Early Voting Begins
Early voting begins today, February, 23, across DuPage and Will counties. Only one location is open in each County, with the DuPage voters going to the DuPage County Fairgrounds (building 5), 2015 Manchester Road, in Wheaton. Will County voters can go to the Will County Office building on 312 N, Chicago St. in Joliet.
For DuPage voters, the doors opened at 8 a.m. and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. From now until March 18, Dupage residents can visit the fairgrounds to vote early on weekdays during those hours, or on Saturdays from 9 AM to noon. The County says that beginning on Monday, March 20, early voting will expand to 20 locations.
Will County early voting doors open at 8:30 a.m. and will also close at 4:30 p.m. The Will County Office Building will be open on weekdays for early voting, expanding to include weekend and expanded weekday hours starting March 25. The county will also open 20 more early voting sites starting Monday, March 20.
New Madison Junior High School principal named
Julie Scott was named as Madison Junior High School’s next principal at Tuesday’s Naperville School District 203 board meeting.
Scott received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Northern Illinois University and has three master’s degrees. She has worked as a middle school teacher, high school counselor, and, most recently, as an assistant principal at a high school in Belvidere.
Scott, who assumes her new role in District 203 in July, said she was drawn to the position after witnessing the passion for education from faculty, students, and the Naperville community. She takes over the role from Nancy Voise, who is retiring.
DuPage County receives opioid settlement funds
DuPage County State’s Attorney, Robert Berlin announced yesterday that the County has received its initial installment payment from the opioid manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, from a lawsuit filed in 2017.
On February 15, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, paid $1,222,472.66 to DuPage County. According to a DuPage County press release, it’s the first four years of base and incentive payments that the County will receive from Janssen over the next 10 years.
Part of the settlement says that any funds received must go into programs that address the opioid epidemic in Illinois.
Will County traffic safety plan
With an aim at reducing fatalities on country roads, Will County is starting to develop its first-ever comprehensive action plan for roadway safety. Funds will come from a federal grant, in part with a regional effort to make traffic safer.
Efforts were made by the “Safe Streets and Roads for All” grant program, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and six counties from northeast Illinois. The region was given $3.9 million to support traffic safety.
In a Will County press release, County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant explains that traffic deaths have increased nationwide and that this plan will be a County-wide review to help protect the residents.
African American Divemaster speaking this weekend
Kamau Sadiki, Divemaster and Lead Instructor of Diving With A Purpose (DWP) will give a presentation and a Q&A this weekend in Lisle. Sadiki was featured on the cover story of the March 2022 National Geographic Magazine.
DWP is an organization that’s committed to resurrecting the stories of shipwrecks that happened during the Transatlantic Era of African Enslavement (TEAE). Sadiki has over 1,400 logged scuba dives, including five locations being TEAE shipwrecks.
More information is available on the DuPage Methodist Episcopal Church website.
