Duryea Days Begins Tonight

Don't forget about the Duryea Days festivities happening this weekend. Car show tonight; Rod Stewart singer dude, as well. Food vendors, beer tent, etc. It's all good.

Tomorrow on Saturday, there is such a long list of featured acts performing, that I'll have to ask you to check it out at the Chamber of Commerce website:

http://www.peoriaheightschamber.com/

Many thanks to the members of the Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce, along with Trustee R. Scott Owen for all of the hard work they've put in to making this a Duryea Days to remember!

IDOT Safety... ?

From the Journal Star the other day comes the following story:

"A highly traveled section of Farmington Road is due for an overhaul in the coming years, but highway engineers want public input before putting the final touches on the project.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will host a hearing from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Itoo Hall, 4909 W. Farmington Road, in which the plan will be detailed and engineers will be available to answer questions. Drawings of the project also will be presented.

"Our goal that night is really to present what is proposed and take back feedback," said IDOT District 4 community relations manager Brian Williamsen.

The scope of the project covers Farmington Road from just east of Swords Avenue to just west of Red Bud Drive and includes a major overhaul of the intersection with Kickapoo Creek Road, as well as replacement of the bridge over that body of water.

"A big part of that project is moving that intersection," Williamsen said, adding that it will move about 75 feet to the west. "It's enough to make it so the sight lines there are better."

Farmington Road from just east of Swords to the area just east of Kickapoo Creek also will be widened to include a turn lane.

Also included in the project is the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Farmington Road and Swords.

"Safety is the goal," Williamsen said of the proposed changes.

The project also has a bike lane through part of the roadway but does not include any sidewalks. The design of the widened road, however, incorporates areas where West Peoria could build sidewalks if desired.

The work does not yet have a specific start date but is included in the state highway department's five-year plan that begins next year."

Is there any significance in this story in regards to Peoria Heights? Well, the key component is that a traffic signal light is going to be installed at the intersection of Farmington Road and Swords Avenue. And, why is that going to be done? Let's let the quote from IDOT District 4 community relations manager Brian Williamsen explain why...

"Safety is the goal."

Since when is a traffic signal considered to be "safe" by IDOT, I ask. You see, when we made the same request to have at least one signal installed on Galena Road, I was told that IDOT studies show that intersections with traffic signals are much more dangerous than those without traffic signals. On a few thousand other occasions, I asked the readers to digest that statement for a spell. My response to the IDOT rep who told me that was simply, "Well, if that's the case, then why not remove ALL traffic signals so that EVERYONE can be safer when they travel?" And, of course, I was met with absolute silence.

So, once again, the decisions and actions of the IDOT "brain-trust" have virtually no continuity; it's just what they feel like they should do that day. Or, perhaps a person or company with clout made the request for the traffic signal; or maybe there's an elected representative in that area that will go to the mat with IDOT about a traffic signal; who knows...

My wife, Kathleen Allen, has lived along Terrace View Lane (right off of Galena Road) for almost all of her life. These issues with Galena Road have been around for so many years, which she can definitely verify.

All I know is that none of us will get a straight answer from IDOT as to why Farmington Road and Swords Avenue should receive a traffic signal light, when Galena Road and Galena Park Terrace/Longshore subdivision cannot get one.

It's just... because.

Tower Park Music Fest 2011

I can't seem to get the Journal Star to acknowledge the upcoming Tower Park Music Fest, even when I supply the information to them, prior to the deadline, for the Red Letter Date section. But, regardless, we WILL be having the Music Fest again this year; our 6th Annual. A few of the acts and their times still have to be finalized, but so far the line-up is as follows:


Friday August 5

5:00 Caribbean Sol

7:00 Roundstone Buskers

9:00 Five Guys Named Moe



Saturday August 6

12 noon OR 1:30 Heath and Greg

3:00 Ready Steady Go!

5:00 Barry Cloyd's Celtricity

7:00 The Special Consensus (Bluegrass)

9:00 Nick Boettcher and DriveTrain


The open times should be filled shortly; I'm just waiting for finalizations from the bands. We will be having the blow-up things for the kids again; food, drink, & beer "wagon," and hopefully a couple of surprises. I'll be providing more information as we get closer to the dates.

Benefit for Tracy Boettcher - May 22 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Those of you who have come to Tower Park Fest the past 5 years will know that Nick Boettcher and his band, DriveTrain, have closed the festival each of those years. They bring a great crowd and always put on a fantastic show. Through Nick, I've been able to know his parents, Tracy and Amy Boettcher. I can't say enough good words about them and Nick. Positive people who work for the betterment of the arts and their community; there aren't nearly enough folks around like them.

That is why it is shocking and disheartening when I learned that Tracy Boettcher, Nick's dad, has been diagnosed in the early stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). This disease shouldn't be happening to anyone, obviously, but particularly not to Tracy. But, in typical Boettcher family tradition, they are going to face this obstacle head-on; and to get the word out; to educate people about ALS and its consequences.

There is going to be a benefit for Tracy at Luthy Botanical Gardens, 2218 N. Prospect Rd., (Glen Oak Park) - on May 22 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Nick will be performing; there will be food, soft drinks, games & raffles. All proceeds will go towards research, travel & treatment to help Tracy Kick ALS. Cost is $20.00 person; tickets are available from Luthy Botanical Gardens; Moon Dancer; or via Paypal to susbyme@gmail.com. Any of these methods will count as an entry into one of the raffles.

If you are unable to attend the Kick ALS event, you can still donate via Fundrazr at the following Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HelpTracyKickALS.

Attend if you can, donate as well.

"The X Factor" Visits the Heights

On Saturday April 16th, there will be try-outs at Tower Park for the new Simon Cowell Fox TV Series, "The X Factor." It's sort of a pumped up "American Idol," in that there is no age limit for the participants, and those trying out can do so in duets, groups of singers, etc.

This will be the only try-out in Central Illinois. The two winners will get "front of the line" passes to the next step in the try-out process, in Chicago. This is a huge advantage over the rest of the people who will be in line.

The "show" will start around 10 a.m., and conclude around 3 p.m. Sign up is through the Fox 43 website. Even if you're not actually participating, it should be a great time, watching all of the local talent perform. And, of course, we hope you'll continue your visit to Peoria Heights throughout our restaurants, gift shops, and beyond.

We hope to see you there!

Thank You for A Solid Victory

The voter turn-out in the Heights was much lower than most would have expected. Under 12% is amazingly low, BUT thank you to all of you (no matter who you voted for), who took the time out of your day to vote on April 5.

The Independent candidates scored a solid victory, particularly with the lower voter turn-out. Congratulations to Bryan Harn, Jeff Goett, & Debbie Reichert. We will continue working even harder towards making Peoria Heights an even better to place to live and do business in.

The financially difficult times will continue for the foreseeable future, no doubt. But, we cannot allow ourselves to stagnate, or worse, regress. We've improved our services a great deal over the last several years; helped make the Heights a destination point; and we're on the cusp of going even further with our progressive plans.

Thank you again to the voters of Peoria Heights.

Please Vote for the Independent Trustee Candidates on April 5

I am backing, and asking you to vote for, the Independent candidates for Trustee in Peoria Heights on April 5. They are:

Bryan Harn

Jeff Goett

Debra Reichert

All three of these candidates are lifelong Peoria Heights residents. They have the well being and progress of our Village as their number one goals.

Two of the People's Party candidates did not even bother to show up for the Meet the Candidates Night a couple of weeks ago. DID NOT even bother to show up! The President of the People's Party is former mayor Earl Carter. I don't think I have to add anything else to that statement.

Your vote on April 5 is very, very important. The status of the Peoria Heights Village Board can change in just ONE election, let alone two.

Please make sure you exercise your right to vote on Tuesday. Thanks!