Downstate lawmakers for the last few weeks have been calling on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to lift his park closures downstate and a central Illinois lawmaker joined the chorus this week.

On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, State Senator Chapin Rose says the Governor's action to close state parks was a reaction to the Chicago public that did not take his stay at home orders to heart and ended up going out on St. Patrick's Day.

Rose also says the Governor's rationale of closing the parks because it would allow people congregate at the sites doesn't make sense since most people that go to the parks are alone or with family and there aren't enough workers to congregate at many of these sites.

Sen. Rose describes the Governor's situation as "in a foxhole taking grenades and everything looks the same". Like many others, the Mahomet Republic is calling on the Governor to recognize downstate is not Chicago.

Sen. Rose says whether you're in Chicago or you're downstate, we're all in this together and we need to work together to get out of it.