ESSEX - The National Weather Service is forecasting major river flooding over the next several days for portions of the Illinois River, including in Grundy County. State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is pleased that nearly 60 Illinois National Guard soldiers for State Active Duty to assist with the state’s response efforts.

Both Grundy County and the governor have issued disaster declarations to provide additional resources for the local flood response. These declarations will ensure state support to communities that are shoring up local levees to protect against rising river levels.

“We have to respond quickly to rising water levels,” Joyce said. “Flooding is always unpredictable and dangerous, so I appreciate the efforts of the National Guard to support our local first responders.”

The service members called to active duty will see a change in normal operations to address the COVID-19 environment.  All guardsmen will be tested for COVID-19 prior to deployment into the local communities. Additionally, they will be issued personal protective equipment to use while working in conditions where they cannot appropriately implement social distancing procedures, and they will be housed within the community to ensure the virus is not being brought into the affected communities.

Park Forest — In a letter sent earlier today, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) called on the governor to move Kankakee and Grundy Counties into another region in his COVID-19 reopening plan.

“Kankakee and Grundy Counties are largely rural, with very few large towns and much smaller cities,” Joyce said. “Not many people live in Kankakee and commute to Chicago. They don’t need to wait until Chicago and Cook County’s COVID-19 numbers go down before reopening.”

Joyce’s letter emphasized that Grundy County has a population of approximately 50,000 and that residents of both counties lead more similar lives to the more rural counties around them than to Cook and the collar counties.

“I also represent suburban Cook County, and I understand why those communities are in the same region as Chicago. They’re in the same county,” Joyce said. “For Kankakee and Grundy Counties, it just doesn’t make sense.”

PARK FOREST — To show appreciation to health-care workers and support local businesses at the same time, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) and United Way of Kankakee and Iroquois Counties are announcing Project Full Circle, which will provide health-care workers with gift certificates to local restaurants.

Each donation of $10 provides a $10 gift card from a local restaurant to feed one frontline hero.

“Many of these selfless folks are working very irregular hours in order to keep us all safe,” Joyce said. “The least we can do is make sure they have access to hot meals when they get a chance to rest.”

Gift cards will be purchased from local restaurants that are members of the Kankakee Chamber of Commerce and given to health-care workers at Riverside Healthcare, AMITA St. Mary's Hospital, Shapiro Developmental Center and the Kankakee Health Department. 

“While COVID-19 brings new and greater challenges for many of us, our community has an opportunity to show unity, solidarity and humanity,” United Way of Kankakee and Iroquois counties Executive Director Kerstin Rust said. “Through small acts of generosity, we can support health-care workers who put themselves in high-risk situations to keep our community healthy. They take care of us. Now, let us take care of them.”

To donate please visit: https://www.myunitedway.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=14

PARK FOREST – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many companies are using their manufacturing capabilities to make disinfectant products to distribute to frontline heroes. A local example is Essations Inc., a hair and skin care product company located in Park Forest  that turned its production lines to hand sanitizer.

However, Essations Inc. found itself with a dwindling supply of alcohol  – the most important ingredient in hand sanitizer. Stephanie Luster, the company’s president and director of Education, contacted State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) for help. Sen. Joyce quickly reached out to multiple state agencies, including the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

“Stephanie Luster and Essations are taking exactly the initiative we need right now,” Joyce said. “I was eager to help her small business continue operations and bring much needed hand sanitizer to the members of our community.”