Downtown Hotels

Episode #2223

Program Air Date: 04/29/2010

A look at the Proposed Downtown Peoria Hotel projects.

Guest(s):

• Jim Ardis - Peoria Mayor

• Gary Matthews - Marriott Hotel Developer

• Bruce Kinseth - Holiday Inn City Centre Owner

• Sami Qureshi - Holiday Inn City Centre GM

Suicide

Episode #2222

Program Air Date: 04/15/2010

A discussion on why the west central Illinois suicide attempt rate is the highest in the state.

Guest(s):

• Katie Jones - Dir, Mental Health Assn. of Illinois Valley

• Dr. Ryan Finkenbine - Univ. of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria

• Patty Atherton - Chair, Whitney's Walk for Life

• Eimo Hinrichs - Chair, Suicide Support Group

School Budgets

Episode #2221

Program Air Date: 04/6/2010

A look at cuts the smaller school districts are making.

Guest(s):

• Supt. Gerald Brookhart - Peoria County Regional Office of Education

• Supt. Ann Chandler - Depue Schools

• Supt. Sam Light - Illini Bluffs Schools

• Supt. Roger Alvey - Elmwood Schools

Local Economy

Episode #2220

Program Air Date: 04/1/2010

A discussion on how quickly the local economy will rebound.

Guest(s):

• Jim McConoughey - Pres, Heartland Partnership

• Bashir Ali - Exec Dir, Workforce Development Network

• Dr. Andy Chiou - Illinois Medical Center

Fair Map Amendment

Episode #2219

Program Air Date: 03/25/2010

The Fair Map Amendment, which calls for a change in the way political district boundaries are determined, needs 500,000 signatures by May in order for citizens to vote on its merits in the November election. Three panelists will discuss the current method and the new method under the Fair Map Amendment plan.

Guest(s):

• Brad McMillan - Director, Institute for Principled Leadership at Bradley University

• Jan Czarnik - Executive Director, Illinois League of Women Voters

City Budget Concerns

Episode #2218

Program Air Date: 02/18/2010

The mayors of Normal and Peoria, and the executive director and deputy director of the Illinois Municipal League will discuss the impact on cities of growing pension costs, diminishing state-shared revenues and changes in the Freedom of Information Act.

Guest(s):

• Larry Frang - Executive Director, Illinois Municipal League

• Roger Huebner - Deputy Director, Illinois Municipal League

• Chris Koos - Mayor of Normal

• Jim Ardis - Mayor of Peoria

Keeping the Arts Healthy

Episode #2217

Program Air Date: 02/11/2010

The leaders of several arts groups will discuss dwindling audiences, funding shortfalls and new ways to attract audiences.

Guest(s):

• Karl Kuppler - Peoria Symphony

• Rebekah Bourland - Peoria Civic Center

• Kim Armstrong - Peoria Art Guild

• Bob Parkhurst - Corn Stock Theatre

Helping Rural Communities

Episode #2215

Program Air Date: 02/04/2010

Illinois Institue of Rural Affairs and USDA Economic Development provide guidance and financial support to rural areas in need of economic development. Stark County has used this expertise to keep a grocery store open in Toulon, and to construct a new water tower and water delivery system in Wyoming.

Guest(s):

• Colleen Callahan - Director, Illinois USDA Rural Development

• Chris Merrett - Director, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs

• Pat Maher - Mayor of Wyoming

• Denny Rewerts - Stark County Economic Director

Combating Community Racism

Episode #2216

Program Air Date: 01/28/2010 @ 8:30 pm

Some Canton residents are deciding how to address a racially insensitive remark recently made in public. Other communities must deal with the same possibility. Just last November, Pekin formed a Human Relations Committee and the Peoria Race Relations Commission has been in operation for barely a year. This epsode of At Issue will look at the various methods by which these cities can create a tolerant racial atmosphere.

Guest(s):

• Kevin Meade - Mayor of Canton

• Amir Al-Khafaji - Peoria Race Relations Commission

• Shanna Shipman - Pekin Human Relations Committee

Peoria County Sheriff Republican Primary - Special

Episode #2214

Program Air Date: 01/28/2010 @ 8pm

The two candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Peoria County Sheriff will appear together on WTVP's At Issue. Incumbent Sheriff Mike McCoy and challenger Vince Wieland will join At Issue host H Wayne Wilson to discuss law enforcement issues facing the county. The primary election is February 2, 2010.

Guest(s):

• Mike McCoy - Peoria County Sheriff

• Vince Wieland - Candidate for Peoria County Sheriff

Illinois State Medical Society

Episode #2213

Program Air Date: 01/14/2010

Dr. Milam will discuss health care reform, the status of the medical liability reform law, and the retention of doctors in Illinois, especially in rural areas.

Guest(s):

• Dr. James Milam - President, Illinois State Medical Society

Orpheum Theatre

Episode #2212

Program Air Date: 01/07/2010

Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre needs refurbishing on the exterior and interior, including a new boiler. While total costs could exceed one-million dollars, the repairs to the boiler and air conditioning systems and some facade repairs are most important. Recently denied a grant from Save America's Treasures, Orpheum president Kate Francis will discuss the theatre's future.

Guest(s):

• Kate Francis - Orpheum Theatre President

Peoria Charter Schools

Episode #2211

Program Air Date: 12/17/2009

The Peoria Charter School Initiative group is seeking approval to begin a charter school in District 150 next fall.

Guest(s):

• Cindy Fischer - Peoria Charter School Initiative

• McFarland Bragg - Peoria Charter School Initiative

• Kristie Hubbard - parent, former assistant principal

• Scott Brower - Springfield Ball Charter School

Transportation

Episode #2210

Program Air Date: 12/10/2009

U S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will discuss high speed rail, Cash for Clunkers, TSA, mileage standards, the stimulus package impact on infrastructure and more.

Guest(s):

• Ray LaHood - U. S. Secretary of Transportation

School District 150

Episode #2209

Program Air Date: 11/19/2009

As Ken Hinton prepares to retire on December 1, this edition of At Issue will look back at his career at both District 150 schools and Edison Schools, Inc., look forward to what the district, state or other entity needs to do to address urban school district needs in the future, and review the difficulties that exist when trying to "right-size" any school district.

Guest(s):

• Ken Hinton - School District 150 Superintendent

National Endowment for the Arts

Episode #2208

Program Air Date: 11/12/2009

NEA Executive Director Rocco Landesman, in the aftermath of a statement that suggested Peoria may not have much cultural activity, will discuss his goals for arts funding. He will specifically address his desire for funding to be based on quality and not geography.

Guest(s):

• Rocco Landesman - Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

Peoria City Budget

Episode #2207

Program Air Date: 11/05/2009

With a projected $14-million shortfall in the next year's fiscal budget, the City of Peoria has been looking at cuts and new sources of revenue. On this edition of At Issue, Mayor Jim Ardis and new city manager Scott Moore will discuss the impact the budget cuts will have on city services.

Guest(s):

• Jim Ardis - Peoria Mayor

• Scott Moore - Peoria City Manager

Impact of County Budget Cuts

Episode #2206

Program Air Date: 10/29/2009

H. Wayne Wilson talks to Patrick Urich - Peoria County Administrator, David Jones - Tazewell County Administrator, and Terry Lindberg - McLean County Administrator about budget cuts at the county level.

Guest(s):

• Patrick Urich - Peoria County Administrator

• David Jones - Tazewell County Administrator

• Terry Lindberg - McLean County Administrator

Legislative Veto Session

Episode #2205

Program Air Date: 10/22/2009

H. Wayne Wilson talks to Dan Brady (R) - State Representative, 88th Dist., Jehan Gordon (D) - State Representative, 92nd Dist., Dave Koehler (D) - State Senator, 46th Dist., and Dale Risinger (R) -State Senator, 37th Dist. about state politics.

Guest(s):

• Dan Brady (R) - State Representative, 88th Dist

• Jehan Gordon (D) - State Representative, 92nd Dist.

• Dave Koehler (D) - State Senator, 46th Dist.

• Dale Risinger (R) - State Senator, 37th Dist.

Prescription Drug Abuse

Episode #2204

Program Air Date: 10/15/2009

H. Wayne Wilson talks with Anne Howerton - Hult Center for Health Education, Robert Huston - Tazewell County Sheriff, and John Preckshot - Preckshot Professional Pharmacy about prescription drug abuse.

Guest(s):

• Anne Howerton - Hult Center for Health Education

• Robert Huston - Tazewell County Sheriff

• John Preckshot - Preckshot Professional Pharmacy

Link(s):

• Hult Center for Health Education

Central Illinois Superfund Sites

Episode #2203

Program Air Date: 09/17/2009

Host H. Wayne Wilson talks with Terry Ayers of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and Eric Bryant the Mayor of DePue to discuss Superfund Sites in Central Illinois.

Guest(s):

• Terry Ayers - Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

• Eric Bryant - Mayor of DePue

Link(s):

• Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

• Village of DePue

Healthcare Reform

Episode #2202

Program Air Date: 09/10/2009

A look at local health care issues with: Dr. Gail Amundson - Quality Quest for Health Pres/CEO, Paul Macek - Proctor Hospital CEO, LeRoy Hagenbuch - Philippi-Hagenbuch President.

Guest(s):

• Dr. Gail Amundson - Quality Quest for Health Pres/CEO

• Paul Macek - Proctor Hospital CEO

• LeRoy Hagenbuch - Philippi-Hagenbuch President

Astronaut Scott Altman

Episode #2201

Program Air Date: 09/03/2009

Pekin native Scott Altman discusses his background, his recent shuttle flight to repair the Hubble Telescope, and why the U. S. should be exploring space.

Guest(s):

• Scott Altman - United States Astronaut

Link(s):

• Nasa Bio - Scott Altman

• Wikipedia article - Scott Altman

• Google Image Search - Scott Altman