Peoria Sister City Program Celebrates

Peoria is planning a celebration in 2016 to mark the 40th anniversary of its sister-city relationship with Friedrichshafen Germany. Officials expect to plan informal and official visits by residents of each city to the other. Eric Hoadley is outgoing president of Friends of Friedrichshafen, a local volunteer group. He says there's great pride in the relationship with the German city because of all the years people have put into building it. Friedrichshafen is in southern Germany, on Lake Constance on the border with Switzerland. It was earth-moving equipment-maker Caterpillar's relationship with Zeppelin Systems, a Caterpillar dealer, which forged the bond in 1976. The cities have an annual youth exchange. At 37 years, it's considered the oldest in the U.S.