DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin and Board of Health President Sam Tornatore welcomed U.S. Reps. Sean Casten, Bill Foster, and Lauren Underwood to the opening of the DuPage County Community Vaccination Clinic in February at the DuPage County Fairgrounds.
The DuPage County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health partnered to expand the operations of the County’s COVID-19 Community Vaccination Clinic in March, which will allow for increased hours of operation and vaccinating residents at a quicker pace.
The County also expanded COVID-19 vaccine appointments to people eligible in Phase 1B+, including persons 16 to 64 years old with comorbidities and underlying conditions, as well as individuals with disabilities. The clinic operates by appointment only from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
The clinic will continue to be operated and staffed by Health Department employees and volunteers, while the state will provide the vaccine supply necessary. With the additional vaccines, the clinic will have the ability to operate at capacity and administer more than 1,000 vaccines per day. Vaccinations will continue to be available by appointment only. To register, please visit www.dupagehealth.org/covid19vaccine.
Public Works Committee Chairwoman Mary FitzGerald Ozog joined 18th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Ken Popejoy, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke, and DuPage County Board Judicial and Public Safety Committee Chairwoman Julie Renehan for a media tour of the renovations completed at the Judicial Office Facility.
DuPage County Board members Lynn LaPlante and Grant Eckhoff also toured the County’s Judicial Office Facility in February to observe improvements made to make courtrooms safe as jury trials resumed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The County Board allocated $13 million in federal COVID relief funds toward remodeling projects that updated County facilities to further protect visitors, clients, and staff during the pandemic.
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Early Voting Underway Early voting is currently underway! In-person voting is taking place at the DuPage County Fairgrounds until April 5. Voting takes place on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To see a list of early voting sites, visit www.dupageco.org/election.
Student Workers Needed The DuPage County Clerk’s Office is looking for student workers for the April 6 election. Students will need to work from about 6:30 to 10 p.m. and will be paid $11 an hour. A Social Security number and driver’s license or student ID will be required. If you have questions, please contact the Clerk’s Office’s Election Division at (630) 407-5618.
Sustainable Design Challenge Registration Opens DuPage County Stormwater Management and SCARCE are now accepting project proposals from local high school students for the 15th annual Sustainable Design Challenge. Registration will be open through April 16, and final projects are due April 23. For information on participating in this year’s challenge, visit www.scarce.org/sustainable-design2021.
County Announces Transportation Plan DuPage County’s Division of Transportation announced its 2021 Highway Capital Program on Feb. 16, which focuses on maintaining and improving the County’s infrastructure. For additional information and to view a full list of the DuPage County transportation projects, visit www.dupageco.org/dot/construction.
Animal Services Announces Upcoming Webinars DuPage County Animal Services will host their first round of Zoom webinars for 2021 beginning this month! All webinars will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Some of the programs include learning about ways to protect animals, myths about suburban wildlife, figuring out what pet is right for you, and many more. To register for a webinar, please visit www.dupageco.org/animalservices. Webinars can be found under the Upcoming Events tab.
Looking for a way to support your local community? Giving DuPage Days will take place from April 26 to 30 with a goal to raise $300,000 for more than 100 local nonprofit organizations serving DuPage County.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, countless residents turned to community organizations for services. Giving DuPage Days is a countywide event to create awareness and raise funds for organizations that:
- Provide food to insecure populations
- Advocate for abused, neglected children
- Create housing solutions and services
- Teach educational and literacy programs
- Serve seniors in our community
- Deliver access to healthcare & medical support services
- Empower people with disabilities
- Offer programs for children and youth
- Foster pets and sheltering animals
To learn more, visit www.givingdupageday.org, or email givingdupage@dupageco.org.
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DuPage County Board member Grant Eckhoff recently hosted Wheaton resident Ben Michalak at the County complex. Ben is working towards becoming an Eagle Scout and is in the process of earning his Government badge with the Boy Scouts. During his visit, Eckhoff led Ben on a tour of the County Board Room and other County offices and answered a variety of questions concerning local government.
County Board member Mary FitzGerald Ozog was elected on March 26 to serve on DuPage Community Board of Metropolitan Family Services-DuPage. Metropolitan Family Services supports programs in DuPage County that strengthen families and communities, including Head Start, Family Shelter Service and Senior outreach programs. To learn more about Metropolitan Family Services, please visit www.metrofamily.org/community_center/dupage.
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County Board member Lynn LaPlante has been named chairwoman of the recently formed DuPage County Ad-Hoc Fine Arts Committee.
LaPlante, who also was recently voted onto the Arts DuPage Board, requested the formation of this committee to promote cultural enrichment for the residents of DuPage County by highlighting access to high quality artistic experiences.
The committee will help widen arts appreciation and engagement, enhance tourism, and promote the economic benefits having a vibrant cultural environment can provide. This committee will act as the liaison between the County Board and local cultural and artistic groups.
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County, College of DuPage Unite Against Racism
Chairman Dan Cronin and the College of DuPage have partnered on Unite Against Racism, a collaboration that explores racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. This spring, the County and College have launched the E4 discussion series that will explore equity in economics, education, and enforcement of the law. To watch the first panel discussion exploring economic opportunities for minority business owners in DuPage visit youtu.be/Q6J5qV9y-mw.
To learn more about this initiative and to read a blog post about the County’s efforts, go to www.cod.edu/about/chaps-unite-against-racism/blog/important-countywide.aspx.
County Board Recognizes Black History Month
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin welcomed representatives from the College of DuPage and historian Glennette Tilley Turner to accept the County Board’s annual proclamation honoring Black History Month on Feb. 9. Turner and COD collaborated with the County and experts from the DuPage Historical Museum and Naper Settlement on a video history of the Underground Railroad in DuPage County. To view the video, please visit www.facebook.com/watch/?v=451918689191346.
DuPage County Public Works Committee Chairwoman Mary FitzGerald Ozog visited the Nordic Wastewater Treatment Plant in Itasca in March to discuss upcoming renovations to the facility. Public Works will spend the next two years completely rebuilding the plant while keeping it operational to avoid disruptions in service to customers.
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