Facing suburban times september 13 by CITIZEN NEWSPAPERS

Week of September 13, 2017 | Vol 1 • No 5 • www.cstweekly.com

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Profiling

Darrell Walker

CAU Basketball and Men’s Head Basketball Coach Darrell Walker Photo Courtesy: CAU / Curtis McDowell

How One Former Chicago Bulls Champ is Combining Art and Athletics to Help Students Suceed More Inside ArtScene > PAGE 2

w Emergency Preparedness Keeps w Post-DACA: How Congress can replace Obama’s You Safe While Traveling TRAVEL> P3 program and make it even better POLITISCOPE > P4 advertising@cstweekly.com

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September 13 2017

SuburbanTimes

ARTSCENE

Former Chicago Bulls Champ helps student-athletes graduate on time by combining art and athletics CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ATLANTA - Clark the lives of these young Atlanta University’s men,” says Coach Walker. Men’s Basketball coach “These aren’t just my Darrell Walker recent players, they are my sons, hosted the 2nd Annual and leveraging my status Darrell Walker Art and to launch their careers is Basketball Auction on the way I pay it forward.” Tuesday, September Williams, a senior, will 12th. The event raises graduate Spring 2018 funds to offset the cost thanks to Coach Walker’s of summer school for efforts. “Coach believed student-athletes. in me, he trusted me “Coach Walker raises and I thank God for him money for us to gradueveryday.” ate on time, so I repay The 2nd Annual Darrell him by working hard in Walker Art and Basketball my classes,” says pointAuction was held in the guard A.J. Williams. “I Beauchamp Carr Gallery at took two hard economic the Robert Woodruff Arts classes this summer, and Center in Atlanta. it was paid for with a According to its website, scholarship from the art Clark Atlanta University auction. It would have (CAU) is a comprehensive, been really tough if I had private, urban, coeducaL-R Panther Basketball Asst. Coach Alfred Jordan, Anthony (AJ) Williams, Damien Davis, Panther Basketball Head to pay for it myself.” tional institution of higher Coach Darrell Walker Williams, who was education with a predomNew York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, and raised by his single inantly African-American former head coach of the Toronto Raptors mother, transferred into CAU from a junior heritage. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and Washington Wizards, recruited Williams and professional degrees as well as certificollege in Brooklyn, NY. “I faced a lot of in 2016. Coach Walker, in his first year with adversities in Brooklyn. Either you are on the cate programs to students of diverse racial, streets, or you play basketball. It was a tough the Panthers, won the 2017 Southern Interethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. collegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Men’s place to grow up, but I knew I couldn’t let Clark Atlanta was established in 1988 by the Basketball Tournament championship. my mother down,” says the business manconsolidation of Atlanta University (1865), Along with his NBA success, Coach Walker agement major. “Coach Walker is tough on the nation’s first graduate school for Afrihas been an avid art collector since early me because we play the same position. But can Americans, and Clark College (1869), the in his NBA playing career. His collection I relate to him. He’s one of the best coaches nation’s first four-year liberal arts institution includes more than 80 pieces. “I’m comI’ve ever played for,” adds the 22-year-old. to serve a predominantly African-American bining my two biggest passions to impact Walker, a former point guard with the undergraduate student population.

POLITISCOPE Post-DACA: How Congress can replace Obama’s program and make it even better

President Donald Trump has asked Congress to do what former President Barack Obama and his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program could not: Provide Wayne Cornelius permanent protection from deportation for more than one million undocumented immigrants brought to this country as young children by their parents. DACA, which Trump has ordered dismantled, is widely viewed as the Obama administration’s most successful immigration policy initiative. A year of field research among DACA recipients

convinced me that helping them stay on the right side of the law is not just a moral imperative – it’s smart policy and economically beneficial to the United States. Here’s how Congress might build on DACA’s successes. What DACA did well A large body of data from national and local surveys confirms that during the last five years, DACA recipients took advantage of their protection from deportation to advance themselves and contribute to American society. For example, a 2017 survey of more than 3,000

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DACA recipients found that 97 percent are currently employed or enrolled in school. Many have started their own businesses. DACA recipients interviewed by my research team in San Diego County in 2014 reported that DACA enabled them to get higher-paying jobs. This made college more affordable and increased their tax contributions. DACA had encouraged them to invest more in their education because they knew legal employment would be available when they completed their degree. Even temporary protection conferred important psychological benefits, including stronger CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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September 13 2017

TRAVEL

Emergency Preparedness Keeps You Safe While Traveling travelers should plan ahead. “Before leaving on a vacation, people should learn about the types The Dominican Republic (DR), labeled the of emergencies that could happen in the area most visited travel destination in the Caribthey’ll be visiting,” she added. bean, shares the island of Hispaniola with “For coastal locations, this would include Haiti to the west. The country, according hurricanes, so it’s important to ask about notifito Google, is known for its beaches, resorts cations and evacuation procedures upon arrival. and golfing. But last week, DR and other It’s always important to have multiple ways to vacation spots in the Caribbean made news receive notifications of approaching hazards, not for their alluring terrain or illustrious such as weather alert radios, the Wireless Emerresorts. Instead, residents and travelers gency Alerts available on most smartphones, alike braced themselves for Hurricane Irma. and various smartphone apps that have alertBy last Thursday, the U.S. Department ing features, such as apps from FEMA and the of State was warning U.S. citizens to avoid American Red Cross,” she advised. travel to the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, “Wireless Emergency Alerts are based on your Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and parts location at the time of the warning, so no matter of the Eastern Caribbean due to threatening where you travel in the U.S., you will get the weather conditions caused by the storm. alert for your current location,” she stated. As Texans were trying to get back to a “The FEMA and American Red Cross apps sense of normalcy following the devastatallow you to enter several locations for which ing effects of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane you want to receive alerts. There are also portaIrma, the massive, record-setting Category ble weather alert radios that can be taken with 5 hurricane, continued to track toward you on a trip,” Thompson added. South Florida. “People should also take a small emergency Floridians who could leave the state were supply kit with them with non-perishable food, getting out of harms way while officials water, first aid kit, small flashlight and extra repeatedly announced mandatory evacuabatteries in case they need to fend for themtion plans in certain areas. selves for a few days,” she continued. During that same time, updates were Djuna McLeod, formerly of Homewood, IL, being regularly reported on websites like along with her 26 year-old daughter Amber www.godominicanrepublic.com where the McLeod and 6 year-old grandson Amier Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism Hampton recently visited Punta Cana in the confirmed that the country was prepared Dominican Republic. for the arrival of the Fortunately, for McLeod and her other two hurricane. family members, the group returned home safely On Monday, Irma before Hurricane Irma pummeled the Caribbean continued to slowly island nations from the Bahamas to the Dominiweaken while moving can Republic. Upon hearing about the hurricane, over to Southwesther initial thought was, “that it could have been ern Georgia, the us,” she said. National Weather “There was a threat of the storm actually prior Service reported to our trip and we were closely watching the on its website. The weather, and honestly in the back of my mind, I islands of Barbuda and was praying that it wouldn’t happen. As I heard St. Martin were hit about the storm’s reality, I thought about the Djuna McLeod, (back) formerly of hard while 36 deaths impact it had on the people and the less stronger Homewood, IL, is shown with her 26 were reported by structure of their homes,” she said. year-old daughter Amber McLeod presstime. Offering prayers for the people impacted by (left) and 6 year-old grandson Amier Irma caused devHampton (right). McLeod offers advice the storm she added, in time of a disaster, it’s astation in Florida important for people to, “stay alert.” Finding to travelers after arriving home safely leaving parts of the someone who can communicate in your own from the Dominican Republic before state underwater. At language about what is happening and the best Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm, least 7.7 million cusescape routes during an evacuation, are also hammered the Caribbean island tomers were without important, McLeod suggested. nations from the Bahamas to the power in Florida, “From now on, I will pack with a storm Dominican Republic. Georgia and South in mind, making sure that I keep my phone Satellite image of Hurricane Irma. Photo courtesy of the Naval Research Carolina. charged, check the weather, carry a flashlight the Illinois Emergency Laboratory. While it may seem Management Agency, said and find out if there is a plan for the hotel or resort difficult to fathom that I’m staying in during my trip,” she said. it’s really about staying connected with emergency how one might even begin to prepare for a monster For more tips on how to stay safe while traveling, management officials. hurricane like Irma, especially while on vacation, visit www.fema.gov. “As with any disaster, travelers should pay attenexperts say you can prepare ahead of time and keep For more weather-related updates including tion to instructions from local officials regarding your travels safe. areas affected by Hurricane Irma, visit, the National actions to take to stay safe,” she said. Patti Thompson, communications manager for Weather Service at http://www.weather.gov.>> Prior to reaching their travel destinations, By Lisette Gushiniere

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September 13 2017

SuburbanTimes

FOOD

Not Just For The Holidays, Sweet Potatoes Can Take Center Stage Every Day (NAPSI)—Healthful and delicious, sweet potatoes aren’t just for the holidays. These versatile vegetables are great in sweet and savory dishes and should be enjoyed yearround at any time of day. California sweet potatoes are primarily grown on small family farms and are prized for their flavor and texture thanks to the Golden State’s warm, dry climate and rich, sandy soil. One 4-oz. sweet potato has only 105 calories, 0g fat and no cholesterol, and contains an abundance of healthy properties such as fiber, protein, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Here are a few ways to add sweet potatoes to your everyday, all-year enjoyment: Sweet Potatoes for Breakfast: • Try using sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes in your go-to home fry recipe—they make great accompaniment to your favorite breakfast fare. • The next time you make a breakfast hash, substitute sweet potatoes for regular potatoes or use a combo. Don’t forget to add some onion and a sprinkle of cayenne for a little kick. Sweet Potatoes for Lunch: • Toss roasted and cooled sweet potatoes with arugula, white beans and a basic mustard vinaigrette for a nutritious and delicious proteinand fiber-packed meal. • For great flavor and texture, add sweet potatoes to any pureed butternut squash or carrot and ginger soup recipe. Sweet Potatoes for Dinner: • Cut sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips and parsnips into equal sizes, place on a roasting pan or cookie sheet, toss with a generous amount of

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olive oil, coarse salt, pepper and a dash of curry powder, and roast in a 350° F oven until done. Serve alongside chicken, pork, lamb, steak or fish. Sweet Potatoes for Dessert: • Sweet potatoes and pecans are a match made in heaven-who can resist a slice of homemade sweet potato pie? Sweet Potatoes for Snacking: • Oven-baked sweet potato chips are a delicious and healthy alternative to regular old potato chips and it’s OK if you can’t eat just one.

• And for the ultimate sweet potato snack, try making these California Sweet Potato Nachos: California Sweet Potato Nachos Excellent for backyard barbecues, afterschool snacking and watching the big game, these nachos pack a ton of nutrients, color and flavor into a finger-lickin’ format. Yay team! Serves 4 to 6 2 lbs (3 to 4 medium) California sweet potatoes 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp coarse salt, or more to taste ¼ tsp pepper 2 c shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese 1 c drained black beans 1 ½ c fresh or frozen corn (thawed if frozen) 1 c guacamole Scallions, for serving Cilantro, for serving Salsa, for serving Sour cream, for serving Preheat oven to 425° F. Cut each sweet potato lengthwise into 8 wedges (halve any long wedges crosswise). On large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment, toss sweet potatoes with oil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Arrange wedges cut sides down and bake until browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add more salt to taste. Arrange wedges cut sides up and top with cheese, beans and corn. Return to oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with guacamole, scallions, cilantro, salsa and sour cream and serve. For more information about cooking with sweet potatoes, visit www.casweetpotatoes.com.

September 13 2017

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Post-DACA: How Congress can replace Obama’s program and make it even better

feelings of security, belonging and normalcy. Our interviewees expressed satisfaction that they were able to do the things that everyone else their age was doing – like getting a driver’s license, buying a car or first home, or traveling within the United States. Room for improvement DACA worked well, but our field interviews revealed it had significant limitations. Some employers were reluctant to invest in training DACA recipients, whose work authorization would end if they were unable to renew their permit every two years. DACA recipients were ineligible for federal financial aid, which discouraged some from attending four-year universities. They were also barred from coverageunder the Affordable Care Act, sometimes forcing them to choose between seeking needed health care and

paying for college. They could not travel abroad without advance permission from the government. Enabling DACA recipients to gain permanent legal resident status would eliminate these and other hardships. It would make it easier for them to plan for the future. But is Congress up to the task? What’s on the table At least four pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress this year to provide protection from deportation for qualifying undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as minors. The most likely to gain traction among members of both parties is the 2017 Dream Act, sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin, Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Lucille Royball-Allard. This legislation would grant “conditional permanent residency” to an estimated 1.8

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million undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States before age 18 and can meet requirements similar to those under DACA. It requires applicants to have been admitted to an institution of higher education, have earned a high school diploma or GED certificate, or be enrolled in a secondary school or GED program. After eight years in conditional status, they could apply for permanent legal residence if they had advanced their education, met certain employment standards and committed no serious crimes. They would be eligible to become U.S. citizens after another five years. Altogether, it would create a 13-year path to citizenship. Once they achieved permanent legal residency, so-called Dreamers could petition to have their parents admitted legally to the United States. This may become a sticking point for anti-immigration CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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September 13 2017

SuburbanTimes

NEWS

SuburbanTimes

Rep. Rita Welcomes Catholic Charities to Blue Island

September 13 2017

NEWS

From left to right: State Rep. Bob Rita, Rev. Diego Cadavid of St. Donatus Parish in Blue Island, Bishop Joseph Perry and Monsignor Michael Boland of Catholic Charities.

BLUE ISLAND -- State Rep. Bob Rita is welcoming one of Chicagoland’s most prominent charitable organizations to help needy families in his district. Rita, D-Blue Island, joined several dozens well-wishers recently for the grand opening of Catholic Charities’ new South/Southwest Regional Center in Blue Island. The opening ceremony was held at the gymnasium of the former St. Isidore Elementary School, which closed in 2001. Officials with Catholic Charities, led by President and CEO Monsignor Michael

Boland, joined with local residents and officials to dedicate the new facility and pledge to fulfill the organization’s longtime mission of serving the less fortunate. Services in the South and Southwest Regions of Catholic Charities include everything from emergency food and utility aid and counseling to childcare and housing. Rita, a strong supporter of the Catholic Church and Catholic Charities, is hopeful the new center will help people get back on their feet in Blue Island and around the 28th District he serves.

“Catholic Charities serves a wonderful mission of helping people help themselves,” Rita said. “The new center will meet a need in our community and provide new use for the St. Isidore school. I look forward to working with Catholic Charities to make a difference for our community and give people a brighter future.” Learn more about Catholic Charities’ work at: https://catholiccharities.net/Home. aspx 2355 W. YORK ST., SUITE 1 BLUE ISLAND 708-396-2822. She-Ta Coulter, assistant for Mayor Annie R. Coulter of the Village of Ford Heights, explained that the annual Double Dutch Tournament is geared towards restoring generational bonding and resolving generational illnesses. Photo Credit: Double Dutch Movement

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Post-DACA: How Congress can replace Obama’s program and make it even better

members of Congress, who have long opposed “chain migration.” The reality is that in most cases, the parents of Dream Act-eligible young people are already here. Contrary to hard-liners’ claim that they will self-deport if immigration enforcement becomes sufficiently draconian, neither the parents nor their Dream Act-eligible children are likely to “go home.” Most have no family or economic base in their country of origin to return to. Moreover, if the Dream Act is passed there is still no guarantee that Dreamers could successfully sponsor their parents for permanent residence. If a parent is undocumented, getting a green card requires the government to grant her a waiver for unlawful presence in the United States, which is granted only in cases of “extreme hardship.”

Poor track record While there is a compelling case for some type of legislation to fill the gap created by DACA’s

demise, Congress’s track record on this issue is dismal. After all, it was many years of congressional gridlock on immigration reform that led President Obama to create DACA in the first place. Legislation resembling the Dream Act has been introduced in Congress eight times since 2001, either as a stand-alone bill or part of comprehensive immigration reform legislation. It failed each time. There is absolutely no assurance that congressional Republicans can now resolve their deep differences on this issue. It’s especially uncertain they will meet the March 5, 2018 deadline Trump has given Congress to pass a replacement bill before he completely shuts down DACA. If the 2017 Dream Act fails due to Republican obstruction or a presidential veto, GOP leaders will have some explaining to do. Polls show nearly eight out of 10 Americans – including more than two-thirds of Republicans – support granting citizenship or legal permanent residency to Dreamers. They will want to know why Congress could not devise a way to stop

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punishing those who even Donald Trump has called “incredible kids” for the misdemeanor of unauthorized entry committed by their parents. There is a risk that providing protection for Dreamers could become a bargaining chip. In return for signing DACA replacement legislation, Trump might insist that Congress appropriate billions of dollars to build his border wall or enact the RAISE Act – a scheme that would cut legal immigration by half with the goal of reducing the country’s supply of supposedly “unskilled” labor. Evidence shows that passing the Dream Act is the right thing – the smart thing – to do, and the American people know it. Wayne Cornelius is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and U.S.-Mexican Relations, Emeritus, at the University of California in San Diego. Hillary S. Kosnac, a public educator in Kansas City who has interviewed DACA recipients, and Jonathan Tamez, an immigration attorney practicing in Portland, contributed to this article.

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Village of Ford Heights Host Double Dutch Tournament

By Christopher Shuttlesworth

Since 2013, the Village of Ford Heights has hosted a Double Dutch Tournament geared towards ending generational illnesses, restoring generational bonding and promoting positive community activities. She-Ta Coulter, assistant for Mayor Annie R. Coulter of the Village of Ford Heights, explained that each participating Double Dutch group is required to show three generations including a grandmother, mother and a child. “We try to get the kids involved,” she said. “Their jobs are to go to their elders and parents to form their team. But in certain families, the grandmother or mother may have passed so we have volunteers available to fill the gap. So, as a community building program, the response has been very encouraging.”

Coutler said she strongly believes there is nothing more important than family coming together to communicate and resolve generational situations. “I feel that if our people learn to appreciate the family and build and cherish it, then we will change the dynamic of our situations,” she said. “For example, if there’s a family struggling with a hereditary illness like diabetes and we are able to get three generations together and mentor them, then it’s more likely that the teaching will be more effective.” In addition to the tournament, there will be a cash prize of $1000.00, a hot dog eating contest and a “movies in the Park style” Karaoke sing off including various music genres like gospel, RB, country and rock. Coutler said that the Double Dutch cash prize winners must pick up their reward at a

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local Ford Heights church. “As an Assistant Pastor, I believe God is important and I believe if we put him in it then we will succeed,” Coutler said. “If we take him out, then we’re in trouble. So, in everything we do and in every city we go to, we encourage local church bodies to participate.” Coutler highlighted that the current mayoral administration decided to create Ford Heights 2.0 to combat and dissolve the negative stigma surrounding the Ford Heights community and bring forth a better version of it. “We’re trying to subconsciously and consciously show the people of this town that there is a better way and present a better version of Ford Heights to outsiders as well,” she said. “We are changing.” For more information, you can visit http:// www.doubledutchmovement.com/.}

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September 13 2017

INTRODUCING OUR

HOMEBUYER GRANT PROGRAM

SuburbanTimes

We want to help make your dream of homeownership a reality. If the down payment is the only thing standing between you and your own home, we may have a tool for you. We’ve partnered with local nonprofits to offer the Homebuyer Grant Program to help first-time homebuyers overcome the challenge of covering a down payment. This program can offer up to $2,000 to qualifying borrowers purchasing a home as their primary residence and can be paired with federal, state, and local grants or loans. If purchasing a home seems out of reach because of the down payment, we’ve got a solution for you.

TO QUALIFY, HOMEBUYERS MUST: • Be applying for your first mortgage • Have an annual household income at or below 80 percent of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s median income of the county in which the property is located, adjusted for household size • Contribute at least $1,000 from personal funds toward the purchase of your home • Complete an approved homebuyer counseling program • Be applying for a minimum five-year loan term and, on adjustable rate mortgages, an initial interest rate lock period of five years minimum

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF COMMUNITY BANKING!

For a full list of our nonprofit partners and what area each covers, visit wintrust.com/buyergrant.

WE’RE PROUD TO BRING IT HOME. As a company made in this area, for this area, Wintrust and its family of true community banks is dedicated to the unique neighborhoods each serves. For 25 years, we’ve been banks that invest in, give back to, and get to really know our communities and the people living in them. When you bank with a Wintrust Community Bank, you can be confident your money is going back into the things that matter most to you.

Mortgage Lending is provided through our affiliate Wintrust Mortgage. Wintrust Mortgage is a division of Barrington Bank and Trust N.A. NMLS # 449042

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