Koehler, Area Recycling hosting annual e-cycling event Saturday

200,000 pounds of unwanted electronics collected in first two years of event

PEKIN – State Senator Dave Koehler and Area Recycling are hosting an electronics recycling event Saturday morning in Pekin.

This is the third year for the popular event. In past years, roughly 500 to 600 cars have lined up to drop off unwanted household electronics, such as old computers and accessories, printers, cell phones, music players, video game consoles, small kitchen appliances and more.

The free collection is open to residents of Peoria, Fulton and Tazewell counties. See flyer accompanying this advisory for complete list of what can be accepted and what will not be accepted.

In the first two years combined, more than 200,000 pounds of unwanted electronics were collected and saved from area landfills. Organizers expect this year to be equally successful.

Koehler said he intends to continue hosting the e-cycling event as long as the need exists.

What: Third annual electronics recycling event, hosted by State Senator Dave Koehler and Area Recycling in Pekin
When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 6
Where: Area Recycling, 14379 Illinois 29 South, Pekin

Koehler announces mentoring grants for local libraries

SPRINGFIELD – Public libraries in Bartonville and Peoria are the recipients of mentoring grants from the Illinois secretary of state, State Senator Dave Koehler announced.

Recipients and grant amounts include:

• Alpha Park Public Library District in Bartonville — $21,935
• Peoria Public Library — $12,500

The grants were awarded through the 2019 Project Next Generation program, which is a mentoring program administered through Illinois public libraries. Mentors work with middle and high school students to help them develop skills needed to use technology and find success through project-based learning. Mentors also help with developing life skills, such as effective communication, goal setting and conflict resolution.

Peoria and Alpha Park are two of 31 public libraries in the state to receive the grants.

“There is never a down side to investing in mentoring and engaging at-risk youth to find their potential,” Koehler (D-Peoria) said. “I appreciate that the secretary of state understands the value of public libraries and continues to provide support for them and the work they do.”

In all, the secretary of state awarded more than $526,000 in Project Next Generation grants statewide. The money is provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Grants are awarded to public libraries that serve culturally diverse, low-income and underserved populations.

“I am committed to improving the lives of at-risk youth in Illinois,” said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. “I established this innovative program when I first became secretary of state to give students an opportunity to receive hands-on experience with the latest technological tools at their local library.”

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/PNGgrants.

Koehler hosting electronics recycling event Oct. 6

Measure protecting students with asthma signed into law

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation protecting students with asthma by allowing their schools to keep backup inhalers on hand was signed into law today.

The measure, Senate bill 3015, allows school nurses or other personnel to administer asthma medication that is registered in the name of a school district, public school, charter school or nonpublic school to a person in respiratory distress. Similar laws already apply to life-saving EpiPens, which are applied to combat severe allergic reactions.

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) said the legislation will help build on the progress the state has made thus far in combating asthma.

“We have to do more to help kids suffering with asthma in school,” Koehler said “This legislation will help so many young kids focus more on school and less on their next inevitable asthma attack.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health, approximately 8.4 percent of children in the United States and 13.6 percent of children in Illinois currently have asthma. Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism with an estimated 13.8 million school days missed due to asthma in the United States in 2014 alone.