ELGIN – State Senator Cristina Castro will host an award ceremony on March 1 to present a Purple Heart medal to its rightful owner.

“My staff worked in close collaboration with Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office to receive this award for Mr. Ortiz, who served in the Marine unit that suffered the highest percentage of casualties during the war in Afghanistan,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Over 100 Marines in his unit have received a Purple Heart for their sacrifices and wounds sustained during deployment. It is time we honor all of the unit’s sacrifices and show our deep gratitude to Mr. Ortiz and his family by presenting him with this rightfully-deserved medal.”

Anthony Ortiz, who served in the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan between 2010 and 2011, will be presented with his Purple Heart on Wednesday, March 1 at noon. The event is open to media and will take place at the American Legion Post 57 in Elgin.

The Purple Heart is awarded to those who are wounded or killed during war or in a terrorist attack. It is the oldest U.S. military decoration, with its first award coming from General George Washington on Aug. 7, 1782.

Read more about the ceremony here: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/elgin-courier-news/ct-ecn-elgin-purple-heart-awarded-duckworth-st-0303-20230302-zwibnkfuhbcwxcmcgtfwcgnabu-story.html

CARPENTERSVILLE – To provide residents with a secure option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Cristina Castro is hosting an event in Carpentersville offering free, safe discarding services.

Shredding trucks will be available at the Dundee Township Park District Adult Activity Center, located at 665 Barrington Ave., from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24. Only paper materials will be accepted, and small paper clips and staples do not need to be removed.

“In 2021, there were nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft received by the Federal Trade Commission,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Many of us have documents containing personal information piling up in our homes, so I encourage families to be proactive by safely disposing those documents.”

The event is hosted in partnership with KCT Credit Union and State Representative Anna Moeller. Examples of documents with personally identifiable information that should be shredded include bank statements, outdated medical records, utility bills, canceled checks, junk mail, credit card applications and receipts.

For more information, please contact Senator Castro’s office at 847-214-8864.

ELGIN – State Senator Cristina Castro will join local state legislators to host a free job fair on Thursday, Sept. 8.

Residents can meet with local businesses and organizations that are hiring, connect with employment resources and potentially get the chance to be interviewed on-site.

“This will be a great opportunity for anyone who is looking for employment, searching for the right applicant, or just interested in learning more,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “I look forward to joining IDES and my colleagues to help connect our community to valuable employment opportunities.”

The job fair will be held in Building E at Elgin Community College, located at 1700 Spartan Drive, on Thursday, Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Castro will be joined by several elected officials, including Senator Villa and Representatives Hirschauer and Moeller. The Illinois Department of Employment Security will also be available to provide information about state resources to job seekers.

There is no cost to attend and free parking will be available. Job seekers can fill out the registration form here. Day-of registration will also be available.

Learn more and get the latest updates on the event’s Facebook page or visit Representative Hirschauer’s website.