Star Wars comes to Eureka Library
More than150 children, parents, and families stopped by the Eureka Public Library on Feb. 13 to take part in the annual Take Your Child to the Library Day event. This year’s Star Wars theme was a big hit – with guest appearances by Star Wars characters from the Midwest Garrison, crafts, Legos, prizes, and more. Above, library volunteer Bob Greeley helps two young Jedi knights spin the wheel for a prize. For more information, contact the Eureka Public Library at (309) 467-2922.

Roanoke

Grade school volleyball registration opens

Third- to fifth-graders who want to play Roanoke-Benson Recreation Association volleyball should register 1-2 p.m. Saturday, March 5 in the high school gym, 208 W. High St., Roanoke. The fee is $60. A late fee will be charged after March 12, and registration will close after March 16.

The program will begin after spring break and last for 4-6 weeks.

The goal of the sessions is to teach the fundamentals of the game and to have fun. Volunteers are needed to assist at practices and to coach. Call Norm Weldon at (309) 261-3639 with questions.

Eureka

EC students, faculty, alums to perform in piano recital

Eleven pianists will perform in compositions during the 7th annual Cynthia Atterbury Piano Duet Recital. Pianists include Eureka College seniors, Darian Wohlrabe, Kelsey Henry, Brooke Poling, Emily Harrod, Tony Glass and Sarah Hochstetler; junior, Whitley Gregoire; sophomore Isabella Anderson; alumnus Mark Kline; faculty member Pamela Bates; and the wife of the Eureka College library director, Amy Glass.

The recital is at 4 p.m. Feb. 28 in McCallister Hall of the Eureka College Chapel. It is free and open to the public.

The program will feature works by Johann Baptist Vanhal, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Scott Joplin, Astor Piazolla and other contemporary composers.

The pianos include a Steinway concert grand piano and a Vose and Sons 7-foot conservatory grand piano. Eureka College Trustee R. Rennie Atterbury III donated the Vose and Sons in memory of his wife, Cynthia Goldsmith Atterbury, who owned the piano. It was built in Boston in 1911. It has been rebuilt and is encased in the original fruitwood cabinetry.

The recital is sponsored by the Music Department in the Division of Fine and Performing Arts. A reception will follow. For more information, contact Eureka College music professor Pamela Bates at (309) 467-6398.

Church of Christwelcomes singers

The Harding University Good News Singers will perform at the Eureka Church of Christ, 107 E College Ave., Eureka, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The public is invited to attend and enjoy this free concert.

The Good News Singers is an a cappella performance group sponsored by the Harding University Department of Music. Harding University is in Searcy, AR. The Good News Singers perform a variety of uplifting spiritual songs for churches and other organizations across the country. Directed by Chuck Hicks and specializing in close harmony and soul stirring arrangements, the group’s repertoire includes hymns, southern gospel songs, spirituals, devotional songs and original tunes. For more information contact the Eureka Church of Christ office, (309) 467-4673.

Chillicothe

Chamber of Commerce Invites all to pay it forward

Ryan Spain, vice president of government relations for OSF Healthcare System will be the keynote speaker at Pay it Forward, the Chillicothe Chamber of Commerce’s 70^th annual banquet dinner, Saturday, March 5. The dinner will be held at the Pearce Community Center, 610 W. Cedar St., Chillicothe. The social hour and cash bar will begin at 6 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. with dinner, a silent auction, door prizes and entertainment. Awards will be presented.

Tickets are $30 person and $200 for a table of eight. RSVP by calling the chamber’s office, (309) 274-4556.

Free tax prep offered at library

AARP Aides will be in the Chillicothe Public Library’s Public Meeting Room Tuesdays and Thursdays to help senior citizens prepare their tax forms. Free assistance will be given from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. through April 7.

Walk-ins only will be helped. No appointments will be taken. The library is at 430 N Bradley Ave., Chillicothe. For more information, call (309) 274-2719.

State

Bill would honor Obama’s birthday as state holiday

Amid the state’s financial woes, political stalemate and union contract fights, a proposed bill would make President Barack Obama’s Aug. 4 birthday Illinois’ 13th paid state holiday. Under the proposal, state offices, schools and businesses could close because of the holiday status.

Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-Chicago) introduced the bill.

Right now, Illinois’ dozen paid holidays are: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, General Election Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, according to the state’s Department of Central Management Services.

The federal government has 10 paid holidays, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Those holidays are the same as Illinois’, minus Lincoln’s Birthday and Election Day.

Statewide, according to a survey of about 500 employers by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the average number of paid holidays in 2016 averages about 8.8 days.

The 2016 Illinois Chamber Paid Holiday Survey indicates six holidays are those most widely celebrated with a paid day off. In order of prevalence, they are New Year’s Day at 98.2 percent, Labor Day at 98.2 percent, Thanksgiving at 98 percent, Memorial Day at 97.6 percent, Independence Day at 97.3 percent and Christmas at 90.4 percent.

The next most-awarded holiday days are Good Friday at 34.6 percent, New Year’s Eve at 27.2 percent, Martin Luther King Day at 20.6 percent, Presidents Day at 18.5 percent, Veterans Day at 16.3 percent, and Columbus Day at 8.9 percent.

In the bottom tier are floating holidays, 5.2 percent; Lincoln’s Birthday, 2.6 percent; the employee’s birthday, 2 percent; and Jewish holidays; 1 percent. Washington’s Birthday and Casimir Pulaski Day each came in at less than 1 percent.

About 1.3 percent of the respondents in the chamber’s survey indicated Election Day is recognized with a full paid holiday, while 1 percent said it is awarded as a half-day.

The bill remains in the House Rules Committee and might or might not make it to the full House.

–Woodford County News Briefs–