EUREKA

Kiwanis Club holding annual fishing derby

The Eureka Greater Area Kiwanis Club will again sponsor a free fishing derby for children 13 and under on Thursday, July 4.  Registration is from noon to 12:30 p.m. at the upper Eureka Lake Boat Dock not at the Pavilion.

Children need to be accompanied by an adult.  Bring tackle, bait and a bucket for your fish.  Prizes will be awarded for 7-13 year olds for the most fish and the longest fish.   Six and under will receive prizes for the most fish.  There will be prizes and water for all participants.

REGIONAL

 ICC hosts Ready to Work Expo July 11 and 12

Illinois Central College will host a Ready to Work Expo for potential students to learn about educational opportunities to retool their job skills.

The expo will take place on Thursday, July 11 from 5-7 p.m. and Friday, July 12 from 10 a.m. to noon on the ICC East Peoria Campus.

The open house style event provides potential students and their families the opportunity to speak individually with faculty and staff from a wide range of career and technically based programs.

It is free and open to the public.

Programs expected to participate include welding, machining, Computer Numerical Control (CNC), electrical, graphic communication, agriculture, horticulture, automotive and GM ASEP, and Diesel Powered Equipment Technology (DPET), mechanical engineering technology, to name a few. Labs and classroom spaces in some areas will be open for tours.

Information regarding ICC Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship-Ready programs, which include solar pipeline training, highway construction careers training, GED Bridge, truck driving training, industrial maintenance, and secure software, will be available. For a full listing of programs, visit icc.edu/work-expo.

Enrollment Services, Admissions Office, and Advising staff also will be on hand to answer questions regarding applying to the College and specific program admittance requirements, as well as testing information and financial aid options.

For questions, visit icc.edu/work-expo or call ICC Workforce Development at 309-690-6863.

CPR/AED/First Aid class teaches lifesaving skills

Advocate BroMenn Medical Center will offer a Heartsaver® CPR/AED/First Aid class Wednesday, April 10, from 6 to 9:15 p.m. at the Advocate BroMenn Health & Fitness Center, 1111 Trinity Lane, Bloomington.

Heartsaver CPR/AED/First Aid is a “first responders” course for anyone who wants to learn basic CPR and First Aid skills, as well as proper AED use.

It is approved by DCFS for day care providers.

It covers how to recognize and treat life-threatening emergencies, including cardiac arrest and choking for adults, children and infants; how to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke in adults; and breathing difficulties for children.

Certification is valid for two years.

This class is not intended for health care professionals. A CPR certification card will be emailed after successful completion of the hands-on first aid skills and manikin practice.

Class fee is $65, and registration is required. Please visit www.advocatehealth.com to register.

STATE

Department of Public Health expands newborn screenings

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is rolling out today a test for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) for all newborn babies statewide.  ALD is a rare hereditary disorder that affects the brain, nervous system, and adrenal gland.  It affects approximately 1 in 20,000 births.

“Babies born with adrenoleukodystrophy have normal brains at birth.  However, progression of the disorder without treatment can be fatal,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.  “By adding ALD to the Illinois newborn screening panel, every baby born in Illinois will be tested for ALD.  Babies who test positive for this disorder can then receive therapies during the early stage of the disease.”

Early diagnosis of babies with ALD can lead to potentially life-saving interventions, including adrenal steroid replacement and stem cell transplantation.  These therapies are only effective during a narrow window, which is often missed.  Through universal screening and early diagnosis, treatment options can be evaluated by the baby’s health care providers and initiated in some cases before symptoms develop.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added ALD to the national Recommended Uniform Screening Panel in February 2016.  Implementing ALD screening required the purchase of new equipment, development of new test methods, Clinical Lab Improvement Amendments lab test validation, and computer system modification to provide laboratory results and facilitate follow up tracking.

Illinois is now the 14th state in the U.S. to screen for ALD.  Additional information can be found on the dph.illinois.gov website.

Flooding, warmer temps means more mosquitoes

The months of rain and flooding have created conditions ripe for floodwater mosquitoes (Aedes vexans).  Fortunately, floodwater mosquitoes, often called nuisance mosquitoes, are not known to carry disease.

“It is important to protect yourself from insect bites, even if they are not known to cause disease,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.  “While the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus prefer hot, dry conditions, even the mosquitoes that flourish in cooler, wet weather bring the potential for infection if you scratch a bite and create a wound.  Taking some simple precautions can help keep you healthy.”

Many counties in Illinois are currently experiencing flooding conditions.  Water that stands in flooded areas for more than 10 days has the potential to produce large numbers of floodwater mosquitoes.  Floodwater mosquitoes can travel up to 10 miles from where they breed.

If we start to see drier weather with higher temperatures as we head into summer, we will start to see more mosquitoes, often referred to as house mosquitoes (Culex pipiens), that can carry West Nile virus.

Nine counties have already reported mosquitoes or birds that have tested positive for West Nile virus.  House mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, like street catch basins, ditches, empty flower pots, tires, and any container that holds water that is not changed weekly.  In stagnant water, house mosquitoes can multiply rapidly.