RICHTON PARK - The Village of Richton Park was named a recipient of a $90,679 grant through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunity program, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) announced Thursday. 

“Routine infrastructure upkeep is a key component to thriving communities,” Hastings said. “Because of this grant, made possible through the Rebuild Illinois construction program, the people of Richton Park can rest easy knowing their critical infrastructure will remain first class.”

The money will be used to implement the next phase of the Town Center Stormwater Improvements project, retrofitting an existing 0.4-acre dry detention basin to increase its storm water storage capacity and convert it to a wet bottom detention basin. The current dry detention basin has an outflow pipe that immediately delivers storm water from the basin directly into the Butterfield Creek East Branch Tributary.

“This is an amazing opportunity for the Village of Richton Park. The Village has been awarded close to $5 million so far in this $24 million project,” said Michael Wegrzyn, director of Public Works. “Through this grant, the Village will be one step closer to reducing the flooding in this area, benefiting all the residents of Richton Park.”

The project site was chosen by the Village due to its close proximity to the Village’s Town Center and its location upstream of flood impact areas. The Village applied for a GIGO grant from Illinois EPA with a total project budget of $120,905, with Illinois EPA providing $90,679 in grant funds and the Village providing $30,226 in match.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings offered congratulations to over 400 South Suburban high school students who were named 2021-22 Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

“Those who excel in the classroom in high school set themselves up well for a lifetime of success,” Hastings said. “These remarkable young people always deserve recognition for their hard work – but even more so as they persevered to emerge from a global pandemic as one of our state’s brightest.”

Illinois State Scholar winners rank in approximately the top 10% of the state’s high school seniors from 676 high schools in all 102 counties. Selection is based on a combination of standardized test scores and class rank or unweighted GPA at the end of the student’s junior year. ISAC works in conjunction with the students’ high school guidance counselors to determine the winners.

SPRINGFIELD – Members of the Illinois National Guard will be sufficiently honored in death thanks to a piece of legislation, sponsored by State Senator Michael E. Hastings, which passed the Senate earlier this week.

“The presentation of a flag, whether it’s a state flag or the American flag, to the families of fallen soldiers is a crucial tradition that dates back centuries,” Hastings said. “I am humbled by my colleagues’ approval on this measure, which will extend a time-honored privilege to our state’s fallen National Guardsmen and women.”

SPRINGFIELD - To reaffirm the state’s commitment to amateur athletics, State Senator Michael E. Hastings passed a measure through the Senate State Government Committee that creates the Illinois Amateur Sports Commission Act.

“Students throughout our state saw their athletic development stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hastings said. “This commission is simply one way we can begin the work of making up for that lost time, fostering a culture of athletic success and physical fitness for future generations.”

Senate Bill 1749 creates the Illinois Amateur Sports Commission, whose purpose is to research, study, and make recommendations to the governor and General Assembly about the promotion, development, expansion, and fostering of amateur sports throughout the state.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) passed legislation through the Senate Wednesday that would allow airline employees to use earned sick time to care for loved ones.

“Forcing hard-working individuals to make a choice between their livelihood and their family is morally bankrupt,” Hastings said. “Numerous corporations throughout America have figured this out, and it is time airlines follow suit.”

SPRINGFIELD – Following the guilty verdict issued to Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) released the following statement:

“George Floyd should be alive today. His murder was a preventable tragedy that occurred as a result of extremely poor judgement, professional misconduct and blatant disregard for human life. The verdict will not bring back Mr. Floyd’s life, however, I hope that it can ease the Floyd family’s pain, anger and frustration.

As a nation, state, and community it is essential we join together to better understand one another. This requires a dedicated commitment to repairing a fractured relationship between communities of color and those sworn to serve and protect them – regardless of race, gender or background. We can and must do better.”

FRANKFORT –  State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort), chair of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, oversaw a hearing Thursday on legislation that would put hundreds of thousands of union laborers to work building a 100 percent clean energy economy in Illinois.

“As chair of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, I have had the distinct privilege of visiting with the hard-working men and women who help power Illinois,” Hastings said. “Moreover, I am one of the few in Illinois and in the country who has visited every nuclear generating facility in our state. Those who work in this industry take pride in all they do, coming from all walks of life. Their passion, hard work, and profession should not, and will not, be overshadowed by the dark cloud cast by a greedy few.”

Senate Bill 1100, the Climate Union Jobs Act would create and save an estimated 280,000 jobs and provide over $150 million annually in rate relief to low-income families, in addition to:

• Preserving the state’s nuclear fleet and other renewable generation
• Establishing new accountability and transparency requirements for utility companies
• Creating a just transition for communities economically reliant on fossil fuel generation and establishes equity requirements for clean energy jobs
• Reducing the state’s emissions from buildings and transportation
• Setting union labor standards when Renewable Portfolio Standard, Carbon Mitigation and Solar for All credits are used.

“As a legislative body, in a collective and inclusive manner, we must address the immediate threats that face our state,” Hastings said. “Today, we continued to examine these threats, hearing from passionate advocates from both sides of the energy industry. I want to thank them for their hard work, dedication, and investment in Illinois’ clean energy future. I look forward to the culmination of all our hard work and the passage of a piece of legislation we can all be proud of.”

The Senate Energy and Public Utilities will continue to meet in the following weeks to chart the course for the future of Illinois’ clean energy infrastructure.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) joined State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), State Representative Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville) and Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly Wednesday for a press conference to discuss legislation aimed at modernizing the Firearms Owner Identification card procurement process. 

“The modernization of government services is an ongoing, but necessary process,” Hastings said. “We are undertaking this initiative because of the belief that responsible gun owners should not be penalized due to those who have taken advantage of the existing system,” Hastings said. “By bringing this system into the 21st Century, we can remove burdens from law-abiding gun owners and give law enforcement the ability to hold bad actors accountable.”