John --

Welcome to the October Parkhurst Pulse! 

I hope you had no trick and all treats this October! 

The General Assembly finished the first week of Veto Session on October 30. The House will reconvene for the second week on November 12.

Please contact my District Office with any questions or concerns regarding any state issue. We are here to help.

Very truly yours, 
Lindsay Parkhurst 
79th District State Representative 

Fighting for you!

Cleaning up Corruption

A summer of indictments, FBI raids, and arrests in the General Assembly renewed my calls for needed ethics reforms in Springfield. I joined my colleagues in the House to call for a task force to re-examine and fix our ethics laws for members of the General Assembly. Find out more here.

Make Sure Illinois Counts

I stopped by WKAN to record a PSA for the 2020 Census. It is imperative everyone is counted.  A low count in 2010 meant Kankakee County alone lost nearly $47 million in funding. Make sure you are counted! #census2020

Fighting for our State Park

Many ask for the status of our beautiful state park campgrounds. I value transparency in government and offered a full, comprehensive update on the status of both Potawatomi and Chippewa campgrounds. Bureaucratic red tape is keeping the campgrounds from reopening. Reopening the campgrounds is my top priority. Read the update here.

Around the District 

The weather is getting cold, but I make sure to make my way around our beautiful 79th District!

Student-Built Homes

I toured Kankakee Area Career Center’s 22nd student-built home! This program offers real-world skills in the classroom and on a job site in the field to build an actual house—from start to finish! The house is sold upon completion to fund the next student house. Thank you KACC for offering such a wonderful training program for the construction industry!

New Bill Roundtable

Before the beginning of Veto Session, I hosted a New Bill Roundtable for constituents to talk to me about what they would like to see as new laws in Illinois. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Local Business Spotlight

Each month, I visit a local business in the 79th District and highlight their achievements! In October, I visited Stefari Cafe in Kankakee. I initiated the local business spotlight to showcase the wonderful diversity of talent of our local business owners all across the 79th District!

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 53 constituents in the month of October. 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!

• Health Insurance & Wellness Fair

On November 9, I host a Health Insurance & Wellness fair with our local hospitals and the Illinois Department of Insurance. Local organizations are available to offer resources for health care, health insurance, and health screenings for all attendees. Available free screenings include blood pressure, cholesterol, lung, glucose, and more. Scheduling for mammograms is available through AMITA St. Mary’s Hospital. Join us at the Fair from 9 am to 12 pm at the Lisieux Pastoral Center in Kankakee.

• Citizenship Workshop

On November 16, I host my 4th Citizenship Workshop. The workshop is held in conjunction with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and its partners. Volunteers from various local organizations are on hand to help assist applicants in completing the necessary forms and documents to become a U.S. Citizen. The workshop is from 9 am to 12 pm at the Kankakee Public Library, 4th Floor Gallery in Kankakee.

“Like” me on Facebook to keep up to date on future events and drives!!!