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John -- Welcome to the February Parkhurst Pulse! Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow this year—predicting an early Spring. The Spring Session continued this month and the Governor gave his Budget Address. Please contact my District Office with any questions or concerns regarding state issues. We’re here to help! Very truly yours, Lindsay Parkhurst 79th District State Representative
Fighting For You! Leadership Fellow I was proud to be selected as a McCormick Foundation Executive Fellow and recently attended Erickson Institute: Early Childhood Leadership Academy Special Addition: Trauma. A trauma-focused session with Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and 22 other cross-sector leaders. As a member of the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity (JEO) Initiative, I am working to centralize the state’s justice reform efforts and promote economic opportunities for communities impacted by a broken criminal justice system. Dyslexia Legislation Children with dyslexia slip through the cracks and are erroneously labeled behavioral problems or another learning disability. We cannot continue to fail our children. That is why I introduced HB 4406. Sign the petition below to tell the General Assembly you support HB 4406 which screens our children for dyslexia risk factors and empowers teachers to recognize the early signs. River Conservancy After the February 2018 flooding in Aroma Park, Momence, Watseka, and Kankakee, State Representative Thomas M. Bennett, Andrew Wheeler Kankakee County Board Chairman, Iroquois County Chairman Shure, and I started working on a plan to help mitigate the flooding and save our river. Over the last two years, our group worked with the Kankakee River Basin Commission in Indiana, Indiana state officials, 7 Indiana counties, consultation and engineering companies, and officials in the State of Illinois. Part of the work plan includes reducing sediment in the Yellow River in Indiana, removing log jams and bridges in Kankakee County, and stabilizing the banks on the Iroquois River in Iroquois County. Estimates place the cost of this at nearly $5.8 million per year with $3 million addressing the Indiana side. While Indiana approved of a 7 county commission and received $2.3 million in state funding, Illinois isn’t so lucky. Rep Bennett and I sought funding for saving our river in Springfield. Unfortunately, Springfield was not willing to help. Our Illinois workgroup decided the only way to begin financing our portion of the plan was to expand the Kankakee River Conservancy District and to reorganize the District to include representatives from the affected municipalities and the county. The proposed expansion would quadruple the available funds for the district and our river, about $450,000 annually. For those in the footprint, it would cost an additional $24 per year, just $2 per month. I believe in this plan and the work we did for over 2 years, which is why I co-sponsored HB2583. This is only the beginning. It is my hope Kankakee County takes action on the river just as Indiana and Iroquois County have. 2020 Child Support Advisory Committee The Department of Healthcare and Family Services recently reappointed me to the 2020 Child Support Advisory Committee. This committee was created to review child support policies of the state. I am proud to continue to improve the Illinois child support program.
Around the District The weather is getting cold, but I make sure to make my way around our beautiful 79th District! Valentines for Veterans Valentine’s for Vets Victory! Thank you to everyone, especially Peotone Intermediate Center, St. Anne Grade School #256, Peotone Elementary School, workers of KCTC of Bradley, Benner Library at Olivet Nazarene University staff and students, Liberty Intermediate School, South Wilmington Grade School, Momence CUSD #1 High School, and Kankakee Art Club, for your wonderful Valentine’s! Our Vets felt the love!
Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce Voice of Business Forum I was pleased to be a panelist at the Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce Voice of Business Forum with Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr., State Senator Patrick Joyce, and State Rep. Nicholas "Nick" Smith to field questions from our business community and address their concerns.
State Champion Congratulations to State Champion Drew Rogers from Herscher High School! I presented Drew with a Resolution for this wonderful accomplishment. We are looking forward to watching you cross many more finish lines!
Olivet Nazarene University's Leadership and Lunch I enjoyed Olivet’s Leadership and Lunch with keynote speaker, KCC President Dr. Michael Boyd, alongside KCC Trustee Cathy Boiken and 79th District candidate Jackie Haas.
Census Outreach My office partnered with the Olivet Nazarene University Law & Politics Society as well as the Illinois Census Bureau in order to provide information to Olivet students about the job opportunities with the 2020 Census Bureau team! It’s so important that you are counted. A low count in 2010 meant Kankakee County alone lost nearly $47 million in funding. Make sure you are counted!
Constituent Services Part of my job as a state representative is to assist you with navigating problems with state agencies. From assisting gun owners with FOID and CCL applications to navigating the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, my office successfully assisted 22 constituents in the month of February. It is my pleasure to serve you! Job Board Are you looking for a new job or a change in career? Check out my job board for job search resources and local listings. If you are an employer, check out the link above to find out how to send job posting requests. Mark Your Calendar!
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Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst http://repparkhurst.com |
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