Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Upcoming Speakeasy Events
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Monday, December 29, 2014
SOUTH SIDE TRUST & SAVINGS BANK ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONS
South Side
Trust & Savings Bank, a subsidiary of Mid Illinois Bancorp, Inc., at its December
2014 Board Meeting, announced the promotions of Laura Dunton to Personal Trust
Officer, Lori King to Assistant Cashier, Assistant Consumer Lending Manager,
and Jim McCready to Assistant Cashier, Visa/Merchant Administrator.
Dunton has been with South Side Bank
since 2007. She has a Bachelor of
Science degree in Business from Illinois State University. She is a graduate from the Cannon School of
Trust and is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor. Dunton is a volunteer for the Peoria Public
School’s Reading Buddies Program.
King has worked in the banking
industry for 22 years, serving at South Side Bank for the past 5 years. She
attended Illinois Central College and has completed many courses through
the American Bankers Association. She is a 2010
graduate of the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce Leadership School. King is a volunteer for the Morton Pumpkin
Festival, Easter Seals, and United Way.
McCready has worked in the banking
industry for 27 years, working for South Side Bank for the past 5 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from
Illinois State University. McCready is
an active member of the Athletic Boosters for Illinois Valley Central High
School in Chillicothe.
South Side Trust &
Savings Bank, a locally owned financial institution since 1922, has $649 million
in assets and serves the tri-county area with 12 full service locations in
Peoria, East Peoria, West Peoria, Bartonville, Chillicothe, Washington, and
Pekin. South Side Bank owns Mid Illinois Insurance Services, Inc. located at
1524 W. Glen Avenue in Peoria.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Mackinaw Valley Vineyard Upcoming Events
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Speakeasy Art Center Holiday Hours
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Thursday, December 18, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Welcome to our Newest Member
LegalShield Independent Associate Mickey Shemansky
Pekin, IL 61554
309-241-6364
Mickey Shemansky, Manager
www.mickeyshemansky.com
Unlimited access to the legal system throughout the United States and four provinces of Canada through a closed network of provider attorneys. Unparalleled identity theft protection with COMPLETE RESTORATION by Kroll licensed investigators if your identity is ever compromised. Protection provided for individuals, families, and businesses.
Pekin, IL 61554
309-241-6364
Mickey Shemansky, Manager
www.mickeyshemansky.com
Unlimited access to the legal system throughout the United States and four provinces of Canada through a closed network of provider attorneys. Unparalleled identity theft protection with COMPLETE RESTORATION by Kroll licensed investigators if your identity is ever compromised. Protection provided for individuals, families, and businesses.
Monday, December 15, 2014
RECORD $40 MILLION EXTRAORDINARY DIVIDEND TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO CEFCU MEMBERS
A record $40 million
Extraordinary Dividend was recently announced by CEFCU’s Board of Directors and
will be distributed to the Credit Union’s member/owners. The amount each
member will receive was determined by dividends earned and interest paid during
the first 11 months of the year, as of November 30, 2014. On December 16,
dividends will be deposited to members’ Savings accounts.
Over the last 15 years, CEFCU has returned $115 million in Extraordinary
Dividends to members. CEFCU Board Chairman, Brad Arnold, stated, “This
Extraordinary Dividend is the largest in the history of the Credit Union.
CEFCU continues to see strong financial results, and this success is due in no
small part to the continued loyalty of member/owners.”
Mark Spenny, CEFCU President/CEO, added, “CEFCU is a strong financial
institution. Members handle their finances in an extremely responsible
manner, which means the Credit Union has low loan losses. In addition,
members are very loyal, and are committed to doing more of their business with
CEFCU. As a member-owned financial institution, the Credit Union’s staff
and the volunteer Board of Directors work diligently to keep the best interest
of member/owners at the forefront of every decision we make. When a
credit union’s business is even better than projected, members share in those
benefits — which this year resulted in a $40 million Extraordinary Dividend!
It’s members’ money, and that is what makes CEFCU not a bank. Better!”
Members can learn more about this year’s Extraordinary Dividend from CEFCU’s
President/CEO, Mark Spenny, at cefcu.com/dividend.
Membership Renewals
Thanks to the following who recently renewed their investment in the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce:
CJ's Café
Getz Manufacturing
J & J Consulting Firm
Lloyd Orrick
CJ's Café
Getz Manufacturing
J & J Consulting Firm
Lloyd Orrick
Friday, December 12, 2014
Help Coming for Lock and Dams
On Dec. 3, The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 647, which provides for an increase in the fees barge operators pay to fund new lock and dam constructions and major rehabilitation projects along inland waterways. The bill passed on a broad bipartisan 404-17 vote. A growing coalition of industry and labor groups have petitioned Congress in recent years to raise the barge user fee to address the $8 billion backlog of repairs on the aging system. The new fee will increase from 20 cents per gallon of diesel fuel purchased to 29 cents. The Senate is expected to pass the bill within days, and the President has agreed to sign it.
December Puttin' On Pekin
The December Puttin' On Pekin breakfast featured holiday entertainment by Dan Taylor, Val Springborn and Miss Nora Springborn. Dave Osborn from Trouble Free Plumbing won the early prize and Mitch O'Shaughnessy won the late prize. Congratulations to all the winners of our big year end door prize drawings: Jay Hall, Jeff Dill, Larry Nelson, Al Tharp, Mickey Shemansky, Joe Privett, Teresa Mack, Steve Brown, Drew Lockwood, and Rhonda Hodges. You can see more pictures from this event at: http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber
Timbercreek After Hours
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Mobile Medicine: Pekin Hospital’s Mission to Guatemala
Pekin Hospital’s mission is to improve patient health in our
community. But recently, the definition of “community” expanded to include a
village halfway around the world. From November 14 to 21, a team of about 40
people—most affiliated with the Hospital—traveled to the rural, mountainous
area of Jalapa, Guatemala, to provide medical care for thousands of people with
no access to traditional medicine. “The need was great,” stresses Cindy Justus,
Mission Coordinator and Pekin Hospital Unit Director of ER1 and Urgent Care.
Originally, the mission group was scheduled to travel to
Liberia, but the Ebola outbreak forced a change of plans. After weeks of research for an alternate
location and collaboration with Drs. Van Dyke, Lovell, and Honan, Guatemala was
chosen.
Preparation took place through frequent emails and monthly
meetings where they tackled jobs like packaging medication into individual
dosages. The team worked very hard for
10 months leading up to the trip. That preparation only took them so far,
however. A facilitator from Caribbean Lifetime Missions traveled to Guatemala
and established a relationship with a Guatemalan church base to identify
villages with the most need of medical care.
Approximately half of our mission team has participated in previous mission
work and helped coordinate setting up the clinics in village school
buildings. For the most part, third
world countries share very similar medical concerns, but unusual area specific
diagnoses always seem to crop up. “We always have to improvise,” Justus says.
The team set up a command center in their hotel’s conference
room, where they divided the 35 suitcases full of supplies into fourths for the
four clinic days. Each day, they took the allotted supplies to the makeshift
clinic—a school, in this case, though Justus says she’s conducted clinics
everywhere from churches to grass huts.
Because there’s no way to predict the
ailments they’ll treat, the physicians have to make an educated guess about
which medications to bring. They weren’t equipped to perform invasive or even
minimally invasive procedures; severe cases were referred to the nearest
hospital. Instead, they focused on conditions like parasite
infestation, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, wound infections, STDs,
visual problems, skin disorders, birth anomalies, arthritis, headaches, poor
nutrition, dental issues and other ravages of abject poverty. In addition,
every patient received prayers.
The Mission team was able to treat over 1,700 patients in
four days—a recipe for physical and mental exhaustion. So what’s the draw? It’s
a calling, believes Justus, who has completed ten medical missions. “I feel
like I get more out of it than the patients I serve,” she says. Part of the
allure is providing desperately needed front-line care, a primary reason many
Pekin Hospital physicians and employees got into the field.
Supporting medical missions is a hospital-wide endeavor,
from Pekin Hospital CEO Bob Haley to the hundreds of hospital employees who
help with fundraising. Justus also appreciates the support of community
partners and hopes it leads to a better understanding of Pekin Hospital’s
purpose. “These are caregivers with compassionate hearts,” she says, “not just
for our community, but for those in need around the world.”
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Membership Renewals
Thank you to the following companies who have renewed their investment in the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce:
1-Star MVP
Avanti's Ristorante
Classic Members
Baumgarten Distributors
Jim Maloof Realtor
Jost/Becker/Jost Architects
ReMax Home Realtors
Dr. Robert J. Johnson, DMD
Security Finance
Sun Valley Subdivision
Individual Member
Glen Rittenhouse
1-Star MVP
Avanti's Ristorante
Classic Members
Baumgarten Distributors
Jim Maloof Realtor
Jost/Becker/Jost Architects
ReMax Home Realtors
Dr. Robert J. Johnson, DMD
Security Finance
Sun Valley Subdivision
Individual Member
Glen Rittenhouse
Upcoming Events at the Speakeasy Art Center
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Thursday
Night is Craft Beer Night!
All
the cool kids will be there!
Bring
your friends and come down!
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Friday
Night is Pekin Main Street's Christmas on Court!
Come
join our downtown business's celebrating the holidays!
Special
guests and events will be offered at each location. Don't forget Santa and
the Mrs will be there too!
You
can also take a carriage ride! Within the Speakeasy we will feature The Pekin
Human Rights Committee All the Littel Snow Angels program. We will also have
our Young Artist reception from the last 6 weeks during this time. Stop by
and sign your young artist up for new classes starting in January.
Be sure
and stop and see us!
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Sign up
now for Saturdays Christmas Card Workshop!
email speakeasyrenae@gmail.com to enroll
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This
week is the last chance to get tickets for The Christmas Variety Show! This
is going to be a lot of fun! The kids will love it! Lunch will be served
prior and there is special time with Santa and his friends after the show! email
info@speakeasyartcenter.com
to get your tickets!
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Make
sure and stop by for this photographic exhibit from the 1930's to the
1950's.
Come
downtown and enjoy the arts!
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Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Welcome to Our Newest Member!
River Valley Mechanical Service Inc.821 Brenkman Dr.
Pekin, IL 61554
309-346-1140
Rich Jordan, Owner
Mike Hamilton, Owner
River Valley Mechanical Service Inc. specializes in residential and commercial heating, cooling and ventilation. They work with boilers, chillers, furnaces, a/c, exhaust fans and hoods.
Pekin, IL 61554
309-346-1140
Rich Jordan, Owner
Mike Hamilton, Owner
River Valley Mechanical Service Inc. specializes in residential and commercial heating, cooling and ventilation. They work with boilers, chillers, furnaces, a/c, exhaust fans and hoods.
Pekin Library Groundbreaking
he Pekin Public Library Board of Trustees held a groundbreaking ceremony for their rennovation and expansion project. The $6 million dollar project should allow the library to reopen in the late spring of 2015. The library is currently housed in temporary facilities at East Court Village. Library Board President Sue Crowell, Director Jeff Brooks, and Mayor Laurie Barra all spoke to the crowd that braved the cold temperatures. City Council members, city staff, library board trustees, library staff and State Senator Dave Koehler were all in attendance. You can see more pictures from this event at http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber
Monday, November 24, 2014
Christmas Variety Show
Come
support The Speakeasy Art Center and enjoy a Family Fun Christmas Variety
show/play by The Artistic Community Theater. We will have special time
with Santa and all his friends. There will be a luncheon of soup and sandwiches
served. Cost is $20 for Adult /
Illinois American Water Reminds Customers to Protect Pipes for Winter Weather
Cold weather
is upon us in Illinois and Illinois American Water is advising homeowners to
make sure their homes are prepared for winter weather.
“Following last year’s harsh winter, we want to remind customers that sub-freezing temperatures for an extended period can cause pipes in vulnerable areas to freeze
and burst and result in costly damage,” said Illinois American Water President Karla Olson Teasley. “By taking the proper preventive steps, customers can avoid
worrying about frozen pipes and making expensive repairs to damaged plumbing inside and outside of the home.”
Property owners are responsible for maintenance of the water service line from the curb to the house, as well as any in-home piping. Illinois American Water encourages
residents to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of freezing and bursting pipes.
Before frigid weather sets in:
• Know the location of your main water shut-off valve. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.
• Protect your pipes and water meter. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire – follow manufacturer instructions closely to avoid a fire hazard.
For outside meters, keep the lid to the meter pit closed tightly and let any snow that falls cover it. Snow acts as insulation, so don’t disturb it.
• Know which areas in your home, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing.
• Eliminate cold air sources near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors.
When temperatures are consistently at or below freezing:
• Allow a small trickle of water from both your cold and hot water faucets to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to the cost to repair a
broken pipe. Customers should also consider a wise water use practice and collect the running water for later use.
• Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing, although be careful to not create a tripping hazard.
If your pipes do freeze:
• Shut your water off immediately. Don’t attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off, as freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints.
• Apply heat to frozen pipe by warming the air around it or applying heat directly to the pipe. You can use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Be sure to not leave space heaters
unattended and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
• Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
If you are going to be away from your home for more than a few days:
• Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check your property to ensure that the heat is working and the pipes have not frozen.
• Also, a freeze alarm can be purchased for less than $100 and will call a user-selected phone number if the inside temperature drops below 45 degrees.
In addition to pipes indoors, customers can help protect their own and their neighbors’ homes by keeping fire hydrants clear of snow. Substantial snow accumulations combined with
the after-effects of plowing roads and parking lots can leave fire hydrants partially or completely buried in snow. Clearing hydrants can help firefighters easily locate them and access
water quickly, saving valuable time to possibly save lives and structures.
Also be sure that your water service provider and other utility companies have the correct phone number to reach you in an emergency. Illinois American Water customers can manage
their account information online at My H2O Online. Customers should also consider following their utility service providers on social media as well, to get the latest updates on their computer
or smart phone. For more tips and information, visit http://www.amwater.com/ilaw/learning-center/wise-water-use.html or follow us at www.facebook.com/ilamwater and www.twitter.com/ilamwater
About Illinois American Water
Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to
more than 1.2 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. Founded in 1886, American Water is the
largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water,
wastewater and other related services to approximately 14 million people in more than 40 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
###
“Following last year’s harsh winter, we want to remind customers that sub-freezing temperatures for an extended period can cause pipes in vulnerable areas to freeze
and burst and result in costly damage,” said Illinois American Water President Karla Olson Teasley. “By taking the proper preventive steps, customers can avoid
worrying about frozen pipes and making expensive repairs to damaged plumbing inside and outside of the home.”
Property owners are responsible for maintenance of the water service line from the curb to the house, as well as any in-home piping. Illinois American Water encourages
residents to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of freezing and bursting pipes.
Before frigid weather sets in:
• Know the location of your main water shut-off valve. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.
• Protect your pipes and water meter. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire – follow manufacturer instructions closely to avoid a fire hazard.
For outside meters, keep the lid to the meter pit closed tightly and let any snow that falls cover it. Snow acts as insulation, so don’t disturb it.
• Know which areas in your home, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing.
• Eliminate cold air sources near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors.
When temperatures are consistently at or below freezing:
• Allow a small trickle of water from both your cold and hot water faucets to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to the cost to repair a
broken pipe. Customers should also consider a wise water use practice and collect the running water for later use.
• Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing, although be careful to not create a tripping hazard.
If your pipes do freeze:
• Shut your water off immediately. Don’t attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off, as freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints.
• Apply heat to frozen pipe by warming the air around it or applying heat directly to the pipe. You can use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Be sure to not leave space heaters
unattended and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
• Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
If you are going to be away from your home for more than a few days:
• Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check your property to ensure that the heat is working and the pipes have not frozen.
• Also, a freeze alarm can be purchased for less than $100 and will call a user-selected phone number if the inside temperature drops below 45 degrees.
In addition to pipes indoors, customers can help protect their own and their neighbors’ homes by keeping fire hydrants clear of snow. Substantial snow accumulations combined with
the after-effects of plowing roads and parking lots can leave fire hydrants partially or completely buried in snow. Clearing hydrants can help firefighters easily locate them and access
water quickly, saving valuable time to possibly save lives and structures.
Also be sure that your water service provider and other utility companies have the correct phone number to reach you in an emergency. Illinois American Water customers can manage
their account information online at My H2O Online. Customers should also consider following their utility service providers on social media as well, to get the latest updates on their computer
or smart phone. For more tips and information, visit http://www.amwater.com/ilaw/learning-center/wise-water-use.html or follow us at www.facebook.com/ilamwater and www.twitter.com/ilamwater
About Illinois American Water
Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to
more than 1.2 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. Founded in 1886, American Water is the
largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water,
wastewater and other related services to approximately 14 million people in more than 40 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
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Thursday, November 20, 2014
Sazani's Ribbon Cutting
The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed a new member, Sazani's Steak and Pasta House. Gene Wamsley from the North Pekin Village Board also participated in the ribbon cutting, along with Sonny and Ben. Located at the former Chateau on the Lake restaurant at 901 Chateau Drive in North Pekin, they are open for lunch and dinner from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 am to 10:00 pm Friday and Saturday. They also have large banquet rooms. More information is at www.sazanis.com or 309.583.0094.Jo's Seafood and Steak Grill Grand Opening
Representatives from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Pekin gathered to welcome Jo's Seafood and Steak Grill to Pekin. Chef Oliver Valenzuela and his brother cut the ribbon as part of their grand opening celebration. Offering the freshest selection of seafood, meat and vegetables, Jo's Seafood & Steak Grill provides a perfect atmosphere for their guests. The food is excellent, the menu is diverse, and the service is warm. Open daily at 11:00 a.m. at 2307 Court Street. Reservations are suggested. (309) 620-9888; www.josseafood.com
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Get Busy Living - Champion Fitness Physical Therapy
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