Crystal Lake Preps For President Joe Biden’s Visit

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — President Joe Biden will be making his first presidential trip to Illinois Wednesday with a planned stop in Crystal Lake. The visit is also the first time a sitting president has ever stopped in Crystal Lake — a town with a population of about 38,000 located in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago.

"We are thrilled and proud that President Biden has chosen our community as his first visit to Illinois as President," said Kristina Zahorik, chair of the Democratic Party of McHenry County. "We are excited the President is highlighting our great Community College and thank him and our Illinois Democratic Delegation for supporting building back better with investments in the American Rescue Plan, the American Infrastructure Plan, and the American Family Plan."

Crystal Lake Mayor Haig Haleblian will be among the attendees at the event at McHenry County College, 8900 US-14. Local government officials and democrats said the event is believed to be private, by invitation-only and not a political event.

Haleblian said those who've been invited will be notified shortly before Biden arrives and told more about the timing and exact location of the event, he said. They will then head on over to take part in the event.

"I'm ecstatic," Haleblian said. "I mean it's the first time a sitting president has ever been to Crystal Lake."

Haleblian, the owner of Exceed Floor and Home for the past 34 years, said he's "very grateful and thankful" to represent Crystal Lake at the event. If he gets the chance to speak with Biden, he says he'll highlight how important small businesses in a town the size of Crystal Lake are for the economy. Especially, post-COVID.

"I'd like to just remind him not to forget about the small businesses," said Haleblian, adding federal and state programs have helped keep many afloat. He said that while business in town has been strong, many restaurants and stores continue to struggle to hire employees.

"I think, overall the state of the economy (in Crystal Lake) is very strong and vibrant," Haleblian said. "All you have to do is walk into a store or restaurant here, business is brisk. "

The Crystal Lake fire and police departments have been working with the White House and secret service to assist in security and safety measures as Biden makes his trip into town. Haleblian says he'll likely be coming to MCC via helicopter or car.

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office will also be assisting.

"We’ve been asked by the Crystal Lake Police Department to assist with security and traffic control; along with the McHenry County College Police, Illinois State Police, and the US Secret Service," said Kevin Byrnes, public information officer for the sheriff's office.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is also planning to make the trip to Crystal Lake for Wednesday's event, Jordan Abudayyeh, press secretary for the governor's office, wrote in an email response.

"The governor will be in attendance. I don’t have many other details since it’s a White House event," she said.

Few other details surrounding the event were being released as of late Tuesday afternoon, but Biden is expected to highlight some of the benefits of his American Families Plan.

"We applaud his commitment to ensuring that all working families can thrive and prosper during the economic recovery," according to a tweet posted Monday by the Democratic Party of McHenry County.

Biden's American Family Plan, if passed, would provide two years of free community college to Americans and universal, "high quality" preschool to all 3- and 4-year-old children. The plan is meant to provide incentives for families and children and provides $1.8 trillion in investments and and $800 billion in tax cuts for American families.

The Illinois visit will be the president's third stop in the Midwest in recent days as he travels the U.S. and rallies for support of a bipartisan infrastructure plan and policies that would affect families and education.

Matt Hill, a communications director for the White House and Stevenson High School graduate, announced via Twitter that Biden would be headed to Crystal Lake on Wednesday. The University of Illinois graduate noted the president will highlight the benefits of his American Families Plan.

On Saturday, Biden visited a cherry farm near Traverse City, Michigan, where he spoke about his immigration plans, and last week, he was in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. There he visited the town's public transit center and touted the economic benefits of his $973 billion infrastructure package that still faces an uncertain future in Congress.

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The Associated Press contributed to this article