Tazewell County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

The yellow tang is one of the stunning fish featured in Chicago Shedd Aquarium’s new special exhibit, Underwater Beauty. Illinois residents can view this exhibit and all features of the aquarium forfree all month.

STATE

Aquarium free this month for Illinois residents

Admission to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is free this month for all Illinois residents.

The free entrance will allow visitors to explore the aquarium’s new special exhibit, Underwater Beauty, and visit the main galleries and take in an aquatic presentation.

Attendees will need to show proof of state residence for the offer.

The aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, will extend the free days with special night events on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Attendees who can’t visit the museum during the day or on weekends will be able to go and listen to live music while looking at the aquarium.

Here’s a schedule for the evening events:

  • Caribbean Flavors and Flair (Sept. 17, Sept. 24): There will be Caribbean-inspired food for attendees.
  • Live Latin Rhythms (Sept. 12, 19, 26 and Oct. 3, 10): There will be Latin jazz performances, as well as Latin-inspired food and drinks. Attendance to the two October nights will be free.
  • House Party (Sept. 20, Sept. 27): The event will feature house music from DJs Jesse Saunders, Terry Hunter and Farley Jackmaster Funk.

Admission to the evening events will be free; food and drinks can be purchased.

The aquarium recommends those who want to attend to reserve tickets online due to the popularity of the aquarium’s free days. Tickets can be reserved at sheddaquarium.org for a $3 transaction fee.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Job fair to be held to end teacher shortage in Peoria

The Peoria Public Schools will hold a hiring event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 27, in an attempt to fill a number of teacher vacancies. The job fair will be held at the administration office, 3202 N. Wisconsin Ave.

The number of vacancies is now 39. The number of vacancies fluctuated between 40 and 60 over the last few months as teachers resigned or joined the district during its summer hiring push.

The current shortage of 39 full-time teachers was reached after a joint effort with the teachers union of “collapsing” classes. When classes are collapsed, the district gauges the enrollment of each class and consolidates if there are few students in that class. For instance, if two English classes have 10 students, the classes are combined and the additional teacher is assigned somewhere else.

The current openings cover these subject areas:

  • Art
  • Business
  • Counselor
  • Drama
  • ELA
  • ESL
  • Math
  • Physical education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Pre-Kindergarten
  • Career and technical education

WASHINGTON

For music lovers: violinist’s performance, Win Your Own Concert contest

Five Points Washington wants to give you and 100 friends a free, private concert and will even throw in some Kitchen Cooked snacks.

The Win Your Own Concert contest will be going on in conjunction with the October concert hosted at Five Points featuring Easton Corbin and the Joe Stamm Band. Interested people can enter the contest at winaconcert.com; submissions will be accepted through Oct. 19.

A random drawing will be held to choose the winner, which will be announced at the Oct. 26 concert from Corbin and Stamm at Five Points, 360 N. Wilmore Road, Washington.

The winner will receive a free, private concert from Joe Stamm at Five Points on Nov. 10, and will be able to invite up to 100 friends. For more information, contact Shae Harris at 309-444-8222.

Also, Illinois superstar violinist Rachel Barton Pine will be the next musician to perform as part of the Heartland Festival Orchestra’s 10th season. She will perform the Brahms violin concerto, and the orchestra’s symphonic cycle will start with Brahms’ first symphony. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Tickets are $38 for adults and $10 for students and children.

 

 

–Tazewell County News Briefs–