Second Chances Summit helps improve lives of Rockford area residents

Two dozen volunteer attorneys provided free legal assistance to 135 people hoping to expunge or seal their criminal records, opening the door for them to obtain better jobs, find better places to live or go back to school. Interest in second Second Chances Summit was so high that a third annual event is likely to occur next year.

Attorneys met one-on-one with summit attendees to reivew their criminal records and drafted the necessary documents to request judicial relief for those determined to be eligible under Illinois law. Eligibility depends on the type of offense and length of time without a subsequent charge.

"If you listened to the stories of any of the people who attended the summit, you quickly realize they are haunted for years or even decades by a past transgression that often wasn't a serious enough offense to even warrant jail time," State Senator Steve Stadelman said. "As a result, they've been underemployed and lack the financial resources to engage a lawyer. In extending a hand up to them, we are lifting our community as a whole."

During the summit at the Nordlof Center in downtown Rockford, attendees also could register to vote, apply for a library card and learn about employment opportunities and job retraining programs. In addition to the attorneys who donated a full day of their expertise at no no charge, several local law firms donated funds to offset costs associated with the event

Stadelman organized the summit in partnership with Prairie State Legal Services, Rockford Public Library and United Way of Rock River Valley.

Watch WTVO-17 news report

' Wellness Fair ' offers free health services for fifth year

From flu shots to reflexology demonstrations, an array of free local and state services are being brought together by State Senator Steve Stadelman in his annual event focusing on women's health.

Admission and parking are free for Senator Stadelman's Women's Wellness Fair from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. Saturday, November 16, in Kresge Hall at Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St. in downtown Rockford.

Services available at Senator Stadelman's Women's Wellness Fair include:

• Influenza, shingles and pneumonia immunizations
• Blood pressure, blood glucose and body mass index (BMI) testing
• Massage and reflexology demonstrations
• Enrollment in the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program for uninsured women
• Illinois Organ and Tissue Donor registration
• Medicare and Medicaid advice
• Skincare consultations

Displays booths also will feature information on weight-loss support groups, essential oils, healing crystals and chakra stones.

Complimentary refreshments will be provided, and the harp and flute duo Emerald Wind will perform. Additional details are available at www.facebook.com/steve4womenshealth.

"Health care, especially for women, remains a central public policy concern," said Stadelman, who began the event in 2015. "I believe very strongly that a woman's ability to pay should never stand in the way of her receiving basic health care -- especially preventive care."

In case you missed me on Facebook ... 

Lo pasé muy bien (I had a good time) at the Dia De Los Muertos celebration! The money raised will be used to buy backpacks filled with essentials and given to the children in the DCFS Foster Care Program. Great to see Ricardo Montoya Picazo, who works in Cheri Bustos' office, and Mayor Thomas McNamara!

Senate passes bill sponsored by Stadelman to cap insulin copayments

Legislation co-sponsored by Steve Stadelman to limit out-of-pocket costs for insulin-dependent diabetics was approved in the Illinois Senate this week.

If passed in the House and signed by the governor, Senate Bill 667 would cap the amount diabetics pay for insulin to $100 for a 30-day supply. The bill advanced from the Senate on a 48-7 vote during what was the first of the legislature's two-week fall veto session.

In arguing for the statewide cap, Stadelman noted the long-term costs of diabetics rationing insulin to save money and damaging their health by failing to manage the glucose level in their blood.

Stadelman has a teenage son who is diabetic. 

“Two weeks ago we picked up his latest prescription and the retail price on that prescription was over $1,400 for a 30-day supply,” he said. “That is absolutely ridiculous.”

 Bypass 20 among local projects on state's five-year road list

U.S. Bypass 20 south of Rockford and Illinois Route 2 north of Rockford are among the projects in State Senator Steve Stadelman's legislative district scheduled for improvement under the latest Multi-Year Plan released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The plan, llinois' first comprehensive infrastructure program in nearly a decade, outlines an anticipated statewide road and bridge investments through 2025.

More than $91.5 million is slated to be spent in the area Stadelman represents, which includes Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park:

• $22.8 million on culvert repair, land acquisition and resurfacing of more than 3 miles of Illinois Route 2 between Elmwood and Roscoe roads
• $8.7 million to resurface almost 4 miles of Bypass 20 from the Rock River to the Interstate 39/U.S. Route 51 interchange.
• $7.8 million to modernize traffic signals, widen and add a bicycle lane to U.S. Business 20/East State St. between Mid-America Drive and Buckley Drive in Rockford.
• $5.3 million to repave 8.6 miles of Illinois Route 70 from the Pectonica River to Safford Road in Rockford
• $1.8 million to repave U.S. Business 20/West State Street from Springfield Avenue to Meridian Road in Rockford

In case you missed me on Facebook ...

Thank you to ALL involved in the "Top of Illinois Veterans Stand Down" at the Mendelssohn Performing Arts center! Hundreds of veterans were able to get a hot lunch, free winter clothing, flu shots, haircuts, massages and many other services. Also great to see former Channel 17 colleague Bob Ryder who's with the Boone County Veterans Assistance Commission.

 SPRINGFIELD - Amid life-threatening increases in the cost of prescription insulin, Steve Stadelman, a State Senator and father to a diabetic son, voted with fellow lawmakers today to cap insulin copayments. The legislation will cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply.

 “I have seen the struggle that diabetics face every day,” said Stadelman, a Rockford democrat. “Diabetes is a lifelong affliction for those who have it. It shouldn’t also be the cause of financial stress for their families.”

 There are currently over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. An individual with Type 1 diabetes, a lifelong condition that often begins at birth, will spend an average of $5,705 per year on insulin alone.

 “Without adequate insurance, many people with diabetes can’t afford the insulin they need to survive,” Stadelman said. “Rationing insulin leads to further health problems and more expensive health care costs in the long term. This legislation will provide medical and financial relief for thousands in the Rockford area and across the state of Illinois.”

 The price of insulin has tripled between 2002 and 2013, which has led to many patients rationing their insulin and sacrificing other daily needs to pay for the medication.

 Senate Bill 667 passed with a vote of 48-7 and would make Illinois the second state in the nation to cap prescription insulin co-payments.

Stadelman commends airport growth

State Senator Steve Stadelman joined Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and federal legislators in applauding the Rockford airport at a news conference this week for recent achievements that include the expansion of its international cargo terminal to accommodate 500 new e-commerce jobs with Amazon Prime Air.

"Without question, our airport is a major force in the local economy," said Stadelman, who earlier this year delivered almost $15 million in state funding toward construction of the airport's jet repair hangar. "I have no doubt R-F-D will continue to reach new heights for years to come."

RFD has been named the world's fastest-growing cargo airport among those handing more than 250 metric tons and ranked 19th largest nationwide with 2.1 billion pounds in cargo activity, a percent jump over the previous year. On the passenger side, two carriers now offer 10 nonstop travel destinations.

"None of this phenomenal growth would be possible without public-private, bipartisan and local, state and federal cooperation and support," Stadelman said.

Stadelman inserted into the state's current budget $14.7 million to make good on a pledge to help finance the jet repair hangar. The money had been promised by Gov. Pat Quinn but frozen by Bruce Rauner, forcing the airport to take a bridge loan from local banks to cover the gap. .Arrival of the state's share of the project in August saves the airport from interest charges of up to $100,000 a month.

Stadelman announces second Second Chances Summit

More than 200 sign up to receive free legal advice at one-day event

State Senator Steve Stadelman announced the approaching deadline to register for his second Second Chances Summit, which provides free legal assistance to people hoping to improve their lives by removing old offenses from their criminal records. More than 200 had signed up by the Monday cutoff, with some being replaced on a waiting list while efforts continue to recruit additional volunteer attorneys for the one-day event Nov. 1.

Lawyers licensed in Illinois can join the effort by visiting www.senatorstadelman.com and clicking on the dark red "volunteer" icon or by calling event partner Prairie State Legal Services at 815-965-2902.

Attorneys who volunteer to prepare petitions to expunge and seal eligible criminal records are helping summit-goers obtain higher-paying jobs, return to school or find better housing, Stadelman said during a news conference. Training for the event can be used to help satisfy continuing education requirements for Illinois lawyers, he said.

"State law allows people who meet certain criteria to ask a judge to erase or conceal the record of past transgressions, and we all prosper as a result,' Stadelman said. "Missteps from your youth shouldn't prevent you from adequately providing for yourself and your family for the rest of your life."

New as part of the 2019 summit is a presentation by Winnebago County State's Attorney Marilyn Hite Ross, "Cannabis Clemency: Illinois' New Law Legalizing Marijuana." Many lower-level marijuana convictions can be removed from people's records after retail sales become legal in January 2020. Hite Ross' talk from noon to 12:45 p.m. in the Nordlof Center in downtown Rockford is open to the general public; advance registration is not required.

In case you missed me on Facebook ...

I love how middle school students say and ask whatever is on their minds! I had the opportunity to visit Lincoln School, take a tour with Student Ambassadors and speak with the newcomer bilingual students. Thanks Mustafa Abdall for the invite!

From the progressive income tax and independent political mapping to gambling expansion and legalizing marijuana, residents at Valkommen Plaza in Rockford asked some great questions yesterday afternoon. Thanks to Ald. Tuffy Quinonez for inviting to speak in his ward!

 Congratulations to Crusader Community Health on breaking ground on its new $13 million clinic and headquarters on the same West State Street campus where the nonprofit medical provider got its start almost 50 years ago!