Senator Stadelman's Weekly Bulletin - April 18, 2025

New fire station now operational in Machesney Park

Rather than a ribbon-cutting, North Park Fire Protection District held a "hose uncoupling" Thursday to celebrate completion of its new fire station on Harlem Road, which replaces three old stations from the 1950s and 1960s that were too small house modern firefighting equipment and that became poorly located as district boundaries changed over the decades.
Senator Stadelman designated $50,000 in state funding to help pay construction costs.

$440,000 in state funds enroute to Rockford for job training: Stadelman

State Senator Steve Stadelman announced the release of $440,000 in state funds to help create pathways to good-paying jobs in construction and expand opportunities in the skilled trades in the Rockford area.
Education Design Development and Research Corp. is receiving an Illinois Works grant to provide pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships to local students, opening the door for them to build lifelong careers in the construction trades.

“We are still experiencing a shortage of skilled trade workers,” Stadelman said this week. “To fill these positions and give residents a chance at a good-paying job, programs like Illinois Works are essential.”

To see a full list of organizations receiving grant funding across the state, click here.

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Stadelman announces over $28,000 to support local school libraries

ROCKFORD – Thanks to State Senator Steve Stadelman and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, two school districts in Stadelman’s district have secured grants to support student learning.

“When we invest in our libraries, we are investing in learning,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This funding helps libraries stay up-to-date with trends to ensure accessibility for all our students.”  

In Stadelman’s district, the Belvidere School District was awarded $6,302 and the Rockford School District was awarded $21,904. The grants, awarded in the spring of every fiscal year, support school library services for Illinois students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. Resources and services supported through the grants include library books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs.

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Senate passes Stadelman legislation to protect older adults from financial exploitation

SPRINGFIELD – In 2023, instances of elder fraud cost victims over $3.4 billion, according to the FBI’s 2023 Elder Fraud Report. With more seniors falling victim to financial exploitation, State Senator Steve Stadelman has been working on strengthening protections to safeguard older adults and their financial savings.

“Fewer than 5% of elder financial abuse victims recover their lost savings,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “Allowing financial professionals the ability to pause suspicious transactions can be a big safeguard, protecting seniors and their life savings while concerns are being looked into.”

Senate Bill 1551 would allow financial advisors and other similar qualified individuals to delay transactions and disbursements from a person’s account if they suspect elder financial exploitation. It also would require them to report to the Illinois Department on Aging and Secretary of State’s securities department when they have reasonable belief that elder financial abuse has occurred.

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Stadelman announces $440,000 in job training funding for Rockford EDDR Foundation

ROCKFORD — State Senator Steve Stadelman secured $440,000 to help Rockford’s Education Design Development and Research Corporation create pathways to good-paying jobs in construction and expand opportunities in the skilled trades across the region.

“We are still experiencing a shortage of skilled trade workers,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “To fill these positions and give residents a chance at a good-paying job, it’s essential to support programs like Illinois Works.”

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $19 million in grant funding through the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program to 38 organizations across the state. The purpose of the funding is to create more pathways for students to access pre-apprenticeship programs and registered apprenticeships, which provide greater opportunities to secure lifelong careers in the construction trades. In the 34^th District, EDDR will see a total of $440,000 to support pre-apprenticeship students.

To see a full list of organizations receiving grant funding across the state, click here.