HYDE PARK CITIZEN 6-26-2019

Citizen Historic South Side Community Art Center Begins Revitalization Work — Page 2 Week of June 26, 2019

| Vol. 30 | No. 31 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

HYDE PARK

Washington Park resident, Aminata Burton, better known as Ami, will be giving a solo vocal performance on July 11 at this year’s Taste of Chicago Event. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ami

SOUTH SIDE MUSICIAN WILL PERFORM AT TASTE OF CHICAGO

While working on finishing her debut studio album and working as the music director for Jamila Woods, Chicago singer and songwriter Aminata Burton, better known as Ami, is preparing to perform at the Taste of Chicago on July 11. Burton will be performing at 2:30 p.m. on the Goose Island Stage and following the event, she will be hosting an after-party at Refuge! Live from 9 p.m. to midnight.. PAGE 2

NEWS

BUSINESS

Chicago Included As One of the Top 10 Finalists for 2019 Engaged Cities Award

Hinton Selected as BUFI’s Chairman of the Board of Directors

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CAPITOL RECAP: Reproductive Health Act is law, making Illinois a ‘beacon’

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NEWS briefly EDUCATION

2019 HBCU COMPETITIVENESS SCHOLARS ANNOUNCED The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Initiative) recently announced the names of 44 students from 34 historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) selected as 2019 HBCU Competitiveness Scholars – the Initiative’s highest student recognition.

Competitiveness Scholars are recognized for the 2019-2020 academic school year. Throughout this period, the Initiative will facilitate engagement activities, as well as provide information and resources that scholars can take advantage of or disseminate to fellow students. Scholars are encouraged to fully take advantage of the opportunities provided, engage with one another and showcase their individual and collective talents across the HBCU spectrum.

Competitiveness Scholars will receive their recognition at the HBCU week conference during the Initiative’s Excellence in Innovation and Competitiveness Awards luncheon ceremony on Sept. 9.

HEALTH

BATS LEAD IN U.S. RABIES RISK Bats are responsible for roughly 7 in 10 rabies deaths among people who are infected with the rabies virus in the United States, possibly because people may not know of the risk bats pose, according to the Vital Signs report released recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The large percentage of deaths tied to bats is particularly striking since bats account for just a third of the 5,000 rabid animals reported each year in the U.S. Rabid dogs that people encounter while traveling overseas are the second-leading cause of rabies cases in Americans.

The U.S. averages 1-3 human cases of rabies a year now, down from 30-50 cases per year in the 1940s. This decrease is largely due to routine pet vaccination and availability of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which combines rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin to prevent infection after exposure to the virus. Each year, about 55,000 people in the U.S. seek PEP after a potential rabies exposure. Rabies is nearly always fatal if people don’t get rabies PEP before symptoms start.

LAW & POLITICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COMPLIANCE EVALUATION RESULTS IN FEDERAL CONTRACTOR PAYING $50,000 IN BACK WAGES After a routine compliance evaluation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Consolidated Diesel Inc. – a federal contractor and subsidiary of Cummins Inc. – has agreed to pay $50,000 in back wages for alleged pay discrimination against African-American managers at the diesel engine manufacturing facility in Whitakers, North Carolina.

OFCCP alleged that – since at least 2013 – the company paid 11 African-American managers less than white managers in similar roles.

“Federal contractors and subcontractors must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws,” said OFCCP Southeast Regional Director Samuel Maiden. Although the company did not admit liability, it will take steps to ensure its pay practices meet the legal requirements.

South Side Musician Will Perform At Taste Of Chicago Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

While working on finishing her debut studio album and working as the music director for Jamila Woods, Chicago singer and songwriter Aminata Burton, better known as Ami, is preparing to perform at the Taste of Chicago on July 11. Burton will be performing at 2:30 p.m. on the Goose Island Stage and following the event, she will be hosting an after-party at Refuge! Live from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Growing up, Burton was able to receive a great deal of professional music training through a performing arts school that she began attending in sixth grade and because she has been trained in so many different styles of music, her sound is a unique blend of gospel, rhythm and blues, and classical genres with her own unique spin.

“I auditioned for a performing arts middle school and high school and got accepted so

that’s when I started playing classical music.

I’ve had pretty intense classical training and when I graduated from high school, I went to Central State University and got a degree in musical performance which again was intense classical training.

After college, Burton returned to Chicago and let go of the future she thought she would be pursuing as a classical musician and began to look at different musical career paths.

“I thought I really was going to be a famous classically trained pianist but after I finished college, I was in search for something completely new and I kind of wanted to stretch myself a little bit and have some new experiences. So, I came back to Chicago and I started a band with some of my college friends and that’s kind of how everything catapulted for me,” said Burton.

While Burton is steadily pursuing her career as a solo artist, she is also constantly working behind the scenes in the music industry as a producer and music director.

This helps her to build up her network of fellow musicians, make connections, and get inspiration for her own album.

“You can’t do much without a community of people. So, me producing and co-producing and working with different artists just gives me the opportunity to add on to my network and also to be able to make some money in the meantime. All of that helps me as I continue to do what I like to do as a solo artist,” said Burton.

Amidst her performances, studio time, and touring, Burton has found time to give private music lessons out of her home in Washington Park and to work as a music teacher at the Musical Arts Institute.

“I do want to open a small Academy on my own where I can implement my own teaching philosophy but that’s kind of far off,” said Burton.

To learn more about Ami, view her performance calendar and listen to her music, visit officialami.com.

Historic South Side Community Art Center Begins Revitalization Work

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Much like the DuSable Museum of African American History, the South Side Community Art Center is an iconic and historical destination for African American art in Chicago and the art center recently announced that thanks to some new funding, it will launch a building restoration project.

“We are excited to launch the restoration of the South Side Community Art Center. This is the first major restoration we have had since the building became the South Side Art Center in 1941,” said Masequa Myers, executive director of the South Side Community Art Center. “We are riding such a wonderful momentum for the South Side Community Art Center right now.”

The South Side Community Art Center works to conserve, preserve, and promote the legacy and future of African American art and artists while at the same time, providing educational opportunities for the community around the value of art and culture, according to the South Side Community Art Center’s website.

In an effort to showcase and preserve African American art, Margaret Burroughs and several other African American artists banded together to create the South Side Community Art Center in 1941 and the art center became a Chicago Historic Landmark in June, 1994.

“So many artists have started their careers in this building and it’s amazing,” said Twyler L. Jenkins, co-president of the South Side Community Art Center Board of Directors. “I get chills just walking in this building and if you haven’t been here, I encourage you to please come and visit us.”

The South Side Community Art Center was founded in 1941 and recently launched a new building restoration initiative to update the historic building. Photo Credit: South Side Community Art Center

The South Side Community Art Center has several partners helping with the restoration efforts including the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

“It takes a lot of people to get the work done so we are very pleased to have everyone out here and I want to thank the community for being so supportive of the South Side Community Art Center since inception,” said Myers.

“We are thankful to have received the National Treasure status from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2017 and in 2018, we were added to the Register for Historic Places in the United States of America. Now, this year, we will be receiving from the state, $2 million

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for improvements and we are feeling so blessed and very grateful.”

The restoration plan will maintain the integrity of the building while cleaning and updating the facade and interior of the building, according to information provided by the South Side Community Art Center.

“A restoration project is not a cheap endeavor because we have to keep the integrity of the building and we want to make sure that the updates represent what this building has to offer which is so much culture and so much life,” said Jenkins.

To learn more about the South Side Community Art Center, visit www.sscartcenter.org.

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NEWS Chicago Included As One of the Top 10 Finalists for 2019 Engaged Cities Award Cities of Service recently announced 10 finalists for the Engaged Cities Award, their recognition program that elevates the work being done in cities to partner with residents and solve a diverse range of problems. The award, underwritten by Bloomberg Philanthropies, highlights the ways that city leaders are co-creating the future with residents and allows cities around the world to learn best practices and implement similar solutions in their own communities.

Cities of Service received more than one hundred applications for the award from cities in the Americas and Europe. With help from an esteemed group of experts, Cities of Service chose the 10 finalists, whose solutions achieved impact by engaging citizens in a variety of ways, including: impact volunteering, participatory design, crowdsourcing, and citizen-sourced data.

Finalists tackled challenges related to the environment and sustainability, health and safety, neighborhood revitalization, and more. The 10 finalists were selected based on key selection criteria, including significant work with citizens to tackle a public problem, clear evidence of impact, and potential to apply their strategy to other problems and geographies.

THE 10 FINALIST CITIES ARE: Atlanta, Georgia City leaders helped residents transform vacant, blighted lots into urban gardens and food farms to increase access to healthy fruits and vegetables. City staff provided urban farmers with education, promotion, and other support, expanding urban agriculture in the city.

Aurora, Illinois The city worked with residents to create and enhance the capacity of neighborhood groups and to organize community events that built trust between residents and police. The number of active neighborhood groups in Aurora has doubled and the crime rate has dropped.

Bogotá, Colombia The city increased its responsiveness and accountability to citizens by creating a user-friendly Citizen Input Data Dashboard and a new mobile app to better collect complaint data, allowing residents to more easily submit and track their complaints and helping the city prioritize and respond to resident needs.

Chicago, Illinois Community members collaborated with city leaders through a community-based planning process to design green infrastructure projects that reduce flooding. Projects included gardens, parks, and recreational areas for youth, and are estimated to store more than 500,000 gallons of stormwater.

Cities recognized for working alongside citizens to create and implement solutions that improve lives and communities.

Flint, Michigan The city engaged citizens to use the Flint Property Portal to collect data about blighted properties and improve their neighborhoods.

The web portal displays citizen-generated data on property conditions, which helped residents improve and maintain vacant lots and enabled city staff to obtain and allocate resources to support neighborhood efforts.

Lakewood, Colorado The city supported resident-driven sustainability initiatives by providing tools and extensive support, helping neighborhood groups identify areas of need, determine existing resources and expertise, and implement projects that increased the tree canopy, reduced waste, improved energy efficiency, and more.

London, United Kingdom Crowdfund London invited citizens to propose solutions to local challenges and show their support for ideas that improve the social good by making a financial contribution. The city offered design and planning advice, brokered relationships with stake-

holders, and pledged up to £50K for 100 community-led projects.

Orlando, Florida The city integrated citizen feedback into new and existing digital services to improve how it responded to residents. As part of the process, they launched the Digital Service Academy, a workshop that taught city staff how to create and test resident-centered digital services by first gaining an understanding of citizen needs and experiences.

Plymouth, United Kingdom Through Crowdfund Plymouth, community members and local organizations proposed projects to improve the city and residents supported promising ideas with donations. The city matched contributions with money from a fund designated to meet community needs. The initiative generated nearly £1.2 million in funding from the public for community projects.

San Francisco, California Corporate volunteer teams worked with city staff to develop solutions for public challeng-

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es, such as helping homeless residents obtain healthcare coverage and increasing access to affordable housing. Volunteers contributed approximately 20% of their time over a 16-week period and city staff identified city challenges, matched volunteers with city teams, scoped projects, and coached teams on their work.

“City leaders around the world are focused on co-creating the future with citizens. This year’s Engaged Cities finalists represent the best of the best – offering inspiration and a road map for other cities to follow,” said James Anderson, Cities of Service board member and head of government innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The Engaged Cities Award was open to cities with populations of 30,000+ in the Americas and Europe. Cities submitted their applications in January 2019. Cities of Service will choose up to three winning cities and award a total of $200,000. Winners will be announced at CityLab in October 2019.

For more information about the Cities of Service Engaged Cities Award, please visit: engagedcitiesaward.org.

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BUSINESS

Hinton Selected as BUFI’s Chairman of the Board of Directors

Gregory Hinton

As the city of Chicago has welcomed its new mayor, the Black United Fund of Illinois welcomes its new chairman of the Board of Directors, Gregory Hinton.

Considered one of the foremost leading authorities on diversity/ inclusion practices, Hinton made history when he was appointed as the first chief diversity officer for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 2011. Prior to joining the DNC, Hinton was the senior director/ chief diversity strategist at U.S. Cellular Corporation.

With 35 years of global experience working in corporate environments, such as Abbott, Pepsi, Amtrak, Advocate Health Systems, and R.R. Donnelley, Hinton is currently the CEO of the GREGORY GROUP consulting firm. In this capacity, he is called upon to validate, reinforce and highlight major related practices of organizations looking for external voices to echo the need for personal responsibility.

As BUFI’s board chairman, Hinton is replacing an icon: Professor Robert Starks. “Bob has been the Board Chair since BUFI’s inception. It’s hard to fill the shoes of such a community giant,” stated Hinton.

In filling those shoes, Hinton is tasked with providing leadership in the area of fundraising and increasing

BUFI’s number of program offerings, along with identifying additional Board members to help serve the organization.

“I’m glad to work with our newlyappointed Executive Director Carolyn Day in ensuring that BUFI runs effectively and efficiently. Together, we have plenty of ideas and plans to keep BUFI moving in the direction that our late, esteemed founder and leader, Henry English, would expect of us,” shared Hinton.

In 1986, English—with a diverse group of businessmen, educators and community leaders— organized BUFI making it the 16th independent affiliate of the National Black United Fund.

The National Black United Fund was founded on the principles of self-help, mutual aid and volunteerism in order to create systematic mechanisms to rally resources for African-American communities.

By creating the necessary systematic mechanisms, Hinton believes that BUFI must meet the increasing needs of the community through programming and advocacy, and one of his responsibilities as board chair is to “serve as the face of BUFI, while expanding BUFI’s mission and vision to the broader community.”

For more information on the Black United Fund of Illinois (BUFI) or to contribute, contact Carolyn Day, 773.324.0494; www.bufi.org; or email: info@bufi.org.

About Gregory Hinton Gregory Hinton is a PhD candidate in Values Driven Leadership at Benedictine University; a graduate

of Loyola University-Chicago MSIR program and he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana.

Additionally, Hinton has received scores of awards and citations for his contribution in the fields of diversity, leadership, community service, corporate social responsibility, as well as change management.

Hinton has served on many boards, including: League of Black Women, Chicago State University Foundation, Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, SHRMs Panel of Experts in Diversity, Staffing.org, Equal Employment Advisory Council (EEAC), Athletes Against Drugs, Ability Links, Chicago Urban League Board of Advisors, Habilitative Systems, Inc., Employment Management Association, as well as the Chicago Association of Minority Recruiters.

A recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgements, Hinton recently received the SBCs Grassroots Excellence Award – 2018; Crain’s Chicago Journal, “AARP 50 over 50 Excellence in Business Award;” Medellin & Associates Partnership Award; Rolling Out Magazine’s Top Ten Movers & Shakers; DANDI Diversity Impact Award; Uptown Professional Top 100 Executives for Change; National Black Public Relations Society MVP Award; the AKA Monarch Award for Special Achievement; Wendell Phillips Hall of Fame Induction 2012; and the 2011 Community Mental Health Community Service Award.

SBA Appoints Two New Senior Executives The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced the appointment of two new senior executives. George Koklanaris is serving as the Associate Administrator for the Office of Small Business Development Centers and Stefanie Baker Wehagen as the National Ombudsman for the Office of the National Ombudsman.

George Koklanaris oversees the SBA’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) across the United States and its territories. The SBDCs provide the nation’s small businesses with the support and resources necessary to help them succeed.

Koklanaris previously served at the SBA as a Special Assistant and the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Field Operations and Director of the Office of Strategic Alliances.

Stefanie Baker Wehagen is the National Ombudsman and Assistant

Administrator for Regulatory Enforcement Fairness. As the National Ombudsman, Wehagen is responsible for assisting small businesses when they experience excessive or unfair federal regulatory enforcement actions, such as repetitive audits or investigations, excessive fines, penalties, threats, retaliation or other unfair enforcement action by a federal agency. Wehagen comes to the SBA with years of both private and federal-sector experience practicing as an attorney.

“I am pleased to welcome George and Stefanie to the SBA team as our Agency advocates on behalf of entrepreneurs, assisting them with resources to help their businesses start, grow and expand,” said SBA Acting Administrator Chris Pilkerton.

“They bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience that will contribute greatly to the development of small businesses across the nation.”

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CITIZEN | Hyde Park | Week of June 26, 2019

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T:10.75” S:10.25”

Chill out or turn up with Xfinity this Black Music Month. Celebrate a New Era of sound and discover what moves you with Xfinity. Easily find your favorite hit music, movies, shows and music videos on Black Film & TV on Xfinity On Demand. Plus, access Pandora to experience your favorite stations right on your TV with Xfinity X1.

From jazz to hip-hop and everything in between, jam to your favorite genre. Xfinity makes Black Music Month simple, easy, awesome.

Visit xfinity.com/discovermore to learn more.

Restrictions apply. Requires Xfinity TV and On Demand. ©2019 Comcast. All rights reserved. SHOWTIME is a registered trademark of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS company. You must be a subscriber of SHOWTIME to get SHOWTIME On Demand and to watch SHOWTIME programs online. Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men ©Endeavor Content and Mass Appeal. All rights reserved. HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. HBO® subscription required. FOX™ and © 2019 Fox and its related entities. All Rights Reserved. BEAT SHAZAM™ © 2019 Fox Broadcasting Company. All Rights Reserved.

T:13”

S:12.5”

Grooves for your every mood

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ENTERTAINMENT

Santana’s Thrilling New Album ‘Africa Speaks’ Debuts At #3 On Billboard Top 200 Music legend Carlos Santana’s new album Africa Speaks, out now via Concord Records, has debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Santana surpassed the Rolling Stones and, along with Barbara Streisand, is one of only two music acts in Billboard history to score at least one Top Ten album for six consecutive decades from the 1960s on. This is Santana’s third Top Ten release this decade and his highest charting debut since 2005’s All That I Am. Additionally, Africa Speaks debuted #1 on both the Billboard Rock Albums and Billboard Latin Albums charts.

Santana has amassed an iconic body of work by pioneering a unique fusion of rock, Latin and jazz. On Africa Speaks, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist goes deeper and further than ever before to create one of his most groundbreaking albums yet.

Inspired by the melodies, sounds

and rhythms of Africa, he enlisted legendary producer Rick Rubin, convened with his band at Rubin’s Shangri La Studios in Malibu, and recorded an astonishing number of tracks, many of them in one take.

Another dramatic element in the creation of Africa Speaks came in the form of Spanish singer Buika, whose heavenly lead vocals cast a magical spell throughout the album.

Carlos Santana said, “It is an honor to share my hearts music with the world. This music gives people hope and courage. We call it mystical medicine music for a twisted, crooked world. The incredible synergy between Buika, Cindy Blackman Santana, the magnificent Santana Band, Rick Rubin and Concord Records made this masterpiece of joy come to fruition. Now more than ever, this is the consciousness that the world needs.”

“Fifty years after his ‘Soul

Carlos Santana and Buika by Maryanne Bilham

Sacrifice’ made hippies’ jaws drop all over Woodstock, Carlos Santana’s guitar playing remains a force of nature…Woodstock was 50 years ago; this is Santana now. The spirit is the same, yet somehow it’s even freer.” - Rolling Stone Africa Speaks track listing: 1. Africa Speaks (4:47)

2. Batonga (5:43) 3. Oye Este Mi Canto (5:58) 4. Yo Me Lo Merezco (6:12) 5. Blue Skies (9:08) 6. Paraísos Quemados (5:59) 7. Breaking Down The Door (4:30) 8. Los Invisibles (5:54) 9. Luna Hechicera (4:47) 10. Bembele (5:51) 11. Candombe Cumbele (5:36)

Santana on the web: Official Site: www.santana.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ carlossantana Instagram: www.instagram.com/ carlossantana Twitter: www.twitter.com/ santanacarlos YouTube: www.youtube.com/ santanaofficial

Redbox and DoorDash Team Up to Serve Up Dinner & A Movie

This summer, Redbox and DoorDash Team Up to Serve Up Dinner & A Movie.

The promotion includes free Redbox Movie Night rentals, $0 delivery fees from DoorDash. During this promotion, Redbox is proud to partner with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to offer FREE Movie Nights to families adopting from foster care.

Redbox, recently announced a partnership with DoorDash, the largest and fastest-growing on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery in more than 4,000 cities in the United States and Canada.

They will launch an upcoming Dinner & A Movie promotion in the U.S., offerings fans FREE movie nights and $0 delivery fees* on up to three orders delivered through DoorDash nationwide.

Both Redbox disc and On Demand streaming movie nights are included in the promotion meant to create meaningful movie and dining occasions that encourage connecting with family and friends this year.

Dinner & A Movie will be rolled out nationwide this summer, sparking togetherness over one of America’s favorite pastimes. During this promotional period, Redbox announced plans to partner with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to make Movie Night possible for families adopting from foster care.

FREE Movie Nights will be given to the Foundation to offer the same special experience to the children and families they serve. The Foundation’s mission is to dramatically increase the number of adoptions of children waiting in North America’s foster care systems with the vision that every child will have a permanent home and loving family.

“We live in an age when people don’t spend enough time connecting,” says Ash ElDifrawi chief marketing and customer experience officer of Redbox. “Simple things, nostalgic things, like dinner and a movie, can really bring us together. Our partnership with DoorDash is about value and convenience. But more importantly it’s about purposefully www.thechicagocitizen.com

carving out time for shared experiences -- and that’s why we’re pleased to be providing movie nights to the Dave Thomas Center for Adoption as part of the initiative.”

Statistics support the need for shared movie nights.

A Redbox Omnibus survey found that two-thirds of Americans miss the days when movie nights were a planned activity with friends and family, according to a Redbox August 2018 Omnibus Survey. And 80 percent thinks movies are therapeutic, yet half are indulging in isolated binge-watching. Redbox launched Back to the Movies in August 2018 to reset the way we consume media in a vacuum and is now on a mission to create meaningful consumer dialogue around the power of Movie Nights in bringing people together.

“Connecting people with possibility is core to DoorDash’s mission and our partnership with Redbox reinforces this commitment by creating an engaging new experience for our customers,” said Matt Rotella, DoorDash’s head of corporate development. “We’re excited to bring the Dinner & A Movie campaign into customers’ homes nationwide this summer.” Putting Dinner & A Movie together is a natural fit. In fact, a recent Redbox study shows that 72 percent of customers pair a Redbox occasion with a meal.

For more information on Dinner & A Movie and to sign up to be notified when the promotion launches, visit http://redbox.com/doordash-dinner-and-a-movie and sign up for email alerts and offers. Through this site, fans will learn about how to get free movie nights with Redbox (promotional offers may vary) and $0 delivery fees on orders through DoorDash for up to three orders.

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NEWS

CAPITOL RECAP: Reproductive Health Act is law, making Illinois a ‘beacon’

BY CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

CHICAGO – Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker made Illinois the most liberal state in the U.S. for access to reproductive health care with the stroke of 20 pens Wednesday, June 12, at the Chicago Cultural Center.

It was a vow he made at the beginning of the legislative session, and a charge both backers and detractors of the Reproductive Health Act maintained would come to pass. The measure became law immediately with his signature.

Pritzker said the law makes the Prairie State a “beacon” for access to pregnancy care, contraception, birth control, abortion procedures and other related benefits by making access to these things a “fundamental right.” That means no level of government in Illinois can infringe upon a woman or man’s access to reproductive health care.

“Let the word go forth today from this place that if you believe in standing up for women’s fundamental rights, Illinois is a beacon of hope in the heart of this nation. We trust women,” the governor said.

While opponents say the law strikes protections from statute — including the automatic autopsy of a woman who dies during an abortion, penalties for an illegally-performed abortion post-viability and inspections of clinics where the procedure is done — proponents say it codifies current practices and removes aspects of statute enjoined by the courts.

Advocates also point out the measure treats abortion procedures as health care.

“The government shouldn’t be able to tell a woman what’s best for her body and her future. By making the Reproductive Health Care law in Illinois, we’re sending a clear message

— that we trust women to make their decisions about their bodies,” Senate sponsor Melinda Bush, a Democrat from Grayslake, said. “We believe that women should have the same autonomy over their bodies that men do.”

The legislation was introduced in February by House sponsor Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Democrat from Chicago, and in the Senate by Bush.

The twin bills sat in legislative limbo until early May, when calls for action came from advocates and lawmakers after moves by states such as Louisiana, Georgia and Missouri to restrict access to abortion procedures.

Some of those laws were passed to challenge the 1973 case Roe v.

Wade, which legalized the procedure nationwide, before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“All of us believe the state of Missouri and the rest of the states that have passed laws taking away women’s rights should change their minds, should revisit the issue,” Pritzker said. “But Illinois knows where we stand and we’re going to be here for women if they have to be refugees from other states. We don’t want them to be — we want women to be able to access health care where they live and all of us believe in that.”

Immediately following the signing ceremony, opponents of the act held a news event in opposition to the new law. Present were representatives from the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based pro-life law firm, and Illinois Right to Life Action, a prolife lobbying group.

“It’s a tale as old as time. Illinois pol-

iticians are more concerned with pandering to cash-wielding progressives and Chicago media outlets than they are with representing the people of our state,” said Mary Kate Knorr, Illinois Right to Life Action spokeswoman.

“Pritzker doesn’t care what the people of Illinois want, nor does he care that abortion takes a human life.”

Peter Breen, vice president and senior counsel of the law firm, said the “deceptively titled” Reproductive Health Act makes Illinois “an abortion destination for the country.”

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INDUSTRIAL HEMP: Trent Lawrence and his wife, Jami, work a 26-acre farm outside of Delavan, about 30 miles south of Peoria, in Tazewell County. For the past several years, they’ve been growing organic peppers, tomatoes and a variety of other specialty crops. But this year, they’re starting a new crop that became legal in Illinois only earlier this year, industrial hemp.

The Lawrences have hundreds of seedlings growing in a greenhouse, and hundreds more on top of that germinating under lights in an upstairs room of the house that sits on the property.

With luck, each of those plants will grow to produce one to two pounds of flower rich in a compound called cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, which when extracted can be used to control a wide range of medical conditions including seizure disorders. And with market prices ranging from $80 to $100 a pound, depending on its CBD content, that makes each one of those seedlings extremely valuable.

That industry, however, became possible only in recent years. Since the 1930s, industrial hemp had been illegal in the United States, with a

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brief exception during World War II, because it was classified as a narcotic in the same category as marijuana.

It was only in 2014 that Congress began allowing states to authorize limited production for research purposes, and it was finally legalized completely in the 2018 Farm Bill, which Congress passed in December.

“Six months ago, this would have been the mother of all felonies,” Lawrence said as he looked around his greenhouse. “It’s no joke. Until the 2018 Farm Bill was signed, it was still under controlled substance territory.

This would have been a Schedule I drug, but since they deregulated CBD – they removed CBD out of the Schedule I drug category.”

Lawrence said the plants classify as industrial hemp as long as they test below 0.3 percent Tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

“So, we can grow a CBD crop now, as long as we don’t go above 0.3 percent delta-9-THC,” he said.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture began accepting applications for licenses to grow industrial hemp on April 30, and as of June 10, according to agency figures, the state had issued licenses to 474 growers covering just over 12,103 acres.

That’s actually quite small compared to the 11 million acres of corn the state produced in 2017, or the 10 million acres of soybeans farmers grew that same year.

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NURSING HOME FUNDING: Funding for nursing homes serving the state’s most vulnerable elderly populations will increase by $240 million next fiscal year as part of the state’s recently-passed budget.

Of that $240 million, which will

be split between the state and federal government, $70 million will be directly appropriated to help nursing homes meet minimum staffing requirements. Another $170 million will update the reimbursement formula for support costs such as food, utilities, maintenance and equipment.

Advocates for the nursing home industry say the added funding will help stem a tide of 20-plus skilled- and intermediate-care facility closures that occurred over the past five years due to crippling budget cuts and decades-old Medicaid reimbursement rates.

“This money means survival,” said Pat Comstock, executive director of the nursing home advocacy group Health Care Council of Illinois. “Our members are thrilled, but they’re also relieved because these dollars are going to provide some much needed relief from the struggles to survive that members are experiencing.”

The legislation also creates fines for nursing homes that fail to meet staffing minimums, and provides safeguards against the use of psychotropic drugs. Labor and senior care advocates say this will help hold nursing homes accountable and make life better for workers and patients.

The $70 million for nurse staffing will be distributed by a funding formula to be decided by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. That formula will drive greater funding to the nursing homes with more Medicaid bed days.

The $170 million for support costs would update reimbursement rates currently determined by costs dating back to 2004. The distribution formula is still to be determined, but $37 million of that sum will be used to ensure facilities will not lose funding as a result of the new formula.

10 | CITIZEN | Hyde Park | Week of June 26, 2019

Staying Digitally And Socially

Connected To Us Can’t Get Any Easier. .

If you miss us in print, you can find us here:

www.thechicagocitizen.com Publisher Of The: * Chatham-Southeast Citizen * Hyde Park Citizen

* South End Citizen * South Suburban Citizen

* Chicago Weekend Citizen * Citizen Suburban Times Weekly

Let Us Help You Tell Your Story. . .

If You Have A News Story Idea That You Would Like To See In The Citizen Let Us Hear About It. Email Us At: editiorial@thechicagocitizen.com.

CITIZEN | Hyde Park | Week of June 26, 2019

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CLASSIFIEDS SERVICE

Check out these eight ideas to try this month, and beyond.

• Test a new recipe: Think outside the culinary box. Look for a recipe from a style of cuisine you haven’t tried before. Or, attempt a cooking feat for the first time, such as making pasta from scratch.

• Learn to play a song: With today’s digital instruments, such as Casio Keyboards CT-X700, you can learn to play your favorite song in an afternoon, no matter what your experience level is. Its lesson system displays proper fingering and notation, and a six-track recorder makes it easy to capture your creation.

• Host a book club: Pick a book you’ve been meaning to read and invite friends to join you in reading and discussing it. This can turn into a monthly tradition, with a different host each selecting the book each meeting.

• Host a gaming tournament: Invite friends over for a gaming tournament -- just be sure you have the best possible visuals with your home theater. With projector options that sense ambient brightness in the room and adjust accordingly – like the LampFree XJ-F210WN from Casio’s Advanced Series line -- you can make a day of it, with stunning visuals in any lighting conditions.

• Express yourself: Pick up a pen, set a timer and just start writing. Don’t overthink it. When the timer buzzes, you may find you have the opening of a novel, a poem or song lyrics. Writing prompts, available online, can help you get started.

• Make math fun: Learning math shouldn’t be a bore. Use a scientific calculator to play online math games or invent your own.

For example, the fx-991EX scientific calculator’s high-resolution LCD screen allows for more information for applications like spreadsheets and 4X4 matrix calculations.

• Jump-start a pick-up game: You don’t need to join a formal team or have lots of equipment to enjoy athletic competition.

Call a few buddies and head to a local field for a pick-up game of soccer or two-hand touch football for some on the fly sportsmanship.

• Explore nature: Make more of your next nature walk, using new tools, such as the PRG600YB-2, a timepiece that includes a direction sensor for compass readings, pressure sensor for altimeter and barometer readings and a thermo sensor for temperature. Its solar power technology means fewer battery changes and its water resistance up to 100 meters means you can safely venture into unchartered waters.

When boredom sets in, remember, there are abundant ways to combat it at home, in your backyard and beyond. __________________________________

SERVICE

Darrell Garth

President /Publisher

Janice Garth

Sales Manager General Manager

Editorial

Send news tips, press releases, calendar listing etc to: editorial@thechicagocitizen.com

Advertising

Display Advertising advertising@thechicagocitizen.com or jgarth@thechicagocitizen.com

Classified Advertising call us at

(773) 783-1251

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Coverage Areas: CHATHAM-SOUTHEAST

Chatham, Avalon Park, Park Manor, Greater Grand Crossing, Burnside, Chesterfield, West Chersterfield, South Shore,and Calumet Heitghts.

SOUTH END

Washington Heights, Roseland, Rosemoor, Englewood, West Englewood, Auburn-Gresham, Morgan Park, Maple Park, Mt. Vernon, Fernwood, Bellevue, Beverly, Pullman, West Pullman, West Pullman, Riverdale, Jeffrey Manor and Hegewisch.

SOUTH SUBURBAN Serves communities in Harvey, Markham, Phoenix, Robbins, Dixmoor, Calumet Park, Blue Island, South Holland, and Dolton. Shopping- their favorite pastime!

HYDE PARK

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CHICAGO WEEKEND

Chicago Westside Communities, Austin and Garfield Park

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED Jobs for Students Call 773-574-7088 __________________________________ EMPLOYMENT Now Hiring Managers and Assistant Managers with 3-5 years experience in Food/Retail!

For more info: https://thejobsdriver.com/jobs/veteranscanteen/select-cities-s/ __________________________________

MISCELLANEOUS AUTOS WANTED CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled - it doesn't matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 1-844-294-2531 __________________________________

FINANCIAL ARE YOU BEHIND $10K OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 855849-6790 __________________________________ HOME IMPROVEMENTS NEED NEW FLOORING? Call Empire Today® to schedule a FREE in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring. Call Today!

844-220-6034 __________________________________ HYDE PARK WRITERS GROUP IS LOOKING FOR WRITERS, READERS AND THINKERS TO JOIN THEIR SUMMER WRITING SERIES. KICK OFF ON MONDAY JULY 15 AT 6PM. LOCATED AT 6250 SOUTH HARPER COURT ON THE FIRST FLOOR. CALL 773-679-8740 FOR DETAILS. __________________________________

This space can be yours Place your ad today.

Call us at (773) 783-1251.

Bloom Township, Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Ford Heights, Glenwood, Homewood, Lansing ,Lynwood, Olympia Fileds, Park Forest, Sauk Village, South Chicago and Steger

COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT Furnished, upscale, clean,secure, 2 chair hair salon; prime Chatham area location; many amenities; heat & water included:cable ready: space for expansion: Available July 1. Call or text 312-857-8480 for info. Must have current license, stable history and able to verify income. $649 monthly. __________________________________

LIVING 8 Great Ways to Combat Boredom (StatePoint) While we all get bored from time to time, it’s important to know that chronic boredom may be bad for health, as experts have found it can be associated with depression, anxiety and even bad habits like smoking and overeating.

July is Anti-Boredom Month, and the perfect opportunity to explore new hobbies and interests, while giving yourself the tools to combat boredom now and in the future.

Advertising In The Classified Section Can Be Easy As 123.

Here’s where you can sell your professional services, your home, used auto, gently used appearel, rent a apartment or sell your used house hold goods. You can place your ad for a reasonable price. Call for a quote today:

(773) 783-1251

Citizen Newspaper Group Inc., (CNGI), Publisher of the Chatham-Southeast, South End, Chicago Weekend, South Suburban and Hyde Park Citizen and Citizen Suburban Times Weekly. Our weekly publications are published on Wednesday’s (publishing 52 issues annually). Written permission is required to reproduce contents in whole or in part from the publisher. Citizen Newspaper Group, Inc. does not assume the responsibility for nor are we able to return unsolicited materials, therefore they become property of the newspaper and can or will be discarded or used at the newspapers disgratation. Deadlines for advertising is every Friday at noon. Deadlines for press releases are Thursdays at 10 am prior to the next week’s edition. Please send information for the calendar at least three weeks prior to the event.

Send to: editorial@thechicagocitizen.com. For more information on subscriptions or advertising, call us at (773) 783-1251 or fax (872) 208-8793. Our offices are located at 8741 South Greenwood Suite# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

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12 | CITIZEN | Hyde Park | Week of June 26, 2019

Enjoy Coca-Cola - 10"w x 13”h - Rose Colored Glasses

Job No: 40478747_05a Client Name: Coca-Cola Description: Enjoy Coca-Cola

Trim: 10" x 13" Max Density: 240