April 25, 2024
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Vice President Kamala Harris coming to Plainfield on Friday

Mayor Argoudelis calls it ‘an exciting time’ for village after Great Race event this week

By Bob Okon

In this June 23, 2021, photo, Vice President Kamala Harris speaks in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Plainfield on Friday for what apparently will be an invite-only event.

“ We do know she’s coming,” Plainfield Mayor John Argoudelis said Thursday morning. “She’s going to be talking about maternal health.”

Kamala Harris In this June 23, 2021, photo, Vice President Kamala Harris speaks in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Harris will be accompanied by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville. U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin also has been reported to be attending.

Argoudelis said it will be an “invite-only” event and not open to the general public.

He was leery of offering details on the time and location of Harris’ appearance, noting that information was coming from Underwood’s office. Underwood’s office has not yet provided information about the visit.

“She’ll be coming during the day in advance of her event in Chicago,” Argoudelis said.

plainfield, abortion, rally

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, speaks at a pro-abortion rights rally in Plainfield on May 14. (Alex Ortiz)

Harris also is scheduled to speak at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference on Friday.

“It’s quite an exciting time for Plainfield,” Argoudelis said, and not just because of the vice president’s visit. “We had the Great Race event last night.”

On Wednesday, people filled Lockport Street, the main street in downtown Plainfield, to see the 2022 Hemmings Motor News-sponsored Great Race, a nine-day rally that kicked off June 18 in Rhode Island and headed for North Dakota after the Plainfield stop.

Keith Wallace and Rick McIntosh wave to the people lining Lockport Street in downtown Plainfield on Wednesday as they arrive in their 1930 Ford Speedster in the Great Race is a 9-day rally from Warwick, Rhode Island to Fargo, North Dakota featuring more the 120 pre-1974 vehicles. (Gary Middendorf - gmiddendorf@shawnedia.com/Gary Middendorf)

“The event was unbelievably spectacular,” Argoudelis said. “The drivers said this was one of the best stops they ever had.”

The “huge crowd” for the Great Race is not likely to be matched by the vice president’s visit, Argoudelis said, because it will not be open to the public. But Plainfield police and fire departments have been helping to coordinate security for the Friday event.