Dear Terra,

Over these past two weeks, we've received many calls and emails from constituents who want to know how the coming change of administration in Washington will affect Illinois and our communities.

At this point, it's really too early to know exactly what we can expect. But I want you to know that we hear you, we are monitoring the situation closely, and we will keep you informed as we move forward.

Please know that your state government continues to work hard on your behalf, and please don't hesitate to call our office with any questions or concerns as we move forward together.

Can you bee-lieve it? It's our last call for suggestions to name our district beehive!

We're sponsoring a City Bee Savers beehive, on behalf of District 42, and this week is your last chance to help us pick a great name for our hive and its queen bee. 

City Bee Savers is a member of the Illinois Queen Initiative (IQI), which is working to raise healthy honey bees from colonies that are well-suited to Illinois' rigorous climate.

Throughout the summer, the City Bee Savers safely retrieve honey bees from trees, chimneys, and buildings around Illinois and place them in hive boxes. Those bees are then bred to help produce bees that are Illinois-hardy.

Here are some of the wonderful suggestions we've had so far:

• Infinit-bee and bee-yond (with Buzz Lightyear as Queen)
• Maybeearey (with Aunt Bee as Queen)
• Your Royal Hiveness
• Bee-yonce

If you have some creative ideas to name our hive and its queen, you can click here. (Puns are DEFINITELY encouraged.) We'll select the top five and then let you vote to pick the name. (Just BEE polite with your suggestions, please!)

If you work in human services, you may be eligible for student loan repayment help

If you've worked for two years or more at a community-based organization that provides human services in Illinois, you may be eligible for help with your student loans through Illinois' Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program.

By helping healthcare professionals pay off their loans, the State of Illinois can retain these talented workers and ease the state's behavioral health workforce shortage. 

Applications are now open on ISAC's student portal. There are several programs available, and you may apply for more than one, if you're eligible.

• School & Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program – Assists school and municipal social workers with a one-time, $6,500 payment towards their student loans. You can find more information on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website. 
• Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program – Offers renewable payments of $4,000 to $40,000 to workers at any community mental health center, behavioral health center, substance use treatment center, or state-operated psychiatric hospital licensed by the Illinois Department of Human Services or Healthcare and Family Services. You can find more information on ISAC’s website. 
• Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program – Offers renewable payments of $2,000 to $15,000 to full-time employees at a state-funded human service organization. You can find more information on ISAC’s website. 

Lisle Park District hosts Kids Night Out TOMORROW

Thanks to the Lisle Park District, parents can have some kid-free time while their kids enjoy a safe "night out" tomorrow (Friday) from 5 to 8 p.m. at Gentle Learning Preschool, 1925 Ohio St. in Lisle.

Kids will spend the evening doing craft projects and playing outside on the Lisle Park District's enclosed playground (weather permitting).

Kids Night Out is open to children aged 3-9, and advance registration is required. There will be a Kids Night Out in December as well. Spots are limited, so sign up as soon as you can. For more information and registration, you can click here.

Wondering where your ancestors came from? Learn how to find out in Lombard MONDAY

When you're trying to trace your family tree, it can be extremely frustrating to pinpoint your immigrant ancestors' hometowns – the places where treasure troves of your family records may be stored.

If you need some expert help, you'll want to attend board-certified genealogist Teresa McMillin's presentation, from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25, at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St. in Lombard.

McMillin will talk about the information you'll need to start your search, how to go beyond names and dates to learn more about your family history, and how to organize and document your research. To learn more and register, you can click here.

Channel your inner Clark Griswold and help light up Wheaton this holiday season

All Wheaton residents, businesses, houses of worship, and community organizations are invited to show their holiday spirit as the City of Wheaton and Wheaton Park District kick off the 5th annual "Light Up Wheaton" contest.

To be considered, you must fill out the Wheaton Park District's online form and submit a photo of your completed holiday decorations, plus your address, by noon on Thursday, Dec. 12, to lcali@wheatonparks.org. All themes and holidays welcome. Awards will be given in three categories: Most Creative, People's Choice, and Mayor's Choice.

Photos and addresses will be shared on the City of Wheaton and Wheaton Park District Facebook pages, so people can drive by and enjoy the decorations in person.

Winners will be announced Friday, Dec. 20. All winners will receive a commemorative prize and $100 in local gift cards.

Get moving in Glen Ellyn on Thanksgiving Day

Start your Thanksgiving on the right foot at the Turkey Trot 4-Mile Prediction Run, at 8 a.m. next Thursday, Nov. 28, at Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road in Glen Ellyn.

The Turkey Trot is open to all ages; no registration is required, but a waiver must be signed at the event. For more information, visit here.

The top two runners who most accurately predict their finish time will win a treat. Prizes also will be awarded for the Best Costume. The Park District will be collecting non-perishable food items at the event on behalf of Glen House Food Pantry.

You can also help food-insecure neighbors while getting your Thanksgiving Day off to an active start from 7 to 10 a.m. at Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road. Bring a non-perishable food item or toiletry as your entry "fee." This event is for ages 16 and above. No need to register; just come ready to burn calories for a cause. To learn more, you can click here.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Parade season in Wheaton

Everyone is invited to join the Downtown Wheaton Association for their annual Christmas Parade on Friday, Nov. 29, starting at 6 p.m. at Wheaton Avenue and Wesley Street.

The parade will travel from Wheaton Avenue at Wesley Street south to Front Street, turning east (left) on Front Street, and finishing at Cross Street.

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Immediately following the parade, you can head over to the south pavilion (French Market location) for the Downtown Wheaton Christmas Tree Lighting. You can click here for more information.

Get trees and garlands and support BR Ryall YMCA at their Winter Wonderland on Nov. 30

You can make shopping for holiday trees, wreaths, garland, and planters a memorable family event at B.R. Ryall YMCA's Winter Wonderland from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 49 Deicke Drive in Glen Ellyn.

There will be special selfie stations, as well as treats for sale. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for photos.



The YMCA's Christmas Tree Lot will open at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29 at 9 a.m. and will close on Sunday, Dec. 8. For hours and more information, you can click here.

Medicaid provider revalidation alert! Do NOT miss the Nov. 30 deadline

If you're a Medicaid provider, please check your email inbox NOW for revalidation notices from IMPACT (Illinois Medicaid Program Advanced Cloud Technology.) If you don't fill out your revalidation on time, you'll be disenrolled and you won't get paid.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) require state Medicaid programs to revalidate all actively enrolled Medicaid providers at least once every five years. Revalidations that were due in 2020 were paused as a result of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which interrupted the normal revalidation cycle for many providers.

So take a moment and make sure that you have completed your 5-year revalidation. If you have not, you must complete it by November 30, 2024. If you are disenrolled, you will not receive payments for claims after that date, and you will not receive retroactive payments if you revalidate after the deadline. You can learn more here.

It's cold and snowy, so please help keep a child warm by donating winter gear

With the temperature beginning to drop, it's a good time to think of all the people in our community who are vulnerable to the cold. By giving them a warm coat and gloves, we can make all the difference in the world to them this winter.

To help keep our neighbors warm, my office is hosting a Winter Gear Drive through Dec. 16 for students in need and their families. We'll be collecting winter coats, gloves, boots, snow pants and hats to donate to local school districts. Children's winter boots sizes 1 to 7, women's 2XL coats, men's small coats and hats and gloves of all sizes are particularly needed.

To schedule a time to drop off donations or schedule a porch pick-up, please email reptch42@gmail.com or call 630-812-9292. You can also donate through our Amazon Wishlist and through Target.

It's time to go nuts with the Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn's Holiday Nut Sale

The Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn's annual Holiday Nut sale is happening now through Dec. 16.

The Kiwanis Club uses all profits from the sale to sponsor and support community organizations, including Glen House Food Pantry, the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center, Glen Ellyn Historical Society, WDSRA (Western DuPage Special Recreation Association), SCARCE (School & Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education), and ESSE Adult Day Care Services.

You can get an order form and learn more by contacting Penny at plinneweh@comcast.net or visiting the Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn website.

We're collecting donations for the Lombard Fire Department's Toy Drive and Parade

The Lombard Fire Department is hosting its 23rd Annual Toy Drive from now through Dec. 13, and my office is helping collect new toys (unwrapped), sports equipment, formula, wipes, and diapers to donate to the drive.

The drive will end with the Toy Parade on Main Street, from St. Charles Road to Wilson Avenue, on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 10:30 a.m. Residents are invited to participate and help spread holiday cheer by donating new, unwrapped toys and baby supplies to help local families in need.

Donations will benefit Toy Express and Teen Parent Connection. To schedule a time to drop off donations or a porch pick-up, you can email reptch42@gmail.com or call 630-812-9292. You can also donate through our Amazon Wishlist here. For more information, you can click here.

Upcoming Events

We have lots of events coming up, so please take a look and mark your calendars today!

Nov. 29-Dec. 25: Starry Night Windows in Downtown Glen Ellyn

Nov. 30-Dec. 22: Santa is Coming to Downtown Glen Ellyn, on Saturdays and Sundays at his Glen Ellyn "weekend house" off Main Street

Dec. 7: Lights of Lisle, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Downtown Lisle

Dec. 7: Candy Cane Lane Market from 4 to 8 p.m. at South Park Avenue in Downtown Lombard, between St. Charles Road and the Lombard Train Station

Dec. 7: Downers Grove Candy Cane Lane, at 9 a.m. at the Lincoln Center, 935 Maple Ave.

Dec. 7: Jingle Bell Jubilee, at 5:30 p.m. at Lilacia Park, 150 S. Park Ave. in Lombard

Dec. 8: Glen Ellyn Park District’s Toys For Tots Toy Drive with Characters, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road

Dec. 8-Jan. 1: Holiday Lights in Lilacia Park, from 4:30 to 10 p.m. daily at 150 S. Park Ave. in Lombard

Dec. 9: Skin Cancer Screening Event, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Good Samaritan Bhorade Cancer Center, 3745 Highland Ave in Downers Grove

If you have any questions about pending legislation or other issues related to your state government, please don't hesitate to contact my office at 630-812-9292 or RepTCH42@gmail.com.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong,

Terra Costa Howard

State Representative 

42nd District

913 S. Main St.

Lombard, IL 60148

(630) 812-9292