The Witches Walk will welcome the public to Fon du Lac Farm Park, 305 Neumann Drive, East Peoria, 6-8 p.m.Oct. 26 and Oct. 27. Organizers promise the experience will not be too scary, but just the right amount of fright for the little ones.

STATE

No. 1 health issue Googled in Illinois: stress

Got a question about your health? Most likely you have turned to Google for the answer. If so, you are not alone.

The Medicare review site, MedicareHealthPlans.com, took a look at the most frequently searched health symptoms of the past year on Google Trends. Then the researchers clumped these symptoms and similar ones together and ran them back through Google Trends to see which states had the highest search volume for each. Their results suggest which symptoms concern the most people in each state.

In Illinois, stress is the No. 1 researched ailment. In addition to Illinois, the results show a Stress Belt running through Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. In fact, stress was the most Googled symptom in one-fifth of all states.

Up in Minnesota, they’re searching for clues about irritability. Michigan residents are  concerned about stuffy noses. In North Dakota, the concern is irritable bowel. Residents of South Dakota worry about headaches; and in Nebraska, signs of low testosterone are an issue.

Health care experts advise using caution when searching the Internet for answers to medical questions. They say that people need to be critical thinkers, use good judgement and remember that there is a lot of misinformation out there. And, Googling doesn’t replace a professional diagnosis.

PEORIA

Door to door, city seek ideas to improve neighborhoods

City code enforcers are walking the streets of Peoria. Their goal is to visit 100 blocks in 100 days, to introduce themselves to residents and ask for suggestions, comments and concerns about their neighborhood. By the end of November, the staff plans to will have covered the area door to door

This is the Peoria Community Development Department’s second annual initiative.

The initiative provides residents with the opportunity to speak directly to their code enforcement Inspectors. This program not only promotes building relationships with city staff, but also illustrates that while Code Enforcement Inspectors do write tickets, they also educate residents on how their work impacts maintaining property values, increasing public safety and protecting quality of life. 

For more information, visit AppreciatePeoria.com or contact Code Enforcement Supervisor Ashley Elias at 309-494-8929 or aelias@peoriagov.org.

New program offers tuition to transfer students

A tuition-free transfer program for college students was announced at Peoria Promise Foundation’s recent 10-year anniversary celebration. Eureka College President Jamel Wright and Illinois Central College Sheila Quirk-Bailey unveiled the new Uniquely Eureka Promise program, which includes four tuition-free semesters for Illinois residents that have completed an associate’s degree from an accredited community college.

To be eligible for the program, transfer students must have a 2.8 cumulative unweighted grade point average, be a current resident of Illinois and have completed an associate’s degree from an accredited community college. Students must also enroll in a minimum of 15 credit hours and commit to 40 volunteer hours with the college over the course of two school years.

Software snafu results in incorrect, late stormwater bills

Residents are receiving stormwater bills that are either late or incorrect. The situation has been traced to the way the city of Peoria produces the bills.

City Hall announced last week that the software vendor has been contacted with the hope that the issues would be fixed soon.

Those who get their stormwater utility bill through the mail could get their bills in the first week of November. Others could get their bills in December. The bills are on a three-month cycle, so those with a December billing statement should get theirs on time.

Those who registered for paperless billing received two incorrect bills in October. City officials are telling residents to ignore those bills and do not submit payment.

For information on the stormwater utility, visit www.peoriastormwater.com.

Mystery dinner to support Easter Seals

The presentation of “The Halloween Party Murder” will entertain guests and support Easter Seals. The event will begin 6 p.m. Oct. 27, at the Landmark Recreation Center, 3225 N. Dries Lane, Peoria. The public is invited to come early to mingle with the actors who will present the mystery play. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Guests will have to look for clues, question suspects, eavesdrop on conversations and figure out who the killer is.

The cost is $40 for dinner and entertainment. A portion of the cost will be donated to Easter Seals. Costumes are optional, and prizes will be given for the best ones. Reservations are required and must be paid before the event. Call 309-256-1197.

EAST PEORIA

Public invited to “brave” park’s Witches Walk

Fon du Lac Farm Park becomes delightfully haunted at this time of year. Come follow the luminary Witches Walk, while experiencing the spooky sights and sounds of the season. Organizers promise the experience will not be too scary, but just the right amount of fright for the little ones. The farm buildings will be decorated for Halloween and the ponds aglow. The general store will be open for business and the witches will have a treat for everyone.

The Witches Walk will be open at the farm park, 305 Neumann Drive, East Peoria, 6-8 p.m. Oct. 26 and Oct. 27. Admission is $3 for adults and $2.50 for children ages 1-15. Children younger than 1 will be admitted free. For more information, call 309-694-2195.

–Peoria County News Briefs–