Weather
Friday: Cloudy. High 36. Low 21.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 28. Low 16.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 28. Low 14.
Mark Your Calendar
February 12 Pippi and Daniel Valentine’s Day Concert 6 p.m. at Lindstrom’s. Daniel Leahy (pianist and composer), Pippi Ardennia (vocalist and composer), Manuel Lopez III (drums), David Hoffman (trumpet), Edgar Crockett, and Dave Plunk (bassist). Suggested donation for the concert is $10 per person. Donations will go to PD Cares which is a nonprofit to support neighbors in need of emergency funding.
Illinois
On February 2 Governor Pritzker delivered the State of State and budget address. Which including the following:
Governor Pritzker's Family Relief Plan
Eliminate the one percent sales tax on groceries.
Freeze gas taxes at the pump.
Bring property tax relief to nearly 2,000,000 Illinois tax payers.
Keeping Our Commitments and Saving for a Rainy Day
Since January 2019, the Pritzker Administration has saved taxpayers more than $2 billion through strong fiscal management.
Reinvigorate Rainy Day Fund by adding $600 million in fiscal year 2022 and another $279 million in fiscal year 2023.
Eliminate $898 million in group insurance backlog.
Stabilize College Illinois! Prepaid Tuition Program through a $230 investment.
Promise of Fiscal Responsibility
Illinois received two credit upgrades.
Surplus of $1.7 billion - first of its kind in more than 25 years.
Paid our debt nearly two years early, saving taxpayers $82 million in interest.
Fully fund pension obligations, reducing liability by $1.8 billion.
Investing in Violence Prevention
$250 million for violence prevention programming to implement the Reimagine Public Safety Act.
$18.6 million investment in 300 new State Troopers - the largest single investment in state history.
$15 million to help incarcerated individuals stay in touch with family and access educational and vocational programming.
$20 million for nonprofits to prevent and respond to hate crimes.
City of Galesburg
Citizens who are looking for community resources can now find much of that information in one place, on the Community Resources page of the City's website. The comprehensive list, developed by City staff, covers many areas of assistance, including food resources, housing & rental assistance, utility assistance, childcare resources, emergency assistance, and more.
"Assistance and resources are provided by many different organizations and agencies throughout the community, and we found that citizens are often unsure where to start when looking for information on assistance," said Galesburg City Manager Todd Thompson. "The City was able to help fill this void, by pulling together information on programs that already exist in one easy to access location."
Citizens who are looking for assistance, can look for potential opportunities and resources on the City's website, and then connect directly with the organization offering the program or service. It is important to note that information can change rapidly, and while all efforts will be made to keep the list current, citizens should always reach out directly to the agency or organization to confirm their services and availability.
Galesburg Police Department
The Galesburg Police Department announced it will conduct special patrols throughout Super Bowl weekend to crack down on impaired drivers and encourage people to wear their seat belts. If your Super Bowl plans involve alcohol or marijuana, make the right play and pass your keys to a sober driver.
“At parties throughout the country, friends will gather to cheer on their favorite team and raise a glass or two,” said Lieutenant Cromien. “We urge our residents and visitors to enjoy Super Bowl parties responsibly and remind them that we’ll be out in force to help ensure everyone makes it home safely.”
The campaign will run from February 11-14.
Before kickoff, remember to designate a sober driver. If you don’t have a designated driver, call a cab, use a ride-sharing service, ask a sober friend or family member to pick you up, or stay where you are and sleep it off. Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they're about to drive impaired and always buckle up – it’s your best defense in a crash.
Remember, pedestrians are at risk, too. If you are walking, keep an eye out for cars. If you're a designated driver, be alert for impaired walkers who may not obey street signs and pedestrian signals.
The Super Bowl enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Community Hygiene Pantry
The Galesburg pantry has moved. They are still in the old Galesburg Armory; they just moved down the hall to a more spacious room. The Community Hygiene Pantry hours are also changing slightly 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday and the second Saturday of the month 9 to 11 a.m.
Knox-Galesburg Symphony
Extensive renovations are currently underway on the main level of the former Farm Bureau Building. The purchase and renovation of this building will allow the Knox-Galesburg Symphony to expand its mission to include music education and chamber music, bringing top-quality performances and teaching to people of all ages, backgrounds, and economic levels. The goal of the Symphony is to transform the organization into a more sustainable and inclusive partner in the community.
“While the pandemic has been devastating for live performances, the pause did give us time to look closely at our role in the community,” said Lucas Wood, Executive Director of the Symphony. “This ambitious project builds on the past 75 years of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony and positions the organization as a driving force in the Galesburg - and central Illinois - area. Through this project, the Knox-Galesburg Symphony, your orchestra, will have a permanent location to develop robust performance and educational programs accessible to everyone. We are excited to continue our tradition of full-scale orchestra performances at favorite locations while creating more ways to bring classical music to our area.”
The Seminary Street properties are considered one lot. The configuration of the building is ideally suited to conversion to office space, teaching studios, and a small performance venue. Generous initial donations from symphony supporters made the purchase possible. A campaign to complete renovations and increase the Symphony’s endowment fund will be announced soon.
The project is led by a committee of Symphony board members, orchestra musicians, and community partners. Galesburg native, Janet Kreig, is serving as project manager on behalf of the Symphony. Kreig brings more than 30 years of experience in national and international commercial project management and design. Kreig is an avid supporter of all live music. The Symphony has hired Galesburg-based Bruner, Cooper, & Zuck Inc. for architecture and engineering, and Henrickson (Peoria, Illinois) for interior design. It is anticipated that the project will reach completion in the third quarter of 2022. The Symphony has partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Knox County for the removal of the interior, and this work is nearly complete.
This is a very ambitious construction project for the non-profit organization, which is supported almost entirely by donations. The vision for what the music center can be makes the goal worthwhile.
“We hope to create a welcoming and inclusive space that provides excellent music instruction, educational opportunities, and world-class chamber music performances, while providing a home for the Symphony and other music organizations in our community. This space will bring music and the community closer together through education, performance, and shared experiences.” stated Wood.
ROE #33
Congratulations Jessica Donaldson for winning WMOI’s Educator of the Month award! Donaldson is the Behavioral Health Director for ROE #33. She trains educators to sustain healthy social emotional development. ROE #33 serves nine school districts and their communities in Henderson, Knox, Mercer, and Warren Counties.
Charlotte Readers Podcast
Still Points by Barry Swanson is featured in episode 280 of Charlotte Readers Podcast. You can listen to it at https://charlottereaderspodcast.com/barry-swansons-still-points-is-a-world-war-ii-soldiers-love-story/.
Galesburg Christian School
Galesburg Christian School students are eligible for the Galesburg Promise, a Carl Sandburg College grant established and funded by the city of Galesburg. Learn more about this program and its requirements at http://www.sandburg.edu/Services/Financial-Aid/Foundation-Scholarships/Galesburg-Promise.html.
The Whiskey Barrel
The Whiskey Barrel will be reopening February 11. Like all small businesses the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on The Whiskey Barrel. With the added issues and now recovering from COVID-19 the owners personal health has also declined. Therefore, they have put the business up for sale. They plan on remaining open while they transition through any sale of business. Their hours are as follows: February 11, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. February 12, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. February 13, 3 p.m. they are not sure how late they will be open on the 13. After February 13 they will resume the following hours: Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Galesburg Public Library
Stop by Galesburg Public Library to see the art exhibit by Kendall S. Thompson in the Sanderson Room. Thompson grew up in Galesburg and graduated from Monmouth College. The art exhibit will be in the Galesburg Public Library until March 25.