State Senator Dave Koehler joined representatives from the governor's office, Fulton County and the Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development to announce that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is opening nearly 4,400 acres for new hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.

The land is part of 14,000 acres that the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago purchased in 1970 to dispose of safe, non-toxic debris by restoring strip-mined land. Today, the site is home to a healthy herd of deer, wild turkey, quail, waterfowl and more.

"One of Illinois' best-kept secrets is that Fulton County has amazing lakes, rivers and other outdoor spaces. To people in Fulton County, it's not a secret," said State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). "I hope that this expanded public recreation area will not only be a great resource to local residents, but also bring outdoors enthusiasts to the area who will spend money and help support the local economy. I want to thank Governor Quinn and everyone else who helped make this vision a reality."

The new recreation area will complement the existing Fulton County Camping and Recreation Area by giving visitors even more opportunities for outdoor recreation. In addition to the campsite and recreation area managed by the county government, the area is home to Banner Marsh, Rice Lake, and Anderson Lake State Fish and Wildlife Areas.

PEORIA – State Senator Dave Koehler will be joining Midstate College to host a job fair on Tuesday, July 1. Dozens of employers, including Caterpillar, the City of Peoria, Kindred Hospital, insurance agencies and more, will be on hand accepting resumes.

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, July 1
Where: Northwoods Mall, 2200 W. War Memorial Drive, Peoria
Additional opportunities:

•  A preparation workshop on June 24 at Midstate College
•  "Wardrobes in the Workplace," presented by Dress for Success at noon during the job fair

Employers will be accepting applications from veterans, the unemployed, the underemployed, recent college graduates and anyone else who is looking for new career opportunities. Applicants are encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their resumes.

For more information, visit www.midstate.edu.

2014JobFair.pdf (click link to open; right-click and select "Save Link (or "Target") As..." to download)

“We have difficult decisions to make this year. Vital programs like K-12 education, financial aid for college students, and important programs for seniors, people with developmental disabilities and others all face major cuts.

“I was glad to see the governor lay out a strategy to address our problems. We’re all going to have to work together to do what’s best for the people of Illinois this year.”

Ameren Illinois and One Change are joining forces for an energy-efficiency campaign in the greater Peoria area. The campaign is intended to help Ameren customers aware of simple changes they can make to reduce energy usage and save money on their electric bills.

Representatives from One Change will be distributing a box of six compact flourescent lightbulbs to 25,000 homes in the Peoria area and ask a short three-question survey of the resident's energy-efficiency habits.

For more information, see the flyer below.

(click here to view the .pdf; right-click and select "Save Target As..." to download)