Citizen Suburban Times Weekly 2-26-2020

Citizen CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH Week of Feb. 26, 2020

| Vol. 3 | No. 29 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

Cory Clegett, a Country Club Hills resident, was honored at the 41st Annual Humanitarian Awards sponsored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital for his community service work helping the homeless.

Photo credit: Wendell Hutson

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS ENGINEER RECEIVES HUMANITARIAN AWARD A Country Club Hills resident and systems engineer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital was among four recipients recently honored at the 41st Annual Humanitarian Awards that recognized individuals whose community service embodies the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. SEE PAGE 2

POLITISCOPE Well, impeachment didn’t work – how else can Congress keep President Trump in check?

PAGE 2

BLACK HISTORY FOCUS

TRAVEL

How to Travel to Cuba with the Support for the Cuban People Travel Category PAGE 4

Politics And Women Helped Shape Chicago’s Black History PAGE 3

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

COMMUNITY

Country Club Hills Engineer Receives Humanitarian Award Continued from page 1

BY WENDELL HUTSON Contributing Writer

A Country Club Hills resident and systems engineer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital was among four recipients recently honored at the 41st Annual Humanitarian Awards that recognized individuals whose community service embodies the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cory Cleggett, 36, said he loves helping people and around the Christmas holiday, he traveled downtown with his family to help the homeless.

“My wife and I handed out clothing, toiletries and gift cards to the homeless in December.

It amazes me how people walk pass someone sleeping on the ground without showing any act of kindness by speaking or offering them a few bucks,” said Cleggett. “I grew up around people who showed me acts of kindness, so I guess you

can say helping people is in my blood.”

He said his two sons, ages 7 and 4-yearsold, also joined them.

“I think it is important for adults to set examples for our youth so they can see what kindness looks like and how to go about helping people and not hurting them,” he added.

He got his example for helping people from his grandmother and said he is now teaching his children how to be kind to others.

“For me, my grandmother was an example of kindness because she always did what she could to help people and encouraged me to do the same,” recalled Cleggett. “I remember her telling me that ‘it does not cost anything to show someone kindness.’ That still sticks with me to this day.”

Besides Cleggett, fellow co-workers Rellina Brown, Cameron DeHaven and Joan Rembacz, were also honorees.

“Employees are nominated by staff and co-workers and then interviewed by a com-

mittee who ultimately choose four to five recipients,” said Megan McCann, a spokeswoman for Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Part of Cleggett’s faith comes from God. As an active member of Freedom Church Ministry in Homewood, Cleggett said he volunteers a lot at the church and wouldn’t be surprised if he one day becomes a deacon.

“It looks like I am headed in that direction, but whatever the outcome, I want to continue serving the Lord and doing my part in helping others,” said Cleggett.

When Cleggett was asked by the hospital to take photos of his voluntarism with the homeless, he said it was a little embarrassing.

“Here I am documenting [taking photos and videotaping] what I do to help people when this is something I always do without expecting anything in return including recognition,” said Cleggett. “It just felt strange, almost like I was glorifying what I was doing.”

One thing Cleggett said he hopes people

take away from his story is how important it is to help people and to make it a regular part of your life.

“I don’t just wait on holidays to start helping people. I am always looking for ways to be a blessing to others,” added Cleggett, who said he is a part-time DJ. “I love music, so that’s what I like to do in my spare time.”

A Currie High School alumnus, Cleggett earned a bachelor’s degree in computer networking from DeVry University and grew up in Bronzeville and later moved to Auburn Gresham before moving to Country Club Hills where he has lived for 12 years.

He said his family is planning to start a nonprofit in hopes of getting financial assistance from others that would allow him to further help people and do more every year.

“Helping as many people as possible is the goal for us starting an organization, so we will see where it goes,” said Cleggett. “If it is God’s will, it will happen.”

POLITISCOPE

Well, impeachment didn’t work – how else can Congress keep President Trump in check?

BY KIRSTEN CARLSON

Donald Trump’s removal of impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from the White House and intervention in his friend Roger Stone’s sentencing have prompted concern that the president’s acquittal in his recent impeachment trial may embolden him to further expand executive power while avoiding accountability.

But the conclusion of the trial in the Senate should by no means end congressional oversight of the executive branch.

As a legal scholar and political scientist, I know that a healthy, stable democracy depends on people knowing what their government is doing so they can hold elected officials accountable through elections.

Our constitutional system ensures transparency and accountability by authorizing legislative branch oversight of the executive.

This is more important now in the aftermath of the first ever presidential impeachment trial to take place without witness testimony or a full investigation of the facts.

Oversight is one way to ensure government transparency. The Constitution authorizes Congress to exercise oversight as part of the carefully crafted balance of powers among the three branches of government.

Impeachment is an important

Kirsten Carlson

check on presidential power. However, it is the most rarely used of the multiple tools Congress has to review, monitor and supervise the executive branch and its implementation of public policy.

Congress can also exercise oversight through the power of the purse, which allows it to withhold or limit funding. And it can use its power to organize the executive branch, which it uses to create and abolish federal agencies.

In addition, Congress makes laws, confirms officials and conducts investigations.

Shining a light The tool Congress is most likely to use – investigations – is also the most likely to be affected by the impeachment trial. Investigations

can be an effective mechanism for ensuring governmental transparency because they publicize what government agencies have, or have not, been doing.

Both the House and the Senate have broad investigative powers implied in the Constitution that have been used to probe the executive branch and private sector over the years.

Each chamber has wide powers in setting out the parameters and expected outcomes of an inquiry.

Either the House or the Senate can direct staff to obtain documents and interview potential witnesses.

These efforts usually culminate in committee hearings and a report made available to the public.

Congressional investigations have effectively shined light on questionable executive branch conduct in the past. They exposed the Reagan administration’s diversion of funds from sales of arms to Iran to aid the Nicaraguan Contras, George W. Bush administration’s misrepresentation of intelligence to justify the Iraq War, and President Nixon’s attempts to cover up the Watergate scandal.

They have also revealed waste and abuse by federal agencies, including corruption related to the FBI’s use of confidential informants and mismanagement by leadership in the Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Program.

In addition to fostering transparen-

cy and governmental accountability, investigations alert Congress to gaps in the law. For example, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ inquiry into the 2008 financial crisis led to greater consumer protection and regulation of the banking sector in the Dodd-Frank Act. Existing oversight investigations into Trump’s policies and him personally will continue. The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Reform has at least two pending investigations. One is looking into the Department of Education’s policies on federal student loans, campus sexual harassment and protections for students at for-profit colleges.

Another is investigating the Trump administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to the census.

Meanwhile, investigations into Trump’s borrowing and banking practices prior to becoming president will continue. So will efforts to compel the Treasury Department to release Trump’s tax returns.

Impeachment’s shadow?

But as the impeachment trial shows, the president can stonewall efforts to hand over information.

Currently, federal courts are hearing multiple court cases in which House committees have sought information from or about the president.

More disputes between Congress and the executive branch are likely.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Recently, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform threatened to subpoena Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos after she refused to attend a public hearing. And Attorney General William Barr agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about the Department of Justice’s reversal of its sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone.

Trump’s acquittal may embolden him to persist in his arguments for absolute immunity and reassert them if, for example, DeVos is subpoenaed or Barr testifies. But ultimately, the courts may have more impact on future oversight than the impeachment trial as they have the power to order disclosure of information.

Left in the dark Congress is not limited to investigations when it comes to holding the president accountable. Congress persists in its attempts to use its war powers to restrict Trump’s actions in Iran. The House recently passed a measure requiring congressional pre-approval before any money was spent on attacking Iran and voted to repeal the 17-yearold authorization for the Iraq War, which the Trump Administration used to justify the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. And the Senate passed a resolution to Continued on page 3

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

BLACK HISTORY

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NEWS

Fathers of NBA players bring message to Robbins

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Barack Obama Photo credit: Courtesy of the Obama Foundation

Politics And Women Helped Shape Chicago’s Black History

BY WENDELL HUTSON Contributing Writer

Chicago is known more for its gun violence and high sales tax than its black, political history that seems to be growing almost every election.

The nation’s third largest city is home to Barack Obama, America’s first black president; Carol Mosley Braun, the first black, female U.S. Senator; the late Harold Washington, the first black, mayor of Chicago; John H. Stroger Jr., the first black, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners; and the late Oscar Stanton De Priest, the first, black U.S. Representative. And during his three terms from 1929 to 1935, De Priest, a republican from Illinois’ 1st District, was the only black member of Congress.

These days, though, Chicago’s local political landscape has created even more black history from mayors to aldermen, said Timuel Black, a 100-year-old historian from the South Side.

“For black politics, Chicago is the mecca,” he said. “It is where careers have started and ended for blacks, and where the road to the White House finally happened for Barack Obama.”

The Year of the Woman is how many voters coined last year’s election because it produced black women from Chicago as the first in their respected offices. Those black history makers included Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Alderman Stephanie Coleman (16th), Kari Steele, president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Karen Yarbrough, Cook County Clerk, and Juliana Stratton, lieutenant governor of Illinois.

LORI LIGHFOOT In 2019, Lori Lightfoot was elected the city’s 56th mayor and the first, black female mayor. And during her inauguration speech, she spoke about her milestone and what it means for the Windy City.

“As I stand here today, I can’t help but think of where I came from— and I know, in my heart, that a story like mine of a kid from a working class family growing up to realize the dreams of my father and mother through education, hard work and sheer determination needs to be the Continued on page 6

Fathers of NBA players visited Robbins to participate in a forum, which brought youth from the community together with local politicians and others with the goal of inspiring the youth.

The NBA Fathers Network is a group of fathers of NBA players who travel throughout the country and speak at events. Dwyane Wade, Sr. is the father of retired NBA player Dwyane Wade. “My son went to the NBA. He’s accomplished something that is beyond great,” he said. “We’ve all been a part of the community for so many years.”

Charles Paul, who is the father of Oklahoma City Thunder player Chris Paul, said he wanted to support Dwyane Wade’s father. “He’s a part of us. He let us know what it would mean for us to come here for this event,” Paul said referring to Dwyane Wade’s father.

Paul said he understands the fathers that are a part of the group have the opportunity to make a positive impact.

“These kids might not get a chance to see our sons in person, they might see our sons on TV, but they will see us,” Paul said. “We know we are truly blessed to be in the position we are in.”

Ed Gordon is the father of Aaron Gordon, who plays for the Orlando Magic, and Drew Gordon, who plays professional basketball in Poland. Gordon said having a son that plays for the NBA is wonderful, for the most part.

“It’s pretty surreal. It’s higher highs and lower lows,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s a roller coaster.”

Charles Paul, father of Chris Paul, speaks about having a son in the NBA during a forum in Robbins. Photo Credit: Tia Carol Jones

Gordon said he always wants his sons to do well in their careers.

“We like to try and get out into the community and have the young men see fathers and father figures,” he said. “We just want to reach out and pass on a positive message.”

Part of that message, said Wendell Carter Sr., father of Wendell Carter, Jr., who plays for the Chicago Bulls, is to stay humble and don’t get caught up in material things. “Don’t change your lifestyle,” Carter, Sr. added.

Gary Harris is the father of Gary Harris, who plays for the Denver Nuggets. Harris said he came to support Wade and his father.

“We go around the country and reach back, to be an inspiration to these kids. We’re reachable and we can relate,” he said. “Any inner-city area reminds me of where I come from.”

Anthony Randolph is the father of Anthony Randolph, Jr., who plays professional basketball in Madrid, Spain. “We want to let them know

POLITISCOPE Well, impeachment didn’t work – how else can Congress keep President Trump in check?

Continued from page 2 limit President Trump’s ability to use force against Iran.

Congress has several other mechanisms for exercising oversight. It can defund, redirect, or even eliminate federal agencies and refuse to confirm presidential appointments. But it remains to be seen whether it will continue to pursue vigorous oversight. The impending election could distract or deter Democrats, who want to refocus their line of attack on Trump by disputing his record on the economy.

Meanwhile Republicans, who fear electoral repercussions if they alienate the president’s base, are unlikely to seek more oversight.

Without oversight, people are left in the dark about what their government is doing. And a misled or uninformed public weakens the only other mechanism available to hold the executive branch accountable: elections.

Kirsten Carlson is an Associate Professor of Law and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Political Science at Wayne State University.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

there are men out there who care about them, there are positive role models out there,” Randolph said.

“We hope at least one child gets inspiration from us, has a productive life and follows their dreams.”

Robbins Mayor Tyrone Ward welcomed the fathers coming to the community.

“This is a great step forward in our attempts to eliminate the fatherless children crisis in our communities. Hearing from these dads of their positive steps as well as their challenges in raising young boys is a great boost for fathers everywhere,” Ward said in a release.

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ART SCENE

Platform Helps Artists Buy and Sell Online Threadless, an ecommerce apparel company and online artist community, in partnership with Nathan W. Pyle, cartoonist and New York Times best-selling author, has announced the sale of over 300,000 unique items in Strange Planet merchandise thanks to Threadless Artist Shops.

Pyle, who launched his Strange Planet webcomic series in early February 2019, experienced rapid and viral success, gaining one million Instagram followers in the first five weeks.

Within the comic’s first year, Pyle amassed over 6.5 million followers and quickly turned to Threadless to open his Artist Shop to capitalize on the series’ success.

Threadless’ Artist Shops platform enables artists around the world, like Pyle, to effortlessly promote, add, fulfill, and deliver print-on-demand merchandise.

In just six months, Pyle and Threadless sold hundreds of thousands of products, featuring his hilarious spin on human

behavior through the lens of blue, interstellar beings. The top-selling item is t-shirts, priced on average at $20 each.

“Working with Threadless has been fantastic. I can focus on making my comics while Threadless makes high-quality merchandise available in my Artist Shop nearly instantaneously,” said Pyle.

“Being able to upload a design once and apply it to dozens of different Threadless products is super fun and easy. And they’re always working on new product additions, which is super exciting to me!”

Threadless works with both amateur and seasoned artists to maintain their Artist Shops, add and promote new products and designs, support marketing efforts, and provide customer service to help artists – both established and up-and-coming – do exactly what Pyle has achieved.

“Threadless exists to support independent artists,” said Threadless Founder and CEO, Jake Nickell. “We make it simple for an artist to get their work in the hands of their fans

by opening up access to our nearly 20 years of experience in ecommerce merchandising, branding, marketing, product manufacturing, order fulfillment, and technology.”

Threadless launched their customizable online merch platform, Artist Shops, in 2016 to allow artists like Pyle to monetize their art as their own brand. With Artist Shops, individuals upload their art and transform it into merch-ready, tangible products their customers can buy. Threadless handles logistics for Artist Shops owners like manufacturing, order fulfillment, and customer service. Currently, the platform hosts over 250,000 unique Artist Shops.

For more information on Threadless and Nathan W. Pyle’s Strange Planet webcomic, watch the brand’s interview with Nathan on https://youtu.be/mkozpECpwIs, visit artistshops.com/ strangeplanet and nathanwpyle.threadless.com, and follow @nathanwpylestrangeplanet and @threadless on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

TRAVEL

Travel through the streets of Havana || Photo by CUBA CANDELA

How to Travel to Cuba with the Support for the Cuban People Travel Category Amidst continuing questions about how to travel to Cuba in 2020, the Cuba travel agency CUBA CANDELA has released step by step guide for American travelers interested in visiting the island nation. Yes, you can still travel to Cuba, with the “Support for the Cuban People” travel category explained in 3 easy steps.

After the Trump administration eliminated the group “people-to-people” educational travel category, canceled cruise ship travel to Cuba, and limited U.S. flights to Havana only, American travelers and travel advisors were

left wondering if and how they can visit Cuba.

“We are getting questions every day from confused travelers wanting to understand and adhere to the travel rules,” says Founder and CEO, Chad Olin.

Seeking to educate the public and ease the minds of perplexed travelers, CUBA CANDELA created a travel guide explaining how any American can visit Cuba using the “Support for the Cuban People” travel category, one of twelve authorized categories of travel to Cuba — now the most common.

“Any American traveler can visit Cuba in 2020, fly directly to Havana from eight different U.S. cities and have a remarkable experience that is legally compliant, culturally enriching and socially conscious,” said Olin. “We encourage all Americans to travel to Cuba in 2020, and for those with questions about how to do so legally, I hope our guide helps to clarify the rules on how to travel using the ‘Support for the Cuban People’ travel category.”

CUBA CANDELA remains one of the only companies in the Cuba travel industry

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

with public reviews. The company guarantees compliance with U.S. law and offers clients a ‘100% Guaranteed Departure Policy’ that includes a full refund if future U.S. travel restrictions prohibit legal travel with CUBA CANDELA. CUBA CANDELA specializes in tailor-made tours of Cuba, providing a full suite of services including travel documents, luxury accommodations and unique experiences. For more information, visit https://www.cubacandela.com/

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

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If it were up to me, we’d have all the healthcare we need.

104300_QEXL0792000_v1 Leo Burnett January 31, 2020 10:39 AM jmd

The 2020 Census informs funding for walk-in clinics, Medicare and all types of health services. Rest assured your answers are safe and secure.

Learn more at:

2020CENSUS.GOV Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau.

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6 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

NEWS

Politics And Women Helped Shape Chicago’s Black History Continued from page 3 story of possibility in every neighborhood,” Lightfoot told a crowd of more than 3,000 people at her May 20, 2019 inauguration. “I know we’re just a little bit closer to that dream as I stand here today, inaugurated as Chicago’s first Black woman and first openly gay mayor.

I know we’re a little bit closer as we celebrate that, for the first time in the history of Chicago, women of color now hold all three of our citywide elected offices [Office of the Mayor, Office of City Treasurer and Office of City Clerk].”

Kari Steele Courtesy of the MWRD

Ald. Stephanie Coleman Photo credit: Wendell Hutson

STEPHANIE COLEMAN Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th) at age 30 was elected the youngest, black female alderman in 2019, and is the daughter of former 16th Ward Alderman Shirley Coleman. The political newcomer who never held elected office prior to alderman said last year’s election of black women to various city, county and state offices clearly is a sign that women of color are finally being taken seriously in Chicago’s male dominated political spectrum.

“Times have surely changed for the better when it comes to black women. And change is needed to make improvements because without change, things will stay the same,” said Coleman.

After defeating incumbent Ald. Toni Foulkes last year, the ‘Daughter of Englewood’ as Coleman calls herself, said she has been hard at work now that reality has kicked in.

“It hasn’t totally hit me yet [that I am the youngest black woman to be elected alderman] because I have been working so hard to meet the needs of my constituents. In my first 100 days as alderman, I took an inventory of the ward by walking block by block and assessing the needs of each neighborhood,” she said. Her other goals include improving the schools and bringing more economic development to the ward.

And despite being defeated in 2016 by Foulkes, that did not stop Coleman’s desire to represent the Englewood neighborhood where she was born and raised.

“I ran against Alderman Foulkes four years ago and lost. And while I was wounded, I was not weary,” added Coleman. “I never stopped knocking on doors, registering new voters and engaging with the community.”

KARI STEELE In January, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, quietly made history when it elected Kari Steele, a 43-yearold environmentalist and Chatham-native, as its first black, female president in its 130-year existence.

“This year is our 130th anniversary, and it was in 2012, when I started my first term (as commissioner), that we elected our first female president ever,” Steele said shortly after the nine-member board voted unanimously on Jan. 10 to make her its new president. “Six years later, I have had women colleagues, and African American women colleagues, come to my office with tears in their eyes. They cannot believe how the district has transformed, the groundbreaking changes we’ve made since then with diversity on the board.”

The $1.1 billion agency oversees seven sanitary and flood protection plants in Cook County that serve not only Chicago but also 125 other municipalities including the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant in Cicero, which is the largest U.S. plant.

KAREN YARBROUGH Prior to her election as the first woman ever and first black elected Cook County Clerk, Karen Yarbrough served two terms as Cook County Recorder of Deeds, and before that, she was state Representative for the 7th District.

“I am looking forward to serving the people of Cook County, in my new role as Clerk of Cook County,” Yarbrough said shortly after

Elected in 1983 and serving until his death on November 25, 1987, the late Harold Washington (pictured) was the first black mayor of Chicago. Photo credit: Courtesy of the Chicago Public Library

being sworn into office December 2019 by Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans.

“I’m the first woman and the first African American in this position and I want to thank the voters of Cook County for placing their trust and faith in my ability to lead and serve them in this manner.”

The services provided by the Cook County Clerk’s Office may be unknown to many voters but Yarbrough said the county office does things critical to governmental operations. Its primary role is to serve as the chief election authority for Cook County, which is one of the largest election jurisdictions in the nation.

And besides administering elections in suburban Cook County, the office also assists property owners in redeeming delinquent taxes, records the activity of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and maintains birth, marriage and death records.

(from left) Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans is shown administering the oath of office to Cook County Clerk, Karen Yarbrough. Photo credit: Courtesy of the Cook County Clerk Office

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Juliana Stratton Photo credit: Courtesy of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor

JULIANA STRATTON Illinois voters elected a billionaire as its new governor in 2019 but also elected Juliana Stratton, a former state Representative, as its first black, lieutenant governor.

During her inaugural speech in January, Stratton said voters did more than elect her as the 43rd lieutenant governor.

“On December 3rd, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state. Two hundred years later, with the DNA of my formerly enslaved great, great grandfather, William Stephens as part of my genetic makeup, I am proud to stand before you as our state’s first black Lieutenant Governor.”

As second-in-command of the state, the lieutenant governor is responsible for a variety duties, such as heading the Illinois Main Street Program, and serving as chairman of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, Rural Bond Bank of Illinois and the Illinois River Coordinating Council.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

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From the desk of

MIKE BLOOMBERG Dear Reader, Thank you for taking the time to learn about The Greenwood Initiative.

As someone who has been very lucky in life, I often say my story would only have been possible in America — and that’s true. But I also know that because of the artificial barriers of discrimination, my story likely would have turned out very differently if I had been Black, and that more Black Americans of my generation would have ended up with far more wealth, had they been white.

Building Generational Wealth for Black Families is Critical. That’s why I launched The Greenwood Initiative in Tulsa last month. I visited the site of the Black Wall Street Massacre, where a white mob decimated the prosperous community of Greenwood. It is to the memory of the lost lives and promise of Greenwood that we’ve dedicated The Greenwood Initiative: a plan to address the systematic bias that has kept Black Americans from building wealth.

THE GREENWOOD PLAN WILL: • Create 1 million new Black homeowners • Double the number of new Black-owned businesses • Invest $70 billion in the country’s 100 most disadvantaged neighborhoods

Fixing the System for Black Families. When I was mayor of New York, I was proud to take on the systematic inequality that held back too many New Yorkers. We increased education funding, built 650 new schools and raised Black graduation rates to record highs. We led an ambitious effort to reduce poverty and managed the largest amount of affordable housing in the nation. And as President, I will work even more aggressively to combat inequality nationwide.

I understand that undoing generations of systematic discrimination won’t happen overnight, but we can make progress with a clear vision and a comprehensive plan. I’ve included a pamphlet along with this letter that lays out my plan. When I’m President, implementing The Greenwood Initiative will be a top priority.

Join me in ending the systemic inequality that has held Black Americans back for too long!

Sincerely,

Mike Bloomberg

For more information visit

MikeForBlackAmerica.com

PAID FOR BY MIKE BLOOMBERG 2020

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NEWS

Sustainable Home Upgrades for Better Health Family Features - When you’re on a quest to create a home environment that promotes wellness, it can be difficult to know where to begin. One easy solution is to look for small changes that improve your personal well-being while also promoting a better environment overall.

Consider these sustainable projects and changes for a healthier, happier household: Rethink window treatments. Windows can affect a home in numerous ways, both good and bad. On the upside, ambient light is a natural mood-boosting alternative to energy-hungry fixtures. Windows add character, and the right window treatments can play an essential role in a decorative scheme. In the winter, windows can also be natural conveyors of the sun’s heat, reducing your reliance on energy.

You may also be surprised to learn that the window treatments you choose to help manage light and climate can play a big role in your home’s health and sustainability. Drapes can be difficult to clean, which means they can trap dirt, dust and other allergens that tarnish air quality. Many blinds use synthetic materials, making them less than ideal earth-conscious options.

Your best bet is bamboo or wood treatments that are certified as eco-friendly and easy to keep clean.

Lessen the laundry load. Reducing the amount of laundry you do not only saves time but is also better for the environment. Washing clothes accounts for 15-40% of the water consumption for an average family of four, according to Home Water Works, and the annual energy consumption of typical electric clothes dryers often equals the cost of

An alternative like a heated towel rack uses less energy than a standard dryer (about the same amount of electricity as a few light bulbs).

running a new energy-efficient refrigerator, clothes washer and dishwasher combined.

An alternative like a heated towel rack uses less energy than a standard dryer (about the same amount of electricity as a few light bulbs). Not only does an option like an Amba heated

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

towel rack save energy and time by reducing the frequency of washing towels, it keeps them dry and free of mold and mildew between washes. Plus, wrapping up in a warm towel can help reduce joint stiffness and muscle spasms, according to research by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

With 150 affordable mounted and free-standing models made from 100% recyclable, marine-grade stainless steel, and custom color options available, it can be easy to add a stylish accent to bathrooms, laundry rooms or mudrooms.

Reduce household chemicals. It may seem that the stronger, the better is the best approach when it comes to fighting dirt and germs, but in fact, there are many negative health and environmental impacts from harsh cleaners. Opt instead for more natural formulas that deliver the same clean with fewer synthetic ingredients.

Aside from cleaners, there are likely numerous other sources of potentially risky chemicals throughout your home, including furniture, clothing and bedding that requires dry cleaning. Products containing chemical dyes and synthetic materials are not only potential irritants, they often also carry the weight of lesser earth-friendly production practices.

Linens made from natural materials may help you avoid unnecessary exposure to chemicals, and you can readily find options that help alleviate concerns about allergens and allow you to support sustainable manufacturing practices.

Learn more about sustainable products and ideas for a health-conscious home at ambaproducts.com.

SOURCE: Amba Products

10 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

12 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Feb. 26, 2020

Coke - 10"w x 13”h - Black History Month 36 USC 220506 © 2020 THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

Job No: 401783112_05b Client Name: Coca-Cola Description: Black History Month

Trim: 10" x 13" Max Density: 240