Halpin to hold hearing regarding Steel and Sears Dam study and invites public comment

MOLINE - In order to promote transparency, engage the community and consider various safety proposals for the Steel and Sears Dams, State Senator Mike Halpin is calling for the community to attend and comment at a public hearing regarding this key issue.

“This hearing will give folks who live, work, and play near the Rock River a chance to share their views on the Steel and Sears Dams,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “IDNR’s safety study will give our municipal and community leaders powerful insight into alternatives that protect the environment and recreation on the river, while ensuring the river is as safe as possible for that purpose.”

The hearing will include preliminary findings from the safety study conducted by Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and will include public comment following the presentation of their findings. The Steel Dam and Sears Dam have been the site of fatal accidents and the study’s purpose is to examine ways to mitigate the safety risk and prevent these tragedies in the future.

Senator Halpin invites the public to attend the hearing at the IBEW Hall at 1700 52nd Ave., in Moline on March 16 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Those with questions should call Senator Halpin’s office at 309-558-3612, text at 309-297-4483 or check out his website.

Sears and Steel Dam Hearing

Halpin announces funding to promote innovation in Galesburg

ROCK ISLAND – State Senator Mike Halpin announced that $56,432 in grant money has been awarded to an innovative small business in Galesburg.

“With the right resources, Western Illinois communities can produce competitive products that bring business to our region,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Innovation grants lift up small businesses and put tax dollars to good use.”

The Illinois Innovation Voucher Program connects small businesses with the state’s world-class universities and research institutions. Through competitive awards of up to $75,000, the program enables companies to pursue research and development projects in partnership with a qualified Illinois institute of higher education to support technology validation, accelerate product development and strengthen commercialization pathways.

In the 36^th Senate District that Halpin represents, Lux Blox LLC in Galesburg was selected to receive the $56,000 through Innovation Voucher Program grants. Lux Blox produces educational and interactive toys for children to get excited about STEM. Their products are manufactured in the United States and are used in classrooms and other learning spaces around the world.

To learn more about the Innovation Voucher Program, click here.

Halpin announces half a million dollars for Niabi Zoo

• Grant Program

ROCK ISLAND – Thanks to Senator Mike Halpin, the Niabi Zoo will receive $527,800 from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant to provide upgrades and improvements to the zoo.

“Niabi Zoo has brought educational entertainment to my family and many others in Western Illinois,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “This investment supports a key community institution in Rock Island and will bring enrichment that will stick with our youth through their lives.”

OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since its establishment, OSLAD has awarded $675 million for park projects throughout Illinois.

The Rock Island Forest Preserve District received $527,800 to enhance educational opportunities for families at Niabi Zoo.

"We are profoundly grateful for this investment on the part of the State of Illinois,” said Niabi Zoo Director Lee Jackson. “Through Niabi Zoo's accreditation in the Zoological Association of America and its many partnerships with zoos and wildlife experts across the country and around the world, Niabi is well established as a home for conservation and environmental education.

“Making that education accessible and entertaining for families adds to the effectiveness of our work, and that's precisely what this project will enhance,” said Jackson. “The improvements we're making would not have been feasible without the OSLAD program, and we're anxious to get started."

Visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website for more information on the OSLAD grants.