NAPERVILLE – With spring just around the corner and more Illinoisans spending time outside, State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) is congratulating the DuPage County Forest Preserve District on a $100,000 grant to build a new bike path.

“Bike paths play a large role in communities across the 21^st District and the state,” Ellman said. “I use the paths for walks and bike rides throughout the year, which is why I was thrilled to hear about this grant coming to our local forest preserve.”

The DuPage County Forest Preserve District will receive $100,000 to construct a quarter mile bike path along the forest preserve on the east side of Naperville-Plainfield Road. The path will connect a sidewalk along the Brighton Ridge subdivision to a path parking lot in the forest preserve. 

“This funding can help local governments develop and improve existing bike paths,” Ellman said. “Investing in bike paths offers residents additional opportunities for recreation and to simply get outside.”

The Illinois Bicycle Path Grant Program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, was created in 1990 to provide grants to eligible local governments for projects that develop, rehabilitate or construct new bike paths. This year, the program will fund seven bike path projects across the state totaling more than $800,000.

More information about the program, eligible projects and the application process is available here.

VILLA PARK – The Carol Stream Park District will receive $180,000 to renovate a 0.95-mile, 8-foot-wide asphalt trail that runs adjacent to Mitchell Lakes Park, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) announced this week.

“As the weather starts to get warmer, it’s the perfect time to go outside and get active,” Cullerton said. “Bike trails provide an opportunity for safe transportation and recreation, and a grant like this will be a great investment for the park district to improve the trail near Mitchell Lakes Park.”

The grant comes from the Bicycle Path Grant Program, which has been administered since 1990 by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to provide grants to eligible local governments for new bike paths. This year, the program will fund seven bike path projects across the state totaling more than $800,000.

Learn more about the program, eligible projects and the application process on the IDNR website.

MARYVILLE – To enhance the state’s workforce by improving high school job-training programs, the Illinois State Board of Education has awarded 10 regional entities with Career and Technical Education (CTE) Education Career Pathways Grants, and State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) is thrilled to see the Madison County Career and Technical Education System selected as a recipient.

“These grants will help schools recruit and support future educators in the Career and Technical Education field by providing them with hands-on learning opportunities, mentorships and experiences to benefit their futures,” Crowe said. “Madison County is home to a robust number of companies in the CTE industry, and it’s important for educators to reflect the diversity of students within our school system.”

The Madison County Career and Technical Education System has received $84,839 to recruit and support future educators at Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto, Highland High School, Southwestern High School in Piasa and Triad High School in Troy.

The CTE Education Career Pathways Grants were awarded to 62 schools and vocational centers across the state, totaling almost $2 million. Currently, only 18% of teachers identify as people of color. These grants are intended to help increase diversity within the CTE teaching profession in Illinois.

Applicants to the CTE Education Pathways Grant program had to submit implementation plans outlining their strategies to recruit underrepresented students into education careers. The grant also requires a partnership between grantees and institutions of higher education to ensure students can earn dual credit or other certifications while still in high school.

“For students who want to pursue careers in CTE after graduation, this grant serves as an effective tool to place qualified, committed teachers in their classrooms,” Crowe said. “CTE includes everything from health sciences to manufacturing, and for students to get the most out of this path, it is important we have skilled educators.”

For a full list of the grant recipients, visit the ISBE website.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – To provide alternative and affordable education options to students, the Illinois State Board of Education has awarded career and technical education (CTE) grants to three schools in the 27^th Illinois Senate District, represented by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights).

“As our economy adapts to the pandemic, CTE is becoming increasingly important,” Gillespie said. “These grants will help train future CTE teachers so that young learners in our community have access to affordable educational opportunities for a career in growing industries.”

The CTE Education Career Pathways Grants were awarded to 62 schools and vocational centers across the state, totaling over $1.5 million. Prospect High School, John Hersey High School and Fremd High School are the local recipients.

CTE Education Career Pathways Grants prepare students for teaching careers with hands-on experiences that offer dual-credit, credentials and mentorship. The program also gives priority to applicants in underrepresented groups in the teaching field.

Learn more about the CTE Education Career Pathways Grant at isbe.net/cte.

ELGIN – To help Illinois diversify its workforce, the Illinois State Board of Education has awarded multiple Career and Technical Education (CTE) Education Career Pathways Grants to schools in the district State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) represents.

“These grants will help schools recruit and support future educators in the Career and Technical Education field by providing them with hands-on learning experiences, mentorships and more,” Castro said. “I am excited to see three schools the district I represent receive these grants so that they can prioritize funding for CTE development.”

The CTE Education Career Pathways Grants were awarded to 62 schools and vocational centers across the state, totaling almost $2 million. Among those schools are Dundee-Crown High School, Elgin High School and Larkin High School. Currently, only 18% of teachers identify as people of color. ISBE’s CTE Education Career Pathways Grants will help increase the diversity of the CTE teaching profession in Illinois.

Applicants to the CTE Education Pathways Grant program had to submit an implementation plan outlining how they will recruit underrepresented students into education careers. The grant also requires a partnership between grantees and institutions of higher education to ensure students can earn dual credit or other certifications while still in high school.

“CTE includes everything from health sciences to manufacturing, and so much in between,” Castro said. “To truly get the most out of students who choose this path, it is important we have skilled educators who can relate to their students.” 

For a full list of the grant recipients, visit the ISBE website.

CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is expressing support for Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ becoming a national historical site after U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) introduced federal legislation this week.

“I am pleased that Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ may become a national landmark,” Hunter said. “Churches were an integral part of the Civil Rights movement, and should be remembered as such.”

The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley, and Roberts Temple National Historic Site Act would establish the church as a historic site to be managed by the U.S. National Park Service to ensure the church continues to stand and that an important part of Emmett Till’s story is preserved. This legislation has bipartisan support.

The church is remembered for hosting Emmett Till’s funeral in 1955, which was a pivotal moment for the Civil Rights Movement. Till’s public, open-casket wake was attended by thousands who saw how the 14-year-old was brutally beaten and lynched while visiting family in Mississippi earlier that year.

The call for preservation, federal recognition and National Historic Site status for Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, as well as for sites linked to Emmett Till in Mississippi, has been spearheaded by the Till and Roberts families and various organizations.

“Earlier this year, it was decided that Emmett Till’s childhood home would become an official landmark, so this proposal is another extension of Till’s troubling legacy,’ Hunter said. “We must remember these moments in our nation’s history, so that we can heal from them accordingly.”

The text of this bill can be found here.

Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and other members of the Senate Democratic Caucus welcomed news of expanded COVID-19 vaccine access and plans to reopen the state’s economy.

“We’ve made it to this point thanks to modern science and the personal sacrifices of people all across this state,” Harmon said. “You’ve followed the rules and kept each other safe until a vaccine was widely available. Thank you. I urge everyone to remain patient and vigilant as we head into what is hopefully the final phase of this horrible pandemic.”

HIGHWOOD – Lake County residents will have an easier time receiving their COVID-19 vaccine thanks to enhanced support from the state, and Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) encourages any person eligible to schedule their shot at the Lake County Fairgrounds vaccination site.

“More workers will allow us to eventually create more vaccination sites, which will lead to more accessible doses for all Lake County residents,” Morrison said. “If you’re eligible, it’s time to make a plan to get your shot.”

The Illinois National Guard was called upon by Governor JB Pritzker to bolster current operations at the Lake County Fairgrounds site. Bringing in the National Guard will allow existing staff to relocate to other parts of the county to assure wider distribution of the vaccine to the communities who need it the most.

The COVID-19 vaccination site at the Lake County Fairgrounds opened earlier this year to help vaccinate as many people as possible. Because of the size of the expo hall, dozens of vehicles can be parked inside while the vaccine is administered to them through their windows. 

To receive a vaccine, people must be registered on the Lake County AllVax system and bring their QR code, which will then be scanned before the vaccine is delivered.

“Health care workers and the Illinois National Guard members who have been supporting the state’s vaccine efforts deserve the utmost appreciation,” Morrison said. “Please, if you are eligible, get your vaccine and thank a health care worker.”

Additionally, any person in Illinois who meets the eligibility criteria can schedule an appointment at a state-supported mass vaccination site by visiting vaccine.cookcounty.il.gov.