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Progressive group endorses Fadeley for 37th Illinois House District seat

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The Democrat in the 37th Illinois House District earned an endorsement from Run For Something, a progressive group focused on recruiting and supporting young, diverse candidates.

Michelle Fadeley is running for the Democratic nomination for the seat now held by State Rep. Margo McDermed, R-Mokena. McDermed announced last year she wouldn’t seek reelection.

"Our campaign recognizes the significance of this endorsement, and the excitement we are already building will grow exponentially," Fadeley said in the release. "Their resources, mentoring, and support will provide us with new ways to succeed and really help our campaign thrive,”

Fadeley hopes to turn the district from red to blue. She’ll likely face Republican Tim Ozinga in the general election.

“RFS endorses candidates on two major criteria: heart and hustle," said Ross Morales Rocketto, the co-founder of Run For Something. "That’s what defines viability to us. These are candidates who are working hard to run grassroots, community-led campaigns. We are at a critical time in history and the momentum these candidates generate will have a lasting impact for years to come.”

Run For Something said in the release it has endorsed 43 first or second-time candidates and nearly 1,000 from 49 states and the District of Columbia. It said its candidates win about one-third of the time.

The group also touted the diversity of its endorsed candidates with 49% of them being people of color, 47% of them being women and 35% of them identifying as LGBTQ.

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City: Joliet,Region: Joliet,Region: South Suburbs,Opinion

via The Herald-News https://ift.tt/2SHQ4f3

February 13, 2020 at 06:13PM

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Bristow Honored By St. Louis Chamber | Alton Daily News

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BristowState Representative Monica Bristow (D-Alton) has been honored by the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce.

Her work in legislature fighting for local businesses and economic development in the region has earned her the Chamber Champion Award and the Catalyst Award.

Bristow tells the Big Z her body of work in general is what is being applauded by the Chamber.

click play for Bristow’s comments

Bristow was honored at the annual Chamber Champions Awards dinner along with other state, national, and local elected officials from Illinois and Missouri. Monica Bristow was formerly the president of the Riverbend Growth Association.

(Copyright WBGZ Radio / www.AltonDailyNews.com)

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via Alton Daily News

February 5, 2020 at 06:50AM

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All ESL students approved for free bus rides to school

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Some 1,800 students in the East St. Louis School District will receive free bus rides to school beginning with the 2020-2021 school year thanks to state legislation passed at the instigation of district parents.

Illinois House Bill 5195, adopted in late 2018, allows qualifying schools to provide free bus transportation to students who reside in an area with high incidence of criminal gang activity. Previously, free school transportation was only provided to students who live more than 1.5 miles from school or for those who live less than 1.5 miles but who walked through hazardous areas as identified by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Data from the Illinois State Police, as well as the City of East St. Louis, City of Washington Park, City of Centreville and the Village of Alorton, were used as evidence for determining eligibility in the application to the Illinois State Board of Education.  

The East St. Louis School District was the first school district in Illinois to apply and receive a waiver for all of its students and the first to receive a transportation waiver from the Illinois State Board of Education. According to the school district, its transportation provider, Illinois Central, is in the process of adding new fleet and recruiting additional drivers to meet the increased service demand. 

The bill was championed by Rep. LaToya Greenwood, Rep. Jay Hoffman and Sen. James Clayborne Jr. to ensure approval in the House and Senate. East St. Louis School District Superintendent Arthur Culver noted that the district and concerned partners have been working for several years to get free transportation for students who reside in areas with high incidences of criminal gang activity.

“Our parents are the ones who raised this issue and worked tirelessly to advocate for free bus transportation for all students,” Culver stated in a release. “Their advocacy has led to this win for our students. We also want to thank our Board of Education and the Financial Oversight Panel for their support and steadfast concern for the safety of our students.”

The district also thanked local municipalities and police departments for their assistance with compiling the data reports needed for the waiver application.

“The chances of being murdered in East St. Louis are 19 times greater than the national average,” the Belleville News-Democrat reported last April. “The national homicide rate is around 5 murders for 100,000 people; in East St. Louis, it’s 96 murders per 100,000, topping cities like Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit and Washington, D.C. Yet only 25 percent of the murders are charged in criminal court, compared to a national average of 60 percent.”

The News-Democrat noted that there were 453 murders within the 14-square-mile border of East St. Louis from 2000 to 2018.

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via St. Louis American

February 5, 2020 at 06:48AM

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Rep. Mason hosts forum in Gurnee

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State Rep. Joyce Mason of Gurnee is hosting a legislative forum at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Warren-Newport Public Library, 224 O’Plaine Road in Gurnee.

The forum is free-flowing and residents can ask questions and share concerns about state issues and legislation. Attendees will be able to have an open and friendly conversation with Mason about new legislation she is working on and other proposals being considered in Springfield.

Mason represents the 61st House District, which includes much of northern Lake County. For more information, call (847) 485-9986 or email info@repjoycemason.com.

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via Daily Herald

February 4, 2020 at 09:57PM

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Bristow Overrides Veto to Protect Local Jobs and Aviation Repair Industry in Illinois | RiverBender.com

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SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Alton, released the following statement after the Illinois House overrode the governor’s veto of House Bill 3902 on Tuesday, which would protect local jobs and industries in the region and keep Illinois businesses competitive in the field of aviation repair:

“Today, the Illinois House sent a strong, bipartisan message that we value good-paying jobs in our state and will do what it takes to protect them. With major concerns about people and businesses leaving Illinois, it is our responsibility to protect industries and jobs, including the more than 3,400 jobs in aviation repair across our state.

“I came to Springfield to put local jobs, people and families over politics, even if it means standing up to a governor of my own party. While some party leaders may not have wanted me to do this, I overrode the veto of the governor because he chose to misrepresent this issue and play politics with legislation that directly impacted hundreds of local jobs in the Metro East that people depend on to support their families.

“As state representative, I will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats in a bipartisan fashion to keep industries in our state competitive and to keep those high paying jobs here in our communities, supporting our local economy and families.”

Bristow sponsored House Bill 3902 which reinstates a tax credit that will allow aviation repair stations across the state to remain competitive and continue providing high paying jobs and economic growth in their communities. By overriding the governor’s veto of the bill, Illinois will once again join 36 other states with similar legislation and keep Illinois from losing businesses and jobs to neighboring states. The legislation will directly impact local businesses such as West Star Aviation in East Alton, which provides maintenance and repair services for private aircraft and employs more than 500 Metro East residents.

The legislation originally passed the Illinois House of Representative and Illinois Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support before being vetoed by the governor.

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via RiverBender.com

February 4, 2020 at 03:36PM

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Rep. Didech Proposes Self-Exclusion Program For Weed Dispensaries

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BUFFALO GROVE, IL — State Rep. Dan Didech recently introduced legislation aimed at helping people in Illinois dealing with addiction following the Jan. 1 legalization of recreational cannabis for adults over 21 years old. According to a news release sent to Patch, Didech, (D-Buffalo Grove), introduced House Bill 4134, which will allow the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to create a list of people that wish to exclude themselves from entering or purchasing any (cannabis-related) product or service at a dispensary. The self-exclusion program for dispensaries is modeled after what’s now in place for casinos, according to the news release.

“With recreational cannabis now in effect, we must be proactive in order to prevent any unintended issues,” Didech said, in the release. “This legislation will not only allow people to take ownership of their lives but it will also make businesses more responsible and accountable.”

Under Didech’s proposal, IDPH would establish procedures for Illinois residents to add or remove themselves from the list, in addition to requiring dispensaries to remove self-excluded individuals from targeted mailings and advertisements, the release said. Dispensaries that allow entry or service to self-excluded individuals on the list will face disciplinary actions from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), according to the news release.

Related:

“While we must reject any outdated rhetoric that cannabis is some type of gateway drug, we must also ensure that people facing addiction have access to all type of services,” Didech said, in the release. “I look forward to working with all my colleagues to continue our work to support the responsible use of recreational cannabis.”

According to the news release, this legislation was modeled after the Illinois Gaming Board’s Statewide Riverboat Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (SEP) for Problem Gamblers that allows persons who have determined they are problem gamblers to self-exclude themselves from all Illinois casinos.

During the state’s first 31 days of legal adult-use cannabis, dispensaries sold more than 972,000 items, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, or IDFPR.

Last month, the Buffalo Grove Village Board voted to allow PDI Medical to move out of its current space at 1623 Barclay Boulevard into a space at 830 to 840 N. Milwaukee Avenue, where it will open as a combined recreational and medical marijuana dispensary.

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Patch

via Buffalo Grove Patch https://ift.tt/2ul3iad

February 4, 2020 at 10:17AM

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State Rep. Bristow to Help Local Residents Find Property Tax Relief With Sen. Crowe

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WOOD RIVER – To help local resident find property tax relief, state Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Alton, is hosting Property Tax Office Hours with Sen. Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, for residents of Wood River Township. The event will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Wood River Township Assessor’s office, located at 49 S. 9th Street, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m.

“One of the best ways people can find property tax relief is by ensuring they are taking advantage of current property tax exemptions. The best way to find out which exemptions you qualify for is by sitting down with your local township or county assessor,” said Bristow. “This event will allow folks to sit down one-on-one with property tax experts from the assessor’s office and ask questions about how to save on their property taxes.”

Bristow’s free property tax event will allow residents to engage one-on-one with members of the Wood River Township Assessor’s office to learn about exemptions and the property tax appeals process. Residents are encouraged to bring a copy of their most recent property tax bills and a valid state ID.

“I encourage homeowners that are concerned with the rising costs of their property taxes to come and ask questions,” continued Bristow. “With new state laws and proposals, it’s good to stay up to date about how you can save on your property taxes.”

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Region: Metro East,City: Alton,Feeds,News,Southern

via RiverBender.com News https://ift.tt/20GIkqu

February 3, 2020 at 02:07PM

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St. Rep. Yednock says infrastructure program will be good in a number of ways

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Ottawa Democratic St. Rep. Lance Yednock says not only will a statewide infrastructure program be valuable just as a public good, it’ll spur a lot of apprenticeships and new construction companies.

Yednock talked to WCMY about it after the governor’s State of the State Address last week.

On other issues, Yednock says everyone wants clean energy to protect the environment and for the jobs. He wants something done to help those who lose jobs because of the shift away from dirtier energy production such as coal mining. And he says working toward more state funding for schools will help relieve local property taxes.

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

via WCMY-AM http://www.1430wcmy.com

February 3, 2020 at 06:17AM

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CUB, Bristow to host utility bill clinic in Godfrey

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The consumer watchdog group Citizens Utility Board and state Rep. Monica Bristow will host a clinic to help Godfrey residents potentially save hundreds of dollars a year on their utility bills. Attendees are encouraged to bring copies of their gas, electric and phone bills for free one-on-one consultations with CUB’s experts.

CUB’s utility bill clinic is:

11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, February 14

Godfrey Village Hall

6810 Godfrey Road, Godfrey

Co-hosted by state Rep. Monica Bristow

Registration is required. To register, contact CUB at 1-800-669-5556 or email events@citizensutilityboard.org using the subject line "Godfrey 2/14.”

CUB will give consumers information on:

How to spot unnecessary charges on natural gas, electric and phone bills.

Energy efficiency programs and rebates that can help people cut their utility bills.

Programs like Peak Time Rewards and Power Smart Pricing that can save consumers money.

How to avoid scams from alternative electric suppliers.

“Our free utility bill clinics are open to anyone interested in saving their hard-earned money and shaving unnecessary spending off their utility bills,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said.

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via AdVantageNEWS.com

January 31, 2020 at 05:25PM

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