HP In The News Week of Feb 1, 2010

5-year charter school contract approved
Roberta Parks, CEO of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, who's also on the charter school's board of directors, said Concept Schools will provide the ...

Peoria's News and Talk Station 1470 WMBD - State of the City preview
Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce COO Rob Parks says she expects to hear and extension of that message during Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis' State of the City ...

Officials explain FTZ importance
Two officials from the Economic Development Council for Central Illinois talked with local business and government leaders ... to give them an idea of what the extension of Peoria's Foreign-Trade Zone 114 means for the area

2010 State of the River City  Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis described 2009 as a difficult time for the city. Faced with a 14-and a-half million dollar deficit, Ardis cut various jobs including some to the police department, to help balance the budget and avoid raising taxes.
Mayor puts more focus on schools
During last year's State of the City address, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said the city could not support four high schools and that it was up to District 150 officials to make tough decisions.
Is now the time to consolidate city/county governments?
"They were scenarios of what would happen in the future," Rob Parks, president of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, said Thursday. ...

Cat still concerened about Riverfron Museum Bylaws
While city and county officials believe they extinguished a fire that has Caterpillar Inc. threatening to withdraw all funding and resources from the Peoria Riverfront Museum project, Cat says the coals still are smoldering.

Recent Unemployment Rates Released Show Slight Increase in Peoria MSA
Peoria MSA unemployment rate rose slightly in December to 11.2% compared to 10.8% in November (a .4% increase = approx 800 people). Jim McConoughey, President & CEO of The Heartland Partnership says the regional unemployment rates have remained fairly steady from August-December which indicates a recessionary stabilization rate.

December Unemployment up again
"We have seen unemployment stabilize over the past five months and will remain around this rate until employers begin to re-hire or create new jobs," he said.

Meeting with Ill. Senate president's staff
One thing that could improve the economic situation of the area would be having venture capital funding like some other states have.
Peoria, Illinois, redefines small business
Many associate the Chamber of Commerce with large companies. In Peoria, Illinois, that's just not the case. Perhaps that's why Peoria is at the top of the list for communities that are great for small businesses

The Heart of Illinois Regional Port District is pleased to announce that the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association will hold its 2010 Conference in its District, on Tuesday, February 16, 2010, at the Par* A*Dice Hotel in East Peoria. Click here for information.

What's in store for 2010?  Find out at the Economic Climate 2010 Event

February 25, doors open at 7:00am at WeaverRidge

Seating is limited RSVP required: contact tbest@chamber.h-p.org

• Jim McConoughey, CEO - The Heartland Partnership
• Keith Steffen, President & CEO - OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
• Vickie Clark, COO - EDC for Central Illinois
• Matt Coulter, Vice President - PDC Services, Inc. / Area Disposal Service, Inc.
• Mark Joseph, Executive Vice President - South Side Bank