Bustos touring district to discuss women's economic security
- Details
- Published on 05 May 2015
- Written by Paul Gordon
Bustos 5/5
Cheri Bustos remembers what it was like to work crazy hours while trying to raise children. And she had a husband as well as a job that paid decent wages.
The U.S. Representative from the 17th District said Tuesday it is hard to imagine what single mothers who work as much as they can to put food on the table for their children go through, especially when minimum wage doesn’t meet the needs of a family and the disparity between wages for men and women remains significant.
“There are so many single parent households today, and typically they are headed by a woman, and the struggle is very real,” Bustos said while in Peoria for part of her Women’s Economic Security Tour that began Monday and continues through the week.
“I always learn something on these trips through the district and one thing I always learn is how much more there is that needs to be done,” she said after visiting Myah’s Learning Center in Peoria to accentuate the need for affordable and accessible child care for families.
During the tour of her district, which covers more than 7,000 square miles in northwest and central Illinois, including much of Peoria, Bustos is discussing her report, “Women’s Economic Security: It’s a Family Thing,” in order to show the economic disparity that still exists. “For all the glass ceilings women have shattered in recent years, many hardworking women and their families are still struggling to get by,” Bustos said in the report.
Despite the fact the 17th District is a heavy labor district where union contracts typically have no gap between the wages paid men and women, it is still a district that has a sizable gap, Bustos said. Median earning for women working full-time and year-round are currently just 73 percent of what men earn. The median for women is $31,449 a year, compare with $42,840 for men. That, she added, is worse than the national average of 78 percent.
A big reason for that, Bustos said, is that women dominate the minimum wage jobs. Also, she said, African American and Hispanic women suffer even greater disparities.
Citing a U.S. Census Bureau report that 20 percent of the women in her district live below the poverty line, she called for an increase in the minimum wage, which currently is $8.25 an hour in Illinois.
Bustos also touted the Paycheck Fairness Act that she is co-sponsoring in the U.S. House that would help guarantee equal wages for equal work and make wage information more transparent by prohibiting companies from retaliating against employees who share wage information. That bill, however, hasn’t reached the House floor as yet. “We’ll keep trying to bring it up until the House leadership finally brings it to a vote,” she said.
Regarding her visit to the childcare center, Bustos said she wanted to show that even affordable centers such as Myah’s are difficult to reach for families who don’t make livable wages. Often child care takes more than half a family’s income, she said. That’s why she supports legislation to increase the amount a family can put into pre-tax flexible spending accounts.
Small business optimism at its highest since 2009
- Details
- Published on 04 May 2015
- Written by PRNewswire
Small business optimism is at its highest mark since the Great Recession, according to the 2015 Capital One Small Business Confidence Score, an analysis of small business sentiment data collected by the Spark Business Barometer since 2009.
The Spark Business Barometer is a quarterly survey of small business owners to gauge their attitudes and perceptions of national and local economic conditions, current and future business prospects, and other factors impacting business growth. According to the survey, small business sentiment has increased 33 percent since 2009 following the depth of the Great Recession, and continues to improve in 2015.
"We've seen real improvement in business owners' confidence about the stability and sustainability of their operations -- indicating many entrepreneurs are focusing less on recovery and looking ahead toward new prospects and growth. This is a terrific sign for our local and national economies given the tremendous impact small businesses have on job creation and innovation," said Keri Gohman, head of Small Business Banking at Capital One. "But competing and growing in today's increasingly competitive and complex digital landscape can be tough – particularly for small businesses with limited funds, resources and time. Our goal is to make some of those resources more accessible, so small businesses can grow and succeed."
Despite their increasing optimism, small business owners continue to face challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining customers. According to the Capital One Spark Business survey of 505 small business owners conducted online by Harris Poll in April, 76 percent of owners face marketing challenges, with 39 percent claiming they have not executed any marketing initiatives in the past six months.
Some of the challenges uncovered by the survey include:
- Identifying and reaching new customer prospects (41 percent)
- Finding money to market their business (32 percent)
- Gaining attention due to local competition (18 percent)
- Getting advice on the best marketing approaches (18 percent)
- Customer retention (17 percent)
More than 64 percent of small business owners feel they're unable to effectively market their businesses the way they'd like to, according to the survey. Meanwhile, a majority have the desire to increase marketing efforts – with nearly 70 percent of small businesses saying they would designate extra funds toward marketing efforts – yet only eight percent of small business owners have a mentor who can lend the necessary insight or strategic direction to do so.
In an effort to help bridge this gap for all small business owners across the country, Capital One and Pacific Community Ventures have partnered to present BusinessAdvising.org, an online mentoring platform matching small businesses located in or hiring from low-income communities with expert advisors in areas such as marketing, technology, finance, and more.
"For small business owners, working with the right business advisor has a huge impact in achieving sustainable business growth," said Allison Kelly, managing director of Small Business Advising and Lending at Pacific Community Ventures. "And when small businesses thrive, communities thrive. With support from Capital One, BusinessAdvising.org can match skilled volunteer advisors with small business owners, fueling revenue growth and creating new quality jobs across the nation."
As part of this partnership, Capital One will also provide associate volunteers to serve as small business advisors. The launch of BusinessAdvising.org is part of Capital One's $150 million Future Edge initiative, designed to help individuals and entrepreneurs succeed in a digitally-driven economy.
As part of its ongoing initiative to recognize and reward its customers, Capital One has launched a campaign aimed at helping small business owners obtain what they want most – more customers. The Spark Plug campaign gives Spark Business Bank customers in select markets a chance to win a custom advertising boost in their community. For more information on the Spark Plug program and how to submit an entry, visit www.capitalone.com/sparkplug. Capital One Spark Business is also providing a wide variety of offers to their existing and prospective customers throughout the entire month of May. For more information, visit www.capitalone.com/seizethemay.
The Capital One Spark Business survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Capital One within the United States between April 1 and 6, 2015, among 505 adults aged 18 and older, who are business owners with less than $10 million in annual revenue. Figures for annual revenue were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
ICC's Erwin retires after 14 years at helm
- Details
- Published on 01 May 2015
- Written by The Peorian
Illinois Central College President Dr. John Erwin retired his post on Friday, ending 14 years at the helm of the largest community college in central Illinois.
The college said its board of trustees will begin discussing its options for replacing Erwin when it meets Monday night.
Erwin was ICC’s fourth president. He started Jan. 1, 2001, replacing Dr. Thomas K. Thomas, who retired.
Erwin said he has been contemplating this move since last year and that the decision to retire now was based on several factors, including circumstances surrounding his individual retirement plan.
“I have enjoyed my time at Illinois Central College these past 14 years,” Erwin said. “I appreciate the support I have received from my board of trustees, our staff and faculty, our students and our community. I am especially grateful for the generosity our many donors to the ICC Education Foundation have shown. I am confident in the skills and dedication of the current cabinet leadership to continue to move the college forward, serving our students and community.”
During his tenure ICC experienced much growth and other changes. Among them:
- Expansion of international study for community college students
- Creation of a culinary arts institute program at ICC North
- Development of class offerings at ICC Pekin
- Growth of online and hybrid class offerings
- Development of the Chinese Language Institute and International Center
- Expansion of the Agricultural and Industrial Technologies Building
- Construction of the CougarPlex and naming of the Ramsey Gymnasium
- Construction and opening of the Leitch Career Center
- Completion of the Technology Center
- Construction of on-campus living
- Development of the Lutgen’s Science Labs, the Lee Morgan School of Technology, and the Glen Barton Dealer Service Technology Program
- Creation and implementation of diversity department and diversity initiatives
- Expansion of intercollegiate sports, adding men’s and women’s cross country and soccer teams and overseeing three ICC teams win national NJCAA championships
Also during Erwin’s administration, ICC was recognized for excellence and began several organizational initiatives. ICC was the first educational institution to receive the 2010 Silver Award for Progress toward Excellence from Illinois Performance Excellence (ILPEx). Illinois Central College’s library was recognized as the nation’s best among community colleges in 2014 by the Association of College & Research Libraries.
Under Erwin’s guidance, ICC was one of the first educational institutions to fully embrace Six Sigma, a methodology for quality improvement. The college also was one of the first to embrace a quality-improvement approach to accreditation through the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) of the Higher Learning Commission. Erwin incorporated interest-based bargaining as a negotiation tool for ICC’s unions and bargaining units and expanded the use of strategic planning methodologies at the college as well.
Erwin served on the executive committee of the National Junior Community College Athletic Association (NJCAA); Illinois Community Colleges Council of Presidents; CEO Roundtable; Methodist Medical Center Board of Directors; Peoria Historical Society Board of Directors; Wildlife Prairie Park Board; EDC Board; the Workforce Development Board and PeoriaNext. He received the George E. Killian Award of Excellence from the NJCAA; the Illinois Community College Trustees Association – 2010 Advocacy Award; the NCMPR District III Pacesetter of the Year Award; and the Shirley B. Gordon Phi Theta Kappa Award of Distinction recognizing administrative support of students.
Erwin received PhD in American Studies and United States history and a Master’s degree in history from Indiana University. He is an ordained Methodist minister.
ICC said a farewell reception for Erwin will be planned for later this summer at the college.
Peoria ranked as nation's 10th best place to start a business
- Details
- Published on 01 May 2015
- Written by Paul Gordon
Peoria has been ranked one of the best places in the country to open a business, perhaps debunking the belief by many that the city is a tough place to do business.
NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy website, recently conducted a study to identify the best places in the nation to open a business and Peoria ranked No. 10 – in the nation.
City officials were understandably excited by the ranking.
“We have such tremendous assets in our community.” said Mayor Jim Ardis. “We have great businesses, an amazing workforce, talented executive leadership and a growing group of entrepreneurs. It is great to have national studies validate what many of us already know, but sometimes take for granted.”
To learn where entrepreneurs in the United States can find the most success, NerdWallet analyzed 183 metropolitan areas with 15,000 or more businesses and populations over 250,000. The analysis measured each area’s business climate and economic health by considering six metrics:
- Average revenue of businesses
- Percent of businesses with paid employees
- Number of businesses per 100 people
- Median annual income
- Median annual housing cost
- Unemployment rate
Out of the communities studied, Peoria was ranked the 10th best place in America to start a business. NerdWallet cited factors like Peoria’s high average business revenue and healthy median income.
Peoria was the highest ranked community in Illinois, listed ahead of the Quad Cities (No. 26), Chicago (No. 71) and Rockford (No. 135). Peoria also stacked up well against its peer and aspirational cities as identified in the Greater Peoria Scorecard:
| Peer Cities | Aspirational Cities | ||
| City | Rank | City | Rank |
| Fort Wayne IN | 9 | Des Moines IA | 11 |
| Quad Cities IL | 26 | Omaha NE | 16 |
| Springfield MO | 72 | Lexington KY | 37 |
| Chattanooga TN | 119 | Madison WI | 40 |
| Dayton OH | 121 | ||
| Rockford IL | 135 | ||
| Grand Rapids MI | 150 | ||
About Peoria, NerdWallet said, “This college town has a low cost of living, and it’s equidistant from Chicago and St. Louis. Bradley University and Caterpillar, the global construction equipment manufacturer, are located here, providing employment opportunities and drawing customers to local businesses, including The Chef and the Baker, a family-owned restaurant that sells box lunches and sweets. Peoria’s RiverFront District is the city’s main attraction, with festivals, live music, art, restaurants and shopping. Businesses can join the Peoria Chamber of Commerce to get listed in its directory, attend networking events and find advertising opportunities.”
The website said:
- The average revenue of businesses in Peoria here is nearly $1.7 million
- That 27.2 percent of the businesses have paid employees
- There are 7.1 businesses per 100 people in Peoria
- The annual median income is $44,943
- The annual median housing cost is $9,624
- The average unemployment rate is 5.3 percent
NerdWallet gives each city a score, with business environment counting toward 60 percent of the total score and “economic landscape” accounting for 40 percent of the total score. Peoria’s overall score was 52.019.
The full study can be found online at www.nerdwallet.com/blog/small-business/best-places-to-start-business-2015/. For more information about NerdWallet, visit nerdwallet.com/cities. More information about business opportunities and assistance in Peoria can be found at www.growpeoria.com.
'Damn Yankees' on deck at Peoria Players
- Details
- Published on 30 April 2015
- Written by Paul Gordon
The thought of somebody selling their soul so that their favorite baseball team wins the pennant instead of the Yankees isn’t so far-fetched, to some people. Besides, it makes for good musical comedy, the kind Peoria Players will bring to the stage in its final production of the 2014-15 season.
“Damn Yankees” opens a seven-show run at 7:30 p.m. Friday. It continues through May 10 at the theatre at University and Lake streets.
Director Jimmy Ulrich said the timing of “Damn Yankees” was intentional. “We wanted to put it in the spring, during baseball season, so we could get the interest of baseball fans. It is a very funny musical with baseball as the theme,” Ulrich said.
It was his first choice when offered the chance to direct this season, he said. He was in the show in high school and enjoyed it. “It was the first show that really sparked my interest in directing when I got older. I’ve always known that when I got the chance I would direct this show. So the timing was good because this isn’t a show that gets done very often in community theatre, even though it’s one of the classics,” he said.
“Damn Yankees” is about the rivalry between the Washington Senators and the New York Yankees and it focuses on one particular Senators fan, Joe Boyd. So desperate is middle-aged Boyd for his team to top the hated Yankees he sells his soul to the devil to become the Senators’ star player, Joe Hardy.
What follows is the pennant race, the devil – called Mr. Applegate – and his shenanigans to keep Joe in line, and the women behind the men. Oh, and then there are the members of the Senators’ team and their manager and their fans. All told, the show has a cast of 80.
Songs in “Damn Yankees” include “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets,” “Heart,” “Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo.,” “Goodbye Old Girl” and “Those Were the Good Old Days.”
The Senators are involved in several songs in the show, including dance numbers. Ulrich said that was one concern going into auditions. “I had some fear I wouldn’t get enough guys who could sing and dance to play the baseball players. But right now is a good time for this kind of show, one with a large male ensemble, which is rare, because we have quite a few guys in this area now who are in the right age group. So, I got lucky. And they are very talented,” he said.
Ulrich said more than 100 auditioned and his leads are the types of performed he hoped fpr.
Bryan Blanks, a veteran of many Peoria-area musicals, portrays Applegate. Ulrich said typically Applegate is portrayed by an older actor than Blanks. “But he is impressive in the role, acting and singing,” he said.
Joe Hardy is portrayed Deric Tucker Kimler, another local theatre veteran and Lola is performed by Ingrid Beyhl, coming off a hiatus of several years. The Boyds, Joe and Meg, are portrayed by Bill Barr and Wendy Blickenstaff, while Jillian Risinger as Gloria Thorpe and Doug Orear as Coach Van Buren perform the show’s biggest numbers.
“They both really knock it out of the park,” Ulrich said.
Jill Barr handled costumes for the show and the baseball uniforms were borrowed from Dunlap High School, which produced “Damn Yankees” last year and had the uniforms made.
Maggie Sloter directed the nine-piece orchestra. Lindsey Byers was the vocal coach.
“The show just has so much energy and is a lot of fun for everybody,” Ulrich said.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and again on May 7, 8 and 9. Matinees are 2 p.m. on May 3 and May 10.
Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for those 18 and under. They can be purchased online at www.peoriaplayers.org or by calling 688-4473.
