KANKAKEE – To create jobs and promote economic recovery during the pandemic, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is eager to announce Will and Kankakee Counties have been selected to receive a combined $1.14 million in grants for job training and placement programs. 

“Increasing job opportunities across Will and Kankakee Counties is especially vital right now, during a time when so many people are out of work due to the pandemic,” Joyce said. “These grants will ensure people have the tools they need to get our communities back on track and help restart our economy.”

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Security (DCEO) has received two $8.3 million grants as part of the National Dislocated Worker Program, totaling a $16.6 million investment to place, train and hire Illinois workers to fill high-demand positions and assist local disaster relief programs.

Of that funding, the County of Kankakee Northeast has been awarded $296,570, and Will County Northeast has been awarded $825,000.

The state has distributed funding to 12 Local Workforce Innovation Areas to expand education and training opportunities throughout Illinois. DCEO will partner with local workforce agency partners to assist with filling high-need, temporary roles to help mitigate COVID-19 in communities, including contact tracers, COVID-19 protocol workers, building sanitization workers, temperature screeners, and food preparation and distribution workers.

Training and hiring for new workforce programs are expected to begin this fall. Local workforce agencies will prioritize applicants who have been laid off or otherwise lost their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis at the time of their application. A full list of available training and hiring opportunities is available on Get Hired Illinois.

CHICAGO HEIGHTS – To allow motorists to renew their driver’s licenses and purchase vehicle stickers without visiting a driver services facility, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) will host a free mobile unit event in partnership with the secretary of state’s office Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chicago Heights Park District, located at 1400 Chicago Road.

“Because of the ongoing public health crisis, some drivers haven't been able to renew their driver’s licenses or vehicle registrations in person,” Joyce said. “Drivers will have a safe and convenient way to make those transactions without having to visit a DMV by attending the secretary of state’s mobile unit event.”  

The unit operates like a DMV office and offers driver’s license renewals, identification cards and license plate stickers. Attendees must wear face coverings, and social distancing rules must be followed.

Joyce is reminding residents that the deadline to obtain a REAL ID has been extended an additional year to Oct. 1, 2021, and REAL ID services will not be available at the mobile unit.

With questions or for additional information, contact Senator Joyce’s office at SenatorPatrickJoyce.com or call 708-756-0882.

PARK FOREST – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is encouraging area farmers to apply to the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s “Fall Covers for Spring Savings” cover crop program to receive a discounted crop insurance rate in spring 2021.

“This is a very exciting program that can benefit soil health and protect water quality on and around our farms,” Joyce said. “I strongly encourage local farmers to take this program into consideration when making their fall planting decisions.”

The program allows eligible applicants to receive a $5 per acre premium discount on the following year’s crop insurance invoice for every acre of cover crop enrolled and verified in the program.

The goal of the program is to encourage farmers to plant additional acres of cover crops that are not covered by other state or federal incentives.

“Cover crops are a great way to keep soil anchored, salvage nitrogen, capture carbon and create weed suppression,” said Jerry Costello II, Acting Director of Agriculture. “In the long run, cover crops will help Illinois farmers reduce the need for fertilizer and reach the goals of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.”

Any farmer with coverage through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency crop insurance program is eligible to apply.

Applications will be available in December on the Illinois Department of Agriculture website. For questions or additional information, contact the department at (217) 782-6297.

DRESDEN – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) criticized the Exelon Corporation’s latest decision to retire Dresden Generating Station in fall 2021, employing 825 Grundy and Will County residents.

“Closing the plant during this economic hardship will have a long-lasting negative impact on the region,” Joyce said. “I am enraged that Exelon would choose to cut jobs and threaten our local economy at a time when hardworking men and women across the region are already struggling from this awful pandemic.”

Dresden Generating Station’s two nuclear reactors generate more than 1,800 megawatts of zero-emissions energy: enough carbon-free electricity to power more than 2 million homes. The plant was set to operate another decade.

Exelon also announced they would be closing the Byron Plant. Both plants combined supply 30 percent of Illinois’ carbon-free energy and help the state to meet its goal to achieve 100 percent clean energy.

Dresden provides hundreds of well-paying jobs and millions of dollars in local economic support, including about $24.8 million in taxes annually for schools, roads and other public services.

“I will continue to work with the bipartisan Senate’s Energy and Public Utilities Committee to institute policies that improve the lives of the people of the 40th State Senate District,” Joyce said.