ROCKFORD Sunil Puri s phone rang a little after 10 a.m. on a Thursday. On the other end was Mayor Tom McNamara, who was scrambling to find a site for the Illinois National Guard to mobilize a mass vaccination center and figured the developer could offer advice, if not property.
The city had spent the past few days searching for suitable locations, but on that Thursday morning, it learned the owners of the two sites it had in mind planned to charge $15,000 and $25,000 per month for a lease. That was just not doable, McNamara said.
About 24 hours after calling Puri on Feb. 18, the city had a lease for its mass vaccination site. The fastest time to complete a lease his company had ever done, Puri said. But this lease would only cost $1.
Rockford United Labor mobilizes members for vaccine effort rrstar.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rrstar.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Rockford United Labor, Northwest Trades provide Superbowl party for homeless
Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD Rockford United Labor and the Northwestern Illinois Building Trades recently joined forces to help provide a last-minute Superbowl party for those who are homeless.
Second First Church pastor Rebecca Newgren put the word out that her volunteers expected a lot of people seeking shelter at the Overnight Café over that weekend, given the cold temperatures. She put the call out for hand warmers, water, monetary donations and snacks and food for the overnight guests who would get to watch the Superbowl from a warm and safe place.
Interview with Sara Dorner, Sandra Patlan and Christine Magee.
Sara Dorner, a local labor representative for AFSCME Council 31, made history by being elected the first female president of Rockford United Labor. But she says women aren’t new to the picket line.
“We ve always been here, this is nothing new. We re just happy you re seeing us now,” said Dorner.
Rockford United Labor is one of the AFL-CIO’s 500 central labor committees and many of the labor unions across the Rockford region are a part of the organization. Dorner is coming off her two-year term as the vice president of the organization.
For the past two years, Dorner has served as vice president of Rockford United Labor.
Before returning to Rockford in 2014, she was a labor relations specialist for the Minnesota Nurses Association.
Rockford United Labor is one of 500 national central labor committees of the AFL-CIO. The organization is comprised of almost all labor unions in the Rockford area and is known for hosting the city’s annual Labor Day parade.
“As we navigate the pandemic and complicated economic issues in our state and city, the strength of labor unions is more critical than ever before,” Dorner said in a news release. “Workers are demanding a voice on the job, living wages and dignity.