County

Director of Corrections addresses League of Voters

Illinois’ corrections system will be the topic of a League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria event on April 7.  John Baldwin, the state’s new director of corrections, will speak on “Correcting Corrections in Illinois.”

The event’s schedule is a social hour at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. and Baldwin’s speech at 7 p.m. in the Waterhouse Ballroom in the Maxam Building, 316 SW Washington, Peoria. The event costs $50 and reservations are due by March 25. Checks should be made out to LWVIL Education Fund, and mailed to League of Women Voters Greater Peoria, 605 W Stratford Drive, Peoria, 61614. PayPal is available on the League’s website, www.lwvgp.org.

Baldwin is responsible for overseeing the management and operations of 35 state prisons, work camps and transition centers as well as the supervision of parolees. He oversees a $1.3 billion budget. Baldwin began working for the Iowa Department of Corrections in 1983, and was the director for eight years. He has a master’s degree from Iowa State University in political science and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Iowa.

The League is a non-partisan, issues-oriented, volunteer, member-directed organization committed to open, responsive and effective government brought about by informed, involved citizens with membership open to both men and women in Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties. For more information, go to www.lwvgp.org.

Morton

Contractor chosen for downtown plaza

The proposed Memorial Plaza in downtown Morton is closer to becoming a reality.

The Village Board on March 7 unanimously approved Laverdiere Construction of Macomb’s low bid of $1.24 million to be the contractor for the project, according to reports.

The village is paying half of the estimated total $2 million cost and the Morton Economic Development Council is raising the other $1 million through donations. Contributions are still needed to meet the fundraising goal. Donors’ names will be engraved on pavers, plaques, tables or benches, depending on the amount of the donation. Call the MEDC for more information about how to be become a donor, (309) 291-0110.

District 709 is registering kindergarten students

Morton School District 709 is holding kindergarten pre-registration and screening at the district’s main office, 1050 S. Fourth Ave., Morton.

Parents should bring their children any time 8 a.m.-7 p.m. March 17 and 8 a.m.-noon March 18. Qualified children are those who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1. Needed paperwork include a certified birth certificate (issued by the county, not the hospital), immunization records and the most recent physical, dental and vision exams, if available.

Craft fair proceeds to aid breast cancer research

The 6th Annual Spring Fling Craft & Vendor Fair will be a fundraising event for Totes for Ta-Tas/Illinois CancerCare Foundation’s Breast Cancer Research Fund. From 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 19 more than 50 tables will display goodies from area crafters and vendors at the Best Western Ashland House & Conference Center, 201 E. Ashland St., Morton. There also will be large bake sale. Contact Sharyl Nuske at (309) 657-0992 with questions.

More information is at www.totesforta-tas.com.

Business After Hours slated for March 24

RMH Foods will be the host for the next Morton Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours. The monthly networking social is typically held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 4:30-6 p.m. at the place of business for one of the chamber’s members. A brief program is held at 5:30 p.m. during each event.

Area business people are invited to attend and to bring co-workers and plenty of business cards to the next networking event, scheduled for March 24. RMH Foods, a food processing company, is at 375 Erie Ave., Morton. Call (309) 266-1500 for information.

East Peoria

Local resident portrays biblical women

Cheryl Rhodes, a Bible storyteller from East Peoria, will present a portrayal of “Salome’s Journey to the Cross” at the 45th annual Community Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast, sponsored by the Metamora Woman’s Club. The event will be held at Metamora Christian Union Church, 925 W. Walnut St., at 9 a.m. March 19.

Local ministers will also participate at this event. A continental breakfast will be served and free-will donations will be accepted. All men and women are invited; reservations are not needed.

Rhodes grew up in Peoria, attended Peoria Christian School and Grace Presbyterian Church, and now lives in East Peoria. Her professional life has been varied: social worker, private practice psychotherapist, teacher at the college/university level and pastor. She holds a master’s degree in psychology, a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in divinity.

After teaching a Bible class at a local mission and attending a session of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Bradley University where she became acquainted with the Peoria Story Tellers Guild, she began formulating portraits of women from the Bible. She now brings biblical women to life as she gives presentations to churches, retirement communities, retirement organizations and other audiences.

State

Barn’s measurements important next step

Work is beginning this month to develop the Davidson Barn into a public community/cultural center.

The structure was built between 1838-40 in what is now rural Eureka, Woodford County. It will be measured and reviewed by a team of experts from Trillium Dell Timberworks. This work will result in a set of detailed measured drawings and documents describing the next steps in this project to restore the historic settlement-era barn and open it to the public on the shore of Lake Eureka. This review process is expected to take several months and will also provide Barnstorming Incorporated with a sound basis for cost estimates and a development timeline.

The Davidson Barn restoration project, sponsored by Barnstorming, Inc. has received the approval and support of the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation (CILF). Barnstorming will present at the May 15 CILF program, “Presenting Preservation,” at 2 p.m. at the GAR Memorial Hall, 416 Hamilton Blvd., Peoria. 

For more information about the efforts to restore the barn, visit the Barnstorming website at www.barnstorming.org, or call Steve Colburn at (309) 467-3144.

–Tazewell County News Briefs–