Peoria City Hall -- February 10, 2012

Peoria City Hall, constructed 113 years ago on the site of an outdoor produce market at the corner of Madison and Fulton, has been celebrated recently with a 52-page booklet about its priceless art and architecture.

The author of that booklet, Dr. Peter J. Couri, was our guide as we took a private tour of City Hall and learned all about the planning, politics, and Peorians involved in constructing the Flemish Renaissance-style building.

During our visit, we saw the building's priceless art, plus its Italian marble wainscoting, copper cupola bell tower, ornamented stepped gables, and the open atrium rotunda with a stained glass skylight.

OLLI thanks Dr. Couri and the City Hall staff for welcoming our group!

Homeway Homes -- February 8, 2012

OLLI members who'd ever wondered about the modular homes on display off Interstate 74 in Goodfield had a perfect opportunity to learn how they're designed and built when we toured the Homeway Homes Factory.

We traveled to Deer Creek to tour the factory and speak with employees about the company's modern design and construction processes. We saw the staff at work throughout each step of the building stages, including floor and wall build, roof set, plumbing and insulation, siding, and final inspection and wrap.

After the factory tour, we headed to Goodfield to tour two completed model homes. OLLI thanks the staff at Homeway Homes for welcoming our group and answering our questions about the building process.

For more information about Homeway Homes, please visit www.homewayhomes.com

Peoria County Coroner's Office -- February 2, 2012

On this repeat trip, we learned about the responsibilities of Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll, an elected official charged with investigating sudden, unusual, and traumatic deaths and assuring those bodies are examined, identified, and, if necessary, autopsied. Our visit also included an observation of a jury inquest, which is held weekly to determine the manner of some deaths occurring in Peoria County.

OLLI thanks Coroner Ingersoll for spending time with our group and leading a very insightful discussion about the duties of the office.

For more information about the Coroner’s Office, visit www.peoriacounty.org

University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria -- February 1, 2012

On the first of February, OLLI visited the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP).

As part of the nation’s largest public medical school, UICOMP offers a balance of classroom education and clinical experience. During our visit, we learned how the school aims to improve healthcare in our community via education, research, and patient care. The tour included a presentation by the school's dean, Dr. Sarah Rausch, and updates on UICOMP's latest cancer research.

For more information about UICOMP, please visit www.peoria.medicine.uic.edu