PeoriaStory

Great concert

PEORIA, IL -- The Friends of Riverfront Park concert on June 23 was a great, memorable event.

The music was wonderful -- thanks to Barry Cloyd and his associates.  And the weather was perfect, the park was beautiful. We just must save it!

See information on the concert and the fight to save the park on the Friends's Facebook page.

Barry Cloyd and the band.

People at the information tables.

The concert, with the Eagle Ridge Singers, a Native American band that joined the musicians.

 

-- Elaine Hopkins

Two interesting events at the library

PEORIA, IL -- Two interesting speakers at the Peoria Public Library are part of the library's exhibit on Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to be Human. From library press releases: 

Fred H. Smith - University Professor of Anthropology and Biological Sciences Emeritus, Illinois State University will present a free program on the latest research on Neandertals at Peoria Public Library Main (Downtown) Library on Wednesday, July 6 at 6:00 p.m.

Prof. Smith said, “ Neandertals are often portrayed as bumbling, semi-human brutes, but the truth of the matter is that they were highly intelligent people, well-adapted both biologically and culturally to the demanding environments of Europe, the Near East, and central Asia during the middle and late Pleistocene. 

"The debate over the Neandertal role in the emergence of people like us is one of the oldest on-going debates in science, extending back to the discovery of the first Neandertal specimen to be recognized in 1856.

"The most captivating recent evidence relating to this debate is the ability to directly study Neandertal and early modern human genomes.  We will discuss what we know about Neandertals and their adaptations, in light of current evidence, and investigate what this evidence tells us about their relationship to us.”

Michael Wiant, newly appointed as Interim Director of the Illinois State Museum, will give a free talk on Tuesday, July 12 at 6:00 p.m. at Peoria Public Library Main Library Auditorium LL2 on Understanding the Development of Human Culture in Illinois.

Originally scheduled to speak June 30, the event was moved due to a conflict with the reopening of the Illinois State Museum. 

Wiant said, “To the best of our knowledge, human beings arrived in Illinois about 12,000 years ago.  They survived by developing means and strategies to cope with seasonal variation and the uneven distribution of desired resources.

"This hunting and gathering way of life sustained Native Americans for thousands of years.  By 4,000 years ago, they had domesticated a variety of plants and forever changed their relationship with nature.  Harnessing the power of plants to produce surplus that could support life during lean times of the year is now the foundation of an increasingly urban population facing a suite of extraordinary challenges unknown to distant generations of our fore bearers.”

Michael D. Wiant, Ph.D. is the Interim Director of Illinois State Museum and was awarded the Professional Archaeology Service Award for 2006 which recognizes the recipient's commitment to public archaeology.  Wiant presents lectures to the public on a wide range of topics in archaeology at locations across the state and started the Illinois State Museum monthly public lecture series in archaeology that is now known as the Paul F. Mickey Monthly Programs in Archaeology and Natural History. He has also contributed to a series of monthly radio programs featuring news and current research on Midwestern archaeology; initiated a very popular annual series of bus tours to various locations of archaeological interest around the Midwest; was instrumental in developing the IAAA's special publication Discover Illinois Archaeology (an edited summary of Illinois' cultural history); and is active on the statewide committee that organizes and promotes posters and local lecture series for the annual Illinois Archaeology Awareness Month each September.

 Fred H. Smith, Ph.D. has worked on Neanderthal and early modern human fossil material for almost 40 years. His is particularly focused on the role of Neanderthals in the emergence of modern humans in western Eurasia. His publications number 7 books, over 150 professional articles, and numerous abstracts, notes and reviews. His 1984 book, The Origin of Modern Humans, was named best book in the life sciences that year by the American Association of Publishers, and his newest book , The Human Lineage (with  Matt Cartmill), was published in 2009 by Wiley-Blackwell. Smith has carried out field and laboratory research in Europe, West Asia and Africa and has taught at the Universities of Hamburg and Tuebingen (Germany) and Zagreb (Croatia)

Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean to Be Human? was organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the American Library Association. This project was made possible through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation and support from the Peter Buck Human Origins Fund. It closes on July 14.

 

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District 150 out of money by December?

PEORIA, IL -- Two public comment sessions took place at the June 13 meeting of the Peoria District 150 School Board. 

The first, the required hearing on the amended budget, was preceded by remarks from the district's comptroller Mike McKenzie.  He said the district will run out of money by December unless Illinois government decides to fund the schools.

The district could seek tax anticipation warrants (loans) but the banks may not comply, since they may not anticipate any taxes coming into the district.

Board member Rick Cloyd commented that two budgets need to be developed, one with the state funds the other without.

Activist  Terry Knapp complained that the amended budget does not show legal fees, though he has asked about these fees in the past. It also does not show the money going to Quest, the charter school, which graduated only 39 students in May.

"Where did the rest go?" he asked. The class should have had 75 students. What are we paying for there, he asked. Teachers are paid less than District 150 teachers, even though this is a public school, he said. "We cover up for people running that school. It's sad."

During the other public comment session, Knapp continued, saying sports teams are playing with Peoria Heights schools, but should be playing with District 150 schools.

There were 900 students at Woodruff High School when it was closed, and the students bused to Peoria High, where they were never accepted, he said. These students should be studied to see the results of this situation, he said. "You should care about kids from the north side."

As for Quest, with few students, "how is that quality education?" he asked. Quest's ACT score averaged 19.4, only a few points above the 17.9 score of District 150 students.

Activist Sharon Crews questioned the district's transparency, its algebra student numbers, and the P-cards (purchase credit cards) policies. See her written comments below.

Here is a recording of the budget hearing:

Download D150 June 13.1

Here is a recording of the comments session:

Download D150 June 13.2

 

Sevino Sierra continued his efforts to get five minutes to comment instead of three. He commented "(Gov.) Rauner is trying to get rid of the unions but the unions are going to get rid of him." (Let's hope he's right, since Rauner is the cause of the state's budget standoff, as he keeps adding non-budget union busting plans to the budget.)

Board members responded to the comments.  Cloyd and the lawyer said legal fees are 30 percent lower now, and liability insurance costs also have been reduced. Ernestine Jackson asked for a breakdown of the costs. 

Other board and administration comments:

Quest costs the district $5.1 million a year, and the state rules are being followed. It may be illegal for students there to mix in sports with District 150 students, though Knapp said they mix in other programs. 

The P-cards are now being audited carefully and are used by principals and a few administrators to pay costs such as food for cheerleaders. There are $1,000 limits on individual purchases and $2,500 to $5,000 a year limits on the cards.  The district just received a $5,500 rebate from the cards. "They are more controlled now than in the past," controller Mckenzie said.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Here are the comments from Sharon Crews:

Getting all groups to agree on district issues is certainly not easy. The board, central administrators, principals, teachers, parents, and the community have their own agendas.

As I see it, the main thing that has to happen is transparency--seeing things as they are so that knowledgeable change can take place. That is why I see the Freedom of Information Act as so important to the process. I admit I have not lost my interest in seeking out information.

One of my FOIA requests led me to the following data with its ensuing minor questions. In 2008-09, 244 students were enrolled in Algebra 2. In 2013-2014 the enrollment increased to 509—at Manual from 30 to 119, at Peoria High from 87 to 128 and at Richwoods from 126 to 256. My first question is why did enrollment in Algebra 2 double? 

This increase cost the district money because more textbooks were needed. Therefore, 350 texts—same title same company but a 2011 copyright date—were added to the 2001 version at a cost of $31,000. How were texts distributed so that each class was using the text with the same copyright date? 

In 2015-16, 243 new Algebra 2 texts from a completely new company were purchased at a cost of $20,000. Enrollment was 468, so which school got the new texts and which got the other texts?

Please keep all groups informed as to the results of the new discipline guidelines—both good and not so good. The discipline piece of the puzzle is one of the most important to the academic success of the district.

I am, also, curious as to the status of P-cards—how many employees have them and what are the policies governing their use. I certainly hope that there have been improvements.

Why hasn’t the board approved and posted the minutes for the February 22 meeting?

I am happy that the Adopt-a-School Program is being reinstated.

As far back as I can remember, District 150 has had a Superintendent and an Associate Superintendent, both of whom sat in the horseshoe. A few months after Dr. Lathan arrived, she fired the Associate she had brought with her. The decision permanently to eliminate that position may have been decided and I just don’t recall. - 30 -

 

 

Save Riverfront Park concert June 23

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

Friends of Riverfront Park  presents a Save Riverfront Park Benefit Concert, from 6 pm to 8 pm on Thursday June 23 in the park at the foot of Morton Street   in Peoria, IL. near Constitution Gardens.

The event stars Barry Cloyd (http://www.barrycloyd.com/) and Freedom Street with special guest Robin Crowe (http://robincrowe.com/).

The event is free.  Donations will be gratefully accepted to support expenses to preserve the park.

People should bring lawn chairs and blankets.  Picnics are appropriate and food will be available for purchase.  No alcohol is permitted in the park.

Parking is available at the Riverplex, or at the Morton Street parking lot for the mobility challenged.

Friends of Riverfront Park aims to save the park, a unique urban open space, from being ruined by four 4-story luxury apartments and a road.  Details about the efforts to save the park also will be announced at the event.

Rain location is the GAR Hall, 416 Hamilton Boulevard, Peoria.  Check the Facebook page for the latest information.

The concert is dedicated to Dorothy and Henry Sinclair. Peoria City Council member Dorothy Sinclair was a founder of Riverfront Park, and a memorial to her is in the park. Henry Sinclair spoke out to the City Council against the apartments shortly before his death.  ***

Spectacular!

WASHINGTON, IL -- The Heartland Festival Orchestra's June 4 season finale featured Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, which received the longest standing ovation yet. It was a spectacular performance of a fascinating, difficult piece, almost an opera, released in 1937, in Nazi Germany. 

Here's what Wikipedia says: "In 1934, Orff encountered the 1847 edition of the Carmina Burana by Johann Andreas Schmeller, the original text dating mostly from the 11th or 12th century, including some from the 13th century. Michel Hofmann ..., then a young law student and Latin and Greek enthusiast, assisted Orff in the selection and organization of 24 of these poems into a libretto, mostly in Latin verse, with a small amount of Middle High German and Old Provençal (French). The selection covers a wide range of topics, as familiar in the 13th century as they are in the 21st century: the fickleness of fortune and wealth, the ephemeral nature of life, the joy of the return of Spring, and the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling and lust.

"The Nazi regime was at first nervous about the erotic tone of some of the poems, but eventually embraced the piece. It became the most famous piece of music composed in Germany at the time. The popularity of the work continued to rise after the war, and by the 1960s Carmina Burana was well established as part of the international classic repertoire."

Two choral groups performed with the orchestra: the Peoria Area Civic Chorale, directed by Dr. Joseph D. Henry, and the Peoria Area Civic Chorale Youth Chorus, directed by Courtney Vercler. These were young children, grade school age, whose performance was amazing in its professionalism.

The adult choir was also amazing, with perfect timing, singing in the languages noted above. Supertitles in English explained the lyrics.

Three terrific soloists also performed. Penelope Shumate, a Western Illinois University Assistant Professor of voice was gorgeous in a strapless red gown. Baritone John Michael Koch teaches at Illinois State University. Countertenor Daniel Schuetz also teaches at ISU. The three have performed at many venues in the U.S.  and elsewhere.

So the piece was riveting, a once-in-a-lifetime experience made even better by the intimacy of the Three Points Washington auditorium.

As artistic director and conductor David Commanday wrote in the program, the performers "sing, cry out, declaim, exhort, complain, admonish and at times shock" -- all to the sometimes dissonant and fast paced music from the large orchestra. Pulling all this together -- the piece lasts an hour -- is an incredible artistic achievement. .

The orchestra also played two other interesting pieces, Dvorak's Carnival Overture, Op. 92, an exciting, fast number; and an interesting modern composition, Fraties for string orchestra and percussion by Arvo Part. 

The orchestra's executive director, Laura Evancho, accepted a well deserved award, the 2016 Executive Director of the Year from the Illinois Council of Orchestras.

How can the Heartland Festival Orchestra ever top this event?  Season tickets for next year's season are now on sale, so stay tuned.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Can the prairie save the park?

PEORIA, IL – Can an endangered species save Riverfront Park from the destruction that the proposed four 4-story upscale apartment buildings would create?

The large native prairie at Riverfront would be destroyed by the buildings.  But what would that mean?

The prairie is home to many plants, animals, birds, and insects, such as bees and butterflies. Birds were everywhere, singing, feeding on berries from trees perhaps planted for them.

A leisurely walk along the perimeter of the prairie on May 31, revealed milkweed, essential for the endangered Monarch butterflies; and wild flowers, including, perhaps the endangered Boltonia decurrens. Here are the photographs:

 

Milkweed, attracts endangered Monarch butterflies.

 

More milkweed.  Bring on the Monarchs.  Here's what the state says about Monarchs:

"Monarch butterfly populations have declined by as much as 90 percent over the last two decades. In the past year, Illinois has been designated as a high priority area for monarch conservation in strategies developed both by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The monarch butterfly is the Illinois state insect, and the monarch was identified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the most recent Illinois Wildlife Action Plan."    Here's the link.

 

Is this the Boltonia decurrens?

Or this is the Boltonia? It blooms in late summer.

See the dark figure above? That's one of several Illinois EPA monitoring wells, since the park was allowed to cover a toxic waste site.  Some of these wells are on the footprint of the buildings.    What will happen to them? (This photo was posted on June 7, to replace another inferior photo.)

Stay tuned for more information. The fight is not yet over to save this park. 

Mark June 23 on your calendar, for a fundraiser to help Save the Park.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 UPDATE 6/3/16:  Mike Miller of the Peoria Park District forwarded a list of the plants found last year at the prairie.  He says the endangered Boltonia was not among them, and it's unlikely it would grow there, since it needs a site that floods. Alas.

However here is his list of the plants, which does include the milkweed.

 

 

Andropogon gerardi	Big Bluestem
Apocynum androsaemifolium	Spreading Dogbane
Asclepias syriaca	Common Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa	Butterfly Weed
Brickellia eupatorioides	False Boneset
Carduus nutans	Musk Thistle (I)
Cirsium arvense	Canade Thistle (I)
Convolvus sp.	Morning Glory (I)
Echinacea pallida	Pale Purple Coneflower
Helianthus sp.	Sunflower
Melilotus officinalis	Yellow Sweet Clover (I)
Mirabilis nyctaginea	Wild Four O’clock
Panicum virgatum	Switch Grass
Rumex crispus	Curley Dock (I)
Schizachyrium scoparium	Little Bluestem
Setaria faberi	Giant Foxtail (I)
Silene stellata	Starry Campion
Silphium perfoliatum	Cup Plant
Solidago altissima	Canada Goldenrod
Sorghastrum nutans	Indian Grass
Tradescantia ohiensis	Ohio Spiderwort
Verbena stricta	Hoary Vervain