NAPERVILLE – Beginning Monday, State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) is collaborating with the Northshore Clinical Labs to provide free COVID-19 testing. 

“As our state continues to face this unprecedented public health crisis that has affected families in all of our communities, it is still imperative that we all get tested frequently” Ellman said. “Although we are beginning to see the finish line, caution is still needed. I’m urging residents to get tested. No symptoms or insurance is required.”

The site is set to beginning testing Monday, February 8, 2020 and will be located at 1301 South Route 59, Unit 109., Naperville, IL, 60564. The site will be open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The site is set to be open until late March, pending testing demands.

People should follow signs to the testing area and are required to wear masks while on the premises. Appointments are required and can be made here.

Insurance is not required. However, if a person is insured, they should bring their insurance card with them, and the company will be billed for the test. Those without insurance can also receive a test free-of-charge.

Questions and accessibility need requests should be directed to Ellman’s office, by calling (630) 453-5488 or visiting www.senatorlauraellman.com/contact-us.

NAPERVILLE – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) is highlighting the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

“I remember passing by the Chicago Golf Club on my way to work     at a manufacturing plant in Wheaton every day and admired its beauty,” Ellman said. “I had no idea, however, that I was passing   one of the oldest golf courses in the world.”

This week, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced the recognition of 12 Illinois sites added to the National Register of Historic Places, including the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton.

The club’s historical significance played a major role in its induction into the national registry. Known for having the first 18-hole golf course in the United States and one of the first championship caliber courses in the country. As one of the five founding member clubs of the United States Golf Association, it hosted many of the early amateur and professional golf tournaments in the U.S. Additionally, there is a number of notable buildings on the property, including the clubhouse and lounge designed by Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt, nephew of Richard Morris Hunt.

“This addition to the National Register will contribute to the unfinished story of not only DuPage County, but our entire state,” Ellman said.

National Register places are added to the group by the National Park Service, based on recommendations from the State Historic Preservation Office. In general, properties must be more than 50 years old to be eligible for the National Register.

Every county in Illinois has at least one property or historic district listed in the National Register.

Some of the 11 other places recognized that are located across Illinois include a 150-year-old farmstead located just northwest of McHenry, and Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) has taken action to remove an antiquated law that prohibits drinking alcohol on trains, which hasn’t been enforced in nearly a century.

“Last year I learned of this law and was surprised. People have technically been breaking the law by ordering drinks on the     Amtrak,” Ellman said. “There’s no reason why responsible adults shouldn’t be able to enjoy these types of beverages on a train.”

House Bill 3878 repeals the Railroad Intoxicating Liquor Act of     1911, which prohibits drinking alcohol on trains and around train stations, and gives conductors the ability to arrest violators and charge them with a Class C misdemeanor.

“Just because a law isn’t generally enforced, doesn’t mean that it can’t be,” Ellman said. “Today, many trains include alcoholic beverages on their menus.”

The measure passed the Senate with a vote of 51-0-0 and now goes to the governor’s desk, where it will await being signed into law.

“This law hasn’t been enforced since the 1920s, during Prohibition,” Ellman said. “Last year COVID-19 sidelined this legislation, but it’s time to get back on track by repealing this archaic and arbitrary law.”

Ellman is also encouraging people to use safe transportation, such as Metra, as an alternative to driving under the influence.

NAPERVILLE – State Senator Laura Ellman is highlighting an agreement signed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service for Shared Stewardship that will strengthen their commitment to collaborative land management efforts throughout Illinois.

“This is a fantastic step forward for these organizations,” Ellman said. “The partnership that has been created will have a positive     and lasting effect on the protections for our state’s natural resources.”

The agreement establishes a framework to allow the state and the Forest Service to work together on forest management, accomplishing shared goals, advancing public interests and efficiently responding to challenges facing the communities and natural resources of Illinois.

“The agreement signed today simply puts into writing what we’ve been partnering with the USDA Forest Service to accomplish for decades,” said Colleen Callahan, director of the Illinois Department   of Natural Resources. “It solidifies our partnership for future leaders in both agencies and ensures synergy for true conservation of forests and other natural resources which rely on our forests, including clean air, water and wildlife habitats.”

Federal, state and private land managers in Illinois face a range of urgent challenges, including catastrophic storms, droughts, flooding, insect and disease outbreaks, invasive species, and increasing use by the public.

The state and the Forest Service plan to address these challenges by instituting a number of protective measures across the state, including:

• Restoring fire-adapted ecosystems and reducing the risk of wildfires;

• Identifying, managing, restoring, and reducing threats to forest and prairie ecosystems’ health; and

• Maintaining a sustainable use model to ensure forests meet the present and future demands for natural resources and public recreation.

“Healthy forest environments can provide clean air and water and promote more diverse plant and animal life,” Ellman said. “I look forward to seeing what these organizations can accomplish in collaboration."