The Rev. Scott Woolridge

EUREKA

Free craft swap at Eureka Public Library

Have extra craft supplies in need of a good home or looking for some supplies for a winter project? Come to the Eureka Public Library’s free craft swap from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Have fun mingling with fellow crafters and discover new treasures. Donations will be accepted Feb. 17 – 21 or the morning of the swap. Donations should be clean and new or gently used. Any remaining supplies will be donated to the Eureka Et Cetera Shop. For more information, contact the library, 202 S. Main, at 309-467-2922.

 College names Founders Day Convocation speaker

Eureka College is set to host its annual Founders Day Convocation on Feb. 6 at 12:30 p.m. inside Becker Auditorium of the Donald B. Cerf Center.

The Rev. Scott Woolridge will serve as guest speaker at the event.

Woolridge is the associate regional minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Illinois and Wisconsin.

A lifelong member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he was born in Shelbyville and graduated from EC in 1977.

After earning his masters from Illinois State in 1979, Woolridge was a psychology professor at Eureka for 10 years (1979-89).

He has been an associate regional Minister since 1992, serving as a pastor and resource to about 45 congregations and in central and southern Illinois.

Eureka College was incorporated on Feb. 6, 1855, by an act of the Illinois Legislature. The founding date coincides with the birthdate of the college’s most famous alumnus, Ronald Reagan, who graduated in 1932.

The college was founded by members of the Christian Church and is among 17 colleges and universities affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

For more information about the Founders Day Convocation, email or call Chaplain Bruce Fowlkes at bfowlkes@eureka.edu or 309-467-6429.

EAST PEORIA

 IDOT releases information on I-74 bridge project

The Murray Baker Bridge carries Interstate 74 over the Illinois River between Peoria and East Peoria. The bridge is scheduled to be closed for rehabilitation from March 29 to Oct. 31.  Through traffic in the Peoria metro area will be detoured on Interstate 474 and local traffic will be detoured on Illinois Route 40 through Downtown Peoria and East Peoria.

Bridge rehabilitation scope of work Includes:

• Replacement of concrete deck;
• Repair of structural steel members;
• Zone painting of the structural steel;
• Replacement of roadway lighting;
• Replacement of decorative lighting;
• Installation of scour countermeasures.

REGION

LWV program will discuss sensible gun reforms

The Greater Peoria League of Women Voters will discuss Gun Violence:  Sensible Reform at its General Meeting event, 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Advanced Medical Transportation building, 1718 N. Sterling Ave., Peoria (side entrance).

Annalee Huntington, co-leader with local chapter of Mom’s Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, will present an overview of grassroots efforts of the group to work within our community to encourage a culture of responsible gun ownership.

Moms Demand Action was founded by Shannon Watts after the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012.

The event is free and the public is invited.  General meetings are held on the first Thursday to discuss local, state and national topics relating to approved LWV positions, aimed at “Making Democracy Work.”

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.

WOODFORD COUNTY

Health Department seeks nominations for annual award

The Woodford County Board of Health is seeking nominations for the Annual Public Health Award. Nominees should be a person who furthers public health principles and practices by providing services in the county.

The nominee’s public health contribution can be work or volunteer related. Nominees must live or work in Woodford County.

Examples of public health areas of involvement include but are not limited to: disease prevention, employee wellness, emergency preparedness, environmental health, health/education promotion, maternal/child health, and other health-related fields.

The following criteria will be used in selecting the recipient of the Public Health Award:

Nominees must:

• Live or work in Woodford County
• Promote principles of public health in professional, public or volunteer work in Woodford County
• Network or collaborate with the community to promote public health
• Promote a positive image of public health in Woodford County
• Is viewed as a leader in the community

Contributions:

• Address a public health concern
• Be creative and/or unique in approach to a public health issue
• Significantly enhance the image of public health while increasing awareness of public health issues
• Contribute to the health promotion efforts

Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 2. Applications are available online at www.woodfordhealth.org. Nominations may be submitted to WCHD during normal business hours, or via email to Hillary Aggertt at haggertt@woodford-county.org.

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 153,048 deer during all 2019-20 archery and firearm seasons. (Photo courtesy of IDNR)

STATE

Preliminary totals released for deer hunting season

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 153,048 deer during all 2019-20 archery and firearm seasons, which concluded Jan. 19. The total preliminary deer harvest for all seasons compares with a total harvest for all seasons of 151,709 deer in 2018-19.

During the 2019-20 deer seasons, hunters took 45 percent does and 55 percent males.

Archery:  Archery deer hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 67,696 deer during the season which began Oct. 1, 2019 and concluded Jan. 19, 2020.

Youth:  Youth deer hunters harvested a preliminary total of 3,775 deer during the three-day Illinois Youth Deer Season Oct. 12-14, 2019.

Traditional Firearm Season:  Hunters took a preliminary total of 75,349 deer during the Illinois Firearm Deer Season Nov. 22-24, 2019 and Dec. 5-8, 2019.

Muzzleloader:  Hunters using muzzleloading rifles harvested a preliminary total of 3,061 deer during the Muzzleloader-Only Deer Season Dec. 13-15, 2019.

Late-Winter Seasons:  The 2019-20 Late-Winter Antlerless-Only and Special CWD deer seasons concluded Jan. 19, with a combined preliminary harvest total for both seasons of 3,167 deer.

There were 15 northern Illinois counties open to the Special CWD Season, which is used to assist in slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Illinois deer herd.

There were 20 counties open for the Late-Winter Antlerless Season in 2019-20. Counties that are at or below their individual deer population goal for two consecutive years may be removed from the late-winter season.