By Elyse Russo

GALESBURG — In a letter sent to the U.S. Senate’s Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., recommended an appropriation of $100,000 to the Orpheum Theatre for fiscal year 2011.

“The Orpheum Theatre was built in 1916 and is in need of historic renovation and repair,” Durbin wrote in the letter. “Funding will modernize and upgrade the interior of the building while retaining the theater’s historic character.”

Managing director of the Orpheum, Kate Francis said the theater had requested a $300,000 dollar-for-dollar match in its application for the appropriations, which Durbin invited them to do when he visited in February, but that any appropriations that the theater might receive would be greatly appreciated.

The theater is one among a list of eight projects which Durbin has recommended to the committee to receive federal funding.

“This is significantly less than last year’s,” Francis said. “This list is greatly reduced.

“As far as I can tell, the number of organizations applying to Senator Durbin’s office for fiscal year 2011 appropriations is significantly reduced from the number applying in fiscal year 2010,” Francis said.