FRANKLIN PARK – Area residents will be able to drop off old and unwanted medications at a health fair in Franklin Park on Friday.

The event, sponsored by Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and Franklin Park village officials, will take place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the community room of the Franklin Park police station, 9451 Belmont Ave.

“With the rise in opioid abuse in Illinois, it is more important than ever for people to responsibly dispose of old medications,” Harmon said, noting that National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is this weekend.

“When unwanted prescription drugs are left sitting around in medicine cabinets or drawers, they can be stolen by curious teenagers and other people who wander in and out of the home, and that contributes to the alarming numbers of opioid addiction and fatal overdose numbers we’ve been seeing.”

The Franklin Park Police Department will collect the unwanted medications and dispose of them safely and responsibly.

Friday’s health fair will feature a variety of additional services and resources from healthcare providers, government agencies and local organizations.

• Free hearing, glucose and cholesterol testing from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
• Flu shots provided by Walgreens (people should bring their Medicare or insurance cards).
• Utility bill analysis by the Citizens Utility Board and tips for saving money on energy bills (people should bring their copies of their most recent utility bills).
• The Franklin Park Health Department will collect old cell phones to be refurbished and given to senior citizens for use in emergencies.
• Information on senior and homebound services by the Franklin Park Library.
• Information on senior and community recreational opportunities by the Park District of Franklin Park.
• Help with government assistance programs by Leyden Family Services.
• The Franklin Park Fire Department will provide information on the Knox Box program, which allows firefighters and EMTs easy entry to homes during emergencies.
• Giveaways and refreshments.

Additional organizations participating in the health fair include Cook County Health and Hospital Systems, Elmhurst Hospital, Oak Street Health, Leyden Township, Casa San Carlos and the Illinois comptroller’s office.

For more information, call Senator Harmon’s Oak Park office at 708-848-2002, the Village of Franklin Park at 847-671-8282 or visit vofp.com.

FRANKLIN PARK – Area residents are invited to join Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and Franklin Park officials on Oct. 21 for a senior health and resource fair.

The event is free and open to the public. Visitors of all ages will be able to ask questions and obtain information from a variety of service and health care providers, state programs and local groups. They also can take advantage of a variety of free health screenings and discounted flu shots from Walgreens.

The Village of Franklin Park and Mayor Barrett Pedersen are co-sponsoring the event with Harmon.

Details below:

Friday, Oct. 21
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Community room of the Franklin Park police station, 9451 Belmont Ave.

• Free health screenings for hearing, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose
• Discounted flu shots from Walgreens (visitors should bring their insurance cards)
• Drop-off site for unwanted medications
• Utility bill analysis and monthly cost-savings tips from the Citizens Utility Board
• Giveaways and refreshments
• Additional representatives available from Franklin Park police and fire departments, the local park district and library, Cook County Health and Hospital System, the Illinois comptroller’s office, Leyden Family Services, Oak Street Health and more.

For more information, call Senator Harmon’s Oak Park office at 708-848-2002, the Village of Franklin Park at 847-671-8282 or visit vofp.com.

Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement today in response to a Republican-controlled think tank’s step toward curbing voter access in Illinois:

“How disappointing that on National Voter Registration Day – a day intended to remind people of their right to register and vote in this country – a blatantly political effort to quell participation in Illinois elections was able to get a toehold in a courtroom.

“Rather than seeking to scale back opportunities to register to vote in certain parts of Illinois, we should be working to expand access to the polls in all communities throughout the state.”

Harmon was the chief Senate sponsor of the 2014 same-day voter registration initiative, which was challenged in court in August by the legal arm of a conservative political think tank that is backed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. A judge on Tuesday ruled in its favor and issued a preliminary injunction barring same-day voter registration in Illinois. It’s unclear if an appeal will be filed.

Please join Sen. Don Harmon and Rep. Kathleen Willis this week in Bensenville for a chance to ask questions and learn more about the latest developments in Springfield.

This town hall-style discussion will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at Bensenville Village Hall, 12 S. Center St. It is free and open to the public.

The meeting will afford constituents an opportunity to learn more about the new and ongoing challenges facing state government and to discuss issues of local importance with state lawmakers.

For more information about the event, call Sen. Harmon's office at 708-848-2002 or Rep. Willis’ office at 708-562-6970.

For those who are unable to make it Thursday, there will be another chance to meet with Sen. Harmon and Rep. Camille Lilly during a town hall meeting Wednesday, Sept. 14 in Austin.

This event, which also is free and open to the public, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Austin Town Hall, 5610 W. Lake St., Chicago.

What: Bensenville town hall meeting with Senator Harmon and Representative Willis
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8
Where: Bensenville Village Hall, 12 S. Center St.

What: Austin town hall meeting with Senator Harmon and Representative Lilly
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14
Where: Austin Town Hall, 5610 W. Lake St., Chicago

Senator Don Harmon is calling on the gun-rights advocates and Gov. Bruce Rauner to do more to help state lawmakers and local communities curb gun violence and protect the children of Illinois.

Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, is chairman of a Senate subcommittee on firearms, which heard testimony Tuesday about legislation that would restore local governments’ right to control the types of weapons and ammunition allowed in their communities. Local control over such matters was taken away in 2013 when the state passed its concealed carry law.

As with so many other proposals designed to target gun violence and the illegal gun trade, gun-rights advocates are opposed to the measure.

“Kids are dying, and these products are causing it,” Harmon said. “It’s a crisis. Find a way to help us protect everyone, including law-abiding gun owners.”