The Crusader Newspaper Group

11 Black women entrepreneurs graduate from Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center

By Jerry Nowicki Capitol News Illinois Illinois voters have approved a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing workers the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining. Estimates compiled by multiple media outlets projected Tuesday that the ballot measure had support on an estimated 53 percent of the total ballots cast in the election, with more than 95 percent of the ballots counted. That’s enough for approval under one of two paths to passage for a constitutional amendment in Illinois. The amendment, which will be added to the Bill of Rights of the Illinois Constitution, states that employees have a fundamental right to organize and bargain collectively “for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours and working conditions, and to protect their economic welfare and safety at work.” It also prohibits state and local governments from enacting laws that interfere with that right, including passage of socalled “right-to-work” laws, which prohibit requiring membership in a union as a condition of employment. On election night, the Vote Yes for Workers’ Rights campaign declared victory, but media outlets were slow to confirm that due to the complicated rules in Illinois for passing a constitutional amendment. The state constitution provides two pathways for passing an amendment. It must either be approved by 60 percent of all those voting on the measure or by more than 50 percent of all ballots cast in the election. According to projections, the amendment received about 2.1 million “yes” votes and 1.5 million votes against. That’s 58.4 percent of the votes cast on that issue but By Chinta Strausburg Don’t forget to mark your calendars for 10 a.m., Saturday, November 19, to be at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, 930 E. 50th St. There, supporters will join Reverend Jesse Jackson and Bishop Tavis Grant, national acting executive director for the civil rights organization, in a fight to get a Biden student loan debt program released. At issue is a Trump-appointed Texas judge who has blocked Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, claiming that it failed to provide borrowers an opportunity for public comment. Jackson has reached out to various bar associations and community groups to help prepare a plan to challenge the judge’s stay that already has blocked millions of students who have already applied for the student loan debt relief program. “Reverend Jackson will be focusing his attention on student loan debt relief,” Bishop Grant said. Referring to Texas U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman, who blocked the student loan program, Grant said the judge’s stay blocks “much needed debt relief to millions of borrowers across the country who have been victims of predatory lending and unscrupulous collection agencies.” In issuing his stay, Judge Pittman said the student loan forgiveness program is “unlawful,” because Biden failed to follow federal procedures to allow public comment before he announced the program’s benefits. These borrowers had a problem with the program’s eligibility criteria and their lawsuit alleged that they could not voice their disagreement. This was the second attack on Biden’s loan forgiveness program, the first being the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, which had temporarily halted the program last September on behalf of a lawsuit filed by six Republican-led states. Those states were Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina. They argued that Biden’s plan violates the separation of powers and a law that dictates how federal agencies can write regulations. They also argued that Biden didn’t have the power to launch such a student debt forgiveness program. By Erick Johnson As indoor gatherings increase ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday next week, many residents in Chicago’s Black neighborhoods still aren’t fully vaccinated, according to a Crusader analysis of the latest data from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). The data comes as an increasing number of flu cases and the respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19 cases fuel concerns of a “tridemic” as people meet indoors at the start of the cold season. In Chicago new COVID-19 cases have pushed the city to the medium risk level in the spread of the coronavirus. The risk is even higher in Chicago’s 21 Black zip codes, where many residents haven’t received both doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Since the city began administering the doses in December 2021, many residents in 20 Black zip codes have been fully vaccinated in neighborhoods where the vaccinations rates are lower than the city’s 75.1 percent. Zip code 60629 (West Lawn, Chicago Lawn, Ashburn, Garfield Ridge) is the only Black zip code that has a higher vaccination rate at 76.9 percent. About 11 Black zip codes have full vaccination rates below 60 percent. No data is avail- (Continued on page 6) VOL NUMBER PUBLISHED SINCE 1940 50 Cents and worth more VOL. LXXXI NUMBER 39 JANUARY 8, 2022 IN THIS ISSUE Theis, sworn in as chief justice, says partisanship has no role on state Supreme Court (Story on page 5) Over 90 percent of voters in Black wards supported Pritzker (Story on page 17) 11 Black Women Entrepreneurs graduate from Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center (Story on page 10) PUBLISHED SINCE 1940 BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY 50 CENTS AND WORTH MORE VOL. LXXXII ISSUE NUMBER 32 SATURDAY November 19, 2022 (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page 3) City to give new COVID-19 booster shot for those who received the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines Many residents in Black neighborhoods still aren’t fully vaccinated COVID-19 STATISTICS IN BLACK CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS Chicago Vaccination Rate is 75.1% as of 11/14/22 Chicago Positivity Rate is 4.4% as of 11/14/22 (Medium Risk) SOURCE: Chicago COVID-19 Dashboard, as of 11/14/22 91 deaths since June ZIP CODE 60609 NEIGHBORHOODS Douglas, Grand Blvd., New City, Englewood, West Englewood VACCINATION RATE 68.5% POS. RATE +2.4% COVID-19 DEATHS 226 60615 Grand Boulevard, Kenwood, Hyde Park, Washington Park 72.5% +3.8% 77 60616 Douglas, Armour Square 73.8% +5.1% 140 60617 East Side, South Chicago, South Shore, Avalon Park, Hegewisch, Pullman 57.3% +3.7% 253 60619 Chatham, Greater Grand Crossing, Burnside, Avalon Park, South Shore 57.3% +3.9% 230 60620 Auburn Gresham, Chatham, Beverly 55.6% +4.7% 283 60621 Englewood 51.1% +3.0% 147 60623 North Lawndale, South Lawndale 69.9% +3.6% 332 60624 West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park 58.7% +2.9% 116 60628 Pullman, Roseland, West Pullman 56.5% +3.7% 316 60629 West Lawn, Chicago Lawn, Ashburn, Garfield Ridge 76.9% +3.9% 349 60633 Hegewisch, South Deering, Riverdale 48% +1.6% 27 60636 West Englewood, Englewood, Chatham 64.1% +2.6% 165 60637 Washington Park, Woodlawn, South Shore 57.7% +3.4% 100 60643 Beverly, Morgan Park, Washington Heights 67.7% +3.6% 208 60644 Austin 54.5% +3.2% 214 60649 South Shore, Woodlawn, Avalon Park, South Chicago 51.1% +2.7% 222 60651 Humboldt Park, Austin, West Town 64.6% +3.2% 185 60652 Ashburn, West Lawn, Chicago Lawn 71.2% +4.5% 139 60653 Oakland, Grand Boulevard 57.9% +4.5% 102 (Continued on page 3) Students told to fight for loan forgiveness program Right to unionize amendment projected to pass Ballot measure carrying 53% of total ballots cast thus far 2 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community By Erick Johnson Dr. Saretta Sims, 63, who has been bringing her children and grandchildren to the Don Nash Community Center in South Shore for more than a decade. Owned by the Chicago Park District, the center is located at 1833 E. 71st St. For over 60 years, the pool has helped the center remain an institution. In the past year, Dr. Sims took water exercise classes while her grandchildren were taught how to swim in the facility’s Olympic size indoor pool. For years, the pool has been busy with round-the-clock classes that offered everything from aqua cycling to lifeguard training to swimming, to parents, grandparents and children of all ages. The extremely popular aqua cycling class has a long wait list where guests wait years to get in. Several senior members held fundraisers to purchase specially designed $1,800 aqua exercise bikes for the class. Now, the expensive bikes are sitting unused in an aging men’s locker room that is in need of a long overdue renovation. Many program participants at Don Nash Community Center are educated professionals who frequented the club for years; many members feel like family. Some live in the nearby affluent Jackson Park Highlands neighborhood. But in recent years, the Center has fallen to time and neglect. With outdated locker rooms and rust on doors and railings, the crumbling facility is over 60 years old and has not been upgraded since the Park District renovated the facility over 30 years ago, when it purchased the property from the Chicago Metropolitan YMCA in 1991. The facility offers an after-school program, Pilates, yoga, seasonal sports, senior activities, line dancing and a popular six-week summer day camp. In addition to programs, the Don Nash Community Center hosts special events throughout the year for families. But the pool has been the facility’s biggest money maker and attraction with its array of aquatics classes, bringing together seniors who enjoy socializing while working out in the pool. Since August 24, the pool has sat closed and drained. Nearly 40 classes that were held in the pool have been canceled, leaving seniors with few options and nowhere to go. As many as 300 participants who paid to enroll in the classes have been affected by the closure. Their health plans are on hold as the pool and its classes remain in limbo. Since the pool’s closure, the facility has been a ghost town with few to no guests using the center. Some, including Dr. Sims, have written letters to Park District officials seeking updates on the status of repairs after seeing no maintenance men working at the site. Despite repeated questions from residents, the facility’s Park Advisory Council (PAC) and the Crusader, the Chicago Park District remains silent on the status of the pool’s condition and whether it will ever reopen. “This place has helped me and generations of people in my family,” said Sims. “It’s a shame that it has been closed this long without no one giving us any answers.” Sims, who lives in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, said she learned about the pool after enrolling her son, Jalanni, in classes there several years ago. Now 18, Jalanni is a freshman at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Sims said both of her children learned swimming skills at Don Nash, preferring the Center rather than the classes offered by the popular British Swim School at LA Fitness in Hyde Park. “They learned more quickly with instructors at Don Nash than with the British Swim School,” Sims told the Crusader. When Sims’ daughter went to college, obtaining degrees at Northwestern University and Cornell University, Sims said she became an empty nester. She enrolled in exercise classes at Don Nash, where she enjoyed interacting with other participants. She also enrolled her two grandchildren in the Tiny Tot swim classes. She paid over $200 for the swim and exercise classes. On September 8, Sims received an email from Jayar Roberson, park supervisor at Don Nash, who told her that all fall aquatics classes at the facility were canceled due to a “pool maintenance issue.” Roberson told Sims that she would be notified by email once the aquatic program resumes. The email didn’t say what caused Park District officials to close the pool, which was drained, and a sign was placed on an easel near the front entrance, which said the pool “is closed until further notice.” Eager to return to water exercise classes, Sims checked every week for any updates on the pool. Sometimes she drove to the facility to ask when the pool would be repaired. After more than two months of no updates and answers, she wrote a letter to the Park District, expressing her frustration and displeasure at the pool’s closure and the lack of communication from top officials. “It leaves me to wonder could this possibly be due to mismanagement of Park District resources, or funding inequities due to blatant discrimination,” Sims says in her letter. “Is pool repair at the Don Nash Center considered a low priority by Park District decision makers? Are the repairs deemed unimportant because of the pool’s location and/or the color of the people who frequent it? The decision makers may not know or care that the effects of not maintaining and repairing the Don Nash Center swimming pool in a timely manner are far-reaching. It negatively impacts the physical and mental health of members and families that rely on the Center.” Sims said she gave the letter to Roberson, who promised to give it to a Park District official. The facility’s PAC has been vocal about the pool’s closure and the lack of transparency. They have also inquired about the pool’s condition, as well as the crumbling facility’s future but have received no answers. Dr. Erin Adams, another concerned member and a biochemistry professor at the University of Chicago, also wrote a letter to Park District officials. In the letter, Adams requests a meeting with Park District administrators. He also says, “the Don Nash swimming pool has been inoperable for over three months, further adding to the lack of available resources on the South Side (neighboring pools have also been closed either due to seasonal closures or from disrepair). The Chicago Park District has not provided a clear plan for its repair and opening. “I stand with the Don Nash Advisory Council in their request to have these issues addressed.” Park District officials have not responded to several phone and email inquiries from the Crusader, which on November 3 requested documents and maintenance records on the pool since 2021. On November 9, the Park District emailed the Crusader about a delay in releasing the documents. The email said Park District officials would have to consult with individuals before releasing the documents but did not give a date when that would happen. On Monday, November 14, hours after the Crusader emailed the mayor’s office, Kristen Regalado, a FOIA officer with the Park District, sent an email, saying that the documents would be released on November 18. Don Nash Pool drowns in neglect under Chicago Park District (Continued on page 15) A WATER FOUNTAIN on the pool deck is covered with rust. (Photo by Erick Johnson) THE POPULAR INDOOR swimming pool at the Don Nash Community Center in South Shore has been closed for nearly four months. (Photo by Erick Johnson) CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 3 News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community Biden’s student program was challenged last October by the Job Creators Network Foundation on behalf of two borrowers who reportedly don’t qualify for all of the program benefits. “It is so very vital to the recovery of our economy to provide the same relief that you gave to banks, that you gave to the airline industry, that you gave to the automobile industry, that you gave during the time of the pandemic as it relates to the stimulus,” Grant pointed out. “The stimulus lifted 30 percent of Black and brown children out of the cycle and the debts of poverty. This measure in one stroke of the pen produces an opportunity for Americans of all walks to receive much needed debt relief at a time when interests rates are soaring, wages have stalled and inflation is becoming a reality for the American consumer,” Grant explained. Jackson is appealing to those who have been hardest hit by this “scourge of economic hijacking to join him Saturday to let your voices be heard, your faces seen, and your pain felt because Reverend Jackson intends to launch a full court press to fight for student loan debt relief. It must happen. It must not be delayed, and these persons cannot be denied,” said Grant. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a letter claiming that the Biden student debt loan forgiveness program harms the working class. Under the Biden student loan forgiveness program, those earning over $125,000 are not eligible for the loan relief program. Those who are eligible are limited to $10,000 in relief, that is, unless they are recipients of Pell Grants that are intended for low-income students, where they can get up to $20,000 in relief. According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the President’s student loan forgiveness program to low-income students who qualified for federal Pell Grants would especially impact low-income borrowers and people of color, students the Board believes would be more likely to qualify for federal financial aid and carry higher amounts of student loan debt. One of the plaintiffs, Alexander Taylor, is reportedly not eligible for $20,000 in student loan forgiveness because he didn’t have a Pell Grant, leaving him to be entitled only to $10,000 in loan forgiveness. Another plaintiff, Myra Brown, had a private loan that is no longer covered by Biden’s program. However, Brown did have a federal loan forgiveness program being the owner of Desert Star Enterprises, Inc. According to The Intercept report, Brown’s company received a $48,000 business loan where $42,997 was forgiven last April as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. In responding to the lawsuit, the U.S. Justice Department argued that Biden’s plan does not require notice and comment. After the Texas ruling, the Biden administration ceased taking applications for the student debt forgiveness program. “We are seeking to overturn those orders,” the Department of Education said on its website. PUSH leaders tell students to fight for loan forgiveness program about 53 percent of all the ballots cast in the election. “From day one, the Vote Yes for Workers’ Rights campaign has been based on the simple idea that every Illinois worker deserves better. Better pay, stronger benefits, and safer workplaces don’t just help workers thrive; they strengthen our state and keep us all safe,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea said in a statement on election night. The amendment will become effective once the Illinois State Board of Elections certifies results of the election. The board is scheduled to meet Dec. 5. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide, as well as hundreds of radio and TV stations. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Right to unionize amendment projected to pass (Continued from page 1) (Continued from page 1) Bishop Tavis Grant and Rev. Jesse Jackson Dear Editor: Every night on every local television newscast, far too many stories end with this message: “and the police have no suspects and no one in custody.” Frankly, I am tired of it. I know the CPD can’t solve every shooting and killing in Chicago, but it sure seems like they are not solving any, unless it is one of their own. And I sure don’t understand why the police superintendent, backed by his underlings, holds press conferences to recount what happened, even though it has been in the news the day before. Every time we see one of the CPD press conferences, we are seeing at least $500,000 in wages standing on the stage doing nothing. I have to believe that those flanking the superintendent would have some real work, unless standing at attention is considered real work in the CPD. Frankly, as a taxpaying citizen, I am concerned we aren’t getting anything near our money’s worth when it comes to the police department. If the street talk is true, we have a superintendent who flies back to his old home in Dallas every weekend. I could have sworn all of his predecessors worked in Chicago seven days a week. Yes, technology is wonderful, but I don’t think being 1,000 miles away every weekend can be overcome by technical gadgets. I also have to believe that a superintendent who is absent every weekend doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in the rank-and-file. He is gone when violence in the city is at its peak, the weekend. What a tremendous slap in the face to men and women who wear the uniform. They have days off and scheduled vacations canceled at the drop of a hat, are forced to work overtime, and their boss is flying the friendly skies. Maybe the superintendent believes he is fooling us citizens when every 10-12 weeks he comes on television and announces some sort of new plan with a goofy name that is supposed to reduce violence. We never get the results of the plan. Everyone, including the news media, apparently forgets it right after it is announced. Oh, I forgot. If the cops stop someone and retrieve two or three guns, then it is time for another press conference with the superintendent telling us how much safer our streets are now. That is hogwash of the highest order. I talked to neighbors and friends, and it is near unanimous that safety here is not a priority for the superintendent or the mayor. We know other big cities don’t have the violence problem Chicago does. Why are not city and police higher ups visiting and learning from those cities and bringing their strategies here? Maybe it is hubris or pride, but whatever it is, it needs to be abandoned and replaced with what is proven to work. It looks as though our only hope is there is an election in a few months, and we will have the opportunity to bring in a mayor who will boot the current superintendent and bring in someone who isn’t so inconvenienced with a $250,000 salary and has to leave town every weekend. John Engles 4 SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Blacks Must control their own coMMunity www.chicagocrusader.com CHICAGO CRUSADER (U.S.P.S. 596080) Editor-Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell Advertising Director J.L. Smith 6429 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois 60637 773-752-2500 An independent newspaper serving the Southside, Westside and Northside, printing the news impartially empowering what it believes to be right and appealling what it believes to be wrong without regard to party politics. Devoted to the Industrial, Educational, SocioPolitical and Educational advancement of Black people. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ VOL. LXXXI NO. 41 SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Published Weekly NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE3 New Concept Media Service P.O. Box 377968 Chicago, IL 60637 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subscription Rates - $35 Per Year $20.00 for 6 months $54.00 for 2 years __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Periodicals Paid at Chicago, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: THE CHICAGO CRUSADER 6429 South King Drive Chicago, IL 60637 LETTER TO THE EDITOR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR VOL. LXXXII NO. 32 CHICAGO CRUSADER (U.S.P.S. 596080) NOVEMBER 19, 2022 SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Blacks Must control their own coMMunity www.chicagocrusader.com CHICAGO CRUSADER (U.S.P.S. 596080) Editor-Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell Advertising Director J.L. Smith 6429 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois 60637 773-752-2500 An independent newspaper serving the Southside, Westside and Northside, printing the news impartially empowering what it believes to be right and appealling what it believes to be wrong without regard to party politics. Devoted to the Industrial, Educational, SocioPolitical and Educational advancement of Black people. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ VOL. LXXXI NO. 41 SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Published Weekly NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE3 New Concept Media Service P.O. Box 377968 Chicago, IL 60637 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subscription Rates - $35 Per Year $20.00 for 6 months $54.00 for 2 years __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Periodicals Paid at Chicago, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: THE CHICAGO CRUSADER 6429 South King Drive Chicago, IL 60637 LETTER TO THE EDITOR 4 SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Blacks Must control their own coMMunity www.chicagocrusader.com CHICAGO CRUSADER (U.S.P.S. 596080) Editor-Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell Advertising Director J.L. Smith 6429 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois 60637 773-752-2500 An independent newspaper serving the Southside, Westside and Northside, printing the news impartially empowering what it believes to be right and appealling what it believes to be wrong without regard to party politics. Devoted to the Industrial, Educational, SocioPolitical and Educational advancement of Black people. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ VOL. LXXXI NO. 41 SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Published Weekly NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE3 New Concept Media Service P.O. Box 377968 Chicago, IL 60637 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subscription Rates - $35 Per Year $20.00 for 6 months $54.00 for 2 years __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Periodicals Paid at Chicago, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: THE CHICAGO CRUSADER 6429 South King Drive Chicago, IL 60637 LETTER TO THE EDITOR 4 SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Blacks Must control their own coMMunity www.chicagocrusader.CHICAGO CRUSAD(U.S.P.S. 596080) Editor-Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell Advertising Director J.L. Smith 6429 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois 60637 773-752-2500 An independent newspaper serving the SoWestside and Northside, printing the news imempowering what it believes to be right and apwhat it believes to be wrong without regard to patics. Devoted to the Industrial, EducationalPolitical and Educational advancement of Black ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________VOL. LXXXI NO. 41 SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 __________________________________________________________________________Published Weekly NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTANew Concept Media Service P.O. Box 377968 Chicago, IL 6063Member National Newspaper Publishers Assoc______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Subscription Rates - $35 Per Ye$20.00 for 6 months $54.00 for 2 years ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Periodicals Paid at Chicago, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changeTHE CHICAGO CRUSADE6429 South King Drive Chicago, IL 60637 FAITH IN CPD LETTER TO THE EDITOR LEADERSHIP IS POINTLESS 4 SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 Blacks Must control their own coMMunity www.chicagocrusader.com CHICAGO CRUSADER (U.S.P.S. 596080) Editor-Publisher Dorothy R. Leavell Advertising Director J.L. Smith 6429 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois 60637 773-752-2500 An independent newspaper serving the Southside, Westside and Northside, printing the news impartially empowering what it believes to be right and appealling what it believes to be wrong without regard to party politics. Devoted to the Industrial, Educational, SocioPolitical and Educational advancement of Black people. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ VOL. LXXXI NO. 41 SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 _______________________________________________________________________________________ Published Weekly NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE3 New Concept Media Service P.O. Box 377968 Chicago, IL 60637 Member National Newspaper Publishers Association __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Subscription Rates - $35 Per Year $20.00 for 6 months $54.00 for 2 years __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Periodicals Paid at Chicago, IL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: THE CHICAGO CRUSADER 6429 South King Drive Chicago, IL 60637 LETTER TO THE EDITOR 4 Editorial Blacks Must Control Their Own Community (Continued on page 6) THIS FIRE HYDRANT WHEN I NEED IT! I'M THANKFUL FOR MY LOVING FAMILY AND WARM HOME! WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR? Another year is fast on the course of completion, and with it comes a full spate of holidays that mark the approaching end of the current year. With that said, the holiday that we celebrate as Thanksgiving Day will be observed on Thursday, November 24, 2022. Thanksgiving, a national holiday celebrated in the United States, began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the successes of the preceding year. It is observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and around the same time of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it is celebrated as a secular holiday as well. Currently, it has also become the precursor to the most aggressive push for capitalism that exists, the goal is to lure shoppers in droves to commercial establishments. The day after Thanksgiving Day is called “Black Friday,” and it has been reported that merchants make enough money on this day to help balance the books for the rest of the year. The materialistic aspect of Thanksgiving Day does not keep us from focusing on the spiritual aspect of the day, however. As with most American holidays, it has become a hallmark of capitalism, as previously said. But it is also a period in which we can think about all of the things for which we can be grateful. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who have lost touch with spirituality. They do not see value in anything unless it has financial benefits. Materialists only look at Thanksgiving practices as an opportunity to increase their coffers. There is a spiritual benefit to the concept of gratitude. The term “gratitude,” according to Oxford Languages, means “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” This is a fitting definition, and provides guidelines for better living, as is being discovered by a lot of people who are seeking new ways to express their spirituality. As it turns out, the state of gratitude brings great spiritual rewards. In fact, there are those who feel it is one of the most important things that a person can possess. It sets the stage for future benefits and spiritual successes, according to those who are well versed on the topic. Since gratitude is seen to be so important, it is key that we take it very seriously; that we make it a point to embrace the ideas surrounding it and express gratitude for all that we possess, spiritually, physically and emotionally. Thanksgiving Day provides an opportunity to focus on that for which we feel grateful. What are some of the things for which we can express gratitude? For one, while we are alive, we have an opportunity to correct our mistakes. It has been said that the Earth is a schoolroom, and one of the things that we gain through life is the benefit of experience and the acquisition of knowledge that will help us better cope with living among people. We can also be thankful for the fact that we live among people; we are not alone. Of course, there are those who think that they would rather not live among people. These people, however, are mistaken. There is a great benefit in learning from those around us. How else would we come to know ourselves? We learn about life through other people. It could be that this is why we have ongoing skirmishes with each other; we are learning how to live together on this planet. Why is this important? It is because life would be empty without our neighbors, whether they live next door or around the world. We can also be thankful for the beautiful planet that we have inherited. Our symbiotic relationship with plant life provides the perfect balance. We grow plants that give off oxygen that we breathe in, and we breathe out carbon dioxide that plants use. This is a biological example of “love,” which is said to be the foundation of all existence on every plane. Finally, we should be thankful for giving and receiving love. No matter who we are, we have received love from other beings, whether they resided in our families or elsewhere. Certainly, some people receive more love than others, and sometimes this is due to the fact that they may not exude enough love themselves. Living among people will ultimately teach us how important love is. We should be happy for the existence of Thanksgiving Day so that we can reflect on the idea of love, of agape (spiritual love) and thus generate further gratitude, something that can help us navigate life! A Luta Continua; have a Happy Thanksgiving Day. THANKFUL FOR THANKSGIVING DAY CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 5 News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community By Jerry Nowicki Capitol News Illinois Mary Jane Theis was sworn in as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court on Monday, November 14 in a public ceremony, becoming the fourth woman to hold the gavel since the court was created in 1818. By next month, the Democrat will find herself presiding over a new historic first for the court, as women take a 5-2 majority for the first time in Illinois’ history. Democrats will also take a 5-2 majority on the court next month, an expansion of partisan power from the current 4-3 split after Democrats won two judicial races in the 2nd and 3rd districts in last week’s elections. But the bipartisan message Monday during a swearing-in ceremony from the Springfield Supreme Court building was a unifying one: The rule of law, not partisan politics, governs how the justices approach their work on the bench. “We are in a time of crisis,” Theis said in an address to about 60-70 individuals in the Supreme Court chamber. “We know that trust and confidence in institutions generally have been falling. We know that today, polls show that the United States Supreme Court is held in its lowest approval rating since polling began. “Here in Illinois, we’ve just come through a bruising election. …A time where, over and over, the people of the state of Illinois were told that the judiciary is just another place of partisan politics, that what we do is gamesmanship. I will tell you that is not my experience. That is not the truth.” In that election, the television airwaves were filled with messages about Republicans’ real or perceived stances on abortion and Democrats’ alleged involvement in partywide corruption. Retired Justice Rita Garman, a Republican, was one of three speakers at Theis’ swearing-in ceremony, remarking on the long friendship the two shared during their time on the court. Garman had served on the high court since 2001 until her July retirement, while Theis has served since 2010. Garman said she always appreciated Theis’ level of research in her opinions and analysis. And she became friends with her fellow justice at the Supreme Court’s living quarters in Springfield where the justices stay when in town for deliberations. “She was always thoughtful and willing to offer input and suggestions,” Garman said. “I can assure you she is committed to the rule of law.” Garman was replaced by Lisa Holder White, the first Black woman to serve on the state Supreme Court. Justice Anne M. Burke, who immediately preceded Theis as chief justice, presided over the new chief’s swearing in. Burke herself will retire at the end of the month, and her appointed successor is Appellate Justice Joy V. Cunningham, who will become the second Black woman seated on the high court. “In referring to our court, Justice Theis was quoted in 2012, saying, ‘I am proud of the nonpartisan sense of our court,’” Burke said in leading off the ceremony. “That phrase I believe, is the most important way to express how all of us on the court feel about the responsibility we share. The important issues which come before us are decided on the law and without regard to party, person or prejudice.” Theis was officially sworn in Oct. 26, but the ceremony took place Monday as the justices returned to Springfield for their regular term. She said her judicial philosophy stems from giving every argument before the court fair consideration. “The main, most important indicator of whether people will accept what happens to them in court is if they believed they’ve been treated fairly,” she said. “The perception of fairness is what holds together our communities, our court system, the rule of law, and our democracy.” Other speakers at the ceremony included Judge Timothy Evans, chief judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and Theis’s son, John K. Theis, an attorney at Riley, Safer, Holmes & Cancila LLP in Chicago. He echoed his mother’s belief in giving everyone a “fair shake” and shared anecdotes about her career’s progression, starting with a July 1, 1983, appearance by the now chief justice on the local news in her judicial robes. “The actual news story was about a judge that was in a wheelchair,” he said. “But for two brief seconds in this clip, my mom walks in from the right and stands with the judges who were there. I must have watched that video 100 times growing up when I was a kid until the tape started to wear away.” Another memory he shared was when he found out his mom had been diagnosed with cancer. He said he was young but understood the possibility that she wouldn’t survive. “And the second thing that even I knew at the time was even if she did survive and make it through the treatment process, her legal career would likely be derailed,” he said. “I was wrong. She beat cancer twice and her career’s turned out just fine.” Theis is from the court’s 1st District, which encompasses Cook County and elects three of the court’s seven justices. She was chosen for the post through the court’s standard process of naming a chief justice, which gives the position to the most tenured justice who has not yet held it. She was born in 1949 in Chicago, graduated from Loyola University in 1971 and earned her law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1974. She was retained for another 10-year term during last week’s election. Her duties as chief justice will include serving as the court’s chief administrative officer, which oversees more than 900 judges in the statewide judicial system. The chief justice also selects Supreme Court agenda items, supervises all Supreme Court committee appointments, chairs the executive committee of the Illinois Judicial Conference and presents the court’s budget request to lawmakers. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide, as well as hundreds of radio and TV stations. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Theis, sworn in as chief justice, says partisanship has no role on state Supreme Court She’ll preside over 5-2 Democratic majority, first majority-woman high court THE GRANDCHILDREN OF Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis unveil her portrait Monday during the public ceremony for her being sworn in as chief justice. Theis is pictured seated in the Supreme Court chamber at the far right of the photo, sharing a laugh with Republican Justice Michael Burke. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki) THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT is pictured Monday during Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis’ swearing-in ceremony. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki) By Julianne Malveaux To let the pollsters tell it, Democrats were going to get a “drubbing” or a “shellacking,” just like the one President Barack Obama experienced in 2010 when Dems lost 63 Congressional seats and 6 Senate seats. In contrast, Democrats seem to have gained one Senate seat, and the Georgia runoff may push the number up to two. There was no “red wave,” hardly even a red puddle. Despite President Biden’s tepid ratings and economic uncertainty, Democrats did not do badly. As of this writing, the partisan makeup of the House of Representatives is up in the air, but even if Republicans take the House, they’ll hold onto it only narrowly. Republican control of Congress will, of course, be a blow to the African American community, as key committees are chaired by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Representative Bobby Scott (VA) in Education; Representative Maxine Waters (CA) in Banking, and Finance; Representative Bennie Thompson (MS) in Homeland Security, among others. The 2022 midterm elections remind us that pollsters spew nonsense and raise questions about the very nature of polling. It makes me wonder if the corporate media collaborates with pollsters to maintain the status quo. The pollsters take to the airwaves predicting, among other things, a red wave. Does it encourage people to stay home or to get out to challenge the polls? When the drip drip drip of negative polls is reported as “breaking news,” almost every hour on the hour, what impact does it have on the electorate? Who are these pollsters talking to anyway? How many people? What demographic? What methodology? Are they doing internet polls? Are they properly sampling Black people? Are they stuck in the dark ages of landline phones (many people don’t have landlines)? Polling methodology is replete with possible errors, and the voters highlighted those. No red wave, just a red puddle. The whole polling enterprise needs to be re-examined. The Democratic Party also needs to be examined. It relies on African American people as its base, yet it is expert in ignoring Black people when distributing resources. Organizations like the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, Black Voters Matter, and other independent organizations get less support from the Democratic Party than they should. Further, Democratic indifference or belated focus on Black candidates has impacted the outcome of the midterm elections. North Carolina’s senatorial candidate, Cheri Beasley, came within 3 percent of winning the election. Beasley got some Democratic Party support, but it was too late. In Wisconsin, Mandela Barnes came within 30,000 votes of winning, but a low turnout in heavily Black Milwaukee condemned Barnes to a loss. Could the Democratic Party have funded a ground game in Milwaukee? Did Mandela Barnes pay enough attention to his natural base? It’s easy to do the Monday-morning quarterbacking about the midterm elections. The process of making the Democratic Party more responsive to Black people is more challenging. Many of us got tens of emails daily from Democrats asking for funds. It was always urgent, accompanied by the promise of a 2- or 3- or 4-times match. How much money goes to candidates, and how much to pollsters and campaign consultants? How many of these consultants work for the Democratic Party, not the candidate directly? I prefer to give my money directly to candidate websites and to support independent voter participation activities, especially those that target Black voters. Neither Democrats nor Republicans have a majority among voters. Independent voters are unwilling to declare party allegiance, and are often willing to split tickets, responding to their assessments of individual candidates, not party affiliation. This increasing independence, especially among young voters, poses a challenge to both parties. Both Democrats and Republicans are experiencing intra-party conflict, which, when combined with gerrymandering, has caused some Democratic losses in usually Democratic New York state. Ideological puritans say they won’t vote for flawed candidates unless they get their way. They need to consider what happens when they fail to vote at all. The 2022 midterm elections will be discussed until 2024. However, I hope the 2022 elections taught lessons. The Democratic Party must invest in its African American base. And all of us must ignore the pollsters. Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author and Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA. 6 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 Commentary Blacks Must Control Their Own Community Dear Editor: In an era when so many individuals, businesses, and organizations are doing social media jumping jacks to garner attention, it is refreshing to see an organization such as the Chicago Urban League get recognized and rewarded for keeping its head down and fulfilling its mission. I suspect a lot of us were shocked last month when the League received a $6 million-plus gift from McKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. My thinking was if anybody deserves that kind of windfall it is the Urban League. Locally, the organization has long maintained a reputation of being innovative and standing on the front lines, along with small business partners to bring about much needed changes in the community, ranging from improving the availability of food and grocery establishments to technology. Several years ago, many sounded alarms when the organization’s longtime CEO opted to take her skills to the private arena. When the League’s Board settled on its current director, not a beat was missed in terms of community engagement, small business support and technological innovation. It was all achieved without fanfare or calls of, “look at me.” Not long after the $6.5 million gift was announced, the League held its annual gala for the city’s bigwigs and raised an additional $2 million in one evening. I am pretty sure that if the League hadn’t been on the right path for a long time, it would not be able to boast such numbers. Personally, the great part is the dollars will be used to expand the types and numbers of programs the League currently offers. Anybody who knows anything about our community is aware that there is always room for more training or funding, especially among the 18-35-yearold cohort. There have never been accusations of impropriety re: the funds the League spends or how it spends them. That is reflected in how freely big donors are willing to come on board—and come on board year after year. I have never been able to figure out why in Chicago more organizations don’t coalesce to deliver bigger, better and more expansive programs and/or projects. I think even if some groups can’t find a way to partner with the League, at the very least, they could try to emulate what they’re doing on a smaller scale. I remember many years ago during a political campaign an old guy said, “Chicago has enough problems where all those people on the stage (political candidates) could take one or five, solve them and come back and get another five.” That is true. Chicago is not likely to run out of problems. I honestly believe we have a much better chance of solving the majority of them if we follow the Urban League’s example of shining the spotlight and doing the work where it is most needed, not where we can get the most photo ops and 6 p.m. news coverage. Carlotta Finch URBAN LEAGUE IS ON FUNDRAISING ROLL (Continued from page 4) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Julianne Malveaux Election reflections—ignore the pollsters, challenge the Democrats WEED GONE BUST A group is out in the streets upset that the green gold rush has yet to hit Black folk in Chicago. While some people have “benefitted” from the state’s legalization of marijuana and weed-based products, a couple of critics with an axe to grind with the Pritzker administration claim “we been shut out by and large” and “once again, the white boys are getting the money.” They say the problem is not only in how many dispensaries are allowed to be owned and operated in mostly Black areas, but also in who grows and distributes the schedule one substance. “Who are the Black weed farmers in Illinois,” the man asked. “(State leaders) promised we would benefit but that’s crap..” The man went on to accuse several Afro-American elected officials of being “in on the fix” with the major, white weed producers, whom they say, “Only put minorities in the game so they can get tax breaks and set-asides.” We won’t reveal the names this fellow is dropping in the street but it includes at least one Black alderman who they say is working EXTRA hard to get his own dispensaries, with hopes of making millions off weed smokers and other drug users. -ImaCONSENSUS CANDIDATE GRUMBLINGS Now that the Hispanics have a dog in the game with Congressman Garcia officially stepping into the mayor’s race, we hear Black folk are once again “scared,” and “angry.” “Working against themselves” and at the same time, “trying to find a consensus candidate” to unseat another Black person in City Hall. Every group in the town has a horse in the race–except Chinatown, but they are just now building their Asian-based political power. One woman said this to somebody, “We already have a consensus candidate and that’s Lori Lightfoot. The last time we looked she is Black. Negroes gave Mayor Daley 20 years without pushback, and Lightfoot don’t do what one or two of them say and she’s got to go? We don’t need to rally around anybody— we have a candidate and she’s the incumbent mayor. What has she done so bad that she’s got to go?” When this “we need a consensus candidate” thing was said in one part of town, a man who plays both ends against the middle (politically) said: “Who is saying this other than somebody trying to be mayor? The average Black voter isn’t asking for that. What does it even mean in 2022? When we put African Americans in power look what they do—they uphold the same racist laws that got us jacked up in the first place.” In between time, two schools of thought are going around on who that consensus candidate should be: Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a relative unknown who many say are backed by Cook County bigwigs Toni Preckwinkle and Kim Foxx, as well as a group of whites that we can say out loud because it’s a no/no and Kyrie Irving found out the hard way. The other option folks say is millionaire businessman and friend to the pastors’ Willie Wilson, whom a lot of political watchers say is a “Trump Republican in do-gooder clothing.” Neither one of those males seem attractive if you ask some. They say the #MeToo Movement has woken the estrogen levels and that they are sick of “Black males thinking they can do better than Black women when we get in power. These same people didn’t do nothing against Rahm Emanuel or Daley or Bruce Rauner–but now they want to unseat Lori?! It’s only because she’s a gay, short female. If she was a white woman, they wouldn’t be running at all. I’m sick of these men trying to walk all over us.” The other added thought this woman threw out to a Crusader snitch was this: “I feel like it should be Sophia King,” said one woman. “I think she has what it takes. Why can’t we rally around her? She got them to change Lake Shore Drive to DuSable and she also got the Ida B. Wells Street. She stopped them from opening up in the ‘hood and she reminds us of Michelle Obama. If we do rally around somebody it should be Sophia King; but if not, I’ma stick with Lightfoot.” -ImaSPEAKING OF WILSON Thousands of people are excited about word that Dr. Willie Wilson is about to feed hungry people this Thanksgiving by giving out more turkeys, hams, and chitlin buckets to anybody and everybody who wants some. In addition to gas giveaways, some of his supporters say the millionaire gospel singer is about to really “make a difference” in people’s lives. Word that this may happen has reached people in Cook County Jail, whom say they can also “still vote” even though they are in “limbo” and “need jobs.” His goodwill continues to make him the man to watch in 2023 when about 20 people will be trying to become the city’s next top dog. One Wilson supporter said that if he isn’t “the next mayor he should consider running on the county board because that would be easier to do.” This fellow also said, “He’s a good guy and he helps a lot of people out here with their light bills. I think it’s a mistake to think he might not be in a runoff in February. I personally feel like he might beat Lightfoot outright.” THE SOUTHSIDE DOG So, there was this man who lived on the West Side. He claims that a happy dog named Goodie Two Shoes came from the South Side at first and befriended him before invading the man’s house and biting him square on his behind. This man became so angry that he decided to get that dog, whom he By Ima Gontellit EDITOR’S NOTE: This column is published as political satire, street gossip and humor, and therefore should not be considered as fact. None of the items herein are collected by the news gathering staff of the Crusader Newspaper Group. Items forwarded to The Chatterbox are kept confidential unless otherwise requested by the author, in writing. For submissions please forward to: news@chicagocrusader.com. Original photography and artwork are permitted. Thank you for reading! Dr. Willie Wilson Sheriff Tom Dart (Continued on page 17) CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 7 Chatterbox Blacks Must Control Their Own Community Ima always gonna tell it Marijuana Dr. Willie Wilson Rep. Chuy Garcia (Continued on page 16) 8 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community By Chinta Strausburg Jocilyn Floyd is running for alderman of the 7th Ward to not only bring a much-needed change to the ward but to end an era of alleged bullying by incumbent Alderman Greg Michell who she and others say is anti-Black businesswomen. “Just a few days ago, I met with seniors at a place of business, and the alderman told the owner not to hold the event. That is bullyism,” Floyd said. A trained professional mediator, Floyd said, “This woman is a second-generation businesswoman. Alderman Mitchell told her he did not want me to speak to the seniors at her place of business.” Mitchell, who has repeatedly denied these allegations, has had several similar complaints filed against him. At least four Black female business owners filed complaints with the city’s then-Interim Inspector General William Marback, alleging that Mitchell refused to give them a routine “access to alley” letter needed to open their respective businesses. Another African American woman who also filed a complaint against Mitchell is Jeanette Fiadzoe, the mother of Jasmine Baynes who wanted to open a day care center that Mitchell allegedly blocked. She gave her daughter $150,000 from her husband’s life insurance. These routine letters are required to allow motor vehicles to use an alley to access a property, according to the city’s ordinance. However, Mitchell has publicly stated he is exercising his “aldermanic prerogative” in refusing to approve the “access to alley” letter. Mitchell’s cherry picking of who can and who cannot do business in his ward has caused financial hardship to several Black female business owners. Baynes, a rea ltor, lost $150,000 and her dream of operating a daycare center. Baynes is selling her business because the financial loss is too much to overcome. She has filed a complaint with the city’s Inspector General. “I did what I had to do,” Baynes said. Floyd said she is running to improve the ward and to bring in new businesses in time for the completion of the Obama Library. Jocilyn Floyd to run for 7th Ward alderman Jocilyn Floyd Wants to restore truant officers able on the percentages of residents who have received booster shots by Chicago zip codes. Health officials say being fully vaccinated with booster shots is the best way of protecting one from the coronavirus this holiday season. Residents who received just one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Without the second dose and booster shots, the first dose will eventually be ineffective in fighting the virus. Many Blacks in Chicago received the single Johnson & Johnson vaccine at a mass vaccination site at Chicago State University in 2021. Johnson & Johnson also produced its own booster shot, but the drugmaker has not made available a second booster shot. This Saturday, November 19, the CDPH will hold a free vaccination event that will provide fresh doses of the new COVID-19 vaccines, known as bivalent boosters, designed specifically to target the omicron subvariants. The vaccination event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted St. Approved by the FDA, health officials say the new bivalent booster vaccines are different from all previous COVID-19 vaccines and boosters since they target the virus strains currently circulating, as well as the original strains. Health officials also say the new bivalent booster generates a stronger immune response against current and future variants. Regardless of the primary vaccine received, everyone age 5 and up should receive a bivalent booster two months after their second dose or their last booster shot. A complete primary series of vaccine is required (two doses of Pfizer/ Moderna/Novavax or one dose of Johnson & Johnson) before receiving a bivalent booster. Children aged 6 months to 4 years are not eligible for a bivalent booster. Saturday’s event will also administer free flu vaccine shots that residents can safely get the same day as the booster shot. People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised should consult with their specialty provider about timing and dosage of vaccines. In Chicago’s Black neighborhoods, COVID-19 has killed at least 91 residents in Black zip codes since June. In Chicago, Blacks disproportionately have been impacted by COVID-19, more than Latinos and white residents. CDPH records show that the disease has killed 3,325 Blacks in the city, which is nearly 42 percent of the 7,929 COVID-19 deaths in the city. Blacks make up 29 percent of the city’s 2.7 million residents. Of 21 Chicago Black zip codes, four had positivity rates slightly higher than the city’s average of 4.4 percent on Monday, November 14. But public health data show hospitalization rates and deaths are currently down in Chicago. Chicago health officials also reported that flu cases continue to increase and are at similar levels to peak activity during the 2021-2022 season. As of November 10, four flu ICU hospitalization cases were reported in one week. Since October 2, eight influenza-associated ICU hospitalizations have been reported. The CDPH has reported that a total of 519 flu cases were diagnosed in the past several months. Since October 2, 2022, the CDPH says that 904 of 24,288 people tested positive for the flu. There is no flu data by Chicago zip codes currently available. Health officials in Chicago say getting the flu vaccination is the best way residents can protect themselves from the virus. They say all Chicagoans six months and older are encouraged to get vaccinated. Health organizations say nationwide, flu cases are reportedly high in at least 22 states with the hospitalization rate nationwide at its highest rate this early since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Health experts are alarmed by the numbers considering the fact the flu season usually doesn’t ramp up until December or January. Experts say they noted the early surge as flu cases were low during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and people may not have their usual immunity. But exper ts note t hat COVID-19 cases remain at relatively low levels so far this fall even as indoor gatherings increase. There is also an early wave of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSVTrusted Source) that has filled many hospitals with children who have contracted the illness. Those cases prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a warning earlier this month. Health experts are stepping up calls to warn citizens that a “tridemic” of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 may hit the country this winter as people spend more time indoors and safety protocols are relaxed. Many residents in Black neighborhoods still aren’t fully vaccinated Chicago Department of Public Health (Continued from page 1) kj k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k ca ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ E 100TH ST E 74TH ST S COLFAX AVE E 94TH ST S ESSEX AVE S HOX EI AVE E 78TH ST S COLES AVE S SOUTH SHORE DR S OGLESBY AVE S PAXTON AVE E 88TH ST S EXCHANGE AVE S YATES BLVD S MAN SI TEE AVE S MUSKEGON AVE S VAN VLISSINGEN RD E 96TH ST S BENSLEY AVE E 97TH ST E 80TH PL S CRANDON AVE S YATES BLVD E 85TH ST E 91ST ST E 86TH ST · Copyright © 2015, CW A R D 7 Legend ¨ Firehouse ca Police Station k School kj Ward Office Cemetery Park (Continued on page 16) Map of Ward 7 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 9 Business Blacks Must Control Their Own Community Consumer purchasing power is more diverse than ever, with Black consumers as central drivers of seasonal spending. As you prepare your holiday shopping list – and your budget – remember, a little bit of planning can go a long way toward achieving a financially healthy holiday season. With the holiday shopping season upon us, here are seven essential money-saving tips: 1. Build a holiday budget – and stick to it. There’s so much pressure during the holiday season to buy and it’s easy to spend more money than you planned. Download a budget worksheet (one is available free at Chase. com), which can help you create and manage your budget to help you feel more in control and spend less than you earn. This is a useful tool to reference throughout the year and you can make adjustments as things change, like salary and bills. 2. Open a dedicated savings account. You might consider opening a holiday-specific savings account to put money aside each week. Saving for later will help make a difference when it’s time to buy gifts for your loved ones. 3. Explore your credit card offers. Many credit cards have special offers based on your previous purchases that can help save money on holiday gifts, while others give special cash back deals for online purchases. Take advantage of those discounts and be flexible. If you can’t find a good deal on the gift you originally planned to buy, see if any of the special offers you qualify for might appeal to someone on your list. 4. Use credit responsibly. Credit cards are handy financial tools, as long as they’re used responsibly. Make sure you pay the balance each month by the due date to avoid interest charges or pay at least the minimum payment to avoid late fees. Resist the temptation to spend more than you can pay in any given month. 5. Take advantage of digital tools. Digital banking and budgeting apps are useful and offer customers a great way to take control of their finances, allowing for a one-stop shop to see a holistic view of your current financial situation. From within the Chase Mobile app, customers can use a variety of tools to help meet their goals while monitoring their spending and saving trends. 6. Take advantage of coupons and discounts. Retailers have already started holiday sales and, of course, all of the popular discount days – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday – present opportunities to save. You can also use money-saving apps like RetailMeNot, Honey and Rakuten to get cash-back deals and discounts automatically when you shop online. 7. Cut back on other expenses. The holiday season is a good time to cut back on impulse shopping or frivolous spending. Cutting out those unnecessary expenditures will allow you to account for the season’s natural surge in discretionary spending. 8. Sign up for credit monitoring. The holiday season is a particularly vulnerable time for credit card fraud. Millions of people fall victim to fraudulent activity every year, and scams are more frequent than ever. Make sure you monitor your credit score and identity with confidence and sign up to receive alerts from Chase’s Credit Journey. Visit chase.com/financialgoals for more money-saving tips during the holiday shopping season and all year long. Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase. Tis the season to save. Eight tips to stretch your money this holiday shopping season Photo courtesy Getty Images The Metra Board of Directors recently approved a 2023 operating budget of $980 million that calls for continuing the $100 flat-rate “Super Saver” Monthly Pass to the end of 2023. The Board also approved more than half a billion dollars in new capital investments. Preferring to keep fares simple and affordable, the Board voted to maintain the current fare prices and products, including the promotional $100 Super Saver pass and the $10 and $6 Day Passes. “We hope that these flexible and affordable fare products will continue to draw former and new riders to our system and continue to grow our ridership” said Metra CEO/ E xecutive Director Jim Der winski. “Part of our commitment to My Metra riders is to offer service and fares that meet their evolving needs.” The $980 million operating budget is $80 million, or 8.9%, higher than the 2022 amended budget. The increase is due to inflationary and contractual cost increases, higher expenses incurred by restoring service and headcount levels to prepandemic levels, and costs associated with capital projects and strategic initiatives. The operating budget forecasts system-generated revenue (mostly fares) of $216.0 million and regional transportation sales tax revenue of $523.6 million. The forecast for fares is based on a projection that ridership will start the year at about 40% of pre-pandemic (2019) ridership and finish the year at about 55% of prepandemic levels. The remaining $240.4 million will be covered with federal COVID-relief funding. Metra received nearly $1.1 billion in three rounds of relief funding and has $599.2 million remaining at the start of 2023. It expects the relief funding to run out in 2025, requiring additional funding or budget actions. Metra’s 2023 budget for capital calls for $504.6 million in new investment. About 67% of the budget will fund largescale projects, including: • Station reconstruction: $119.5 million • Railcar rehabilitation and purchase: $70.8 million • Program management: $38.6 million • Locomotive improvements: $33.3 million • Bridge replacement and rehabilitation: $32.1 million • Ticket vending machines: $24.6 million • Interlockings: $21.4 million The Capital Budget is funded by: • $252.5 million in federal formula funding, a nearly 30% increase from 2022 levels • $30.8 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement and other federal funding • $73.8 million in Illinois PAYGO funds • $12 million in Illinois MultiModal Transportation Bond funds • $500,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) • $5 million from Cook County • $130 million in RTA bonds Metra “Super Saver” Monthly Pass extended thru 2023 Nicholas J. Inman has been named Vice President of Finance for Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region, which serves more than 3 million customers in Illinois, Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. In his new role, Inman will oversee all the region’s financial activities, facilities and equipment inventories. “Nick is a seasoned and proven finance professional with a variety of relevant experience,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s Regional Senior Vice President. “I look forward to working with Nick and his team to continue to deliver innovative internet, mobile and other telecommunications services and a great customer experience.” Inman comes to Comcast from Papa John’s headquarters in Atlanta, where he served in various finance roles, most recently Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Before that, he held finance and related positions for a business outsourcing firm and two major US airlines. Inman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace, Aeronautics and Aviation Science and Technology from Purdue University in Lafayette, IN, in 2002, and a Master of Business Administration from Clark University in Atlanta in 2004. Nicholas J. Inman Nicholas J. Inman Named Comcast’s Regional Vice President of Finance 10 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community A cohort of 11 Black women entrepreneurs graduated from the YWCA’s Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center, an accelerator program that supports the growth and sustainability of Black women-owned businesses in Chicago and Northwest Indiana. The YWCA Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center launched the initiative in 2021 believing with adequate funding and support, all entrepreneurs can have a catalytic impact on the communities they serve. On November 14 at the Study Hotel on the University of Chicago campus, the 11 Black women entrepreneurs became the third cohort. Each participant received 10 weeks of instruction including branding advice from world-renowned branding and storytelling expert, Stanley Hainsworth, the former Creative Director of Starbucks, Lego and Nike. There are only a few factors of significance that differentiate one entrepreneurship program from another. Most want to focus on entrepreneurs who are new startups. Teach them how to build a business model along with the financial and strategic knowledge necessary to succeed. For Blacks, it’s not that simple, especially for Black women entrepreneurs. Although Black women represent the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs, they access just a fraction of the funding and support that whiteowned businesses receive. The YWCAs Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center initiative focuses on supporting later-stage Black Women entrepreneurs with annual revenues of $250,000 or more that are undercapitalized. The participating business owners are empowered with the tools and knowledge on marketing, finance, sales forecasting and strategy, with an end goal to scale, gain more funding, or grow through acquisition. Several past cohort members are already seeing success after completing the program. Two of them are: • Genesis Bencivega, founder of Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding, recently won a $25,000 pitch competition at the Courvoisier Entrepreneurship Awards. She is expanding to almost 60 Walgreens locations and sold out at Lollapalooza this summer. • Cecelia Harrison, founder of ReveNewCycle Management and Consulting, received a $360,000 grant from the Chicago Community Trust. Among those graduating in the third cohort is Dorothy R. Leavell, Publisher of the Chicago and Gary Crusader newspapers. She has been the publisher of the 82-year-old Chicago Crusader for 54 years. When asked what she hoped to gain from the program she said, “I hoped to be able to hire more people, offer more opportunities and expand the print and digital footprint of the newspapers.” Haire’s Gulf Shrimp is a family-run business on the South Side that has been around over 20 years. Aisha Murff participated in the program with the hope of expanding Haire’s with the resources available through the Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center. A third cohort member won a Shark Tank-style competition held earlier this month. She will receive a full creative engagement from Hainsworth and his team at Tether valued at $50,000. The Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center receives its inspiration from Madam C.J. Walker, America’s first self-made female millionaire who created sales jobs and a pathway to the middle class for many Black women. To learn more about the YWCA visit www.ywcachicago.org. These are the third cohort graduates. To read their biographies visit the Crusader website at www.chicagocrusader.com. • Dr. Amera McCoy, Minority Business Circle; • Brianna Harison, Bri’s Dance Place; • Victoria ‘Tori’ Prince, Tori Prince Beauty and the Chicago Skin Lab; • Charmaine V. Rickette, President and CEO of Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken; • Aisha Murff, Haire’s Gulf Shrimp; • Nedra Dokes, President and Principal of Solo Beauty Supply; • Binika Henderson, Heritage Real Estate; • Kiley Russell, Love and Light Cafe; • Jorie Hazel, Bill’s Grill; • Dorothy R. Leavell, Publisher of the Chicago Crusader and Gary Crusader newspapers; and • Donna Grant, Licorice Lounge LLC. 11 Black women entrepreneurs graduate from Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center CHERYL HUDSON-JACKSON, Director, Franchise and Business Enterprise, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago GRADUATES WHO PARTICIPATED in the third cohort of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center’s accelerator program are pictured above along with staff and center partners. The event was held on November 14, 2022, at The Study Hotel on the campus of the University of Chicago. Chicago Crusader Publisher, Dorothy R. Leavell (seated, third from right) was one of the graduates of the 10-week program. Three of the 11 graduates are not shown in this photograph. (Photos by Marcus Robinson) JILL MILLER, CEO/Founder, Below The Line, LLC NICOLE ROBINSON, CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago ROBERT JOHNSON, Esq., Chief Economic Inclusion Officer, General Counsel, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 11 National News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community 11 Black women entrepreneurs graduate from Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center Jill Miller, Charmaine Rickette (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Jill Miller, Nedra Dokes (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Jill Miller, Victoria Prince (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Jill Miller, Jorie Hazel (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Jill Miller, Dorothy R. Leavell (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Jill Miller, Aisha Murff (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Donna Grant, graduate Jill Miller, Amera McCoy (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Jill Miller, Kiley Russell (graduate), and Cheryl Hudson-Jackson Lawrence Brownlee, “one of the most in-demand opera singers in the world today” (NPR), is leading Lyric Opera’s ongoing French production Le Comte Ory (Count Ory) in the title role, running through November 26. This virtuosic opera singer is a pre-eminent voice not only artistically, but also in advancing diversity in the classical music world. Brownlee is a regular performer in the world’s most important opera houses, including The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House - Covent Garden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opéra national de Paris, among other prestigious stages. He has been hailed as “an international star in the bel canto operatic repertory” (The New York Times), and “one of the world’s leading bel canto stars” (The Guardian). Le Comte Ory is a French comedy written by Gioachino Rossini, creator of The Barber of Seville. It’s one of opera’s most frothy delights, with music that bubbles over like the most effervescent champagne. It is not an exaggeration to say this opera is ridiculously funny! While the brother is away, the count will play. In the midst of the French Crusades, Countess Adèle shutters herself deep within the walls of her castle while her brother — and nearly every other man in the country — heads to battle. Sensing an opportunity, the mischievous Count Ory shirks his duty and concocts a wildly misguided plan to sweep the Countess off her feet. Disguises, shenanigans, and a surprising love triangle ensue, resulting in an effervescent spectacle full of nonstop laughs, astonishing musicality, and powerhouse performances from some of the world’s top artists. The amorous Count Ory stops at nothing (including disguising himself as a nun!) to gain entry to the castle and woo the virtuous Countess. C l a s sic a l mu sic i s a white-dominated field, and aside from his time devoted to the art of singing, Brownlee has been a passionate advocate for diversity initiatives and a voice for activism in the music industry. He serves as artistic advisor for Opera Philadelphia, where his responsibilities include increasing and expanding audience diversity. Over the years, he has made sure to work with companies and engages civic organizations in the cities he visits to create programs and experiences seeking to expand opera audiences. His critically-acclaimed solo recital program Cycles of My Being, which centers on the Black male experience in America today, has toured extensively, including performances at Opera Philadelphia, Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, among others. I interviewed Brownlee a few years ago when he was performing in I Puritani at the Lyric, when he discussed initiatives in which he is involved and his desire to encourage minority classical music appreciation. “I am currently serving as the artistic advisor at Opera Philadelphia, and part of my job description is involvement with diversity expansion. This means community activities, and being an advocate for the company, so that people of color will know that we are also on the stages, working in administration, and working in all other parts of the theater,” Brownlee said. “Opera Philadelphia, in particular, is very focused on supporting the people of that community. I encourage young people by being an artist that’s on the front lines in the community, so people see that someone who is performing on stage is also reaching out as an artist. And for me, it is wonderful to look out in the audience and see people of color. My hope is that people who come feel like they have someone on their side, and that it makes it easier for them to feel like they can relate to the stories they see on stage.” This author enjoys visiting the Lyric. I can sit back and take my mind off of other concerns and just immerse myself in the music, singing and action on the stage. Brownlee talked about his first experiences with music— albeit not classical. “From the time I was a small child I was involved in music. Not singing but playing several different instruments. I grew up in a church tradition where my father was the choir director, and my mother was a soloist in the choir. Being one of six kids, music was always around.” Brownlee speaks a number of languages, which has served him well during his international travels of more than 30 years. “I would say that I’m fluent in English, of course, and Italian. I have a very good working knowledge of French and German, but I’m always improving those. My goal is to be fully fluent in a minimum of five languages in my lifetime. I sing primarily in Italian, French, and German, though I’ve also sung in English, Latin, Russian and Spanish.” To hear Brownlee and his amazing performance as Count Ory, in French with subtitles, check out tickets and more information by visiting www.lyricopera.org. CHICAGO STYLE By Elaine Hegwood Bowen, M.S.J. 12 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 Entertainment Blacks Must Control Their Own Community Esteemed Black male opera singer stars in ‘Le Comte Ory’ ESTEEMED BEL CANTO Tenor Lawrence Brownlee stars in lead role of Count Ory in Lyric Opera’s ‘Le Comte Ory.’ In late October, The DuSable Museum of Black History and Education Center hosted its first Gala since the onset of the pandemic. The Wings of Celebration Gala attracted hundreds of guests to Chicago’s historic South Side raising more than $350,000 to support The DuSable’s education programs, including community education, youth education, summer and afterschool programs, and educational advocacy for history and arts and culture curriculum. Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago, served as the honorary co-chair for the event. Gala honorees included United Airlines, former DuSable Trustee and Exelon Senior Executive, William Von Hoene Jr., and founder and CEO of AeroStar Avion Institute, Tammera L. Holmes. Gala Co-Chairs were Stephen L. Davis, Chairman of The Will Group, and Tara Griffin, Managing Director, Associate General Counsel at JPMorgan Chase. “What an unforgettable evening for The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. We are incredibly grateful to every person who filled the Roundhouse to support our commitment to preserve and promote Black history,” said Perri Irmer, President and CEO of The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. “Our Wings of Celebration Gala was a beautiful gathering that was made possible due to the generosity of our amazing sponsors such as United Airlines, Ariel Investments, Exelon, GCM Grosvenor, and ABC7. We simply cannot thank them enough for their support.” The Gala was held at The DuSable, in Daniel Burnham’s historic Roundhouse, where the dynamic “Nick Cave and Jack CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 13 Arts & Culture Blacks Must Control Their Own Community VERDI ROSSINI Lyric premiere of the five-act version, sung in French with projected English titles. November 9 - 25 Divine hopes. Glorious dreams. Fatal destinies. Lyric premiere Sung in French with projected English titles. Enjoy a great night out with one of opera’s most delightful comedies. Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Photos: Todd Rosenberg/Lyric Opera of Chicago Jacob F. Lucas/Seattle Opera Find your seat today. lyricopera.org Two performances remain: Nov. 20m & 25 M = Matinee Divine hopes. Glorious dreams. Fatal destinies. VERDI Find your seat today. lyricopera.org Lyric premiere of the five-act version, sung in French with projected English titles. - Chicago Sun-Times Lyric Opera of Chicago thanks its Official Airline, American Airlines, and acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. DON CARLOS Two performances remain: Nov. 22 & 26 DuSable Museum Center raises more than $350,000 at annual gala DUSABLE CEO Perri Irmer, and Mayor Lori Lightfoot pictured with gala guests. UNITED AIRLINES CAPTAIN Carole Hopson and other United Airlines pilots. TONY AND GRAMMY Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater. (Photos credit Duane E. Savage) (Continued on page 18) HOLIDAY TRIBUTE TO ELLA FITZGERALD AND LOUIS ARMSTRONG! The Jazz Institute of Chicago closes its year-long celebration of the centennial of Louis Armstrong’s arrival to Chicago with a very special holiday Jazz City concert at the beautiful South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago. It will be held on Friday, December 2, 6:30 p.m. CST. The South Shore Cultural Center is located at 7059 S. South Shore Drive. Bring your friends and family to this free concert featuring Bruce Henry and Alysha Monique as they cover some of Louis’ and Ella’s most loved holiday songs. The band is led by Miguel de la Cerna, with opening act led by Jazz Links Student Council member Joel Fisher. Jazz City is produced in partnership with the Chicago Park District, Night Out In The Parks, WBCB radio 90.9, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. TRAVEL INDOORS! (BLACK TRAVEL SUMMIT DIGITAL SESSIONS) On Sunday, November 20, 12 p.m. CST, join Instagram Live for the latest of monthly digital sessions with a variety of Black travel influencers, Black ski groups, Digital Nomads, and more as they discuss a variety of topics to get you traveling more, for less! Topics include the Black experience in travel, ways to create and market your brand successfully, making a living while traveling, growing the Black travel industry, and more! This is a free online event. Make sure to follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! For more information, visit www.eventbrite. com. BLACK RICAN VEGAN COOKING CLASS PART 2 PR PASTELON On Sunday, November 20, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. CST, join CEO-Chef of Black Rican Vegan for a fun virtual cooking class. This is a 4-part series to prepare you for holiday cooking. This online event costs $30. For more information, visit www.eventrite.com. MISTY COPELAND WITH RACHEL MOORE (VIRTUAL EVENT) On Sunday, November 20, 5 p.m. CST, Misty Copeland with Rachel Moore will discuss her book, “The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven.” This online event is $40. The ticket includes Virtual Admission plus a signed copy of the book. The ticket also includes an opportunity to watch the event on video-on-demand for five days, through November 24 at midnight. Books ship one week after the event. Description: From celebrated ballerina and New York Times bestselling author Misty Copeland, this is a heartfelt memoir about her friendship with trailblazer Raven Wilkinson, which captures the importance of mentorship, shared history, and honoring the past to ensure a stronger future. “The Wind at My Back” is a beautiful and wise memoir of intergenerational friendship and details the impressive journeys of two remarkable women. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com. AFRO FUTURE SUMMIT (VIRTUAL CAREER FAIR) These events will take place on Tuesday, November 22, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST online. The cost is $199.99. About the Career Fair: As an industry that shapes society for what’s next, it is imperative that they tackle the diversity issue that has stagnated in the tech industry for decades. This annual career fair program is geared to provide the highest levels of professional exposure to a diverse community of potential hirees, career strategists and educators, and diversity in tech stakeholders. Their past events have consistently brought in an average of 1000 plus attendees, corporate leaders, government partners and high-level speakers. About Afro Future Summit: Afro Future Summit is the world’s most iconic summit curating an active network of Black futurists, investors, tech entrepreneurs, celebrities, politicians and business moguls. Each year the program gathers thousands of pioneers from across the USA and around the world to address and tackle challenges that affect the people of African descent. The Theme for 2022 is “Creating An Inclusive Reality; How to Live, Work, And Build in the Metaverse.” For more information, contact (E) events@globalstartupecosystem.com; or (W) http:// afrofuturesummit.com. You can also visit www.eventbrite. com. ‘THE SWEET POTATO’ is a family-owned bakery specializing in bundt cakes and cupcakes created from a family recipe featuring sweet potatoes. Phoebe’s Sweet Potato Cakes have been enjoyed for generations of Chicagoans, but today the family recipe is being put to sweet use by Calumet City resident and new business owner Phoebe McBride (pictured above). A sweet addition to your holiday menu, the cakes are available to order on the small business’ website. Learn more: https:// sweetpotatocakes.com/ 14 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 Calender Blacks Must Control Their Own Community In-Person Visits (Continued on page 16) Tip: Keep medications in their original packaging and containers when possible. To learn more, visit mwrd.org/medication-disposal or call (312) 751-6633. Main Office Building 100 E. Erie St., Chicago Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Calumet WRP 400 E. 130th St., Chicago 7 days/week 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. O’Brien WRP 3500 Howard St., Skokie 7 days/week 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stickney WRP 6001 W. Pershing Rd., Cicero 7 days/week SAFE MEDICATION DISPOSAL = SAFER WATERWAYS Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago mwrd.org The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) encourages you to “THINK INSIDE THE BOX” when disposing unused medications. Prescription and overthe-counter medications can harm waterways. Protect the waterways. Use MWRD’s secure, permanent medication collection boxes to dispose of your unwanted and expired medication: CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday,November 12, 2022 15 Local News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MEDICARE Medicare plans change every year and so can your health. Now’s the time to compare your current Medicare plan to other options and choose the right plan for your health and your budget. Use Medicare.gov to easily compare options for Medicare health and prescription drug plans. Do a side-by-side comparison of: · Plan Coverage · Costs · Quality Ratings Paid for by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Find your plan at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) Medicare Savings Programs, run by your state, can help lower your healthcare costs. If you’re single with an income of $20,000 or less, or if you’re married with an income of $25,000 or less, you may be eligible to save with Medicare Savings Programs. Call your state Medicaid office at 1-800-843-6154. “HAVE YOU COMPARED PLANS? You might find one that saves you money.” Many residents who exercise in the gym told the Crusader they have not seen any maintenance workers at the pool since it closed in August. On Thursday, November 10, the Crusader learned that several maintenance workers visited Don Nash. One of the men was overheard telling an employee that the pool problem has “hit the media” and that’s why they were there. Another worker showed up to the site on November 14. Internal emails from the Park District show a Park District official saying, “let’s blitz this as well,” when it came to repairs throughout the facility, amid the media scrutiny. The email was sent to many tradesmen, including engineers, plumbers and electricians. While District officials remain mum on the pool’s problem, sources told the Crusader that the pool’s motor broke after operating for decades. Questions remain why the Park District has been slow in repairing the pool and neglecting other problems as well at the Don Nash Community Center. During a visit to the facility, a Crusader journalist found rusty water fountains and a men’s locker room with outdated lockers made of old fiber plastic material. The expensive exercise bikes sat in the shower area taking up three spaces where they are usually stored after classes. The discolored grout on the pool deck looked unsanitary. Sources say some employees have called on District officials to turn over the facility to a non-profit or rebuild a new one to replace the existing one that is crumbling. But with so many popular classes and community usage, residents question why Park District officials have not addressed the problem in a more timely and transparent manner. Some say the District doesn’t see the pool closure and related problems as urgent. Residents have long accused the Park District of giving parks on the North Side preferential treatment when it comes to resources and developing facilities. In 2018, Friends of the Parks released a scathing study that accused the Park District of spending $85,000 more on parks in predominantly white neighborhoods. In 1982, the federal government cited the Chicago Park District, alleging parks in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods had fewer indoor facilities like pools and field houses, fewer outdoor amenities and few programming opportunities when compared to parks in white neighborhoods. The ruling led to a three-year consent decree giving a federal judge oversight of mandated reforms. The Crusader has learned that many parks on the South Side are in worse shape than the Don Nash Community Center. At Rosenblum Park, five minutes away, that facility’s indoor pool is also closed for unknown reasons. But residents bemoan the continued decline of the Don Nash Community Center. It was named after Donald Jordan Nash, a community activist and beloved friend of the Park District. He joined the Coca Cola Company in 1962 as a route helper, rising through the ranks to become the company’s first Black executive to serve as the company’s vice president of community and governmental affairs. A native Chicagoan, Nash demonstrated a great commitment to children in Chicago Park District programs, volunteering as a mentor and teacher in his spare time. Before it was a community center, the facility was a YMCA, built in the 1940s. The Chicago Metropolitan YMCA closed the South Shore facility after it opened the $10 million South Side YMCA at 63rd and Stony Island in 1990. Amid concerns of low-income neighborhoods lacking parks and gyms, the Park District purchased the old South Shore YMCA in 1991. Little renovations were made to the facility, which includes a gymnasium, indoor pool, fitness center and multipurpose rooms. Some still call the facility “the Old South Shore Y.” Dr. Sims said she was told she would get the $212 she paid for the classes refunded, but her biggest concern is the future of Don Nash Center’s swimming pool. “It’s such an important resource in the community. Why are they [Park District] not seeing this as an urgent problem?” (Continued from page 2) Don Nash Pool drowns in neglect under Chicago Park District THE MEN’S LOCKEROOM at the Don Nash Community Center in South Shore is outdated with aging lockers. (Photo by Erick Johnson) 16 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 Local News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community BLACK HISTORY GAME NIGHT: A REAL BLACK FRIDAY On Friday, November 25, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. CST, join a Black History Game Night, hosted by Melaneyes Media. They will play games focused on Black History facts, knowledge and trivia. This is a way for people to come together online as a community, learn and have fun! On the day after Thanksgiving when most people are out shopping or recovering from eating, they think it is a good time to nourish the mind with some culturally enriching content. Black History Game Night is a unique learning experience to help us all better appreciate and understand the contributions people of African descent have made to the country and the world. There will be questions to answer, information to learn, trivia to consider and PRIZES to win. As a Black-owned and operated film and educational company, they are very excited to host Black History Game Night for the online community. Since April of 2020, they have been able to broaden their community and reach an international audience. They have had thousands of people join them from all over the globe to learn more about the Black experience. This is a free online event via Zoom. Send email to: melaneyes3@gmail.com. For information, visit www. eventbrite.com. (Continued from page 14) had once called “The Tool.” So, he consulted with a spiteful friend and the two of them came up with the idea to set the man’s house on fire. And so, the man got some gasoline, struck a match, and burned his own house down. As he stood there watching his belongings go up in smoke, someone tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Aren’t you glad your dog got out!” To which the man looked behind him and there was “the Tool” sitting on the curb smiling as this fool burned his own house down out of spite. Few people ever knew that the reason the dog bit the man’s behind was because whenever this dog was sleeping in the fellow’s house and feeling fine and free that this man and his friends would, from time to time, walk by and kick the dog in the head when few were looking. -ImaIN THE FOOD DESERT Is there news on the horizon that Englewood may get a stable grocery store now that Whole Foods has hit the road and left the community with no place to get quality red, chitlin’ buckets during the holidays? Some are saying some businessmen investors are this/close to cutting a deal to open the city’s first major, independent, Black-owned grocery store that isn’t Aldi’s or a knockoff of Save-A-Lot. But one person claims a Pete’s store is on the way. -ImaPARTY CENTRAL Everyone is really rejoicing over how the new party spot is a South Side church that is built like a concert hall and has three services on Sunday and many more throughout the week. They say Pastor Hannah is raking in so much cash he don’t never need to do nothing for nobody but the Good Lord. But, with that many members– most of whom are young, got money, and know how to use social media, a lot of elected officials have been trying to cozy up to the South Side mega preacher in hopes of winning his favor. One old preacher seemed jealous when he told someone, “Hannah’s got an entertainment center and not a church! There should be standards in God’s house! People should come to church to pray not party!” -Ima- (Continued from page 7) “The 71st to 79th streets should be the business corridor of the 7th Ward, but nothing is going on there.” Floyd vowed not to use “alderman prerogatives” to block businesses from coming into the ward. She has mediated several complaints filed by Black women business owners against Mitchell. “I have the credentials and the passion to be alderman. I have watched resources pass this ward, and it was heartbreaking. “I have watched monies related to economic development, funds related to saving homes, keeping homes out of foreclosure, addressing issues between landlord/tenant. The list goes on,” she said. “The 7th Ward is underserved.” “Looking at 79th Street, 75th Street, Exchange, South Shore Drive. What happened? Where did South Shore go? Where did Jeffery Manor go? I remember when Jeffery Manor was safe. You couldn’t tell me people were shooting up Jeffery Manor until I saw it with my own eyes.” Crime, Floyd said, is a major problem in the 7th Ward. “There are people who are camped out in the CTA waiting area.” She said 75th Street is not safe, and 79th is equally problematic. “There is no safe passage for children,” Floyd said. “Where are the Safe Passage workers?” She said people who are just loitering create a problem. Floyd said, if elected, she will fight to restore the truant officers. However, she thinks there should be a designated staff trained to address children’s needs. “I am not a proponent of some of these security guards being in the schools. I am concerned about their training and credentials,” Floyd said. “We’ve seen sexual assaults by these security guards and that is problematic. I would rather see more social workers in the schools.” On the community level, Floyd said, “We need to address the trauma, too, but for those who are violent offenders.” She would ask the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies to help with these issues. Yolanda Kemp, owner of the Open Arms Day Care located in the Jeffery Point Shopping Mall at 96th and Jeffery, hired Floyd to deal with Mitchell’s opposition to her daycare business. When Kemp requested a parking access letter from Mitchell, Floyd said she was reportedly met with opposition. “He told her people in the ward did not want another daycare center.” Floyd said that is not true and that Mitchell doesn’t hold community meetings. “There is a waiting list for this daycare center,” Floyd said. Kemp, Floyd said, has allegedly been harassed by Mitchell ever since she requested a parking access letter for her after-school business. She needed that letter to open her daycare center. “Alderman Mitchell also told us that the people in the ward didn’t want a grocery store, which is furthest from the truth,” Floyd said. “People are suffering because of the food desert in the 7th Ward.” “I’d like to unite the 7th Ward, which is divided between the haves and the havenots,” Floyd said. “I would like to expand the business corridors from 75th to 79th streets. I’d like to bring mental health support to the ward for those who need it. “I would like to see additional health care and pharmaceutical services so that seniors can get their medication. I would like to provide more STEAM programs, more activities to connect education and the Lakefront,” Floyd said. On several occasions, either through a public relations staff member or in person, Mitchell has denied Floyd and other Black female owners’ allegations. He told this reporter the Jocilyn Floyd to run for 7th Ward alderman Jocilyn Floyd (Continued from page 8) Cook County’s Second Installment property tax bills have been posted at cookcountytreasurer.com, where bills can be viewed, downloaded and paid with no added surcharge. “My office has finally received the figures to print 1.8 million property tax bills,” said Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. “We have posted the bills online to accommodate homeowners impacted by the delay. A paper bill will be in your mailbox on or around the first of December.” Property tax payments are due Dec. 30. You can download your tax bill and make a payment by visiting cookcountytreasurer.com and following these steps: • Select the blue box labeled “Pay Online for Free” • Enter your address or Property Index Number (PIN) There is no fee if you pay online from your bank account. However, you can also print your bill and bring it to any Chase Bank location, including those outside Cook County. You can also pay at more than 100 community banks where you have an account or at the Treasurer’s Office. You may also use the website to: • Download a copy of your Tax Bill • Search $84 million in available refunds • Check property tax exemptions, which can lower your taxes • Read any of the Pappas Studies, a series of research projects that detail inequities in the property tax system Your Cook County property tax bill is online now CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 17 News Blacks Must Control Their Own Community See illinoislottery.com for details O er valid from 10/17/22-12/31/22. No purchase necessary. See O icial Rules, which govern, for details. WRAP-UP YOUR HOLIDAY ENTER THE SWEEPSTAKES Take a chance at making your holidays brighter with $5,000 ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ILLINOISLOTTERY.COM/WRAPUPSWEEPS Gi Smart. By Erick Johnson Black voters in Chicago during the midterm election supported Governor JB Pritzker at the polls more than any ethnic group in the city, according to an extensive analysis from the Chicago Board of Elections. Pritzker cruised to a second term on Tuesday, November 8, taking 54.8 percent of the vote statewide to Bailey’s 42.4 percent. In Chicago, Pritzker received 620,755 votes on Tuesday. That’s 81.1 percent of votes that were cast in the city’s 50 wards. Election data show 177,008 or 29 percent of those votes came from Chicago’s newly mapped 17 Black wards, which overwhelmingly voted for Pritzker, more than any other ethnic electorate in the city. Amid concerns that his popularity was waning among voters on Chicago’s South and West sides, Pritzker took 91.75 percent of the Black vote in Tuesday’s midterm elections. In Chicago’s 15 Latino wards, 77.6 percent of the registered voters supported Pritzker, while 76.7 percent of voters in white wards helped the governor win a second term, election data show. In the newly re-mapped Asian 11th Ward, 65.1 percent of voters supported Pritzker at the polls. In Tuesday’s election, Pritzker won 49 of Chicago’s 50 wards. As crime continues to be a concern on the North Side, Pritzker lost to Republican Dan Bailey in the 41st Ward, where he took just 48.61 of the vote, compared to Bailey’s 48.93 percent. In the Black wards Bailey took just 5.93 percent of the vote, compared to 20 percent in the Latino wards and 21 percent in white wards, where some voters resonated with Bailey’s tough message on crime. In the Asian 11th Ward, where there are enclaves of white and Irish voters, Bailey drew the strongest support with 32.1 percent of the vote. There was concern that many Blacks would not support Pritzker as much as they did in the 2018 midterms, where he took nearly 92 percent of the Black vote. Many Blacks grew disillusioned with Pritzker during his first term, where there were no Black-owned cannabis dispensaries in Chicago. Many accuse Pritzker of taking the Black vote for granted after he was elected in 2018. Pritzker, in an interview earlier this year with the Crusader, said lawsuits and legal battles delayed the process in awarding more dispensaries throughout the state. Pritzker drew heavy criticism from Republicans during the pandemic with his strict COVID-19 policies. A billionaire equity investor and philanthropist who called Bailey "too extreme" for Democrat-heavy Illinois, Pritzker ran a re-election campaign that promised fiscal stability and taxpayer relief. Bailey is a southern Illinois farmer and conservative supporter of former President Donald Trump. Some Blacks considered voting for Bailey, but his ties to Trump and image as a right-wing extremist fueled distrust among Democrats. With few candidates to choose, Pritzker became the default candidate. In Chicago’s 17 Black wards, voters brushed aside their criticisms of Pritzker, giving him a resounding victory. A Crusader analysis reveals that 13 Black wards voted over 90 percent in favor of Pritzker. The ward where Pritzker drew the least support was the 29th Ward, where the governor took 85.58 percent of the vote. After it was remapped earlier this year, the 27th Ward became a plurality ward, where Blacks have a 46-percent majority. The Black ward where Pritzker drew the strongest support was the 8th Ward, which includes parts of South Shore, Avalon Park, Burnside, Calumet Heights and Greater Grand Crossing. Election data show that nearly 96 percent of voters picked Pritzker over Bailey. In the 6th, 7th and 21st wards, Pritzker took over 95 percent of the vote. This was the first election under Chicago’s newly mapped 50 wards. After the 34th Ward was moved to the North Side, there are now 17 Black wards, 15 Latino wards, 18 white wards and one Asian ward. HOW CHICAGO’S ETHNIC WARDS VOTED IN GOVERNOR’S RACE ETHNIC GROUP PRITZKER 2018 BAILEY SCHULTER BLACK 92.4% 91.6% 5.93% 1.67% LATINO 77.6% 81.8% 20% 2.34% ASIAN 65.1% 72.90% 32.1% 2.72% WHITE 76.7% 70.2% 21% 2.2% TOTAL 78% 79.1% 19.8% 2.2% SOURCE: Chicago Board of Elections Over 90 percent of voters in Black wards supported Pritzker IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FIFTH THIRD BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; Plaintiff, vs. DANA VEE; JUAN CARLOS ROMERO AKA JUAN C. ROMERO; Defendants, 22 CH 4239 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 20-04-444-052-0000. Commonly known as 303 West Swann Street, Chicago, IL 60609. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 22-009408 XOME F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3206446 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION TRINITY FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC Plaintiff, -v.- MICHAEL PAPALISTAS, HARRIET PAPALISTAS, MICHIGAN AVENUE TOWER CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 21 CH 5985 1250 S. MICHIGAN AVE, APT 1109 CHICAGO, IL 60605 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on April 29, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 2, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1250 S. MICHIGAN AVE, APT 1109, CHICAGO, IL 60605 Property Index No. 17-22-101-043-1073, 17- 22-101-043-1482 The real estate is improved with a condominium. The judgment amount was $81,976.78. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court 18 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 Legal Notices Blacks Must Control Their Own Community HOUSES FOR SALE file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact Noah Weininger, THE WEININGER LAW FIRM LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 180 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3700, Chicago, IL, 60601 (312) 796-8850. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. Noah Weininger THE WEININGER LAW FIRM LLC 180 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3700 Chicago IL, 60601 312-796-8850 Fax #: 312-248-2550 E-Mail: nweininger@weiningerlawfirm.com Attorney Code. 63307 Case Number: 21 CH 5985 TJSC#: 42-3863 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 21 CH 5985 I3206326 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION COURTNEY JONES RECEIVERSHIPS LLC, AS ASSIGNEE OF JONES’ RECEIVERSHIPS, LLC Plaintiff, -v.- JEWELLERY TOWER LLC, ADAM DAVID PARTNERS I, LLC, ARIEL FUNDING LLC, CENTRAL BUILDING AND PRESERVATION LP, CITY OF CHICAGO, GLOBAL DISASTER RECOVERY INC, HAYES MECHANICAL, LLC, LAWRENCE A BRADY, MILLENNIUM CLUB LLC, MRR 55 E. WASHINGTON LLC, MRR 55 WASHINGTON OWNER LLC, PARKWAY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, PD LENDER, LLC, PITTSFIELD DEVELOPMENT LLC, PITTSFIELD HOTEL HOLDINGS LLC, SPARTAN CONTRACTORS INC, TONI SWEETS CHICAGO LLC, US FIRE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT CO, VALERIO DEWALT TRAIN ASSOCIATES, XIO HUA GONG A/K/A XIAO HUA GONG, 55 E WASHINGTON DEVELOPMENT LLC, TENANTS AND OCCUPANTS, UNKNOWN OWNERS; and NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 2022 CH 00970 55 E. WASHINGTON STREET CHICAGO, IL 60602 (excluding a portion of the lobby and elevators and floors 13-21) NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on September 12, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 13, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 55 E. WASHINGTON STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60602 (excluding a portion of the lobby and elevators and floors 13-21) Property Index No. 17-10-312-019-0000 The real estate is improved with a commercial property. The judgment amount was $6,141,246.47. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact Mark Silverman, DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 10 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 2300, Chicago, IL, 60606 (312) 876-1700. Please refer to file number 121856.02. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. Mark Silverman DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC 10 SOUTH WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 2300 Chicago IL, 60606 312-876-1700 E-Mail: msilverman@dykema.com Attorney File No. 121856.02 Case Number: 2022 CH 00970 TJSC#: 42-3395 I3206855 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FBS, D/B/A CHRISTINA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, -v.- STEFAN HUMPHRIES, LEONARD KENEBREW, 804-10 EAST 41ST STREET CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, LACRISHA KENEBREW Defendants 20 CH 00313 804 E. 41ST STREET CHICAGO, IL 60653 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 25, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 28, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 804 E. 41ST STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60653 Property Index No. 20-02-105-026-1001 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $295,696.60. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact Alexander Potestivo, POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610, Chicago, IL, 60606 (312) 263-0003. Please refer to file number 311669. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610 Chicago IL, 60606 312-263-0003 E-Mail: ilpleadings@potestivolaw.com Attorney File No. 311669 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 20 CH 00313 TJSC#: 42-3376 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 20 CH 00313 I3206097 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BANKUNITED, N.A. Plaintiff, -v.- WALTER A. CUSTODIO, U.S.A. SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Defendants 2021 CH 05769 8349 SOUTH KNOX AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60632 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on September 16, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 16, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 8349 SOUTH KNOX AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60632 Property Index No. 19-34-324-005-0000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $326,732.19. Sale terms: 100% of the bid amount shall be paid in certified funds immediately by the highest and best bidder at the conclusion of the sale. The certified check must be made payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. The amount owed also includes the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The certified check must be made payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the courtUpon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by (Continued from page 13) Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State.” As amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22009807 on November 1, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of SCHOOL OF CONSENSUAL CULTURE with the business located at: 2242 W. SUNNYSIDE AVE APT 3, CHICAGO, IL 60625. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: Owner/ Partner DENiSE CHANG, Complete Address 2242 W. SUNNYSIDE AVE APT 3, CHICAGO, IL 60625. ASSUMED NAME The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact Travis P. Barry , KELLEY KRONENBERG Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 161 N CLARK STREET SUITE 1600, Chicago , IL, 60601 (312) 216-8828. Please refer to file number CRI21082. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. Travis P. Barry KELLEY KRONENBERG 161 N CLARK STREET SUITE 1600 Chicago IL, 60601 312-216-8828 E-Mail: tbarry@kklaw.com Attorney File No. CRI21082 Attorney ARDC No. 6305429 Case Number: 2021 CH 05769 TJSC#: 42-3615 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. I3206934 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS, INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-8 Plaintiff, -v.- MARIE DE LA CRUZ A/K/A MARIE DELACRUZ, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 17 CH 004393 1728 W. CERMAK ROAD CHICAGO, IL 60608 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on July 2, 2018, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 13, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1728 W. CERMAK ROAD, CHICAGO, IL 60608 Property Index No. 17-19-428-037-0000 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-17-03334 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 17 CH 004393 TJSC#: 42-4127 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. I3206985 Cave: The Color is Fashion Exhibition” is currently on display through Sunday, Dec. 11. The unique exhibit which pays tribute to Black aesthetics was the backdrop to the Gala’s cocktail hour. Guests were then ushered to an area of the Roundhouse that was completely transformed for dinner and an evening filled with awards, special remarks and a performance by Tony and Grammy Award Winner Dee Dee Bridgewater. DuSable Museum Center raises more than $350,000 at annual gala DuSable Museum Center In Week 10 of the 2022 NFL season, the Chicago Bears fell to the Detroit Lions, 31-30 on Sunday, November 13, at Soldier Field. In spite of the loss by the Bears, quarterback Justin Fields became the first quarterback in Bears franchise history to post backto-back 100 plus rushing yards games. Fields finished Sunday’s game with 147 yards on 13 rushes and two touchdowns while also completing 12-of-20 passes for 167 yards and 2 TDs. His last two games have yielded a combined 325 rushing yards, the most total rushing yards in a two-game span by a quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Lamar Jackson’s 268 combined yards, which he recorded October 13, 2019, through October 20, 2019. According to the Chicago Bears, Fields has rushed for 555 yards over his last five games played, the most by any quarterback in that span and the most by a quarterback in the Super Bowl era. Fields also has the highest rushing yardage total by a quarterback against the Lions in NFL history, surpassing Randall Cunningham, who recorded 110 rushing yards against Detroit in November of 1986. In the first quarter, Fields broke free for a 28-yard rush on Chicago’s opening drive. It was his fifth rush of 20 plus yards on the season and his 23rd rush of 10 plus yards. Fields entered the game ranked first in the NFC and fifth in the NFL in rushes of 10 plus yards by an offensive player. Fields scored the Bears’ first touchdown of the day with the first half winding down, going 15 plays and 85 yards down the field to cap off the drive with a oneyard touchdown run with :21 remaining. It was the fifth rushing touchdown of the season for Fields, and his fourth in as many games. Fields closed out the game with a 67-yard rushing TD to give him his second rushing score of the game. His touchdown run breaks the franchise record for the longest rush ever by a Bears quarterback and the longest touchdown run by a Bears quarterback that he set just one week ago, when he rushed for a 61-yard touchdown against the Dolphins. Per STATS Research, Fields is the first quarterback in NFL history with 60 plus yard rushing touchdowns in consecutive games. He’s also just the seventh offensive player to do so since 1994, the last player being Saquon Barkley on December 22, 2019. and December 29, 2019. Final Score: Bears 30, Lions 31. To close out the game, the Bears gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter after establishing a 14-point lead in the second half. Their loss to the Lions dropped their record to 3-7 on the season. Chicago Crusader Player of the Game: QB Justin Fields, Bears, 167 passing yards and 2 TDs; 147 rushing yards and 2 TDs. CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 19 Sports Blacks Must Control Their Own Community Joseph G. Phillips Joseph G. Phillips Bears fall to Detroit Lions 31-30 at Soldier Field In November, the Chicago Bears recognized Riley’s Ribz as their third Small Business All Pros Gameday Eats Edition winner for 2022. The event was presented by Visa. According to the Chicago Bears, Riley’s Ribz is a veteran-owned family business founded by husband and wife Antonio and Caryn Riley. Founded in 2013, they are known for offering seven different seasonings, including All Purpose, Smokin Sweet BBQ seasoning, Caribbean Jerk, Savory Poultry, Hot and Spicy, Bold Blend, which is perfect for steaks and chops, and Lemon Pepper Sprinkle. They also offer two BBQ sauces, Sweet & Smoky and Sweet Heat. All of the company’s products are gluten-free and low in sodium; they pride themselves on heart healthy seasoning guaranteed to add a kick of flavor to any dish. Their motto is “spreading the flavor one household at a time,” their registered trademark is “Make your food say Some’m.” Consumers can find their products in select Jewel Osco stores, Walt’s Foods and other retail locations. At the company’s website, RileysRibz.com, customers can find their complete product list and order online, including internationally. This marks the third year of the Bears Small Business All-Pros initiative. Last season, in partnership with Visa, Moody’s Pub, Cocoa Chili, Peppo’s Subs and Cleo’s Southern Cuisine were selected. In 2020, 10 Small Business All-Pros winners were named, brought to you by Proven IT. All-Pro Cleo’s Southern Cuisine (2021) can now be found at all Chicago Bears game days at Soldier Field. Visit them in the United Club near Section 214. Other 2022 Small Business All-Pros included 14 Parish, Tacotlán and Bitoy’s Sweet Treats. Each small business will receive four weeks of a Bears marketing partnership, including placement on the team’s official social media channels, ChicagoBears.com, and within email newsletters, along with in-stadium promotions. Bears promote small business Riley’s Ribz in November The Chicago Bulls dropped to two games under .500 at 6-8 with a 126-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, November 13, at the United Center. The Bulls were outscored 32- 20 in the first quarter, 30-27 in the second quarter, 35-29 in the third quarter and 29-27 in the fourth quarter to close out the game. The Bulls’ defense had no answer for the Nuggets’ Michael Porter, Jr., who finished with a game-high 31 points on 11 of 16 attempts from the field. Porter Jr. played college basketball for the University of Missouri Tigers and was ranked as one of the top prospects in the class of 2017. Porter Jr. was selected 14th overall by the Nuggets in the 2018 NBA draft, and the Bulls had a chance to get him. Currently, Porter Jr. is averaging 16.8 points per game this season and has the Nuggets at 8-4 on the season. Porter Jr. teammate Nikola Jokic scored only eight points but finished with 14 assists in the contest. The Bulls were led by Zach LaVine, who scored a teamhigh 21 points in the loss. LaVine made 8 of 15 of his attempts from the field in a losing effort. Final Score: Bulls 103, Nuggets 126. With the loss, the Bulls are now on a two-game losing streak. Chicago Crusader Newspaper Players of the Game: Zach LaVine, Bulls, 21 points. Michael Porter, Jr., Nuggets, 31 points. RILEY’S RIBZ, A veteran-owned family business founded by husband and wife Antonio and Caryn Riley. CHICAGO BEARS QUARTERBACK Justin Fields (#1) running away from Detroit Lions defenders attempting to lead the Bears to their first win since October 24, 2022. Bulls lose to Denver Nuggets 126-103 at UC 20 CHICAGO CRUSADER Saturday, November 19, 2022 Blacks Must Control Their Own Community It’s normal for parents to take extra precautions to keep children healthy during the fall and winter seasons. Colds, the flu, COVID and other respiratory viruses are most common at this time of year. However, this year’s virus season is anything but normal. Respiratory viruses, such as RSV, enterovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza, adenovirus and others, are spreading earlier and at a more alarming rate than usual this year. These viruses are also causing more severe illness than they normally do in young children, leading to more hospitalizations and exceptionally long wait times in pediatric emergency rooms across the nation. As your child interacts with classmates, friends and family members this fall and winter, please consider these important tips from the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital’s pediatric infectious disease specialist Allison Bartlett, MD, MS, to help protect them from seasonal viruses and know what to do if your child gets sick. What can I do to help my child avoid getting sick? Many of the respiratory viruses we see are spread through droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking, breathing out, or touching surfaces where these droplets land. So, this may be hard to control. But there are some precautions you can control, including encouraging your child to: • Wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water and/or use hand sanitizer, especially before eating, after using the restroom and after touching public surfaces. • Avoid touching their face. • Keep distance from people who have symptoms when possible. And stay home from school and other activities when sick. • Drink plenty of water and eat fresh fruits and vegetables. • Get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. • Get regular, age-appropriate exercise. • It’s also helpful to demonstrate and encourage good cough etiquette, such as coughing into your elbow or using tissue and throwing it away immediately. Will the flu shot or other vaccinations stop my child from getting sick? Getting the recommended flu shot or other vaccinations is an important part of helping your child either avoid or fight certain viruses. It doesn’t guarantee that your child won’t catch a virus, but getting your family vaccinated makes them less vulnerable to severe illness even if they do get sick. It takes a while for the flu vaccine to take effect, so schedule yours today if you haven’t gotten one yet. How do I know if my child has a cold, the flu or a different respiratory virus? Discussing your child’s symptoms with their pediatrician is the best way to know what virus they have and what steps to take next. Many common respiratory viruses are difficult to identify because they have similar symptoms, including: • Fever • Cough, congestion and/or runny nose • Sneezing • Aches and pains • Sore throat • Diarrhea • Headaches • Fatigue • Decreased appetite The pediatrician may provide care instructions for home or suggest an in-person or video visit if necessary. When should I bring my child to the ER for viral symptoms? Shortness of breath: Go to the emergency room or call 911 if your child is having any difficulty breathing. Difficulty breathing can look like breathing faster than normal or using muscles in their neck, chest or belly to breathe. Fever: Contact your pediatrician immediately if your newborn has a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Older children may need to see a doctor if they have: • A temperature higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit • A fever that lasts for 24 hours at age 2 or younger • A fever that lasts for three days at any age When in doubt, call the pediatrician for help deciding whether to go to the ER or schedule an appointment. Dehydration: If your infant or toddler is having fewer wet diapers and refusing to drink because of their symptoms, they may need to be seen by a pediatrician to advise whether or not your child needs emergency care.. How can I help my child’s cough? Do not use over-the-counter cough syrups or cold medications for children younger than age 6. These can be harmful to your child. Call or visit your child’s pediatrician for advice on over-the-counter medications if your child is older than age 6. You can try a teaspoon of honey if your child is older than one year old to soothe the throat. Do not give honey to a child under one year of age. How can I help my congested infant breathe or sleep more comfortably? Suctioning your infant’s nose with a bulb syringe or nasal aspirator can help them breathe more comfortably. Make sure to use saline (salt water) drops and gently suction. Too much suctioning can cause swelling and irritation, so limit suctioning to three to four times per day. A humidifier may also help. Comer Children’s is now offering both inperson and video visits for all general and specialty pediatricians. Visit us at our locations in Chicago’s Hyde Park and South Loop, Flossmoor, Orland Park, Naperville, Tinley Park, and Merrillville, Indiana. Call 773-702-6169 or visit ComerChildrens.org. Allison Bartlett, MD, MS For appointments: 773-702-6169 A parents’ guide to common viruses In partnership with The Chicago Crusader, the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital presents important health information for the entire family.

A cohort of 11 Black women entrepreneurs graduated from the YWCA’s Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center, an accelerator program that supports the growth and sustainability of Black women-owned businesses in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

The YWCA Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center launched the initiative in 2021 believing with adequate funding and support, all entrepreneurs can have a catalytic impact on the communities they serve.

On November 14 at the Study Hotel on the University of Chicago campus, the 11 Black women entrepreneurs became the third cohort. Each participant received 10 weeks of instruction including branding advice from world-renowned branding and storytelling expert, Stanley Hainsworth, the former Creative Director of Starbucks, Lego and Nike.

There are only a few factors of significance that differentiate one entrepreneurship program from another. Most want to focus on entrepreneurs who are new start-ups. Teach them how to build a business model along with the financial and strategic knowledge necessary to succeed.

For Blacks, it’s not that simple, especially for Black women entrepreneurs. Although Black women represent the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs, they access just a fraction of the funding and support that white-owned businesses receive.

The YWCAs Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center initiative focuses on supporting later-stage Black Women entrepreneurs with annual revenues of $250,000 or more that are undercapitalized.

The participating business owners are empowered with the tools and knowledge on marketing, finance, sales forecasting and strategy, with an end goal to scale, gain more funding, or grow through acquisition.

Several past cohort members are already seeing success after completing the program. Two of them are:

  • Genesis Bencivega, founder of Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding, recently won a $25,000 pitch competition at the Courvoisier Entrepreneurship Awards. She is expanding to almost 60 Walgreens locations and sold out at Lollapalooza this summer.
  • Cecelia Harrison, founder of ReveNewCycle Management and Consulting, received a $360,000 grant from the Chicago Community Trust.

Among those graduating in the third cohort is Dorothy R. Leavell, Publisher of the Chicago and Gary Crusader newspapers. She has been the publisher of the 82-year-old Chicago Crusader for 54 years. When asked what she hoped to gain from the program she said, “I hoped to be able to hire more people, offer more opportunities and expand the print and digital footprint of the newspapers.”

Haire’s Gulf Shrimp is a family-run business on the South Side that has been around over 20 years. Aisha Murff participated in the program with the hope of expanding Haire’s with the resources available through the Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center.

A third cohort member won a Shark Tank-style competition held earlier this month. She will receive a full creative engagement from Hainsworth and his team at Tether valued at $50,000.

The Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center receives its inspiration from Madam C.J. Walker, America’s first self-made female millionaire who created sales jobs and a pathway to the middle class for many Black women. To learn more about the YWCA visit www.ywcachicago.org.

These are the third cohort graduates. To read their biographies visit the Crusader website at www.chicagocrusader.com.

  • Dr. Amera McCoy, Minority Business Circle;
  • Brianna Harison, Bri’s Dance Place;
  • Victoria ‘Tori’ Prince, Tori Prince Beauty and the Chicago Skin Lab;
  • Charmaine V. Rickette, President and CEO of Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken;
  • Aisha Murff, Haire’s Gulf Shrimp;
  • Nedra Dokes, President and Principal of Solo Beauty Supply;
  • Binika Henderson, Heritage Real Estate;
  • Kiley Russell, Love and Light Cafe;
  • Jorie Hazel, Bill’s Grill;
  • Dorothy R. Leavell, Publisher of the Chicago Crusader and Gary Crusader newspapers; and
  • Donna Grant, Licorice Lounge LLC.

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