PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2023

Sam Antonacci has been named the 2023 NJCAA Division II Baseball Player of the Year. His list of honors also includes NJCAA First-Team All American, ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-American and Region 24 Player of the Year. The Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin High School grad helped lead Heartland, located in Normal, to a Division II Baseball World Series championship. GRANTS AND GIFTS The Elmwood Community Founda tion , Graham Medical Group, Great er Peoria YMCA and Congressman Darin LaHood have unveiled plans for a 33,000-square-foot Community Wellness Center to be built adjacent to Graham Medical Clinic in Elmwood. Funding is from a $3.75 million federal grant secured by Congressman LaHood with support from former Congress woman Cheri Bustos . The Elmwood Community Foundation has kicked off a capital campaign to raise funds for the remainder of the project. Wellness programs and services at the center will be open to all ages regardless of ability to pay. For more information, go to www.imaginecwc.org. Impact Central Illinois has awarded $325,000 to four local nonprofits: $100,000 in the category of Education and Community Development to Artists ReEnvisioning Tomorrow Inc. for the ART Inc. Production Studio; $100,000 in the category of Health and Community Wellbeing to Greater Peoria Family YMCA for the Y on the Fly/PPD On the Go Collaborative; $100,000 in the category of Social Services and Basic Needs to Peoria Rescue Ministries for the RECLAIMED Center for Work Readiness Training; and $25,000 to Safe Families for Children for its Recruiting Host Family Advertising Campaign. More on Impact Central Illinois at impactcentralillinois.org. A $500,000 state grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity aims to diversify acts at the Peoria Civic Center . The grant will be used to promote and invest in entertainment options that expand,

BUSINESS NEWS

IN BRIEF

HIRES AND RETIRES

seeking information regarding their providers and care can call 844-673-2778.

WTVP PBS has added two professionals to its production crew, Chris Buckely as producer/ editor/camera operator and Ryan Benton as studio supervisor. Buckely has 20 years of production experience in California and most recently worked at WMBD in Peoria. Benton has experience at a pro

RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS

The West Bluff Council has presented three annual awards recognizing individuals for outstanding service to Peoria’s West Bluff community. Peoria City Councilman Chuck Grayeb received the 2023 West Bluff Council Pillar of the West Bluff Award, Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation President Tom Biederbeck received the 2023 Marj Klise Community Action Award. And Costume Trunk founder Steve Spain was named the 2023 West Bluff Business of the Year. Four officers in the Pekin Police Department have been recognized for their service. Officers Wes Washburn , Caleb Boyer and Nick Appell , who saved the life of a 4-year-old boy in February 2022, received special recognition from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. Sophia Roberts was acknowledged for her good work by Pekin Mayor Mary Burress and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

Chris Buckely

Ryan Benton

duction house in St. Louis and will be responsible for scheduling the studio and overseeing crews for WTVP local productions.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Morton Community Bank and Marine Bank completed a merger in June. The move added 10 locations to the footprint of Morton Community Bank. All Marine Bank locations are now branded as Clock Tower Community Bank, a Division of Morton Community Bank, including banking facilities in Springfield, Chatham, Rushville, Macomb, Bloomington-Normal and Champaign. With the addition of Marine Bank, MCB has 55 locations in 38 communities in central and northwest Illinois, 600 employees, and $5.6 billion in assets. OSF HealthCare has completed phase one of its purchase of St. Margaret’s Health in Peru, including the Midtown Plaza complex, Midtown Health Center and Granville Clinic, and announced the addition of former St. Margaret’s providers. The new OSF locations will offer a variety of new care options, including OSF Medical Group – Primary Care and OSF Rehabilitation. Patients

The Illinois Community College Trustees Associ ation (ICCTA) has chosen Heartland Community College adjunct profes sor Joshua Fitzgerald as

co-recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award. The award recognizes the high achievement of Illinois' part-time public community college instructors. Fitzgerald teaches communications. With a 2023 season batting average of .515, 14 home runs and 103 RBIs, Heartland Community College fielder

116 JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE