On Wednesday, October 7th at 4:30 PM, I will be attending a press conference with Governor Pat Quinn at the Lincoln Statue in Bunker Hill to salute local officials and US Cellular for working to provide cell phone service for residents of Macoupin and Jersey Counties.

Residents of the area have had difficulty gaining consistent cell phone coverage in the area for years. For the past six years, many people in the community - including local officials and business leaders - have worked to bring better cellular coverage to the area. Wireless coverage is more than just a simple convenience. In rural areas, reliable cellular service is critically important to firefighters, police officers and other emergency officials who depend on the technology to respond to emergency situations. Studies show that, daily, nearly 300,000 emergency 911 calls are made by cell phones throughout the nation.

Recently, US Cellular began operating five new tower sites in and around the west region of Macoupin County and in Jersey County. As a result, reliable servise is being provided to a number of communities, including Bunker Hill, Sawyerville, Wilsonville, Benld, Gillespie, Mount Clare, Dorchester, Woodburn, Dorsey and Prairietown.

US Cellular and all those who have worked to secure reliable wireless service deserve our thanks. Their efforts are helping to make our region safer while supporting a key component of modern economic growth.

Note: Should the weather not cooperate, the event will be moved to the Municipal Building.