CHICAGO – Metra representatives broke ground on a new train station at 79th Street and South Lowe Avenue this Monday morning after State Senator Jacqueline Collins successfully secured state funding for the facility.

Speaking during a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of the planned station in the northeastern part of the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, Collins said the station represents a new investment in the community.

“Today, I join with my neighbors, other elected officials and many civic leaders in looking forward with joy and hope to the construction and opening of the new station,” Collins said. “I sincerely believe that in years to come we will view this investment as a turning point in the renewal of this Southside neighborhood, whose flourishing will enrich us all.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler took the first steps toward a more inclusive business climate in Illinois as the Diversity Task Force on Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Minority Business Enterprises, and Women Business Enterprises met for the first time yesterday.

Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) were appointed to this task force earlier this month.

“I’m honored to have been selected as the chair of this task force composed of a truly remarkable group of people,” Koehler said. “It’s vital that we give opportunities to contribute to our state’s economy, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual identity, and I look forward to the progress we will make together.”

CHAMPAIGN – Senate Agriculture Chairman Scott Bennett hosted a Taiwanese delegation at his family farm on Sept. 24 in Ford County to celebrate the $2.2 billion commitment to purchase Illinois soybeans and corn over the next two years.

“Illinois is a leading producer of soybeans and corn,” Bennett said. “Earlier this summer, I met with Taiwan government officials and agricultural business leaders to talk about why they should purchase soybeans and corn from Illinois.”

Bennett said he wanted to personally introduce the delegation to Illinois agriculture. Illinois and Taiwanese associations signed two $1.1 billion agreements to purchase Illinois crops between 2020 and 2021.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) released the following statement on Touchette Regional Hospital receiving a $2 million grant from the State of Illinois:

“Touchette provides life-saving care to thousands of residents of Centreville and neighboring communities,” Belt said. “This grant will ensure that this vital institution has the resources needed to continue to deliver services to those who need it the most.”

Belt advocated for the grant to be included in the bipartisan budget package that was signed by Governor Pritzker earlier this summer. The grant was administered to hospitals across the state that are identified as “safety net hospitals.”

CHAMPAIGN – Illinois farmers should take advantage of an innovative program to help protect their farmland and our environment, said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Scott Bennett.

The S.T.A.R. program (Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources), provides free instruction on how to ensure Illinois feeds the world while reducing their environmental footprint.

“This program helps farmers lose less to runoff, earn more from their land, and preserve the state’s natural resources for the next generation,” said Bennett (D-Champaign).

The S.T.A.R. program ranks a farmer’s field according to how well it practices conservation, all with the foal of safeguarding local waterways and maximizing productivity per acre. Participants determine their S.T.A.R. ranking by completing a field form, which is scored by a local reviewer on a five-star scale.

SPRINGFIELD – Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) has been named to serve on the Children’s Mental Health Partnership, she announced Tuesday.

“Children in Illinois are suffering from mental health issues because they don’t have access to the adequate resources required to treat their illnesses,” Martinez said. “As a member on this bipartisan coalition, I am devoted to being a strong voice for children needing assistance with their mental health.”

The Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP) is the only statewide, public/private partnership of policymakers and advocates in Illinois committed to improving the scope, quality, and access of mental health programs, services, and supports for children.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler joined with colleagues for a press conference today highlighting a solution to counter the skyrocketing cost of prescription insulin.

“For far too long pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to take advantage of people who require this medication to live, and it’s unacceptable,” Koehler (D-Peoria) said. “Working to ease the financial burden on families who require prescription insulin is the humane thing to do.”

Senate Bill 667 would cap out of pocket insulin expenses at $100 for a 30-day supply.

MCKINLEY PARK – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) participated in National Women’s Health and Fitness Day with a community event centered on helping women stay healthy.

The event was hosted at the National Latino Education Institute and included a number of valuable services to the local community.

“Women are a driving force in our communities and it’s important that they have access to resources they need to care for their health,” Muñoz said. “I’m glad we were able to bring together a wide array of vendors and workshops to support women’s health.”