Joyce fights to ensure Pembroke residents stay warm

PEMBROKE – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is working to improve quality of life for Pembroke residents.

For decades, residents of Pembroke Township have been using stoves and electric space heaters in order to warm up their homes. Winters are often brutally cold in Kankakee and Grundy counties, which causes many residents to live in dangerously cold temperatures.

“Most communities have had access to natural gas for heating and cooking since the 1920s,” Joyce said. “It’s shameful that Pembroke doesn’t already have access to this basic service.”

In an effort to give the community of Pembroke a helping hand, Sen. Joyce introduced the Pembroke Township Natural Gas Investment Pilot Program.

Read more: Joyce fights to ensure Pembroke residents stay warm

Coffee and conversations with State Senator Patrick Joyce

• In District
• Community events
• Events

What: Due to concerns of coronavirus (COVID-19), coffee an conversation on Saturday, March 14, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Stefari Café (150 N. Schuyler Ave., Kankakee) is cancelled.

When: Saturday, March 14, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Where: Stefari Café, 150 N. Shuyler Ave., Kankakee

Details: CANCELLED!

Joyce visits seniors to talk fraud prevention

• seniors
• Jesse White

UNIVERSITY PARK – Seniors are often to the target of scams via the internet, on the phone and even in person.

In an attempt to warn seniors about how to avoid frauds, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) has been attending many senior events and touring senior high-rise buildings, such as Thornwood House Apartments in Chicago Heights.

“I’m committed to protecting seniors,” Joyce said. “I want to help make sure they don’t fall victim to scams and frauds.”

Sen. Joyce is a chief co-sponsor of Senate Bill 3439, an initiative of Secretary of State Jesse White to help prevent investment fraud by allowing brokerage firms to delay or stop transactions if they believe the money is being transferred to a con artist.

“We want to make sure senior investors are given every protection possible under the law,” White said. “I will continue to work with Sen. Crowe and Joyce to further strengthen investor protections as we move forward.”

According to the FBI official website, seniors are less likely to report a fraud because they often don’t know they have been scammed. 

Hayli’s lemonade law passes Public Health Committee

• Hayli's law

SPRINGFIELD – As the heat of summer approaches, some kids are working to make a little bit of cash mowing lawns, babysitting or establishing a lemonade stand outside their home.

Hayli Martinez an 11-year-old girl from Kankakee, had the perfect idea last summer to sell lemonade with different flavors in order to earn money for her college funds.

However, after much success, her lemonade stand was flagged by Kankakee Health Department officials and it was shut down soon after.

“My lemonade stand is a dream I shared with my grandma before she passed away. She always told me to make lemonade out of lemons, so I did,” Hayli said. “When my lemonade stand was shut down I became very upset. I asked myself, ‘Why me?’ I didn’t do anything wrong.”

To prevent other kids from losing their lemonade stands, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) introduced Hayli’s Law.

Soon after Sen. Joyce heard the story from a concerned constituent, he knew he had to take the issue to Springfield. 

Read more: Hayli’s lemonade law passes Public Health Committee