RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retailers throughout Illinois remain focused on serving their neighborhoods. Luckeyia Murry, owner of Luckeyia’s Balloons & Distribution in the city of Homewood, says running a small business is a lot of hard work. She wants policymakers to understand it is small businesses who build community and keep people connected. Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Luckeyia are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
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What Illinois Can Learn From Texas On Battery Energy Storage
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] As Illinois confronts skyrocketing electric bills, legislators are on the hunt for solutions that provide relief as quickly as possible. Battery energy storage is our best and most cost-effective solution. But last session— without evidence —opponents attempted to claim that battery energy storage wouldn’t work. Try telling that to Texas, where the rapid deployment of battery storage has already prevented blackouts and saved consumers billions. Called “Ground Zero for the US Battery Boom” by Bloomberg, Texas added enough storage in 2023 to power 3 million homes and drop grid emergency risk during peak hours from 16% to less than 1%. The result? Storage saved consumers an estimated $750 million in 2024. Texas has proven that storage is the quickest, cheapest, most reliable way to get consumers relief from skyrocketing, demand-induced price spikes. Storage is a nimble way to address growing populations, power-hungry data centers, and meet other electrification-related power needs. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year. Illinois lawmakers should follow Texas’s lead and pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Act this fall to deploy 6GW of energy storage by 2035. Click here for more information.
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Credit Unions Spread Kindness
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Each year, Illinois credit unions designate special initiatives to support the people and communities they serve. This year’s CU Kind Day showcased the incredible power of credit unions coming together to make a difference across Illinois and beyond. This one-day initiative continues to grow - spreading kindness, inspiring collaboration, and creating lasting community impact. ![]() Our Springfield team spread kindness by supporting The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois! We donated $500 and stocked up on after-school snacks to fuel the 1,000+ kids who participate in their programs, helping them grow into healthy, responsible citizens. Learn more about CU Kind Day: https://creditunions.com/features/theres-nothing-random-about-these-acts-of-kindness/ Paid for by the Illinois Credit Union League.
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Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2 To Protect The 340B Program And Invest In Low-Income Chicago Communities
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Sinai Chicago serves an area including 1.5 million people on Chicago’s West and Southwest sides, where poverty rates range from 30%-50%. As the state’s largest private safety net provider, Sinai considers the federal 340B program a “safety net in and of itself.” With 340B savings, the health system has provided patients with free or deeply discounted medications, and it has invested in specialty clinics and medication management services. Yet, drugmaker restrictions on hospitals have reduced Sinai Chicago’s ability to expand access to care and offer new healthcare services—counter to the 340B program’s intent. The program requires drugmakers participating in Medicaid to discount outpatient medications to healthcare providers caring for uninsured and low-income patients. One glaring drugmaker restriction is limiting where patients can get discounted drugs. In some instances, hospitals are only allowed to contract with one pharmacy for an entire community. “Such a policy does not ensure access to essential drugs for a patient population like the one Sinai serves,” the health system said. “The threat and fear of 340B program reductions can prevent planned extensions of care and new programs in clinical areas greatly needed in our community that would not otherwise have access to care.” Support House Bill 2371 SA 2 to stop drugmakers from restricting the 340B program and patient access to care. Learn more.
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