Quad Cities… State Representatives Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), Mike Halpin (D- Rock Island), and Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) are encouraging local residents to support Valley Construction, of Rock Island, in their efforts to help the Houston area recover from Hurricane Harvey.

"Valley Construction and other partners within our region continue to amaze me!  I am honored to help push this relief effort to our districts to not only reach our goals for the people of Texas, but also help prepare to provide relief to people of Florida" said Rep. McCombie.

"Valley Construction has been supportive of the Quad City Community for years. It is no surprise that the company is extending its generosity to those affected by Harvey's devastation, and I believe our compassionate community will step up and contribute what we can to this important cause," said Rep. Halpin.

Valley Construction will be sending two semi-trailers full of supplies on Saturday, September 16^th to the Houston areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey, and is asking the public’s help to fill those trailers. If more than two trailers of supplies are collected, Valley Construction will be sending the additional supplies to areas impacted by Hurricane Irma in Florida. They ask that you bring the items to one of the following drop off locations by Friday, September 15^th; drop off times are between 8:30am and 3:30 pm.

• Valley Construction, 3610 78^th Avenue West, Rock Island, IL
• Duck Creek Tire, 4000 Middle Road, Bettendorf, IA
• Two Rivers YMCA, 2040 53^rd Street, Moline, IL
• Heritage Church, 4801 44^th Street, Rock Island, IL
• Quad City Botanical Center, 2525 4^th Avenue, Rock Island, IL
• Quad City Times, 500 E 3^rd Street, Davenport, IA
• Rep. Halpin’s Legislative Office, 1504 3rd Ave. Rock Island, IL
• Rep. Swanson’s Legislative Office (Until Thursday), 536 Oxford Ave. Suite D, Woodhull, IL
• Rep. McCombie’s Legislative Office (Until Thursday), 9317 State Route 84, Savanna, IL 

“Thank you to Valley Construction for offering this assistance.  The Quad-Cities is a generous area and I appreciate our residents showing such compassion and concern for friends and families in Texas and Florida.  When the Quad-Cities has needed flood assistance, help has come from many parts of the United States; now it is our turn to provide comfort and relief to those in need,” said Rep. Swanson.

The items needed include; plastic totes, bleach, flashlights, batteries, mops, brooms, shovels, baby diapers, water, sports drinks, dry baby foods, bath towels, paper towels, dish soap, laundry detergent, gloves, first aid supplies, hygiene items, kids school supplies, garbage bags, and pet food. Valley Construction asks that you don’t drop off clothes, furnishings and perishable foods.

For more information about the supply drive contact Greg Hass at Valley Construction by email at greghass@valleyconstruction.com.

WOODHULL… State Representative Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) was feted on Thursday, August 31st by the Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education (ILCAE) with the 2017 Jim Guilinger Legislative Award.

“I am very honored to receive this award for advocacy for agricultural education. Agricultural education is a program that is working. More students involved with agricultural education are working than ever before, as this industry is the largest industry employing Illinoisans,” said Rep. Swanson.

He went on to say, “Agricultural Education in our schools is also changing the face of the agricultural industry, with more young women and more students from urban areas involved in this field each year as well.”

Agricultural Education has only been a field of study in Illinois public schools beginning about 40 years ago, due in large part to the advocacy of ILCAE. ILCAE’s advocacy has helped to better orient secondary education with jobs in the economy. Agricultural education has a proven track record of graduating students who largely enter post-secondary education environments and continue to advance the field in truly inspiring ways. Despite that record of success, agricultural education is often on the chopping block. Many programs have been saved by incentive funding.

Jim Guilinger, the award’s namesake, was a teacher in Sycamore, Illinois who was named top vocational-ag teacher in the U.S. in 1982. Rep. Swanson was awarded the honor at the ILCAE’s meeting in Decatur, nearby the 2017 Farm Progress Show, on Thursday, August 31st. Rep. Swanson’s predecessor in the 74th District, Rep. Don Moffitt, was a 2005 recipient of the Jim Guilinger Legislative Award as well.

PRINCETON… “We wrap you in this Quilt of Valor, Art,” Princeton Police Chief Thomas Root humbly said to World War II Veteran Arthur Seeds as he wrapped him in a quilt specially made for the WWII Veteran by the local Illinois Valley Quilts of Valor Group at Rep. Dan Swanson’s Veterans’ Health Fair in Princeton on Thursday, August 31^st. 

Honoring the longtime Neponset/ Buda area farmer for his service to our country was one of many ways Veterans’ lives were touched during the third of three Veterans’ Health Fairs that Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) put on for Mercer, Knox, and Bureau Counties beginning on Tuesday.  Bureau County’s event was hosted at the Bureau County Metro Center in Princeton.  Dozens of attendees joined dozens of exhibitors representing state, local, and community agencies in providing information to Veterans and seniors in attendance.  Monical’s Pizza hosted lunch at the Princeton event.

“As a Veteran, Veteran Advocate, and Legislator, I am honored to host these events to help Veterans connect with services, right here in their communities that can help improve their quality of life,” said Rep. Dan Swanson.  “We owe a great debt to these men and women and this is just one small way we can make sure they know about services and programs helpful to them.”

Taking great constituent service on the road, Rep. Swanson also hosted Veterans’ Resources Fairs in Aledo on Tuesday, August 29^th and in Galesburg on Wednesday, August 30th.

GALESBURG… “I am very impressed with what I’ve seen here today,” pronounced Joe Kendall, a Veteran and farmer from Galva and attendee at the Veterans’ Health Fair in Galesburg on Wednesday, August 30. Joe and his wife, Geri, left the event with both helpful information and an array of brochures and information describing services available to Veterans and Seniors in the region.

This was among the many positive attendee reactions for the second of three Veterans’ Health Fairs that Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) put on for Mercer, Knox, and Bureau Counties beginning on Tuesday. Knox County’s event was hosted at the Galesburg American Legion Post 285 on East North Street. Dozens of attendees joined dozens of exhibitors representing state, local, and community agencies in providing information to Veterans and seniors in attendance. Big Catz BBQ of Knoxville hosted a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and baked beans at the Galesburg event.

“As a Veteran, Veteran Advocate, and Legislator, I am honored to host these events to help Veterans connect with services, right here in their communities that can help improve their quality of life,” said Rep. Dan Swanson. “We owe a great debt to these men and women and this is just one small way we can make sure they know about services and programs helpful to them.”

Taking great constituent service on the road, Rep. Swanson also hosted Veterans’ Resources Fairs in Aledo on Tuesday, August 29th and in Princeton on Thursday, August 31st.

ALEDO… “Fantastic event! I came to see what is available for down the road,” exclaimed Ron Doubler, a Veteran from New Windsor and attendee at the Veterans’ Health Fair in Aledo on Tuesday, August 29^th.  His wife, Roberta, continued, “things were available we didn’t even know existed.”

These were among the many positive attendee reactions for the first of three Veterans’ Health Fairs that Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) put on for Mercer, Knox, and Bureau Counties beginning on Tuesday.  Mercer County’s event was hosted at the Aledo VFW Post 1571 on Southwest Third Avenue.  Dozens of attendees joined dozens of exhibitors representing state, local, and community agencies in providing information to Veterans and seniors in attendance.  The VFW Auxiliary hosted a free lunch of hot dogs and chips at the Aledo event.

“As a Veteran, Veteran Advocate, and Legislator, I am honored to host these events to help Veterans connect with services, right here in their communities that can help improve their quality of life,” said Rep. Dan Swanson.  “We owe a great debt to these men and women and this is just one small way we can make sure they know about services and programs helpful to them.”

Taking great constituent service on the road, Rep. Swanson next hosted Veterans’ Resources Fairs in Galesburg on Wednesday, August 30^th and in Princeton on Thursday, August 31^st.

###

WOODHULL… Saying the alternative would have been to “watch as schools close their door”, Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) voted YES on a compromise school funding measure that ensured more funds for schools in his legislative district.

“This was a compromise bill, so not everyone got what they wanted. Downstate legislators certainly did not get everything we wanted out of this bill, but the reality was we had to act to ensure the crisis of schools closing, delayed starts, and general disruption to the education of our children would be averted,” said Swanson.

He went on to observe that legislators were forced to operate under tightly condensed decision-making timelines, “due to the legislative majority holding up sending SB 1 to the Governor for two months in order to manufacture a crisis as a negotiating tool. An unfortunate reality we were forced to abide due to the current imbalance of power.”

Among the elements of the bill Representative Swanson supported in the School Funding Compromise were more funds to downstate school districts, mandate relief that gives additional local control and decision-making, and elements that allow additional voter choice in providing property tax relief in low-wealth, high-tax districts.

Swanson went on to say that he looks forward to “monitoring the progress of the scholarship program created to allow tax credits for scholarships for lower income students to private schools, with a maximum of 6,000 students able to benefit annually. I want to see how this goes to ensure that funds are spread equitably based on need and not based on zip code. This is a limited program and because of hold harmless provisions, does not take any dollars away from public education. I want to ensure it is monitored carefully for effectiveness.”

By the legislature’s action on Monday evening, school funding payments will soon be released relieving pressure on local districts reserve funds. The compromise language was adopted as House Floor Amendment 5 to Senate Bill 1947. The bill ultimately passed by a vote of 73-34-3 in the Illinois House Monday evening and now moves on to the Illinois Senate.

###

WOODHULL… Governor Rauner signed Rep. Dan Swanson’s first bill at Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield last Tuesday.

In recognition of Agriculture Day, Governor Rauner signed 10 agriculture related pieces of legislation. One of those signed was Rep. Swanson’s first bill signed into law, House Bill 3188.

“Governor Rauner asked his Directors to help reduce legislation that limits businesses or creates extra burdens and red tape. My bill repeals the David A. Wirsing Food Animal Institute Act, which was created but never implemented,” said Rep. Swanson.

The Institute’s enabling legislation went into effect on August 6, 2004, but it was never implemented. A small number of appointments were made to the Board, but it has never been fully appointed. Swanson’s legislation overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate this Spring, with little opposition.

###