Friday, May 17, 2013
The team brought home several awards in restaurant services, cabinet making and machine drafting.
The following was provided Dennis Barfuss, adviser to the OHS Skills UA Team: Oswego High School students represented District 308 and Oswego by winning the Gold in multiple competitions at the State Championships for Skills USA in April. Upon arriving in Springfield, the students were gracefully received at the State Capitol by State Representative Tom Cross. They were treated to a tour of the capitol and watched the House of Representatives and the Senate pass current legislation. They were all greeted and received well wishes by Governor Pat Quinn. Tom Cross took time out of his legislative schedule to visit the competitions on Friday. As a result of the preparations and effort put in by the students and their instructors Oswego …
Friday, May 3, 2013
The Illinois House Thursday approved a controversial plan to eliminate the state's $100 billion pension debt.
The Illinois Senate may soon vote on House Speaker Michael Madigan’s pension reform plan that passed the House Thursday. The bill passed by a vote of 62-51 and seeks to eliminate the state’s $100 billion retirement system debt. Illinois ranks dead last in the nation when it comes to funding its public pension plan, according to WBEZ. The bill asks state workers for less in future cost-of-living increases, an increase in the retirement age for workers under the age of 46 and asks for more money to be taken from state employee paychecks. The bill may have difficulty making it through the Senate where Senate Leader John Cullerton supports a different plan that gives workers the option of pay increases or government-funded health care in …
Monday, April 22, 2013
The program also includes funding for passenger rail development in Kendall County and the purchase of new busses for service expansion into Kendall County.
There's going to be some construction over the next six years in the Fox Valley area, including Oswego. State Representatives Kay Hatcher (R-Yorkville) and Tom Cross (R-Oswego) announced that area residents will benefit from local road, mass transit and airport improvements included in the state’s six-year transportation construction program. “The Fox Valley continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in the country. Our transportation infrastructure absolutely must keep pace with our growing communities,” said Rep. Hatcher in a release. “These needed upgrade projects and the jobs they provide are all good news for local families.” “Not only will this provide vital road and highway improvements, it will also create jobs in our …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Evening is co-sponsored by the Oswego Police and District 308.
State Reps. Kay Hatcher, R-Yorkville, and Tom Cross, R-Oswego, will host a drug abuse forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25, according to the Oswego District 308 website. The forum will be held at Oswego High School, and is co-sponsored by the Oswego Police Department and District 308. Topics covered will include “establishing a dialogue and raising awareness among public officials, law enforcement, educators and local families regarding the risks of substance abuse in our community; including the threat of heroin, marijuana, prescription drug abuse and alcohol among teens and young adults.” Families are welcome, and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, call Cross’ office at (815) 254-0000, or e-mail tom@tomcross.com
Monday, March 18, 2013
Don't miss your chance to pepper the house minority leader with some questions.
State Rep. Tom Cross (R-Oswego) will host traveling office hours from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at the Montgomery campus of the Oswego Public Library District, according to information on his website. The office hours provides an opportunity for constituents to talk to Cross at a time and location that is convenient. “This is a good opportunity for residents to have a chance to meet with our staff and discuss issues of concern regarding state government,” Rep. Cross said. “Traveling office hours are a great way for us to interact with constituents face-to-face and share how our office can help answer questions and offer valuable resources.” The Oswego Public Library’s Montgomery campus located at 1111 Reading Drive. For more news…
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Tuesday, March 12, 2013
New bills call for stiffer sentencing for gang-related gun offenses, gang recruitment.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross of Oswego joined with fellow Republican legislators Tuesday in introducing legislation aimed at keeping children and communities safe from violence. According to Cross’ website, the “Protect Our Children” intiative targets gang- and school-related violence. The intiative introduces four new bills. They are: “We need to constantly be working on and setting policies in Springfield that protect the next generation,” Cross said. “We believe these proposals introduced today will better protect our children across the state.”
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Named for a Naperville boy killed in a tragic crash, the law would allow roadside memorials to remain in place as a warning against impaired and distracted drivers.
State Reps. Tom Cross (R-Oswego) and Kay Hatcher (R-Yorkville) are seeking to renew a law that will allow roadside memorials in honor of victims of traffic fatalities involving impaired and distracted drivers. House Bill 2372 would re-enact the fatal accident memorial marker program, which sunset on December 31, 2012. The Roadside Memorial Act raises awareness of the dangers of reckless driving while allowing families an opportunity to remember the victims of crashes involving reckless drivers. The Act is named Adam’s Law after 5 year-old Adam Miller of Naperville who was tragically killed in a traffic accident in 2008. Related: State Law Based on Family's Tragic Loss House Bill 2372 passed unanimously out of the Transportation Committee …
Monday, March 4, 2013
As Illinois comes in dead last in education funding, the Sun-Times says it's time for lawmakers to take meaningful action on pension reform.
State Rep. And house minority leader Tom Cross introduced a bill last week with Illinois Rep. Elaine Nekritz of Buffalo Grove that aims to trim the state’s pension costs. In an editorial this weekend, the Chicago Sun-Times called the plan promising and urged lawmakers to pass the bill and make real progress toward solving one of the state’s biggest financial worries. The bill includes the following new provisions for Tier I state employees, or those hired before 2011: The state is facing $98 billion in pension debt and has the worst credit rating in the nation. Moreover, it was revealed Monday that the state is also dead last when it comes to funding education. According to the Sun-Times, the Cross bill could save the state $167 billion …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The House Republican joined Democrat Elaine Nekritz at a press conference Wednesday to introduce new legislation.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) joined Northbrook Democrat Elaine Nekritz at a Wednesday morning press conference to unveil a new bill they say is the answer to Illinois' state pension woes. “This legislation is the most complete, fairest bill we could come up with that will solve our pension crisis. When it passes and becomes law, it will also loosen the pension squeeze on our state budget,” Cross said of House Bill 3411 in a statement. “We’ve filed and supported many bills and concepts along the way, but we believe this is the answer.” The bill includes the following new provisions for Tier I state employees, or those hired before 2011: Click here to read the full text of the bill. Related stories:
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Oswego resident and Paralympian Joe Berenyi was honored for his accomplishments in 2012 Paralympics.
Local paralympian Joe Berenyi can add one more honor to his already very impressive name. Earlier in December he was honored by the Illinois House of Representatives who unanimously adopted House Resolution 1220 to congratulate Berenyi on his many accomplishments and medals won in competition at the 2012 Paralympics in London. State Representative Tom Cross (R-Oswego) issued the following statement: "It is an honor to pay tribute to an extraordinary husband, father, athlete and citizen; Mr. Joe Berenyi. Joe has dealt with adversity for much of his adult life, never letting the physical or emotional toll of his life-altering injuries sustained in a construction accident 18 years ago hold him back from living an active, complete life." Read …
ayar
2:46 pm on Friday, May 3, 2013
and people wonder why promising students don't go into education as much anymore. They want results in a flawless environment hiring people at Wal-Mart wages and expect them to work until they drop, then replace them like a light-bulb. more ›