Peoria County – It’s “Kitty Season” again and Peoria County Animal Protection Services (PCAPS) is joining the nation in celebrating June as Adopt-A-Cat Month.  Each year, PCAPS receives more than 3,000 cats and kittens in need of homes. In honor of Adopt-A-Cat Month, PCAPS holds several community events to increase the placement of cats and kittens:

Kitten Shower – Saturday, June 7 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

PCAPS, 2600 NE Perry St, Peoria – Hosted by the Peoria Humane Society, visitors will join volunteers for refreshments and kitten cuddling. Donations for the kitties are welcome and, of course, many felines will be available for adoption. For more information, visit PCAPS’ Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/pawspeoria.

Pets on the Prairie – Saturday, June 21 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The Shoppes at Grand Prairie – PCAPS will feature kittens and adult cats for adoption.

PetCo Adoptions – Every day during regular store hours

PetCo, 801 W. Lake Avenue, Peoria – Interested adopters can interact with shelter cats and take their new pet home directly from the store!

Shelter Adoptions – 12:00 – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday

PCAPS, 2600 NE Perry St, Peoria – And of course the shelter always has cats and kittens available for adoption and viewing.  The shelter now features a new colony cat room where cats live together in a more home-like environment so adopters can better experience each cats’ personality.

Adopting from the shelter is a great deal too: the $75 adoption fee for a cat or kitten includes spay or neutering, a microchip, initial vaccinations, and one month of free pet health insurance. In addition, cats that come to the shelter already spayed or neutered may be adopted for only $10!   And watch for more exciting adoption promotions at reduced fees later this month.

Celebrate Adopt-A-Cat Month by sharing your home with a new feline friend or two. Contact the shelter at 309-672-2440 to adopt a new pet, or visit www.pawspeoria.com to view all the animals waiting for new homes.

What:  I Spy A Wish Team Adventure is a driving scavenger hunt to raise money for Make-A-Wish^® Illinois in order to grant the wishes of four area children. The goal is to raise $25,000 with your help! Each registered team will use clues to find sponsored stops in the Peoria area. Teams will take a photo at each location and meet Make-A-Wish kids throughout the adventure.  Teams made up of family members, friends, or even businesses or groups of coworkers are welcomed. This year, via the I Spy A Wish website, you can see which of your Facebook friends are participating, and you can create a team by connecting with participating friends and family embers. Register now atwww.ispyawish.com. If you are unable to attend but would like to support the event, you can also make an online donation on the registration page.

Visit the events website www.ispyawish.com to register and for more details! Questions about the event can be directed to event chair Stacy Borho Byrd at 309-303-1542 or via email at ispyawish@hotmail.com.

When: Saturday, July 12, 2014 from 1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.  Advance registration is at www.ispyawish.com; Day of event registration begins at 12:30 p.m.

Where: Starts at Uftring Auto Mall East Peoria, 500 Fairlane Dr., East Peoria, IL 61611.  A party, emceed by reporter Eugene Daniel of WMBD Channel 31 News, will wrap-up the event with various prizes awarded to team finishers.

Cost: $75 per team (2-6 members) per vehicle

How: Make-A-Wish^® Illinois grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. Since being founded locally in 1985, the chapter has granted more than 12,000 wishes and continues its mission to share the power of a wish^® with special children across the state with help from dedicated volunteers and generous community members.

Peoria, Illinois. . . Patti Bash will be recognized with the Common Place Love In Action Award at the 8^th Annual Common Place Love in Action Award Dinner at the Embassy Suites Hotel on Thursday, June 26, 2014.

Common Place Family Learning Center, a social service organization whose mission is to strive to eliminate the root causes of poverty and other social injustices, first created the award in 2007 to honor a person(s) from the community who supports the Common Place mission and has made a lasting difference in our community in the areas of justice, community organizing, neighborhood development/stabilization, education, or literacy.

Ms. Bash was chosen among the nominees due to her service to the community that exemplifies the Common Place mission.  For over 25 years, Patti has served as an advocate, volunteer, and leader in Peoria County. Patti helped spearhead the creation of the Hult Center for Healthy Living, which has educated thousands of children about hygiene, dental care, and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. In 1994, she began the “Loaves and Fishes Feeding Ministry” at the Peoria First United Methodist Church as Ministry Coordinator and helps to provide free food to approximately 250 individuals a week. Patti also served as a dedicated volunteer for Children’s Hospital of Illinois. In addition, Patti has served on many boards including Heart of Illinois United Way, Junior League of Peoria, and Peoria Medical Society Alliance.

The June 26^th dinner will honor Patti as the 2014 Love in Action Award recipient, Heartland Community Health Clinic as the Common Place South Side Service Award recipient, and Delta Kappa Gamma, NU Chapter as the Common Place Community Partner Award recipient. The event also helps support the Common Place literacy programs for children, adults and families.

Tickets for the Common Place Love in Action Award Dinner are $65 per person. For reservations, call Stephanie at Common Place, 674-3315. Deadline for reservations is June 20. Reception hour will start at 5:30 p.m., with dinner and program beginning at 6:30.

The Peoria Police Department in conjunction with the DEA and PMEG conducted an investigation into the illegal sale of heroin by the McKnight Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO).  The McKnight DTO was responsible for distributing hundreds of grams of heroin throughout the City of Peoria.  As a result of the investigation, Federal arrest warrants were issued for Marco D. McKnight, Adrian M. McKnight, Antonio M. Powell, Jatuan A. Stone, Adrian Sargent, and Lamar C. Jackson.

On May 29, 2014 search warrants were executed at 4015 W. Virden (14-10581), 5728 N. Wacker (14-10574), 2307 W. Malone (14-10573), 2009 W. Proctor(14-10575).  5805 N. Wacker (14-10580) was searched after consent was given.

As a result of the search warrants, the following items were seized: 199 “bindles” of heroin (39.3 grams w/ packaging), 3 handguns, $7,796.00 in cash, and 4 vehicles.  The street value of the heroin is approximately $4,000.00.  A total of 7 people were arrested including the 6 members of the DTO who had the Federal arrest warrants.  Adrian R. Maddox, who did not have a Federal warrant, was arrested at 2009 W. Proctor for possession of a weapon by a felon and 2 outstanding warrants.

If you have any information regarding this investigation, call the Peoria Police Dept at 673-4521 or Crimestoppers at 673-9000.

(Peoria, IL – May 30, 2014)  The Peoria chapter of Mended Hearts will meet Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 6:00 PM at the RiverPlex in Peoria.

Mended Hearts, a national nonprofit organization affiliated with the American Heart Association, has been offering the gift of hope to heart disease patients, their families and caregivers for more than 50 years.

Because Mended Hearts is made up of the very kinds of people it serves—heart patients, their families, and others impacted by heart disease, its members draw on personal experience as they help others. Recovery involves not only physical healing, but emotional and psychosocial healing as well.

For more information about Mended Hearts, contact nurse practitioner Tammy Sarmiento at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center at 309.655.7292.

Pekin, IL  May 30, 2014 – Are you a parent looking for ways to occupy your energetic 10 to 13 year olds during summer vacation? Pekin Park District’s Soldwedel Day Camp is a great place for kids to come and play with friends and have fun while out of school!  Let the park’s staff provide structured, action-packed days for your children and help put your mind at ease, while you work.  Soldwedel Day Camp participants will enjoy time in the outdoors exploring nature and the trails of McNaughton park, as well as craft and science activities, team challenge games, general outdoor fun, weekly fieldtrips, swim days, and more. Breakfast, and snacks are provided, and lunch will be offered on Mondays and Fridays.

Soldwedel Day Camp is located at the Soldwedel Program Center just off Route 98 adjacent to McNaughton Park and the Rockin’ “P” Riding Stables.  Camp begins on Thursday, June 5 and runs through August 15, 2014.  Camp hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the fee is just $32 per day or $120 per week. Non-residents add $2 per day.  Families with more than one child enrolled in the camp receive a registration discount.  A late fee of $10 is charged to anyone registering less than 7 days prior to the first day of camp.  For further details, or to register your child, call the Parks and Recreation Office at 309- 347-7275 (PARK).

On Monday, 06-03-2014, the Peoria Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Divison was notified by Peoria Public School Dist 150 Administration of a possible inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student.  Peoria Public School Dist 150 Administration was made aware of the situation after a teacher at Peoria Central High School brought the information forward.

An investigation was initiated and it was learned that the student had confided the relationship to another teacher who eventually brought the information forward.  The relationship involved Mr. Maury R. Beelman who is a teacher at Roosevelt Magnet School.  The relationship began several years ago when the student was in 8^th grade at Roosevelt School and Mr. Beelman was the student’s Band Teacher.  The relationship between Mr. Beelman and the student continued until the student graduated high school.

The student and Mr. Beelman have both been interviewed and confirmed the relationship.

As a result of the investigation Maury R. Beelman was arrested for Criminal Sexual Assault.  The investigation is ongoing.

If you have any information on this case, or any other investigation, please call the Peoria Police Dept at 673-4521, or Crimestoppers at 673-9000.

From Monday, June 2 to Wednesday, June 4 at 2605 West Krause, training begins for the Youth Employment Lawn Care Program. METEC and Peoria Opportunities Foundation (POF) are partnering to provide the Youth Employment Lawn Care Initiative in East Bluff and South Side neighborhoods. Using their program and management experience, this collaboration targets 15 at-risk teenagers between the ages of 16 through 19, living in neighborhoods in the East Bluff and South Side.  

Training includes safety issues and the art of lawn mowing. In addition to lawn training, employment training which will cover the job application process, job survival, job termination/ references, appropriate dress, attendance, punctuality, teamwork, following instructions, and dealing with the employer when there are problems. The program also provides many additional services.

The Youth Employment Lawn Care initiative has the support of City Councilwoman Denise Moore, and Councilman Tim Riggenbach, along with the City of Peoria Public Works Director Mike Rogers and LISC, which is providing additional funds to support the program. While this is the first year for the collaboration between METEC and POF, both agencies are committed to making this a successful program both for the community.

The Central Illinois Section of SAE is pleased to host the Baja SAE Illinois 2014 event. We have assembled a great team of people to organize this event, some of who have helped plan and some of who have participated as students in the past 2008 and 2011 events. This year’s event planning kicked off in August 2013, and we hope to build upon previous successes to make the 2014 event the best yet. Our goal is to bring each student a valuable learning experience at one of the premiere sites that Illinois has to offer. 

The competition will again be held at the Caterpillar Edwards Demonstration & Learning Center, a world-class facility prepared to meet the demands of 100 teams. We again plan to construct our own course from the natural materials available on site. Our team has invested a significant amount of time into designing an endurance course that will provide great side by side racing, have challenging obstacles that test various aspects of your vehicles, and be fun for spectators to view. All of our dynamic events also will be built from scratch and promise to be equally challenging. 

We strive to provide a safe and educational experience to each participant as you culminate your year-long design and build projects. We ask everyone attending this event to be prepared. Please review the Baja SAE rules, event information, facility policies, general safety guideline, and additional information posted on our website . The event organizers, facility hosts, and volunteers are excited to give their time to support this engineering educational activity, and we ask that you to be respectful of them and the facility during your visit for the competition. 

The success of these events rely upon both volunteer commitment and financial support. Becoming involved with Baja SAE is a wonderful opportunity to support engineering education while having fun. If you are interested in volunteering your time or donating your financial support, please make sure to visit the “Volunteer” and “Sponsors” sections on our website 

If you have any questions or would like additional information about the event, please email us at baja_sae_illinois@yahoo.com. 

The organizers are excited about this challenging, fun-filled, and most importantly, safe event. We look forward to seeing you in June! 

Presentation & Book Signing by Author Dr. Richard Macdonald
Saturday, June 7, 2014

Dr. Richard G. Macdonald, a retired podiatrist has written a book about his father, a commanding officer of a 400 bed MASH hospital during WWII, which liberated an Austrian concentration camp with 17,000 survivors.

Presentation 2:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Book sales and signing to follow
Call 217-761-3910 or email events@ilng-history.org for more information
To check for more info, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT-sNhJ4l-o&feature=youtu.be