PLAINFIELD – To celebrate and honor those who served our country, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel is hosting a veterans appreciation breakfast event ahead of the Veterans Day holiday.

“Veterans deserve our thanks and recognition for putting their lives on hold in service of something greater than themselves,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “This event serves as a small token of appreciation for our local heroes, while helping them connect with others who have served and providing them an opportunity to learn more about programs and services that are available to assist them.”

The event will take place Saturday, Oct. 5 at 9 a.m. at the Plainfield Township Community Center, located at 15014 S. Des Plaines St. in Plainfield. Warm breakfast will be provided for attendees.

PLAINFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel has teamed up with the Plainfield Park District and Plainfield Area Public Library to host a pet expo for local residents on Sept. 7.

“Pets are a part of our family too,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Join us for our annual fun, family-friendly event where you can bring your four-legged friends out to show them some love.”

The expo will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Clow Stephens Park, located at 16650 S. Lily Cache Road in Plainfield.

Families are encouraged to bring their pets for an array of photo opportunities, training demonstrations and other activities. Face painting and temporary tattoos will be available for kids, and many local pet businesses will have booths with unique pet products.

Contact Senator Loughran Cappel’s office at 815-267-6119 for additional information.

SPRINGFIELD – A new law led by State Senator Loughran Cappel will get more teachers in the classroom, continuing her commitment of addressing the ongoing teacher shortage.

“Every year we have taken necessary steps to tackle the teacher shortage, getting more educators in the classroom,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “People who want to be teachers need support and encouragement. We can’t risk losing aspiring educators – we need to ensure they can get their licenses without delays.”

House Bill 5057 allows those applying for teaching licenses to take content area tests before, during and after student teaching. Loughran Cappel’s law will ensure applicants receive their license in a timely manner.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect youth from the dangers of vaping, e-cigarettes will no longer be shipped to Illinois under a new law led by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel.

“The internet has made it very easy for kids to get vapes,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Manufacturers are making e-cigarettes look like school supplies, making it difficult for teachers to decipher if it’s a vape or not. After hearing from local elected officials who were seeing an uptick in the usage of vapes in schools, it was clear we had to put guardrails in place to protect kids from the dangers of smoking.”

Senate Bill 3098 prohibits electronic cigarettes purchased by mail, online or through other remote sale methods from being shipped to anyone in the state other than a distributor or retailer. Loughran Cappel’s law came in response to students obtaining e-cigarettes that are designed to look like everyday objects, such as highlighters.