Rep. Ford Receives a Perfect 100% Environmental Rating

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NACA: Hiring Housing Counselors, Real Estate Agents and other positions for offices nationwide. Do well financially by making homeownership dreams come true.

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WTTW Reports

September 14, 2026

‘Huge Step Forward’: Illinois Inches Closer on Battery Storage, Solar Goals

CHICAGO — For Illinois to meet its ambitious decarbonization goals, the state’s energy grid will need more battery storage to make use of solar and wind power when the sun doesn’t shine and wind doesn’t blow.

State regulators took the first major step last month toward bringing new energy storage online, a key component of legislation that took effect in June.

The results of the first battery power procurement auction mean another 600 megawatts of new utility-scale energy storage projects will come online in Illinois by 2030 — roughly enough to power half a million homes, or the equivalent of what a single coal or natural gas plant generates.

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Rep. Ford's Track Record

A Look Back at Rep. Ford’s History of Community Advocacy, Listening, and his Lasting Impact on the West Side

Rep. Ford Takes Action Fighting for the People’s Rights

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Quote of the Day

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , American civil rights activists

On This Day in History

September 15, 1963

History Reports

March 2, 2025

Four Black schoolgirls killed in Birmingham church bombing

On September 15, 1963, a bomb explodes during Sunday morning services in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four young girls: Addie Mae Collins (14), Cynthia Wesley (14), Carole Robertson (14) and Carol Denise McNair (11).

With its large African American congregation, the 16th Street Baptist Church served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., who once called Birmingham a “symbol of hardcore resistance to integration.” Alabama’s governor, George Wallace, made preserving racial segregation one of the central goals of his administration, and Birmingham had one of the most violent and lawless chapters of the Ku Klux Klan.

A History of Racial Injustice Reports

September 15, 1963

Four Black Girls Killed in Church Bombing in Birmingham, Alabama

Immediately after the bombing, violence surged throughout the city as police clashed with enraged members of the Black community. Before the day ended, at least two other African American children had been slain: 16-year-old Johnny Robinson was shot by police as he fled down an alley, and 13-year-old Virgil Ware was shot and killed while riding his bicycle by white teenagers who had attended a rally opposing integration.

Bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church | American Freedom Stories | Biography | History

Victims of 1963 church bombing remembered

Birmingham Bombing Survivor Lived With Rage At Sister’s Death In 1963 White Supremacist Attack

Rep. Ford's Poll Questions

Poll Question #1

On September 15, 1963, a bombing at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killed four young girls during Sunday morning services. What aspect of this tragedy stands out to you most?

Please select the option that most accurately reflects your opinion and vote accordingly.

Poll Question #2

The bombing was followed by additional violence in Birmingham, including the deaths of 16-year-old Johnny Robinson and 13-year-old Virgil Ware. What does this broader violence show about Birmingham in 1963?

Please select the option that most accurately reflects your opinion and vote accordingly.

Yesterday's Poll Results

Before it became the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” began as a poem written by Francis Scott Key after witnessing the Battle of Fort McHenry. Which part of that transformation do you find most interesting?

The famous line about “the rocket’s red glare” and “bombs bursting in air” was inspired by the actual bombardment Key witnessed from a ship about eight miles from Fort McHenry. Which aspect of the story makes the lyrics feel most

powerful to you?

Knowing History Spotlight Moment

September 15, 2026

1776

Washington begins bombardment of British-held Boston

1807

Congress abolishes the African slave trade

1836

Texas declares independence

1861

Texas secedes

1904

Dr. Seuss born

1917

Puerto Ricans become U.S. citizens, are recruited for war effort

1929

President Coolidge signs the Jones Act, targeting bootleggers

1943

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea begins

1944

More than 500 train passengers mysteriously suffocate

1955

Fifteen-year old Claudette Colvin refuses to give up her seat on a segregated bus

1962

Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points

1966

Ford celebrates 1 millionth Mustang

1967

Bobby Kennedy proposes plan to end the war

1969

Soviet Union and Chinese armed forces clash

1972

Pioneer 10 launched to Jupiter

1978

Reports surface of grave robbers stealing Charlie Chaplin’s body

1978

Muhammad Ali wins world heavyweight championship

The Oak Park Police and Fire Department is Hiring!

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Things You Should Know

Key Illinois Facts and Important Terms Every American Should Understand

Key Facts Every Illinoisan Should Know

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Take Action in Your Democracy

Contact the White House and Locate Your Elected Officials

Contact the White House with Your

Concerns Today

If you have any questions, concerns, or issues with the federal government, it is important to reach out to the White House immediately by phone or email. Your voice matters!

Phone Number: (202) 456-1111

Email:  president@whitehouse.gov

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Mental Health Resources

Support, Services, and Help When You Need It

Suicide Prevention Hotline

Help is available; speak with someone today:

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline - Dial 988

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Essential Support Services

Free Assistance for Unemployment, Housing, Health Care, Food, and Legal Help

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Resources for Nonprofit Organizations

Tools, Funding, and Support to Strengthen Your Mission

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Non-Profit Organizations Statewide

It's Malnutrition Awareness Week

National Today Reports

Malnutrition Awareness Week takes place annually, starting on the second Monday of September. This multi-organizational campaign, led by ASPEN, educates healthcare professionals and the public on the critical importance of nutrition. Join the movement to foster better health outcomes and advocate for improved nutritional care.

Should You Become a Dietitian? | What I Actually Do Every Day | Pros and Cons

Get Connected with Rep. Ford

Rep. Ford's Daily Job Leads

PSA- FOIA Officer

Job Requisition ID: 58315

Division/Section/Unit: Office of Legal Affairs/ FOIA/ FOIA

HR Tracking #: 38223

Position Title: FOIA Officer- Public Service Administrator 8L

Opening Date: 09/08/2026

Closing Date: 09/22/2026

Agency: Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

Class Title: PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR - 37015 

Skill Option: Special License - Illinois Law License 

Bilingual Option: None

Salary: Anticipated Starting Salary $8,571 - $10,571 monthly

Job Type: Salaried

Category: Full Time 

Number of Vacancies: 1

Bargaining Unit Code: None

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Elevator Inspector

Job Requisition ID: 58018 

Opening Date: 09/08/2026

Closing Date: 09/22/2026

Agency: Office of the State Fire Marshal

Class Title: ELEVATOR INSPECTOR - 13495 

Salary: Anticipated Starting Salary $6,457 Monthly; 

Full Range $6,457 - $9,334 Monthly

Job Type: Salaried

Category: Full Time 

County: Cook; DuPage; Kane; Lake; McHenry; Will

Number of Vacancies: 1

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Child Care and Child Welfare Licensing Background

Job Requisition ID: 58530 

Opening Date: 09/10/2026

Closing Date: 09/24/2026

Agency: Department of Children and Family Services

Title: Office Specialist (Upward Mobility Program) 

Class Title: OFFICE SPECIALIST - 30080 

Skill Option: Keyboarding 

Bilingual Option: None

Salary: Anticipated Starting Salary $4,568/mo.; 

Full Salary Range: $4,568 - $6,133/mo.

Job Type: Salaried

Category: Full Time 

Number of Vacancies: 1

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Grant Accountant

Agency: Criminal Justice Information Authority

Opening Date: 9/4/2026

Closing Date/Time: 09/21/2026

Salary: $33.72 - $36.78 / PER HOUR

Job Type: Hourly 

County: Cook

Number of Vacancies: 1

Plan/BU: None 

JOB REQUISITION #58438 

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Federal, State and City Jobs

Eighth District Community

Explore Local Small Businesses Through the Eighth District Chamber of Commerce

Despite losing 9.1 million jobs in the first two quarters of 2020, small businesses job growth rebounded swiftly following the COVID-19 recession. In the four quarters following, small businesses have gained 5.5 million jobs, making up for 60 percent of the decline during the early pandemic.

Small businesses have generated 12.9 million net new jobs over the past 25 years, accounting for two out of every three jobs added to the economy. For more, read Advocacy’s latest fact sheet, “Small Business Job Creation”.

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Rep. Ford's Community Events

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Rep Ford's Special Edition Newsletters

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