Weather
Friday: Sunny. High 29. Low 18.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 33. Low 18.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 32. Low 18.
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, Dec. 3 A Conversation on Writing, 6 p.m., Galesburg Public Library, 264 W. Main St. Local authors Jim Jacobs and Susan Van Kirk will read from their most recently published books and host a conversation with the audience about writing. Copies of their books--signed--will be available for purchase at this event. Free to the public.
Black Hawk College
Congratulations to the Fall 2024 graduates of the Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP) at Black Hawk College!
Devon MacCall of Viola, Kokou Agbatozonhoun of Carbon Cliff, Jazmine Brooks of Rock Island, Heather Sim of Morrison, Gema Velez of Moline, Hannah Clark of Moline, Ty Boardman of Kewanee, Ramon Pickens of Milan, Daniel Cobos of East Moline, Arman Farajpanahi of Galesburg, Dillon Barnes of Moline and Michael Findley of Davenport, IA.
Cobos and Sim had perfect attendance for the 13-week class.
The Illinois Department of Transportation created the 450-hour program to prepare people to work in construction and to increase the number of minorities, women and disadvantaged persons working on IDOT projects.
There is no cost to participants who are selected for the program. Students in the Spring 2025 class will receive a stipend of $15 per hour.
The Black Hawk College program has among the highest placement rates of the 14 HCCTP programs in Illinois. Of the last 49 BHC graduates, 78 percent have become apprentices. Michael Findley joined the Painters Local #1178 after completing his 11th week of training.
View photos from the program and the community projects the students completed.
The next HCCTP begins Monday, Feb. 24 with orientation sessions Dec. 11, Jan. 7, Jan. 10, Jan. 15 and Jan. 21.
For more information, call 309-796-5729 or visit www.bhc.edu/hcctp.
CBI Bank & Trust
CBI Bank & Trust is pleased to welcome John Clark as Executive Vice President, Private Wealth Group, effective November 1, 2024.
Clark brings a deep expertise to his new role, having spent over 35 years in the banking and financial services industry. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President, Cogent Private Wealth for Cogent Bancorp, Inc.
A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Clark holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance.
“We are thrilled to welcome John to our team. With his extensive experience leading Private Wealth, he brings a fresh perspective that aligns perfectly with our goals for growth and innovation” said Doug Sanders, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, CBI Bank & Trust.
About CBI Bank & Trust
CBI Bank & Trust, based in Muscatine, Iowa, and F&M Bank, a Division of CBI Bank & Trust, based in Galesburg, Illinois, serves approximately 50,000 consumers and businesses through 24 branches, with locations in Bettendorf, Buffalo, Coralville, Davenport, Kalona, Muscatine, Walcott, Washington, and Wilton in Iowa, and Brimfield, Buffalo Prairie, Galesburg, Joy, Moline, Monmouth, Peoria, and Roscoe in Illinois, and Beloit, Wisconsin. Total bank assets exceed $1.5 billion. In terms of size, this makes CBI Bank & Trust one of the largest locally based banks in our market area and places the bank in the top 10-15% of Iowa banks. In addition, the bank’s Trust and Investment divisions manage combined client assets of over $1.4 billion.
Chipotle
The new Galesburg Chipotle location is scheduled to open on December 19.
City Council
Ward 2 Alderman Wayne Dennis is running for reelection. Wendel Hunigan is running against him.
Ward 4 race will be between incumbent Dwight White and former Adlerman Corine Andersen.
Ward 6 Sarah Davis is stepping down. Three candidates are competing for the seat Greg Saul, Tianna Cervantez, and Demarkius Medley Sr.
City of Galesburg
Anthony Law is joining the Galesburg mayoral race.
Community Creations and Crafts
Located at 653 Lincoln Street Community Creations and Crafts now has gift certificates available.
Galesburg Community Chorus
The Galesburg Community Chorus will give a Holiday Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 8 at First Presbyterian Church, 101 N Prairie Street in Galesburg. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15
for seniors and free for students; they may be purchased at the door or online at www.galesburgcommunitychorus.org.
The concert, sponsored by Midwest Bank of Western IL, will feature Karl Jenkin’s Stella Natalis,
Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata, and an arrangement of “Angels from the Realms of Glory”
by Dan Forrest. Composed in 2009, Stella Natalis (Latin for “Star of Birth”) consists of twelve
movements that blend diverse cultural influences, genres, and languages. Each movement
captures a different perspective of the Nativity and the natural world, embracing the human
longing for peace and unity during the holiday season. Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata,
composed in 1957, is a beloved work that brings a contemporary voice to the spirit of Christmas
through its unique combination of voices and brass choir. It is notable for its energetic rhythms,
vibrant brass timbres, and straightforward yet compelling harmonic language.
Sponsors of this season’s concerts include Midwest Bank of Western IL, Blick Art Materials, OSF Healthcare, the Galesburg Community Foundation, the City of Galesburg, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
The Galesburg Community Chorus, directed by Dr. Tim Pahel, is the oldest community music
organization in the Galesburg area and is currently in its 79 th year.
Grandview Restaurant
Local eatery Grandview Restaurant will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in early December 2024.
America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to the restaurant on December 3rd. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with owner Dawn Barlow about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.
Grandview began in 1952, the dream of Barlow’s grandmother Evelyn Markham and great-aunt Gladys Lawrence. Their father smoothed the gravel lot every morning with a rake behind his pickup truck; they offered carhop and sit-down service, adding a larger dining room in 1964.
Over the years the restaurant was passed down to Barlow’s Uncle Leroy, who also sold Christmas trees off the back lot; then her parents Lorinda and Richard Barlow, and finally to Barlow and her brother Duane.
Today Barlow runs the restaurant herself; she has worked at the popular eatery since age thirteen, buttering toast, when she says the Lord spoke to her and told her someday she would be in charge. Daughter Jessica is the manager. The homey, simple interior showcases the hearty old-fashioned American diner-style menu items served in large portions. Popular dishes that may be featured on the episode include the steakburgers and cheeseburgers, served on toasted buns; the hot beef sandwich, tenderloins, and the Southern Skillet - American cheese, fries, sausage, tomato, green pepper, onion, sausage gravy and eggs. Barlow is proud of her family’s long-lived restaurant, a legacy still serving customers for over seventy years.
“We would like to thank everyone for the 72 years of patronage and friendship,” Barlow says. “Without them we would not be here today.”
America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Tuesday December 3rd from 9 am to noon CST. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/illinois/grandview-restaurant.
Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are selected based on their customer reviews, menu items, social media presence, and level of involvement with their community. They are found through customer nominations, internal vetting or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.
H.R. 9495: Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.
Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) released the following statement on H.R. 9495, the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.
“My number one responsibility in this job is to listen to my neighbors and make sure their voices are heard on the issues they care about,” said Sorensen. “Over the past week, we have heard from constituents and nonprofit leaders expressing their concerns with H.R. 9495. They pointed out how the bill could unfairly target nonprofits and public charities, making them vulnerable to politically motivated attacks and undermining their ability to serve our communities.”
“And later today, after listening to their concerns, I will vote against H.R. 9495. As the trusted representative for Central and Northwestern Illinois, I will always make sure my neighbors' voices are heard in Washington D.C.”
Illinois State Medical Society
Holidays are a good time to talk about final wishes?
Yes! Strange as it sounds, your physician recommends it!
As you gather together with family and close friends this holiday season, you might want to introduce an unusual topic – advance directives. While most adults believe it’s important to have advance care planning conversations, very few have done so.
An advance directive is a legal document that outlines your preferences for medical treatment in case you become unable to communicate or make decisions for yourself. Having one is important because it provides clear direction to your physician and your family about what kind of medical care you want or don’t want, even if you are unconscious or incapacitated.
The Illinois State Medical Society offers A Personal Decision as a free resource for the public to educate patients and their families about advance directives and help patients make their wishes known. This booklet provides Illinois patients with practical information about determining future medical care.
The advance directives booklet includes:
A Living Will Form
Statutory Short Form for Power of Attorney for Health Care
Illinois Official Statutory Declaration for Mental Health Treatment Form
Organ Donor Card
Uniform DNR Advance Directive Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
Anyone can download this ISMS resource for free (chrome-extension://hbgjioklmpbdmemlmbkfckopochbgjpl/https://www.isms.org/ISMS.org/media/ISMSMediaLibrary/Resources/AdvanceDirectives/A-Personal-Decision.pdf).
Having an advance directive in place also helps alleviate the burden on loved ones when making decisions about your health care in a crisis situation. These documents will provide the guidance needed about your wishes for whether you want medical treatment in particular circumstances. Download A Personal Decision and have that conversation with your loved ones this holiday season!
Judy’s Family Cafe
Judy’s Family Cafe plan to relocate in the spring to 51 North Prairie Street.
Julmarknad
Prepare for the holidays by attending the 2024 Julmarknad (Christmas Market) in historic Bishop Hill, IL. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 29, November 30, and December 7. On
December 1 and 8, the hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The daily attractions include Swedish folk characters, traditional Swedish holiday decorations, holiday music, craft activities, and Christmas gifts for sale. All our shops, museums, and restaurants will be open to satisfy your holiday needs. See Tomten, our Swedish elves, looking through windows and peeking around corners in their red and grey outfits. If you are lucky, you might see our Julbock, Christmas goat, roaming around town. A working model railroad will also be in the Steeple Building Museum. Transform yourself, your friends & family into Swedish tomten with our Holiday Photo Op located in our 1882 Peasant Works barnyard! Free for all ages! The Vasa National Archives will have Take Home Dala Horse Kits available to purchase. Each kit has a horse, three colors of paint, brushes and a Dala Horse. Supplies are limited and visitors can reserve them by calling (309) 927-3898 or emailing vasaarchivist@gmail.com. In addition, visitors to the Vasa National Archives can participate at the Make and Take Dala Horse Painting Station where people can paint their Dala Horses and let them dry while shopping and exploring Bishop Hill on the weekends. Ornament-style Dala Horses will be $4 each and Standing-style Dala Horses will be for $7 each. All of the above activities will happen every day of Julmarknad.
On Friday November 29 only, the Cookie Walk will be held at the Colony School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Homemade cookies and other baked goods can be purchased by the pound. Also at the Colony School, the Bishop Hill Methodist Church will be conducting an Advent Wreath Workshop where families can make Advent Wreaths to take home. Tennessee-based performer Lisa Horngren will be performing a free concert of traditional Swedish music on her nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle) at the Steeple Building Museum at 1 p.m. Finally, cookie baking will be done in the historic Bjorklund Hotel kitchen from 1 to 3 p.m.
On Saturday November 30 only, the Cookie Walk will continue at the Colony School. Dee Schroeder Photography will be at the Colony School taking holiday portraits for a fee from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Bishop Hill Methodist Church will continue their Advent Wreath Workshop. Authors Mary Davidsaver and Jannifer Powelson will have book signings at the Prairie Arts Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tennessee-based performer Lisa Horngren will again be performing a free concert of traditional Swedish music on her nyckelharpa at the Steeple Building Museum at 1 p.m. Cookie baking will continue at the Bjorklund Hotel kitchen. Saturday is also Small Business Saturday, so please support your local economy and shop the small businesses of Bishop Hill.
On Sunday December 1 only, Tennessee-based performer Lisa Horngren will be performing her final free concert of traditional Swedish music at the Steeple Building Museum at 1 p.m. Cookie baking will continue at the historic Bjorklund Hotel kitchen from 1 to 3 p.m. At 7 p.m., Rupert Wates will be performing at the Bishop Hill Creative Commons.
On Saturday December 7 only, a Chocolate Walk will be held at the Bishop Hill Creative Commons from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Purchase quality homemade chocolates by the pound. Also, the BHHA volunteers are sponsoring a make it/take it Christmas tree ornament workshop for children ages 12 and under at the Steeple Building Museum. Kids will have a choice of several types of ornaments to make and to take home to put on their Christmas tree. This is a free activity occurring from 1- 3 p.m.
On both Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8, children are invited to make edible tree ornaments at the Bjorklund Hotel from 1 to 3 p.m. Peanuts will be used. These ornaments may be taken home, or left at the Hotel to be placed on the Bishop Hill Park’s Christmas tree during the tree lighting on Lucia Nights.
For more information about Julmarknad activities, please view www.visitbishophill.com or call (309) 927-3899. Julmarknad events are financed by the Bishop Hill Arts Council, Community State Bank, Illinois Arts Council, Bill and Susan Sherrard Foundation, Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, and SWEA-Chicago.
Kiwanis Club of Galesburg
This November the Kiwanis Club of Galesburg had a great success shopping at Target with 38 children from Knox County Schools. The children were able to buy winter clothes for themselves. Thanks to all the Kiwanis members, GHS and KHS Club members, and community members who helped the children find what they needed. Kiwanis Club of Galesburg would like to thank Target for hosting this event.
Knox County Health Department
The Knox County Health Department and Knox Community Health Center are proud to have joined communities across America in celebration of National Rural Health Day (NRHD) on November 21. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and rural-focused organizations throughout the United States set aside the third Thursday of November to recognize NRHD. This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural” and honor the individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of nearly 61 million people living in rural America.
"It is of vital importance that we ensure all rural residents of Knox County have the opportunity to be healthy and have access to affordable, quality health care regardless of where they call home," said Michele Gabriel, Public Health Administrator for the Knox County Health Department. “Part of this is taking steps to ensure that there are an adequate number of individuals who are choosing to pursue a career in healthcare, whether it be medical, dental, or behavioral health services, and that some of those individuals are interested in residing in and providing healthcare services in rural areas of the State and nation,” noted Gabriel, “The Knox County Health Department and Knox Community Health Center are proud to recognize the incredible work of our many rural medical, dental, and behavioral health professionals in our community on National Rural Health Day and throughout the year.”
Additional information about National Rural Health Day, including resources and tools, can be found at PowerofRural.org. To learn more about the Health Department and Knox Community Health Center, visit www.knoxcountyhealth.org .
Mental Health
Mayor Peter Schwartzman will host a public forum on Mental Health on Thursday, December 5th (starting at 6 p.m.), at the Galesburg Public Library (Community Room). This event serves as an opportunity for local residents and mental health providers to talk about challenges that they are facing and as well as opportunities for collaboration and improved levels of care.
Bridgeway performed a Community Needs Assessment this year that resulted in a report released a few months ago (chrome-extension://hbgjioklmpbdmemlmbkfckopochbgjpl/https://mayorpeter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Bridgeway_Community_Needs_Assessment_2024.pdf). This work provides great background information on the topic. Attendees to the public forum should take a look at this report.
Maintaining good mental health is a challenge for all of us given the stressors in all of our lives. It is important for our community to work together to ensure that everyone has access to the care they need to thrive! Please come out and share your thoughts and help create a healthy pathway for all in our community.
Opie’s Bar & Grill
Two weeks ago Opie’s celebrated their two year anniversary. Congratulations Opie’s!
OSF
OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center, a committed health care provider in Monmouth, Illinois, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a prestigious 5-star rating by the National
Rural Rating System (NRRS), a program recognizing dedication and excellence in rural health care, as well as being named to the National Rural Honor Roll.
This esteemed designation is a testament to the dedication of OSF Holy Family to delivering high-quality care and exceptional patient experiences. The NRRS evaluates hospitals based on rigorous standards, including patient satisfaction, quality of care and overall hospital performance.
“I am incredibly proud that OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center has achieved the prestigious NRRS 5-star rating,” says Lisa DeKezel, president of OSF Holy Family. “This accomplishment is a testament to the unwavering dedication and hard work of our entire team. Every day, our Mission Partners go above and beyond to uphold our commitment to providing exceptional care to our patients and the rural communities we serve.”
The 5-star rating reflects the ongoing commitment of OSF Holy Family to meet the unique health care needs of the rural community it serves. This recognition highlights the hospital’s success in providing outstanding medical services, despite the challenges often faced by rural health care facilities.
The 2025 National Rural Honor Roll honorees, announced each November, include rural hospitals that have met the highest standards for patient experience, based on cumulative ratings submitted by October 31, 2024. This annual recognition reinforces NRHA’s commitment to supporting and uplifting rural health care facilities as pillars of their communities.
“These awards really shine a spotlight on the heart and hard work that our rural hospitals bring to their communities,” says Brock Slabach, COO of the National Rural Health Association. “Rural health care comes with unique challenges, and reaching this level of excellence shows not only the clinical expertise but also the deep commitment these hospitals have to the people they serve. This recognition celebrates rural health care as a source of strength, compassion and healing – right where it’s needed most.”
OSF Holy Family extends its heartfelt thanks to its dedicated team of healthcare professionals, whose tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to patient care have made this achievement possible.
The 5-star rating system ranks rural and critical access hospitals – with five stars being the top ranking and one star being the lowest. The star ratings are like the CMS Stars, which allow hospitals and clinics to promote their success and are used as high-quality recognitions. Most small and rural hospitals (60 percent) do not qualify because of the low number of qualifying inpatients for the CMS rankings but are held to the same high patient satisfaction criteria. This program recognizes the hard work and dedication rural and critical access hospitals provide across the country. The rankings will include overnight hospital stays (HCAHPS) and are based on data collected by certified CMS patient satisfaction vendors.
The National Rural Honor Roll was created to honor rural and critical access hospitals and clinics that consistently deliver exceptional health care, showcasing them as leaders in patient-centered care within their communities. Facilities included on the Honor Roll receive recognition for their dedication and excellence that sets them apart, demonstrating their commitment to patient well-being.
For more information visit RuralRatings.US.
Prairieland Hospice
Prairieland Hospice Foundation of Galesburg is about caring and helping.
They have provided blankets, personal items and holiday meals for hospice patients and sponsored grief camps for children coping with the death of a loved one.
Now the foundation’s compassion has extended to Black Hawk College students in the form of five new scholarships.
Prairieland Hospice Foundation donated $10,000 to the Black Hawk College Foundation to create an annual scholarship for four nursing students and one EMS student. Each student received $500 for the 2024-25 school year.
Although the foundation is based in Galesburg, it works with Compassus, a company that provides hospice services in Galesburg and Moline.
Over the years, Prairieland has offered support and services to Compassus patients and the surrounding communities.
“We want to do something for the community,” said Dr. Jim Cecil, a retired physician and president of the Prairieland Hospice Foundation.
“Education is the key,” he said. “I’m a great believer in education.”
Akos Tiwa of Moline, an Associate Degree Nursing student, is one of the scholarship recipients.
“Nursing school is hard and expensive,” she wrote in her thank you letter. “Knowing the expenses that come with nursing school, I started to worry about how to pay for it all.
“I sincerely thank you for your generosity and support in assisting me to advance my education because of these donations,” she wrote. “You are unquestionably big helpers to Black Hawk College students.”
Scholarship recipient Tyler Kline of Colona, an Emergency Medical Services student, has volunteered with two rural fire departments in addition to working full time for an ambulance service.
“Since I was a little kid, I have always been attracted to public services,” he said.
Receiving the Prairieland Hospice Foundation Scholarship is helping him pursue his dream of becoming a paramedic.
“My major is EMS. I chose it because I love helping people and I want to continue in a family tradition of public services,” he said.
Zenaida Landeros, executive director of the Black Hawk College Foundation, said the generosity of the Prairieland Hospice Foundation provides vital support to students who are training to become the skilled and compassionate caregivers the community needs.
“We are deeply grateful to Prairieland Hospice Foundation of Galesburg for investing in our nursing and EMS students,” she said. “Because of Prairieland’s help, these students can focus fully on their education and future careers in health care.”
Safe Harbor
Safe Harbor would like to thank the kind folks at the Elks Lodge Post 894 for their generous donation of coats. Safe Harbor’s clients will really appreciate these for their children this winter.
St. Mary’s
Fifty years ago, on Sunday, November 17, 1974, St. Mary’s Hospital moved to its current location at 3333 North Seminary Street. After serving the community from their original site at 239 South Cherry Street since September 1909, this relocation was a pivotal moment in their history, allowing them to expand and improve their facilities to better serve their patients.
Utility Scams
To help protect consumers from utility scams, State Senator Mike Halpin spearheaded a resolution in the Senate declaring Nov. 20, 2024 as Utility Scam Awareness Day.
“Scammers are smart and ever-evolving with their tactics to trick customers into sharing personal or financial information,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “This leaves residents unaware and unable to decipher if a phone call, text or email is from their utility company or not.”
As utility companies have seen an increase in reports of customers being contacted by scammers, Senate Resolution 1298 declares Nov. 20, 2024 as Utility Scam Awareness Day. The day serves as an advocacy and awareness campaign to inform communities about these scams and expose scammer tactics.
“Scammers continue to try to take advantage of members of our community, so it is imperative that we ensure our residents are equipped with resources to protect themselves and their information,” said Halpin. “This resolution will help utility companies and consumers become informed of what scams might look like, and how to prevent them in the future.”
Senate Resolution 1298 was adopted by the Senate.
Warming Shelter
The Warming Shelter is located at Woodland Bend, 525 Iowa Court, from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week until April 30, 2025. There is bus service to the location. Bus passes are available while supplies last. Warm beds available nightly. Meals provided (when available).
Wordsmith Bookshoppe
There is a snowman “angel” tree at Wordsmith Bookshoppe. They have partnered with Lutheran Social Services to help get Christmas presents to over 250 foster kids this holiday season. If sponsoring a foster child is not in your budget, Wordsmith Bookshoppe is accepting donations of new books to be given to Lutheran Social Services to distribute to those in need.
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