The public is invited by State Representative Murri Briel to join Safe Journeys training about Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
The training is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 14 at Briel’s Ottawa office at 5:30 p.m.
Safe Journeys will explain what human trafficking is, how to prevent it and what to do if you are aware of a trafficking situation. The organization is a safe atmosphere where domestic and sexual violence survivors are offered support, resources and strength as they journey toward healing and thriving in La Salle County.
State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, recently announced that select Illinois community colleges are eligible to apply for a grant funding advanced workforce training facilities.
The facilities will equip students for high-demand manufacturing and clean-energy production jobs.
“Community colleges offer academic lifelines for students seeking affordable, quality education,” Briel said in a news release. “It’s exciting that these local schools now have an opportunity to build out modern workforce facilities that meet the moment for today’s in-demand jobs.
“This type of investment will open doors for the intellectually curious who can’t or don’t want to travel far for college. I hope that the community colleges in our local area take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and apply.”
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity made $24 million available for community colleges outside the Chicago area to create six manufacturing training academies. The goal is to foster development and expand training for high-demand jobs in food processing, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, quantum computing and microelectronics, and ag tech.
“With technology ever changing, it’s more important than ever that we give our next workforce the tools they need to succeed,” Briel said. “When we invest in our community colleges here at home, we’re directly investing in the success of that next generation.”
Community colleges can receive grants ranging from $3 million to $6 million. Cook and the collar county colleges will not be eligible. A technical assistance session for interested applicants is set for 2 p.m. Jan. 28.
In 2023, the State of Illinois appropriated $25 million (SB 250; page 1024) to Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 (the governing board of …
Aurora State Representative Stephanie Kifowit is calling the fatal shooting of a woman by ICE in Minnesota unacceptable, saying it flies in the face of proper training.
In a statement, Kifowit, who is a Marine Corps Veteran, calls the incident a profound failure of accountability and says it is a moment that demands national action.
“Whether you serve in the military or in law enforcement, the training on when to use deadly force is absolute. It is a last resort. What happened in Minnesota is devastating and unacceptable and flies in the face of proper training. It is a complete disregard for human life. A U.S. citizen, a mother, lost her life during an ICE operation by someone who drew their weapon and fired without hesitation. This is not self defense. It should never have happened,” Kifowit said.
Kifowit says she wants a full and transparent investigation into the shooting and supports federal legislation to hold Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accountable.
She also says she has seen firsthand the devastating impact ICE can have on communities and says the shooting in Minnesota strikes close to home.
Abill passed by Illinois lawmakers includes the creation of sales tax and revenue bonds in the state — designed to lure major developers that will do at least $60 million in gross sales annually.
The legislation would let local governments issue STAR bonds to help finance developments that would create at least 300 new jobs and use the state’s portion of sales tax revenue generated from the development to repay those bonds. Eligible projects would need to come with a capital investment of $30 million and be “in the public interest.”
Gov. JB Pritzker signed off on the bill, SB 1911, earlier this month. An amendment that would create STAR bonds was sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea.
“I wanted to make sure that it was competitive in nature, create jobs and economic opportunity, that we had project labor agreements and that we have more than one project in our region,” Hoffman said.
According to the legislation, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Revenue and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget would have the final determination on the project.
As part of that decision, the state government would also need to evaluate potential negative consequences on existing businesses in the area “to make sure we’re not just displacing or creating a job and displacing another,” Hoffman said.
For example, the Southwest Region — home to the Metro East and surrounding counties — could have three developments eligible for STAR bonds with a population of 700,000.
This legislation explicitly outlines that professional sports teams, like the Chicago Bears, are not eligible for such financing. Municipalities with a population over 2 million, Chicago being the only one, are also not eligible.
Illinoisans may know STAR bonds for their role in southern Illinois development. The state General Assembly created a district in the city of Marion in 2010. That’s been used for a 550,000-square-foot retail, entertainment and hospitality development announced earlier this year — which has since hit a speed bump with one of the project’s financiers.
Missourians maybe familiar with the bondsbecause Kansas lawmakers used STAR bonds to lure the Kansas City Chiefs to their state.
Hoffman said he’s unaware if specific developers have definitive plans for the Southwest Region, but there have been some looking at “several parts of the state,” he said.
Brian Munoz
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St. Louis Public Radio
Illinois state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, center, claps during a Veterans Day ceremony in November 2024 in downtown Belleville.
“I think we’ll hear more as people start filing and communities begin to develop the STAR bonds projects,” Hoffman said.
The legislation would also create a “super” STAR bonds district called a New Opportunities for Vacation and Adventure District. These would have even higher requirements — like a capital investment of $500 million, annual gross sales of $300 million and 1,500 new jobs created.
The bonds, basically a government loan, will not exceed 50% of the total development costs or $75 million, whichever is less. They will reach maturity at 23 years but can be extended to 35 years.
Municipalities, counties and developers will have a tight window to take advantage of these funds. Local governments will have until June 1, 2026, to notify the state that it wants to create a district. A public hearing will be required to consider the district. All proposals need to be submitted by Jan. 1, 2027.
“Hopefully we’ll have all three STAR bond projects in our region, creating thousands of jobs,” Hoffman said.
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I hope that you are all relaxing and enjoying the holidays.
As the year comes to an end, Team Kifowit and I are taking the time to reflect on all the places we have visited. I have gone across Illinois and met wonderful people along the way. From Rockford to Granite City, Team Kifowit has found a way to be there. That means a lot of driving, some long train rides, and even hopping on the smallest of planes. Thank you for everyone who has helped our campaign this year, whether it is chipping in a few dollars, volunteering at events, or simply sharing our posts on social media – it all adds up to a successful campaign that focuses on the people of Illinois and not special interests or millionaires.
I enjoyed gathering petition signatures, and personally met more than 4,000 people, shook their hands, learned their names and I remember their faces and stories. Thank you to everyone who has helped along this journey, and I look forward to meeting so many more individuals in 2026.
For today, I’m going to join my dog Smoke, relax by the fire and enjoy time with my family as I hope you are enjoying with yours.
All my best,
Stephanie Kifowit, State representative, and candidate for comptroller
Montgomery Democratic State Rep. Matt Hanson says the recently signed transit bill provides significant benefits beyond the Chicago transit system. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2111 into law last week, which will create $1.5 billion in annual revenue to help fund key infrastructure for Chicago area transit and provide about $169 million in additional funding for downstate transit programs.
"I think about the out-of-RTA area first and municipalities and other entities have had to grab money wherever they could to fund their respective public transit and especially their ride on demand that many of those that are seniors are in the disabled community rely on. So it’s absolutely a lifeline for them."
Hanson says that necessary road infrastructure projects throughout the state will not be impacted by the redirection of funds from motor fuel sales taxes and interest accrued in the state’s road fund to transit funding as Republican lawmakers have claimed would happen. He also says the appointment of representatives to oversight boards through the newly established Northern Illinois Transit Authority will be made appropriately with qualified candidates.
With his experience in transit as an engineer, Hanson was added as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 2111, which was approved during the fall veto session and takes effect on June 1, 2026.
ROCKFORD, Ill. — A state transportation reform bill was passed with support from a local politician.
State Representative Dave Vella (D-Rockford) supported Senate Bill 2111, which he said will expand access to "affordable, reliable" public transit in the Rockford area. The bill includes almost $150 million in new funds for downstate communities.
Rep. Vella said that while a lot of the focus is on Chicago area transit, attention should be called to underfunded public transportation systems, including Rockford Mass Transit District.
"Transit is not just a convenience, it’s a lifeline for workers, families, and local economies," said Vella. "By prioritizing safety and modernizing service, we’re building a system where riders feel secure, workers feel supported, and communities stay connected."
Senate Bill 2111 was said to invest in statewide transit systems by using existing state funds and the state’s Transportation Fund interest, not higher fares or taxes on delivery services, tickets, or rideshares, according to Vella.
The new law will also create an IDOT committee to better study different transit systems.
Plainfield-Oswego Democratic State Rep. Harry Benton says he did not appreciate comments made by Chicago Bears President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren this week about expanding the search for a new Bears stadium site after lawmakers reportedly told the team that any stadium legislation would not be heard in 2026. Benton says lawmakers have been working with the Bears on policy involving their Arlington Heights proposal for years but want to make sure things are done effectively.
"The Arlington Heights deal seemed like it was kind of a done deal that they were going to leave Chicago, but we did work on a kind of a tax freeze. So it wasn’t costing anything. They just were essentially freezing their property taxes, which would stem new development and also create a whole new economy there in Arlington Heights. Now they’re putting out the letter that they wanna go to northwest Indiana, and it seems like a power play that they’ve played with for a while now."
In the letter, which was sent to Bears season ticket holders this week, Warren says since lawmakers do not seem to share the "sense of urgency and appreciation for public partnership" that the Bears do, their stadium search continues across the Chicagoland area, including northwest Indiana. Benton says those comments have been used as threats to negotiate before but come off as false promises.
Benton believes that the Bears and lawmakers will come to an agreement on the original Arlington Heights proposal at some point this year but says there are other options.
Working for Illinois Caucus 