Illinois
Massive spending bill — with lots of Illinois projects — passes House, Senate; sent to Biden to sign
WASHINGTON — Within the final vote of 2022, the Home on Friday handed a $1.7 trillion spending bundle — together with dozens of Illinois tasks — sending the measure to President Joe Biden to signal.
The measure, also known as the “Omnibus” invoice as a result of the appropriations cowl a really wide selection of presidency actions, was authorised on a 225-201 roll-call vote. 9 Republicans — together with Illinois members Adam Kinzinger and Rodney Davis, each lame geese — joined Democrats in passing the measure.
There’s a phrase on this city, “Vote No and Hope Sure,” that describes the actions of two different Illinois Republicans, Reps. Darin LaHood and Mike Bost. They voted towards the invoice, regardless that it included funding for tasks of their districts — funding they’d requested.
Rep. Mary Miller, R-Sick., voted towards the invoice — however didn’t ask for any tasks for her district.
These tasks was once known as “earmarks,” a phrase that got here to be related to unneeded spending.
That’s why, when it returned after an absence of some 10 years, this focused spending for a Home district or a state was renamed Neighborhood Challenge Funding. Giving members — who know their districts and states the very best — the ability to manage a sliver of federal spending is, as a sensible matter, a strong device used to forge bipartisan offers on laws. When the Republicans take management of the Home on Jan. 3, the way forward for this member-directed earmark spending will probably be unsure.
Right here’s a take a look at some Illinois members of Congress and the Chicago-area “group venture spending” they backed.
Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, D-Sick.
• $2 million to the College of Illinois-Chicago College of Public Well being for a community-driven air monitoring program, a part of an environmental justice program.
• $775,000 to the Haymarket Heart to cut back recidivism amongst adults.
• $500,000 to Youth Outreach Providers for pretrial and crime prevention providers for Prepare dinner County and Chicago-area youth, ages 12 to 18.
• $800,000 to Metropolitan Household Providers to increase coaching for professionals concerned in addressing and responding to incidences of gun violence.
• $500,000 to Heartland Alliance’s Fast Employment and Growth Initiative to cut back gun violence.
• $299,000 to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Schooling Heart in Skokie for anti-bias coaching.
• $750,000 to Wholesome Colleges Marketing campaign’s Area to Develop initiative on local weather change.
• $350,000 to the town of Chicago to help workers and programming centered on serving to individuals with disabilities who’re victims of violence.
• $1 million to the town of Chicago to retrofit and set up photo voltaic panels at libraries on the South and West sides.
• $450,000 to Higher Chicago Meals Depository for meals insecurity and starvation packages.
Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Sick.
• $4 million to Antioch Haven Houses Basis Ltd. to restore and renovate the fire-damaged schooling constructing related to the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.
• $3.9 million to the Inexperienced Period Renewable Power and City Farm Campus.
• $2 million to Beloved Neighborhood Household Wellness Heart to help a constructing enlargement. Rush’s daughter, Lacy, serves on the board. Rush, a minister, has lengthy been concerned with the Beloved community. His workplace stated in an announcement that his funding requests — which have been public — are in “full compliance” with all guidelines and legal guidelines.
• $2 million to the Illinois Institute of Know-how to ascertain a “Bronzeville Alternative Engine” on Illinois Tech’s campus.
• $2 million to the Chicago Transit Authority for an Englewood Racine Inexperienced Line Station Feasibility Research.
• $500,000 to Chicago Public Colleges for arts schooling.
• $500,000 to the Nationwide Museum of Gospel Music for a venture on the landmarked Pilgrim Baptist Church.
Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Sick.
• $1.5 million for streetlight enhancements in Harvey.
• $626,000 to the Chatham Enterprise Affiliation.
• $100,000 for STEM schooling to Mentoring Youth By means of Know-how in Harvey.
Rep. Marie Newman, D-Sick.
• $2.9 million for the Advocate Well being and Hospitals in Downers Grove.
• $500,000 for Chicago Public Colleges arts schooling.
• $1.5 million for the Mosque Basis Neighborhood Heart Facility.
Rep. Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia, D-Sick.
• $5 million for Berwyn’s thirty fourth Avenue Modernization and Stormwater Administration Enhancements Challenge.
• $3 million to the Alivio Medical Heart for a brand new group well being care middle in LeClaire Courts.
• $3 million for the Chicago Puerto Rican Cultural Heart-Enterprise Incubation and Help Hub.
• $1.1 million to the Erie Household Well being Facilities on the West Facet.
• $2 million to increase community-owned co-op housing in Pilsen.
• $2 million for the Rudy Lozano Department Library Renovation.
• $1 million for Saint Anthony Hospital pre-construction work at new location serving the West and Southwest sides.
Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Sick.
• $1.5 million for Subject Museum amenities upgrades.
• $1.44 million for the 606 Path Extension, from Ashland to Elston avenues.
• $1 million for Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Heart Constructing enhancements.
• $1.1 million to the Howard Brown Well being Heart for a dental clinic.
• $750,000 for Lincoln Park Conservatory renovations.
• $500,000 to the Chicago Public Colleges for arts schooling.
• $250,000 for the AIDS Basis of Chicago.
• $750,000 for the Lincoln Park Conservatory Renovations.
• $3.2 million to the Metropolis of Northlake for a sanitary sewer venture.
• $540,000 to the Chicago Police Memorial Basis for police bulletproof vests.
• $1.5 million to the Lake View YMCA for aquatics program expansions.
• $1.1 million to the Museum of Science and Trade; $595,025 to the Shedd Aquarium for STEM schooling.
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Sick.
• $1 million for 5 new battery-electric paratransit buses for Tempo Bus.
• $1.5 million for the DuPage River Path.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Sick.
• $3 million for the Affiliation for Particular person Growth to construct a Neighborhood Psychological Well being Heart and social providers facility in Elgin.
• $2,391,407 for the Gail Borden Public Library District’s South Elgin Department enlargement.
• $2 million to the Boys & Ladies Golf equipment of Dundee Township for a brand new group middle to serve under-resourced, minority youth in Carpentersville.
• $936,000 to the Elgin Neighborhood School to launch its Mechatronics/Automation Certificates Program.
• $750,000 for the village of Roselle to design drainage enhancements.
• $600,000 for the village of Addison for infrastructure repairs and enhancements.
• $600,000 for the village of Hanover Park for changing the ultraviolet disinfection system on the village wastewater remedy plant.
• $500,000 for the Elk Grove Village Police Division for its Elk Grove Village Cares Program to fund dependancy remedy.
• $500,000 for Harper School in Palatine for its Aviation Upkeep Program to offer alternatives for college kids within the aviation trade.
• $330,400 for village of Streamwood for the Madison Drive Bike & Pedestrian Path.
• $166,000 for the village of Schaumburg for its electrical automobile pilot program.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Sick.
In Chicago:
• $1.2 million for the Black Ensemble Instructional Outreach Studio Theater.
• $2 million for the Broadway Armory Natatorium swimming pool.
• $333,000 for the Neighborhood Assist Heart/Muslim Ladies Useful resource Heart.
• $546,859 for RefugeeOne, for psychological well being and restoration help providers for refugee communities, together with coaching.
• $3.75 million for the renovation of the Excessive Ridge YMCA.
In Evanston:
• $2 million for Connections for the Homeless Hilda’s Place renovations.
• $1,130,845 for the Household Focus “Our Place” Constructing renovation.
In Skokie:
• $1,761,500 for the Skokie Valley Path Challenge.
• $650,000 for the Turning Level Behavioral Well being Care Heart.
• $2 million to the Village of Skokie for its lead service line alternative venture.
• $525,000 for the Hatzalah Chicago emergency medical service in Lincolnwood, for workforce coaching actions and gear
• $7 million for the Rand Highway/Kensington Highway/Route 83 Intersection Enchancment Challenge, Mount Prospect.
Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Sick. (with Durbin)
• $750,000 to the Lake County State’s Legal professional for a gun violence prevention venture.
Rep. Invoice Foster, D-Sick.
• $4 million to the Fox Valley Park District for a bicycle and pedestrian bridge spanning the Fox River.
• $3 million to DuPage Township authorities for a meals pantry in Bolingbrook.
• $1.8 million to the Marie Wilkinson Meals Pantry in Aurora.
• $955,000 to Aurora College for, Foster stated, “immersive studying alternatives powered by rising applied sciences reminiscent of digital actuality, combined actuality and augmented actuality.”
Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Sick.
• $1.5 million to Northern Illinois College for a microchip innovation and workforce improvement hub.
• $974,853 for the village of Huntley’s “Outlets on Most important.”
—
Illinois
2026 Nebraska OL Landen Von Seggern excited to join Illinois family
Illinois has added to its family with a 2026 commitment. Omaha (Neb.) Millard South offensive lineman Landen Von Seggern announced his commitment to the Illini on Wednesday.
The Nebraska native visited Illinois on Jan. 11 and couldn’t have been more impressed with the visit.
“It was great, the thing that stood out the most to me was the hospitality,” Von Seggern said.
“The coaches were talking to me and treating me as if I was already a part of the team and the atmosphere was crazy at the basketball game. They have a very nice fan base and that is what made me want to be a part of the famILLy!”
Von Seggern selected Illinois over the seven scholarship offers that he holds. He took visits to Iowa, Iowa State and Kansas. But being in Champaign gave him the feeling that its where he needs to play college football.
Another thing Illinois had going for it was his relationship with coach Bret Bielema and offensive line coach Bart Miller. Bielema’s history with offensive linemen speaks for itself but Von Seggern has built a quick rapport with the pair.
“The relationship has grown very well,” Von Seggern said. “Especially for me only being up there three times. It felt like they had been my coaches already. I’m just super excited to get to work with them.”
Now the lineman’s college decision is out of the way and he can enjoy his senior year with his friends and family without worrying about where he will commit.
“The thing I’m looking forward to most about being part of the Illini is the atmosphere and the relationships between the coaches and players,” Von Seggern said. ‘FamILLy is a big thing at Illinois but they don’t just say it, they act upon it and live by it!”
Illinois
Plano, 1st Illinois community to recognize Juneteenth as holiday, cancels 2025 events
Wednesday, January 15, 2025 3:39PM
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PLANO, Ill. (WLS) — The first community to recognize Juneteenth as holiday in Illinois has canceled this year’s celebration.
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Plano, Illinois recognized Juneteenth as a holiday in February 2021. That same year, it became a state and federal holiday.
However, event organizers announced on social media that the 2025 Juneteenth celebrations were canceled.
The cancellation came due to “community engagement and negative feedback,” according to organizers.
Among the canceled events were the Martin Luther King Candlelight Bowling Fundraiser, Black History Month scholarship contest and the June Celebration at Emily G John’s School.
“My hope is that this is temporary but if the cancelation is determined that it needs to extend to 2026 then that would be the will and pleasure of the community,” organizers said.
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Illinois
Son of woman killed in domestic shooting helps pass Illinois law to protect victims, becomes advocate
CHICAGO (CBS) — In July 2023, Manny Alvarez’s mother and sister were shot and killed, allegedly by his father.
Manny, now 20, usually is not comfortable with praise. But he now has something to be proud of—as he helped pass an Illinois state law that both honors his mom and helps future survivors of domestic violence.
“My life sort of ended there in terms of—that was it,” Alvarez said. “That’s kind of that chapter of my life, and I’ll never have a dad I can call again, I’ll never have a sister I can call again, and I’ll never have a mom I can call again.”
Manny Alvarez was just 18 when his dad picked up a gun and shot his sister, Daniela, and his mother, Karina Gonzalez, to death in their Little Village neighborhood apartment. Manny was shot too, but survived.
He said he did not think his father was capable of doing such a thing.
“I mean, it’s something that we knew of, and in terms of all the domestic violence, it was very prevalent,” Manny Alvarez said, “but you know, you never really think someone’s going to go to that measure of actually hurting someone, let alone killing them, and basically ending everyone’s life.”
The deadly shooting happened during a quarrel, and two weeks after Manny’s mom was granted an order of protection against her husband, Jose Alvarez. But her husband had not been served.
“It was the worst two weeks ever,” Manny said, “because, you know, we’re just kind of sitting there going, ‘OK, like he’s not supposed to be here.”
Manny, who calls his mom the hardest working person he’s ever known, went to live with relatives. At the same time, advocates were crafting a bill requiring that police remove all guns from people with domestic violence orders of protection against them.
The advocate asked Manny if they could name the legislation after his mom. Eventually, he said yes, and the fight to pass Karina’s Bill ramped up.
The bill passed the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and Manny helped with the effort. He met with lawmakers and appeared at news conferences.
It was Manny’s way of honoring his mother.
“I can’t give her a birthday gift. I can’t give her a Christmas gift anymore,” Manny said. “But I kind of see it as a way to give back to her for all that she did for me.”
Amanda Pyron, executive director of the anti-domestic violence organization The Network, said Manny’s advocacy for getting the bill passed was “critical.”
But Pyron said their work isn’t over—even after Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signs the bill into law.
“We absolutely will monitor accountability for survivors who go into a court and are granted an order of protection with this remedy, and don’t receive it,” Pyron said.
As for Manny, he does not like to call himself brave. But he does want to keep helping domestic violence survivors—any way he can.
“I’m all ears, and that’s kind of my calling, I guess,” he said. “If anyone comes up to me with that situation, it’s, OK, what can we do? You know, who can I put them in contact with?”
It is not clear when Gov. Pritzker plans to sign Karina’s Bill into law. But when it happens, Manny said he would like to be there.
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