World Health Day is marked around the world on April 7th which is the anniversary of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) founding, 77 years ago in 1948. Each year, it draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. This year the theme of World Health Day is Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, focused on improving maternal and newborn health and survival.

For many years low-income Illinoisans have struggled to find affordable dental care.

Throughout the state, dental schools, individual dentists and nonprofits have sought to address the need for routine services like cleanings. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services even offers a dental program for low-income Illinoisans in need of dental care.

When fall arrives and homes across America start filling with pumpkin pies and jack-o'-lanterns, chances are those pumpkins came from Illinois. Known as the nation's pumpkin powerhouse, Illinois leads by a wide margin, producing over 650 million pounds of pumpkins annually. This accounts for nearly 40% of the entire U.S. pumpkin production, which is more than the next five states combined!

Much of this dominance is due to the rich soil and ideal growing conditions in central Illinois. The region boasts two major pumpkin processing plants, Nestle Libby in Morton—often called the "Pumpkin Capital of the World"—and Seneca Foods in Princeville. These plants process over 85% of the pumpkins used for canning across the U.S.

Beyond the well-known canned pumpkins, Illinois also produces plenty of decorative jack-o’-lantern pumpkins and sugar pumpkins, a sweeter variety commonly used in pies. Pumpkin patches across the state also offer visitors the chance to pick their own pumpkins directly from the fields, creating a fun fall tradition for many Illinois residents.

Morton, Illinois, home to the Libby’s plant, processes more than 90% of the nation’s canned pumpkins. These products end up in everything from pies to soups and even trendy pumpkin-flavored beverages. During peak season, the small town of Morton celebrates its annual Morton Pumpkin Festival, a tradition that dates back to 1967. With Illinois continuing to dominate this industry, its reputation as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World" remains well earned.

State Representative Bill Hauter, whose district includes Morton, takes pride in the region's pumpkin heritage. “Being born and raised in Morton, I can tell you we are very proud of our pumpkin heritage,” said Rep. Hauter. “Agriculture is the number one industry in Illinois generally and in my district specifically, with pumpkin production playing a huge role. We are proud to be the pumpkin capital of the world!”

The state’s climate, characterized by warm summers and well-draining soil, makes it a perfect environment for growing pumpkins. In fact, Illinois’ agricultural land covers more than 18,000 acres dedicated to pumpkins alone.

Representative Bill Hauter believes Illinois' agricultural heritage is key to its success. "From field to table, Illinois pumpkins are essential to American traditions," he said. “We take great pride in our farmers, whose hard work and dedication make the fall season something to look forward to every year.”

Can't get enough pumpkin?

• Pumpkin themed recipes from the Illinois Farm Bureau.
• Illinois breweries create top pumpkin beers
• Illinois is The Great Pumpkin State

In August of last year, House Republicans were fielding calls from doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals fearful that they would lose their jobs due to continued delays at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the state agency responsible for approving and renewing their licenses.

Something had to be done, Illinois couldn't afford to lose more healthcare professionals as we face a growing nursing shortage.

Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) announced in March the state intended to tear down and rebuild two prisons in poor conditions: Stateville Correctional Center for men in Crest Hill outside of Joliet, and the Logan Correctional Center (LLC) for women outside of Lincoln.

The initial announcement did not immediately indicate what would become of LCC, stating only that Stateville would be rebuilt where it was and that plans for LCC were still being determined.

Illinois State Representative Bill Hauter's legislation making it easier for those with bleeding disorders to receive medical care without the delay of insurance preauthorization, awaits the Governor's signature. 

Hauter's bill puts patients first by removing the emergency room visit requirement for insurance pre-authorization ensuring patients with bleeding disorders get the prompt acute care they need.

CRIMINAL LAW
Illinois Republicans Urge Action on Bipartisan Bill to Protect Students. At a press conference this week in Springfield, Rep. Amy Elik and Sen. Terri Bryant urged the Senate to act on House Bill 4241, which unanimously passed the House last month. The bill, which protects high school students age 18 and older from sexual abuse by an educator, currently sits in Assignments in the Senate. Rep. Jackie Haas and Sen. Erica Harriss also attended the press conference and are co-sponsors of the bill.

Earlier this spring, Illinois Governor Pritzker announced his plan to demolish and reconstruct the Logan Correctional Center. The prison is currently situated in the center of Logan County in the City of Lincoln, but it may not be rebuilt there.

On May 10, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) testified in a legislative hearing that it is considering relocating the correctional center closer to the Chicago suburbs. That move would affect the livelihood of hundreds of families and would be a blow to the economically struggling community of Lincoln.

Five of the top poultry production states in the U.S. are in the Midwest, led by Minnesota. In Illinois, the turkey industry has a smaller, but still very important footprint. Poultry is big business, contributing nearly $600 billion annually to the U.S. economy. That represents three percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. 

In Illinois, there is a concentration of independent growers in the Peoria and Morton areas, along with a couple of USDA-inspected processing plants. The lack of processing plants is a major impediment in expanding the poultry industry in Illinois. The cost of building a plant is very expensive, and finding enough employees willing to work is another issue. Most Illinois turkey producers are contract growers for large, integrated farms in Iowa and Indiana. 

Lincoln College in Logan County closed its doors for good after 157 years in operation in 2022, becoming the first U.S. institution of higher learning to shut down in part due to a ransomware attack. The school was named after President Abraham Lincoln and broke ground on his birthday in 1865. It was one of only a handful of rural American colleges that qualified as predominantly Black institutions by the Department of Education.

Who doesn’t enjoy a big slice of pumpkin pie, or how about carving and decorating those pumpkins every October to celebrate Halloween? And where did those pumpkins come from? There’s a good chance they were grown right here in Illinois, which leads the nation by a wide margin in pumpkin production. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the pumpkins produced in the United States come from Illinois.

Illinois produced over 650 million pounds of pumpkins in 2021, more than the next five top states combined. Indiana was the second-largest pumpkin producing state with 181 million pounds.  Illinois is home to well-draining soil and hot, dry weather, and those are ripe conditions for pumpkin production.

Reps. Hauter and Jacobs bring invaluable expertise to legislature

The only two physicians currently serving in the Illinois House are both Republicans, and they bring forth different areas of expertise along with vast knowledge of important issues that affect all Illinois residents due to their medical backgrounds.

Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) was first elected to the House in 2020 to represent the 115th District. After redistricting, he now serves the 118th District in the far southwestern portion of the state. Jacobs is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and for the last 43 years has practiced optometry in several communities throughout southern Illinois. He and his wife, Rhoda, operated a successful winery in rural Jackson County for 27 years.