Peoria Historical Society (PHS) curator Robert Killion and volunteer/photographer Chris Coulter are hard at work digitizing and documenting collections of a GAR Civil War Soldiers and Officers Cabinet Card Album, including a cabinet-sized print of President Lincoln presented in 1924 from Dr. Herbert Wells Fay, then-curator and custodian of the Lincoln Tomb. Once processed, the digital files will be available for viewing on the PHS Facebook page and at peoriahistoricalsociety.org.
O, Canada!
The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center (ITC), housed in the Turner Center at Bradley University, has signed an agreement with the World Trade Centre Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, providing center-to-center access to expertise on local markets, industry sectors and companies, as well as information on larger issues like national trade opportunities and best practices. According to ITC Director Jim Foley, the economies of Winnipeg and Peoria offer clear opportunities between the two cities as import and export markets, as well as the potential for collaboration at the city and regional levels. There is already significant two-way trade between Greater Peoria and Canada; in 2012 and 2014, Canada was Greater Peoria’s top export market. The agreement is part of a State Department initiative to develop closer ties between small businesses in the Americas. For more information on the ITC, call (309) 677-3075 or email [email protected].
Opening the Corridor
In June, the City of Peoria hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Warehouse District and Washington Street projects, which have transformed more than 30 city blocks to a more pedestrian-friendly environment while beautifying and enhancing the corridor for current residents and new development.
The Rotary Club of Peoria North is donating funds for a storm shelter at Harry LaHood Park in Washington. From initial clean-up to sod removal and replacement, the club has assisted with tornado recovery at the park, and on June 25th, Rotary members presented a check for $10,000 to Doug Damery, the park’s executive director and Jim Bremner, park board vice president. The funds will be used to build a handicap-accessible restroom facility with running water and sanitary sewer, and may also serve as a storm and tornado shelter. About $102,000 of the expected $132,500 cost has been raised for the project.
High Growth, Living Wage
Peoria was recently ranked the third-best metropolitan city in the U.S. with the highest percentage of new jobs in occupations that pay a living wage. Industrial engineers and insurance sales agents were cited as two notable high-growth jobs for the area. The ranking is based on CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists’ labor market analysis of the 150 largest metro areas in the country. For the complete listing, visit money.cnn.com/2015/06/03/news/economy/good-jobs-10-best-cities-wage.
Free Reign
The Peoria County Recorder of Deeds Office recently launched a new software system allowing free online searches of public records dating back to 1987. The service will allow homeowners to access mortgage and deed information without going to the courthouse. Individuals can print records for $5 online; companies, attorneys, financial institutions or others conducting multiple searches can purchase a subscription at a reduced rate. To access the system, visit recorder.peoriacounty.org. iBi
