State Senator Michael E. Hastings and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias joined community leaders Monday to announce the opening of a temporary driver services facility at CTF Illinois in Orland Park.
“This facility represents more than just a place to renew a license or get a new ID,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort).
“It represents collaboration, compassion and the belief that government should make life easier for families in the south suburbs.”
Located at 18230 Orland Parkway, the temporary facility will provide license renewals, identification cards and other services for residents in the south suburbs until a permanent facility is completed.
Hastings said the opening reflects a commitment to making government more accessible, and thanked CTF Illinois for temporarily housing the facility while the permanent facility is created.
“Communities Transform Futures is not only their name but their mission,” said Hastings. “They have been a light of dignity and opportunity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their willingness to step up shows what leadership looks like.”
CTF Illinois, based in Orland Park, has operated for decades with a focus on services for people with developmental needs. Board members Anthony Barrett, Danielle Kane and Michael Salvador were recognized at the event, along with the organization’s leadership team.
Local officials also played a role in coordinating the effort, including Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge and Orland Hills Mayor Kyle Hastings.
“My father taught me that leadership is about building bridges, not walls,” said Hastings. “That message rings true here.”
“This is only the beginning,” Hastings said. “We are very close to determining a permanent home for a state of the art driver services facility that will serve this community for years to come.”
The CTF Illinois site is now open to the public and offers the full range of driver services.
By Laura Reichel
A devoted father nearly lost everything—his child, his freedom, and his future—because of false allegations that threatened everything he held dear. Stripped of his rights and shut out of his child’s life, dad turned to attorney Jeffery Leving for help.
The Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd., fought for him and won, reuniting him with his child and protecting dad’s future and freedom.
Chicago based matrimonial attorney Jeffery Leving, President of the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. will talk about this important case victory and more on the Dads’ Rights Legal Hour, 9-10 a.m. CDT Saturday, October 4th on Power 92.3 FM.
This show segment will be available for download on the Dads’ Rights Legal Hour Spotify page on dadsrights.com. You can listen to this radio show and keep hope alive by sharing this victory and connecting on Instagram @dadsrights.
Dad, who was never married to the mother, enjoyed a generous court-ordered parenting time schedule with his child until he suddenly found his world turned upside down. Out of nowhere, he was falsely accused of punching his child in the nose and committing other acts of abuse. The child’s mother used these shocking allegations to secure an Order of Protection for herself and the child—placing dad’s liberty, future, and his relationship with his child at risk. Overnight, he was cut off from his child, unable to see or contact his own child. For too many months, this devoted dad lived in agony without his child.
Desperate, he turned to attorney Leving for help to protect his liberty and reunite with his child. Leving’s team gave dad the hope he badly needed, assuring him that they would fight to protect both him and his child. They did and they won.
The Leving legal team subpoenaed evidence, built a successful legal strategy, and exposed the falsity of the allegations. In court, they presented their case, demonstrated that no abuse had occurred, and argued that the restraining order was baseless. The judge vacated the Order of Protection against dad—restoring dad’s rights and his court-ordered parenting time. Dad was reunited with his child, free to continue being there for his child without fear of jail.
This court victory modified for publication was no ordinary court case, but rather a life-changing victory that safeguarded a father from a grave injustice. Dad was reunited with his child and his future and liberty were protected. This victory is one of many in which the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd., has stepped in to safeguard a father’s rights and preserve and protect a child’s relationship with their dad. Each case is different, but their mission remains the same: to fight for justice, expose the truth, and keep families together.
Matrimonial attorney is the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from the President of the United States in recognition of 7,500 hours of service to this nation. In addition, the Illinois House of Representatives has honored Leving “for his work in safeguarding the rights of fathers and protecting the welfare of children and families in this State,” and the Illinois Senate issued a proclamation recognizing his efforts on behalf of fathers.
Chicago, IL – The Illinois Legislature should not rush to approve a battery energy storage proposal that guarantees out-of-state battery companies a 20-year profit paid for by Illinois utility customers, a leading energy ratepayer advocacy association said Wednesday.
Phillip Golden, chairman of the Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers, a group of over 20 of the largest businesses in the state whose members employ tens of thousands of Illinois taxpayers, warned against rushing through the agreement in the next two weeks.
“Trying to pass an 800-page bill impacting the pocketbooks of every citizen and business in Illinois during a 6-day veto session is callous, especially given that its proponents changed the effective date until June of next year to reduce the number of votes they’ll need for adoption.”
The IIEC has been reaching out to proponents of the bill who have been unwilling to engage until recently.
“From the start, we have advocated for an all of the above energy strategy, including battery storage, renewables, nuclear, and natural gas, among other technologies, to create an affordable, reliable, sustainable, and equitable future,” Golden explained.
“The General Assembly owes it to ratepayers to thoughtfully consider this proposal before imposing what is essentially a 20-year tax on ratepayers.”
“The General Assembly rightly tabled this issue at the end of May. However, the current bill is essentially the same as the bill that was tabled and only guarantees immediate cost increases in exchange for the hope of possible savings years down the road. With an effective date of next year, we have the time to avoid mistakes made in other energy markets.”
“States like New York, Massachusetts, and California, among others, have adopted similar top-down battery storage programs. Consumers in those states pay rates that are up to twice as high as Illinois consumers pay today,” Golden said.
Attached is a chart showing the huge differences in costs between Illinois and the nine states that have approved similar battery storage legislation.
IIEC is a coalition of energy-intensive industries and institutions across Illinois. United by a shared interest in energy policy and advocating for affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy supply, the IIEC actively engages in utility regulation and legislative initiatives at both the state and regional levels on behalf of energy consumers. The organization also serves as a central hub for tracking and responding to developments that impact utility ratepayers and its members.
— Press Release from the Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers, at .