CHAMPAIGN – School districts in the 52^nd Illinois State Senate District are set to receive nearly $1.5 million in funding to give students in Champaign and Vermilion Counties more reliable access to technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Senator Scott Bennett is glad to see area schools receive this assistance to close the digital divide among students in downstate communities.

“During this awful pandemic, it is important that we work diligently to ensure our students are not falling behind academically because they don’t have the technology to actively participate in e-learning,” Bennett said. “As we continue to work to keep our children safe, we also need to ensure they are not missing out on vital learning opportunities.”

Bennett was pleased to see 11 school districts in the 52^nd State Senate District are set to receive support, including:

• Danville School District No. 118 – $322,268
• Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD #4 – $81,887
• Oakwood CUSD #76 – $83,123
• Rantoul City Schools School District 137 – $125,286
• Rantoul Township High School 193 – $72,907
• Thomasboro CCSD 130 – $37,607
• University of Illinois Laboratory School – $46,865
• Urbana School District #116 – $266,112
• Westville School District #2 – $100,904
• Safe School- Vermilion County Regional Office of Education – $31,303
• Safe School- Champaign/Ford County Regional Office of Education – $35,023

The Digital Equity Formula Grants, funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, are intended to help schools expand connectivity and provide students with devices like computers or tablets. Funding was distributed using a need-based formula.

For more information about COVID-19 and education, visit isbe.net/covid19.

ELGIN – To help residents obtain tests for COVID-19, State Senator Cristina Castro is partnering with several other government officials and agencies to host a mobile testing site this weekend in Carpentersville.

“Getting tested for COVID-19 remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread, since those who test positive know that they should quarantine to avoid exposing others to the virus,” Castro said. “The testing site we’re sponsoring is open to anyone, and I encourage everyone to stop by and get a test.”

PARK FOREST – State Senator Patrick Joyce is excited to announce that schools in the 40^th Illinois State Senate District are set to receive nearly $2 million in funding to improve local students’ access to technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“E-learning is a new reality for many students during the pandemic,” Joyce said. “This funding will assist schools in giving students the resources they need to take an active role in their studies.”

The funds will be distributed to 14 schools in the 40^th State Senate District:

• Bloom Township School District 206 – $195,442
• Bourbonnais School District 53 – $164,063
• Bradley- Bourbonnais Community High School District 307­ – $143,067
• Bradley School District 61 – $103,252
• Chicago Heights School District 170 – $192,866
• Gardner School District 72C – $38,845
• Gardner-South Wilmington Township High School District 73 – $40,390
• Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 – $190,530
• Iroquois/Kankakee ROE School District – $37,324
• Kankakee School District 111 – $293,195
• Manhattan School District 114 – $118,740
• Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 –$123,021
• Safe Schools - Iroquois/Kankakee ROE School District – $30,594
• Anne Community High School District 256 – $46,676

The Digital Equity Formula Grants, funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, are intended to help schools expand connectivity and provide students with devices like computers or tablets. Funding was distributed using a need-based formula.

“We must continue to work together to ensure every child, regardless of their zip code, receives the support they need to be successful,” Joyce said.

For more information about COVID-19 and education, visit isbe.net/covid19.

PEORIA – School districts in the 46^th Illinois Senate District are set to receive nearly $2 million in government funding to improve students’ access to digital technology, including more than $700,000 for Peoria School District 150.

“E-learning is playing such an important role as we overcome the COVID-19 pandemic,” said State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). “I know our local school districts will use these funds to help ensure every student has access to the technology they need to continue their education during this difficult time.”

GRAYSLAKE – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to accentuate inequalities in access to technology throughout Lake County and the entire state, Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) is highlighting that 15 Lake County-based schools have been selected to receive part of $80 million to close the digital divide.

“No student should have to miss out on learning because they don’t have the proper technological resources to participate in e-learning,” Bush said. “I am pleased to learn 15 Lake County schools have received funds to close the digital divide and give every student a chance to succeed – regardless of financial situation.”

Nearly 500 schools across the state received a total of more than $80 million to help ensure all students have reliable access to the technology they need for remote learning. The money comes from the Digital Equity Formula Grant, which was funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The grant allocated funding to the highest-need communities in the state to provide important e-learning resources to low-income families.

Schools can use the grant to purchase additional devices and connectivity or to cover purchases made since the onset of the pandemic on March 13.

For more information about COVID-19 and education, visit isbe.net/covid19.

GODFREY – To support organizations working on the front lines against the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) donated 5,000 disposable masks to nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout the Metro East.

“The safety of older residents and their caretakers is one of the utmost concerns nationally amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” Crowe said. “As I considered how best to distribute masks, it was important for me to give priority to individuals at the highest risk for infection.”

All nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the 56th District were sent a letter from Sen. Crowe’s office encouraging requests, and the first eight facilities to respond received 625 masks each. The list of facilities includes:

• Burt’s Shelter Care Home in Alton,
• Evergreen Place in Alton,
• Caseyville Nursing in Caseyville,
• Stillwater Senior Living in Edwardsville,
• Asbury Village in Godfrey,
• Morningside of Godfrey,
• Integrity Health Care in Godfrey and
• Fountain View Memory Care in Granite City.

The mask distribution was made possible by Friends of Taiwan and TECO of Chicago.

“Thank you to Friends of Taiwan for the gracious donation and TECO of Chicago for facilitating, as the masks will benefit some of our most vulnerable in Madison County,” Crowe said.

Pictured from left to right: Administrator of Asbury Village Anita Martinez, Sen. Crowe’s grandmother and Asbury resident Eilene Taylor, and State Senator Rachelle Crowe.

KANKAKEE, IL - State Representative Lindsay Parkhurst (R-Kankakee) and State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) reacted to an announcement from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources today that the Kankakee State Park Potawatomi campground is scheduled to reopen October 1. The two legislators worked together closely to cut through red tape of multiple state agencies to get the project completed so the campground, shuttered since 2015 amid a lack of capital funding to complete needed renovations, can finally reopen to the public.

Representative Parkhurst stated, “The Kankakee River State Park is a treasure we need to maintain and protect. I worked and fought for progress on getting both the Potawatomi and Chippewa campgrounds open since taking office in 2017 despite road blocks and administrative red tape at every turn. When Senator Joyce was appointed, I asked for his cooperation and support in this battle and he gladly accepted. We both have deep roots in this community and are happily and successfully working together, despite all the partisan politics in our state, to improve the 79th District. We care about our community and it took both of us, on both sides of the aisle, to accomplish the opening of the campground. Great things can happen when you put community, not politics, first. We will continue to work together to reopen the Chippewa campground.”

Senator Joyce stated, “During my time representing this district, I have worked tirelessly to ensure this remarkable resource is available to residents across this region. I am proud of the bipartisan work Representative Parkhurst and I accomplished to bring this campground to the people we represent. The park is a community staple that I am happy folks will have access to utilize and enjoy. As we kick off the fall season and more families are choosing to travel locally during the pandemic, the timing for the opening of the Kankakee State Park Potawatomi Campground could not be more perfect. We will all continue work together to get Chippewa campgrounds open next.”

For questions or more information, please contact or Representative Parkhurst’s office at (815) 523-7779 or online at repparkhurst.com or contact Senator Joyce’s office at (708) 756-0882 or online at senatorpatrickjoyce.com.

On Friday, September 18, the United States lost its petite powerhouse in the Supreme Court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ginsburg died at her home in Washington, D.C., surrounded by family. She was 87 and succumbed to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer after multiple rounds with the disease.

In reaction to news of her loss September 18, members of the Senate Women’s Caucus responded with sorrow and resolve, and released the following statement: