Joyce, DeLuca applaud start of construction on Illinois 53

WILMINGTON – State Senator Patrick Joyce and State Representative Anthony DeLuca joined the Illinois Department of Transportation in announcing the start of the Illinois 53 resurfacing project in their districts..

“We have advocated for this project to move up on IDOT’s priority list – and it’s now becoming a reality,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “We know this route is heavily traveled in Will County and with construction now starting, we can hope to see improvements, more accessibility and safety factors soon.”

The project consists of resurfacing Illinois 53 starting at Baltimore Street from Water Street (Illinois 102) to Wilmington-Peotone Road/Kankakee River Drive in Wilmington. The construction will include new ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps and is expected to be completely in early December.

“I appreciate that IDOT is prioritizing this project and plans to have it completed by winter,” said DeLuca. “Through Rebuild Illinois, we continue to make responsible, forward-thinking investments in our local infrastructure that meet the transportation demands of today and tomorrow.”

“I appreciate that Senator Joyce and Representative DeLuca work to represent their entire district and recognize how important this resurfacing project is for Wilmington,” said Will County Board Public Works and Transportation chair Joe VanDuyne. “I’m proud to collaborate with them to deliver results like this for our constituents.”

The public can expect daytime intermittent lane closures, delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and strips in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly $9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation.

Joyce applauds $219,000 coming to local libraries

KANKAKEE — With support from State Senator Patrick Joyce, five public libraries in the 40^th Senate District are set to receive more than $219,000 in funding through library and literacy grant programs.

“Many libraries are able to expand their services because of funding through these state programs,” said Joyce (D-Essex).  “From events to books, libraries are one of the best things about a community, and it’s imperative we give them the funding and support they deserve.”

The programs are administered through the Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias, who has awarded nearly $22 million for library services and $6 million for literacy programs throughout the state. The following organizations in the 40^th District will receive funding:

• Bradley Public Library District - $8,410
• Kankakee Public Library - $34,000
• Joliet Junior College -$34,888
• Kankakee Community College - $68,000
• Prairie State College - $74,311

The goal of the grants is to enhance online catalogues, support day-to-day operations, expand interlibrary loan programs and equip vision-impaired individuals with narrations of newspaper content. The literacy grants are designed to promote basic reading, math, writing and English language skills.

“Equipping our libraries with the resources they need to increase services and expand offerings is essential to enhancing the accessibility of learning materials for all Illinois residents regardless of their geographic location, accessibility needs, income status or educational level,” Giannoulias said. “Meanwhile, increasing the state’s literacy level results in opportunities for individual success and makes communities stronger.”

For more information about the library and literacy grant programs, click here.

Joyce applauds funding for educational career grants

KANKAKEE – In an effort to address the ongoing teacher shortage, State Senator Patrick Joyce joined the Illinois State Board of Education in announcing $7.4 million in funding for grants to help prepare high school students for careers in education.

“Teachers are assets to our children and schools,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “We need career and technical education programs so our state has valuable educators who care about the future of our students.”

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Education Career Pathway Grants aim to address the teacher shortage by preparing high school students for careers in education through hands-on experiences. The three-year grants — which were awarded primarily to rural, understaffed and underfunded areas — also strive to increase diversity within the state’s teacher workforce. 

ISBE provided $24.8 million through previous rounds, serving nearly 12,000 Illinois high school students across 212 school districts and three community colleges. This round of grants was awarded to 18 entities, serving 39 school districts. Kankakee Area Regional Vocational Education System, located in Joyce’s District, is set to receive funding from the grant program.

Read more: Joyce applauds funding for educational career grants

Joyce announces over $11 million in evidence-based funding for local schools

KANKAKEE — State Senator Patrick Joyce announced that 20 school districts across the 40^th District will receive over $11 million in funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.

“Evidence-based funding continues to show our state’s testament to provide quality education to our students,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “This funding helps provide schools with the best resources possible to ensure we are giving all students a chance to succeed.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing its state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.

Read more: Joyce announces over $11 million in evidence-based funding for local schools