Peoria Public Library Summer Readers of all ages will be celebrating Tuesday, July 26 at Peoria Zoo from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with singer and storyteller Chris Vallillo, Ronald McDonald, animal shows, the barbershop quartet “Harmony Guaranteed,” and grand prize drawings. The party is a reward for those who read at least six of the seven weeks during “A Midsummer Night Read,” the Peoria Public Library summer reading program.

A total of 3697 people participated in the program, which requires participants to log at least three hours of reading per week. Two thousand vouchers for a free Chief’s game ticket were distributed to those who read for five weeks.

Headlining storyteller Chris Vallillo, has received national recognition for his musical storytelling and songwriting, particularly reflecting history. His works have been featured on news networks such as the Associated Press, CNN, and the Chicago-based publication the Daily Herald. More information about Chris and his work can be found on his website www.ginridge.com.

Summer readers who attend the party also have a chance to win a dinner for 10 from Olive Garden, a family membership to the Peoria Zoo, a private group session at Namaste Wellness Studio, and many more! Some prizes are for families or adults, but some are just for kids, such as a Monkey Joe’s pass and a $50 savings bond from South Side Bank. For more information about this yearly program, visit www.peoriapubliclibrary.org or call 309-497-2143.

The public can get a live look into the Peoria Zoo’s meerkat exhibit 24 hours every day! A camera was recently installed in the exhibit and the antics captured can be viewed by going to peoriazoo.org and clicking on the “Meerkat Cam” box at the bottom of the home page. The Zoo’s four meerkats are active throughout the day and can be seen chasing bugs and each other. One can often be seen standing watch on a log or stump, acting as sentinel as the others play or relax.
Website visitors can also click on the “Zoo Tube” box on the home page to see video taken of memorable events at the zoo. One of the most current posts shows the two young Colobus monkeys wrestling in the new mulch place in their exhibit. Viewers can also see one of the Burmese python lay eggs and the golden frogs “waving” at one another.

Fans can also follow the zoo on Twitter and Facebook where happenings, specials and other news is posted. For more information, call Dawn Petefish at 681-3501.

To recap the spring session of the General Assembly and get feedback from her constituents, state Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) is holding a town hall meeting at the Limestone Township Building in Bartonville on Thursday, July 28 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

“After a busy legislative session it is important to let my constituents know what happened in Springfield this spring and get their thoughts on where to go from here,” Gordon said. “Many serious problems facing the state were addressed this session, including budget and education reforms and changes to the workers compensation system. I want to share the outcomes of these bills and other issues I championed. I also want to hear from my constituents about what issues they think I should work on next.”

During the past legislative session, Gordon also helped pass a new economic development tool for Peoria’s riverfront and pushed for tougher registration requirements for dangerous sex offenders.

For more information about Gordon’s upcoming town hall meeting, or to learn more about other upcoming events, please contact her constituent services office at 309-681-1992 or e-mail her at repjehangordon@gmail.com.

What: Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Jehan Gordon
When: Thursday, July 28 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Limestone Township Building, 1501 Garfield Ave., Bartonville

Children’s Hospital of Illinois Advocacy Department in conjunction with Hopedale Medical Center’s PROeX Sports Safety Program, is hosting a Concussion Discussion as part of the Safe Kids Sports Grant. With the fall football season upon us, this is an important and timely event.

Area physicians will discuss how to identify concussions, how to train to avoid injury and how the new laws will affect IHSA athletes. Participants will also hear from athletes who have suffered head injuries.

WHAT: Children’s Hospital of Illinois and PROeX Sports Medicine Present Concussion Discussion – Keeping You on the Playing Field
WHEN: Thursday, August 4, 2011 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Illinois Central College – East Peoria Campus Room 212-C

The program is open to any middle school or high school student, parent, coach or school official.

The President/CEO of the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce is hosting their 6th Annual Convention August 10-11, 2011 at the Par-A-Dice Hotel located at 21 Blackjack Blvd. in East Peoria, Illinois. They will be “Empowering Businesses to Build Sustainable Communities” through our networking opportunities, guest speakers from around the country, and phenomenal business workshops.

The Convention kicks off with a Welcome Reception Wednesday evening, August 10, 2011. Thursday, August 11, 2011 includes workshops on topics such as Energy, Telecom and Broadband, Politics and Business, and Global Business Opportunities. There will be procurement opportunities through several companies such as; Johnson Controls who is a member of the Billion Dollar Round Table and who spend at least one billion dollars with minority and woman-owned suppliers a year.

The Convention ends with an elegant Awards Gala Thursday evening recognizing businesses and corporations for their outstanding contributions and success. The Keynote Speaker for the Gala is renowned Attorney Willie E. Gary whose amazing success has earned him national recognition as a leading trial attorney. He has been featured in Ebony Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential Black Americans” and by Forbes Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Attorneys in the U.S.” He has been highlighted in publications such as The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, Jet, People, and Black Enterprise. His career has also been featured on 60 Minutes, the CBS Evening News, ABC’s World News Tonight, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and CBS’s the Early Show with Bryant Gumbel.

You can register on line at www.ilbcc.org. Over 400 people are expected to attend. Rooms and space are limited and we would not want you to miss the biggest business showcase to come to this area. For room reservations please call: (309) 699-7711 or Toll Free at: (800) PAR-A-DICE / (800) 727-2342

For more information, call (309) 740-4430.

State Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) will visit Garden Street Café and its patrons on Thursday, July 28, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Gordon will meet with constituents while they enjoy their breakfast. Gordon will be available to answer any question that they may have about work that was done in Springfield this past spring.

“Being able to visit with constituents at Garden Street Café allows me to talk to people who might not otherwise have the time.” Gordon said. “At events like this I am able to hear from my constituents and learn what their issues and concerns are for our community.”

For more information about Gordon’s Coffee Shop Stop or for information about upcoming events the lawmaker is hosting, please contact her district office at 309-681-1992 or e-mail her at repjehangordon@gmail.com

What: Coffee Shop Stop with Rep. Jehan Gordon
When: Thursday, July 28, 2011 from 9:00– 10:00 a.m.
Where: Garden Street Café, 1317 W. Garden St., Peoria

State Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) is hosting a Business Issues Roundtable to talk to local employers about this past legislative session. Many issues that are of concern to the business community, such as the state budget and worker’s compensation were addressed by the General Assembly this spring.

“Local businesses were instrumental in helping to bring change to Illinois during this last legislative session,” Gordon explains. “I want to help make Illinois a more business-friendly state and it is important that local entrepreneurs and legislators maintain a positive relationship and can freely discuss the challenges that remain and potential solutions so that more people can get back to work.”

For more information about Gordon’s upcoming Business Issues Roundtable, or to learn more about other upcoming events, please contact Rep. Gordon’s constituent services office at 309-681-1992 or e-mail her at repjehangordon@gmail.com

What: Business Issues Roundtable with Rep. Jehan Gordon
When: Wednesday, July 27 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Where: Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, 100 SW Water St, Peoria

“Registration Open for Kourage Kids”

Methodist Medical Center is accepting camp registrations for children age 5 to 18 who are working through issues of grief following the death of a loved one. “Kourage Kids” is a free one-day outing for young people who have experienced a loss in their life.

The Methodist Hospice Program first established the camp in 2000 with a goal of providing a safe arena for kids to share their grief with others and to learn healthy ways of coping with their loss.

This year’s camp will be held at Camp Manitoumi in rural Lowpoint on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will return to the Atrium by 5:00 p.m. Buses will leave the Methodist Atrium Building (900 Main Street) at 8:00 a.m. The camp agenda will include games, face-painting, crafts, sports, and horseback riding. Methodist will provide lunch as well as transportation to and from the camp free of charge.

Coordinated by Linda McKinney, M.A.; M. Div. and Frank Valente, M.A., pastoral counselors with the Methodist Hospice Program, Kourage Kids is staffed by many Methodist employees and volunteers as well as a number of skilled professionals and volunteers from the Central Illinois area.

Linda McKinney says, “Children who have lost a loved one to death can experience a wide range of emotions, including sadness, fear, anger, and guilt. It helps tremendously for them to share their thoughts and feelings in a setting with both their peers and caring adults.”

McKinney says most participants in the camp are referred through a variety of sources including schools, churches and funeral homes.

For additional information and registration, contact the Methodist Medical Center Hospice Office at (309) 672-5746. Funding for the one-day camp is provided by the Methodist Medical Center Foundation. Deadline for registration is September 15.

The Peoria County Board of Health is in the process of revising the Food Safety Chapter of the Peoria County Code. This revised Chapter outlines the administrative policies and procedures for the conduct of a public health food safety regulation program in Peoria County. The goal of this Chapter is to prevent factors in the food service operation which can lead to food borne illness, to promote safe food handling and hygienic practices, and to protect consumers in Peoria County.

The revised Chapter has been presented to the Peoria County Board of Health for possible approval at its August 15, 2011 meeting. Once the Chapter revisions are approved by the Peoria County Board of Health, it will be forwarded to the Peoria County Board for consideration. Interested citizens and food establishment operators are encouraged to review and comment on the proposed Chapter revisions. Comments are accepted by e-mail to whayes@peoriacounty.org or by calling Environmental Health at Peoria City/County Health Department at 309-679-6161. To view the draft Chapter 10 Food Safety of the Peoria County Food Code, visit www.pcchd.org .

Greg Chance, Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator, was appointed to state council. Governor Quinn Announces Appointments to State Health Improvement Plan Council Group Will Develop Strategies to Improve the Health of Illinois
Residents

http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=1&R