Tazewell County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

Santa makes an appearance at a Peoria Area Civic Chorale Christmas concert last year. The chorale will present its An American Family Christmas concert series at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14-Dec. 15 and 3 p.m. Dec. 16 at Five Points Washington, 360 N. Wilmor Road, Washington.

STATE

Treasurer uses technology to deliver unclaimed cash 

If you get a check from the state, cash it. It’s legit.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Money Match program is automatically returning lost money to qualifying Illinois residents without the need to file paperwork or initiate a claim. 

Thanks to the state’s new Money Match II program, lost cash checks between $5 and $49.99 could arrive in mailboxes before the holidays. The program builds upon the initial Money Match program launched in August. That effort returned about $12 million to 63,000 Illinois residents who were the sole owners of unclaimed cash valued between $50 and $2,000.

Illinois holds more than $2 billion in unclaimed property. The state treasurer is legally required to get the property to the rightful owners.

The state treasurer’s database can be searched for names of residents, businesses or nonprofits, at illinoistreasurer.gov/ICASH.

Satanic Temple joins Hanukkah, Christian displays

A Satanic statue has joined seasonal religious displays in the Illinois State Capitol.

The Satanic Temple of Chicago was granted permission to place its statue near a Hanukkah menorah and Christian Nativity scene in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, as it says is its constitutionally-protected opportunity to contribute its perspective to the numerous religious viewpoints. The statue is approximately four and a half feet tall and about 18 inches long. Entitled “Snaketivity,” the statue portrays a female hand, encircled by a serpent, holding an apple. The inscription on the pedestal reads “Knowledge is the Greatest Gift.” The design of the statue keeps with The Satanic Temple’s values of advocating knowledge and rationality over superstition, ignorance, and dogma, according to the group’s website.

The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religious organization determined to halt “the dangerous encroachment of theocracy” into American government. The Chicago chapter was established in February.

The Satanic Temple says that its members are atheists who are often interested in community activism. They do not promote a belief in a personal Satan, but embraces the “struggle for justice” and believes people should “strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures.”

COUNTY

Volunteer training set for court-appointed advocates

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a caring, consistent presence for an abused or neglected child in the court system. The program aims to reduce the amount of time children spend in foster care and help ensure that the child’s best interest is served in the court process. Volunteers are needed for this work, and an informational meeting will be held to drum up interest. A CASA meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Tazewell County Justice Center, 101 S. Capitol St., Pekin.

CASA of the Tenth Judicial Circuit also will hold an upcoming training session for those ready to become a CASA. It will start Jan. 12 and end Jan. 26, with the classes on Saturdays and some evenings. It will be held at Advanced Medical Transport, 1718 N. Sterling, Peoria. Prospective advocates must attend every class.  

For more information, call 309-669-2939, email casa@peoriacounty.org or visit facebook.com/CASAPeoriaCounty/ or CASAoftheTenth.org.

WASHINGTON

Civic chorale to present An American Family Christmas

The Peoria Area Civic Chorale, featuring soloist Penelope Shumate, will present its An American Family Christmas concert series at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14-Dec. 15 and 3 p.m. Dec. 16 at Five Points Washington, 360 N. Wilmor Road, Washington.

The concert will include contemporary arrangements of classic Christmas carols, such as The Holly and the Ivy,” “The First Noel,” and “Silent Night” and the spiritual, “Come and See the Baby.” The chorale also will perform secular holiday favorites including “Let It Snow,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Winter Wonderland.” A string quartet including Grammy-winning cellist Barbara Hedlund will perform.  

Soprano Penelope Shumate will perform two selections from Handel’s Messiah as well as “O, Holy Night” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas. Shumate has performed in New York at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and is an assistant professor of voice at Western Illinois University. She has previously shared the stage with the chorale in 2016 and 2017.

Special to the Dec. 14 performance will be two choruses of 165 youth combined from 4th grade through junior high from more than 12 area schools. Each performance will also feature a different talented teen Young Artist competition winner: Lucy Barber of Dunlap, Sydney Johnson and Anna Glavin, both of Peoria. The Chorale’s Youth Chorus will also perform a set of songs at each concert including “There is a Santa Claus” from the musical “Elf” and will join the adult choir and Shumate for “Gesu Bambino.”

Tickets are $20 for adults, with students through college at $8 and are available at 309-693-6725, online at peoriacivicchorale.org or at the door.

 

 

–Tazewell County News Briefs–