It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of a brave and dedicated police officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Andres Vasquez-Lasso put his life on the line to protect our community, and we are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham’s commitment to supporting the police, providing services to veterans, passing pro-labor legislation and providing tax relief to the middle class will continue as he was chosen by the voters to serve another term in the General Assembly.

Senator Cunningham was sworn in on Wednesday, to the office of State Senator, an office he has held since 2013.

“My commitment to protect the middle class and support our police is unwavering.” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “To the residents of the Southwest Side and Southwest Suburbs, I thank you for your continued belief in me.”

Cunningham was elected to the Illinois Senate in 2012 and was reelected in 2014, 2018 and 2022. The 18^th Legislative District includes several Chicago neighborhoods on the Southwest Side, like Beverly and Mt. Greenwood. Cunningham also represents several communities in the Southwest Suburbs, including Alsip, Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge and Palos Heights.

“I will continue to put working people first in Springfield,” said Cunningham. “I look forward to continuing to work across the aisle to bring forth common-sense solutions that do the most good for the most people.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Bill Cunningham is encouraging Illinois residents age 75 and older to take advantage of Secretary of State Jesse White’s decision to automatically renew their driver’s licenses if they expire this year.

“Older adults are at especially high risk of complications if they contract COVID-19,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “If you’re over 75 years old and your license expires this year, take advantage of this program and avoid the health risk of visiting a Secretary of State facility.”

Eligible drivers should soon receive a letter from the secretary of state as proof that they qualify. They are encouraged to keep the letter with their license to prove they license is valid, though police have also been informed of the extension.

This automatic extension follows several other efforts the secretary of state has taken to protect the safety of Illinois residents. Secretary of State White has also extended all licenses, ID cards, and vehicle registration that expired between the start of the pandemic and Sept. 30 until Nov. 1.

To protect the safety of both customers and staff, all driver services facilities have been set up with plexiglass barriers and markings to ensure proper social distancing. All customers are asked to wear face coverings.

Because of limited space, anyone visiting a driver services facility should be prepared to wait outside for an extended time. Many services, including vehicle sticker renewals can be accomplished online at www.cyberdriveillinois.com. All residents are encouraged to make use of these online services as much as possible.

Contact information of the nearest driver services facility can be found at https://www.ilsos.gov/facilityfinder/facility. Customers are encouraged to call first to determine wait times if they can’t safely wait outside.