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VOL. 16 • NO. 36
WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM
365174
THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2020
Harmon named 39th president of Illinois Senate States future priorities: preschool for all, reduced taxes on lower income families
FOR THE INDEPENDENT
Late Sunday evening, Don Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park, was elected President of the Illinois Senate, replacing John Cullerton. Democratic state senators went into a private caucus shortly after 11 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, to discuss their choices for the next Illinois Senate president. According to the Springfield Journal, access to the third-floor offices at the Capitol was blocked off to the public and the news media while the private caucus was taking place in the Senate president’s office. Offices with access to stairwells leading to the third floor were locked as well. A special session for the formal election on the Senate floor for the new president was scheduled for 12 noon, but the private caucus lasted much longer than the one hour allotted. With 40 Democrats and 19 Republicans in the Senate chamber, a combination of votes from 30 of those senators was needed to elect the president. Normally, the majority party decides its candidate for president in the private caucus and records a unified, unanimous vote from its party for the president on the Senate floor. The leading candidates were Harmon and Kimberly Lightford, a Democrat from Maywood, although another candidate could have emerged had neither Harmon nor Lightford received the necessary backing from the caucus. Once on the floor of the Senate however, it was Senator Lightford who rose to nominate Sen. Harmon for Senate president, noting said they have neighboring districts and
have since 2002. “I can’t think of anyone else who would do a wonderful job leading our caucus,” Lightford said. Senators Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) and Laura Murphy (D-DesPlaines) rose to second the nomination.
Harmon shares Senate priorities Later, on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 19, Senate President Don Harmon held a media conference to discuss his priorities as the 39th Senate president of Illinois. “It is an honor and a privilege to
serve the General Assembly and the people of Illinois as the next Senate president,” Harmon said at the press conference. After representing the people of Oak Park and the state of Illinois for more than 17 years, Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park, said he looked
Village celebrates ATI’s new location
forward to serving and thanked his colleagues for “recognizing his legislative accomplishments and for believing in his ability to lead the chamber.” “The Senate is a collection of di-
See HARMON, Page 4
SUBMITTED PHOTO Bensenville Independent
On Friday, Jan. 10, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for ATI Physical Therapy’s new facility located at 1057 South York Road in the Brentwood Commons Shopping Center. ATI was in their previous location for more than 10 years. ATI Physical Therapy specializes in personalized physical therapy including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, therapeutic modalities, cardiovascular conditioning, and strength training. They also pride themselves on their friendly and motivating team who can help develop a personalized treatment plan to reduce pain, improve mobility, and reduce future injuries. “I have received several positive comments regarding the staff here at ATI Physical Therapy and am happy to see they have chosen to continue offering their valuable services in Bensenville,” said Village President Frank DeSimone. “This facility and its team make a great addition to the Brentwood Commons Shopping Center.”
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