CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam is partnering with local officials and workforce development agencies to bring a virtual job fair to residents of the 8^th Senate District next week. The free, online event will take place Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“My office and I have assisted several hundred residents who are experiencing unemployment or underemployment. People are struggling right now and through our conversations, we know they are asking for a hand up, not a hand out,” Villivalam said. “I encourage everyone seeking employment opportunities to virtually meet the many employers looking for local talent.”

CHICAGO – As Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan goes into effect, State Senator Bill Cunningham is encouraging eligible local residents to sign up for COVID-19 vaccination.

“To help get our lives and our economy back to normal, everyone who can needs to get vaccinated,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “That’s the key step we need to take to be able to spend time with our loved ones, shop, eat in crowded restaurants, and attend movies and live sports again.”

Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan expands vaccination eligibility to everyone over age 65 and front-line essential workers. As supplies of the vaccine are still limited, not everyone will be able to get vaccinated immediately, but Cook County has established a waitlist. Anyone who falls into Phase 1A – health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities – also remain eligible.

“I urge everyone to be patient,” Cunningham said. “It’s going to take months for everyone to get vaccinated, but more appointments will become available as the federal government sends Illinois more vaccines.”

Eligible Cook County residents can visit https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov/ to sign up for the vaccination program. There are vaccination sites located near the district Cunningham represents in Robbins, Blue Island, Tinley Park and Oak Forest. Additional sites at pharmacies and other locations are being added daily.

GLENVIEW – To keep suburban Cook County residents abreast of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process, State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) is urging residents to sign up to receive updates, scheduling information and other important notifications on the new Cook County COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program website.

“We’re entering Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan, which means more Illinoisans are eligible to be vaccinated and more vaccination sites are opening up,” Senator Fine said. “I encourage older residents and front-line essential workers to register for updates to make sure they know when it’s their turn to get vaccinated.”

CHICAGO – After working hard to pass monumental legislation that begins to break down systemic racism as part of the Black Caucus agenda, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) vows to continue that fight in his new role as Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee.

“The criminal justice reform package we passed earlier this month went a long way toward securing real safety and justice for our communities, but there is still a lot of work to be done,” Peters said. “The package did not remove systemic racism; it still exists and affects communities of color every minute of every day. As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I pledge to continue the fight and deliver a future where everyone in our state can be made whole.”

The Senate Public Safety committee, once a special committee, will now be permanent for the 102^nd General Assembly, with Peters as the Chair. Chairman Peters played a significant role during the formation of the monumental criminal justice package that was passed earlier this month, serving as co-Chair of the nine joint committees held over the summer and fall, during which the majority of the package was discussed.

“The hearings we had last year showed just how important these issues are to everyone involved, and the responsibility to work toward a solution that makes things right is not one that I take lightly,” Peters said.

The appointment is Peters’ first as Chair of a permanent committee.

BUFFALO GROVE — To show older adults in long-term care facilities that people are thinking about them, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) is collecting store-bought or hand-made cards to donate for Valentine’s Day. 

“Older adults, especially those who may live far from family, need a chance to connect with others,” Johnson said. “One simple card can deliver so much power.”

Senator Johnson will collect cards at her district office from now until Feb. 10. The cards will then be donated to a number of long-term care facilities across the district she represents. 

People wishing to participate can drop off cards at an outside collection box or mail them to 100 S. Greenleaf St., Gurnee, IL 60031.

Senator Johnson reminds everyone to maintain social distancing and to wear a mask if choosing to deliver cards in person. 

GLENVIEW – To update Cook County residents on the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort and dispel myths about the virus and the vaccine, State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) will join local elected officials for a virtual town hall meeting Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

“The vaccine distribution process is underway, and many residents have questions about how, where and when they can get a vaccine,” Senator Fine said. “It’s critical that everyone has accurate, up-to-date information when making a plan to get vaccinated.”

Senator Fine has partnered with a number of Cook County elected officials to host the event, including Commissioners Scott Britton, Larry Suffredin and Pete Silvestri; and State Representatives Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) and Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview).

The discussion will center on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Cook County. The event is not intended for Cook County residents who live in Chicago, Evanston or Skokie, as these municipalities each maintain their own department of public health and have an independent vaccine distribution plan.

The free town hall will be streamed live via Zoom, and registration is required to join. Register at bit.ly/ccvaccinetownhall to receive a Zoom link on the day of the event.

Participants can submit questions ahead of the event by emailing Adam Newman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CHICAGO – State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) urged young women aged 14 to 18 to step up and apply to join the Illinois Council on Women and Girls to help shape the policies that will ensure a more equal future for female citizens in Illinois.

“I pushed for the creation of the Illinois Council on Women and Girls because despite some progress, women still have far to go to reach true equality in America,” Collins said. “And these policies are of even greater importance to our young women: Access to health, education, an equal wage, and so many other issues are apparent when we look to the lived experiences of our young women. We need to hear their voices.”

Collins sponsored legislation creating the council with the goal of studying the systemic barriers faced by women and girls in Illinois and developing clear policy goals to address them. Led by Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, the council issued its first report in March of last year, available here.

CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) announced the local recipients of the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) Program’s second round of funding.

“I was honored to work with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to secure funding for our local businesses in the 8th District,” Villivalam said. “Small businesses are the engine of our economy and must be prioritized for economic relief to help them through this difficult time.”

Round 2 BIG funding was awarded to over 6,100 small businesses across the state, including 194 small businesses in the 8^th Senate District. $227 million was distributed in Round 2, totaling $276 million in small business relief since the program began.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), who administer the BIG Program, contacted all applicants that hadn’t received a response by Dec. 30, 2020 of their application status. Small businesses that did not receive funding can apply for assistance from their local Small Business Development Center.

For more information of the BIG Program, visit DCEO’s website.