URBANA – Steve Stadelman is among 40 emerging leaders from throughout Illinois who have been chosen as 2014 Edgar Fellows in the third year of an initiative to stimulate cooperation across regional, political and ethnic lines and help the state face major challenges in the years ahead.

Stadelman, elected to the Illinois Senate in 2012, will join public officials from various levels of government, business executives and civic leaders for an intensive training program Aug. 3-7.

Experienced practitioners and scholars will engage the Edgar Fellows in study and discussion of major policy areas including health care and economic development; the 2014 Edgar Fellows will subsequently join the 2012 and 2013 alumni in periodic gatherings to further their education and build their professional networks.

The fellows program is designed and hosted by former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar and the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Stadelman, a former TV news anchor and father of four, was selected from a highly competitive pool of 160 nominees.

"I'm honored to be part of such a distinguished group of new leaders and eager to put what I learn to work to improve Illinois," said Stadelman, D-Rockford. "I have always been a strong believer in working across the partisan aisle to find common sense solutions, and I'm not afraid to embrace compromise, even if compromise seems out of style as a way to govern."

The program, which takes place on the Urbana-Champaign campus, is funded primarily by private individuals, organizations and companies interested in promoting competent and well-motivated leadership in Illinois.

"In the first two years of our effort," Edgar said, "we have seen emerging leaders reflecting the state's political, regional and ethnic diversity form friendships and bonds that will serve Illinois well when it comes to addressing major challenges. I fully expect the 2014 Fellows also will realize they have much more in common than they might have thought while they gain a greater understanding of different perspectives."

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman's (D-Rockford) measure allowing the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to make grants for safety and security improvements to various public K-12 school districts and area vocation centers was signed by the governor.

"This plan increases safety and ensures that our K-12 schools are adequately prepared in the case of an emergency," Stadelman said. "Now, IEMA can make safety grants to K-12 schools just as they can for colleges and universities."

IEMA wanted the ability to issue grants schools providing K-12 education and inter-district special education cooperatives.

Upon learning of this, Stadelman sponsored a measure to allow IEMA to issue safety grants to schools. Like the safety grants to institutions of higher education, the funding would come from the Illinois Bond Fund.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois School and Campus Safety Grant Program awarded funding to Winnebago County schools and colleges to improve school safety and security. Local schools are set to receive more than $48,000 for the projects.

"This is an excellent opportunity to improve local schools and the safety of our children," Stadelman said. "The safety grants are possible because of the work we have done to ensure that students in K-12 deserve a safe learning environment just like those in higher education."

Earlier this year, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) sponsored a measure that allows the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) to make grants for safety and security improvements to various public K-12 school districts and area vocation centers as well as colleges and universities.

ROCKFORD – Illinois Senator Steve Stadelman announced last week that he is directing $35,000 in state funding toward a new roof for the Nordlof Center, a dime-store-turned-theater donated to the Rockford Public Library less than two years ago.

Library trustees are considering two bids to replace the roof at the former New American Theater on North Main Street, which the library uses for cultural and arts programming, computer instruction and meeting rooms. The state funding, available under the Build Illinois capital development program, would cover at least half of the replacement cost.

"The library has a solid plan for fully utilizing this public asset, and it makes sense for the state to absorb half of this unforeseen roofing expense," said Stadelman, D-Rockford. "This grant protects the public and private investments that have been made in the building so far and allows the library to finish converting the space."

Private owner Richard Nordlof made several improvements before donating the building in late 2012. "As the longtime home of New American Theater," Stadelman said, "there's a lot of nostalgia and good will associated with this facility, and it remains a unique venue in an important downtown location."