Public meeting on downtown plan, Jaycees host egg hunt, Pittsburgh Symphony cellist in Atlanta, Kathy Hopwood, Woman's Club, Lincoln College trip to Gurnee Mills and 'South Pacific,' tourism bureau meeting, Holocaust program in Atlanta, K of C management, Atlanta candidates, Community Health Fair, San Jose Methodist fish fry, library database change

[March 18, 2013]  Public meeting for downtown revitalization and redevelopment planning slated for March 27

There will be a public meeting Wednesday, March 27, to present the preliminary Downtown Revitalization Plan to residents, local business owners and community leaders. The meeting will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Administrative Center, 1400 Primm Road.

The meeting will be an open house format, meaning that people interested can arrive and leave at any point during the scheduled time, and no formal presentation will be given. Members of the study team will be present to explain exhibits and answer any questions.

The Downtown Revitalization Plan makes recommendations on specific physical improvements to downtown Lincoln, including streetscape improvements, a conceptual plan for the public parks and courthouse square, parking and traffic plans, historical façade improvements, and a historical preservation plan.

Information on the activities that have taken place leading up to this meeting can be viewed on the project website: http://explorelogancounty.com/
DowntownLincolnStudy/.

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Lincoln Jaycees host Easter egg hunt Saturday

The Lincoln Jaycees will host their annual egg hunt on Saturday, March 23. The fun begins at 1 p.m. at Latham Park in downtown Lincoln.

The free hunt is open to kids up to age 10. There will be four age groups: 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 and 8-10. Parents may help with the youngest age group.

Join the hippity-hoppity fun, including goodies and prizes. Harvey the Easter Bunny will make a visit, so bring cameras and baskets.

The rain date is March 30.

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The Lincoln Jaycees are a not-for-profit organization serving Lincoln and the surrounding communities. The organization gives young people between the ages of 18 and 40 the tools they need to build the bridges of success for themselves in the areas of business development, management skills, individual training, community service and international connections. Membership meetings are the third Friday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Jaycees Center, 325 S. Chicago St., and are open to everyone.

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Pittsburgh Symphony cellist featured in final Behind the Scenes program

ATLANTA -- Cellist Mikhail Istomin will be in Atlanta on Friday, April 5, for this year's final event in the Atlanta Public Library's Behind the Scenes program. The event will be at the North Greens Golf Course.

Those attending can hear the musician's story of growing up in the former Soviet Union and adapting to a new life in the U.S. He will answer questions, talk about how musicians are selected for premium jobs in major U.S. orchestras, and also perform for the group "up close and personal."

Born and educated in Russia, Mikhail Istomin, known as Misha, holds a master's degree in music from the St. Petersburg Conservatory. While still in school, he became principal cellist of the State Hermitage Orchestra and later joined the orchestra of the Kirov Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

In 1987, he became the cellist of the Leningrad Conservatory String Quartet, and in 1989 the group won the grand prize in the National Soviet Union Competition of String Quartets. Later that year, Misha defected during the quartet's U.S. tour and was granted political asylum in the United States, where he went on to establish an exceptional musical career, including establishing the acclaimed Pittsburgh Piano Trio.

Misha was appointed principal cellist of the Pittsburgh Opera and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater orchestras in 1991, and the following year, he joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Lorin Maazel.

In July 1998, Misha returned to St. Petersburg to perform in the Second World Cello Congress under the direction of the renowned conductor Mstislav Rostropovich.

The Atlanta event begins with a free reception at 6:30 p.m., and the program starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance at the library or at the door on April 5.

Behind the Scenes is sponsored by the Atlanta National Bank and the City of Atlanta.

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Kathy Hopwood is the March ALMH Employee of the Month

Kathy Hopwood of Lincoln has been named the March Employee of the Month at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln. She works as a nurse technician in Acute Care.

"Kathy looks out for patients' welfare and comfort," said the anonymous co-worker who nominated Hopwood for the honor. "She is always busy, whether assisting a patient, asking staff if they need help, or even straightening shelves in the storage area. She gives constant attention to our patients and the Acute Care staff."

Hopwood's association with ALMH began early as she was born at ALMH when it was located on Eighth Street. She started her career at ALMH in Acute Care.

Hopwood found the right calling in nursing as it provides her the opportunity to help people and meet a lot of people.

"I really enjoy interacting with everyone who comes through the doors of ALMH. I love spending time with patients and their visitors, working next to skilled employees, and providing a great experience," said Hopwood.

Hopwood is also grateful to ALMH for the educational opportunities she has had available to her from the beginning of her career.

"I've been lucky to work in health care for most of my life. After graduating from high school I took a career path that afforded me many on-the-job training opportunities. After completing my certified nursing assistant certification, I remain committed to higher education in my field. Part of the spirit of ALMH has always been providing the best care, and they give us the knowledge and skills to make that happen," said Hopwood.

As a nurse technician, Hopwood spends the majority of her days working directly with patients. She also coordinates with the nursing staff to provide medical and personal care to all the ALMH patients.

Hopwood would recommend a career in nursing and offered this advice to those interested in the field:

"CNAs are vital to a hospital and are always needed. Earn your CNA certification and look into nursing school," she said. "If you love being a CNA, like I do, then stick with the job and take advantage of educational opportunities. Helping people is a great career choice, and I would seriously encourage anyone interested to fully explore all of the great things about becoming a CNA. Also, I would tell them to invest in a pair of really comfortable shoes!" said Hopwood.

ALMH, at 200 Stahlhut Drive in Lincoln, is a 25-bed critical-access hospital affiliated with Memorial Health System. The hospital employs 315 in a variety of roles. For more information, visit www.almh.org.

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Woman's Club prayer breakfast scheduled for Wednesday

A prayer breakfast is being planned for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, by members of the Lincoln Woman's Club.

April Jensen, circulation manager of the Lincoln Public Library, will be guest speaker, and special entertainment will be provided by the Lincoln College Choir.

In business, the nominating committee will present the new slate of officers.

Members of the club's board of directors will serve as social co-chairwomen. Janet Langenbahn will give devotions, and Sandy Johnson and Joanne Toft will be greeters.

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Lincoln College hosts a day trip to Gurnee Mills & 'South Pacific'

Tickets are available now through March 25 for a spring Lincoln College shopping and theater event April 13, hosted by the LC Office of Alumni Relations and Special Events. Guests will enjoy approximately four hours for lunch and shopping at Gurnee Mills outlet mall before heading to the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire to see one of the best musicals of all time, "South Pacific," featuring LC alumnus and Broadway star Stephen Buntrock (LC Class of 1988).

Tickets are available to all Lincoln College alumni, friends and the general public.

The motor coach will make pickups in Lincoln and Normal. Guests will leave Lincoln around 7:30 a.m. and return around 11:30 p.m.

The cost is $75 and includes deluxe motor coach transportation, snacks on the bus, theater ticket and a brief opportunity to meet Buntrock after the show.

To reserve tickets or for more information, contact the alumni office at 217-732-3155, ext. 217; call toll-free at 877-522-5867; or visit http://www.lincolncollege.edu/alumni/. Additional questions may be emailed to Kerri Taylor at [e-mail].

Tickets will not be available after March 25.

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Tourism to have special meeting Monday night

The Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County will have a special board meeting on Monday, March 18, at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Lincoln. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the Lincoln hotel tax.

The tourism bureau will also have its regular monthly meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, at the Holiday Inn. Click here to view the agenda for that meeting.

The tourism bureau is subject to the Open Meetings Act, which means all board meetings are open to the public.

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Atlanta Public Library & Museum present a visit with Michael Rothberg March 25

ATLANTA -- On March 25, the Atlanta Public Library's Worldviews Book Group -- which has been studying the Holocaust this year -- will present a special evening with Michael Rothberg, founder and director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Memory Studies Initiative at the University of Illinois. Rothberg will discuss the importance of preserving memories of the Holocaust and answer questions about the role genocide continues to play in the world today.

The program will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the North Greens Golf Course in Atlanta. It is free.

A professor at the University of Illinois, Rothberg is a well-known teacher and writer, and this program is a rare opportunity for members of the public to meet informally with an expert whose insights into one of the world's most significant events promise to be informative and thought-provoking.

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Knights appoint new manager and event coordinator

Grand Knight Andy Fitzpatrick announces that the Knights of Columbus Council 1250 facility is under new management. Gary Woodhall of Lincoln has accepted the position of bar manager and Deb Rohrer, also of Lincoln, is the new events coordinator. Both began their duties March 1.

The Knights of Columbus Hall is located at 217 Limit St. in Lincoln. The Fitzpatrick Banquet Hall is available for rental to the general public. It is a spacious hall for all types of events and can accommodate up to 350 people. For smaller gatherings, the meeting room can accommodate 70 guests comfortably. Catering by the K of C is available for events. There is also a full-service bar and lounge open daily to the public.

Members of the Knights of Columbus invite people to celebrate weddings, anniversaries, corporate events, showers, community programs, graduation and private parties at the K of C facility. For many years people have created beautiful memories there.

To inquire about renting the facility or scheduling an appointment, call the K of C at 217-732-2548, Deb Rohrer at 217-737-5418 or email [e-mail].

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Atlanta Public Library hosts local city and township candidates

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Public Library invites the public to attend two public meetings where they can ask questions of candidates running for city and township offices. On March 18, candidates for city council, the library board and the parks board will be available for questions. Township candidates will attend on April 1. Both meetings will be at the North Greens Golf Course from 7 to 8 p.m. The events are free.

On March 18, members of the library board will also be in attendance to answer questions about the library's ballot referendum. Representatives of the rescue squad will attend on April 1 and answer questions about the Logan County Paramedic Association referendum.

While candidates' attendance depends on their availability, the library expects most to participate and encourages the public to take advantage of this important opportunity to learn about candidates' plans for Atlanta in advance of the election on April 9.

Candidates for city offices are Fred Fincham for mayor; Billie Cheek, Matt Clemmons and Bill Moore for city council; Ken Martin for city clerk; and Vickie Martin for city treasurer.

Library board candidates are Randy Brooks, Anne Hieronymus, Karen Horn and Susan Kuhlmyer.

Park board candidates are Doug Thompson and Greg Tucker.

Township candidates are Staci Hieronymus Kong and Jack Renfrow for supervisor; Melanie Blankenship and Julie Tabor for clerk; Daniel Osborn for highway commissioner; and Joe Daugherty, Wesley Green, Alex Hoblit, Julie Osborn, Betty Renfrow and Greg Tucker for trustee.

The public meetings are part of the library's Civic Connections program, which is sponsored by the A-Team.

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Logan County Community Health Fair coming March 23

The Logan County Community Health Fair continues to promote and educate area residents on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through screenings, information and programs offered by health and social service organizations at the local, state and regional level. This year's health fair will be on Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Sports Center. All activities, programs and collections will be on-site unless otherwise noted.

The Community Health Fair will offer numerous health screenings, including blood pressure, oral cancer screenings and body mass indexes, which are free to the public. Cholesterol and hemoglobin screenings will be offered at a nominal cost. Well water testing, child fingerprinting will also be offered. The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive. Additionally, the health fair will again offer residents the opportunity to recycle a variety of different items in an environmentally friendly and responsible manner.

The State Bank of Lincoln will sponsor shredding of confidential papers and destruction of hard drives as part of the Community Health Fair. The shredding and hard drive destruction program offers residents the opportunity to have items such as financial records, old tax returns and other sensitive household records shredded and destroyed in a secure and confidential manner. Proper disposal of these sensitive items may prevent individuals from becoming victims of identity theft. The paper shredding and hard drive destruction will be available from 9 a.m. to noon in the front parking lot of Lincoln Community High School.

There will also a glass recycling collection in the front parking lot of LCHS from 9 a.m. to noon. The recycling program accepts only container glass, meaning it originally contained either a food or beverage product. Participants will need to remove all plastic and metal caps and rings from the container. All colors of glass are accepted and do not have to be sorted. The glass recycling program does not accept ceramics, dishware, light bulbs, window glass or mirrors. Glass recycling will be canceled in event of inclement weather.

Expired or unwanted medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, will be collected through an unwanted medication collection, co-sponsored by the Healthy Communities Partnership and the Kroger pharmacy. Medications must be in the original container with label and with the name blacked out to ensure privacy. The Lincoln Police Department will be on-site to oversee the collection process. Residents are reminded that it is no longer acceptable to dispose of any medication by flushing it down the toilet, as chemical compounds are now being detected in groundwater samples.

Eyeglasses and hearing aids will be collected by the Lions Club for distribution to visually and hearing impaired individuals in the U.S. and around the world. New, used, damaged or broken eyeglasses and hearing aids will be accepted.

Cellphones, both working and non-working, will be collected for donation to Sojourn Woman's Center. The cellphones will be reprogrammed and provided to victims of domestic violence for their use in emergency situations.

Laser and ink-jet printer cartridges will be collected by Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois. Proceeds from recycling the printer cartridges will be used to supplement ongoing programs for low-income individuals, household, children and seniors.

Tabs from aluminum cans will be collected for donation to the area's Ronald McDonald House.

Containers will be provided at the health fair for the collection of plastic grocery bags.

As always, this year's Logan County Community Health Fair offers something for everyone, whether your goal is maintain or improve your health or to complete some spring cleaning and dispose of items in an environmentally friendly way.

For additional information on health screenings, contact Mallory Ramos of the Logan County Department of Public Health at 735-2317. With recycling questions, contact Mitzi Rohlfs, Logan County Joint Solid Waste Agency coordinator, at 732-9636.

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'Fish Fry for Missions' March 22

SAN JOSE -- The San Jose United Methodist Women and the men of the church are presenting their annual Fish Fry for Missions on Friday, March 22. Serving will be from 4 until 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Whole catfish are fried on the premises during the fish fry. Other items on the menu are hash brown casserole, coleslaw, baked beans, homemade desserts and drinks. Chicken strips are also on the menu for children or adults who do not eat fish.

Proceeds benefit children and youth ministries such as camping scholarships, the Bible Zone after-school ministry and meal, and Vacation Bible School.

Tickets will be sold in advance by church members or at the door. Guests may dine in or carry out for the same price. Tickets are $9 for adults, $4 for children 4-12 and free for children under 4 years with paid adult. For tickets or more information, you may call the church at 309-247-3232 or Jim Eeten at 309-247-3485.

San Jose is on U.S. 136 about 10 miles west of Interstate 155. The San Jose United Methodist Church is at 601 S. First St., at the corner of Linden and First, about six blocks south of U.S. 136.

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Library prepares for new online system

The Lincoln Public Library District will convert to a new online computer database this spring. The library will join 426 other member libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System and become a member of the new Polaris online database.

The current library database will no longer be available after March 29, and the new database is expected to become operational on April 9.

Patrons who maintain holds or reading lists in the old database are asked to contact the library by March 15 to have that information transferred to the new database.

For more information, contact April Jensen, circulation manager, at 732-8878 or visit the library at 725 Pekin St.

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