Historic Springdale Cemetery will be the new home of the Peoria County Civil War Memorial, thanks to a vote by the Peoria County Board authorizing the restoration and relocation of the memorial. The memorial, dedicated in October 1866, was dismantled in 1962.

STATE

Bill would include LGBT history in schools

A plan requiring public schools to teach a unit on the role and societal contributions of gays, lesbians and other LGBT individuals has advanced in the Illinois Senate.

The Senate Education committee has endorsed the measure 8-2, after a House committee approved a nearly identical version of the plan. If enacted, Illinois would become just the second state to approve an LGBT inclusive curriculum.

The proposal requires all elementary and high schools to teach a unit studying the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of the country and state.

The measure would also have schools use more inclusive and “non-discriminatory” textbooks going forward. Such inclusion would include the fact that Jane Addams was a lesbian.

Supporters say the measure is consistent with current law, which requires students learn the contributions of other under-represented groups, including African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian-Americans.

School boards would determine how much instructional time is spent on the subject. But the curriculum must reinforce that all people, no matter their sexual orientation, “have a right to be treated with civil, legal and human rights.”

Conservative groups have taken issue with the measure, calling it unnecessary and ideologically driven.

Boy George brings show to state fair

Boy George and his band Culture Club will bring their iconic 1980s sound to the Illinois State Fair Grandstand on Aug. 10. Joining Culture Club will be Tom Bailey, the lead singer of another popular ’80s British group, the Thompson Twins.

Culture Club has been called one of the most influential groups of the 1980s. Bailey, who now performs with a new band, still plays many of the Thompson Twins’ hits in his show.

Tickets for the show are being sold by Ticketmaster for $22 to $42.

COUNTY

The Peoria County Civil War Memorial will be relocated to Springdale Cemetery, following a vote by the Peoria County Board authorizing the restoration and relocation of the memorial.

The memorial, dedicated in October 1866 before a crowd of 30,000 on the grounds of the current county courthouse, was dismantled in 1962. It had been missing since it was taken down to make way for the construction of a new courthouse. Pieces of the monument were found in the weeds at Detweiller Marina in the 1990s.

Seven of the 10 original monument pieces will be used in the reconstruction, and the others will be replaced.

The monument will be the oldest Civil War monument in the state, one week older than a monument that stands in Byron, south of Rockford. Springdale Cemetery is at 3014 N. Prospect Road, Peoria.

The County Board also approved the bid of $63,400 for the sculpture of a soldier for the Peoria County Veterans Memorial Project by artist Darwin Wolf of Sioux Falls, S.D.

County Board member Phil Salzer singled out three individuals for helping guide the present project: Peorian Hal Fritz, one of 77 living Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, Peoria attorney Bruce Thiemann and Steve Sonnemaker, Peoria County clerk.

PEORIA

Students combine civics lesson with persuasive speeches

What can we do to improve Peoria for $1,000 or less?

On April 20, students from Bradley University’s Communication 103 course, “The Oral Communication Process,” will present their persuasive speeches to answer that question.

The speeches will be part of the Freedom of Speech fair, which will be held on first floor of the Caterpillar Global Communications Center building at Bradley University, room number GCC 103. Limited visitor parking is available across the street.

City of Peoria Elected Officials, the City Manager and the City’s Community Development Department Staff will be on hand to judge the projects and presentations.

The winners will be recognized April 24, during the City Council Meeting, and if feasible, their concept will be officially administered by the City of Peoria Community Development Department.

This project began with a special presentation last month, when Professor Laura Bruns invited Community Development staff to speak with her class to give students background information on Peoria for an upcoming persuasive speech on how Peoria could be improved with $1,000. Students learned about the unique challenges and problems facing Peoria from a Community Development perspective ranging from homelessness and affordable housing to neighborhood building and civic engagement.

Illinois as background for modern films

Peoria Riverfront Museum, 222 SW Washington St., is hosting an Illinois Film Series this month. The selected movies were shot at various locations throughout the state. Movies are shown at 6 p.m., and are followed by a discussion. Upcoming films are “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” April 19, and “Sixteen Candles,” April 26.

Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has an uncanny skill at cutting classes and getting away with it. Intending to make one last duck-out before graduation, Ferris calls in sick, “borrows” a Ferrari, and embarks on a one-day journey through the streets of Chicago. On Ferris’ trail is high school principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), determined to catch him in the act.

The film also stars Mia Sara, Alan Ruck and Jennifer Gray. Written, produced, and directed by John Hughes, who moved with his family to Northbrook as a teenager and attended high school on Chicago’s North Shore. Filmed in Chicago (features Sears Tower and Art Institute of Chicago), Highland Park, Winnetka and Northbrook. 1986. Rated PG-13.

In “Sixteen Candles,” overshadowed by her sister’s upcoming wedding, angst-ridden Samantha (Molly Ringwald) faces her 16th birthday with typical adolescent dread. Samantha pines for handsome older boy Jake (Michael Schoeffling), but worries that her chastity will be a turnoff for the popular senior. Meanwhile, Samantha must constantly rebuff the affections of nerdy Ted (Anthony Michael Hall), the only boy in the school, unfortunately, who seems to take an interest in her. The movie also stars Evanston siblings John and Joan Cusack. 

This is another John Hughes movie, filmed in Chicago suburbs of Northbrook, Highland Park, Evanston, Glencoe, Skokie and Winnetka. 1984. Rated PG.

Ticket prices range from $6.50-$10.50. To purchase, go to peoriariverfrontmuseum.org or call 309-686-7000.

Library gives away tree seedings

Pick up a free tree seedling in honor of Earth Day while supplies last from noon-5 p.m. April 22, at the Peoria Public Library’s North Branch, 3001 W. Grand Pkwy. One seedling per family, please. The public also is invited to check out the library’s large selection of books, magazines and DVDs on the environment, nature and wildlife.

–Peoria County News Briefs–