Lane reductions and traffic changes, including no left turns on Camp Street from northbound Main Street, are in effect due to the IDOT repair of the Main Street bridge over Farm Creek. The work is expected to last until Nov. 4. (Image courtesy of city of East Peoria)

EAST PEORIA

Parents encouraged to attend car seat check

Learn if your child’s car seat is installed correctly at the East Peoria Fire Department’s car seat check. Firefighters certified as car seat technicians will check the car seats and answer questions about best practices.

The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at the Central Fire Station, 201 W. Washington St., East Peoria.  There is no charge for participating in the program

HUDSON

Fall Colors Family Day features hayrides

Comlara Park, 13001 Recreation Area Drive, will be the location to celebrate fall with activities for all ages on Saturday, Oct. 19. The activities go from 1 to 9 p.m.

The schedule for the day is as follows

• 1 – 4 p.m. children’s games and pumpkin decorating
• 4 p.m. pumpkin decorating judging (ages 12 an under)
• 4 p.m. Halloween bag decorating contest (ages 12 an under)
• 1-4 p.m. tic-tac-toe, bean bag toss, cookie decorating, firetrucks
• 1 – 5:30 p.m. Hayrack rides, marshmallow/hotdog roast
• 1:30 p.m. marshmallow toss
• 2:30 p.m. bean bags toss tourney (ages 16 and older)
• 3:30 p.m. relay races
• 4:30 p.m. little goblins candy hunt (ages 12 and younger)
• 5 p.m. marshmallow eating contest
• 5:30 – 7 p.m. trick or treating in the campground
• 7 – 9 p.m. haunted trail hayrack rides, $1 per person

From more information, call 309-434-6770.

PEKIN

Police issue school bus traffic safety reminder

The Pekin Police Department is reminding motorists to be observant and careful when driving through school zones and approaching school buses.

Since school went back into session for the new year, Pekin Police report receiving many complaints about motorists passing school bus arms and speeding in school zones.

Pekin Police Department is reminding drivers of state law regarding traffic around school buses. (Photo courtesy of Pekin Police)

It is unlawful for a driver to pass a school bus that has stopped to load or unload children when it’s stop signal arm is extended, according to state law.

The driver is required to stop his or her vehicle before passing the school bus from either direction — also includes two-lane roads with a median.

An exception to this law is when the driver is on a highway with four or more lanes with at least two lanes of traffic in either direction. If the driver is going in the opposite direction of the bus, they do not have to stop, according to the police.

Illinois law provides that the driving privileges of a person convicted of passing a stopped school bus will be suspended for three months for the first offense and one year for the second, if the second conviction occurs within five years.

The fine for a first conviction is $150 and $500 for a second or subsequent conviction.

The speed limit in school zones when students are present is 20 mph. Drivers ticketed for speeding in a school zone must appear in court and face a minimum fine of $150.

WASHINGTON

 Brush Pick-up scheduled

Brush pick-up service will begin on Monday, Oct. 14, weather permitting. Brush must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on Oct. 14 to assure pickup. No return trips will be made.

City crews will start on the west end of the city (Rolling Meadows) and work east. Residents within the city limits wishing to use this service must place the brush (cut ends toward the street) between the curb and gutter and sidewalk or approximately 3 feet off of the edge of the roadway.

Brush piles that do not have cut ends toward the street will be left for the property owner to dispose of at his/her own expense.

Branches, limbs, or trees greater than 4 inches in diameter will not be picked up; they will be left for the property owner to dispose of at his/her own expense; and residents are reminded that the service is offered strictly for yard maintenance purposes.

Any abuse of the service such as tree topping, entire hedge removal, etc. resulting in large piles of brush, branches, roots, and the like will not be permissible. These large piles will also be left for the property owner to dispose of at his/her own expense.

City crews will not enter onto private property in the performance of this service.

TAZEWELL COUNTY

Electronics recycling program available

Now through Friday, Oct. 11 (but better early than late – these fill up fast) Tazewell County residents can take advantage of a free recycling event at 14379 IL Rt 29 South, in Pekin.

If you are taking a TV, bring along a printed or digital copy of the flyer. They will accept typewriters.

STATE

 IDPH urge residents not to vape during

As the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) continues to investigate respiratory illnesses associated with vaping, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike are urging members of the public not to use e-cigarettes or vaping devices.

People who continue to use e-cigarette products despite this warning should not buy these products off the street, modify e-cigarette products, nor add any substances to these products that are not intended by the manufacturer.

The Center for Disease Control’s investigation has not identified any particular e-cigarette product or vaping device that is causing acute respiratory illnesses.

In addition to the general warning of the risks associated with vaping, IDPH is warning of the increased risks associated with vaping by adolescents and young adults. According to the CDC, nicotine found in e-cigarettes causes harm in the brain development of youth who vape, and those young people may be more likely to progress to traditional cigarettes.

IDPH is conducting a survey to try to understand if vaping habits are different among people who have become sick after vaping, compared to those who have not become sick. It is an anonymous survey that takes only a few minutes and asks basic questions about the individual’s vaping habits. The survey can be found here: https://is.gd/understanding_vaping_habits

In addition to these efforts, Gov. Pritzker supports moving forward this veto session with strong and effective legislation to ban flavored vaping products, which are particularly targeted at young people. Vaping products are illegal for anyone under 21 to purchase in the state of Illinois under legislation the Governor advocated for and signed into law this year.

If you have vaped or used e-cigarettes and are experiencing difficulty breathing, chest pains, cough, or other respiratory symptoms, seek immediate medical attention and let doctors know you have vaped.

No nicotine products are safe. If you need help quitting tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vapes, contact your doctor or call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline, 1-866-QUIT-YES (1-866-784-8937).

 Fall trout season opens statewide on Oct. 19

The 2019 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season opens Saturday, Oct. 19 at 57 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.

An early opportunity at select trout sites —the Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season — will open Oct. 5 at locations marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below. No trout may be kept during the catch and release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning Oct. 19.

The Illinois catchable trout program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps and through the Illinois Fish Management Fund.

The IDNR has added one new site for Fall Trout Fishing in 2019, Kaufman Lake in Champaign, maintaining the stocking of rainbow trout to 67,000 fish in the fall season. Rock Springs Pond in Decatur will be temporarily removed from stocking due to a maintenance project at that site.

No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from Oct. 1 until the fall trout season opens at 5  a.m. Oct. 19. Anyone attempting to take (harvest) trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations.

All anglers —including those who intend to release fish caught before Oct. 19 — must have a valid fishing license and an Inland Trout Stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily catch limit for each angler is five trout.

Illinois fishing licenses and Inland Trout Stamps are available at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. Check the IDNR website at: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.

The 57 locations that will be open for Fall Trout Fishing Season are listed here https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/news/Pages/Illinois-Fall-Trout-Season-Opens-October-19.aspx