Dupage Policy Journal

Jon Stewart, Sen. Kirk push Congress to pass 9/11 compensation bill

By Mark Reccek | Sep 17, 2015

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) on Wednesday joined U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, to urge Congress to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act.

DuPage chairman may have scored a 1st with proposed 2016 budget

By Mark Reccek | Sep 16, 2015

This year marks what is believed to be the first time a DuPage County chairman has proposed a budget in September for the following fiscal year despite the state budget not being passed yet. DuPage County Chairman Dan Cronin said Sept. 9 that the board is aware of the necessity and need county residents have for social, respite and community services.

STEM learning partnership with CPS gets $600,000 federal grant

By Mark Reccek | Sep 15, 2015

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Dist. 3) said on Friday that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Learning Partnership from Western Springs a grant totaling nearly $600,000 for an ongoing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education program with Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

Breen seeks open-meetings law reform in wake of COD Breuder flap

By Peter J. Gallanis | Sep 15, 2015

“I believe the open-meetings act was violated,” Breen said. “The (College of DuPage) board should have told the public what they were doing; there should have been an agenda item that announced there would be a discussion of an employee contract extension.”

O'Hare, Midway awarded $6.6 million in federal funds for upgrades

By Mark Reccek | Sep 15, 2015

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) said on Monday that the Department of Transportation has awarded $6.6 million in funding for ugrades to Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport.

HUD Development National Disaster Resilience Competition grant funding to be discussed Sept. 21

By Mark Reccek | Sep 15, 2015

DuPage County staff are scheduled to provide an update on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) at the Village of Lisle board workshop meeting Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.

DuPage County reports first human case of West Nile Virus

By Mark Reccek | Sep 15, 2015

Health department urges residents to take precautions against mosquito bites to avoid illness.

Naperville supporting Rail Safety Week

By Mark Reccek | Sep 14, 2015

The city of Naperville will be conducting enforcement efforts and other events as part of Illinois Rail Safety Week, Sept. 13-19.

Willis cheers new law that bans charging sex-assault victims for medical care

By Mark Reccek | Sep 14, 2015

State Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Dist. 77) praised a recently enacted law that ensures compliance with the federal Violence Against Women Act of 2013 and removes a barrier that may prevent sexual-assault survivors from going to the hospital after the crime.

Durbin, others seek federal crackdown on tax dodging by inverted firms

By Mark Reccek | Sep 14, 2015

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) and Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) in a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew late last week, urging him to publish an annual list of inverted companies and use executive authority to crack down on tax-avoidance schemes.

Chicago Transit Authority awarded $1.25 million federal grant to improve rail lines

By Mark Reccek | Sep 12, 2015

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) said on Thursday in a statement that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will receive $1.25 million in funding through the Federal Transit Authority's (FTA) Transit-Oriented Development Pilot Planning Program.

Lipinski's Future Transportation Research and Innovation for Prosperity Act advances

By Mark Reccek | Sep 11, 2015

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski's (D-IL) Future Transportation Research and Innovation for Prosperity (TRIP) Act was approved on Thursday by the Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The bill supports innovative technologies that have the potential to alter mobility in America and beyond,