Category Archives: Illinois

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ANNOUNCES COLLEGE VACCINATION DAYS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO RECEIVE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

Office of Governor J. B. Pritzker

SPRINGFIELD, April 16, 2021 – With young people driving the increase in COVID-19 cases in Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is announcing “College Vaccination Days” to encourage all community college and public and private university students across Illinois to get vaccinated at mass vaccination sites.  This weekend and next week state-supported mass vaccination sites across Illinois will have COVID-19 vaccination appointments available for college and university students.  IDPH is partnering with colleges and universities in Illinois to help them direct their students to state-supported sites.

Beginning in April, the highest case count in Illinois was among those in their 20s.  Over the past month, cases among those 18-24 years of age doubled.

“Our young adults have a key role to play in bringing this pandemic to an end, and I’m proud to make it easier for our community college and public and private university students to access these life-saving vaccines,” said Governor JB Pritzker.  “Getting vaccinated is about protecting yourself, but it’s also about protecting your professors, your parents, your peers, campus staff, and the greater community you call home.”

“College campuses are microcosms of the communities in which they are located, and if we see an increase in cases on campus, we will see an increase in cases in the community,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.  “Especially as we are starting to see variants become more prevalent and the number of cases and hospitals increasing statewide, we need to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible. With young people driving our increase in cases, this is an important opportunity for our college and university students to protect themselves and their communities.”

The following mass vaccination sites will have appointments available specifically for college and university students on the following days.  Colleges and universities will have the links where students can register for an appointment.

DateLocationAddress
Saturday April 17Adams County – Oakley Linsey Center300 Civic Center Plaza Quincy
Sunday April 18Kane County Former Carson Pirie Scott970 North Lake St. Aurora
Kane County Elgin Eastside Recreation Center1800 E. Chicago St. Elgin
Kane County Former Sam’s Club501 N. Randall Rd. Batavia
Madison County – Gateway Convention Center1 Gateway Drive Collinsville
Sangamon County Orr Building – State Fairgrounds801 E. Sangamon Ave. Springfield
St. Clair County Belle-Clair Fairgrounds200 S. Belt East Belleville
Winnebago County Former K-Mart1321 Sandy Hollow Rd. Rockford
Monday April 19Cook County Arlington Heights Health Center3250 N. Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Heights
Cook County Former K-Mart1155 E. Oakton St. Des Plaines
Cook County Forest Park – Former HOBO7600 Roosevelt Rd. Forest Park
Cook County Matteson – Former Target4647 Promenade Way Matteson
Cook County South Suburban College15800 State St. South Holland
Cook County Tinley Park Convention Center18451 Convention Center Drive Tinley Park
Cook County Triton College2000 5th Ave. River Grover
Tuesday April 20DuPage County Fairgrounds Building 12015 Manchester Rd. Wheaton
Grundy County Shabbona Middle School725 School St. Morris
Lake County Lake County Fairgrounds1060 E. Peterson Rd. Grayslake
Will County Former Toys R Us3128 Voyager Lane Joliet

Mass vaccination sites in DeKalb, McDonough, and McLean counties have been and will continue to provide vaccinations to students as part of the Rapid Response Vaccination Teams that are deployed to areas seeing increasing cases.

All mass vaccination locations will be administering either Moderna, or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.  At the recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, IDPH is pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and it will not be administered at mass vaccination sites until further guidance from the CDC.  Students can make appointments to get their second doses of the vaccine when getting their first dose. 

For information on how to make an appointment to receive the vaccine at other mass vaccination sites or other locations, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov.  For those having difficulty navigating online services to make vaccination appointments, the State’s Vaccine Appointment Call Center can help.  The call center, at 1-833-621-1284, is available seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight, can take TTY calls, and uses both English and Spanish speaking call agents with the availability for translation into other languages.  Answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the IDPH website.

Office of Governor J. B. Pritzker

STATE OF ILLINOIS, CITY OF CHICAGO ANNOUNCE KIMBERLY-CLARK’S PLANS TO BRING JOBS, NORTH AMERICAN COMMERCIAL CENTER TO CHICAGO’S FULTON MARKET DISTRICT IN 2022

Office of Governor J. B. Pritzker

CHICAGO, April 14, 2021—Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and World Business Chicago today announced that Kimberly-Clark, maker of trusted brands including Huggies®, Cottonelle®, Kleenex® and Depend®, will expand their presence in Chicago with a new commercial center for its North American consumer products business.

“Kimberly-Clark’s move to Illinois is just the latest sign that our investments in talent, innovation and digital infrastructure are not only paying off for residents but are creating the ideal environment for companies to leverage our unique assets and pursue long-term growth,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Kimberly-Clark’s iconic brands are essential to millions of people in Illinois and across North America, and we’re proud that talented individuals from our state will play a role in producing these essential products for generations to come.”

“Kimberly-Clark’s decision to grow its presence here in our great city is a testament to the phenomenal talent of our residents and strength of our local economy,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “On behalf of Chicago, I am thrilled to welcome the Kimberly-Clark team and look forward to working closely with them to identify ways to both enhance their business and further our region’s reputation as a hub for economic growth, innovation and opportunity.”

Kimberly-Clark expects to open its North American Commercial Center in the Fulton Market area of Chicago. The recently restored building, located on the 1100 block of W. Fulton Street, is expected to house more than 250 roles in sales, marketing, executive management, and other commercial functions by spring of 2022.

“Chicago provides us the opportunity to grow Kimberly-Clark’s business and will position us closer to our outstanding retail partners, marketing and digital agencies and other service providers who already call Chicago home,” said Kurt Laufer, President, US Consumer Sales, Kimberly-Clark. “We thank Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot for their continued support throughout this process.”

Kimberly-Clark has qualified for the EDGE incentive program offered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to support companies making large scale capital investments. An agreement, while not yet finalized, will ensure long-term investment is met with job creation goals. The company is in ongoing conversations with the State about eligibility for other resources to support its future growth needs.

“We are excited to welcome Kimberly-Clark’s expansion in Illinois and celebrate their investment in well-paying jobs for those who call our state home.” said DCEO Director Sylvia Garcia. “Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, more and more companies are choosing Illinois thanks to our investments to grow world class talent, expand transportation and public infrastructure and improve access to other amenities that can only be found here in our great state.”

As a hub for major consumer brands known around the world, Kimberly-Clark will find itself in company alongside other Fortune 500 organizations based in Illinois, including Walgreens Boots Alliance, Mondelez and Conagra Brands. Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, Illinois’ 5-year plan for economic growth directs investments in technology, workforce development and digital and hard infrastructure made through a record $45 billion capital plan. In choosing to relocate its North American Commercial Center in Illinois, Kimberly-Clark joins 37 Fortune 500 Companies headquartered in the state and is gaining access to a highly skilled workforce needed to fill the jobs essential for the company’s future growth plans.

“We welcome Kimberly-Clark and its amazing people to Chicago. Our city is a welcoming community of active, invested and committed business and civic leaders; diverse and culturally rich neighborhoods, and the best, most authentic people around,” said Michael Fassnacht, Interim President & CEO, World Business Chicago and Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago. “We look forward to welcoming all your amazing brands and talent to our thriving, diverse and innovative business ecosystem.”

Kimberly-Clark and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people’s most essential needs, the company’s portfolio of brands includes Huggies®, Kleenex®, Scott®, U by Kotex®, Cottonelle®, Poise®, Depend®, Pull-Ups®, GoodNites® and Viva®. To learn more about the company’s nearly 150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com.

Office of Governor J. B. Pritzker

SP INVESTIGATES FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH

Illinois State Police News File

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 09

WHAT:                   Two Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash

WHERE:                Illinois Route 48, near E 1550 N, Taylorville Township, Christian County

WHEN:                   April 8, 2021 at 11:04 p.m.

VEHICLES:             Unit 1 – Silver 2018 Jeep Wrangler

         Unit 2 – Red 2009 Ford Focus

DRIVERS:                Unit 1 – Robert M. Hodson, a 46-year-old male from Taylorville, IL – Transported by ambulance to an area hospital with serious injuries.  

                         Unit 2 – Haley A. Shoot, a 19-year-old female from Taylorville, IL – Pronounced deceased on scene.

PASSENGERS:         Unit 2 – Jade A. Thomas, a 19-year-old female from Lafayette, IN – Transported by ambulance to an area hospital with life-threatening-injuries.

                         Unit 2 – Zaydin J. Dudra, 20-year-old male from Taylorville, IL – Pronounced deceased on scene.

PRELIMINARY:   Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred:  Unit 1 was traveling northbound on Illinois Route 48, near E 1550 North Road. Unit 2 was traveling southbound at the same location. Unit 1 crossed into the left lane to pass another vehicle and struck Unit 2 head-on.

The driver and rear passenger of Unit 2 were pronounced deceased on scene. The front seat passenger of Unit 2 was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with life-threatening-injuries. The driver of Unit 1 was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The ISP Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit (TCRU) is continuing the investigation.  No further information will be disseminated at this time.

CHARGES:  On Friday, April 9, 2021, at approximately 1:00 PM, Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 4 and ISP District 9 arrested Robert Hodson after being discharged from a local hospital.  Hodson was charged with 625 ILCS 5/11-501(d)(1)(F) Aggravated Driving Under the Influence Involving Death (Class 2 Felony).  The penalty for this offense carries a term of imprisonment not less than six years and not more than 28 years since it involved the death of more than one person.  Hodson was transported and lodged in the Christian County Jail in Taylorville, Illinois.  Bond was set at $200,000. This investigation is active and ongoing, and no additional information will be released at this time.

All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Illinois State Police

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE ANNOUNCE UPDATE ON A FATAL OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING IN ROCK ISLAND

Rock Island, IL – The Illinois State Police announce an update to the investigation into a fatal officer involved shooting in Rock Island, IL being handled by the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force (RICITF). The fatal officer involved shooting occurred on April 1, 2021 at approximately 6:19 p.m. The RICITF investigators are in the process of gathering surveillance video from area businesses, searching social media for public video, and reviewing all available police body cameras and dash camera recordings. RICITF investigators have recovered multiple videos capturing the foot chase, the vehicular hijacking, and the use of deadly force. An autopsy was conducted on April 2, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ogle County Coroner’s Office. The preliminary findings and name of the decedent will be released by the Rock Island County Coroner.

The RICITF investigators continue to work on identifying witnesses and process evidence. It is too early in the investigation to share video evidence or provide specific details of the incident. We understand the public wants answers and we will not rest until the investigation is complete. We are asking the public to reserve judgement until all the facts are gathered and presented to the Rock Island County State’s Attorney for a review and determination on any potential criminal charges.

Anyone with information can contact the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force at (309) 752-4915 or Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities by phone (309) 762-9500 or online at qccrimestoppers.com.

All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.