WOOD RIVER – Pleased by the governor’s executive order signed Monday to strengthen the state’s commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic and increasing the state investment by over $4 million in this fiscal year, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) issued the following statement:

“I commend the governor’s work to fight against opioid abuse. As members of the Senate’s Opioid Crisis Abatement Committee have studied this crisis, we’ve been able to identify areas lacking support and ways to improve access to opioid addiction prevention and treatment programs.

I’ve been meeting with experts from state and local agencies to draft initiatives addressing the discrepancies in resources and will soon introduce legislation to curb the opioid epidemic.

I thank Gov. Pritzker and his administration for prioritizing this burden affecting thousands across our state. I look forward to his partnership.”

IEMA to host ‘FloodPrep’ informational event in Alton

ALTON – Officials with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) and Illinois Department of Natural Resources are partnering to host a Flood Prep event this Wednesday in Alton to prepare the community for the possibility of spring flooding.

“Flooding in Metro East river communities is inevitable, and this event will connect people with state officials giving them the opportunity to ask questions and learn about resources available to them,” Crowe said.

At this meeting, the public can learn more about the potential for spring flooding, availability of flood insurance, how to receive emergency alerts and notifications and tips for family emergency preparedness planning.

In addition to gathering critical life-safety information, attendees can also register for a chance to win one of 15 free weather radios being given away in partnership with the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA). 

The event is Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 at the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton from 4 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.. Attendance is free and open to the public with no reservation required.

The next event is in Moline at Black Hawk College Sustainable Tech Building on Jan. 29, 2020.

GRANITE CITY - To continue discussion of Illinois’ plan for combatting the opioid epidemic, members of the Senate special committee on Opioid Crisis Abatement met in Granite City Thursday to hear testimony from various state and local agencies.

“I am pleased with the effort and progress made by the committee and departments who testified during committee,” Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) said. “The conversations allowed us to identify issues with access to treatment programs and areas lacking resources, giving us better insight as we begin to start designing legislation to address these discrepancies.”

According to testimony from officials with the Illinois Department of Human Services, the statewide Opioid Crisis Helpline has received more than 20,000 from people struggling with opioid use disorder related issues.

“During the hearing, we looked at situations we could improve at the state level for children in foster care or enduring custody battles with parents struggling with addiction,” Crowe said. “Children make up a huge portion of the ones suffering from, and we’re taking a comprehensive approach to fighting the effects addiction has on a person and their family from the inside out.”

The committee meeting was held at Chestnut Health Systems in Granite City Thursday afternoon. The date and location of the next meeting has not yet been disclosed.

GLEN CARBON – Six local school districts will receive more than $14,000 in grants through the Illinois secretary of state’s School Library Grant program, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) announced today.

The grants, which are issued by the Illinois State Library, are meant to help public schools offer more library books and materials to students.

“School libraries have the tools to increase a child’s lifelong learning and literacy skills, enabling their individual social participation both in the classroom and at home,” Crowe said. “I applaud our state for recognizing the importance of providing our children with the opportunity to find a passion for reading.”

Schools receiving school library grants include:

• Alton Community Unit School District 11 – $4,395.00
• Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 – $2,877.00
• Granite City Community Unit School District 9 – $4,280.25
• Central School District 104, O’Fallon – $750.00
• Roxana Community Unit District 1 – $1,302.75
• East Alton-Wood River Community High School District 14 – $750.00

From Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations approved by the General Assembly and the governor, school library grants were awarded based on a formula of $.75 per student, with a minimum grant award of $750.

School libraries can use the funds to acquire fiction and/or nonfiction books, educational CDs and DVDs, and library subscriptions to electronic resources, as well as to improve technology by purchasing new computers or improving Wi-Fi connectivity.