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Former Illinois 67th District Rep. Chuck Jefferson dies – WIFR

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(WIFR) – Community members and lawmakers mourn the death of former 67th District Representative Charles “Chuck” Jefferson of Rockford.

The 79-year-old Jefferson served in the Illinois legislature from April 2001 to July 2014 and acted as Assistant Majority Leader.

Former Illinois 67th District Rep. Charles ‘Chuck’ Jefferson dies at 79(WIFR)

Prior to that, he served on the Winnebago County Board from 1990 to 2001.

Jefferson was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he earned the rank of sergeant in the military police unit.

In 2020, the African American Resource Center designated a stretch of Winnebago Street from Morgan to Montague streets as Chuck Jefferson Way.

“He was a trailblazer,” said current 67th District Rep. Maurice West. “Little did I know, that…18, 19 years later I was going to follow in his footsteps.”

“I remember him telling me, ‘Maurice, the more you put in it, the higher the chance you’ll win it,’ and that stuck with me. It’s been with me. And I’m going to miss him greatly,” West said. “I’m riding on his shoulders. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Chuck Jefferson.”

State Sen. Steve Stadelman also shared a statement following news of Jefferson’s death.

Jefferson is the second lawmaker from the region to die in recent weeks. In late December, former Illinois state Rep. Ron Wait died at age 80.

On Saturday, Gabrielle Torina, Fifth Ward Alderperson for the City of Rockford, shared a statement about Jefferson on her Facebook page.

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January 13, 2025 at 07:45PM

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Newly-inaugurated state Rep. Briel aims to tackle community needs

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Newly inaugurated state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, will carry her community’s needs this legislative session to prioritize a government that works smarter, manages money responsibly and prioritizes lower costs and effective resources for working families, Briel said in a news release.

Briel was formerly chief of staff for retired state Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa. She will use her new position to continue advocating for communities in her district, District 76, by tackling rising costs and expanding assistance to families who need it most, Briel said. The 76th District includes La Salle, Bureau and DeKalb counties.

“This is about building a stronger Illinois, a place I’ve called home my entire life,” Briel said in the news release. “I’m honored to have been passed the torch and take on this responsibility to address the climbing cost of living, access to affordable health- and childcare, and drive policy that invests in public safety, health and education.”

In addition, Briel aims to support workers’ rights, safeguard women’s health protections and cut government waste, allowing more resources and funding to be pooled into services communities rely on.

“As I head into my first legislative session, I look forward to collaborating across the aisle to find real solutions and ensuring our neighbors have the essential tools needed to build a strong and stable future,” Briel sad. “By remaining focused on our community’s needs, I’ll fight to ensure that no one is left behind and that our neighbors get the services they deserve.”

Region: Northern,Feeds,News,Region: La Salle

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January 12, 2025 at 01:19PM

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New law gives Illinois residents access to annual mental health screenings, says Kifowit

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A new law will help more Illinois residents gain access to mental health resources, according to 84th District State Representative Stephanie Kifowit. She says House Bill 2847, which takes effect as of the new year, allows for one mental health evaluation at no cost, which will allow people to begin treating their mental health like their physical health with annual screenings.

"So the state regulated commercial insurance is required to cover one no cost, no diagnosis mental health and wellness visit per year from a behavioral health provider. So much like anybody can access annual physicals. So the new law covers many people on commercial insurance including state and local government employees. It goes from teachers to first responders. So, it’s a step in the right direction."

Kifowit says these appointments can be treated like a baseline test of one’s mental health to determine if there are any issues that need to be addressed through further treatment or medicine. She says a resource like this can be vital for young people, as mental health issues amongst teenagers and young adults continue to climb.

"And I personally think it’s important for our youth as well because, unfortunately, a total statistic is the amount of youth we are losing to suicide, it is is staggering. It’s like the second most common cause of death. So if parents start teaching mental health the same as physical health, and before some of the stressors of teenage years, before some of the stressors of, you know, growing up in this environment with social media and everything start building. And these young individuals might not have the coping skills they need."

Kifowit says this law was one of the most impactful laws set to take effect as of January 1st.

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January 1, 2025 at 05:57PM

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Tom’s Take — Exit Interview with State Rep. Lance Yednock (Part 1) — Dec. 29, 2024

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State Rep. Lance Yednock’s final term in Springfield ends Jan. 8. He was good enough to sit down with Tom just before Christmas to discuss his time representing the 76th District. The conversation was thorough w Pugh to warrant two parts. Here’s the first part. Watch for Part 2 soon.

Tom’s Take is sponsored by Kathleen Wayland of Wayland Financial in La Salle.

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December 26, 2024 at 08:16PM

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97th District Representative Benton working on policy cleanup ahead of spring legislative session in January

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As the return to Springfield gets closer for lawmakers, Plainfield-Oswego Democratic State Representative Harry Benton is getting to work on looking into clarifying some existing policies. One policy item he is looking into is helping families of students with school attendance issues due to unexcused absences for dentist and orthodontist appointments.

Benton says many schools deem those appointments as unexcused, which leads to attendance issues for students that have necessary appointments. He says an issue like this is more about cleaning up the policy’s language. Benton says he enjoys working on policy and trying to make legislation as efficient as possible for everyone.

Region: W Suburbs

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December 23, 2024 at 06:11AM

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Legislation adjusting weight limits for vehicles with alternative fuel sources part of Benton’s busy spring legislative session work

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Plainfield-Oswego State Representative Harry Benton says the upcoming spring legislative session is going to be a busy time for lawmakers, as the new General Assembly begins introducing new legislation and continuing discussions on ongoing legislative topics. Benton says he is looking forward to being back in Springfield and putting together effective policy to help his constituents.

One piece of legislation Benton has been working on is House Bill 5882, which would amend the state’s vehicle code to increase the weight limit on vehicles that run on alternative fuels. He says one company in his district is looking at rolling out a hydrogen-powered vehicle as a transport between their facilities in Plainfield.

"Working with Diageo, that happens to be in my district, and they wanna put a quieter, nicer, better truck on the road just to go 1.8 miles. So they wanna go from their facility to their warehouse right down the street. So it’s gonna be quieter for all the residents when they run all the time And then, you know, the future once they start getting this range figured out, they wanna start putting these on the road. And it’s kind of a great concept because you don’t have that lag time. It gets traffic moving faster. I mean they’re ready to go."

Benton says he has other legislation currently in the works, but he also hopes to do some work on policy cleanup and clarification. The spring legislative session will begin in January following the swearing-in of the 104th General Assembly.

Local,Region: South Suburbs,Region: Joliet

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December 20, 2024 at 12:07PM

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State Rep. Dave Vella to host FOID, CCL application assistance clinic

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BELVIDERE, Ill (WREX) – State Representative Dave Vella is set to offer a free FOID and CCL application assistance clinic. 

The assistance clinic is completely free and open to residents in the Belvidere area and will be held at Sips & Sprinkles located at 211 W. Locust Street in Belvidere.

Individuals who are interested are welcome to stop in any time between 11 A.M. until 2 P.M. on Saturday, December 18. 

Food and drinks will be available for purchase for attendees. No appointments are needed. Standard Illinois State Police processing fees apply, $11 for FOID total and $151 total for CCL. 

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December 18, 2024 at 09:51AM

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Affordable housing, state budget deficit at issue as Northern Illinois lawmakers meet with Rockford-area leaders

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ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A panel of Illinois senators and representatives came to Rockford on Wednesday to take questions from Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara and community leaders to learn about the State’s plans for 2025.

Discussions were held on issues like gaming revenue, property taxes, and school choice at the Northern Illinois Council of Governments’ luncheon.

The state budget was the main talking point for lawmakers, with Illinois projected to have a $3.2 billion deficit next year.

Legislators from both Republican and Democratic parties agreed that they would have to make some tough decisions.

Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park), said, "The taxpayers just can’t afford to pay any more.  So there’s just going to have to be some cuts.  And the state has never had a revenue problem. It’s always a problem.  So we’re looking forward to trying to help find those cuts that will be as harsh.  But there’s got to be some cuts."

Rep. Dave Vella (D-Rockford) said, "It’s a complicated issue because you take money out somewhere else, it’s going to hurt somebody else.  You put it in the property taxes and then who pays for the schools? So finding that balance is going to be tough. But there is no panacea. There’s no silver bullet that’s going to fix everything."

Housing was also a legislative priority for community leaders. Rockford has seen an explosion in housing demand. State Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) said that demand, coupled with a housing shortage nationwide, has put housing on the front of mind for many legislators.

On Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker signed an Executive Order on Wednesday, ordering legislators to examine ways to make housing more affordable for working-class residents.

The order creates an Illinois Director of Housing Solutions, who will oversee the exploration of "how Illinois can accelerate plans to expand the supply and access of housing for working families," according to the Governor’s Office.

"My priority next year is going to be housing," West said. "The city of Rockford received accolades for being the most affordable, which is great, and that causes people to want to come. But, we’ve got to make sure we’re taking care of our own, as well."

The new year will also bring a new presidential administration, headed by Donald Trump. The state government has had conflicts with Trump’s administration in the past, and Gov. JB Pritzker has preemptively taken action to stymie anticipated federal action on illegal immigration, "gender-affirming care," and other controversial issues.

"The good news is, even though there are issues that all of us on the panel strongly disagree with each other on, there is one thing we do regularly, is we meet regularly with the unified voice to make this area known," said Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley). "And do, there are a lot of things that we work together on, a lot of projects together, and with a strong enough voice, we’ve really been able to put Northern Illinois on the map."

The Northern Illinois Council of Governments formed three years ago and now has over 20 legislative members.

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December 11, 2024 at 04:18PM

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Exit Interview: Rep. Lance Yednock “Right Decision to Step Away”

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NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.

Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) never really imagined politics was a part of his plan. A longtime heavy machine operator and Business Agent for powerful union Local 150, Yednock said he was “plucked” to run against a scandal-plagued Republican lawmaker and unpopular Governor in Republican Bruce Rauner.

“I came into this late, for a pretty narrow reason,” Yednock said. “I didn’t want to be there forever. It really I felt like I needed to be a citizen legislator, and I wasn’t going to just continue to run.”

Yednock stepped aside this year, not seeking re-election to his LaSalle-Peru to DeKalb based district.

The moderate, along with a handful of other centrist Democrats, including Rep. Larry Walsh (D-Elwood), Rep. Harry Benton (D-Plainfield), and Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) “ruffled some feathers” in the Democratic caucus this year, nearly holding up the Democratic budget package, including forcing multiple votes on a tax increase bill at 4:30 in the morning in May.

“I think that everybody’s intention is the right thing that we want to,” Yednock said. “We want to make sure the process is good. We want to make sure we’re spending money wisely, that we’re we’re trying to do the things that we can go back to our districts and say, ‘this is how we’re running government.’ I think we were always tiptoeing with that line. The Moderate caucus really wants to be just a financially responsible caucus saying, ‘if you have a good idea, we’re up for good ideas. But we also have to remember we got to pay for it.”

Yednock says Democrats, and House Speaker Chris Welch, have a tough job to manage a large, diverse caucus ranging from center-left moderates to far-left progressives.

“We are trying to figure out whether we’re a pretty far left or left of center party,” Yednock said. “The speaker’s job is to manage that and he’s taken over from probably a pretty conservative to moderate speaker for the last 50 years. He’s had some challenges, there’s no doubt about it. And I wouldn’t want his job for the world. Him navigating that is you know, one of is still going to be one of his biggest challenges, especially in light of the last election.”

Yednock admits moderates are starting to gain traction in Springfield, and he would have been more effective if he stayed another term or two.

“We stood up for some things this last year or two and had to become a caucus that people wanted to talk to and find out whether they had our support or not, mostly around financial issues, the budget, et cetera,” he said, “So that gives me pause to say I wish I would have been there another term or two to continue pushing on the things that we thought are important.”

He hasn’t flushed out future plans, but says he hopes to either return back to the Local 150 office or to begin operating heavy machinery again.

He’ll be replaced by Amy Murri-Briel, who goes by “Murri.” Briel, who previously worked in Yednock’s office, defeated Republican Liz Bishop by 595 votes, making her a likely target for the GOP in two years.

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December 4, 2024 at 11:13PM

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