An Elmwood Park rail crossing that was the site of the horrific, day-before-Thanksgiving 2005 Metra crash will get $3.1 million to continue planning its eventual replacement, state officials announced.

More than a dozen people were injured in that 2005 collision when a Metra train travelling nearly 70 mph plowed into vehicles on the tracks at West Grand Avenue sending them careening into surrounding traffic.

“To this day I remain amazed and thankful that no one was killed in that horrific 2005 crash,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, who represents the area. “This investment is a long time coming and vital to the safety of the thousands of people who make this crossing daily by car and train. This investment will make our community safer.”

OAK PARK – Senate President Don Harmon released the following statement today after President Joe Biden signed a historic investment in infrastructure:

“I look forward to the transformative projects Illinois will be able to begin as a result of this legislation. Every region of Illinois will benefit. We have the opportunity to modernize our infrastructure, create good-paying jobs, improve public transportation, increase access to broadband Internet and further our commitment to green energy.”

Senators in the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus support Governor JB Pritzker’s declaration of gun violence as a public health crisis and announcement of a $250 million investment over a three year period to implement the Reimagine Public Safety Plan, a data driven and community-based violence prevention initiative.

“This is a bipartisan investment in our communities to stem the surge in violence,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “I’m proud of the work my colleagues did to put this vital initiative together so that we can make a difference.”

CHICAGO – Illinois officially became a national leader in the fight for clean energy Wednesday, as the state’s historic climate bill was signed into law.

“Our goal all along was to enact reliable, renewable and affordable energy policies that create thousands of jobs in a burgeoning green energy economy and put Illinois at the forefront of addressing the undeniable threats of climate change,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “With the governor’s signature today, that shared goal becomes our new reality.”

SPRINGFIELD — Senate President Don Harmon’s statement on the Illinois Senate giving final approval to a sweeping climate and energy proposal.

“The threat to our planet is real.

Our goal all along was to enact reliable, renewable and affordable energy policies that position Illinois to lead the nation in combatting climate change and growing a green energy economy.

That is exactly what we are doing here today.

SPRINGFIELD — Former U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon has been named to the search committee for a new Illinois Legislative Inspector General by Senate President Don Harmon.

Fardon is arguably best known for his tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, where he oversaw prosecution in areas of corporate misconduct, health care and securities fraud, public corruption, gangs, terrorism and other criminal and civil matters.

He was part of the federal prosecution trial team that won a conviction against former Illinois Gov. George Ryan.

SPRINGFIELD — A measure sponsored by Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) to provide greater continuity of support for students from kindergarten through graduation is now law.

The new law allows elementary and high school districts with overlapping boundaries to share student information and records as long as there is an intergovernmental agreement in place.

“The inability of districts like Oak Park Elementary School District 97 to share this data has led to gaps in understanding of what works best for students,” Harmon said. “This law will help teachers, counselors and social workers meet the needs of the children they serve.”

SPRINGFIELD – For the second time this month – and the first time in 20 years – Illinois’ General Obligation bond rating has received upgrades from two of the nation’s primary credit rating agencies – a move Senate President Don Harmon calls a result of stability and responsibility.

“This is further proof we are on the right track in balancing our fiscal realities with the real-world needs of working men and women,” said Harmon (D-Oak Park). We are moving Illinois forward by paying our debts while at the same time investing in education, health care, child care and other key programs people need to get ahead.”

The latest upgrade comes from S&P Global Ratings, which comes as the state trimmed down its bill backlog from $16.7 billion to $2.9 billion in a course of just a few years.