Tazewell County news briefs
April 24, 2019
The Peoria Area Civic Chorale will present its spring concert series A Little Night Music Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4 at Five Points Washington. (Photo courtesy of Peoria Area Civic Chorale)
TAZEWELL COUNTY
‘Who Is My Elected Official’ website launches
This new website will allow citizens to enter their address into the search engine, which will zoom into a map of their neighborhood. On the right-hand side, users will find all of their elected officials and links that will allow you to contact them.
This listing will cover congressman, state senator and representative, County Board members, township officials, municipal leaders, and school board Members.
This will give the citizens of Tazewell County more transparency into who their elected officials are that represent them and how to contact them. Creation of this new website was part of the detailed comprehensive Strategic Plan presented by Tazewell County Clerk John C. Ackerman. This new website was built and will be maintained into the future with no additional tax revenue.
County releases results of new vote-counting center
The county says the goal of utilizing this new facility was to release the Election Results sooner and to do so at a reduced cost to Tazewell County Taxpayers.
“Our first results went public on the Tazewell County Website at 7:31 p.m. (April 2), over an hour earlier than the previous average reporting time. We closed the election by posting our last precinct result before 10:30 p.m., which is the historical average,” County Clerk John Ackerman stated.
“While we acknowledge the overwhelming success of releasing the first results, we have also already identified ways to further streamline our process and operation to reduce the time of the finalized results. Overall, we achieved our goal of reporting the results earlier and ended at the average previous time, which for our first Election we consider a success.”
The election night tabulation staff cost for the November 2018 election was $1,620, according to the county. Additionally, this previous election cost included the involvement of three Tazewell County deputies, whose time was not included in this $1,620 cost.
The cost for the April 2 election staffing was $900, the county stated, and no Tazewell County deputies were deployed.
EAST PEORIA
Relay for Life at Levee District this weekend
The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life event will be on Saturday, April 27 from 1 to 10 p.m. at the Levee District in East Peoria.
The annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life will this Saturday, April 27 in East Peoria’s Levee District.
The event begins by honoring everyone who’s been affected by cancer and everyone who has contributed to the success of this year’s Relay season.
During the luminaria ceremony, the events will represent everyone touched by cancer with a Luminaria. Each light represents a life taken by cancer, a survivor of cancer, or a support for a person still fighting the disease.
The closing ceremony is the time to commit to act and help lead the fight for a world free from cancer. It’s a time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished together and a time to unify for the work that needs to be done moving forward.
For more information, contact Audrey Williams at audrey.williams@cancer.org or at 309-688-3488 or view Online Help
Electronics Recycling Event at Health Department
Here is the chance to dispose of unwanted electronic items in an environmentally friendly way. The Tazewell County Health Department will have an electronic recycling event at the Festival Building, 2200 E. Washington St. from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday, April 27.
For more information, call the Tazewell County Health Department at 309-929-0272 or email eh@tchd.net.
HED: MORTON
SUBHED: Police participate in National Drug Take Back Day
The Morton Police Department will once again participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27.
Individuals can bring their unused or expired prescription medication to the Morton Police Department, 375 W. Birchwood St., between the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for disposal. For more information visit deatakeback.com.
REGIONAL
Civic Chorale presents spring concert series
The Peoria Area Civic Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Joseph D. Henry and with featured soloist Dimitri German, will present its spring concert series A Little Night Music on Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Five Points Washington.
The concert will feature a wide variety of songs centered around the elements of the night such as “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” from “State Fair,” “Tonight” from “West Side Story.” Also included will be “I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady,” Stephen Foster’s “Beautiful Dreamer,” Cole Porter’s “In the Still of the Night,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” and “The Nearness of You.”
Brahm’s “Der Abend (Evening),” and popular favorites such as “Dream a Little Dream of Me” and “Mr. Sandman” are also on the program.
The Peoria Area Civic Chorale Youth Chorus will perform a set nightly and will join the adult singers for “Buffalo Gals.” The audience will also be invited to join in a sing-along at the concert’s end.
The chorale continues its efforts to feature “homegrown” central Illinois talent with special guest German. A 2009 graduate of Peoria’s Richwoods High School, he is now a Chicago-based baritone with a bachelor of music in vocal performance from the Moody Bible Institute and a graduate degree from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
Special to Friday night’s performance will be a festival chorus of 60 children from local community schools and a cake reception sponsored by Bob Lindsay Honda and Acura.
Tickets are $20 for adults, with students through college at $8 and are available at 309-693-6725, online at www.peoriacivicchorale.org or at the door. The concert is sponsored by CEFCU, Parsons Manufacturing, Heights Finance and partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
STATE
IEMA says emergency preparedness starts at home
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is encouraging people to stay aware of local forecasts and be prepared to act quickly if weather warnings are issued.
Being prepared for natural disaster means having your own food, water and other supplies. To find a list of basic disaster supplies, visit ready.illinois.gov.
Follow these four steps to better prepare you family for severe weather:
- Ensure each member of your family can receive emergency alerts and notifications.
It is critical that you have multiple ways to receive notifications and updated information about severe weather. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are available on most smartphones.
FEMA offers a FREE mobile app that provides fast and reliable weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS). The app can be tailored to offer alerts for up to five different locations nationwide. The mobile app can also help you locate open shelters and disaster resource centers near you in the event of an emergency.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather alert radios can be programmed. The tone alarm provides a 24/7 alert to approaching hazards, even during the overnight hours when many people are sleeping.
- Identify your shelter location at home, work and school
If a tornado warning is issued for your area, seek shelter immediately, preferably in a basement underneath the stairs or a sturdy piece of furniture. If there is no basement, go to an interior hallway or a small interior room without windows, get under sturdy furniture and use pillows or cushions to protect your head and neck.
- Develop and practice a family communication plan
Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes. Know how you will contact one another and reconnect if separated during a storm or other emergency. Remember, during a disaster, phone lines may be overwhelmed by emergency calls. To let loved ones know you are safe, consider a check-in on social media or send a text.
- Review your emergency supply kit
Remember to consider the needs of all your family members, including your pets. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies. To find a list of basic disaster supplies, visit ready.illinois.gov.
For more information about what to do before, during and after a storm, please visit www.Ready.Illinois.gov. There you will find a Severe Weather Preparedness Guide, developed by IEMA and NWS, which provides tips on how to prepare for all weather emergencies. Additional tips and information are available on the Ready Illinois Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois) and Twitter page (
