I hope you’re enjoying your summer! I’ve been staying busy, and wanted to update you. I’ll discuss what I’ve been up to, OSFM, education, jobs, and what events I’m hosting soon.
WHERE’S KEVIN?
It’s been a busy week for the 114th District! I started the week visiting Scott Air Force Base as Major General Corey J. Martin relinquished his command of the 18th Air Force to Major General Charles D. Bolton. It was an honor to attend!
I joined Marsha from the Attorney General’s office for another Senior Fraud Seminar in Smithton. We’ve had great success teaming up with the Attorney General’s office, and my commitment remains steadfast to seniors and equipping them with information to ensure they remain safe from fraud.
I presented the kids who completed my Summer Reading Program with official certificates from the Illinois General Assembly! Congrats to all the kids and good luck in the upcoming school year!
OSFM
The Illinois State Fire Marshal is now accepting applications for the Small Equipment Grant Program! Grants of up to $26,000 are being provided for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. All interested departments should send an application to OSFM electronically or postmarked no later than October 1, 2024. Learn more: https://sfm.illinois.gov/…/firede…/grants-and-loans.html
EDUCATION
Keep kids safe as they head back to school. Children will soon be boarding buses to head back to school. According to the State Board of Education and the Illinois State Police the most dangerous part of the school bus ride for students is the bus stop.
Children are at greatest risk when they are getting on or off the school bus. Most of the children killed in bus-related crashes are five- to seven-year-olds getting on or off the bus when they are hit by motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus.
In neighborhoods, near schools, and at bus stops, drivers need to take special care because children do not behave like adults. Elementary school children become easily distracted and may start across the street without warning. They don’t understand the danger of moving vehicles and can’t judge vehicle speed or distance. Their view may be blocked from by the bus and they could step out into oncoming traffic. Most importantly, children expect vehicles to stop for them at the school bus stop. And so does law enforcement.
School bus laws apply to all drivers, including those on school property, who meet or overtake a school bus that is operating all of the appropriate warning signals indicating that pupils are exiting or boarding the school bus and may be crossing the roadway.
Read more on school bus safety at The Caucus Blog.
JOBS
Illinois unemployment rate rises again in July. The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced Thursday that the unemployment rate increased +0.2 percentage point to 5.2 percent, while nonfarm payrolls increased +12,900 in July, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The June revised unemployment rate was 5.0 percent, unchanged from the preliminary June unemployment rate. The June monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +10,400 to -4,300 jobs. The July unemployment rate and payroll jobs estimate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
In July, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Government (+11,400), Private Education and Health Services (+3,400), and Other Services (+2,300). The industry sectors with monthly payroll job declines included Manufacturing (-2,500), Leisure and Hospitality (-1,500), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-800).
The state’s unemployment rate was +0.9 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for July. The national unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in July, up +0.2 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was up +0.8 percentage point from a year ago when it was 4.4 percent.
Morton Salt moves headquarters out of Illinois to Kansas. Morton Salt, which mines and distributes a wide variety of salt products, has been headquartered in the Chicago area for more than 100 years. The firm’s iconic slogan, ‘When it Rains it Pours,” is a product of Morton Salt’s Chicago years. The ownership family endowed what is now the Morton Arboretum in DuPage County, one of Illinois’ largest private parklands that is open to the public. When Morton Salt set up their current headquarters in Chicago, the office was the work focus of 350 Illinois-based employees.
Morton Salt is now leaving Illinois. Overland Park, Kansas, their new home, is close to a big Morton salt mine, and is adjacent to the airport and urban amenities of Missouri’s Kansas City. The firm is moving its headquarters to a state that is seen as more tax-friendly and business-friendly than the Chicago-dominated Prairie State. The Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate survey, a nonpartisan ranking of states and their business climates, currently ranks Illinois at #37 among the 50 states, well below the nationwide median point. The Tax Foundation reports that two of the states that border Illinois, Indiana at #10 and Missouri at #12, rank much higher than Illinois.
WHAT’S NEXT
I’m hosting several events in the community in the coming days! This morning, I’m teaming up with Rep. Charlie Meier in New Baden for a Coffee Talk. Come out to the New Baden Civic Center from 9:00 to 10:00 AM to enjoy a cup of coffee and talk about what’s important to you. I hope to see you there!
Are you looking for a new job? If so, come out to the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus Multipurpose Room – Building D on Friday, August 23 from 9:00 AM – Noon. Dozens of employers will be there, as well as three workshops that will help you craft a perfect resume, interview with confidence, and navigate the job search process.
Thank you for taking the time to read Schmidt’s Spotlight! I’ll update you again soon.