NNPA NEWSWIRE — “I wanted to use this list as an opportunity to elevate some films that may have been undervalued or overlooked for a variety of reasons including subject matter, perceived lack of star power, genre or release date’” says NNPA Culture and Entertainment Editor Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. “Check out some of the top films of 2021, some of which you may not have heard and others you may not wish to forget as we head into 2022.”
director
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Legal expert takes closer look at new laws for Illinois
More than 300 new laws are set to take effect on Jan. 1. Gwen Daniels, deputy director of Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), the state’s largest non-profit online legal aid resource, has provided some perspective on some of the laws that could have most impact.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Joliet’s finance director delivers mostly good news on proposed budget
Road improvements totaling more than $30 million, body cameras for police officers, more revenue from sales taxes and real estate taxes and a reduction in the tax levy. That was some of the good news outlined in the City of Joliet’s proposed 2022 budget presented Monday by Jim Ghedotte, the city’s finance director. Ghedotte presented the budget on behalf of City Manager James Capparelli. It includes revenues of $388.7 million and expenditures of $438.1 million. The estimated $50 million shortfall will be made up by selling bonds to pay for $28 million in water and sewer replacement projects, as opposed to paying for them in cash. Also reserves funds from the current budget are projected to total $250 million. Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and the city council are expected to take a closer look at the proposed budget and likely make some adjustments prior to putting it to a vote on Dec. 21.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Plainfield East HS Band Director to march in Rose Parade with marching band
An area high school band director will soon be fulfilling one of his dreams.
Plainfield East High School Band Director David Lesniak will march in the 2022 Rose Parade in January as part of the first-ever “Band Directors Marching Band.”
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Parking in downtown Plainfield could get easier
Anyone who has been to downtown Plainfield knows parking is at a premium. Now with the holiday shopping on the horizon, the Plainfield Village Board is considering an intergovernmental agreement that would expand the existing north Des Plaines Street parking lot in the downtown corridor. Allen Persons, public works director, said in April 2020, a developer was considering the demolition of a property at 15024 S. Des Plaines St. and redevelopment of this site. This plan, he adds, included the expansion of the Des Plaines Street parking lot within property owned by the village, Plainfield Township and the developer. “Staff has been informed that this plan will not be moving forward as discussed in 2020,” Persons said Monday.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Illinois daycare workers mandated to get COVID vaccines
UPDATED STORY
Daycare workers in Illinois will soon face mandatory COVID vaccines or weekly COVID testing if not fully vaccinated by early January 2022. There are 175 daycare facilities in Will County, according to countyoffice.org.
To prevent further spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health and safety of Illinois’ youngest residents, Gov. JB Pritzker joined Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Department of Human Services Secretary Grace Hou, and Department of Childhood and Family Services Director Marc Smith Friday to announce new vaccination or weekly testing requirements for individuals who work in licensed day care centers.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Pritzker issues Executive Order mandated daycare workers to get COVID vaccines or face weekly testing
Daycare workers in Illinois will soon face mandatory COVID vaccines or weekly COVID testing if not fully vaccinated by early January, 2022. There are 175 daycare facilities in Will County, according to countyoffice.org.
To prevent further spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health and safety of Illinois’ youngest residents, Gov. JB Pritzker joined Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Department of Human Services Secretary Grace Hou, and Department of Childhood and Family Services Director Marc Smith Friday to announce new vaccination or weekly testing requirements for individuals who work in licensed day care centers.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Statewide campaign underway to increase booster shots
With 1.5 million Illinoisans currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot and millions more set to become eligible in the coming weeks, Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike on Tuesday announced a statewide effort to increase uptake rates.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Mobile Workforce Center October schedule released
The Will County Mobile Workforce Center is a state-of-the-art vehicle that travels across the county to offer residents assistance with their career searches. The mobile workforce center is equipped with 11 computer station and Internet access. Resume and career search assistance using online listings, including jobs4people.org and Illinois workNet, are also available on the mobile unit.
Posted inTimes Weekly News
Pedestrian bridge opens two new Forest Preserve trails for outdoors enthusiast
The Forest Preserve District of Will County just made it easier and safer for outdoor enthusiast. The bridge installed early Wednesday morning will link two Forest Preserve District of Will County trails along Black Road between Joliet and Shorewood. This installation over I-55 was the second pedestrian bridge to be installed along Black Road as part of the Forest Preserve’s plan. The first bridge, a 260-foot span over the DuPage River, was installed in August 2020. The two bridges and a path along Black Road will connect the DuPage River Trail in Hammel Woods to the Rock Run Greenway Trail in Rock Run Preserve.
