Every freedom we possess as Americans was made possible by the service and sacrifice of the U.S. Armed Forces. Today, I celebrated Armed Forces Day in Burr Ridge with Mayor Gary Grasso, Willowbrook Mayor Frank Trilla, Trustee Tony Schiappa, and nearly 100 other citizens.

On behalf of the HOPE Taskforce, I want to express sincere appreciation to the National Association of Counties (NACo) for awarding DuPage’s F.O.C.U.S. drug court program with its 2019 Achievement Award. NACo’s selection of the F.O.C.U.S. program for this honor shows that DuPage County and its HOPE Taskforce continue to be national leaders in combating the opioid epidemic.

Thank you to Chief Judge Daniel Guerin, Chairman Dan Cronin, and the 18th Judicial Circuit for their partnership in creating this successful, patient-centered program.

Modernizing government for the 21st Century must be a priority. As Chairman of the Technology Committee, I presented a new integrated solution that transforms DuPage’s IT infrastructure to enhance efficiency and better serve the needs of our citizens. The solution passed unanimously today with bipartisan support.

Thank you to the County Treasurer, County Clerk, Supervisor of Assessments, and Information Technology staff for their partnership and hard work in making this idea a reality.

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” —Abraham Lincoln

Happy Mother’s Day to all the angel mothers in my life.