Citizen Suburban Times Weekly 8-1-2018

Citizen Week of Aug. 1, 2018

| Vol. 1 | No. 51 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

Residents of the Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U (SD 201-U) recently held a protest in front of Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary in University Park to express their disapproval of the new SD 201-U Facility Management Plan that calls for the closure of Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and Talala Elementary. Photo Credit: Provided by Catrina Johnson

SOUTH SUBURBAN RESIDENTS PROTEST PROPOSED SCHOOL CLOSURES

Residents of the Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U (SD 201-U) recently held a protest in front of Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary in University Park to express their disapproval of the new SD 201-U Facility Management Plan which calls for the closure of the Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and Talala Elementary.

See more on Page 2

Art Scene: Beat it to Aurora’s Paramount Theatre for I AM KING: The Michael Jackson Experience — Page 2 Politiscope: Putin’s interference in US elections undermines faith in American democracy — Page 3 |

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

ART SCENE

Beat it to Aurora’s Paramount Theatre for I AM KING: The Michael Jackson Experience If you never saw the King of Pop live in concert, Aurora’s Paramount Theatre is serving up a chance to see I AM KING: The Michael Jackson Experience. The show stars the critically-acclaimed Michael Firestone and features an incredible cast of Broadway and Las Vegas dancers as they faithfully recreate the man in the mirror’s amazing showmanship.

But book your tickets now because I AM KING is playing just one-night-only, Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 8 p.m., at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora.

Tickets went on sale to 2018/2019 Broadway Subscribers only on Wednesday, July 25, and are now on sale to the public.

Tickets to I AM KING: The Michael Jackson Experience are $37-$57. All seats are reserved. Tickets are subject to additional taxes and fees. For tickets and information, visit ParamountAurora.com, call the box office at (630) 896-6666,or stop by the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd in downtown Aurora, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Starring the critically-acclaimed Michael Firestone and featuring an incredible cast of Broadway and Las Vegas dancers, I AM KING: The Michael Jackson Experience faithfully recreates the man in the mirror’s amazing showmanship. I AM KING is playing just one-night-only, Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 8 p.m., at Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora.

COMMUNITY

South Suburban Residents Protest Proposed School Closures Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Residents of the Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U (SD 201-U) recently held a protest in front of Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary in University Park to express their disapproval of the new SD 201-U Facility Management Plan which calls for the closure of the Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and Talala Elementary.

SD 201-U encompasses Monee Township and most of Crete Township which includes the Village of Monee, a small portion of the Village of Park Forest, the Village of Crete, and the surrounding unincorporated lands.

Currently, the School District serves around 5,000 students from pre-kindergarten

through 12th grade and operates four K-5 elementary schools, one K-8 Magnet School, one middle school for grades 6 through 8 and one high school for 9th through 12th graders, according to the SD 201-U website.

Under the new Facility Management Plan, which the district is referring to as The Plan, there will be a massive restructuring of the current educational facilities that includes the closure of 3 out of the 4 current elementary schools, two located in Crete and one in Park Forest, and the demolition of Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary in University Park.

The Plan also includes a large investment in expanding current facilities and building new facilities in Crete and Monee that will make room for all of SD 201-U’s students.

The School District recently posted an

informational flyer about step one of The Plan which will reorganize elementary schools into two grade learning centers, one for K-2nd grade and one for 3rd-5th grade.

The School District also listed “exciting benefits” of The Plan as creating district-wide equitable access to International Baccalaureate programs, state of the art technology, equalized class sizes to achieve equity, and equal time in art, music, physical education, and library classes for all students.

“I find it unbelievable that they are looking to close Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and they are looking to close Talala Elementary. You hear people say it’s great to consolidate and there’s nothing wrong with it but it’s more than that. There is a soft component that’s involved with this, there

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are emotions that are involved with this,” said Maurice Brown, SD 201-U Board Member.

Protesters in opposition to The Plan brought up the fact that with these school closures, every student in the region of Park Forest that is served by SD 201-U will have to be bussed to school each day.

“This master plan comes out with an $84 million budget and says we are closing Coretta Scott King, closing Balmoral Elementary, and closing Talala which is our only school in the portion of Park Forest that serves our school district in Will County and Coretta Scott King is the number one academically achieving school in our district,” Brown stated.

For more information on The Plan and a schedule of upcoming school board meetings, visit www.cm201u.org.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

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POLITISCOPE Putin’s interference in US elections undermines faith in American democracy

BY PIPPA NORRIS Questions about the legitimacy of the 2016 U.S. presidential election continue to reverberate and deepen partisan mistrust in America.

Doubts have been compounded by the indictment of 12 Russians following intelligence reports of Russian interference with the election. Reports allege the Russians used a variety of methods, including fake news, social media disinformation campaigns and attempts to gain access to state election records.

According to the indictment, Russians hackers penetrated the official voter registration rolls of several U.S. states, including Illinois. They stayed inside the voting system for several weeks before the 2016 presidential election, possibly gaining an opportunity to alter voter registration data and even vote tallies – although the Senate Intelligence Committee concluded that they did not actually do so.

Russian interference has exacerbated a toxic, partisan brew that has heightened concern about the election. Republicans allege fake

Pippa Norris

news and massive voter fraud.

Democrats fire back with claims about voter suppression and gerrymandering.

President Trump’s victory rested on the close outcome. The 2016 election turned on around 80,000 votes in three states. The Electoral College anointed the candidate who lost the popular vote. Partisan polarization has been further exacerbated by the American winner-take-all system, and Republican control of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government.

These challenges to electoral integrity in America are not novel.

The contemporary fault lines first

opened in the litigious wars over Florida’s ballots in Bush v. Gore in 2000.

Earlier decades, too, witnessed historic electoral battles over cleaning up Tammany Hall and Jim Crow laws in America. But the 2016 campaign highlighted several long-standing weaknesses and revealed new risks.

This atmosphere raises the question: How serious do perceived electoral flaws have to be to raise doubts not just about the process and results – or even the legitimacy of the declared winner - but about democracy itself?

Trust is way down Not surprisingly, the last decade has seen plummeting American trust in the integrity of their elections.

The Gallup World Poll reports that in 2016 only 30 percent of Americans expressed confidence in the honesty of their elections.

This is down from a majority of the public – 52 percent – a decade earlier. This is not simply the bitter fruit of the 2016 election nor is it a global trend. During the last decade, American trust in their elections has been persistently low-

er than many comparable democracies such as the U.K., Australia and Canada.

World Values Survey data also suggests that assessments of how well U.S. elections work are also often sharply split by party. That survey shows Democrats expressing concern about money in politics and women having equal opportunities to run for office, while Republicans worry about perceived problems of fair media coverage and vote buying. Pew surveys report similar partisan divisions.

So have these misgivings metastasized to infect faith in democracy itself?

As Director of the Electoral Integrity Project, established in 2012, I’ve studied these issues for many years. In a new research paper, I analyzed World Values Survey in 42 societies worldwide during the period from 2010 to 2014, and from the U.S. in 2017.

The results suggest that perception of electoral integrity is a strong predictor of satisfaction with democracy in both the U.S. and in other nations. Feelings that elections were free and fair are more closely linked with demo-

cratic satisfaction than many other predictors, including household income and financial security, sex, race, age and education.

The only factor more strongly linked with democratic satisfaction in America was whether people had voted for Trump or Hillary Clinton. Trump voters more likely to feel positive about the outcome.

Partisan disputes over the outcome of the 2016 U.S. elections are only the latest set of problems in a system already creaking under strains. These include an excess of money in politics, the lack of gender equality and minority representation in elected office and the protection of incumbents through partisan gerrymandering.

In my opinion, the persistence of these many serious flaws combined with partisan attacks on elections and a lack of effective reforms is playing with fire and threatening faith in American democracy.

Pippa Norris is an ARC Laureate Fellow and Professor of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney and a McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics at Harvard University.

TRAVEL Tips for Creating a Successful Back-to-School Carpool It’s time to get back into the school mindset, which for parents means school supplies, packing lunches and carpools.

A carpool arrangement can be the school year’s greatest gift, but the key to a seamless schedule is good communication and a solid set of rules. With these best practices, parents can help ensure a safe and smooth ride for all the carpool passengers throughout the school year: • Develop a contact list: Compile a contact list that includes the names of every child and adult involved in the carpool, along with addresses and phone numbers. Print several copies of the list. Keep one copy in the car and share the remaining copies with the other families participating in the carpool.

• Create a calendar: Discuss scheduling needs and clearly outline who goes where and when each day of the week. This calendar may change over time, so consider sharing a document electronically for easy updates and to keep everyone on the same page.

• Prioritize safety: New car seat options are making it easier to ensure every child is protected in the back seat. For example, the Graco TurboBooster

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Keep safety and portability top-of-mind when organizing school carpools.

TakeAlong Highback Booster and Backless Booster provide safety on-the-go and are designed for ultimate portability. In both highback booster mode and backless booster mode, big kids from 40 to 100 lb. can be safely transported. In highback mode, the seat back nests inside the seat bottom, making it simple to transport the booster from car to car. In backless mode, the seat folds to become 50 percent smaller and comes with a carry bag for additional portability. To learn more about these booster seats, visit gracobaby.com.

• Minimize distractions: Carpool lanes are often busy, so it’s important to stay focused. Don’t listen to

a podcast or look at your phone. Instead, concentrate on the task at hand -- getting children safely where they need to go.

• Provide snacks: After school, kids are typically hungry and will want a snack during the car ride home. Talk to the other parents about what food you plan to provide for their children. Be mindful, many children have allergies or dietary restrictions, so factor this in before snack time.

A well-run carpool is a blessing for any busy parent. With these tips, you’ll be able to start the new school year off on the right foot and ensure the carpool runs smoothly and safely.

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4 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

FOOD

Simply Savory Meals Family Features - Farm-fresh is what many families desire. Straight from the farm to your table is one of the best ways you can ensure you’re delivering a nutritious and delicious meal for family or friends.

Wholesome meals can bring everyone together around the dinner table; even little ones can enjoy flaky, baked fish, a nutritious potato-based side dish and a trendy-twist on a farm-fresh beverage with these fun, flavorful recipes.

Find more farm-fresh recipes at Culinary.net.

DELIGHTFULLY BAKED FISH When it comes to baking fish, flaky and fresh can make for a great combination. For a classic meal with a seasoned flare, try this delicious baked fish with lemon pepper seasoning and onions. Find more traditional, tasty recipes at USDA.gov.

Baked Fish Recipe courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture Servings: 4 Nonstick cooking spray 1 pound fish fillets (whitefish, trout or tilapia) 1 onion, sliced 1/4teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. Place 12-inch piece of foil on counter. Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place fillets in middle of foil. If fillets have skin, place skin-side down.

Spread sliced onions, salt, pepper and oil on top of fillets.

Add lemon pepper seasoning, if desired. Fold foil over fish.

Place foil pouch on baking sheet and place in oven. Bake fish 15-20 minutes until fish reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 F on a food thermometer and is flaky when tested with fork.

Divide into four portions and serve.

A SENSATIONALLY SIMPLE SIDE DISH When you’re looking for a delicious and nutritious side dish to complement any meal, look no further than this Fingerling Potato Salad. Made with nutrient-rich Wisconsin Potatoes and topped with a lemon dressing, this simple potato side packs plenty of flavor. Find more potato recipes at eatwisconsinpotatoes.com.

FINGERLING POTATO SALAD Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Servings: 6 1 1/2 pounds mixed Wisconsin fingerling potatoes 2 large lemons, divided 2 cups water 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds 3/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds pepper, to taste

4 green onions, thinly sliced 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill salt, to taste 2 cups baby arugula In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook potatoes until just tender when pierced with fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.

Slice one lemon into 1/8-inchthick rounds. In small saucepan, combine sliced lemon, water and kosher salt; bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until lemon slices are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain lemons then coarsely chop.

Cut remaining lemon in half and squeeze out 2 tablespoons www.thechicagocitizen.com

juice. In small bowl, mix chopped lemons, lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar and oil. Coarsely crush cumin and coriander seeds using mortar and pestle. Mix seeds into lemon dressing. Season, to taste, with pepper.

Cut lukewarm potatoes in half lengthwise. Place in large, shallow bowl. Mix in green onions

and dill. Pour lemon dressing over and toss to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Add arugula and toss gently.

Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (baked fish) Source: Family Features

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

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IT’S TIME TO GET OUTSIDE AND

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Banking products provided by Wintrust Financial Corp. Banks. *The bank must receive the direct deposit for it to be “complete”. The “qualification period” is two consecutive calendar months following the month of account opening. 1. The bank does not charge its customers a monthly card usage fee.

No transaction charge at any ATM in the Allpoint, MoneyPass, or Sum surcharge-free networks. Other banks outside the network may impose ATM surcharges at their machines. Surcharge fees assessed by owners of other ATMs outside the network will be reimbursed. Reimbursement does not include the 1.10% International Service fee charged for certain foreign transactions conducted outside the continental United States. 2. Limit one per customer. Current Wintrust checking customers and employees of Wintrust Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries are ineligible. $100 deposit bonus is IRS 1099-INT reportable. $100 deposit bonus applies only to new Total Access Checking customers. $100 deposit bonus will be deposited into the Total Access Checking account within the subsequent calendar month following the qualification period.

6 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

NEWS Global Trampoline Dodgeball Championship Comes to Chicago

Several thousand people, locally and nationally attended the 7th Annual July 2018 World’s Largest Stepper’s Family Cook-out and Dance Party located at Green Lakes Forest Preserve in Calumet City, Illinois.

Thornton Township Holds July 2018 Annual Stepper’s Family Cook-out and Dance Party South Holland, Ill. - Thornton Township President Frank M. Zuccarelli and its Board of Trustees co-hosted the July 2018 World’s Largest Stepper’s Family Cook-out and Dance Party.

The host, Ken Bedford, stated that this was the 7th year for this event and presented an award to Frank M. Zuccarelli and Thornton Township for their support.

Thornton Township Trustee Gerald “Jerry” Jones accepted the award on behalf of President Frank M. Zuccarelli and said, “Thornton Township has been a major supporter of the Annual Stepper’s event for the last 7 years. Frank Zuccarelli was awarded the award for Thornton Township supporting the event. It was a well-received award and the township will continue to support it. This event enriches the community and its quality.”

Ken Bedford stated that there were several thousand people in attendance, and Trustee Jones said that there was no violence at this event. “Everyone that was at the event had a fantastic time. [Illinois Secretary of State] Jesse White was there and the Jesse White Tumblers performed.

“Ken Bedford ran an awesome event,” said Jones.

Stepper’s event host Ken Bedford, left, presents an award to Thornton Township President Frank M. Zuccarelli. Accepting the award on Mr. Zuccarelli’s behalf is Thornton Township Trustee Gerald “Jerry” Jones, right. Photos provided by Ken Bedford.

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Sky Zone, creator of the world’s first wall-to-wall trampoline court, will be hosting the 2018 Ultimate Dodgeball Championship Finals in Orland Park, Chicago. The world’s 35 best co-ed and women’s dodgeball teams from Sky Zone Trampoline parks across the US, UK, Canada and Australia will descend upon Sky Zone Orland Park in Chicago, IL on August 2 through August 5 for the Seventh Annual Ultimate Dodgeball Championship.

Competing teams will dodge, throw and jump their way through over 265 matches to compete for a spot in the ‘Final 8’, where they will go head-to-head for $65,000 in cash prizes - the largest prize pot in dodgeball tournament history.

“The Chicago Southland is perfect for events like this due to our variety of sports venues available, reasonable prices, interstate accessibility, proximity to downtown Chicago, and a wide variety of support services we offer,” stated Jim Garrett, President/ CEO for the Chicago Southland CVB. “We are excited about the Sky Zone Dodgeball Championship and all sporting events coming to the area.”

“Ultimate Dodgeball has been gaining traction across the globe over the past few years and our Ultimate Dodgeball Championship has continued to flourish right along with it” said Jeff Platt, CEO of Sky Zone Trampoline Park. “It’s quite an exhilarating experience to watch teams from all over the world compete and put their skills to the test for the sought-after title and $65,000 in cash prizes.”

The 2018 Ultimate Dodgeball Championship will be held at Sky Zone Orland Park, located at 66 Orland Square Dr., B, Orland Park, IL. For more information on the tournament, rules and future tournament dates, please visit SkyZone.com/ UDC. The final matches will be available for viewing online via Sky Zone’s Youtube channel: Ultimate Dodgeball and on television at a later date. Follow Ultimate Dodgeball’s Facebook for details and updates.

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination management and marketing organization for Chicago’s 63 south and southwest suburbs. The Chicago Southland CVB markets the Chicago Southland region as a destination for meetings, conventions, group tours, sports events and leisure.

For more information, go to VisitChicagoSouthland.com

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

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COMMENTARY

Black Workers Need “Real” Not “Fake” Paid Family Leave

BY MELANIE L. CAMPBELL AND JENNIFER TUCKER

When Dorcas, a home health aide living in New York, learned of her mother’s illness, she used most of her vacation time to fly home and care for her. After a few weeks her leave was exhausted and tragically she could no longer afford to be with her mother in the final days of her illness. In the end, Dorcas was forced to take unpaid leave, and return to Florida, arriving just hours before her mother passed away.

Dorcas counts every penny and the unpaid time resulted in a mountain of unpaid bills and financial challenges that lingered well into the following year. Dorcas weathered that storm.

But she says, “it still pains me that I wasn’t able to be with my mom during her last days.”

Dorcas’ story is one of many shared in the Family Values@Work story collection.

Dorcas’ story exemplifies a crushing dilemma that many Black women workers face every day when caring for themselves or a family member. Life shouldn’t be this way but it is the reality for far too many in the United States.

On July 11, the Senate Finance Committee’s Social Security,

Melanie Campbell and Jennifer Tucker

Pensions and Family Policy Subcommittee held a hearing on paid family leave that featured two very different policy options.

The “real” policy is the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act that creates a national insurance program to fund the time needed to welcome a new baby, address one’s own health issue, or the serious health issue of a family member. It also includes time for certain military families’ care giving purposes.

Employees, employers and selfemployed workers would fund both the benefits and the administrative costs of the program by contributing a small amount in each pay period to a self-sustaining fund.

The FAMILY Act builds on programs in California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island and with the newest programs being implemented in New York, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Massachusetts.

The “fake” paid family leave option, restricts participation to only leave for parents of a new child and diverts social security funds to pay for the program. U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (Iowa), Mike Lee (Utah) and Marco Rubio (Florida) plan to introduce legislation covering only the birth or adoption of a child.

This deeply flawed proposal will require people to borrow against their social security accounts, delaying their retirement date or

receiving a decreased retirement benefit. For most Black women, social security makes up at least half of their income stream during retirement, according to the 2014 Black Women in the United States report by the Black Women’s Roundtable.

This proposal would result in even smaller social security, death or disability benefits, making the retirement security of older Black women, even more, precarious than it is currently.

Any paid family leave proposal that ignores the caregiving responsibilities that families are facing for older relatives is outdated.

According to the AARP Policy Institute, each year, 40 million American adults assist loved ones with tasks of daily living.

Family members are helping with eating and bathing; household chores; and nursing tasks so people can age in place. Surprisingly, of these 40 million family caregivers, about 25 percent are millennials, between the ages of 18 -34 years old.

One in three employed millennial family caregivers earn less than $30,000 per year - that includes nearly 30 percent of Black family caregivers.

We urge policymakers to deliver

paid family leave programs that fit the times and their constituents’ diverse needs. Black workers and their families need and deserve #RealPaidLeave. Our nation deserves nothing less.

Melanie Campbell is president/ CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, convener, Black Women’s Roundtable. Campbell brings together Black women nationally and in key states to build power for black women and girls, families and communities.

Jennifer Tucker is senior policy advisor, Black Women’s Roundtable.

While in her early forties, Tucker shared caregiving responsibilities for her mother, who was living with Parkinson’s disease, with her young sibling, while being the parent to an elementary age child and working full-time. A few years later, she was back in the caregiving role to her sibling for eighteen months.

The Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) was established in 1983 as the women and girls empowerment arm of the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, BWR is comprised of a diverse group of Black women civic leaders representing national, regional, state-based and international organizations and institutions.

NEWS

Surgeons and their teams call on Rauner to sign SB 2419 Surgeons and their surgical teams from across the state are calling on Governor Rauner to sign SB 2419, which will insure national certification is maintained when surgical first assistants and surgical technologists renew their licensure with the State of Illinois.

“Surgical first assistants act as the right hand man to a surgeon, in a role historically filled by another physician or resident.

As more complex surgeries began being performed at community hospitals and the number of hours overtime hours a resident worked became more restricted, the demand for highly trained surgical assistants exploded,” explained Illinois Surgical Assistant Association James Presley. Many surgical assistants, like Pressley, are veterans who received their initial training as surgical assistants while working as medics in the military.

Surgical assistants and technologists have been regulated through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation since 2003. In order to obtain a state license, an individual has to have graduated from an approved medical education program and be certified by

a national accrediting body in surgical assisting or surgical technology, which requires them to complete so many hours in surgery, complete an approved medical education program and pass a national exam.

“However there was a glitch in the law, in that the original intent was that surgical assistants and technologists have to be certified to obtain their initial license AND to maintain that certification in order to renew the license, however the renewals process was set by administrative rule and maintaining that certification is not currently required by the State, which could put patient safety at tremendous risk,” said State Representative Dan Burke (D-Chicago), who sponsored the original legislation to regulate the professions and is the house sponsor of SB 2419.

“To not require a profession, that has such intricate patient contact and requires such complex skills, to stay abreast of their field, is bad public policy. Surgical robotics has evolved exponentially over the past 15 years and I rely on surgical assistants to perform my most complicated cases,” said Dr. Francisco Garcini, who performs robotic gynecologic procedures at Silver Cross Hospital in New

Lenox.

“Without proper sterilization techniques in the operating room, patient infections can easily occur can quickly escalate. Surgical technologists prepare the operating room (including the sterile field) along with the surgical instrumentation and supplies, as well as pass instrumentation and prepare and manage surgical equipment during surgery,” explained Chris Topel, Director of the Surgical Technology Program at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield.

“However once they pass their initial certifying exam, technology continues to change and it is important that surgical technologists continue to learn throughout their careers. The continuing education that ongoing certification requires will insure this, otherwise, without it, the State is just attesting to the fact that they paid for their renewal, with no enhanced knowledge.”

“Surgical skill is of great importance with assistance in surgical cases, as unforeseen complications can develop quickly. I have had many difficult procedures that likely wouldn’t have ended as well if it had not been for the skill of my surgical assistant. We urge the Governor to sign SB 2419,” said Dr.

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Tracy Vera, an OB/GYN who uses surgical assistants on a variety of cases at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, including cesareans, and gynecologic surgeries such as laparoscopies and hysterectomies.

“The general public can’t pick their surgical assistants and they should be certified regularly as are other medical specialties.

They are a key component of the medical care team,” added Dr. Rebecca Kuo-Ryan, an orthopedic spine surgeon who practices at Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital and Morris Hospital.

“People only come in contact with Surgical Assistants when they or their loved ones are unconscious during surgery,” said chief sponsor of SB 2419, Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-Crystal Lake), “We need to insure that the whole surgical team is up to speed on the latest technological advances.”

About ISAA The Illinois Surgical Assistant Association (ISAA) was formed in 1998 for surgical assistants to have a voice at the state government level. However, since that time, ISAA has grown to become a source for surgical assistants looking for additional educational and networking opportunities.

8 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Aug. 1, 2018

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