SPRINGFIELD – The Decatur Park District has been selected to receive $57,500 in state dollars through the Illinois Bicycle Path Grant Program, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) announced Friday.

“This is a great investment for the city of Decatur, especially as we head into the warmer months of the year,” Turner said. “This grant creates an opportunity for safe activities for families and outdoor enthusiasts. It also opens up a new form of transportation for residents, which is a major plus for cyclist.”

The Park District will use the grant funding to acquire 31.7 acres of land located in the northwest portion of Decatur. The land will allow for access to the current 10-foot-wide asphalt bike trail, which is 9.8 miles long with an additional 1.5 miles under development. The added land will help complete the final 2 miles of the Stevens Creek Bikeway.

The Illinois Bicycle Path Grant Program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, has helped develop nearly 1,000 miles of local government bike trails in Illinois. This year, the program will fund seven bike path projects across the state totaling more than $800,000.

Learn more about the program, eligible projects and the application process here.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner’s (D-Springfield) plan to add agricultural sciences as a type of course that may be counted towards the requirement for three years of sciences in order to gain admission to an Illinois public university passed the Senate Higher Education Committee Tuesday.

“The study of agriculture is vitally important, and our curricula should reflect that,” said Senator Turner. “The current exclusion as an option for a science course for admission is a huge disservice to students who plan to one day study and/or work in the field.”

SPRINGFIELD – Taylorville Memorial and Hillsboro Area Hospital are expected to receive additional COVID-19 vaccines as part of the Safety Net Direct Vaccine Allocation Pilot program. The plan, spearheaded the Illinois Department of Public Health, declared on March 3, 2021, which five federally qualified health centers and four safety net hospitals would be selected in the first round.

“The medical teams and staff at both Taylorville Memorial Hospital and Hillsboro Area Hospital have been working diligently to improve the health of the people within their communities and this substantial increase in the COVID-19 vaccine supply is urgently needed,” said Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield).

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner’s (D-Springfield) district office staff held their first traveling office hour this week – the beginning of a program that Turner intends to make permanent.

“Traveling office hours are a great opportunity to talk with a member of my staff in a town near you about any problems or questions you may have,” Turner said. “It’s my top priority to serve as a resource for all of you to ensure community needs are met.”

Moving forward, traveling office hours are as follows:

First and third Wednesdays of the month:

• 9 a.m.-noon - Macoupin County: Carlinville City Hall Council Chambers, Carlinville City Hall, 550 N. Broad St., Carlinville, IL

Second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, starting March 10:

• 8 a.m.-noon - Montgomery County: Litchfield City Hall, 120 E. Ryder St., Litchfield, IL
• 1 p.m.-4 p.m. - Madison County: Worden Village Hall, 115 W. Wall St., Worden, IL

Second and fourth Friday starting March 12:

• 9 a.m.-noon - Christian County: 115 N. Main St., Taylorville, IL

Masks are required, and social distancing will be observed. More information about the traveling office hours is available via phone at (217) 782-0228 or on Senator Turner’s website.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner praised a plan by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Crossing Healthcare of Macon County to administer more vaccines to residents in Decatur, part of a broader pilot program which includes five federally qualified health centers (FQHC) and five safety net hospitals around the state.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the residents of Macon County,” said Senator Turner (D- Springfield). “The launch of the new pilot plan will not only save many lives, but will also forge a partnership that will benefit communities in the future. Recognizing that certain gaps exist in health care access is a huge first step that will lead to successful health outcomes.”

The state will provide each of the sites with approximately 300-500 additional vaccine doses per week. This comes in addition to the doses the state already has slated for distribution to health care partners like local health departments and pharmacies.

“Increasing the number of doses at Crossing Healthcare will be crucial to curbing the disease that has claimed the lives of so many of our family members, friends and neighbors,” Turner added. “Illinois residents, especially those in underserved communities, deserve access to quality services and I am elated about the progress we are making.”

Crossing Healthcare is located at 990 North Water St. Decatur. To find additional information about vaccine availability, including locations and eligibility, visit http://www.coronavirus.Illinois.gov.

CLINTON – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) traveled to the Clinton Power Station yesterday to tour the facility and meet with employees.

“The situation in Texas serves as a harsh reminder of what can happen when state government neglects existing energy infrastructure and fails to innovate. Everyday Texans are still enduring unusually frigid temperatures without access to heat and water. This simply cannot be allowed to happen in Illinois,” Turner said. “I look forward to working to ensure that our state’s energy infrastructure remains state-of-the-art, implement training programs for people transitioning to a job in a new energy sector and protect existing, good-paying jobs Downstate.”