It’s always nice to meet new people while traveling traveling in the 114th District! This week was busy in the district and included meetings, business tours, and prepping for session next week.
Busy Monday in District 114! I enjoyed speaking with Col Rickey Oeth, Deputy Commander, Group 1 and Lt Col Paul Hertel, Wing Public Affairs Officer from Civil Air Patrol – Illinois Wing. Thank you both for stopping by my office!
Later in the day, I dropped off “wish list” items to the Millstadt Food Pantry for my monthly donation! 
– I’m thankful to be in a position to help families in need.
We also visited Triple Lakes Tavern in Dupo for a quick bite to eat! Great food and great service!
Rep. Kevin Schmidt Names Donna Mae’s Beauty Salon for His “Business of the Month”
Mascoutah, IL…After receiving submissions from across the 114th District, State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) was proud to select Donna Mae’s Beauty Salon to be his “Business of the Month” for April. Rep. Schmidt presented the owner of Donna Mae’s Beauty Salon, Donna Mae Schlueter, with an official certificate in recognition of a local small-business who’s been serving the community for over sixty years.
“Donna Mae’s Beauty Salon has been committed to serving locals with salon services and products for over sixty years,” said Schmidt. “Donna has exemplified her dedication to the community of Mascoutah along with her grandfather and great grandfather who served as blacksmiths. She deserves recognition for operating a “hometown” salon, but also for her service to the community through positive engagement.”
Donna Mae’s Beauty Salon opened in 1965 offering salon services to the community, including those who served in Vietnam. Over the years, Donna has adapted to the vastly different processes of using hair products and new services that cater to local needs. She continues to impress local customers with her personalized services.
Aside from hair styling, Donna has been very active building relationships in her community. Donna is Chairperson of the Economic Development Commission in Mascoutah and helps facilitate promotions of commercial, industrial, and residential developments. She has been a member of the Mascoutah Chamber of Commerce for forty years, was the first female Chamber president, and was the first female president of the Main Street Program. Furthermore, she was the first woman to serve on the city board. Donna is respected by her clients and residents of Mascoutah for her work to strengthen the community.
“The small-town mom and pop shops such as Donna Mae’s Beauty Salon, helps keep our economy moving and creates a bond with local residents,” Schmidt said.
Donna Mae Schlueter made a simple but strong statement:
“Sharing is caring and caring is sharing. Making a difference and touching a life.”
Rep. Kevin Schmidt encourages the 114th District to nominate businesses to be recognized in the future. If you have a business you’d like to nominate, please nominate them by filling out this form.
For more information, please contact Rep. Schmidt’s office at (618)-215-1050
Representative Kevin Schmidt represents the 114th District, which includes a portion of St. Clair County.
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The Growing Need for Ethics Reform in Illinois
ETHICS REFORM
House Republicans Call for Anti-Corruption Package. Last week, House Republican lawmakers presented their legislative proposals to once again bring forward an opportunity for ethics reform in the Illinois statehouse. The proposals are an attempt to restore public faith in government and root out commonplace corruption under the dome. State Representatives Patrick Windhorst, Dave Severin, and David Friess discussed the unfortunate record of public corruption guilty verdicts impacting the Illinois General Assembly, including the former Speaker of the Illinois House Michael Madigan. Read more…
The ethics reform legislation House Republicans are backing includes the following:
- HB 1382 – Puts ‘teeth’ into the Legislative Inspector General’s office to issue subpoenas without first seeking approval from the people they may be investigating.
- HB 1384 – Addresses local government lobbying reform.
- HB 1385 – Closes the loophole in the current revolving door policy that allows a legislator to be a member one day and the next day be a lobbyist.
- HB 3115 – 3-year revolving door lobbying ban for members of the General Assembly.
- HB 3121 – Implements representation case and recusal reform.
- HB 1554 – Bans public officials from using campaign funds for their own legal defense.
- HB 2813 – Requires a 72-Hour budget review before a vote on the budget
Local Photographer
I always enjoy meeting new people in my district when I’m out and about! This week, I met Shonda Deneault, who is a local photographer and author. She focuses on capturing some of the best images of hummingbirds and published a book “My Little Book of Hummingbirds” that highlights her photography skills.
SAVE THE DATE! ==> 4-25-25
Join me on April 25th to receive legislative updates and to discuss state issues that are most important to you! Your voice matters and I want to hear directly from you about concerns, what our state is doing well and not so well. I look forward to seeing everyone at this event soon!
Looking Ahead
O’Fallon Fire Department’s Sara Stockstrom
The OSFM sits down with O’Fallon Fire Department’s Fire and Life Safety Educator Sara Stockstrom who talks about her journey in the fire service. She encourages young girls who might be interested in becoming a firefighter to chase that dream!
Illinois House Democrats fail to garner votes for convicted youth resentencing bill
The Illinois House shot down legislation last Thursday that would have allowed some people incarcerated for crimes they committed when they were under 21 to become eligible for release.
In a rare rebuke of a Democrat-sponsored bill, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers voted against House Bill 3332, causing the bill to fail on a 49-51 vote. Bills require 60 votes to pass the House, and numerous Democrats voted against the bill or skipped the vote. The bill was declared “lost,” meaning it cannot be recalled later. Read more…
Morel Season!
It’s that time of year again folks! Morel Mushrooms are popping up across much of the state and mushroom hunters will be out collecting the elusive fungi. If you plan to forage for morels this spring, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Remember to dress appropriately for the weather, wear sunscreen, and protect yourself against ticks.
- Morels often grow at the bases of trees around the outside of forests, especially oak, elm, ash and aspen trees, most prevalently those that have been recently disturbed by fires or flooding.
- Illinois is home to three species of morels, all of which have dark, cone-shaped caps that extend down the shaft of the mushroom, sometimes said to look like honeycombs. While real morels are delicious and perfectly healthy to eat, false morels are toxic and far less enjoyable. Instead of having pits and ridges like real morels, false morels have flaps and look “wrinkly.”
- If you are unsure if the mushrooms you have come across are real morels, slice the mushroom in half from top to bottom. If the mushroom is indeed a morel, it will be completely hollow on the inside. Remember the saying “If it isn’t hollow, don’t swallow!”
- To harvest a morel, simply cut the mushrooms at their base with a sharp knife and store them in a mesh bag. The permeable mesh allows for your newly collected morels to spread their spores as you continue to search the forest, providing for an even more bountiful spread next season.
Happy Easter!
On Easter Day, we celebrate renewal, hope, and the promise of new beginnings. May this day bring a sense of renewal and hope for the season ahead.
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