SPRINGFIELD - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will be joined tomorrow by Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch to announce findings from a comprehensive study of the economic impact military bases and the defense industry has on Illinois' economy. The first-of-its-kind study in Illinois will be available for use by advocates at the local, state and federal levels to take full advantage of changes in Defense Department (DoD) spending.

The study was produced by the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Lt. Governor's Office. It examined economic factors tied to Illinois' three major, active military installations -- the Scott Air Force Base, the Rock Island Arsenal and the Naval Station Great Lakes - as well as DoD contracts, National Guard facilities and payments tied to military retirees and students.

 

DATE: Nov. 20

TIME: 9:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Blue Room, Illinois State Capitol, Springfield

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Lt. Governor will address challenges to rural ambulance service

 

SPRINGFIELD – Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will address emergency medical service providers and local stakeholders Wednesday at the second annual Illinois EMS Summit.

The summit brings together first responders, medical service organizations and local officials for workshops and panel discussions about the recruitment and funding challenges facing ambulance services in rural Illinois.

Simon was among those who called for the summit's creation. As chair of the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, Simon has advised the General Assembly on improvements to EMS in rural communities.

 

DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 19

TIME: 12:45 p.m.

LOCATION: Northfield Inn, Suites & Conference Center, 3280 Northfield Drive, Springfield

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Verizon HopeLine cell phone drive helps domestic violence survivors

CHICAGO – Oct. 28, 2014. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon brought her office's fourth annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month cell phone drive to a successful conclusion with the presentation of two $5,000 donations from Verizon's HopeLine program to the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois and Chicago-based Connections for Abused Women and their Children.

"Organizations like these help survivors to protect their families and themselves as they get back on their feet after abusive relationships," Simon said. "Each year, Domestic Violence Awareness Month is about educating ourselves about domestic violence. I hope this has called some attention to the issue, and I know that the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois, and Connections for Abused Women and their Children will use this money to help those who most need it."

Collected phones will be donated to Verizon's HopeLine program. Phones will be refurbished and sold, with the proceeds going to support local domestic violence shelters and programs. The program also provides domestic violence agencies with wireless phones and airtime for use by domestic violence victims. If a phone can't be refurbished, it will be recycled in an environmentally sound way.

"Verizon is dedicated to supporting organizations like Connections and the Violence Prevention Center," said Mike McMahon, director of business sales, Verizon Wireless. "We applaud their important contribution to our community to help victims and raise awareness of the pervasive problem of domestic violence."

Based in Belleville, the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois provides shelter and other services to domestic violence survivors in St. Clair, Monroe and Randolph Counties. The donation will be used to support the services provided by the Center's legal advocacy program, said Lisa Chilton, Director of Legal Advocacy for the Violence Prevention Center.

"The Violence Prevention Center is grateful to Verizon for this financial gift because of how it will help eliminate the barriers a domestic violence survivor faces when trying to get to safety," Chilton said. "We know lack of resources and legal assistance become barriers to safety. These additional resources will allow victims to get to safety and for the community to focus on the more important question:  "How can we stop this abuser from abusing?"

Half of the proceeds from the drive will also go toward Connections for Abused Women and Children (CAWC). Based in Chicago, the group provides domestic violence relief services to families in need. CAWC Executive Director Stephanie Love-Patterson said the cell phone drive is important and timely.

"On behalf of the board of directors and staff of Connections for Abused Women and their Children, we appreciate the generous gift from Verizon," Love-Patterson said. "These funds will help CAWC to continue to provide life-saving services and work toward our mission of ending domestic violence. We greatly value community partners like you!"

As Lt. Governor, Simon's office has collected more than 4,000 used cell phones to help benefit survivors of domestic violence. Simon's office also launched the Virtual Legal Clinic, a program aimed at providing free, confidential legal consultation to domestic violence survivors in rural and underserved counties. The program, which will continue under the purview of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, connects survivors to lawyers with expertise in family law via internet technology.

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CHICAGO - Oct. 6, 2014. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today issued the following statement supporting the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to reject appeals from five states - Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin - seeking to stop same sex marriages.

"Today's U.S. Supreme Court decision furthers marriage equality in at least 30 states, sending the message that this nation may soon truly be a nation of equality for all.

"I am proud that Illinois joined the marriage equality movement early, and I was honored to take part in the signing of Illinois' law to recognize same sex marriages. And since that law was signed, I have had the pleasure of celebrating by officiating over gay marriages.

"The majority of Americans believe that love is love, and I look forward to marriage equality being enacted in all 50 of our United States."

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CHICAGO - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will join U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), U.S. Secretary of the Army John McHugh and other officials at the Rock Island Arsenal to tour its Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center and discuss the Arsenal's future. The meeting has been initiated by Sen. Durbin, who chairs the Senate defense appropriation committee.

 

Simon chairs Illinois' Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee (IMBSEDC) and is overseeing the state's comprehensive economic impact analysis of active military bases in Illinois. The study will calculate the economic impact of the state's military installations and provide the data needed for Congressional, state and business leaders to protect Illinois' military economy at a time of federal cuts.

Simon also initiated House Bill 3939, sponsored by Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson (D-East St. Louis) and Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake), which was signed into law this summer. The new law brings Illinois into alignment with 47 other states by allowing military students to enter the same grade level at their new schools, retain previously-earned credit, and have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities. 

As chair of the IMBSEDC, Simon helps coordinate the state's activities and communications relating to current and former military bases in Illinois. Simon is committed to protecting the state's military operations, installations, and the families of those who selflessly serve our state and country.

DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 7

TIME: 11:45 a.m.

LOCATION: Ben Butterworth Parkway on Great River Trail (on the river near Radisson Hotel, 1415 River Drive), Moline, IL

NOTE: The meeting and tour will be closed to press with a media availability to follow.

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Simon kicks off cell phone drive to benefit domestic violence survivors;

Verizon-sponsored drive to benefit domestic violence shelters

 

CHICAGO – Lt. Governor Sheila Simon Tuesday will launch her office's annual cell phone drive, a partnership with HopeLine by Verizon Wireless that benefits survivors of domestic violence. Simon will be joined by representatives of the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois, Verizon Wireless and elected officials in Belleville.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Office of the Lt. Governor will partner with HopeLine from Verizon during October to conduct a Domestic Violence Awareness Month cell phone drive. Collected cell phones will go to Verizon's HopeLine Cell Phone program to be refurbished and resold. After the drive, which will run from Oct. 1-24, Verizon will issue up to $5,000 each to the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois and Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC) in Chicago.

Based in Belleville, the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois provides shelter and other services to domestic violence survivors in the East St. Louis area. CAWC aids domestic violence survivors in the Chicago area and is a member of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Metropolitan Chicago Battered Women's Network.

For more information about the HopeLine Cell Phone drive, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/aboutus/hopeline/.

 

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Hundreds of books donated during Du Quoin State Fair will go to students

DuQUOIN - Sept. 15, 2014. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon donated hundreds of books to Du Quoin Community Unit School District 300 today, bringing to a close a back-to-school book drive to promote literacy.

"Thanks to the generosity of so many people, students in Du Quoin are going to find their school library stocked with some brand new titles this year," Simon said. "I would like to thank all the people who donated, and to encourage the students to take advantage of it by getting lost in a good book."

Simon's office collected the books during the Du Quoin State Fair, which ran Aug. 22 to Sept. 1, and gathered books from fairgoers. The Lt. Governor's Office has worked directly with volunteers of the Illinois Reading Council's Illinois Reads program throughout the summer to promote books authored by Illinoisans, and to collect the new and gently-used children's books.

"At Du Quoin Elementary and Middle School, it's our goal to create a resource-rich library for all of our students and encourage them to become life-long readers," said Diana Rea, principal of Du Quoin Elementary School. "We sincerely thank Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon and her office for the generous book donations provided to our libraries. We believe, over time, this donation will help hundreds of students improve their reading skills and increase their overall love of reading. Thank you so much for the considerate gift!"

"The Illinois Reading Council is proud to call Lt. Governor Simon an Illinois Reads ambassador. As such, she has helped us to promote reading all across the state," said Illinois Reading Council Past President Tammy Potts, committee chair for Illinois Reads. "With 36 titles by 36 Illinois authors, Illinois Reads has something for everyone, from read-alouds for babies, to interesting and thrilling books for students and seniors."

District 300 students will be getting plenty of use out of the books; as part of a year-long literacy program, students of the middle school are required to have a library book out at all times.

As an ambassador for Illinois Reads, Simon partnered with the Illinois Reading Council to hold the back-to-school book drive at her tents at the Springfield and Du Quoin State Fairs. Visitors could drop off new or gently used children's books, hear Illinois authors read from their works, and also register to win the 36 books selected for Illinois Reads 2014.

For more information about Illinois Reads, please visit www.illinoisreads.org.

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Simon: Remember heroes of Sept. 11

 

CARBONDALE - September 11, 2014. On the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon is encouraging Illinoisans to take time to remember the victims and survivors, but also the firefighters, police and first responders who acted with heroism that day.

"As we remember the tragedies in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, let us also remember the courage and selflessness of the first responders who came to the aid of their fellow Americans," Simon said. "Today is a day to reflect on that heroism."

As chair of the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, which is tasked with improving delivery of state services to rural Illinois and expanding opportunities for rural residents, Simon has been encouraging Illinoisans to volunteer as first responders in their local fire protection and emergency medical services organizations. Those lifesaving agencies, often the nearest medical help available for some residents, have seen a 19 percent drop in the number of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Illinois over the past two years.

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JOLIET – Officials with Joliet Junior College and the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters will host a reception to honor Lt. Governor Sheila Simon for her support in launching an educational program that will open the doors for members of the carpenters` union to earn bachelor`s degrees.

Working with Joliet Junior College, Simon gave her support to a program that allows union members to gain college credit for applicable on-the-job experience that can go toward degrees and certificates.

JJC president Dr. Debra S. Daniels and CRCC President Frank Libby will present the event.

Speaks about education reform initiatives

Welcoming the Class of 2025 back to school, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon highlighted a new leadership program aimed at keeping Carbondale Middle School students on track to graduate.

Simon joined Principal Marilynn Ross to tout the first CMS Leadership Academy, which provided students with tools to handle stress and inspire good behavior. The summer academy builds on a discipline program students will learn about in the opening days of class that aims to increase the time students are spending in class.

The future college Class of 2025 is now in sixth grade.

"The Class of 2025 is going to shape the future Illinois," Simon said. "We need to provide every student, from Carbondale to Chicago, a clear path for success. Investing in their education is an investment in our state workforce."

The year 2025 is the deadline set by Illinois leaders to have 60 percent of working-age adults hold a college certificate or degree. Economists say the highly educated workforce will be needed to attract and retain jobs of the future.

As part of the 60 by 2025 strategy, Simon's office is working with the state's public universities and community colleges to bring up college completion rates among students through Guided Pathways to Success, which aims to streamline course requirements so more students can graduate on time, in less debt and with a career connection. She also helped launch the state's first math curriculum to cut down on remediation needs and led the Classrooms First Commission as it recommended ways for districts to redirect $1 billion from administration to classrooms.

Simon serves as the state's point person on education reform and chairs the Joint Education Leadership Committee for the P-20 Council, the state's top educational advisory body. This was Simon's second address to the future college Class of 2025 in Carbondale. She first visited in 2011 when the Class of 2025 was in third grade at Thomas Elementary School.

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