36th House District: Burke challenged by Robbins police chief
By Dermot Connolly
State Rep. Kelly Burke (D-36th), of Evergreen Park, is running for her seventh term in the General Assembly and has a Republican opponent for the first time since 2012.
Robbins Police Chief David Sheppard is running against her in the November 8 general election.
Both are seeking to represent the 36th District, which stretches roughly from Ashland Avenue in Chicago, west to Will-Cook Road, meandering from 83rd Street to 123rd Street. In addition to parts of Beverly and other Chicago neighborhoods, the boundaries encompass all or parts of Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Palos Hills, Palos Park and Willow Springs.
In addition to being a state representative for 12 years, Burke has been mayor of Evergreen Park since being elected in May 2021. Previously, she was a trustee in the village she has lived in for 27 years, and a member and president of the local library board. She also was an attorney with the Evergreen Park-based firm of Odelson & Sterk. Burke earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a law degree from the John Marshall Law School.
Sheppard, a Navy veteran, also lives in Evergreen Park. He has been police chief of the village of Robbins since October 2021. He previously had been a detective with the Merrionette Park Police Department for two years, and an investigator with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department from 1995 to 2021.
On his campaign website, Sheppard said he would support law enforcement and challenge politicians who “are supposed to be helping us and instead are raising our taxes and giving us needless regulations.” He pledged to stop the “endless mandates” that he claims are shutting down Illinois and causing residents to leave.
Sheppard also called himself “a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment” who would protect rights to gun ownership.”
Both candidates have criticized parts of the controversial SAFE-T Act, particularly the elimination of cash bail in most cases, which is due to go into effect in January. Burke voted against it in 2021, and has said some changes could be made. She and Sheppard said some parts of it are good, including the requirement that all police departments use body cameras by 2025.
Burke, the assistant majority leader in the House, said improving the economic situation for everyone is her goal in Springfield. In her campaign literature, she points to her votes to eliminate the grocery tax, suspend the gas tax and get more property tax rebates for residents.
She also said she supports the Rebuild Illinois program to invest $20 million infrastructure improvements in the 36th District and much more statewide.
Other priorities she listed include expansion of job training, and cracking down on
“corporate price-gouging.
Burke also has pointed out that the financial situation in Illinois has improved considerably in recent years, going from a $16 billion deficit in the general fund in 2017, to a budget surplus in 2021.
Local News
Lake Katherine Wedding Resale Market Promotes Sustainability
Lake Katherine Nature Center’s first Wedding Resale Market on Saturday drew eco-conscious couples and thrifters, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional wedding décor shopping. The market provided a scenic space for attendees to browse gently used wedding items, embracing the trend of green weddings, where couples prioritize sustainable, low-impact choices for their celebrations. The event…
Local priest under investigation for alleged abuse
A priest who has served at several southwest suburban parishes is under investigation for alleged sexual abuse of a minor. The Rev. Martin “Marty” Marren has been directed to step aside while the investigation takes place, according to the Chicago Archdiocese. Marren reportedly said he is innocent but agreed to cooperate with the investigation. Marren…
Caregiver charged in elderly exploitation in Palos Heights gold watch heist
A 41-year-old Chicago woman was arrested Monday on charges of financial exploitation of the elderly after allegedly stealing and pawning a 93-year-old Palos Heights resident’s watch. Police said the victim reported the theft Oct. 24, believing an in-home caregiver was responsible. Investigators used a description of the watch to locate it at a local pawn…
Palos Hills Honors Veterans with Heartfelt Memorial Service
With reverence and gratitude, Palos Hills honored its veterans Saturday at a moving memorial service, where community members gathered to pay tribute to those who have served and continue to serve. Veterans, local officials, and residents filled the Palos Hills Community Center, joining in a collective expression of respect for military service and sacrifice. The…
Basketball 2024-25: The Southwest Regional Publishing X/Twitter previews
Editor’s note: Coaches in the Southwest Regional Publishing coverage area are encouraged to submit preseason information by email to: mikeclarkpreps@gmail.com. Boys Acero-Soto: Wolf Pack looking to take step forward after 1-win season. Top 2 scorers return in senior Gs Cruz Lopez, Tony Macias. Also expected to contribute: G Favio Hernandez, C Alexander Bahena, PG Enrique…
Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel race into Class 7A quarterfinals
Jack Elliott is running again, and that spells trouble for the rest of Class 7A. Elliott, Mount Carmel’s senior quarterback and a Vanderbilt commit, missed time with an injury in the regular season. He was limited to passing when he returned. But in the Caravan’s 48-15 win against visiting St. Charles North on Nov. 9,…
Travis Stamm’s big night helps unbeaten Lyons roll
Travis Stamm of Lyons was noticeable in the first half Nov. 8, grabbing a pair of touchdown passes, but the savvy senior noticed something that the average fan likely did not. The Lions, in his estimation, were flat, even leading Downers Grove South by a pair of touchdowns. So, like a good captain, he took…
Loyola rallies to end Marist’s season in Class 8A second round
The deeper you go in the playoffs, the smaller the margin of error becomes. Marist found out how small Nov. 9 on their cozy home field. The RedHawks made only a handful of mistakes in the course of 48 minutes in their Class 8A second-round game against Loyola, but those miscues cost them dearly. The…
Steven Armbruster sets TD record as St. Rita advances
What stands out about St. Rita quarterback Steven Armbruster to Mustangs coach Martin Hopkins? “Steven works hard,” Hopkins said. “And he prepares very hard. When you work hard like he does in practice, the more comfortable you are on game day and that makes things easier for us. “Steven puts the team in good positions…
Neighbors
Plan to ban carbon injections near aquifers stalls in Senate
Capitol News Illinois An Illinois Senate committee hit pause on a bill to ban carbon sequestration injections near aquifers after more than an hour of debate Wednesday. Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, asked that the Senate Executive Committee to wait to act on Senate Bill 3968, which would have banned the practice, until lawmakers…
Carbondale faces legal battle over protest restrictions outside abortion clinics
Capitol News Illinois The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned Carbondale into a critical medical hub: Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, three clinics offering abortion services opened in the small, liberal university town in conservative rural southern Illinois. It’s now the closest place for people across a huge…
Carbondale faces legal battle over protest restrictions outside abortion clinics
Capitol News Illinois The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned Carbondale into a critical medical hub: Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, three clinics offering abortion services opened in the small, liberal university town in conservative rural southern Illinois. It’s now the closest place for people across a huge…
Carbondale faces legal battle over protest restrictions outside abortion clinics
Capitol News Illinois The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned Carbondale into a critical medical hub: Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, three clinics offering abortion services opened in the small, liberal university town in conservative rural southern Illinois. It’s now the closest place for people across a huge…
Carbondale faces legal battle over protest restrictions outside abortion clinics
Capitol News Illinois The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned Carbondale into a critical medical hub: Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, three clinics offering abortion services opened in the small, liberal university town in conservative rural southern Illinois. It’s now the closest place for people across a huge…
Carbondale faces legal battle over protest restrictions outside abortion clinics
Capitol News Illinois The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned Carbondale into a critical medical hub: Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, three clinics offering abortion services opened in the small, liberal university town in conservative rural southern Illinois. It’s now the closest place for people across a huge…
Carbondale faces legal battle over protest restrictions outside abortion clinics
Capitol News Illinois The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned Carbondale into a critical medical hub: Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, three clinics offering abortion services opened in the small, liberal university town in conservative rural southern Illinois. It’s now the closest place for people across a huge…
‘This is the way things are done in Illinois’: Defense attorneys begin cross-examining star witness
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – The former chief lobbyist for electric utility Commonwealth Edison has spent the last week telling a federal jury how he bent over backward to accommodate hiring requests from former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Led by the prosecutor questioning him, ComEd exec-turned-cooperating witness Fidel Marquez repeatedly said he and other…
Lawmakers return to Springfield as projected budget deficit looms
Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers returned to Springfield Tuesday for the first time since May following news earlier this month that they’re facing a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The news didn’t surprise Republicans, who condemned “drunken spending” policies, but the Senate’s top Democratic budget…
Capitol Briefs: Former Gov. Quinn pushes for ‘millionaire tax’ amendment; Underground Railroad task force issues findings
Capitol News Illinois A week after ballots were cast, former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said the Nov. 5 election results show voters are willing to support a graduated income tax structure to provide property tax relief. Quinn, who left office in early 2015, made a stop at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield on Tuesday to…