Bertino's Lunch With Gov. Pritzker: Here's How It Went

JOLIET, IL — Wednesday was a day many of Joliet's community leaders will not forget. Gov. J.B. Pritzker visited Joliet, and he selected Juliet's Tavern, which is now owned by Bill Dimitroulas, as his stop for lunch. The governor and his staff ate in the upstairs banquet room.

The governor's main guests for lunch were Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and Joliet area State Representative Natalie Manley.

"It was very nice, we just had a casual conversation , really no business, he's just in town for another event so called last night and said, 'You want to get together for lunch, so we had lunch and (Assistant Majority) Leader Manley is with me as well. And really it was just small talk, just kind of what's going on locally, what's going on in the nation, just, nothing really exciting.

"We're always glad when the governor comes. He pays a lot of attention to Will County and the Joliet area, and we're really happy about that because we know that we have a lot going on here, and we need the attention, so we appreciate that."

When Pritzker finished his lunch, he was met at the bottom of the staircase by Joliet City Councilman Joe Clement, who thanked Pritzker for all the state funding Pritzker has been directing to Joliet to improve the Interstate 80, Interstate 55 and Route 53 corridors.

Clement presented the governor with one of Joliet's new commemorative coins, which were the idea of City Manager Jim Capparelli.