GARDEN HELPERS
The broiling heat of summer couldn’t melt the spirits of about 16 teens volunteering their
time at the community garden in the state fairgrounds on Tuesday. The
high school-aged youth mulched, weeded and cleaned several gardens
inside the horse racing track this week, having a bit of fun as they
worked. They are spending their summer with the American Jewish Society
for Service, which “combines volunteering with community-building and
living and learning together as a Jewish community,” according to
program director Shoshana Brownstein. The group hails from New York, New
Jersey, Ohio, California, Boston, Washington, D.C., and even Toronto,
Canada, and they’ll be in Springfield a total of six weeks. They’ve also
volunteered their time at Habitat for Humanity, St. John’s Breadline,
Kumler Ministries, the Boys and Girls Club, the United Cerebral Palsy
camp, Mercy Communities, and United Way, with further plans to work with
Sojourn Shelter, Helping Hands homeless shelter, the Central Illinois
Food Bank, and the Salvation Army. For more information on American
Jewish Society for Service, visit www.ajss.org.
TRAFFIC CONTROL
Springfield traffic is mostly kinda square, but a new project could change that. With construction now underway, the city is about to get its first roundabout intersection [see “Going ’round and ’round,” by James Krohe Jr., Dec. 3, 2009, at illinoistimes.com].
As part of the Capitol Avenue Beautification Project, crews are now working to construct a roundabout intersection at Capitol Avenue and 12th Street.
Exciting? Yes, but no need to jump in the car for a quick drive by – you can watch the work in progress from your computer.
Hansen Professional Services Inc. and Springfield School District 186 have partnered to install a temporary Internet video camera at nearby Lincoln Magnet Middle School, where students will use the feed to learn about construction and 3-D geospatial mapping.
Earlier this week, the intersection was closed off with crews working away to remove the existing roadway. But don’t take our word for it; see the action with your own eyes by visiting www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/lincolnmagnet. Find a link to the video and password information on the right side of the webpage.
