The sign says the people of Illinois welcome you, However, census figures show there are fewer people to do so as the state experiences record population losses.

STATE

Census figures show drop in population

New migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that from July 2015 to July 2016, Illinois lost 114,000 people, on net, to other states, a record high for the Land of Lincoln. Illinois Policy, a nonprofit think tank, says the loss is equivalent to the entire population of Peoria, Illinois’ seventh-largest city.

Also, Illinois sustained record net losses for each of the last three years of census migration data: a net loss of 114,000 people from July 2015 – July 2016; a net loss of 105,000 people from July 2014-2015; and a net loss of 95,000 people in the year before that.

Illinois has lost some 1.22 million people, on net, over the past 16 years.

For the third year in a row, Illinois is the only state in the region with a shrinking population.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Students may apply for college scholarships

Illinois Central College (ICC) is accepting scholarship applications for the 2017-18 school year through April 1 through an online application system. ICC’s Education Foundation offers more than 600 scholarships worth more than $750,000. The scholarships will be awarded to students attending ICC in the fall of 2017.

Students who complete the application are automatically considered for each scholarship for which they are eligible. Online applications and a complete listing of ICC scholarships are available at icc.edu/students/scholarships/. For more information, contact Stephanie Holmes, (309) 694-8420.

COUNTY

Photo contest focuses on dairy

Peoria County Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom program, in partnership with Prairie Farms, is sponsoring a photo contest for students in Peoria County, Feb. 1-28. In conjunction with the February classroom topic of dairy, Peoria County students will be able to participate in the “What Does Illinois Dairy Look Like to You?” photo contest. Each student may submit one photo answering that question for the chance to win a free field trip to Linden Hill Dairy Farm this spring. Prairie Farms is providing the funds to cover the field trip costs, including bus transportation for the winning class. 

The photo contest is designed to make the students think critically about where their dairy products come from and how much dairy they eat throughout the day. For more information about the contest or other questions, contact Abbie Enlund, ag literacy coordinator at (309) 686-7070 or agcoordinator.peoriacounty@gmail.com.

PEORIA

Public invited to discuss police-community relations

The Peoria Advisory Committee on Police Community Relations invites residents

to attend a 61605 town hall meeting on police-community relations, 12-2 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Carver Center, 710 W. Percy Baker Jr., Avenue, Peoria. Citizens are encouraged to join the panelists in respectful conversation on issues of police-community relations.

Winter startup mixer fosters networking 

Greater Peoria Economic Development Council’s next mixer event will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at GAR Hall, 416 Hamilton Blvd., in downtown Peoria. Startup Peoria’s new programs for 2017 will be unveiled during the event, but mostly there will be time for the attendees to network with the startup community.

For families with children ages 4-12, there will be a creative kids’ zone onsite. Peoria PlayHouse will arrange babysitters and activities.

A ticket is $10, which not only goes to snacks, drinks, and music, but to the historical preservation of the GAR Hall. If you would like to take advantage of the kids’ zone, a child’s ticket is $5. Questions? Contact startupintern@greaterpeoriaedc.org or call (309) 495-5954.

Church leader blesses Illinois River for new year

The Illinois River was blessed by All Saints Greek Orthodox Church during a recent ceremony. The ancient Christian tradition, which celebrates Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River, consists of tossing a cross into the river to sanctify the water.

Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, blessed about 30 people with holy water before blessing the river on Jan. 7. Traditionally, when the cross is tossed, men would jump into the water to retrieve it and receive a special blessing. Because of the cold weather here, however, the cross is attached to a rope that is tossed into the river, then pulled back to sanctify the water. The tradition is a blessing for the whole community.

The special service was brought to Peoria six years ago and takes place aboard the Spirit of Peoria riverboat.

College foundation has new executive

Mary Jo Schettler, whose sales and marketing experience include the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino and the Marriott Pere Marquette, is the new executive director of Peoria Promise Foundation.

Peoria Promise, which began in 2008, provides scholarships to Peoria residents who plan to attend Illinois Central College after high school graduation. The organization announced her appointment Jan 5.

Schettler served on Peoria Promise’s board of directors for mearly three years, where she was chairwoman of the event and marketing committee. She was director of sales and community services at Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino for 22 years, retiring in 2013. She was director of sales and marketing for the Marriott Pere Marquette transition team from May 2014 to May 2016.

Schettler currently is a member of the board of directors of Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and the Children’s Home of Illinois Foundation.

Benefit to raise funds for museum

An adults-only night is being planned to raise funds for the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum. The second annual HopScotch event will feature locally crafted brews, signature whiskey cocktails by local favorite local bartenders, hors d’oeuvre stations and live music, 7-9 p.m. Jan. 27. Tickets are $60, and may be purchased at webstore1.centaman.net.

VIP HopScotch tickets are $80 and include a pre-event tasting, beginning at 6pm: choose a beer tasting with Groucho and Chud from The Beer Report or a whiskey tasting with Aaron Coffeen from Millwright Spirits Distilling Co. There is a limited quantity of VIP tickets available.

–Peoria County Area News Briefs–