May 2, 2014 – Morton, IL – Today, the Morton Economic Development Council announced that Morton Community Bank and the Honegger Family have pledged $100,000 in support of the new Morton Downtown Plaza project. Their donation will go to support the children’s play areas in the space.

“We are very pleased to support such a wonderful project that will benefit the community for many years to come,” said Andy Honegger, Co-Chairman of Morton Community Bank.

The Morton Downtown Plaza will be located on the corner of Main and Washington Streets on a parcel owned by the Village of Morton. The Plaza was designed by the Farnsworth Group, and includes shaded seating, a Veterans Memorial, play spaces, and public restrooms. The Plaza is designed to draw people of all ages into Morton’s downtown district, reconnect and beautify Main Street, and offer infrastructure to support downtown events and activities.

“The Plaza will be a popular gathering space for our community,” said Jennifer Daly, CEO for the Morton EDC. “It will also spur new business and residential development in our downtown district.”

A highlight of the new Morton Downtown Plaza is the children’s play areas. These innovative designs provide a unique play experience far different from a typical park playground.

The Pumpkin Patch offers a fun landscape for toddlers and preschoolers with a solid rubber matting to safely cushion this active group. Small pumpkins of various sizes are ideal for leaping, climbing, and jumping. A nearby giant pumpkin house with a slide will be popular for preschool ages. Seating nearby allows parents and caregivers to keep a close eye on their children, while also enjoying a conversation with other adults.

The Quarry is perfect for school-aged children who love to climb. Several piles of giant boulders with ropes and passageways offer an exciting climbing and fantasy play experience for boys and girls. Cattail spinners, a modern-day merry-go-round, provide another type of fun.

Dividing the two areas is a curved Chalk Wall, offering an additional creative play experience that is fun for all ages. The wall also provides additional seating for parents and caregivers and a natural separation for our younger and older age groups.

“Bruce Brown and his team at the Farnsworth Group did an outstanding job designing the play spaces in the Plaza,” said Daly. “Their unique designs will draw young families downtown regularly. We are so thankful”

Morton Community Bank and the Honegger Family have pledged the support needed to build these play areas for our local children.”

The Village of Morton has committed $1 Million from its business district fund to support the construction of the Morton Downtown Plaza. The Village is partnering with the Morton EDC to raise the remaining $1 Million needed to complete the project.

“We have several announcements that will be made in upcoming weeks, but we still have a long way to go to reach our goal,” said Daly. “Everyone’s support will be needed to bring this project to life for our community.”

For more information on the Morton Downtown Plaza, please go to www.mortonedc.org or contact Jennifer Daly at 309-263-2491. Pledges of $1,000 or more can be paid through March 1, 2016. Donations to this project are collected by the Morton Community Foundation and are tax deductible.

Starting Monday May 5, there will be intermittent lane closures at Columbia Terrace and University Street for work on the corners at the bump-outs. Traffic should expect delays throughout the week because of the lane closures. Avoid traveling in this area, if possible.

Motorists should follow posted detour routes. As always, please slow down and use extreme caution while driving through all work zones. For updated project information and to view the Detour Route Map, please visit our website at http://www.peoriagov.org/public-works or contact the office of City Engineer Scott Reeise, at (309) 494-8800.

DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL MR. MICHAEL PROCTER WILL NOT BE APPEARING AT THE MOTHERS DAY EVENT IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS AT THE GREATER CITY OF REFUGE WORSHIP CENTER.

URBANA, Ill. – Illinois is in fiscal crisis, with no easy solutions. Many tools will be needed to fix the problem, according to policy experts.

The Illinois Budget Policy Toolbox is a collection of papers that assess policy options that help to frame the issues surrounding Illinois’s precarious budget situation. Using the best academic scholarship, leading policy experts from the University of Illinois provide a nonpartisan overview of the state’s fiscal situation and evaluate the pros and cons of a variety of revenue and spending options.

The U of I Extension Local Government Information and Education Network, in partnership with the University of Illinois Institute of Government Policy and Public Affairs (IGPA), will present an opportunity to learn more about this project and provide an opportunity to interact with the scholars through a series of upcoming webinars.

The webinars will be offered on the second Tuesday of the month beginning at noon. Session topics and speakers include:

May 13 – Toolbox Fundamentals
• About the Toolbox Project; Christopher Z. Mooney, Director of IGPA
• Overview of the Economic Situation; David Merriman, UIC, Public Administration
• The “Do Nothing” Option; J. Fred Giertz, UIUC, Economics
• Making the 2011 Tax Increase Permanent; Richard F. Dye, UIC, The Fiscal Futures Project

June 10 – Tools to Address Revenue
• About the Toolbox Project; Christopher Z. Mooney, Director of IGPA
• Increasing Sin Taxes; Julian Reif and John Schneider, UIUC, Economics
• Business Tax Options; David Merriman, UIC, Public Administration
• Sales Tax Options; J. Fred Giertz, UIUC, Economics

August 12 – Tools to Address Spending
• About the Toolbox Project; Christopher Z. Mooney, Director of IGPA
• Bending the Curve; Richard Winkel, Director of IGPA Office of Public Leadership
• Waste and Abuse in Human Affairs Spending; Elizabeth Powers, UIUC, Economics
• Health Spending; Anthony Lo Sasso, UIC, Health Policy and Administration
• Better Fiscal Planning; Nancy Hudspeth, UIC, The Fiscal Futures Project

September 9 – Important Questions about Redistricting in Illinois
• Brian Gaines, Christopher Z Mooney, Director of IGPA, Rick Winkel, Director of IGPA Office of Public Leadership

Registration is required and can be done at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/. You will be provided log-on information so that you may participate in the program from your home or your office via the Internet.

Each session will be recorded and posted at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lgien/online.cfm.

The Illinois Budget Toolbox is a project by the Illinois Institute of Government Policy and Public Affairs presented in partnership with University of Illinois Extension Local Government Information and Education Network.

Peoria, IL 5/5/14 — After having their passports confiscated, launching missile attacks in enemy territory and being judged by a war tribunal—all in one afternoon—local students from Bradley University started to look at war and conflict in a completely different way. Through a partnership with the American Red Cross Central Illinois Chapter, the students participated in the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Action Campaign and showed off what they learned through creating a simulation about child soldiers.

Now, their efforts are sending them to Washington, D.C.

This year’s IHL Action Campaign focused on child soldiers and international justice, and local students joined their counterparts across the country in creating projects that showcase how those around the world can maintain human dignity in times of conflict—a tall task for the average young adult. Bradley University was selected as one of the best campaigns, and as a result will compete nationally on June 5-8 at the National IHL Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, DC.

“For these students, putting themselves into the shoes of prisoners of war, military leaders and refugees really makes them think twice about how people should be treated during conflict,” said Anne Fox, CEO, American Red Cross Central Illinois Region.  

Dr. Jeanie Bukowski, Associate Professor, Bradley University Institute of International Studies added, “I cannot begin to express just how proud I am of the Bradley Team. These young leaders went above and beyond even our highest expectations all year, in their passionate and knowledgeable campaign to raise awareness of child soldiers and IHL. They have indeed given a voice to the voiceless, and Bradley’s campus owes them a debt of gratitude.”

Casmeer Reyes, Eileen Prescott, Victoria Berkow, and Grecia Ocampo, students at Bradley University, were selected, trained and supported by the Central Illinois Chapter as IHL Action Campaign Team Leaders. They spent the past academic year educating their peers about IHL rules, principles and values. They were also the lead in planning the group’s campaign. They facilitated hands-on, interactive sessions that had the teens playing the roles of captor and captive, leader and civilian and ultimately being “tried” for their actions at a tribunal.  After discussing their experiences, these determined learners put their creativity to the test and, in the process, educated others on what they had learned through their campaigns.

 The promotion of human dignity during times of armed conflict—including protections for civilians, wounded and sick combatants and prisoners of war—is at the cornerstone of IHL and at the heart of the Red Cross mission. The campaign engages youth on exactly this issue, teaching that “even wars have limits.” This is the first year Bradley University has participated in this program.

 To learn more about the Red Cross youth programs, or how you can get involved, contact Emily Richards at emily.richards@redcross.org or visit redcross.org/rulesofwar.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Peoria – In 2012, Peoria County voters passed a referendum authorizing Peoria County government to seek competitive electricity rates for eligible residential and small commercial retail customers by establishing an “opt-out” electric aggregation program. Homefield Energy was recently selected to be the supplier for the program’s second term, June 2014 – June 2016. For eligible participants, accounts are automatically enrolled in the program and the new guaranteed price of $0.04746 per kWh will go into effect this June and remain unchanged for the duration of the two-year term.

Residents should have received a mailing last month that explained the new term and included an Opt-Out Card. Current participants in the program need not take any action if they would like to remain in the program. Residents who are new to the program will receive a letter from Ameren Illinois confirming the “switch” to the electric aggregation once their account is enrolled. Anyone wishing to opt-out of the program may complete the card provided with last month’s mailing.Tomorrow, May 2, is the last day for Peoria County residents to opt out of the Municipal Electricity Aggregation program if they so choose.

Persons with questions about the program or the option to opt out may contact Homefield Energy at 866-694-1262 or via email at HomefieldCustCare@Dynegy.com. Information is also available at www.homefieldenergy.com.

Open House Schedule

Monday, May 5th, 2014 – From 6-7 pm at the East Bluff Community Center, 512 E. Kansas

Saturday, May 10th, 2014 – From 2-3 pm at the Lakeview Library, 1137 W. Lake

Thursday, May 15th, 2014 – From 6-7 pm at the LoganCenter, 1414 S. Livingston

Tuesday, May 20th, 2014 – From 6-7 pm at the Lincoln Library, 1312 W. Lincoln

Thursday, May 22th, 2014 – From 6-7 pm at the Universalist Unitarian (UU) Church, 3000 W. Richwoods Blvd.

Saturday, June 7th, 2014 – From 1-2 pm at the Riverplex, 600 NE Water St.

The Peoria Community Against Violence (PCAV) is a NEW volunteer citizens group organized to reduce and decrease violent crime in Peoria.

• The mission is to build a safe community for all. Violence has no place in a safe community.
• The goal is to develop a comprehensive, community-wide strategy to reduce violent crime.
• PCAV welcomes volunteers from the general public, neighborhood associations, faith based organizations and community service providers.

For Questions about the Open Houses or to become a member of the PCAV; Contact Krista Coleman at (309) 494-8233 or kcoleman@peoriagov.org

Happy Birthday to Us!

We’ve made some changes to Zumba at the library! Sessions will now be Mondays and Thursdays, from 6:15-7:15pm, and will be open to everyone (not just the ladies). Come on in and join the party! For a schedule and more information, visit http://cpldprograms.weebly.com/zumba.719