Our guest today serves the residents of portions of Kankakee, Will, and Grundy Counties. She continues a family tradition of being committed to community volunteering and philanthropy and promoting community growth, and has dedicated her life to serving others as a mom, wife, daughter, aunt, and practicing attorney. She and her husband share a passion for family, friendships and food. Our guest is state representative Lindsay Parkhurst.

Our children’s education remains a top priority for Illinois House Republicans, which is why they have taken action to address the growing teacher shortage in our state. First and foremost, our members are committed to ensuring highly prepared and effective educators are teaching our children. To do that, Illinois must address the teacher shortage.

Background
The Illinois State Board of Education said the 2017-18 school year began with about 2,000 unfilled teaching positions across the state.* And a recent survey conducted by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools found that school districts were increasingly having difficulty finding qualified candidates to apply for teaching positions.

"I was proud to lead this coordinated, multifaceted effort between Nucor, Gov. Rauner, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity to garner support for and ultimately the selection of Bourbonnais Nucor for this expansion." ~ Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst

Nucor Steel's Bourbonnais site has been selected as the location for a $180 million expansion.

In a release sent out by the Charlotte, N.C.-based company today, the expansion will take approximately two years to complete.

The expansion will require an additional 75 workers once complete. Currently, the company employs 475.

The expansion is for increased production of its Merchant Bar Quality production. The new mill will have the capacity to produce a half-million tons of steel annually.

The Bourbonnais site was in competition with a company site in Marion, Ohio. Read more.

State Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst, R-Kankakee, has introduced a bill in the state Legislature that would restrict the use of eminent domain.

Eminent domain is the legal name for the process that occurs when the government seizes your land. In turn, you get paid "just compensation." But when it comes to something you own, there are two ways of valuing it.

The first is an objective valuation based upon the legal assessment of your property.

There also is an emotional attachment to what you own. Maybe it was a home you built on your own. Maybe it was the home where you were born. Maybe an older or ill person lives there, and it would not be easy for them to move. Maybe you don't want to sell at any price. Read more.

Ten new members attended their first session today in the Illinois House of Representatives. Here's news about a few of them:

Q&A: Newly inaugurated Rep. Ryan Spain discusses priorities
Ryan Spain was sworn in Wednesday afternoon to the state House, replacing longtime Rep. David Leitch, who retired.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170111/qampa-newly-inaugurated-rep-ryan-spain-discusses-priorities

Swanson prepares for swearing-in ceremony
When Lt. Col. Dan Swanson enters the Illinois General Assembly for the first time Wednesday, he won't lack for work to do.

Parkhurst Sworn in to Historic 100th General Assembly

State Representative Lindsay Parkhurst (R-Kankakee) today was sworn in to the Illinois House of Representatives officially marking the beginning of the historic 100th General Assembly.

Severin Begins First Term as 117th District State Representative

Newly-minted State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) says he is excited and humbled at the opportunity to serve the citizens of southern Illinois in the Illinois House of Representatives. An inauguration ceremony took place Wednesday morning on the campus of the University of Illinois Springfield, where Severin and 117 other state representatives took the oath of office.