Hollywood Casino employees give back
Building on longstanding partnerships and commitments, team members joined forces to volunteer with these Chicagoland community organizations leading up to Thanksgiving Day.
On Friday, Nov. 22- Hollywood Casino Aurora team members served meals at Hesed House in Aurora, Ill.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, Hollywood Casino Joliet team members sorted and bagged at Northern Illinois Food Bank South Suburban Center in Joliet.
On Wednesday, Nov. 27, Ameristar Casino East Chicago team served food and provided a monetary donation at Salvation Army in East Chicago, Ind.
“During the holiday season, our team members find an even greater meaning in extending a helping hand,” said Jaime Williams, vice president of player development and marketing representing Chicagoland properties at PENN. “Giving back is an integral part of our culture across our Chicagoland Hollywood and Ameristar Casino properties. We believe supporting our local communities strengthens the bonds that unite us all.”
Hesed House, being the second largest homeless shelter in the state, provides essential tools and supplies to
help families and individuals transition back to independent living. Similarly, the Northern Illinois Food Bank serves over 250,000 meals daily to 13 surrounding communities, while Salvation Army supports the Northwest Indiana community through free meals, a food pantry, homelessness assistance and more to overcome poverty. To donate or volunteer your group at one of these organizations, visit their websites’ volunteer pages.
“We are deeply grateful to our partners at PENN Entertainment for their long-time commitment to our community that truly helps nourish our neighbors,” said Julie Yurko, President and CEO at Northern Illinois Food Bank. “Our history of service is a testament to the power of collaboration, and we could not achieve what we do without the help of our volunteers.”
Giving back to local communities is a core pillar of PENN’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts.
Hollywood Casino Aurora and Joliet and Ameristar Casino East Chicago are committed to helping the underserved in the communities where they work, prioritizing giving back, building teamwork and creating a positive culture.
State Board of elections certifies election results showing decline in turnout
By B e N S za L i NS ki Capitol News illinois
Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by nearly 11 points as turnout dipped in 2024, according to official election results certified by the State Board of Elections.
The board met Monday to certify the results of the 2024 election and released final vote totals for races around the state, including locking in several close legislative races. The results also reflected shifts in turnout and voting behavior.
Illinois saw turnout dip in 2024 compared to recent presidential contests. About 5.7 million people participated in this year’s election, representing 70.42% of the state’s 8.1 million registered voters. That’s a decline from 2020 when 72.92% of voters participated in the largest turnout for a presidential election in Illinois since 1992, according to the board.
This year’s turnout was the fourth lowest of the last 40 years, according to the board. Turnout was slightly below President-elect Donald Trump’s first victory in 2016, but higher than former President Barack
Obama’s victory in 2012. Chicago Board of Election officials reported last month the city saw the second lowest turnout in a presidential race in 80 years.
The lower turnout in the November election also followed low turnout in the March primary, which featured uncontested presidential primaries in Illinois after challengers dropped out of the race by the time it was Illinois’ turn to vote.
Voting by mail also remained a popular option for many voters, with more than 1 million people casting their ballot in the mail. That’s down from more than 2 million people in 2020, but it represents the third consecutive statewide election in which more than 15% of voters used a mail-in ballot.
A greater portion of the electorate cast early in-person ballots this year than ever before, however. Board of Elections data shows 34.65% of votes were cast in-person before Election Day this year, surpassing 2020’s record of 32.89%.
This year’s election was the second time most voters did not vote on Election Day. Data shows 46.69%
of ballots were cast on Election Day itself, compared to about two-thirds in recent years. Most voters during the pandemic election in 2020 also participated early, either in person or by mail, rather than on Election Day.
In the presidential race, Harris received 3,062,863 votes in Illinois, or 54.37% of the vote, to receive Illinois’ 19 electoral votes. That’s 409,052 fewer votes than President Joe Biden received in 2020.
Though Harris won Illinois’ electoral votes by nearly 11 points this year, Trump narrowed his margin of defeat in Illinois after losing the state in both 2016 and 2020 by about 17 points. Harris’ 10.9-point victory was the smallest margin of victory for a Democratic presidential candidate since John Kerry won Illinois in 2004 by about 11 points.
Trump improved his margin in Illinois on his way to an Electoral College and national popular vote victory for the first time. He received 2,158 more votes in 2024 compared to 2020. Despite Trump’s loss in the state, Republicans said they still believe the election results show a
Inflation-fighting strategies for retirees
At different times, inflation may be high or low, but, except in those rare periods of deflation, it’s always with us. During your working years, when you may receive boosts in your salary, you at least have the potential to keep up with inflation — but what happens when you retire? As a retiree, what can you do to cope with the rising cost of living?
Here are a few suggestions:
• Keep some growth potential in your investment portfolio. During your retirement years, you may want to move your portfolio toward a somewhat more conservative approach by owning investments that offer significant protection of principal. However, these same investments offer little in the way of growth, which means they are susceptible to inflation. Consequently, you’ll also need to own a reasonable amount in growth-oriented investments, such as stocks and stock-based securities. Of course, these investments will fluctuate in value as the financial markets move up and down, but by owning some more conservative investments, you can reduce the overall impact of market volatility on your portfolio.
mandate in Illinois for their policies.
“I think the people of Illinois, and moreover, the people of this country, have seen what the Democrats have done, especially over the last several years and how woke it has become,” Rep. Adam Niemerg, RDieterich, said at a news conference in November. “This is a clear mandate to that ridiculousness that has been going on the last four years.”
Further down the ballot, results certified Monday finalized many close races in the Illinois House. The chamber’s balance is unchanged by the election and Democrats will hold a 78-member supermajority when lawmakers are sworn in on Jan. 8.
“Democrats won every seat in the General Assembly that it already had, and we won in races that I think people didn’t expect — county board races, taking control of the McLean County Board, for example, coroner races,” Gov. JB Pritzker said last month reacting to the election results. “People clearly bifurcated and made decisions different down the ballot than they did at the top of the ballot, so I’m proud of that.
I think that’s a result of the policies Democrats have had in Illinois.”
Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, officially eked out a 47-vote victory in the 52nd House District in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago in a race House Democrats spent millions hoping to flip. Rep. Amy Grant, R-Wheaton, won a fourth term in the 47th House District in DuPage County by 292 votes. And Rep. Brandun Schweizer, R-Danville, was reelected by 269 votes in the 104th House District in Champaign and Vermillion counties.
U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, defeated former Winnebago County Republican judge Joe McGraw by 8.86 points in the 17th Congressional District, which was considered to be the state’s most competitive federal race.
A majority of voters also supported three statewide advisory questions which asked about potential penalties for interfering with an election judge, a tax on millionaires to cover property tax relief and requiring insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization.
Another inflation-adjusted Treasury security is the I bond, which differs from TIPS in that the principal doesn’t change but the interest rate does, every six months, based on a combination of a fixed interest rate and the inflation rate. Like all investments, though, TIPS and I bonds have various features and risks of which you should be aware before investing.
• Delay taking Social Security. You can start collecting Social Security benefits at 62, but your monthly checks will be much bigger if you wait until your full retirement age, likely between 66 and 67. You would receive the maximum amount if you waited until 70 before collecting. Of course, if you need the money to help support your retirement, you may not be able to afford to wait, but if you can, your bigger checks can be a big help against inflation.
• Don’t hold too much cash. During your working years, it’s a good idea to have an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses in liquid, low-risk accounts. And when you’re
• Consider inflation-adjused bonds. You might want to consider Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), which are indexed to the Consumer Price Index, so the principal increases with inflation (and decreases with deflation).
retired, you might want to have up to year’s worth of expenses in such a fund. But be careful about holding too much cash, as it will lose purchasing power each year due to inflation. Instead, when keeping cash, seek the “Goldilocks” solution — not too little, not too much, but just the right amount.
• Think about extending your employment. If you like what you do, you might want to consider working a few years longer than you had originally intended. Not only will you be bringing in more income, but you could also continue to contribute to retirement accounts, including your IRA and 401(k). Even if you don’t want to continue working full time, you could do some part-time work or consulting. Any earned income you bring in can help in your fight against inflation.
You can’t control the cost of living, but by making some of the moves described above, you can help yourself mount a defense against the effects of inflation during your retirement years.
This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by Daniette Williams, your Edward Jones financial advisor at 1803 N. Bridge St., Suite A, Yorkville, IL 60560, 630-385-6185 Edward Jones, Member SIPC
Staying Healthy Starts with UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Medical Group Plainfield Primary Care
Having a primary care provider is one of the best things you can do to protect your family’s health. This provider knows you and your medical history and can connect you to any health services you may need over time.
• Provides regular health screenings
• Helps keep you from getting sick
• Knows your medical history
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• Helps you live a healthy lifestyle
• Serves as a trusted source for medical advice and care
