When you hold a meeting, do you really need to have hard copies of preparatory materials available for each participant?  Send documents ahead of each meeting and encourage people to use their computers for reviewing documents and note-making to reduce paper consumption.

LLCC’s Culinary Institute announces its fall 2015 schedule of non-credit food and wine classes and special dinners. All Culinary Institute non-credit classes are offered in conjunction with the Community Education department and are held in the Workforce Careers Center.

Food and wine topics being featured include baking and pastries, baking and cooking boot camps, cook and dine, healthy and quick meals, holiday foods and spirits, young people’s etiquette, wine academy, plus specific cooking classes. Instruction is provided by culinary and nutrition experts at LLCC as well as those from Springfield and surrounding areas.

The Culinary Institute also offers special multi-course dining experiences with its Bistro Verde dinners. These dining-only occasions include remarks by the chef on the menu selection and dinners are paired with wine or beer. Cost per dinner including wine is $59; participants must be 21 to register. Payment is due at time of reservation. To make dinner reservations, call LLCC’s Community Education office at 786.2432. Bistro Verde dinners and guest chefs featured this fall include:

Friday, Sept. 25 – Julia Child with Chef David Radwine

Friday, Oct. 2 – Fall Crush with Chef Justin Richardson

Friday, Oct. 23 – German with Chef Terri Branham

Registration is also open for the following Culinary Institute classes:

Baking/Pastry – Course topics include artisan breads, cakes and fillings, French pastry and sprouted bread. Cost for each class ranges from $39-$49.

Advanced and Baking Boot Camps – The advanced boot camp led by Chef Denise Perry highlights the preparation of basic sauces and stocks, and learning the techniques of cooking – sauté, grill, roast and braise. The baking boot camp with Pastry Chef Nicole Swartz focuses on breads, cookies, restaurant desserts and pastries. Each boot camp is a two-week series at a cost of $99 each.

Budget-friendly, Healthy and Quick Meals – Prepare delicious, balanced meals with whole foods. Course topics include crockpot/slow cooker, soups and stews, and one-dish wonders. Cost for each class is $34.

Cooking classes – Classes inspire and challenge the beginner to the most advanced cook. Topics include hot sauces, kimchi, meatless holidays, sushi and southern fried Thanksgiving. Cost for each class ranges from $39-$59.

Cook and Dine – Prepare dinner under the direction of a chef in the food lab, then dine in Bistro Verde. Chef Denise Perry will instruct a class on Thai food. Dinner includes wine; participants must be 21. Cost for the class is $55.

Culinary Institute Wine Academy – Bradley Beam, state of Illinois enologist, will instruct participants in identifying aromas and flavors of red and white wines in this four-part series. Cost for the series is $189.

Holiday couples – Couples prepare a holiday dinner together. Dinner includes wine. Participants must be 21 and register as partners. Cost is $99.

Holiday Foods and Spirits – Course topics include holiday appetizers, candy and cookies, plus sparkling wine for the holidays. Cost for each class ranges from $39-$49. Participants must be 21 to register for the holiday wine class.

Memorial Wellness Center classes – Registered dietitians will teach fundamental skills of healthy cooking in Cooking and Dining with Diabetes ($39) and Freezer Meals ($44).

Parent and Me classes – Class topics include pumpkin, soups with grilled cheese sandwiches and gingerbread. Cost is $29 for each student in grades 4-8 and adult. Parent and child must register at the same time; limit of two children per adult.

Young People’s Etiquette – Designed for boys and girls in grades 4-8, students learn proper use of eating utensils, learn two types of dining skills, how to make proper introductions and practice the art of conversation in a social setting. Cost is $49.

Registrations for classes and dinners are being accepted now. To view the full schedule, visit www.llcc.edu/culinary-institute. For additional information, contact Jolene Adams, Culinary Institute coordinator, at 786.2355 or email jolene.adams@llcc.edu.

Beginning Blackboard

Facilitator: Gary Bach, Instructional Technology Specialist

Are you a new Blackboard user or an occasional Blackboard user in need of a refresher? Come to this session for an introduction to using the Blackboard course management system at LLCC. This session will cover the basics of getting started using Blackboard to supplement instruction, such as logging in to the system, general navigation, tools, course development areas and the grade center.

Click here to register for the session below

As part of the ongoing effort to reduce energy consumption and the high cost of utility bills, Facilities Services will be implementing a more proactive approach to mechanical systems operation. You may notice a difference in space temperatures as we adjust the equipment schedules to more accurately mirror the confirmed academic and event schedules. Most individual rooms are controlled by sensors which will shut off airflow whenever a room is unoccupied. This saves a significant amount of energy, but may also cause rooms to be temporarily uncomfortable after they have sat empty for an extended length of time.

Saving energy is important, but so is comfort. Please feel free to contact Dave Bretscher, at 786-2238 or David.Bretscher@llcc.edu  with any questions or concerns that you may have concerning these energy management procedures.

As always, please contact the Facilities Services office, 786-2304, with any immediate heating or cooling issues.

Keri Mason, director, LLCC-Jacksonville and Beardstown, was quoted by the Jacksonville Journal-Courier and WLDS radio Aug. 27 regarding parking by LLCC students in downtown Jacksonville.

The LLCC Board of Trustees meets in regular session this evening beginning at 5:15 p.m. in the R.H. Stephens Room. Here is the agenda.

If you missed Convocation last Friday, see those employees who joined LLCC May 1 and after in the Convocation PowerPoint. Welcome to LLCC!

The Toronto Road resurfacing project near the Springfield campus is continuing through the weekend. Crews hope to have the work completed by this Saturday evening. However, there may still be some traffic delays through early next week. We encourage you to allow extra time to reach the LLCC campus until construction on Toronto Road is completed.

Other road construction that may affect your commute to LLCC: There will be lane closures on I-55 from milepost 89 (one mile south of Toronto Road) to milepost 77 (approx. 5 miles north of the Farmersville exit) for a resurfacing project beginning Monday, Aug. 24. The project is anticipated to run until Oct. 9.

And, the Union Pacific RR Crossing on IL Route 29 will be closed from Aug. 24-Oct. 24 for the high speed rail project.