Will County News

State Senator Pat McGuire (Democrat, Joliet) has released the following statement following co-sponsoring and voting for Illinois Senate Bill 20, a bill which gives the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) control over building the Peotone Airport and calls for the airport to be operated in a public-private partnership: "Thousands of area men and women will have jobs building this airport, and thousands more will have permanent jobs at it," McGuire said. "The synergy between this airport, the Illiana Expressway, and our intermodal facilities should put. Will County on top of the economic heap for a long, long time." Proposals for the Illiana Expressway also include plans for a public-private partnership.   The B3 route for the Illiana Expressway, shown below, passes south of the proposed Peotone Airport's boundary: Illiana Expressway B3 alignment and Peotone Airport Footprint Map

At a recent Illiana Corridor Public Meeting in Peotone, the Illiana Planning Group presented images of concepts for interchanges at Route 45/52: Concepts for Illiana Expressway Interchanges at 45/52 Map of Illiana Expressway as it crosses Route 45 and 52 outside of Wilton Center For an updated map of the Illiana Expressway and possible road closures, go HERE .

Joliet Junior College's first Farmers Market is Thursday, May 23, 2013 from 3p.m. to 7 p.m. in the greenhouse area off Houbolt Road.  The market will continue every Thursday from 3-7 until October 24th (except July 4).  JJC received a $92,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) to establish the market.  According to JJC, the SNAP and LINK cards will be accepted as payment at the Farmers Market. For more info and a list of vendors, go here .

Joliet Junior College is offering a wide-range of summer classes and activities for kids of all ages. For Preschool Ages 3+, offerings include a Princess Tea Party, a Lightning McQueen story time and activity, Thomas the Train Story Time. For Grades 1-2, options include 4 day "Flat Stanley" and "Happy Birthday Amelia Bedelia"camps. For Grades 3-5, options include Golf Camp, Baking Basics, Learn to Sew for Kids, Crazy Contraptions, Junior Digital Photography, Computer Drafting for Kids, Astronomy Camp, Simple Machines, Drawing Camp, and more. For Grades 6-8, options include Technology Camp, Young Crime Solvers, 3D Animation, CPR for the Dynamic Super Sitter, Gaming Camp, Engineering Camp, and more. High School Students can take Introduction to Veterinary Medical Technology, Kids College Culinary Camp, and more. For more information on all the programs offered this summer at JJC, go HERE .

State Senators Pat McGuire and Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant voted against a bill allowing the construction of five new casinos in Illinois.  The bill-- State Bill 1739 --was passed by the Illinois State Senate on May 1, 2013. Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant issued the following statement following her vote against the gaming expansion bill: “While I understand the revenue that gaming expansion can provide our state, especially in terms of education and social services, I am worried about the impact that this expansion will have on my community.” Bertino-Tarrant fears the economic and local impact that increased gaming will have on residents of Will and Kendall counties. State Senator Pat McGuire (D-Joliet) issued the following statement after he voted against gaming expansion yesterday:  "We fought hard to keep the vote below the 34 needed to override a veto by the governor, and we did. I appreciate so many colleagues understanding that the market for casino gaming is