Will County, Ill.  – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel and State Senator John Connor are partnering with the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Workforce Center of Will County to host a series of workshops to provide local residents with the tools necessary for a successful job search.

“As we move through the waning days of the pandemic, we expect to see our state’s employment numbers continue to rise,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood).“By doing our part to provide resources for local job seekers through partnerships with entities like IDES and the Workforce Center of Will County, Illinois can re-emerge with one of our nation’s strongest economies.”

“When our workforce is strong, our economy flourishes,” said Connor (D-Lockport).“Programs like these are crucial to rebuilding our state post-pandemic and ensuring that Illinoisans looking for work have the resources necessary to take advantage of opportunities that come their way.”

Workshops will be centered on the topics of searching for jobs, interview preparation, and career changes. They will be held on the following dates:

• July 13, 10:00 a.m. – Master Your Job Search: A review of basic job search techniques, including networking, how to use the Internet to conduct your job search, and salary negotiation.
• July 20, 10:00 a.m. – Career Information Systems (CIS): For those preparing for a career change, returning to the workforce after a break in employment, or both. CISJR features job search resources, career planning guidance, and then connects you to Illinois Job Link – the Illinois Labor Exchange system – to see actual jobs posted by Illinois employers. Use Jobseeker Success Mindset Training to help overcome potential barriers to reemployment and find your new career direction.
• July 27, 10:00 a.m. – Online Interview Workshop: Learn how to prepare for a virtual or in-person job interview so you will be confident and ready to make a positive impression

People interested in attending these free events must register and can do so by calling Senator Loughran Cappel’s District Office at (815) 267-6119, Senator Connor’s district office at (815) 207-4445, and by visiting either www.senatorloughrancappel.com or www.senatorconnor.com.

PLAINFIELD – Gracie Benstine, a recent graduate of Oswego High School, was one of just five students statewide selected by the Illinois Conservation Foundation to receive the Conservation Achievement Scholarship, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) announced Friday.

Benstine was chosen for the $2,000 scholarship because of her dedication to environmental protection in her community.

“Positive change always starts at the local level,” Loughran Cappel said. “In order to curb the very real effects of climate change, we need more people like Gracie Benstine to lead the way in our communities.”

Volunteering at a community food pantry garden, Benstine composted natural fertilizer, collected rainwater, and helped provide 2,000 pounds of produce for families in need. As a member of the local Student Leadership Initiative Program and the National Honor Society, Benstine also helped remove invasive plants at local forest preserves, participated in cleanups along the Fox River, raised money for tree planting efforts, and organized student-to-student efforts to study and combat impacts of climate change.

“Gracie’s long list of accomplishments speak for themselves, and I could not be more proud of her for taking the initiative to make a difference in her community,” Loughran Cappel said.

Benstine’s nominators praised her community service ethic and student leadership roles. Benstine plans to attend Augustana College in Rock Island.

More information on the scholarship program and a list of other recipients can be found on ICF’s website.

WILL COUNTY, Ill. – With Illinois receiving its first credit upgrade in nearly two decades, State Senators Meg Loughran Cappel and John Connor praised the result of efforts during last spring’s budget negotiations.

“The decision to upgrade the state’s credit rating is a result of fiscally responsible budget making and is fantastic news for Illinois taxpayers,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood).. “This will lead to reduced interest rates for state borrowing, freeing up taxpayer dollars to be invested in places like our public education system.”

Moody’s analysis determined the enacted Fiscal Year 2022 budget for the state increases pension contributions, repays emergency Federal Reserve borrowings and keeps a backlog of bills in check with only constrained use of federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act.

“Illinois’ improved rating shows that we are making responsible fiscal decisions as viewed by an outside agency,” said Connor (D-Lockport). “For the first time in over 20 years, Illinois is moving forward.”

SPRINGFIELD – Fitch Rating released a revised outlook on Illinois’ financial forecast earlier this week, a move several suburban lawmakers praise as a direct result of responsible spending.

“Despite navigating a global pandemic, we were able to cut spending by nearly $1 billion since 2020 while simultaneously meeting our pension obligations and increasing investments in K-12 education by $350 million,” said State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “It is incredibly gratifying to see positive results stem from responsible budget action.”

"After years of fiscal irresponsibility and chaos under the previous governor, these rating upgrades are an example of what we can accomplish by working together to implement responsible budgets,” said State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort).. “This is a vote of confidence in the future of our state.”

“Legislative actions have consequences and we are seeing the choices made by the General Assembly over the past several years yield positive results,” said State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport).“The bottom line is that this is a concrete example of fiscal responsibility creating an incredibly bright future for our state.”

Fitch’s is the third ratings agency to upgrade the state’s forecast, in addition to Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s.

Highlights from Fitch’s analysis include:

• “Recent fiscal results and the enacted fiscal 2022 budget suggest further improvements in operating performance and structural balance in the near and medium-term that could support a return to the pre-pandemic rating or higher.”
• “Recent improvements including reduction in accounts payable and enacting plans for early retirement of federal pandemic loans, signal improvement in budget management.”
• “Broadly, the state reports a $1 billion reduction in total general fund spending for fiscal 2022 ($42.3 billion) versus the current services estimate provided in November 2020. General fund base operating spending remains flat in the fiscal 2022 enacted budget versus fiscal 2021 at $30.8 billion. Funding for K-12 and higher education is up 3%, including a $350 million increase for K-12.”