Illinois Jobs Now! Funds Awarded to Build State-of-the-Art Electric Vehicle Charging Network in Chicagoland Area

CHICAGO - February 18, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced an initiative to boost the state's sustainability efforts through the increased use of electric vehicles. Under the plan, the state will invest $1 million of Illinois Jobs Now! capital funding to install state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure throughout the Chicagoland area.

"This project will encourage greater use of green transportation alternatives by making electric vehicle use more convenient and accessible in one of the most heavily traveled cities in the country," said Governor Quinn. "Through strategic investments like this, we are encouraging long-term economic growth, supporting innovation and creating the jobs of today and tomorrow."

This project is expected to be the largest concentration of DC quick-charge stations in the world. Exact locations of the charging stations are still being determined, but will include Midway and O'Hare Airports, grocery stores and shopping centers throughout the Chicagoland area, and parking garages in downtown Chicago. Installation of the network is expected to be completed by the beginning of 2012.

350Green, LLC will install, own and operate the EV charging network. The network will consist of a total of 280 charging stations, including 73 DC quick-charging stations and 146 Level 2 chargers for public use, with an additional 61 Level 2 chargers for the dedicated use of I-GO and Zipcar car-sharing fleets. The DC quick-chargers represent a new technology that will drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to charge a vehicle. A vehicle would now be able to charge in the time it takes to shop at the grocery store, as opposed to charging overnight, which is the current standard.

The $1 million in state capital investment will match $1 million in Clean Cities Grant funds that the city of Chicago received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The project is expected to create 18 permanent and temporary jobs, and construction of the network will support 8,500 labor hours. The Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program has created an estimated 155,000 jobs to date, and is expected to create or retain more than 439,000 jobs over six years.

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Operation Military Kids plans day of support and fun for local military families

The volunteers associated with Operation Military Kids (OMK) of the Greater Quad Cities believe military families deserve a break from the stresses of everyday life; and that's why the local OMK collaborative is hosting Exploring Egypt: Military Family Day at the Putnam Museum & IMAX.

While there is no way to repay military families for the sacrifices of service, OMK organizers are planning to give families a meaningful yet fun way to spend time with other military families.

Military Family Day at the Putnam Museum & IMAX Theater will be Saturday, Feb. 26, starting at 10:30 a.m. At a cost of just $3 per family member, military families will enjoy a private showing of "Mysteries of the Nile" at 11 a.m., followed by lunch and special hands-on sessions.

The afternoon sessions will give military families the opportunity to:

-          Prepare to reunite with returning service members

-          Engage in activities that allow families to better understand the culture of Egypt (where their loved one may be/may have served)

-          Explore the museum and its most popular exhibits

During the day, military families will also be able to learn about community resources, including tools provided by the USO of Illinois, American Red Cross, Army Community Service and others.

Who qualifies as a military family? "If you consider yourself impacted by military service, you're welcome to attend," says Diane Baker, planner of this event and youth development educator with the 4-H Military Programs.

"This event gives military families a chance to support one another," adds Baker. "And it gives the community a chance to show support too."

The Quad-City community is not alone, communities across the country plan similar events. In 2009, over 150,000 youth participated in experiences conducted by state OMK teams in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

OMK is the U.S. Army's collaborative effort with America's communities to support children and youth impacted by deployment. Regardless of whether families are experiencing deployment for the first time, the second time or another in a series of multiple deployments, OMK's goal is to connect military children and youth with local resources in order to achieve a sense of community support and enhance their well-being

To attend Military Family Day at the Putnam Museum & IMAX, military families need to RSVP online - www.extension.uiuc.edu/rockisland.

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Washington, D.C. - February 18, 2011.

This week, the U.S. House is considering a budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2011.  The current funding proposal expires on March 4, 2011.  Analysis released today shows that the budget proposal will have a detrimental impact on law enforcement in Iowa.

Harkin's full statement on the budget proposals before Congress can be found here.

"Cutting essential law enforcement funding is not the answer," said Harkin.  "Iowa continues to face a meth problem, with the number of meth labs up 50 percent since 2007.  And, drugs and crime continue to impact our communities.  Cuts to law enforcement will make our streets less safe and our nation less secure.  

"There is no question that the time has come for tough budget decisions, but the smart way to bring down the deficit is for Congress to pursue a balanced approach of major spending cuts and necessary revenue increases."

Below are some specific cuts Iowa will face in law enforcement if the House budget is enacted.

State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance by the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

The House proposal cuts $250 million from State and local law enforcement assistance by the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP). If enacted, this will result in significant cuts to essential programs that are critical to ensuring Iowa's cities and towns are safe and drug free.  Most significantly, this would inadequately fund the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) program.

One of the most important uses of this funding is for multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, which help local law enforcement reduce drug-related violent crime and gang activity in our communities.  Nationally, Byrne/JAG funding leads to over 200,000 arrests, over 50,000 weapons seized, and the breakup of over 9,000 methamphetamine labs each year.

Last year over $24 million in OJP grants came to Iowa, supporting jobs for over 90 Iowans who are directly responsible for making our state safer.  In Iowa, Byrne funded drug task forces:

•    Were responsible for over 2,400 felony arrests;
•    Dismantled 275 gangs;
•    Seized over 8,200 illegal firearms;
•    Seized nearly 20,000 kilograms of illicit drugs, like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine;

These successes show we need to continue to support this program, not cut it back.

Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities

The House proposal would cut $50 million for drug interdiction and counter-drug activities. This includes funding for 14 state counter-drug plans and five regional counter-drug training centers, to include the Midwest Counterdrug Training Center (MCTC) at Camp Dodge.  Without this funding, MCTC would be forced to close its doors, and thousands of law enforcement officials would go without necessary training.  Additionally, federal funding for the Iowa Counterdrug Task Force would be cut, effectively shutting down the program.

If this cut were enacted:

•    Nearly 7,000 Iowa law enforcement officials would not receive necessary counterdrug training at MCTC.  
•    State and local law enforcement officials would not receive support such as intelligence analysis and aviation support from the Iowa Counterdrug Task force.  
•    Thirty jobs would be lost at the Iowa Counterdrug Task Force.  
•    Twenty-three jobs would be lost at MCTC.