Local Chambers of Commerce Awarded B2B Grants
More than 150 local chambers of commerce, including several in the 32nd Senate District, will be awarded a share of $5 million in grant funding through the state’s Back to Business (B2B) Local Chambers program.
The state’s B2B Local Chambers program, which the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity administers, provides additional support for local chambers of commerce still recovering from the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Governor’s lockdowns.
Eligible chambers of commerce include organizations of businesses and professionals dedicated to improving the economic and business development within their communities that experienced a negative financial impact from the pandemic and have an annual revenue of $1 million or less.
A full list of grant recipients can be found here.
Upcoming events in the 32nd Senate District
Thank you to everyone who came out to my two traveling office hours events last week in Fox Lake. Two similar events are scheduled this week for Tuesday and Thursday in Cary.
My staff members are experts in constituent services, so I would encourage anyone who is having issues with state agencies to stop by and receive assistance. This includes those having issues with unemployment, FOID cards and CCL licenses, professional licensing, and other issues.
Additional upcoming outreach events include:
- July 17: I-CASH Unclaimed Property Day, Crystal Lake
- August 3: Youth Fishing Derby, McHenry
- August 17: Legislative Office Open House, Woodstock
- September 19: Barks & Brews Pet Adoption Event, Woodstock
- October 15, Senior Fair, Crystal Lake
As the dates approach for these events, additional information with times and locations will be shared. You can also visit the Events Page on my website to learn more about them.
Illinois Secretary of State’s Office Issues Notice of Data Breach
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office is warning Illinois residents of a data breach that may have exposed their personal data.
Out of an abundance of caution, around 50,000 residents received letters concerning a “data security incident” that occurred in early April. The letter stated that an unidentified individual gained access to the Lake County government’s computer system and sent a phishing email to Illinois Secretary of State employees. The letter noted that the breach had potentially exposed names, driver’s licenses, and Social Security numbers.
In a statement shared by NBC Chicago, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office said, “The office’s Department of Information Technology and cyber security teams acted within hours to contain and mitigate the phishing incident, and none of the agency’s databases, including those containing driver and vehicle records, were compromised.”
The Office also noted that they intend to enhance cybersecurity measures and plan to reinforce the security frameworks against future attacks.