CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign County Forest Preserve District is set to receive more than $726,000 to make improvements and create new exhibits, thanks to support from State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign).

“Museums provide excellent opportunities for education and give folks near and far the opportunity to learn about our history,” Bennett said. “This grant program is making a significant investment in our local museum that will ultimately attract more visitors, support research, and serve the community for generations to come.”

Overseen by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program is open to any museum operated by a local government or built on municipally owned land. The maximum grant award for projects is $750,000, and matching funds are often required based on museum attendance.

The program will distribute a total of $19.7 million in grants to 36 Illinois museums for facility improvement and development of new exhibits.

Investments for the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program are funded by Rebuild Illinois. More information about the program is available here.

URBANA – State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) and his staff will be at the Urbana Free Library, located at 210 W. Green Street, on Thursday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for remote office hours.

“I’m glad to offer remote office hours to the residents of Urbana,” Bennett said. “My staff and I can offer a variety of services, answer your questions, connect you with state resources and much more.”

These office hours serve as an opportunity for residents to speak directly with Bennett’s staff to receive help with casework and other issues at the state level, as well as provide informational resources.

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RANTOUL – To give more residents the opportunity to visit his office with comments and concerns, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is hosting additional office hours in Rantoul.

The next remote office hours event will be held Wednesday, March 9 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Rantoul Public Library, located at 106 W. Flessner Ave. Bennett invites residents to stop by for help with state services or simply to discuss issues facing the community.

“Not every resident has the time or transportation to visit my Champaign office – so I’m bringing my office to Rantoul,” Bennett said. “I encourage anyone who needs assistance, has ideas or just wants to talk to attend.”

Bennett invites residents to visit for help accessing state services and to discuss legislative matters directly.

Bennett will also host office hours on April 13, May 11 and June 8 in Rantoul. To stay up to date on events Bennett’s office is hosting, residents can visit SenatorBennett.com.

SPRINGFIELD – The achievements and accomplishments of Career and Technical Education programs across the state will be recognized this February, thanks to the help of State Senator Scott Bennett.

Bennett (D-Champaign) championed a measure that declares February Career and Technical Education Month in Illinois.

“CTE incorporates many types of education, from classroom learning to certification programs and work-based learning opportunities outside the classroom,” Bennett said. “I’m proud to dedicate the month of February as CTE Month to highlight the important role it plays in our workforce.”

Approximately 12.5 million high school and college students are enrolled in CTE courses across the country. Advance CTE reports that the high school graduation rate for students who concentrate on CTE is about 90%– 15 percentage points higher than the national average.

CTE offers education and advanced training to support high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations, including careers in health care, information technology, agriculture, finance, and education.

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