatre tours, THE SHANGRI-LA CHINESE ACROBATS® astound audiences with their incredible talents night after night. The overwhelming response of the audience is a testament to the popularity of their unique brand of entertainment. The performers enjoy traveling the world, sharing their ancient art with audiences young and old. From major performing arts venues to colleges, universities and prestigious arts festivals across North America, this versatile and fun attraction thrills audiences with their death-defying dexterity and skill.

The entertainment provided by these gifted performers appeals to all ages, from young children to grandparents. Most important, there is no language barrier and everyone attending a performance by THE SHANGRI-LA CHINESE ACROBATS® will thrill to their incredible feats. So, audiences should prepare to sit back, relax and be transported by these incredible performers to the mystical land of “Shangri-La,” where anything is possible … and illusion becomes reality!