Stadelman helps secure $5 million for downtown street improvements, historic theater restoration

• Rockford
• Rebuild Illinois
• Times Theater
• Downtown Redevelopment

ROCKFORD -- State Senator Steve Stadelman announced today that more than $5 million in state funding is headed to downtown Rockford to help restore the historic Times Theater and reconstruct Madison Street from the City Market Pavilion to Prairie Street Brewhouse.

“The ongoing redevelopment of downtown Rockford is important to the economic growth of the entire region, and this funding focuses on another two key assets in the mix of critical public and private projects over the last 20-plus years," Stadelman said of the Rebuild Downtowns & Main Streets Capital Grant awards.

GT Partners LLC, a subsidiary of  Rockford-based Joseph James Partners, will use its $3 million Main Street award toward a $15 million restoration of the long vacant Times, built in 1938. Plans are to host live performances and films for audiences of 600 to 900, filling a mid-size gap between the landmark Coronado Performing Arts Center and the Nordlof Center stages north and south of the Times, respectively, on Main Street.

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Updates coming to Rockford, Harlem schools, Stadelman announces

• Rockford
• Schools
• Infrastructure
• Harlem

ROCKFORD – Schools in Rockford and Harlem will soon see a combined $100,000 in updates thanks to funding from the Illinois State Board of Education, State Senator Steve Stadelman announced Thursday.

“We are providing these schools with the necessary funds for improvements to their facilities that will allow them to better serve students,” Stadelman (D-Rockford) said. “Improving buildings and investing in projects for our schools ensures we are always looking for ways to facilitate better learning environments for all students.”

A total of $30 million in 2022 School Maintenance Grants was distributed to districts across the state. To be eligible for the grants, applicants were required to match the state funds and commit to completing proposed projects within two years.

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Stadelman announces over $300,000 coming to Rockford Park District

• Parks
• Park and Recreation Month
• Ray Wantz Memorial Playground

ROCKFORD – Ray Wantz Memorial Playground will see over $300,000 in funding announced by State Senator Steve Stadelman in order to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month in Illinois.

“Investment into our parks is an investment to the health and wellbeing of our community,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford) “Maintaining these public spaces gives residents greater abilities to enjoy and socialize while also encouraging everyone to get outside and get physically active.”

Open Space Land Acquisition and Development program grants are administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and support local park projects. When combined with local matching funds, the latest OSLAD grants provide more than $56 million in local park development projects and land acquisitions statewide.

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Stadelman creates new statewide assistance organization for service members transitioning from active duty

• Veterans
• Veterans Assistance
• IDVA
• SkillBridge
• Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

SPRINGFIELD – To help service members who are transitioning from active duty to the workforce, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) championed a law to designate the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs as the primary assistance agency under the U.S. SkillBridge Program that helps employers find skilled workers.

“We are assisting former military residents with transitioning back into the workforce by creating a hub of resources for them to use,” Stadelman said. “Through IDVA, veterans will find assistance where they can find benefits as well, and work toward returning to a job that fulfils them.”

The program was recently suggested by the AAR Corp. to help transition veterans to jobs within similar fields and to assist with efforts in increasing the workforce at the Rockford Airport.

House Bill 5385 designates IDVA as the primary statewide assistance organization under the U.S. Department of Defense’s SkillBridge Program, which matches service members who are transitioning from active duty with workforce development opportunities at participating employers.

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