LINCOLNSHIRE – Small businesses provide a space for people to come together and support their communities, inspiring State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) to host the August edition of her monthly Coffee & Connect outreach event at a locally owned Italian eatery.

The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 28 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Bontà Pizzeria & Restaurant, located at 430 Milwaukee Ave. in Lincolnshire.

“During a time when so many businesses are struggling, I want to put a spotlight on the shops and restaurants that make the 30^th District so vibrant,” Johnson said. “That’s why I chose to host Coffee & Connect at Bontà Pizzeria this month.”

BUFFALO GROVE – After months of hard work and two successful community events, the members of State Senator Adriane Johnson’s (D-Buffalo Grove) 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel are heading back to school armed with new skills and experience in community service.

“I’m proud to see how much the students on my 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel have grown in the short time they’ve been working with my office,” Johnson said. “I hope this experience has empowered them to continue their activism and even pursue careers in public service.”

In June, Johnson selected six local high school and college students to participate on the 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel, which worked alongside Johnson’s district office staff for nine weeks to help put together youth-centered community events and amplify young voices in the Lake County area.

The panel successfully executed two events this summer, including a community cleanup day in Foss Park, which drew over 50 participants, and a Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable featuring input from religious and community leaders.

The panelists include:

• Maddie Wang – Rising junior, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
• Ellie Baden – Rising junior, Michigan State University
• Jason Mascarenhas – Rising sophomore, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
• Maeve Griffin – Rising sophomore, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Eliana Bernat – Rising senior, Vernon Hills High School
• Francys Munoz – Rising sophomore, Northeastern Illinois University

Wang, Baden and Mascarenhas served as co-chairs of the panel.

“The 30^th District team benefited greatly from the creativity and innovation our panelists brought to the table,” Johnson said. “After working with such brilliant and talented young people, I have even stronger hope for our community’s future.”

Johnson plans to continue the Youth Leadership Advisory Panel program in 2022. The application period will be announced next spring on her website: www.SenatorAdrianeJohnson.com.

PHOTO: State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) celebrated with her 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel following the Gun Violence Awareness Roundtable the panel helped plan on Aug. 10. From left to right: Ellie Baden, Maddie Wang, Senator Johnson, Jason Mascarenhas and Maeve Griffin. Not pictured: Eliana Bernat and Francys Munoz.

SPRINGFIELD – Northern Illinoisans will be able to access mental health care closer to their homes and families under a new law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) establishing a collaborative agreement with private providers in Wisconsin.

“Previously, Illinois residents weren’t allowed to undergo court-ordered mental health treatment in Wisconsin—even if they traveled across state lines every day for work and to visit family,” Johnson said. “It simply doesn’t make sense to force people to seek mental health care hours from home when qualified facilities are close by.”

SPRINGFIELD – Older residents will have more convenient access to information on important state programs and resources under a law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“To ensure essential information reaches all our older neighbors, we need to distribute news in a range of forms,” Johnson said. “This law will allow aging Illinoisans to keep resources close at hand—including those who may not have a computer or smartphone, or who simply aren’t comfortable navigating the internet.”

SPRINGFIELD – In memory of many friends and loved ones who have succumbed to the disease, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) sponsored a law to encourage early detection and improve outcomes by expanding access to pancreatic cancer screenings.

“Pancreatic cancer can be deadly, but early detection makes a significant difference for patients’ length of survival and quality of life,” Johnson said. “I’m proud to have sponsored this law to make screening accessible and affordable for every Illinoisan.”

The measure requires all Illinois health insurance providers to cover medically necessary pancreatic cancer screenings.

WAUKEGAN – Over 26,000 lives have been lost to gun violence in the U.S. so far in 2021, a shocking statistic that motivated State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) and her Youth Leadership Advisory Panel to take action.

Together, Johnson and the student-run panel will host a Gun Violence Awareness Roundtable on Tuesday, Aug. 10 from 5 to 6 p.m. at Clearview Park, located at 1523 N. McAree Road in Waukegan.

BUFFALO GROVE – Out of a pool of 187 nominees from all levels of government, nonprofit organizations and the business world, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) has been selected to be part of the ninth annual Edgar Fellows Program.

“It is my great honor to participate in this year’s Edgar Fellows Program,” Johnson said. “I look forward to engaging with brilliant and experienced individuals from across the state, and I hope to return to the 30^th District energized and inspired.”

SPRINGFIELD – Individuals who have overcome addiction can no longer be denied life insurance coverage or charged sky-high rates solely because they have undergone treatment for substance abuse under a new law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“For too long, life insurance companies have discriminated against those who have shown exceptional strength and commitment in seeking treatment for their addiction,” Johnson said. “This new law empowers them to move forward from their past and celebrate their recovery.”