Press Releases

Responding to a national animal welfare crisis, Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has announced a series of ordinance changes that aim to expand the role of the county’s animal services. The changes include renaming the county’s animal welfare department to “Will County Animal Protection Services Department” to better reflect their enhanced mission. 

Will County and City of Joliet officials have begun preliminary discussions with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on reducing truck traffic on local roads. These discussions kicked off on Thursday, January 31 with a meeting between the Will County Executive Office, Mayor of Joliet Terry D’Arcy, State Representative Larry Walsh Jr., and Secretary of Transportation Omer Osman.

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant joined elected and community leaders from throughout Illinois at the White House to discuss the positive local impacts of federal investments from the Biden-Harris Administration. 

The Will County Division of Transportation (WCDOT) will host two virtual open houses to gather feedback on the future of transportation priorities in Will County. The feedback will be incorporated in the ongoing “Our Way Forward 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan,” which will guide the next 25 years of county-wide infrastructure projects.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is reporting a significant reduction in water levels on the Kankakee River, as most ice jams have cleared between the City of Wilmington and the Des Plaines River confluence. Following the expiration of a Flash Flood Warning for the area, Will County EMA is partnering with local officials to fully assess local flood damage.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and City of Wilmington officials responded to Flash Flooding in downtown Wilmington on the evening of January 25. The flooding occurred suddenly on the North and South Islands due to rapidly increasing water levels on the Kankakee River.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Southwestern Will County, with an elevated risk of flooding along the Kankakee River. The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is anticipating an imminent break-up of the Kankakee River ice jam, which will create increased flood conditions from the City of Wilmington to the Phalen Acres community.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is advising residents along the Kankakee River of flash flood conditions throughout the week due to ice jams on the river. Flash Flooding has been occurring in unincorporated Will County along the river since the morning of January 15.

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and the Will County Division of Transportation announced that the county is embarking on a long-term planning effort to guide the next 25 years of transportation projects. The “Our Way Forward 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan” will incorporate public feedback in evaluating future priorities, including through an online survey and workshops. Take the survey at: www.ourwaywill.co/engage 

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is working to provide information and coordinate with municipalities and state agencies as the Chicagoland region is experiencing an increase in buses transporting asylum-seekers from the State of Texas.