Latest news with #WMBDThisMorning
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Peoria Riverfront's 35th Blues Fest features Gov't Mule, ZZ Ward and others
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)–The Peoria Blues & Heritage Music Festival is two full days of blues music on multiple stages, surrounded by endless food, and craft beer, Labor Day weekend, on the Peoria Riverfront. Jack Manis, of Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment, told WMBD This Morning that this year's festival 'is going to be the 35th year of having the Blues Fest down at the Peoria Riverfront.' He quipped that he's been doing it for so long that when he started, he had hair and a flat stomach. The festival, he said, has evolved from a few people being down on the Riverfront to multiple stages and national acts. It's a family-orientated event with kids under the age of 12 free with an adult. This year's milestone event will be headlined by a powerhouse lineup including Gov't Mule, Grammy-award winning singer Ruthie Foster, ZZ Ward, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, and Ana Popovic. More artists will be announced later, the festival said in a news release. Blues is so American as 'any kind of music you listen to, you can probably go back to its origin, and there's some blues' he said. And to end the interview, Manis revealed another featured headliner — Buckwheat Zydeco. Tickets are on sale for single and two-day passes. There are also VIP options as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wildlife Prairie Park hosts outdoor fun extravaganza event
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)–Melody Cline, who heads special activities at Wildlife Prairie Park stopped by WMBD This Morning to talk about some fun and exciting events the park serving up, including the Outdoor Fun Extravaganza, June 7 and 8, and the fish tagging program. The Outdoor Fun Extravaganza supplies all the special instruction and samplings of a variety of park offerings including 'disc golf lessons, geocaching, hiking, tree meditation, fishing, kayaking, standup paddle boarding, it'll be a lot to come out and try,' she said. The extravaganza will also be a hands-on introduction to camping out with the park experts close by, and outdoor movie night. Cline went on to explain the Fish Tagging program. 'We released a bunch of tagged fish into the six lakes, if you catch one of those, you can safely cut off the tag and return it back to our gift shop and get a prize.' Just remember to snap a selfie with the fish before you throw it back. Outdoor Fun Extravaganza tickets are $10 per day for members, and $20 for non-members. Wildlife Prairie Park is located at 3826 N. Taylor Road in Hanna City. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OSF Healthcare offers up new opportunities for nursing students
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals and healthcare systems struggled due to a surge of patients and a shortage of nurses. OSF Healthcare is aiming to help bolster their ranks with their College of Nursing in Peoria. Austin Blair, the school's dean of admissions and marketing, visited WMBD This Morning to talk about the college. He said they've been making major strides in recent years. 'This fall, we're projected to be over 700 students, which is our largest enrollment,' he said. The college is also introducing a new program to help licensed practical nurses become a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Blair explained this will help open more opportunities for professionals. 'We offer a transitional course as well with that,' he said. 'So they get some of their current experience utilized to be able to go back to school and jump right in to our BSN curriculum. OSF Healthcare is also working to build relationships with central Illinois high schools. According to Blair, any high school senior can reserve a spot at the college for up to two years. And with dual credit opportunities, students can graduate with a their BSN in less than four years. Blair also said they offer many resources for scholarships and student aid. Any OSF employee can get their entire tuition covered. 'We offer a lot of endowed scholarships, we offer a lot of tuition assistance, as well as opportunities to work within the college,' he said. For more details on the College of Nursing, you can visit their website at Love WMBD This Morning? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our Daily Newsletter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Expert tips for supporting young adults' mental health
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — While a lot of kids and teens are looking forward to summer vacation, many are also dealing with stress. Dr. Brian Curtis from OSF Healthcare stopped by WMBD This Morning to talk about some of these challenges. He explains that, for many young adults, the start of summer can also mark a transitional point in their lives. Eighth graders are getting ready for high school, high schoolers are getting ready for college, and college students are getting ready to enter the workforce and live independently. And as teens make those transitions, the added stress can lead to mental health challenges. ':About 50% of mental illness before somebody is 17 years old,' he said. 'And then about 60 to 70% of kids will experience some type of mental health [issue] every year.' According to Curtis, parents should look out for sudden behavior changes in their kids. 'Change in personality, change in habits, maybe a change in friend groups,' the doctor said. But Curtis also cautions parents that adolescence inherently comes with a degree of change. He says parents should find a balance that works best for their family and their child. Trillium Place provides diverse therapies for mental health and addiction Curtis also acknowledges it can be difficult for parents and young adults to talk about mental health. 'If you told somebody that they had a broken arm, it'd be okay to have a cast on. But to tell somebody that you're depressed, or you're anxious, or you're really kind of struggling, that's just sometimes not well accepted,' he said. He says parents should try to open a dialogue with their teen to help them express how they're feeling. One way to do this is to have dinner together as a family. 'It's really hard to sit next to somebody for 45 minutes and have dinner, without having some type of conversation,' he said. Above all, Curtis wants parents to let their children know they support them. 'Let them know you love them, and that you can always come home.' Love WMBD This Morning? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our Daily Newsletter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hot in the Heights promises fun and relaxation for 21+ crowd
PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill. (WMBD)– Kick off the glorious days of summer with food, drink, live music and a giant pong game for great prizes, in Peoria Heights. Terri Sheets, the marketing chair for the Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce, and Steven Cook the President, stopped by WMBD This Morning to talk more about this premier Peoria Heights event. Hot in the Heights is a ticketed event for the 21 and older crowd, and will take place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on May 29. 'We wanted people to just be able to come out and have fun and relax and not also herd their children, just a good date night kind of party,' Cook said. The music for the evening comes from local heroes, Jammsammich, and Windows Down, and is essentially a 'four-hour concert,' Sheets said. For the massive Pong game, think Beer Pong, with 100 cups filled with gift cards, merchandise and 'swag', instead of beer, for a dollar a toss. Hot in the Heights will take place at Tower Park, and tickets can be found on the website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
