Caucus News

CHAMPAIGN – To support the community’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is reminding residents that testing is critical to virus tracking and response efforts.

“Testing is vital to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” Bennett said. “If we want to protect ourselves and others from this virus, we must do our part and get tested when experiencing symptoms or after coming into contact with someone with COVID-19.”

If a person believes they have been exposed to the virus, they should get tested 5-7 days after exposure – even if they don’t feel ill. Studies have shown people who are asymptomatic for the virus are still able to spread it to others, who may become visibly sick and require medical attention.

Individuals with symptoms that may be COVID-19 should also get tested, even if they don’t believe they need medical care.

Illinois has tested more than 3.8 million COVID-19 specimens since March and continues to expand testing throughout the state.

“COVID-19 testing is still available in Champaign and Vermilion Counties,” Bennett said. “The preventive measures we take today could mean the difference between life and death for our neighbors.”

There are nearly 300 testing sites across the state, including 11 state-operated community-based testing sites and 12 mobile testing teams that conduct tests at facilities experiencing outbreaks – including nursing homes and correctional centers – and areas around the state reporting increased cases. All state-operated testing facilities are free.

More information about locations, testing hours and requirements can be found at www.dph.illinois.gov/testing.

MARYVILLE – To highlight individual social-distancing efforts and give business owners an opportunity to voice concerns, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) has completed the first round of her small business tour, visiting nine locally-owned businesses within the Metro East region.

“From visiting retail employees to optometrists, every business owner I had the pleasure of meeting with is taking the pandemic seriously and imposing mask requirements, social distancing and deep sanitizing,” Crowe said. “My goal with this tour was to highlight their efforts, while also offering a casual conversation in order to have a better understanding of the effects of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

To invite different perspectives from business owners and employees in all industries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Crowe visited:

• Kloss Furniture in Edwardsville,
• Aphrodite Skin Care in Maryville,
• Financial Adviser Dustin Jumper’s Edward Jones office in Maryville,
• Escape Salon & Spa in Edwardsville,
• Behavioral Health Alternatives in Wood River,
• Leiber Vision Center in Alton,
• St. Peter’s Hardware & Rental in Alton,
• Advanced Outsource Solutions in Alton and
• Cleveland Heath in Edwardsville.

“Several of the businesses I visited were approved for PPP loans, which has relieved some financial stress from payroll and other operating costs,” Crowe said. “To ensure our small businesses aren’t held personally liable, I’m now working to facilitate the loan forgiveness portion.”

Every business will be featured with more information from each visit on Sen. Crowe’s Facebook page. Business owners interested in inviting Sen. Crowe to tour are encouraged to apply at www.SenatorCrowe.com/SmallBusinessTours.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Agriculture Chairman Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) and State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) are inviting 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.

“I’m thrilled to see this program return after seeing a lot of success in its inaugural season,” Bennett said. “This program serves as an important tool to help farmers as they increase cover crop acres beyond what might be eligible for other state and federal programs.”

Bennett and Manar worked closely with the Department of Agriculture last year to develop the program, which 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 Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program has given our farmers the chance to make additional long- term investments in the health of the finest soil in the world,” Manar said. “By continuing to prioritize this program in this year's state budget, Illinois will remain an agricultural standard bearer for decades to come."

CHAMPAIGN – To help address the state’s blood supply shortage, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is calling on healthy, eligible donors to donate blood at two upcoming blood drives taking place next week in Urbana and Danville.

“The need for blood is greater than ever, and these drives are an effort to help meet the current demand for blood donations,” Bennett said. “If you are healthy and able, your participation is critical to help save lives during this ongoing public health crisis.”

The blood drives will take place Tuesday, Sept. 8 through Friday, Sept. 11 at the Urbana Donor Center, located at 1408 W. University Ave. in Urbana, and the Danville Elks Donor Center, located at 300 E. Liberty Lane in Danville. Donation hours at the Urbana location can be found here, and Danville here.

Donor centers are following recommendations from local, state and federal health agencies to keep staff, volunteers and donors safe. Appointments and masks will be required, and chairs in all areas will be at least six feet apart.

Healthy and eligible candidates can schedule an appointment to donate in Urbana at https://ilsendems.co/C-UBloodDrive or in Danville at https://ilsendems.co/DanvilleBloodDrive. All presenting donors will receive a voucher for a $10 gift card to a location of their choice, which can be redeemed through Sept. 20.

For more information, Bennett urges residents to contact his Champaign office at 217-355-5252 or his Danville office at 217-442-5252. Those with questions can also visit his website, SenatorBennett.com.

CHICAGO –Senate Majority Leader and Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) joined colleagues at the Westside Justice Center on Tuesday to announce a plan to build a legislative agenda that addresses systemic racism in Illinois.

“We have an opportunity to leverage this moment to make sure other Black women, Black mothers and Black wives just like me can truly have peace, justice and hope for our future, knowing that our children and our grandchildren will not share the same kind of life experiences that everyone in my generation and generations before me have had to endure,” Lightford said.

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.

Aurora, Ill. - If you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, getting tested is critical, says Senate Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes (D-Aurora).

“Scientific studies show even those without symptoms have been linked to virus spread, so testing is vital, particularly for those who believe they may have been exposed,” Holmes said. “To get this pandemic under control, we need as much information as possible on who is transmitting the virus.”

Widespread testing is a key component of the Illinois Department of Public Health’s strategy to combat COVID-19. Since March, Illinois has tested more than 3.8 million COVID-19 specimens and expanded testing to all parts of the state.

“In the face of increasing infections, we need to promote more testing, not less, to identify new cases and interrupt further transmission,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike last week. 

Dr. Ezike encourages testing for any resident who thinks they may have been exposed, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms. She recommends waiting 5-7 days from exposure to get tested.

Despite a recent change in federal guidelines, IDPH continues to advise testing for anyone who comes into close contact with a confirmed case to ensure people are not spreading the virus unknowingly to others, especially to those with underlying medical conditions that put them at greater risk of complications from COVID-19.

According to IDPH, there are nearly 300 testing sites in Illinois, including 11 state-operated sites and 12 mobile testing teams. Testing is free at state-operated sites and several other

locations. More information about locations, hours and requirements can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/testing.

CHAMPAIGN – Senate Agriculture Chairman Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is inviting 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.

“I’m thrilled to see this program return after seeing a lot of success in its inaugural season,” Bennett said. “This program serves as an important tool to help farmers as they increase cover crop acres beyond what might be eligible for other state and federal programs.”

Bennett worked closely with the Department of Agriculture last year to develop the program, which 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.