State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ PDF text ]   [ Legislation ]   
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ House Amendment 001 ]


92_HJ0041

 
                                               LRB9208937RHrh

 1                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Throughout history  brave  Americans  have  shed
 3    their  blood  during wars and conflicts to preserve, protect,
 4    and defend the foundation of the principles of democracy  and
 5    freedom; and

 6        WHEREAS,  Many  of  those  that have served have been the
 7    brave men and women of the State of Illinois; and

 8        WHEREAS, In every military conflict and national time  of
 9    need  since  1818,  the  brave  men and women of the State of
10    Illinois have risen to the cause of defending democracy; and

11        WHEREAS, These brave men  and  women  often  left  behind
12    family,  friends, farms, and business, and often many of them
13    were to never return, making the ultimate sacrifice for their
14    country; and

15        WHEREAS, With the signing of  the  Armistice  ending  the
16    "War  to  End  All  Wars",  WWI  on  November  11th 1918, the
17    veterans  of  Illinois  were  given  a  holiday   of   solemn
18    remembrance and thanks from their countrymen which later came
19    to be known as Veteran's Day; and

20        WHEREAS,  The  people of the great State of Illinois wish
21    to thank those numerous veterans  for  their  sacrifices  and
22    service; therefore, be it

23        WHEREAS,  Throughout  history  brave  Americans have shed
24    their blood during was and conflicts  to  preserve,  protect,
25    and  defend the foundation of the principles of democracy and
26    freedom, and hundreds of thousands  have  paid  the  ultimate
27    sacrifice  to  ensure  that  future  generations enjoy life's
28    liberties; and

29        WHEREAS, On August 7,  1782,  General  George  Washington
30    established  the  Military  Badge of Merit, which on February
 
                            -2-                LRB9208937RHrh
 1    22, 1932 became the  present  and  now  the  oldest  military
 2    decoration in the world, the Purple Heart medal; and

 3        WHEREAS,  The  Purple  Heart  medal  is  awarded  to  all
 4    military  personnel  who  are  killed  or  wounded  in action
 5    against the enemy; and

 6        WHEREAS, E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi  was  first  elected  to  the
 7    House  of  Representatives  in  1964,  and  he served in that
 8    position until his passing in 1993; and

 9        WHEREAS, From his first term through his service as "Dean
10    of the House", Zeke Giorgi served the people  of  this  State
11    with   great   distinction,  and  he  is  remembered  by  his
12    colleagues  on  both  sides  of  the  aisle   for   providing
13    invaluable  guidance and leadership on many important issues;
14    and

15        WHEREAS, During all the years that Zeke Giorgi served  in
16    the  House,  he  drove  between  Springfield and his Rockford
17    legislative district on U.S. Highway  51  and  was  a  strong
18    advocate  for  Route 51 improvements, which were completed on
19    several stages; and

20        WHEREAS, Following the completion of improvements to U.S.
21    Route 51, the highway was designated  as  Interstate  Highway
22    39; and

23        WHEREAS,  Interstate  Highway  39  provides  an essential
24    transportation corridor between Rockford and Bloomington  and
25    other parts of Central Illinois; and

26        WHEREAS,  We wish to permanently commemorate Zeke Giogi's
27    essential role in creating this critically needed highway and
28    his abiding impact on the lives of the  people  of  Illinois;
29    and

30        WHEREAS,  Thomas  William  Davenport was a licensed civil
 
                            -3-                LRB9208937RHrh
 1    engineer with the Illinois Department of  Transportation;  on
 2    April  16, 1992, he was killed by a drunk driver north of his
 3    home in Chatham, Illinois; and

 4        WHEREAS, Thomas Davenport was a  son,  brother,  husband,
 5    and a father; and

 6        WHEREAS,  Thomas  Davenport,  working  with  the Illinois
 7    Department of Transportation, assisted with the  building  of
 8    the  bridge  on South Chatham Road that crosses Interstate 72
 9    and Illinois Route 36; and

10        WHEREAS, The bridge is located on South Chatham  Road  in
11    Springfield,  Illinois,  and  is  used  as  an  overpass  for
12    Interstate 72 and Illinois Route 36; and

13        WHEREAS,  The members of the House were saddened to learn
14    of the death of Mayor Ken Hayes of Bradley; and

15        WHEREAS, He was elected mayor in 1981 and was  re-elected
16    in 1985, 1989, 1993, and 1997; and

17        WHEREAS,  He was born in Limestone Township on August 30,
18    1924, the son of Patrick  and  Catherine  Hayes;  the  family
19    moved  to Bradley when he was three months old, and until his
20    death he lived in the house that his father bought; and

21        WHEREAS, He attended  St.  Joseph's  Grammar  School  and
22    Bradley-Boubonnais  Community  High  School; he served in the
23    United States Army's 83rd Division, 331st Infantry, Company L
24    during World War II; he won the Silver Star, the Bronze  Star
25    with  clusters for meritorious service, a Good Conduct medal,
26    the European Theatre of Operations medal for five  campaigns,
27    and the Croix de Guerre for service to France; and

28        WHEREAS,  When  he  returned from war, Ken Hayes became a
29    precinct captain and then  a  committeeman;  he  was  elected
30    vice-chairman of the Democratic Central Committee in Kankakee
 
                            -4-                LRB9208937RHrh
 1    County  in  1966  and served in that role until 1972; when he
 2    was elected central committee chairman; and

 3        WHEREAS, When he arrived home from the Army, he worked in
 4    the pipefitter's union local until he had a heart  attack  in
 5    1963,  which  led  him  to  quit  his  trade; he went to work
 6    inspecting seed for the Illinois  Department  of  Agriculture
 7    and later worked for then Secretary of State Alan Dixon; and

 8        WHEREAS,  He  went  to work for the Illinois Secretary of
 9    State and retired with a disability  pension  after  a  heart
10    bypass operation in 1978; and

11        WHEREAS,  He was the founder of the Area Jobs Development
12    Association, active in scouting, golfing, the Bradley  Lions,
13    and a life member of the Bradley V.F.W.; and

14        WHEREAS,   Under  Mayor  Hayes'  strong  leadership,  the
15    Village of Bradley experienced unprecedented  commercial  and
16    retail  growth  amounting  to  large  increases  in sales tax
17    revenue to Bradley; and

18        WHEREAS, He was a member of the Loyal Order of the  Moose
19    Lodge  of Bradley, one of the vice presidents of the Illinois
20    Municipal League, and a member of the Mayors Association; and

21        WHEREAS, Much of the commercial  growth  and  development
22    that  Kenneth  P.  Hayes  worked  for occurred along Illinois
23    Route 50; and

24        WHEREAS, Senator John  W.  Maitland,  Jr.,  was  born  in
25    Normal, Illinois on July 29, 1936, to John and Elsa Maitland;
26    and

27        WHEREAS,   Senator  Maitland  is  a  graduate  of  Normal
28    Community High School  and  Illinois  State  University,  and
29    served  in  the  United  States  Marine  Corps;  and  Senator
30    Maitland  married his wife Joanne Sieg and together they have
 
                            -5-                LRB9208937RHrh
 1    three  children,  Jody  Ann,  Johnny,  and   Jay,   and   six
 2    grandchildren; and

 3        WHEREAS, Senator Maitland entered the General Assembly in
 4    1979  and  sat  on  committee of Agriculture; Appropriations;
 5    Conservation and Energy; and Executive; and

 6        WHEREAS, Senator  Maitland  is  currently  the  Assistant
 7    Majority  Leader  and  Chairman  of  the Illinois Growth Task
 8    Force; and

 9        WHEREAS, Senator Maitland has spent the  past  twenty-two
10    years  of  service  dedicated  to  his  constituents  and has
11    continued  his  efforts  to  make  his  district  a  thriving
12    community; therefore, be it

13        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
14    NINETY-SECOND  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
15    SENATE CONCURRING  HEREIN,  that  Interstate  74,  traversing
16    through  the  heart of Illinois is designated as the Veterans
17    Memorial Parkway, in honor of the veterans of  the  State  of
18    Illinois; and be it further

19        RESOLVED,   That  the  Department  of  Transportation  is
20    requested to erect appropriate plaques along  this  route  in
21    recognition  of  the  Veterans  Memorial  Parkway;  and be it
22    further

23        RESOLVED, that  Interstate  72,  traversing  through  the
24    heart of Illinois, be designated as the commemorative "Purple
25    Heart Memorial Highway", to pay tribute to the many thousands
26    of  Illinois residents who have been awarded the Purple Heart
27    medal; and be it further

28        RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of  Transportation
29    is  requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
30    State and federal regulations, an appropriate plaque or signs
31    giving notice of the name; and be it further
 
                            -6-                LRB9208937RHrh
 1        RESOLVED, That  the  portion  of  Interstate  Highway  39
 2    commencing  at  its  point  of  orgin in Winnebago County and
 3    ending with its intersection  with  Interstate  Route  88  be
 4    designated the E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi Highway; and be it further

 5        RESOLVED,   That  the  Department  of  Transportation  is
 6    requested to erect appropriate plaques or signs giving notice
 7    to the E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi Highway; and be it further

 8        RESOLVED, That we urge the bridge on South Chatham  Road,
 9    spanning  Interstate  72  and Illinois Route 36, be named the
10    Thomas William Davenport Memorial Bridge; and be it further

11        RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of  Transportation
12    is requested to erect, at a suitable location consistent with
13    State and federal regulations, an appropriate plaque or signs
14    giving notice of the name; and be it further

15        RESOLVED,  That  Illinois  Route 50 in Bradley, Illinois,
16    from North Street to Larry Power Road, is designated  as  the
17    Kenneth P. Hayes Memorial Highway; and be it further

18        RESOLVED,  That the Illinois Department of Transportation
19    is directed to erect, at suitable locations  consistent  with
20    State regulations, appropriate plaques or signs giving notice
21    of  the  renaming  of Illinois Route 50 in Bradley, Illinois,
22    from North Street to Larry Power  Road,  as  the  Kenneth  P.
23    Hayes Memorial Highway; and be it further

24        RESOLVED, That the portion of Interstate 55 lying between
25    milemarker  157  and  milemarker  167,  be  designated as the
26    Maitland Bypass; and be it further

27        RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of  Transportation
28    is  requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
29    State and federal regulations, an appropriate plaque or signs
30    giving notice of the name; and be it further
 
                            -7-                LRB9208937RHrh
 1    RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of  this  resolution   be
 2    presented   to   the   Secretary   of   U.S.   Department  of
 3    Transportation; the Secretary of the Illinois  Department  of
 4    Transportation;  the family of E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi; the family
 5    of Thomas William Davenport; the family of Mayor  Ken  Hayes;
 6    and the family of Senator John W. Maitland, Jr.
 7

[ Top ]