Citizen Suburban Times Weekly 5-19-2021

Y O U R S O U R C E F O R C O R O N AV I R U S N E W S

Citizen Week of May 19, 2021

| Vol. 4 | No. 41 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

For the eight year, Southland College Prep Charter High School, had all its seniors get accepted to college. Photos provided by Monica Fountain

SOUTHLAND COLLEGE PREP CLASS OF 2021 ALL ACCEPTED INTO COLLEGE All 138 seniors at Southland College Prep Charter High School have been accepted into college.

To commemorate the accomplishment, the class hosted a virtual “All-In” Celebration. PAGE 2

Illinois economy shrinks 4% in 2020 despite 4th quarter growth

As Young Adults Continue to Navigate the Challenges Posed by COVID-19, Seize the Awkward is Here to Help

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ThePureBag® Collection Designed To Protect Against Germs Page 4

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

NEWS

Southland College Prep Class of 2021 All Accepted Into College Continued from page 1

BY TIA CAROL JONES

All 138 seniors at Southland College Prep Charter High School have been accepted into college. To commemorate the accomplishment, the class hosted a virtual “All-In” Celebration.

Amira Jones is the salutatorian. She will be attending Cornell University in the fall. She gained acceptance into 17 schools. She said Southland College Prep has a great reputation of getting a 100 percent acceptance rate. “It’s still a surreal feeling given the whole pandemic and the way we were able to conquer our challenges,” she said.

Ryanne Howard, who will be attending Howard University in the fall, added that Southland has an expectation that all members of the class will be accepted into college.

She gained acceptance into 20 colleges.

Clifford Underwood, who will attend Purdue University in the fall, said he didn’t expect to be where he is today. He said the pandemic gave him time to reflect and discover what his true potential could be. “This school year has been more self-taught for me and I’ve been a lot more independent. It allowed for more selfgrowth and ultimately, I think it really shows how far we’ve actually come and makes it stronger that we went through this, in relation to other classes, especially at Southland,” he said.

Robert Lane is the director of college admissions and alumni relations at Southland College Prep Charter High School, which opened in 2010. Lane said the one thing he impresses upon educational leaders to civic leaders is to set the expectation for young people because once that is done, they will reach it. “I believe in their innate intelligence and their innate limitless potential. I think Southland has done a good job to set

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Amira Jones Salutatorian at Southland College Prep Charter High School was accepted at 17 Colleges. She will attend Cornell University in the Fall. Photos provided by Monica Fountain

Clifford Underwood will attend Purdue University in the Fall. Photos provided by Monica Fountain

an unashamedly high expectation, knowing that you could easily fail, but we chose not to,” he said, adding that with this year, school leadership decided not to lower expectations because of the pandemic. Lane said throughout the years, the students at Southland have come to believe that they can reach the goals they have set. “This is a true challenge of intrinsic motivation. There is nothing that we, as educators, could do in this pandemic without a student’s individual effort and decision to rise up. And, that’s what our class did.

That’s what Clifford did, that’s what Amira did, that’s what Ryanne did, and they did it all in their individual ways,” he said.

Dr. Blondean Davis, CEO of Southland College Prep Charter High School, said this is the eighth year at the school where all seniors have been accepted into college. “This is going to make such a difference in our homes and

our communities, and this is the future that we’re looking at and so we have to do everything we can to make sure they’re prepared academically,” she said.

Davis said Southland found out early on that it was one thing for a student to get into a top college or university. It was another to make sure they could stay at that school financially. She said many middle-class households cannot afford to send students to schools that might cost $50,000 to $60,000 per year. “We had to become just as aggressive in seeking merit-based scholarships and funding for our students, really for the family, as we were in preparing students academically,” she said, adding that it has worked.

Davis said, this year, two students are going to Stanford and two are going to UC Berkeley. She said with those opportunities, comes students leaving what they know to having

New Policy Brief Calls for Prioritization of Education Over Criminalization During Tough Budget Fights A recently released policy brief

by The Leadership Conference Education Fund shows that, in previous moments of economic crisis, state policymakers have moved to cut education spending in favor of protecting funding for prisons, police, and courts — a choice with particularly harmful consequences in highpoverty, Black, Native, Latino, and immigrant communities, according to a press release.

“Budgets are moral documents.

Faced with the lost revenue of the Great Recession, state policymakers chose to protect mass incarceration over education and investing in our future. As they face tough budget

decisions again, they must not repeat the mistakes of the past,” said Steven Almazán, K-12 education program analyst at The Leadership Conference Education Fund. “State policymakers have the power, the opportunity, and the responsibility to make better choices about how and where to prioritize funds. We need the necessary investments in communities to advance equity and justice, and create opportunities for people to realize their full social, economic, and political rights.”

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. www.citizennewspapergroup.com

Ryanne Howard was accepted at 20 college.

She will attend Howard University in the Fall Photos provided by Monica Fountain

different experiences.

Davis said 2020 was the most difficult school year for Southland. She said she pushed back prom and had a staggered graduation, with one student and up to four family members.

This year, she said parents and students understood what to expect from this school year. The year started fully remote with hybrid in January and there will be a mini graduation with 12 students at a time. She added, this year, she knew this class was going to be okay.

“They were focused and they modified the way they approached things,” she said, adding that 100 percent of the class of 2021 took the ACT and SAT. “We’re doing what we’ve always done. We’re looking at this with a long lens.

Education has to be that the community — and we’re a part of the community—is active in making sure the children are successful.”

As Young Adults Continue to Navigate the Challenges Posed by COVID-19, Seize the Awkward is Here to Help To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month and the continual impact of COVID-19 on the lives of young people, Seize the Awkward is launching several partnerships throughout the month of May, equipping young people with the inspiration, tools and language to check in on one another’s mental health.

Throughout the past year, many young adults have been forced to miss significant life events or milestones like graduation, starting a new job or moving out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New research indicates that these abrupt pandemic-related changes have taken their toll on the mental health of young adults.

To encourage young people

to check in with one another, the Seize the Awkward Instagram recently released an original, four-part video series featuring Dr. Doreen Marshall of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Dr. Wenimo Okoya of The Jed Foundation (JED). Throughout the series, Drs. Marshall and Okoya will offer tips to help 16-24-year-olds spot the signs of a friend who may be struggling, ways to reach out and start a conversation and tools to follow up.

To learn more about the campaign, visit SeizeTheAwkward.org and @ SeizeTheAwkward on Instagram.

To get immediate, free support 24/7, call 1-800-273-8255 or text “SEIZE” to 741741.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

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POLITISCOPE

Georgia voter suppression efforts may not change election results much harder may not, however, be enough to stop people from voting. There is significant political science research showing that changes to voting options and absentee ballot use don’t meaningfully affect voter turnout.

For instance, permitting most citizens to vote by absentee ballot does not give either party an electoral advantage. Such findings suggest that restricting voting by mail won’t help one party over the other, either.

BY BERNARD TAMAS

There has been understandable outrage and widespread criticism of the new voting laws in Georgia – and of similar efforts in other states.

These laws would likely make voting more difficult, including by reducing options for voting and making it harder to use an absentee ballot.

My research indicates, however, that such measures may not change election results much, if at all.

Most U.S. voting districts at both the congressional and state legislative levels are safely controlled by one party or the other. Laws that slightly reduce the number of potential voters are unlikely to shift power in Congress and state legislatures significantly.

In addition, my analysis has found that Republican-led partisan gerrymandering efforts actually work against voter suppression measures, by packing Democratic voters into relatively few districts that the party wins easily. That means Democrats have fewer competitive seats to potentially lose, even when some of their supporters are kept from the polls.

History of voter suppression Voting access laws have changed considerably since the end of the Jim Crow era in the mid-20th century.

The American public then was far more willing to accept overt voter

Bernard Tamas

suppression requirements, like poll taxes and literacy tests, which were widely used in Southern states to keep African Americans from voting.

But the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s undermined public support for those laws. As a result, current state governments that want to reduce voter access to the polls have to find less obvious methods to do so.

When they devise methods to limit voting now, state governments have to claim that such measures will protect voting integrity or save taxpayer money. This ends up limiting the aggressiveness of voter suppression measures that states can enact, which in turn reduces their potential effectiveness.

Georgia’s new laws don’t really affect who is eligible to vote, but they do make voting more difficult for poorer populations and those living in urban areas. Making access

Election margins in Georgia In situations where many districts are closely divided, a small amount of voter suppression can change the balance of power. But if most districts are clearly dominated by one party or the other, then flipping its control would require much more effort to reduce voter turnout.

At this point in American history, most election outcomes are predictable. Partially as a result of gerrymandering, most districts are reliably won by a large percentage of the vote. In 2020, for example, Georgia Democrats won close elections in just one out of 56 state Senate races and seven out of 180 state House races.

This is where my research has identified the opposing impacts of gerrymandering and voter suppression. In Georgia, both congressional and state legislative elections are impacted by gerrymandering.

In 2020, nearly two-thirds of the Democratic seats in the Georgia General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives were won in races where Republicans didn’t even field a candidate. Just 1% of the Democratic wins were by close margins of less than 2 percentage points.

By the 2022 midterm elections, state governments will redraw all legislative district lines. These new districts will almost certainly be equally or more gerrymandered than they are today. Redistricting is therefore not likely to significantly reduce existing vote margins.

Unlike legislative elections, statewide races in Georgia have become far closer in recent years. In the 2018 gubernatorial election, for instance, Republican Brian Kemp beat Democrat Stacey Abrams by just over 1% of the vote. During the 2021 U.S. Senate runoffs, Democrat Jon Ossoff beat Republican David Perdue by just over 1% of the vote and Democrat Raphael Warnock beat Republican Kelly Loeffler by 2%.

However, limiting absentee voting and increasing wait times at the polls may not be enough to shave off even a few percentage points of Democratic voters across all of Georgia.

What’s at stake The real problem Georgia Republicans are facing is not that more Georgia Democrats are voting.

Rather, the state’s long-term demographic shift means more Georgians will vote Democratic.

As large groups of people move into the state from elsewhere, many of them are far more liberal than the current Georgia population. And just like in other states, younger people in Georgia tend to be more liberal and prone to vote Democratic than their parents’ and grandparents’ generation.

Gerrymandering districts may slow the electoral effects of these demographic changes. But creating long lines and increasing voter identification requirements will not reduce voting by enough to make a real difference. If anything, the new, restrictive laws appear to be more about rallying the Republican base than changing electoral outcomes.

That said, it would be unwise to ignore even these low levels of voter suppression. If people are comfortable with these rules, that could pave the way for higher levels of suppression, which could have larger effects, up to and including unassailable single-party political control that serves to undermine U.S. democracy.

Bernard Tamas is an associate professor of Political Science at Valdosta State University.

NEWS

Illinois economy shrinks 4% in 2020 despite 4th quarter growth Entertainment, hospitality sectors hardest hit

BY PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

Springfield – The Illinois economy shrank by 4 percent in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on many of its sectors, although there were signs of a recovery taking place late in the year.

Those preliminary numbers, released recently by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, showed that the leisure, hospitality and food service sector was the hardest hit by the pandemic, reporting a nearly 30 percent drop in economic output for the year.

That was due to the forced closure of bars, restaurants, theaters, amusement parks and most tourist attractions in the early phases of the pandemic, as well as the cancellation of

large conventions and business meetings.

“You look at the various industries, many of which got impacted by COVID, but I don’t think any industry was impacted as much as hotels and tourism,” Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, said during an interview. “We saw the impacts begin before some people even realized what COVID was because you started seeing conventions and large-scale meetings begin to cancel. And unfortunately, those same events that really are the lifeblood of our industry, are going to be some of the last events to begin back up again.”

According to BEA, real gross domestic product decreased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2020. Utah, with a 0.1 percent shrinkage rate, fared the best, while Hawaii’s state economy shrank 8 percent. The average shrink-

age rate for the U.S. as a whole was 3.5 percent.

Accommodation and food services were a contributing factor to the declines in all 50 states and D.C., and they were the leading contributor to the decreases in 38 states plus D.C. Other industries that suffered in Illinois included transportation and warehousing, down 14 percent; nongovernment services, down 12.3 percent; manufacturing, down 7.3 percent; wholesale trade, down 5 percent; and retail trade, down 2.3 percent.

The one bright spot in the state’s economy was the agriculture sector, which grew by nearly 68 percent over the previous year. That was largely the result of a bad harvest year in 2019, followed by a good one in 2020.

When the numbers are broken out on a quarterly basis, however, the biggest drop in economic output occurred during the 2nd quarter, April-June, when Illinois was under

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the most severe economic restrictions. The economy began to pick up in the 3rd quarter, and by the 4th quarter was growing at an annualized rate of 3.5 percent.

But the recovery has not been even across all sectors, and the leisure and hospitality industries continue to suffer.

Jacobson says he does not expect the hotel industry to come back fully to pre-pandemic levels until sometime in 2024. The question for his industry, he said, is how many hotels will be able to survive financially until that time.

“I mean, you’ve seen some very notable hotel names across the state, the Palmer House being one of our largest hotels in the state, and obviously the most notable one that’s been foreclosed so far,” he said. “But if a hotel that size, owned by one of the large real estate investment companies can get foreclosed, imagine the little guys who own most of the hotels in our state, how bad they’re suffering.”

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FASHION Children’s Accessory Line Lily Frilly Makes History By Becoming The Youngest Black-Owned Brand on Walmart’s Shelves

Bennett Bag - shown in Graphite

Germ Protection Is IN the Bag! Spread Love, Not Germs ThePureBag® Collection Designed To Protect Against Germs ThePureBag® company launched in 2018 (preCovid) with antimicrobial bags + accessories for adventuring lifestyles. According to a press release, the healthcare-grade antimicrobial fabric protects against germs -- inside and out -- and prevents public microorganisms from tracking on your bag into your home, office and personal space. The collection includes totes, backpacks, crossbody bags, and zipper pouches to stow your personal items for safe-keeping.

ThePureBag products have been featured on the Today Show, Shameless and will now be available in select Nordstrom stores throughout the country and are currently available online.

“Throughout my professional career, family life and personal development I have faced every challenge with a positive, focused, creative plan of action. I was on track, accomplished and fulfilled.

Until I was struck by a devastating illness – related to my work/personal fitness routine. It seems that germs hitch-hiked a ride home on my bag and after touching the bag and then my face, I infected myself.

“After months of sickness and suffering, with a string of inconclusive medical results, I had an epiphany about protecting myself and others from these invisible

Lily Frilly, a line of children’s hair accessories, clothing and more, recently announced their first launch into 1,102 Walmart stores and on their website, Walmart.com this month. Part-owned and run by the brand’s namesake, Lily Adeleye, a 6-year-old hailing from Orlando, Florida, this launch is a historic step for both the Lily Frilly company and for the retailer itself.

With this introduction into the retailer, a new assortment of the brand’s hair bows, exclusively designed for the Walmart partnership, will be available for purchase. These new and exclusive designs include the Gold & Glitter Hair Bow, Galaxy Girl Hair Bow, Safari Party Hair Bow and the Candy Rush Hair Bow. This big step in the brand’s trajectory is met with excitement from both Lily and her mother, mogul, Courtney Adeleye. With this being their second retailer launch (the first being at Target just last year), they hope having a young girl like Lily with product on shelves helps to inspire the next generation of girls to dream big, and that with a little tenacity, no matter their age, they can accomplish their goals and look cute while doing it.

According to Courtney, “Lily Frilly started out as a brand my daughter Lily and myself created, as I have always believed it’s important to let your children follow their passions,

whether that be art, sports or in this case, growing a business.” She continued, “Now, Lily Frilly has become so much more than just that – it’s become a brand children love, as well as a symbol of inspiration and confidence for young girls as well as for the black community. It’s amazing to see what kids can do, and we’re so glad Walmart is providing this platform to give Lily Frilly the room and attention it warrants.”

According to Walmart’s Omni Associate Merchant Hair Accessories Jennifer Aguirre, “We are excited to bring Lily Frilly to Walmart and honored to work with Lily Adeleye, as she represents the youngest founder among our Black-Owned business initiative. We have been enchanted

by Lily’s ingenuity and designs. We are certain that the assortment will captivate our young customers and inspire them to express their beauty and confidence with their hair.”

For more information and to find a store location near you, visit LilyFrilly.com or Walmart.com.

Miami Swimwear Line Aims to Help Women Around the World

Pure Backpack - shown in Steel Grey

public microorganism threats. And ThePureBag was born!” says Lori Gildea, chief lifestyle officer.

Each product is designed and crafted in the USA and all materials are sourced through local suppliers.

For more information on the company and products, email info@thepurebag.com and visit http:// www.thepurebag.com/ www.citizennewspapergroup.com

JAMS by Jillian is a newly founded Miami Beach based swimwear brand inspired by the vibrant colors and patterns of South Beach.

JAMS by Jillian’s collections are designed for the modern and creative soul who dares to experiment with fashion by incorporating contemporary shapes, intense colors with a fusion of innocence and seductiveness.

Launched and debuted during DC Swim Week 2020, JAMS by Jillian features a variety of styles, all made in the United States and created by Mangi.

The latest collection consists of onepiece to two-piece bikinis with bright hues and metallics combined using mesh, lace, and faux leather fabrics.

Some suits from this collection can also be worn as bodysuits with jeans or a skirt for a fun casual night out.

Jillian Mangi, a New York native, moved to Miami in 2014, where she

discovered her passion for swimwear design and philanthropy. Combining both of her passions, Mangi created her swimwear line, and made the decision to donate $2 of every bathing suit purchased to further women’s education and future. The non-profit organizations that JAMS by Jillian is currently partnered with are: PERIOD, She’s The First, and One Love.

“As a woman, I feel it’s important to give back to other women as we have all come such a long way and that should be celebrated,” says Mangi. “Self-success is great but giving back is working towards changing someone else’s life and that means the world to me.”

All swimwear in this collection is designed and manufactured in Miami, FL. Prices range from $42 to $150, and all styles are available in sizes Small to Extra Large and can be found online at www.jamsbyjillian.com.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

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NEWS

ConocoPhillips Heads Diversity and Inclusion Efforts in the Oil and Gas Industry

BY STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

With projections that half of its workforce will consist of minorities by 2040, the oil and gas industry has continued to recruit individuals of color, women, veterans, and groups that have been mainly underrepresented.

At ConocoPhillips, Shawn Green and Maalika Moore-Thomas each take an optimistic approach to recruiting some of the best minority talent and minds.

Green, the manager of global services and technology, and Moore-Thomas, the senior supplier diversity coordinator, also keep a steady eye on diversity and inclusion with ConocoPhillips’ contractors and suppliers.

“My day-to-day is basically working with our diverse suppliers from various backgrounds – minorities, LGBTQ community, and veterans – to ensure that our supplier base is well-rounded and to make sure that we have those diverse suppliers that we contract within our oil and gas specific jobs, as well as our professional services jobs,” Moore-Thomas asserted.

Green’s role is “to set the supply chain approach and strategy for automation, data analytics, and merchant technology,” he stated.

“I’m ultimately accountable for the development approach for those programs that are under my purview.”

Moore-Thomas added that ConocoPhillips and the industry continue to work toward a more inclusive environment that reflects different

backgrounds, interests, and perspectives.

Green concurred.

“One of our major initiatives is ensuring we have suppliers for the variety of categories and sourcing opportunities we have,” Green remarked.

“It’s really about making sure that we have a line of sight to those opportunities and a pipeline to diverse suppliers.”

Added Moore-Thomas, “The importance of diversity is not just talking points or conversation. We believe each person is accountable for creating and sustaining an inclusive work environment.

It’s important to have diversity in backgrounds, but it’s important to have diversity in thought and perspective at each table where decision making takes place.”

Raised in a single-family home in Tampa, Florida,

Moore-Thomas later attended The Ohio State University and earned two degrees in psychology and criminology.

While working as a buyer for a small company, Moore-Thomas received a message from a ConocoPhillips manager that intrigued her enough to relocate to Houston eventually.

“I became very interested in oil and gas through learning about how much this industry truly influences the way we work and live,” Moore-Thomas said.

“I applied for the position and never looked back.”

Green grew up in Houston, where he lived with his grandparents.

He said his primary focus was acquiring an education.

Green attended a magnet high school where engineers from Exxon often mentored

Shawn Green

Maalika Moore-Thomas

him and other students.

Green attended Tulane University, where he majored in chemical engineering, and he later received an MBA with finance and management concentrations.

Both Green and Moore-Thomas have pitched the industry to students at historically Black colleges and universities, and they continue to encourage all minorities about oil and gas.

“I have worked in this industry for 24 years, but my first exposure was in high school,” Green recalled.

“Over the years, I think we’ve made steady strides in energizing folks to under-

stand the industry more. I know we have more work to do in having that awareness and outreach (regarding diversity and inclusion).”

Moore-Thomas said “all hands are on deck” in creating a more diverse and inclusive industry. “[We are] figuring out how we can better task force, or diversify, the space,” she added.

Green concluded that the industry is keen on developing programs and strategies to increase diversity in the workforce.

“It’s a great time to be in the industry,” he exclaimed.

“It’s a great time to be at the forefront of change. There will be a lot of opportunities.”

COMMUNITY ENERGY CENTER

America’s Pandemic Recovery Relies on Energy Energy Workers And Company Leaders Are Supporting the COVID-19 Relief Support Effort: • Providing supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE); • Philanthropic community efforts to provide fuel gift cards, sanitizers, clothing, face coverings, and meals to hospitals, fire and police departments throughout the U.S.; • Supplying jet fuel at no cost to critical companies and airlines to transport PPE deliveries and restore air service to remote communities; • Providing fuel discounts to first responders and others who serve their communities; • Donating ultra-low temperature freezers to health organization to help keep vaccines at their required storage temperature.

To learn more about how energy helps your community, visit CommunityEnergyCenter.org

The Community Energy Center, a cooperative with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Hispanic Publications Media, will provide information and perspectives on the integral role of the energy sector in daily life for American families in a wide range of communities.

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CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

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NEWS Keeping Your Kids Covered—Finding Health Insurance Post-Graduation NAPSI—Does your college graduate need health insurance? Perhaps this is the last thing you are asking yourself but may be among the most significant. About one in five people in their 20s do not have health insurance, according to recent studies.

However, one unexpected illness or accident could have long-lasting health and financial consequences.

“Choosing the right health coverage may seem difficult as many people have never shopped for their own health insurance or worry that they cannot afford it,” said Mark Smith, president of HealthMarkets Insurance Agency, one of the largest independent health insurance agencies in the United States. “There is a wide range of coverage options available to meet your child’s unique care needs and financial situation post-graduation.”

And now is the time to start. Many colleges and universities require under-graduate and graduate students to purchase health care coverage while enrolled. While some may have coverage under your health insurance, others choose health insurance offered through the school, in collaboration with health insurers.

Students have until their plan expiration dates, which vary by plans, to enroll in new ones. So “Step One,” know when that is.

getcovered.com to get started. Working with licensed insurance agents, individuals can learn what they are eligible for, including Medicare/Medicaid options, or find commercial health plans that best meet their individual needs. Agents can also help them enroll in these plans, where they are able.

Parents of college students and other young adults can take steps to make sure their kids have the health insurance coverage they need.

Health Care Coverage Guidance and Enrollment Support Families can find support through health care marketplaces, insurance carriers, insurance brokers and other licensed insurance agents to help determine what plan is best.

For example, GetCovered, powered by HealthMarkets, is a free service that provides guidance for people who need health coverage. Call (877) 270-0029 or visit www.

Questions to Ask To find the right coverage, it’s important to know what’s available, what to ask, and what information is needed to enroll. To narrow the options, know: •When does your child’s current coverage end?

•Is coverage under my plan an option? — Under the Affordable Care Act’s “Age 26” rule, you may maintain or add your children to your plan until their 26th birthday or another date that year, as long as you are enrolled, and additional premiums are paid. Go to https:// www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/ young-adult-coverage for more details.

Also, be sure to check your state regulations as some have extended eligibility beyond age 26.

•What benefits does my child need or want?

•What can we afford?—Think about what portion of his or her monthly budget can be used for health coverage or other insurance.

Young adults may be eligible for additional options based on their specific financial

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situation.

Health Coverage Options If coverage under the “Age 26” rule is not an option, here are others to consider: •Medicaid/Medicare—While Medicare coverage is primarily available to individuals over age 65, Medicaid eligibility is based on income, disability and other circumstances.

•Individual exchange/marketplace plans— These ACA plans are available through federal or state enrollment sites. Based on your income, you may be eligible for plan subsidies, making one of these plans more affordable.

Graduation would be a “qualifying life event” to enroll in an ACA plan outside of the annual Open Enrollment Period.

•Short-term plans—Short-term limited duration insurance coverage provides temporary coverage to bridge the gap between longer-term insurance coverage. These plans have a fixed duration of a few months to even several years and generally will offer less robust coverage than ACA plans.

“Regardless if your family chooses to do their own research and enrollment or engage outside services, determining what your graduate may need and can afford will help you find good health coverage that ensures your child has access to care now,” Smith said.

8 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

HOME The missed home improvement step putting you and your community at risk (BPT) - What do planting a tree, building a patio, installing a pool and putting up a fence have in common? These popular home improvement projects add value to your home, and they all require an important safety step: getting utility lines marked before digging.

With so many people spending more time at home during the pandemic, homeowners are tackling DIY projects at growing levels - 19.5 million Americans plan to dig this year for a home improvement project, according to the Spring 2021 Homeowner Omnibus Research from Common Ground Alliance (CGA). Unfortunately, two in five homeowners will miss the crucial step to call 811 to get utility lines marked before they dig.

Tempted to skip this step? You are putting yourself, your family and your entire community at risk. Unintentionally striking one of these lines can result in inconvenient outages for entire neighborhoods, serious harm to yourself or your neighbors, and significant repair costs.

CGA research found that a third of American homeowners have been affected by a utility service interruption during the pandemic. This can be particularly frustrating as people spend more time at home, relying on essential utilities to work, study and stay entertained. You don't want your digging activity to be the reason your neighborhood faces an inconvenient outage, or worse.

If you think it won't happen, think again. "A utility line is damaged every few minutes in the U.S. because someone decided to dig without making a call to 811 to learn the approximate location of buried utilities in their area," says Sarah Magruder Lyle, President and CEO of CGA. "Calling 811 to get utilities marked before digging is free and easy, and will protect you, your community and the utilities you rely on."

Follow these safe digging steps each time you dig: Step 1: A free phone call to 811 makes it easy for your local one call center to notify appropriate utility companies of your intent to dig. Call a few days prior to digging to ensure enough time for the approximate location of utility lines to be marked with flags or paint.

Step 2: Know where you plan to dig and have a basic idea of what you plan to do. When you call 811, a representative from your local one call center will ask for the location and description of your digging project.

Step 3: Your local one call center will notify affected utility companies, which will then send professional locators to the proposed dig site to mark the approximate location of buried utility lines with colored flags and paint.

Step 4: Wait the required amount of time for the lines to be marked. Once all lines have been accurately marked, carefully dig around the marked areas.

There are nearly 20 million miles of underground utility lines in the United States, which equates to more than a football field's length of utilities for every person in the U.S. Your family depends on this buried infrastructure for your everyday needs, including electric, natural gas, water and sewer, cable TV, high-speed internet and landline telephone.

With that much critical infrastructure underground, it's important to know what's below and call 811 before digging. To find out more information about 811 or the one call center in your area, visit www.call811.com.

New to Plant Parenting? Here’s What You Need to Know (StatePoint) Plant parenthood among Millennials and Gen Z has been on the rise in recent years, and time spent at home throughout the pandemic has inspired even more people to start houseplant collections.

In fact, over the past year, searches including “indoor plants,” “buy plants” and “plant delivery” spiked, as many set out to create beautiful, calming sanctuaries at home and spruce up their Zoom backgrounds.

Why the sudden interest? Houseplants are grounding, keep you connected to the Earth and even help reduce stress. Their care also provides an excuse to take a much-needed break in the day. Plants make your world a happier place and add immeasurable value to everyday life. Whether you’re preparing to purchase your first-ever houseplant or you’re expanding an ever-growing collection, learn how you can return the favor by being the best possible plant parent.

Understand Your Plant’s Needs While plant purchases tend to be spur-of-the-moment, there are plenty of steps you can take once you get home to ensure a great life for your plants. Explore the wealth of care instructions and guides online outlining recommended watering schedules and other necessary considerations. For busy plant parents or those looking to build collections in their office spaces, low-maintenance plants are the way to go. If your space is short on windows, seek out adaptable low-light plants that thrive outside of direct sunlight, such as ivy or spider plants.

Don’t Forget Furry Friends If you’re already a pet parent too, don’t worry! Many houseplants won’t pose any threats to the fur babies in your home. Top pet-friendly houseplants include Curly Spiders, Baby Rubber Plants, Echeveria, Gasteria, Haworthia, Peperomia, Nerve Plants, Fluffy Ruffles Ferns, Rabbit's Foot Ferns and Staghorn Ferns. When in doubt, foliage and succulents brand Wild Interiors helps potential plant and current pet parents by offering a handy online guide and paw print icons indicating pet-friendly options.

Not-So-Green Thumb Finally, as you embark on your plant parenthood journey, avoid common houseplant mistakes. When it comes to indoor plant care, many problems stem from loving and caring for your plants too much!

Overwatering, over fertilizing and over adjusting the plant’s location or pot situation can all do more harm than good, despite your best intentions. Also keep in mind that many plants require less care and attention during fall and winter months.

Ready to test your green thumb and take the leap into plant parenthood? Visit wildinteriors.com to explore more plant care tips and keep an eye out for its collection of succulent and foliage plants at a retailer near you.

And if you ever find yourself wondering if you need another plant, just remember: plants are self-care!

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

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9

It presents three salient facts: First, is color line murder. Second, crimes against women is the excuse, not the cause. Third, it is a national crime and requires a national remedy solution. Proof that follows the color line is to be found in the statistics which have been kept for the past twentyfive years. During the few years precede before this period and while frontier law existed, showed a majority of white victims.

Later, however, as law courts and authorized judiciary extended into the far West, law rapidly abated decreased, and its white Beginning victims became few and far between. Just as the -law regime came to a close in the FRI MAY 21 8 PM West, a new mob movement started in Streaming wttw.com/idabwells the South. This was wholly political, its #IdaBWellsWTTW purpose be to suppress limit the colored vote by intimidation and murder spread

10 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

NEWS

Housing Gains Could Grow Black Wealth More Than $500 Billion in a Decade Incremental increases in homeownership rates and home values among Black households would help shrink the current $3 trillion racial wealth gap by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade, according to a new Zillow analysis.

Today’s typical Black household has only about 23% of the wealth of a typical White household, down from 34.6% before the Great Recession. Housing factors — including lower home values and rates of homeownership — directly account for nearly 40% of that gap, with assets like investments in stocks and bonds and retirement accounts making up the rest.

“Housing will be a prominent factor determining the course of the racial wealth gap over the next decade,” says Zillow economist Treh Manhertz. “The issues caused by historic discrimination won’t be solved quickly, but addressing things like increasing access to credit, more-equitable lending standards and reducing exclusionary zoning could make buying more accessible and bring significant strides toward closing the wealth gap. In the most optimistic scenario, Black millennials could see housing equality in their retirement, and finally pass on some real wealth to the next generation.”

About 42% of Black households own their home, compared to 72% of White households, and Black-owned homes are typically worth about 18% less than White-owned homes.

Zillow estimates that if Black homeownership rates and home values rose to match those of their White counterparts, Black wealth would more than double (from $931 billion to $2.1 trillion).

Zillow analyzed home value growth and homeownership rate changes for Black households under five different scenarios through 2031. In the most optimistic, Black wealth

Incremental increases in homeownership rates and home values among Black households would help shrink the current $3 trillion racial wealth gap by hundreds of billions of dollars.

would grow by more than half a trillion dollars — from $931 billion to $1.46 trillion.

In the most likely, it would increase to about $1.18 trillion.

In that most likely scenario — which projects Black home values growing 5% faster than home values generally and Black homeownership growing at 0.5 percentage points per year — equality in housing wealth wouldn’t come until 2183. If Black home values grow 15% faster than home values

generally and Black homeownership grows at 1.5 percentage points per year — the most optimistic scenario explored in the analysis — the timeline for housing wealth equality is moved up to 2066.

Opposite of the disproportionate hit taken during the Great Recession, Black households saw modest progress in narrowing the wealth gap during and leading up to the pandemic, a small start toward reversing trends that helped widened the gap over the past decade. This

was largely due to housing gains. For example, the Black homeownership rate grew about one percentage point between early 2019 and early 2020, while the White homeownership rate stayed flat.

Black-owned home values have also grown just over one percentage point faster than White-owned home values each year for the last three years. In February 2020, Blackowned home values were up 4.6% from a year earlier, while White home values were up 3.6%. In February 2021, Black home values were up 10.9% from the previous year, while White home values were up 9.7%. This faster appreciation among Black-owned homes narrowed the overall home value gap from 16.7% to 15.9%.

Further, the analysis shows that Black homeownership rates and home values contribute equally to the housing portion of the overall wealth gap. If the Black homeownership rate increased by five percentage points the wealth gap would decrease by $74 billion.

If home values increased by five percentage points the reduction would be $31 billion.

Combined, alleviating these two disparities could cut the wealth gap by about 40%, to $1.9 trillion.

Lenders deny mortgages for Black applicants at a rate 80% higher than that of White applicants. The relationship between housing factors and the racial wealth gap underscores the urgency of efforts like expanding access to credit and other initiatives that break down color barriers to homeownership.

“It’s abundantly clear that this issue won’t solve itself naturally or quickly. The problems run deep and perpetuate inequality,” said Manhertz. “Intentional, targeted and dedicated policy is necessary to repair this broken system.”

OP-ED

If you don’t op-ed, will you get enough?”

BY JOEL SCHLOSBERG

After half a century, the New York Times will no longer publish an Op-Ed page — or at least not one under that name. Commentaries on the news written by contributors outside of the newspaper’s regular staff will be called “guest essays” to explain their role without using what opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury calls “clubby newspaper jargon” (“Why We’re Retiring the Term ‘Op-Ed’,” April 27).

Today’s readers may not realize

that “op-ed” is shorthand for placement “opposite the editorial” page in the layout of unfolded newsprint.

Yet while some of its format is specific to what one book title called “The Vanishing Newspaper” as early as 2004, the op-ed’s essentials deserve better than to silently crumble like the yellowing journalism of last week’s newspaper.

The format might seem to exemplify what Noam Chomsky calls mainstream media’s efforts “to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very

lively debate within that spectrum — even encourage the more critical and dissident views.” Chomsky’s own views were among the most critical and dissident solicited by the Times, an offer he declined because his academic background made “it enormously more difficult to write 700 words than 7000.”

Yet a tight argument made with a few hundred well-chosen words can lead general readers to more in-depth takes, and the range of disagreement that can be squeezed into them is broad indeed. Nearly a www.citizennewspapergroup.com

century ago, the immense newspaper chain of William Randolph Hearst gave Bertrand Russell the space to recommend the individualism of anarchist philosopher William Godwin as an antidote to “docility, suggestibility, herd-instinct and conventionality” and the notion “that social conformity is the beginning and end of virtue.”

Kingsbury insists that the ability of the public to have its perspectives heard directly via websites like Facebook and Substack “is to be welcomed” rather than feared, but

wonders whether “ideas can linger a while” in a cyberspace even more fixated on immediacy than the daily or weekly news cycles of print. The unfiltered energy of such formats, and of older ones like blogs and zines, can be focused rather than squelched by the sharpness and clarity pioneered by the humble op-ed.

New Yorker Joel Schlosberg is a contributing editor at The William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

CST Weekly

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Classifieds REAL ESTATES AC 5-5-2021 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION QUICKEN LOANS, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS INC Plaintiff, -v.- MICHAEL CHARLES, VELMA CHARLES Defendants 2020 CH 04945 1913 218TH PLACE SAUK VILLAGE, IL 60411 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 3, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 8, 2021, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1913 218TH PLACE, SAUK VILLAGE, IL 60411 Property Index No. 32-25-318-026-0000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $129,225.35.

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 twentyfour (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, 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 312885. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE 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 312-263-000 EMail: ilpleadings@potestivolaw.com Attorney File No. 312885 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 2020 CH 04945 TJSC#: 41-447 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 # 2020 CH 04945 I3168282 ____________________________ AC5-12-2021 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION VAK M100 FUND, LLC Plaintiff, -v.- DAMON RITEN-

HOUSE, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF BRENDA WALTHOUR, BARBARA DAVENPORT, STACEY WALTHOUR, JACQUELYN WILLIAMS, MIA WALTHOUR, KATHY DARDEN, GILBERT DARDEN, KIMBLE WALTHOUR, ROGUEST WALTHOUR, MONICA JACKSON, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF BRENDA WALTHOUR, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 2020CH02231 219 WASHINGTON STREET PARK FOREST, IL 60466 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 22, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 8, 2021, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 219 WASHINGTON STREET, PARK FOREST, IL 60466 Property Index No. 31-26-409-0290000 The real estate is improved with a single family 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 twentyfour (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. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff's Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088.

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. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-3469088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-06644IL-620654 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 2020CH02231 TJSC#: 41-663 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 # 2020CH02231 I3168441 ____________________________ HUD/BANK FORECLOSURES CITY & SUBURBS

Call: FRED D. CLINK (773) 294-5870 REALTY SERVICES CONSORTIUM ____________________________ 3+ Bedroom HOMES FOR SALE SELLER FINANCING Call: FRED D. CLINK (773) 294-5870 REALTY SERVICES CONSORTIUM ____________________________

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the uae 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; Y21006572 on APRIL 8, 2021. Under the Assumed Business Name of UNITING FAMILIES TOGETHER with the business located at: 50 W 71st STREET APT 603, CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60621.

The true and real full name (s) and residence address of the owner (s) /partner (s) is: Owner/Partner Full Name JERLENE WARD Complete Address: 50 W. 71ST STREET APT 603, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60621, USA ____________________________ 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: Y21006857on May 6, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of MRA TUTORING with the business located at: 5846 KATHRYN LANE, MATTESON, IL 60443. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: Owner/Partner Full Name Complete Address: KIMBERLY SUZETTE PETERZ-DENT 5846 KATHRYN LANE MATTESON, IL 60443, USA ____________________________

HELP WANTED DRIVERS New Starting Base Pay - .60cpm w/ option to make .70cpm for Class A CDL Flatbed Drivers, Excellent Benefits, Home Weekends, Call 800-648-9915 or www.boydandsons.com ____________________________

NOW LOOKING FOR TEAM PLAYERS!

Are you intersted in joining our Distribution Team? We are now accepting application for independent contractor distribution members. Applicants will be responsible for delivering free newspapers weekly to various locations. You must be a self starter and depedable. You must have own reliable insured vehicle. Contact Jeron at (773) 877.1638 or send email to: CNGdistribution@yahoo.com ____________________________

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PETS How to Drive Safely with Pets (StatePoint) Pets are beloved members of many families. In the U.S alone, about 85 million families own a pet. According to the American Pet Products Association, many of us also drive with our furry friends, from quick trips to the veterinarian’s office to longer road trip adventures.

A recent national survey by Erie Insurance found that more than half of its respondents plan to take at least one road trip this year and 4% plan on traveling with pets.

However, traveling with an animal can be dangerous if appropriate safety measures are not taken.

Celebrated in May, this National Pet Month is a good time to brush up on a few safety precautions: Tips for traveling with a dog: 1. Restrain your pet. A proper restraint will protect your dog if an accident should occur. The Center for Pet Safety recommends using a quality crash-tested harness to keep your dog safe.

2. Rein in your pooch. Allowing your dog to stick their head out the window is more dangerous than it seems. It can cause road debris to get into their eyes, nose and mouth and potentially lead to serious injuries.

3. Minimize distractions. Erie Insurance found in its recent national survey that 5% of respondents are distracted by their dog when driving. To avoid disruptions, keep them in the back seat and never allow your dog to sit on your lap.

Use a barrier to avoid a dog making its way to the front, and avoid feeding and playing with your dog while driving.

Tips for traveling with a cat: 1. Use a proper carrier. Cats become easily stressed when traveling. To keep them safe and comfortable, you’ll want to place them in a sturdy carrier that provides enough room for them to move around.

2. Practice safe exits. Only let your cat out of the carrier when parked. Make sure your cat is wearing a harness and leash before exiting the vehicle. Should your cat get startled and run, a harness and leash will allow you to rein them in, keeping them out of harm’s way.

General tips for traveling with pets: 1. Never leave a pet in a hot car.

Leaving any kind of pet alone in a vehicle is extremely dangerous.

According to the Humane Society of the Unites States, a vehicle’s temperature can quickly exceed 120 degrees in warm weather, leaving your pet at risk of brain damage, heat stroke and suffocation.

2. Be prepared in case of emergency. Should anything go wrong, plan to contact a nearby vet.

Healthypet.com allows you to search by ZIP code for American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accredited clinics.

Even when taking appropriate precautions, accidents still happen.

An auto insurance policy can protect you financially and provide peace of mind. Some companies, including Erie Insurance, offer coverage to help with vet treatment costs if your pet is hurt in a car accident.

“We recognize that pets are a valued part of many families,” said Jon Bloom, vice president of personal auto at Erie Insurance. “This is why we believe it’s so important to include pet coverage in our auto policy.”

To protect your beloved companions and your vehicle, talk to an insurance agent or visit ErieInsurance.com.

This National Pet Month, be sure you have all the know-how needed to comfortably and safely take any length car trip with your pet.

12 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 19, 2021

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