WASHINGTON, DC – Bringing a pastor and community leader from the district to Washington, DC, Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson (IL-11) introduced Pastor Herbert Brooks of St. John Baptist Church in Joliet as the United States House of Representatives’ guest Chaplin today, to give the opening prayer of the day for Congress. “I was proud to recommend and introduce Pastor Brooks as today’s guest Chaplin because of the tremendous work he has done for our community,” said Halvorson. “Pastor Brooks is not just a leader of his congregation, he is a husband, father, and grandfather, and an outspoken advocate for his constituents on the Will County Board. He represents so much of what makes our district special, and I am glad that he could join us to give such a moving prayer this morning.”   Having served as Pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Joliet for twenty years, Pastor Herbert Brooks also serves as the President of the Joliet Ecumenical Clergy Association, a member of the Silver Cross Hospital Community Commission Council, and represents the 8th County Board District on the Will County Board. Members of Congress are only allotted one invitation every two years to invite a guest Chaplin from their districts.   Click on the link below to watch the video.

JOLIET -- Will County continued its commitment to "going green" as workers installed a green roof on the county office building, 302 N. Chicago St. The green roof, which seeks to reduce energy costs and offer other environmental benefits, is the first of its kind in downtown Joliet. As part of a $3.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, Will County was able to complete this project. The 5,920-square-foot GreenGrid roof contains sedum and other perennial plant life pre-planted in 2-by-4 foot trays. Approximately 740 of these modular sections will cover a large portion of the rooftop. Will County Executive Larry Walsh said this project is another piece of the county's larger green initiative program, which includes an aggressive retrofit of county buildings, a gas-to-energy plant at the Will County-owned Prairie View landfill in Wilmington, and a variety of educational efforts directed toward students.

Will County Board members have had it with the Hine's emerald dragonfly. They think they've already done enough to protect it. The Chicago-based Biodiversity Project, a not-for-profit group dedicated to educating people about the environment, recently asked the county to become a partner in the Hine's emerald dragonfly habitat conservation plan, a move to protect the bug's health and habitat.