PARK FOREST - State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) encourages residents to nominate an Illinoisan who has shown unwavering commitment to conservation efforts in Illinois for the Illinois Conservation Foundation’s (ICF) 2020 Outdoor Hall of Fame. 

“As an outdoorsman and outdoors enthusiast, I can’t stress enough how vital conservationists are for protecting our natural spaces,” Joyce said. “I encourage people to nominate someone who has worked tirelessly to improve and enhance public spaces for generations to come.”

Since 2002, the ICF has recognized people who have records of commendable service and commitments to improving conservation efforts and outdoor recreation opportunities in Illinois. 

Past inductees have led efforts to preserve and enhance fish and wildlife habitat, to protect and restore Illinois’ lakes and rivers, participated on the national and international stages in conservation advocacy, and provided resources for thousands of youth and adults to enjoy fishing, hunting, conservation and safety education.

Nominations must be submitted by July 8, 2020 on the official Hall of Fame Nomination form, which is available at a link on the ICF website:  https://ilconservation.org/Who-We-Are/Outdoor-Hall-of-Fame

For more information, contact the Illinois Conservation Foundation at 217-785-2003 or visit www.ilconservation.org. 

PARK FOREST - As many homeowners struggle to make ends meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic downturn, a new law supported by State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is providing meaningful property tax relief.

“Communities I represent pay up to three times the national average on property taxes, which is not acceptable,” Joyce said. “Especially now, they deserve real property tax relief.”

 Under this legislation, local businesses and residents would see property tax relief in the form of:

• Empowering county governments to approve 2020 homestead exemptions for those with disabilities, veterans with disabilities and senior citizens, as long as the property had been granted this exemption for 2019
• Allowing counties with less than 3 million residents to waive interest penalties and fees for late property tax payments due in 2020
• Deferred property tax sales

This legislation is effective immediately.

PARK FOREST - As the Illinois River Valley continues to experience record-breaking rainfall, the dangers of catastrophic flood levels increase.

In order to mitigate flood levels the Illinois National Guard, Department of Transportation, and Department of Corrections deposited 150 million sandbags along the river, supplementing local efforts.

“In flood emergencies, we must act strategically and swiftly,” State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) said. “We want to make sure people stay as safe as possible under the current conditions.”

National Guard personnel and IDOC detainees who have been dispatched to help address the flood emergency have been screened for COVID-19 in order to keep the communities safe.

“Floods can cause a lot of property damage. In these trying times, it may be difficult for folks to replace some of the items lost to the flooding,” Joyce said.

According to Grundy County Emergency Services, residents have reported damage ranging from household items to structural damage.

Grundy County residents who have experienced flood damage can call Grundy County Emergency Services at (815) 941-3212 in order to assess their individual cases.

PARK FOREST – The Kankakee River is a critical asset for neighboring communities, providing resources for nearly 80,000 people in Kankakee and Will Counties while serving industries that provide many jobs.

For decades, the river has suffered from excessive sedimentation, resulting in flooding and threatening its future. To help address this problem, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) fought for and won $7 million for local flood prevention and other improvements in his first year in office.

“Since I took office,  addressing the issues of the Kankakee River has been one of my top priorities, because I know how important the Kankakee River is to our community,” Joyce said. “Seven million dollars may not solve all its problem, but this funding will  help people and industry better enjoy and make use of the river.”

The $7 million project is part of the Rebuild Illinois statewide construction program, and the money will be for river bank stabilization, silt removal and flood prevention projects.

“Access to clean, abundant water is vital for economic development and provides great recreation opportunities for families,” Joyce said. “These projects will help ensure the Kankakee River remains a great resource for years to come.”

Part of the $7 million will also go towards the flooding issues that have increased in the surrounding communities over the last decade.

PARK FOREST – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is promoting the state’s new Get Hired Illinois web portal, which connects workers with available job opportunities and a new partnership with Coursera to provide Illinoisans with professional development.

“I know many have lost their jobs during these unprecedented times,” Joyce said. “I encourage everyone who has lost their job to use this new website to help find work.”

The Get Hired portal combines resources from the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide information on both unemployment and job opportunities in one location. The page is designed for job seekers of all levels and backgrounds and allows employers to upload jobs, virtual career fairs, and training opportunities.

Job seekers and employers can access the page here.

Nearly 60,000 job opportunities across a range of industries are currently available on the Get Hired portal, and more will be made available in the coming weeks. Additionally, more than 70 employers have committed to hosting virtual job fairs through the site.

The state is also launching a new partnership with Coursera to provide professional development opportunities for individuals looking to navigate new career pathways. After completing these online programs, participants will have the opportunity to continue their studies at a local community college or university, or to connect with employers through their local workforce boards.

Unemployed Illinois residents can access the Coursera platform on Illinois WorkNet beginning June 1, 2020.

Park Forest — In a letter sent earlier today, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) called on the governor to move Kankakee and Grundy Counties into another region in his COVID-19 reopening plan.

“Kankakee and Grundy Counties are largely rural, with very few large towns and much smaller cities,” Joyce said. “Not many people live in Kankakee and commute to Chicago. They don’t need to wait until Chicago and Cook County’s COVID-19 numbers go down before reopening.”

Joyce’s letter emphasized that Grundy County has a population of approximately 50,000 and that residents of both counties lead more similar lives to the more rural counties around them than to Cook and the collar counties.

“I also represent suburban Cook County, and I understand why those communities are in the same region as Chicago. They’re in the same county,” Joyce said. “For Kankakee and Grundy Counties, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Even before the governor announced his reopening plan, Joyce called for more local control over the reopening process. For example, he joined several of his colleagues in petitioning the governor to grant local health departments the authority to allow small local retailers to reopen with the same restrictions as big box stores.

“Our reopening plans have to be based on the best advice of medical professionals and scientists. The governor and I agree on that point,” Joyce said. “However, for the sake of people’s mental and financial health, I don’t think any community should stay closed longer than absolutely necessary.”

In the letter, Joyce also encouraged the governor to allow Will County to be its own region. Joyce represents a small, rural portion of Will County.

PARK FOREST – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many companies are using their manufacturing capabilities to make disinfectant products to distribute to frontline heroes. A local example is Essations Inc., a hair and skin care product company located in Park Forest  that turned its production lines to hand sanitizer.

However, Essations Inc. found itself with a dwindling supply of alcohol  – the most important ingredient in hand sanitizer. Stephanie Luster, the company’s president and director of Education, contacted State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) for help. Sen. Joyce quickly reached out to multiple state agencies, including the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

“Stephanie Luster and Essations are taking exactly the initiative we need right now,” Joyce said. “I was eager to help her small business continue operations and bring much needed hand sanitizer to the members of our community.”

Sen. Joyce contacted Dept. of Ag. Director Jerry Costello, who called the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center. NCERC Executive Director John Caupert agreed to help find an ethanol biorefinery that could help Essations continue producing hand sanitizer.

“The only way we’ll get through this difficult time is by supporting each other,” Joyce said. “I want to thank all of the companies and individuals who worked together to help connect Essations and Adkins Energy.”

Once Luster confirmed  the volume of ethanol needed and the best method of delivery, Caupert contacted Ray Baker, General Manager of Adkins Energy in Lena, Illinois. Adkins Energy agreed to partner with Essations to ensure hand sanitizer production continued in Park Forest.

“Director of Agriculture Jerry Costello is someone I admire and respect very much, so I was eager to help when he said I would likely be contacted by Illinois State Senator Pat Joyce,” said NCERC Director Caupert. “Senator Joyce, like me, is a farm boy, and farmers rally to assist and support each other. From one farm boy to another, I couldn’t wait to assist Senator Joyce’s constituent, in whatever way I possibly could.”

With the help of a local chapter of the Teamsters Union, who volunteered to make sure the project was a success, the first shipment of ethanol went out on Friday, April 17.

PARK FOREST — In these uncertain times, we all have a lot of questions. As a state senator, Patrick Joyce strives to keep everyone updated with the most useful and accurate information.

“My most important job is to inform residents about resources that can help them during this hard and uncertain time,” said Joyce, a Democrat from Essex. “My office is working around the clock to address all questions and concerns our community has.”

Sen. Joyce’s district office is adhering to the Stay at Home Order, and all staff is working remotely. However, phone calls are forwarded and emails are still being answered.

If people need help identifying an entity to help with unemployment, food, shelter and other topics that can be difficult to navigate, Senator Joyce’s office is happy to help. It can be reached by calling the district office at (807) 756-0882, the Springfield office at (217) 782-7419 or emailing here.

To get the most up-to-date information relating to COVID-19 straight to their inbox, people are encouraged to sign up for Senator Joyce’s newsletter here. The Illinois Senate Democrats also recently rolled out a COVID-19 webpage, which outlines closures, family resources, the governor’s daily briefing and more. To find it, click here.