Master Gardeners can teach how to cultivate a lovely garden. University of Illinois Extension serving Peoria County, is accepting applications for Master Gardener training which will begin April 17. For more information, call 309-347-6614.

STATE

Master Gardeners looking for a few green thumbs

University of Illinois Extension serving Peoria and Tazewell counties is accepting applications for Master Gardener training which will begin April 17, and be held in consecutive weeks, ending June 19. Indoor lectures and outdoor activities will be held in various locations. All classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Master Gardeners are a special group of people who all have a common interest – a love of gardening and nature and the desire to share that knowledge with others. The Master Gardener Volunteer program is a successful University of Illinois Extension Horticulture program, which aims to give intensive horticultural training to individuals who will, in turn, share this training with the public 

Rhonda Ferree, horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension, says that there are no specific requirements to become a Master Gardener. Anyone from any walk of life can become one.

Master Gardeners receive training on topics ranging from vegetable gardening to tree and small fruits, soils, fertilizers, diseases, insects, trees and shrubs, houseplants, and more. Master Gardeners also receive training to improve volunteer skills.

In return, Master Gardeners volunteer 60 hours for University of Illinois Extension. Volunteers can develop a demonstration garden, conduct horticultural therapy programs, produce media releases, carry out youth programs, do neighborhood beautification projects, coordinate a question/answer booth and more. 

Applications are available at web.extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/mg.

For more information about being a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener, contact program coordinator Ian Goslin at ianmg@illinois.edu or 309-347-6614.

PEORIA

Aldi’s delivering groceries to homes

Aldi, the national grocery chain, is now delivering orders placed online to Peoria and East Peoria.

Customers can shop for items online at instacart.com/aldi and pay for the order. A shopper will select the items from the store and deliver them. According to the Instacart website, the delivery charge is $6 for orders of at least $35.

First-time Instacart customers can take advantage of $20 off, plus free delivery of their first order of $35 or more, with the code LOVEALDI through May 31.

Aldi’s Peoria stores are at 3420 N. University St. and 9120 Allen Road. The East Peoria store is at 251 Clock Tower Drive. Aldi also is offering the service to other areas of Illinois.

Culinary students earn berth at national competition

A team of culinary arts students from Woodruff Career and Technical Center will compete nationally with a business plan for a restaurant after winning first place last month in a statewide contest.

Each student on the five-person team won a $16,000 scholarship from the Illinois Restaurant Association Education Foundation, which sponsored the Illinois ProStart Invitational. With additional awards based on the major or college they choose, each student could receive a total of $29,500 in scholarships.

Woodruff’s restaurant management team will represent Illinois at the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, in Rhode Island, where the top five finishers win more scholarships. The team, composed of students from Peoria and Richwoods high schools who take classes at Woodruff, hashed out the concept and business plan during weekly meetings after school.

During the state competition, team members made five different presentations to five sets of judges on various aspects of the plan. Then they were quizzed on real-world restaurant problems such as what they would do if a customer gave a bad online review or found glass in the food.

The restaurant management team will continue meeting with mentors to fine-tune presentations before the national contest.

Until then, the team and their classmates are running the school’s weekly Warrior Way Cafe and preparing for other contests. About 20 qualified to compete individually in the SkillsUSA competition April 19-21, in Springfield.

At the state competition, Jitske Miedema, Woodruff’s culinary arts coordinator, won the teacher of the year award. The culinary team won fourth place for its preparation of the duck breast appetizer, salmon dish and a hazelnut frappuccinno mousse. The team had to prepare the three-course meal in 60 minutes, using only two electric burners. No ovens, no food processors. 

Mezzo soprano to introduce opera to audiences

A mezzo soprano will perform two special educational concerts before returning to Peoria for a larger performance in April.

The public is invited to attend Lunch and Learn at noon March 21, in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra Cube, 101 State St., in the WTVP Building. Audience members will enjoy a performance by mezzo soprano Naomi Louisa O’Connell and participate in a question-and-answer session moderated by conductor George Stelluto.

Participants may bring their own lunch. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

The public is also invited to attend “Musical Discovery: Vibrant Voice” at 10 a.m. March 22, with O’Connell, also at the WTVP building. Musical Discovery is a special musical adventure designed to entertain and educate children. They will watch a live performance by O’Connell followed by a hands-on “instrument petting zoo” with pianist Brent Funderburk.

Tickets are $5 for children, $10 for adults, and available by calling 309-671-1096 or online at peoriasymphony.org.

O’Connell is participating in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra’s Resident Artist Week, an outreach program created to give back to the community. Her activities include visits with Bright Futures Pre-K classrooms, area schools and Lutheran Hillside Village.

She will return to Peoria to perform with the symphony April 28.

Sidewalk closed during demolition project

Riverfront Parking under Riverfront Village and the sidewalk around the area is closed, to allow for the Riverfront Village Demolition Project. Parking lots in the area will remain open but parking restrictions will be put into place. Construction is estimated to be completed mid-June.

Motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to use extreme caution in construction zones. For more information, contact Andrea Klopfenstein, project manager at 309-494-8800.

Bank merger completed; branches closed

South Side Savings & Trust Bank is now Busey Bank, but with few locations.

The two banks have merged, which resulted in the permanent closing of several branches. Three offices in Peoria that were previously Busey locations — at 405 N. William Kumpf Blvd., 6699 N. Sheridan Road and 7810 N. Route 91 — have closed as has close the Busey office at 2900 Court St. in Pekin. 

The only South Side Bank office that closed is the Downtown banking center at 101 SW Adams St. Twelve other branches in the Tri-County Area are available to customers after the merger.

–Peoria County News Briefs–