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Showing posts from May, 2020

Phase 3 Guidelines Released

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) released a set of guidelines for businesses able to reopen in Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan.  The entire set of guidelines can be found  here .  The website includes a  toolkit  for all businesses that includes letters, posters, signage and social media materials.    The website also includes individual guidelines and tool kits for specific industries that are allowed to reopen or further reopen in Phase 3, which began on Friday, May 29.  Please click on the links below for particular industries. Industry/Business Type Guidelines Toolkit Manufacturing Link Link Health & Fitness Centers Link Link Offices Link Link Personal Care (i.e. salons, tattoos, nails, massage) Link Link Retail Link Link Outdoor Recreation Link Pending Service Counters (i.e. dry cleaners, car washes, repair shops) Link Link Day Camps Link Pending Youth Sports Link

Ameren Illinois Offers Hardship Grants to Small Businesses and Non-profit Organizations

Ameren Illinois announced that funding is available for small businesses and non-profits that have fallen behind on their electric bills. Under the company's COVID-19 Economic Hardship Recovery Program, one-time grants of up to $500 will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis until June 30, or until the funds are exhausted.   "This has been a challenging time for many small businesses and non-profits that have experienced economic hardship due to COVID-19," said Richard J. Mark, chairman and president of Ameren Illinois. "As these organizations begin to re-establish their operations, it's my hope that this funding will help them along the road to recovery."  To be considered, businesses must have an active, non-residential account, 50 or fewer full-time employees, and a principal office in Illinois. Eligibile businesses may include, but are not limited to: small commercial enterprises, restaurants, clothing stores, hair salons, flower shop

UnityPoint Health Pekin to host Community Blood Drive Friday, June 5

Pekin, IL - UnityPoint Health Pekin will host a community blood drive from 7:00 am to 11:00 am on Friday, June 5 at 600 S 13th St., inside Conference Room What: UnityPoint Health Pekin Community Blood Drive When: Friday, June 5, 7:00 am - 11:00 am Where: Conference Room, 600 S 13th St., Pekin, IL Appointments: To donate, please contact the Blood Center at (800)747-5401 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 61092 to locate the drive. Donor Eligibility Criteria: Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate. For questions about eligibility, please call the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center at (800)747-5401. Donors who last gave blood on or before 4/10/20 are eligible to give at this drive. About Blood Donation: Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or c

High School Senior Graduates with Associate Degree from Illinois Central College

Senior Tori Larrabee celebrated two milestones this May as she graduated with both her associate degree from Illinois Central College and her high school diploma from Morton Community High School. Although gaining some college credits is common for many high school students, the class load and course work Tori undertook to earn both degrees simultaneously is far from common.      Larrabee’s double achievement was made possible by taking advantage of the Strong Start program. This Early College program is an opportunity in which students combine courses at their high school with college courses on the ICC campus for part of the school day. Students are typically also enrolled in dual-credit classes at the same time at their respective high schools. The Strong Start program is offered by several area high schools including Morton, Dunlap, East Peoria, Quest Charter Academy, Peoria High, Richwoods, Manual, and Washington.   Tori began taking dual-credit classes her junior year of

Allegra Ready, Get Set...GO

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Mobile Food Pantry

The Food Pantry Network-HOI and Tazewell County Health Department are excited to announce a mobile food pantry in Pekin on June 5, 2020. The mobile food pantry is provided by the Peoria Area Food Bank.  Food pantries in the tri-county area have become very important since the pandemic began.  According to Feeding America, more people than ever before are visiting food banks for the first time because of lost jobs or fewer hours working. Food banks are stepping up to help put food on the table for those who need it during this uncertain time.  The Food Pantry Network-HOI identified a gap in food pantry services in Pekin. To fill the gap in food pantries in Pekin, the Peoria Area Food Bank will provide mobile food pantry of 250 prepared boxes. Prairie Farms will also supply 500 gallons of 2% milk for distribution. The food boxes will be available: June 5, 2020  9:00 am – 12:00pm (or when boxes run out)  Wilson School 900 Koch Street  Pekin, Illinois 61554 This will

PUTTIN’ ON PEKIN BREAKFAST!

The next Puttin’ on Pekin breakfast planned by the Members First Committee of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce will be held virtually via Zoom on Friday, June 12 th.  Breakfast will be available by Drive-Thru Pick up from West Dublin Pub, 507 Court Street, Pekin between 6:45-7:15 am, with the Zoom meeting beginning at 7:30 am. The bimonthly breakfasts provide an opportunity for business people to network while learning about positive events in the Pekin area.  Besides great food, other features of the breakfast include awards such as a Spotlight on Business, Blue Ribbon and Sunshine Award presentations, door prize drawings with prizes provided by local businesses, one-minute reminders, and “Meet the New Chamber Member.” The cost of the breakfast is $25 per person with a $5 discount for reservations made before noon on Wednesday, June 10 th  and an additional $5 discount for Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce members. Reservations can be made by email at  info@pekinchamber.com  o

Water Quality Reports Show Illinois American Water Continues to Deliver Water that Meets or Surpasses Drinking Water Standards Inbox x

Illinois American Water announced today that results published in the company’s 2019 water quality report indicate excellent water quality throughout its Illinois service area. The report, which is issued for each service area, highlights the company’s commitment to providing drinking water that meets or is better than standards required by the Environmental Protection Agency. Also known as the Consumer Confidence Report, the water quality report describes local drinking water source information and test results, including all substances detected in the water and their levels. Commonly asked questions and the associated answers concerning drinking water are also included. Illinois American Water customers can search for their local water quality report by zip code at www.illinoisamwater.com under Water Quality. Rachel Bretz, Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance, said, “Our customers are relying on us to deliver safe, clean, reliable water to their taps.

Executive Order of the Mayor

Su s pension of Permit Requirement for Side walk Cafes WHEREAS , on March 9, 2020, the Governor of Illinois declared all counties in the State of Illinois as a disaster area in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease; and  WHEREA S , on March 18, 2020, the Mayor declared a Local State of Emergency, pursuant to Section 11-1-6 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-1-6), Section 11 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act (20 ILCS 3305/11), and Section 1-5A-3 of the City Code, which declaration was subsequently renewed and extended by the City Council; and  WHEREAS , on March 20, 2020, the Governor of Illinois issued Executive Order 2020-8, which, among other things, orders all individuals to stay at home except to conduct certain essential activities, closes all non-essential businesses, and prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people, which stay-home order has been extended and modified by subsequent Executive Orders; and  WH EREA S , on May 20, 2020,

Long-Range Transportation Plan 2045 – Draft

The Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is a federally required document that is updated every five years, and establishes a vision for pedestrian, bicycle, transit, automobile, rail, and air travel over the next 25 years. The  draft LRTP  is available for public review and comment from Tuesday, May 5 through Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Visit  https://tricountyrpc.org/documents/lrtp-2045/  to view the plan online and email any questions/comments/feedback to Ryan Harms rharms@tricountyrpc.org. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home order, hard copies of the plan are not available at public review sites. If you need assistance, please contact TCRPC staff. All feedback will be reviewed and considered. Staff will present the final document for approval at the PPUATS Policy Committee meeting on June 3, 2020 at 9:00am. TCRPC will host four online public meetings: May 20, 2020 at 9:00am –  Completed May 26, 2020 at 2:00pm –  https://gotomeet.me/TCRPC/lrtp-2045 May 28, 2020 at 5:3

Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce to Cancel July 4th Fireworks Display, but will continue the Honor America Celebration

The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce will cancel the July 4 th  Fireworks display traditionally held annually at the Pekin Memorial Stadium.  The July 4, 2020 event will be cancelled due to  ongoing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chamber will continue the Honor America Celebration.   “In the interest of safety and the health of our Pekin community, the Pekin Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors have decided to cancel the 2020 Fourth of July Fireworks show. We thank you for your support, stated Dennis Short, Chamber President” Chamber Executive Director Amy McCoy states “While it’s heartbreaking to make such a decision, we know that it is the best course of action for the safety of our Pekin residents and our guests. We are disappointed for our community and for those families that make this an annual tradition.” Like so many events going virtual this year, the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce does plan to Honor America Virtually by honoring those individua

Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Student-Athlete of the Year Award 2019-2020

Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine honors a student-athlete each year with a $1,000 scholarship. This award goes to a person that has exemplified the meaning of student-athlete and has acted on balancing academics, sports and community throughout the school year.   Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine has recognized a student-athlete of the year for the past thirteen years.  Our fourteenth recipient is Colby Burt from Olympia High School. Colby is being recognized for her accomplishments for maintaining a 4.11/4.0 GPA, being a three-sport athlete and volunteering over 30 hours in her community.  When asked about Colby, her basketball and softball coach, Courtney Hoffman states, “Colby is a great student-athlete and community member.  She works extremely hard in everything that she does.  She has proven to be a leader on and off the court.  She not only manages her time in school by having good grades but is also dedicated to 3 sports and is involved in the commun

Event Cancellation: 5th Annual Major Reid Nannen Annual 5K/1 Mile Walk

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining the health and safety of the Hopedale Community and all visitors for the Major Reid Nannen Annual 5K/1 Mile Walk, our HMC Race Committee has decided to cancel the Fourth of July race event for 2020.  HMC will not be hosting a virtual race for this event but encourage all those who want to run a 5K in memory of Major Reid Nannen or any other veteran to do so. We would also ask that everyone remember and/or thank our military veterans that are deceased, retired or active this Fourth of July.   You can pay your respects by visiting the Hopedale Veterans Memorial in front of the Hopedale Medical Complex where a statue of Reid stands, and the names of our local veterans are inscribed on the pillars.  Proceeds from the Nannen Race Event go to maintaining and upgrading the Hopedale Veterans Memorial to honor our veterans. Any donations to the memorial in honor of the 2020 Major Reid Nannen event are appreciated and can be made: by check – se

Illinois American Water Recommends Building Operators and Businesses to Flush Pipes to Maintain Water Quality

Illinois American Water remains committed to keeping you informed as we continue our work to deliver clean, safe and reliable water and/or wastewater services to you during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Extended periods of inactivity in buildings can cause lead leaching or legionella growth in water pipes and taking proper steps can help minimize potential exposure to both these contaminants. As buildings reopen, businesses, school districts and property management teams will begin the process of restarting building systems that have been dormant for a significant amount of time. Proper reopening procedures help in verifying that water systems and equipment are in safe working order. The general purpose of flushing is to bring fresh water into all sections of a building. This will require running water through all fixtures long enough to replace stagnant water. The time needed to complete this is location-specific and may range from a few minutes for smaller buildings to more t

Gateway Inspiration Series 2.0

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Announcing our Virtual Inspiration Series 2.0 Due to positive feedback from attendees on our first Virtual Inspiration Series, we are launching our second series. Gateway Foundation, Beacon House and Higher Thought Institute have created a second round with four more amazing webinars!