The enchanting story of Clara and her nutcracker will be told when Central Illinois Ballet presents the holiday classic “The Nutcracker,” with original choreography by Rebekah von Rathonyi, Dec. 14-Dec. 16 at the Illinois Central College Performing Arts Center in East Peoria.

STATE

Pritzker will not take governor’s salary

What’s $177,412 to a billionaire? Not much.

Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire, has announced he will not take a salary when he is sworn in as Illinois’ next chief executive in January. Considering state government’s annual spending is nearly $38.5 billion, the $177,412 annual salary Illinois pays its governors is insignificant. But the Hyatt hotel heir takes office next year facing steep financial challenges — the state’s sitting on at least $7.5 billion in unpaid bills — and refusing a salary sends a message to lawmakers and voters as he starts addressing them.

Outgoing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, a wealthy former private equity investor from Winnetka, also did not take his state salary during his lone term.

PEORIA

City names Marion as new police chief

Loren Marion, III is into the early days of his new job as chief of the Peoria Police Department.

Marion, who most recently was interim police chief, began his career with the police department in October 1994.  During his career, he worked in patrol, the Community Area Target Team, the Street Crimes Unit, the Vice and Narcotics Unit, and the Target Offender Unit.  He also held the collateral duty of task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Marion has received two distinguished service awards and the American Legion Meritorious Service Award, and was named Officer of the Year.  He also has received several letters of commendation.

Marion is a third-generation police officer. His grandfather, Frank N., Smith, was the police chief of Bellevue, and his father, Loren Marion, Jr., served 30 years with the Peoria department, retiring in 2009 as a patrol officer.

Marion assumed his new duties Nov. 14. His salary is $165,000.

Downtown skating scratched, New Year’s Eve fun expanded

After a three-year run that included many lost battles with inclement weather, the city has ended the downtown skating experiment. The Peoria Civic Center has not included the Winterfest ice skating rink in this year’s plans. 

Icy conditions forced the closing of the outdoor rink – set up on the corner of Fulton Street and Jefferson Avenue in Downtown Peoria – for several days last year. On one occasion last December, temperatures dropped to 8 below zero forcing a closing during the holiday vacation period when children were out of school, normally a prime time for ice skating. In a previous year, heavy rain washed out three days of skating.

So, this year, city efforts and resources will be focused on an expanded New Year’s Eve Countdown, which will be a family friendly free community event. One enhanced feature will be starting the New Year’s ball 200 feet in the air, which will light up downtown well above City Hall.

Fireworks are once again planned to salute the arrival of a new year.

The countdown activity will start at 3 p.m. Dec. 31 with activities on the Sonar Tide patio next to City Hall. Stage performances and activities for kids are planned from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Noisemakers and hats will be provided for children for an early New Year’s countdown at 7 p.m. The Peoria Notre Dame Drumline will start the early celebration in the Great Hall at 6:30 p.m. Admission to all the Civic Center activities is free.

Art guild hires new director

The Peoria Art Guild has named Shannon Cox as its new director. Cox owned and operated her own gallery and founded a nonprofit art school before she joined the Guild on Nov. 1.

“I’m excited to be a part of such a vibrant art community and am looking forward to fulfilling The Peoria Art Guild’s mission to bring art to the community and the community to art,” Cox said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to spending a lot of time with artists and leaders from other arts organizations in Peoria in addition to enriching art opportunities for children and adults.”

Cox, originally from Manito, IL, lives in Pekin with her husband Brian, a retired firefighter. They have four grown children and two grandchildren.

Sherlock Holmes society delves into short story

The Sherlock Holmes Story Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at the North Branch of the Peoria Public Library, 3001 W. Grand Pkwy., to discuss “The Adventure of the Naval Treaty,” a short Sherlock Holmes story penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Conan Doyle, in this story, has the world famous consulting detective delving into the world of international espionage, for Holmes is tasked with securing the return of a vital Naval Treaty. Holmes is quite interested in this case, and makes a number of observations that others seem to have missed, including the fact that there has been no word of the treaty on the international scene. What does Holmes know and how did he discover it?

EAST PEORIA

Central Illinois Ballet presents ‘The Nutcracker’

Central Illinois Ballet will present the holiday classic “The Nutcracker,” with original choreography by Rebekah von Rathonyi, Dec. 14-Dec. 16 at the Illinois Central College Performing Arts Center in East Peoria. Performances will be given at 7 p.m. Dec. 14, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 15 and 2 p.m. Dec. 16. Ticket prices range from $12 to $35 and can be purchased online at dancestudio-pro.com.

Appearing in “The Nutcracker” will be members of the ballet company’s trainees, senior and junior company ensembles. These ensembles are comprised of current students at Cornerstone Academy pursuing a career in professional dance. For these students, Central Illinois Ballet productions offer them the opportunity to dance alongside professional company members and learn firsthand what dancing in a professional company is like.

–Peoria County News Briefs–