South Suburban Citizen 05-17-2023

THE CLEAN SLATE

INITIATIVE WORKS TO GIVE THOSE WITH CRIMINAL RECORD A CLEAN SLATE

Black people are disproportionately affected by mass incarceration. A national initiative is looking to ensure those who have served their time are able to not have their record be a barrier to gaining housing, employment and education opportunities. The Clean Slate Initiative is a national bipartisan movement that focuses on automatic record clearance, removing the petition-based system that sometimes serves as a barrier for people who are eligible to get their record cleared.

Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative during a TED Talk. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLEAN SLATE INITIATIVE.

CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PARTNERS HOST INAUGURAL GREEN AND GROWING SUMMIT

Educators, agriculturalists, students and community members attended workshops and learned about caring for farm animals

CHICAGO – Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and District partners hosted the inaugural Green and Growing Summit. CPS, along with Openlands, Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA) organized the summit to strengthen the connectivity of Chicago’s garden education movement by building on the work of the Green Teachers Network and the CPS Garden Educator Cohort.

The summit’s theme, “Imagine What’s Possible,” aimed to amplify participants’ knowledge of garden, nature, and sustainability education through workshops and networking opportunities. The summit was open to educators, agriculturalists, students and community members who attended workshops and heard from more than 30 speakers who work in environmental education and sustainability in Chicago. Workshops were organized under five learning tracks: Growing Environmental Stewards, Growing Your Gardening Knowledge, Growing Health and Wellness, Growing Your Community and Capacity and Growing Your Care for Farmed Animals.

The summit builds on the District’s ongoing health and nutrition efforts, including the CPS Farm to School program which connects District schools to fresh, healthy food from local producers. Initiatives like the Green and Growing Summit create hands-on learning activities for students to learn and grow through school gardens, farm visits, cooking lessons, and other food and farm related education.

700 CHICAGO WOMEN RAISING FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dinner en Rouge event to support local literacy, violence prevention and youth mentoring programs

Chicago -- The Chicago Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is excited to host its third annual fundraising event, Dinner en Rouge. This red-hot fundraiser will take place from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 20, 2023 at the Morgan Arts Complex, 3622 S. Morgan St. Funds raised support community-based programs in Chicago’s underinvested communities.

General admission tickets are $150 and VIP tickets are $225. The event is also being streamed so that it’s accessible virtually to guests at no cost. To register and purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite at bit. ly/40kPaH9. Donors can also support the fundraiser by purchasing raffle tickets at https://go.rallyup. com/cacdervirtualraffle/Campaign/Details.

The Fundraising Committee of the awardwinning Chicago Alumnae Chapter (CAC) has assembled a stellar night of entertainment including musical selections from Park N Ride Band, saxophonist Darryl Henry and world-renowned DJ Vince Adams. The color of the night is red.

Guests who attend in-person will enjoy dinner, dancing, cash bar, raffles, and more. “We are thrilled to host Dinner en Rouge which funds crucial programming across Chicagoland,” says CAC President, Shaunessye D. Curry. “Our guests can expect to be thoroughly entertained while contributing to the betterment of our neighborhoods. Funds raised will allow the Chicago Deltas to continue to make impactful change in our communities.”

Some of the key programs funded by supporters and sponsors include CAC’s annual HBCU College Tour, The dfree© Billion Dollar Challenge, A Shot in the Dark: Steps to End Chicago Gun Violence, and Good Health Wins. CAC boasts an extensive list of programs aimed at children and adults that target the immediate needs of the communities served, including a Holiday CareAVan which provides toys and clothing for children in need. Donors and corporations interested in supporting CAC’s programs through event sponsorships may contact Erica Reaves at 219-6703110 or by emailing or by emailing Fundraising. dstchicagoalum@gmail.com.

The Clean Slate Initiative works to give those with criminal record a Clean Slate

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BY TIA CAROL JONES

In Pennsylvania, before Clean Slate was launched around 2019-2020, legal service providers who were helping people get their records cleared, realized it was a workforce issue. People were not able to get jobs because of their criminal records. The process was also causing backlogs. Community Legal Services was leading the work and figured there had to be an easier way, and worked to pass legislation that would automate the record clearing process in the State of Pennsylvania.

With My Clean Slate PA, drug felonies, as well as some property-related felonies, would be eligible for Clean Slate automated sealing after 10 years. It also shortens the sealing waiting period for summary convictions and misdemeanor convictions. Stakeholders for My Clean Slate PA and the Community Legal Services looked at how to scale that legislation in other states, with the aim to have the same outcome.

Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, said this kind of initiative is important because it is removing the burden from the person who made the mistake to the system that traps them in the mistake. Meade estimates there are more than 114 million Americans who have a record, 30 million of those people are eligible the get their record cleared, but less than 10 percent of those people get it done. Meade believes the percentage is low because they don’t know they are eligible to get their record cleared, or because the process is overwhelming with red tape, cost, and/or waiting period.

Sheena Meade is the CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative. The Clean Slate Initiative is a bipartisan organization that is seeking to automate the criminal record clearing process in the United States, making it easier for people to have their records expunged. Photo provided by Clean Slate Initiative.

to scale the work the Clean Slate Initiative is doing across the country in all 50 states, Meade estimates $25 million more is needed. Meade acknowledged that receiving the funding shows that The Clean Slate Initiative is a common sense policy that everyone can get behind, and is a solvable solution.

“I know the power when people come together around humanity, redemption and forgiveness and when coalitions come together. I’m also doing this work because I have a lived experience. I have an arrest on my record that I’m looking forward to having a clean slate behind,” Meade said, adding that she did work on the Florida law that restored voting rights to those with criminal records and saw the transformation that restoration can do for a state, a community and for the person to be able to have a second chance.

There are currently six states that have Clean Slate Laws. Meade said the Clean Slate Initiative is working with partners, legislators and advocates across the country to see how to automate the Clean Slate Laws in states. She encourages people to talk to their legislators about automating the record clearing process in states that do not have Clean Slate legislation.

According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, in the State of Illinois, a person can get their record expunged if they were never convicted of a crime in any state, if they were sentenced to supervision, or if they were released without conviction following completion of supervision. A person’s records may still be eligible for sealing if they were convicted of a criminal offense or a municipal ordinance violation.

“It’s important because people need these barriers to be removed for them to get access to housing, education and employment. More than 90% of employers, 94% of landlords and 72% of colleges and universities use background checks to screen out applicants, which makes it harder for people to get back to work, get housing and get education,” Meade said, adding these sentences shouldn’t be a lifetime sentence for them once they’ve served their time.

The Clean Slate Initiative recently received a $75 million commitment from The Audacious Project. This money will go toward research, narrative work, to support the existing Clean Slate Campaigns and coalitions that are on the ground. In order

Petitions to expunge or seal must be filed in the court of the county where the arrest occurred or where the charge was filed against the person. Petition forms are available at the county courthouse. The petition must include the list of charges to be sealed or expunged, the date or approximate date of arrest, and the name of the police department that arrested the person. Petitions are submitted by the court to the Illinois State Police for review, and a decision for or against sealing or expungement will be mailed to the person by the court.

For more information about the Clean Slate Initiative, visit cleanslateinitiative.org. For more information about getting a record expunged in the State of Illinois, visit state.il.us/defender/ exp.html, or call 815-740-5160.

U.S. Department of Education Announces $42 Billion in Approved Public Service Loan Forgiveness for More Than 615,000 Borrowers Since October 2021

PSLF application to simplify use for borrowers

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) today announced that, as of the beginning of May 2023, it has approved a total of $42 billion in Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for more than 615,000 borrowers since October 2021. This is a result of the temporary PSLF changes made by the Biden-Harris Administration that made it easier for borrowers to reach forgiveness. At the end of the previous Administration, only about 7,000 borrowers had been approved for the PSLF program.

Additionally, the Department is announcing the implementation of improvements to the PSLF Help Tool, which borrowers use to apply for the program. Borrowers can now digitally track the status of their PSLF form in the My Activity section of their StudentAid.gov account. This upgrade is in addition to the Biden-Harris Administration’s long-term improvements to the PSLF program, slated to take effect in July 2023, which will provide lasting benefits for borrowers.

The targeted debt relief announced today is part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the PSLF program fulfills the promise made to Americans who enter public service

and that they receive the debt forgiveness they have earned by serving their communities and the country. Public Service Recognition Week celebrates individuals who serve the United States and local communities as an employee of Federal, state, local, or tribal government.

PSLF is one of several student loan forgiveness programs established by law. It supports public employees — such as teachers, firefighters, and members of law enforcement, as well as those who work for a non-profit organization in a variety of fields — by forgiving the remaining federal student loan balance for those who work in public service and make the required 120 qualifying monthly payments.

Borrowers across the country have benefited from the Department’s efforts to ensure that all public servants can more easily access this targeted debt relief. Of the nearly 616,000 borrowers whose loans have been approved for forgiveness, nearly 610,000 borrowers have already seen their loans discharged, and the rest will soon follow.

In addition to the borrowers who have been approved for forgiveness, more than two million borrowers now have an Continue on Page 3

Empowering Local Communities: DoorDash Releases Economic Impact Report, Including Survey Data of Local Dashers in Illinois

ILLINOIS – DoorDash released its latest Economic Impact Report, outlining how merchants, Dashers, and the DoorDash platform supported economic impact in the local communities we serve across the United States. Alongside the report, we ran a local survey of Dashers in Illinois.

“Our 2022 Economic Impact Report demonstrates the critical role DoorDash plays in the U.S. economy,” said DoorDash’s Head of Policy Research, Cheryl Young. “The metrics presented in this report are more than just numbers. They illustrate how DoorDash has allowed people like stay-at-home parents to earn money on their way home from dropping their kids off at school and people from all walks of life to get groceries or medicine delivered

directly to their doors. We’re proud to continue to connect consumers and local businesses and empower Dashers with flexible earning opportunities.”

In Illinois, local Dashers are earning flexibly to supplement their income on a schedule that fits their own lifestyle, as:

Over three-quarters (77%) of Dashers in Illinois agree that they feel less stressed and anxious about their financial situation because they can dash whenever they need;

Two-thirds (67%) of Dashers in Illinois have dashed to make up for lost income or reduced hours at their full- or part-time job;

94% of Dashers in Illinois say that dashing allows them more flexibility compared with other earnings opportunities they’ve had; and

86% of Dasher respondents in Illinois say that dashing makes them feel more in control of their circumstances.

Overall findings on how DoorDash is fulfilling its mission to empower local economies include:

In 2022, the DoorDash community supported an estimated $78 billion in economic activity in the U.S. and $15.7 billion in tax revenues

More people than ever before leveraged our platform to pursue flexible earning opportunities, with well over 6 million people across the globe earning more than $13

U.S. Department

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approved PSLF Form and are on the path to forgiveness. More public service employees around the country continue to apply as they become aware of the PSLF Program.

Continuously Improving the PSLF Help Tool

The Department remains committed to making it easier for borrowers to know if they are eligible for PSLF, certify their employment, apply for forgiveness, and track their progress. For the first time since the program began, borrowers can now sign and submit their PSLF form digitally and track its status throughout the process.

Now, borrowers can complete the entire process digitally on StudentAid. gov via the PSLF Help Tool.

The newly updated PSLF Help Tool enables borrowers to sign and submit their PSLF form digitally; identify employers that need to sign the form and request an e-signature; and track the status of their form.

Long-term Improvements to PSLF Program Through Regulations

billion

94% of Dashers say that dashing allows them more flexibility compared with other earnings opportunities they’ve had

Two-thirds (67%) of Dashers surveyed have dashed to make up for lost income or reduced hours at their full- or part-time job

Only 4% of Dashers surveyed say one of the main reasons they dash is that they’re not able to get other kinds of work while the majority are seeking out the flexibility that fits their schedule

90% of independent merchants surveyed would recommend DoorDash as a way to reach a wider range of customers, 89% to increase delivery area, and 87% to increase sales volume or revenue

93% of merchants surveyed find DoorDash helps in one or more ways in times of economic uncertainty

65% of merchants surveyed agree that DoorDash helps their business increase their overall profitability

73% of consumers have used DoorDash to try new restaurants they would not have otherwise tried and 77% went back to some or all of these restaurants

In total, DoorDash saved consumers an estimated 378 million hours in 2022 or more than 15-and-a-half million days

Please find the full report at https://about.doordash.com/en-us/ impact/measuring-our-impact.

Continued From Page 2

The improvements include: helping borrowers earn progress toward PSLF, simplifying criteria to help borrowers certify qualifying employment, and providing opportunities for borrowers to get help correcting PSLF account problems.

Borrowers with Direct Loans who work in public service are also likely to benefit from the one-time account adjustment announced by the Department last year. Borrowers with other types of federal loans have until the end of 2023 to consolidate into the Direct Loan program to receive credit for qualifying payments under this adjustment.

HUNTER’S SNAP BENEFIT FRAUD BILL PASSES SENATE

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Mattie Hunter advanced a bill through the Senate granting the Illinois Department of Human Services the authority to collect data on the frequency of stolen SNAP benefits within the state. This comes in response to widespread reports of identity fraud leaving Illinois residents without needed funds to purchase groceries and other necessities.

“The passage of this legislation marks a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of SNAP benefits,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “Collecting essential data on SNAP benefit fraud enables us to implement targeted solutions and protect vulnerable families in our state.”

House Bill 2214 allows IDHS to track how often benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are stolen from their rightful recipients. SNAP participants receive monthly benefits for groceries deposited onto EBT cards, and in recent months, card skimming has increased significantly in many states. IDHS began collecting data on card skimming and other fraud methods in December 2022, making it unclear how much theft had previously occurred. Under this measure, IDHS will be required to report its findings to the General Assembly annually beginning on Jan. 1, 2024.

Last year, Congress passed legislation to replace SNAP benefits stolen between Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 30, 2024. House Bill 2214 will serve as a starting point for Illinois to gain a clearer understanding of the scope and frequency of SNAP benefit fraud in the state, allowing for more effective measures to be put in place to combat this issue.

“By shedding light on the scope and frequency of SNAP benefit fraud, we can pave the way for stronger anti-fraud measures in Illinois,” Hunter said. “Our aim is to ensure that every dollar allocated for SNAP assistance reaches those who genuinely need it, and this bill is a crucial tool in achieving that goal.”

House Bill 2214 passed the Senate on Thursday.

JOYCE CHAMPIONS MEASURE ALLOWING THREE-YEAR HUNTING, FISHING AND TRAPPING LICENSE

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce championed a measure that passed the Senate Thursday that will allow an easier way to obtain a hunting, fishing, trapping and sportsmen license.

“This is a commonsense measure that will save people time,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “People will have more time to engage in outdoor activities without having to worry about if their license is expired.”

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ELIZABETH “LIZZIE G” ELIE

REALTOR

In October 2022, the Department announced final regulations for the PSLF Program that will deliver lasting improvements for borrowers. These improvements will go into effect July 1, 2023, and are detailed in this fact sheet.

In addition to this one-time account adjustment, the Department also announced earlier this year new proposed regulations that would transform income-driven repayment (IDR) plans to better serve borrowers. The regulations would create the most affordable IDR plan that has ever been available to student loan borrowers, allowing those with incomes under $30,500, or under $62,400 in a family of four, to qualify for $0 monthly payments. They will also simplify the program and eliminate common pitfalls that delay borrowers’ progress toward forgiveness.

House Bill 3677 will allow Illinois residents to obtain a three-year fishing, hunting, sportsmen’s combination or trapping license at three times the cost of an annual one.

Under current law, people have to renew their license for these activities every year. This legislation will make the process easier for individuals by allowing them to renew the licenses after three years rather than one.

“This is a big convenience factor for people who hunt, fish and trap, but it also helps out our state’s conservation,” said Joyce. “By switching to three-year license options, we will save people the hassle of renewing their license every year while also helping generate more revenue at a time for the state’s conservation efforts.”

House Bill 3677 passed the Senate.

FAST COMPANY HONORS OPERATION HOPE’S 1 MILLION BLACK BUSINESSES INITIATIVE WITH ‘WORLD CHANGING IDEAS’ AWARD

ATLANTA, PRNewswire -- Operation HOPE, the nation’s leading non-profit in financial literacy and economic inclusion, announced that its 1 Million Black Businesses Initiative (1MBB) has been named the winner of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Award in the Enduring Impact category. The World Changing Ideas awards honor products, concepts, companies, policies, and designs that are pursuing innovation for good.

Launched in partnership with Shopify, 1MBB helps Black entrepreneurs and existing Black business owners acquire the knowledge, skills and access to resources required to start, scale up and grow a business at no cost. A panel of judges selected the 1MBB for its impact, program design, scalability and ingenuity from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants. Slated to continue until 2030, 1MBB has supported nearly 200,000 Black businesses to date.

HOPE’s 1MBB Initiative named the winner of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Award in the Enduring Impact category.

Through its HOPE Inside network and Coalition of the Willing partners, 1MBB participants are better positioned to thrive in both physical locations and through eCommerce activities. In addition to Shopify, key partners include the U.S. Small Business Administration, Truist, First Horizon, Wells Fargo, the NFL, MasterCard, Comcast, iHeart Radio, Aprio, The Salvation Army, as well as several historically Black colleges and Universities (HBCUs), churches, municipalities and members of the National

Pan-Hellenic Council, to name a few.

The 1MBB movement is part of Operation HOPE’s broader mission to promote financial inclusion and dignity, aimed at empowering underserved Americans. The 1MBB initiative was born following the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Operation HOPE is honored to be recognized by Fast Company for creating an idea that can— and will – change the world for the better,” said John Hope Bryant, Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO. “Through 1MBB, we are devising new ways to help Black business owners defy the odds, improve their overall financial wellness and ultimately build generational wealth. It’s no small task, but the data shows that we are making a true impact.”

“At Operation HOPE, our team includes tirelessly persistent problem solvers who are committed to addressing the most urgent challenges in our communities,” said Lance Triggs, SVP, Operation HOPE. “We want to make the world more equitable, make access to business resources more accessible and illuminate a path to a better future for those who have historically been underserved.”

Despite the negative impacts of the pandemic and recent social unrest, research from the latest HOPE index reveals that Black entrepreneurs remain optimistic. Through the 1MBB initiative, barriers to business success such as mentorship, risk tolerance, lack of technological innovation/digital strategies, and limited access to capital have proven to improve outcomes. For more information

about 1MBB, including how to register, click here.

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to “silver rights” with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for everyone—disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities—turning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. Operation HOPE recently received its eighth consecutive 4-star charity rating for fiscal management and commitment to transparency and accountability from the prestigious non-profit evaluator, Charity Navigator. For more information: OperationHOPE. org. Join the conversation on social media at @operationHOPE.

Shopify is a leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers everywhere. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify powers over one million businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Allbirds, Gymshark, Heinz, Staples, and many more. For more information, visit www.shopify.com.

Report Sheds New Light on Conditions Required to Boost Wealth for Black and Hispanic Entrepreneurs

McLEAN, Va., PRNewswire -- The Capital One Insights Center has released new research that sheds light on how business ownership can drive personal wealth creation for Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs and their communities –and ultimately close the racial wealth gap.

“For many Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs, owning a business can be a tremendous opportunity to build wealth and narrow the racial wealth gap,” said Shena Ashley, President, Capital One Insights Center and Vice President, Community Impact and Investment. “In Richmond, about 35% of Black and Hispanic business owners saw at least $188,000 in personal wealth growth over the course of their business ownership, the same as the median wealth for white U.S. households. With the support of a coordinated business ecosystem, sustained funding, and educational resources, these businesses were able to make a real difference in closing the racial wealth gap for themselves.”

The study, conducted in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), surveyed more than 1,000 business owners and residents in Richmond, Virginia, along with 21 interviews with community organizations, and found unlocking wealth is possible – but under the right conditions.

The report’s key findings include:

Successful businesses have shown that it is possible to unlock wealth under the right conditions. Approximately one-third of Black and Hispanic business owners in Richmond experienced personal wealth growth of at least $188,000 over the course of their business ownership.

Wealth growth is not a guarantee. Wealth growth by Black and Hispanic business owners was roughly half of non-business owners from 2017/18 to 2022.

Size and scale matter for long-term personal wealth and business success. Businesses that survive the initial start-up years or grow to greater than $500,000 in annual revenue generate greater wealth.

Business success depends on three critical conditions.

Access to and acumen around initial and growth funding, right-sized skills and capabilities, and a supportive business ecosystem are key variables to business success and personal wealth generation.

Based on these findings, the research highlights potential levers that could help entrepreneurs, financial institutions, business and community organizations, and policymakers close the racial wealth gap.

“Working to level the playing field for all small businesses in Richmond requires a multi-faceted and long-term strategy that consists of dedicated investments, available resources, and policy,” said Andy Navarette, Executive Vice President, Head of External Affairs, Capital One. “Public, private, nonprofit, and government sectors must come together to explore innovative ways to increase Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs’ access to capital and make concerted, harmonized efforts to level the playing field for diverse business owners, in Richmond and around the country.”

In order to unlock personal wealth creation for Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs at scale, the report recommends 1) continued exploration of innovative ways to increase capital; 2) public, private, and nonprofit support; 3) financial management and digital tools; 4) collaboration among organizations within the business ecosystem; and 5) trust-building between funders and communities of color.

“Being a small business owner in any community is a challenge. When it comes to minority small business owners and closing the staggering racial wealth gap, challenges such as unequal access to capital and business support systems often make their journey even tougher,” said Kedra Newsom Reeves, Managing Director and Partner at BCG and Co-Lead for The Center for Inclusion and Equity. “This

research makes clear that while wealth growth through business ownership is achievable, public and private organizations play an integral role in supporting underserved communities and the budding entrepreneurs within them.”

Methodology:

From August to October 2022, we surveyed 1,015 current and former business owners and residents of Richmond, Virginia, and conducted interviews with 21 community organizations that provide support to local business owners. We focused on businesses in Richmond, Virginia, using wealth creation rather than longevity as a measure of success.

Our survey covered current and past business owners from Black or Hispanic backgrounds, against the general population in Richmond. Responses include active businesses started between 1970 and 2021; former businesses started between 1974 and 2022; businesses up to $10 million in annual revenue, with a sample average revenue of $2.9M; and businesses from service, retail, and manufacturing industries. Nearly all the owners surveyed launched their business before 2020, meaning they survived the economic impact of the pandemic.

The Capital One Insights Center combines Capital One research and partnerships to produce insights that advance equity and inclusion. As a nascent platform for data and dialogue, the Center strives to help changemakers create an inclusive society, build thriving communities and develop financial tools that enrich lives. The Center draws on Capital One’s deep market expertise and legacy of revolutionizing the credit system through the application of data, information and technology.

Learn more about the Insights Center by visiting https://www.capitalone.com/about/insights-center/.

Rep. Kelly, with Sen. Menendez & Rep. McBath, Leads Bicameral Letter of 90 Congressional Colleagues Urging ATF to Fully Implement Federal Rules to Help Close the Gun Seller Background Check Loophole

WASHINGTON, D.C – Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), with U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Congresswomen Lucy McBath (D-Ga.07), led a bicameral letter of over nearly 90 Congressional colleagues urging the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to implement federal rules to designate who is “engaged in the business” of selling firearms to help close the gun seller background check loophole.

The letter comes on the heels of a deadly mass shooting this past Saturday in Allen, Texas, and as the somber one-year anniversary approaches for the Buffalo supermarket shooting that killed 10 people on May 14, 2022 and the Uvalde school shooting that killed 19 Texas fourth graders and two teachers on May 24, 2022. The BSCA—the first significant federal gun safety legislation in 30 years—was signed into law by President Biden on June 25, 2022.

“Today, we write to highlight one directive in particular: the President’s clarion call to clarify the definition of who is “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms—a step that moves us closer to closing the background check loophole. The background check loophole in federal law permits unlicensed gun sellers—those who are not “engaged in the business” of dealing in the firearms—to sell guns without conducting a background check on the purchaser. These sellers have, for decades, taken advantage of commercial marketplaces, like gun shows, to turn a profit by funneling firearms into the hands of convicted felons, domestic abusers, gun traffickers, and other

prohibited persons,” the lawmakers wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and ATF Director Steve Dettelbach.

In their letter, the lawmakers cite President Biden’s executive order, signed March 14, 2023, which was the most recent call to action urging the ATF to implement rule-making as outlined by the BSCA.

Specially, the lawmakers are asking ATF to clarify rules around who is classified as a gun seller so that whether an individual is purchasing a firearm from a brick-and-mortar store, or at a gun show or online, that they would be subject to a background check.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, of the over nine million posts on Armslist; 68-percent of the posts listed firearms for sales. Of those posts, 78-percent were by unlicensed sellers.

Joining Sen. Menendez in signing the letter were Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.).

Endorsing groups include Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, and The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Letter comes as one year anniversary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act being signed into law and as the nation reels from another weekend of horrific gun violence.

KIL N.Y.C. Releases Dentata, Jewelry Inspired by the Pro-Choice Movement

New York, NY -- All over the world, cultures have created myths about women with teeth in their vagina. These have resulted in the male fear of injury during intercourse and even potential castration. Sigmund Freud is credited for coining the term “Vagina Dentata” to describe the idea of devouring or being devoured. Many feminists have reclaimed the idea of this myth, turning it into a symbol of empowerment and pride.

Combining this myth with another tool used to control women, the chastity belt, founder of KIL N.Y.C., Konstantinos Leoussis, created the Dentata Ring and Dentata Pendant. With the news buzzing about reproductive rights, he draws parallels between current events and urban legend. Styled on an 18 inch chain, the Dentata Pendant shows this spiky design laid flat, creating a teardrop shape to elongate the neck. The Dentata Ring features the same spiky design, curved around the finger, mimicking the way the chastity belt would have been worn. Both styles are made-to-order in customer’s choice of sterling

silver, 18k yellow gold over sterling silver, or 14k yellow gold.

Generating an impact with these pieces, 10% of each sale will be donated to Her Justice, an organization dedicated to assisting women living in poverty in New York City, by recruiting and mentoring volunteer lawyers to provide free legal help to address individual and systemic legal barriers. Leoussis says of his design, “We wanted to

Starbucks and Brandon Blackwood

create an empowering, yet fashionable, ring and we believe we succeeded. I have kind of a twisted sense of humor and love for all things taboo, so this felt like the perfect way to pay homage to the feminist movement while staying true to myself. The pieces feel like a fun dirty secret, granting power only to those that recognize the symbol.”

All Dentata pieces come carefully wrapped in KIL N.Y.C.’s signature sustainable packaging and ship carbon negative. The packaging is designed from post-consumer recycled paper, using algae-based inks. Bury the care card that accompanies the jewelry, and wildflowers will bloom.

Inspired by a life of travel and antiquities, jeweler Konstantinos Leoussis created KIL N.Y.C. in 2018, to showcase his love of old-world techniques and motifs. With styles referencing mythology, antiquities, and teenage melancholia, KIL N.Y.C. puts an edgy and modern spin on sentimental jewelry. Leoussis’ aim was to create styles that feel like modern talismans, bringing magic to the everyday wearer. Each piece is lovingly made by hard working hands in New York City, keeping sustainability and fair wages at the forefront of their production. To contact KIL N.Y.C, email at krystelle@kil-nyc. com, or call/text 646-824-1502.

team up to launch new limited-edition Sip & Sling bottle bag collection

(Black PR Wire) To celebrate the recent release of RTD Starbucks® Pink Drink and Starbucks® Paradise Drink, two new bottled beverages inspired by the popular handcrafted drinks at Starbucks cafés, fashion designer Brandon Blackwood has created limited-edition sling bottle bags as the perfect way to carry the new beverages on-the-go. Blackwood took inspiration from the colors, flavors and textures of the beverages to design the newest must-have accessory.

Starbucks®

The new bottled beverages feature vibrant fruit flavors combined with coconutmilk and refreshing fruit juice. Starbucks® Pink Drink features bold fruit flavors of strawberry and açaí combined with coconutmilk and refreshing fruit juice. Starbucks® Paradise Drink features tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and passionfruit, blended with coconutmilk and refreshing fruit juice. The new colorful and refreshing nondairy beverages, RTD Starbucks® Pink Drink and Starbucks® Paradise Drink, are available nationwide where groceries are sold.

Pink Drink first took social media by storm in 2016 as a beverage created by a fan, and it officially joined Starbucks menu in 2017 followed by Paradise Drink Starbucks Refreshers® beverage last summer. With their bright hues and refreshing taste, the fan-favorite beverages have become more than just drinks, but an expression of individual personality.

In the same spirit of creative collaboration, the new Brandon Blackwood + Starbucks™ Sip & Sling Collection features sling bottle bags in two gradient colors: a bold pink-hued design inspired by the fruit flavors of strawberry and açaí in Starbucks® Pink Drink, and an ombre design inspired by pineapple and passionfruit flavors in Starbucks® Paradise Drink.

“This is a dream collaboration for me,” said Blackwood, whose handbag and accessory collections have become iconic in their own right. Blackwood has been lauded for his positive impact on fashion and culture at large. He is the recent recipient of the highest industry accolades and is beloved among his dedicated fans who carry his bags and share on social media.

“My designs are a reflection of my creativity and how my community inspires me, and I credit social media with not only helping me connect with them – but driving our popularity relatively quickly over the last few years,” said Blackwood. “I like giving people fun and bold ways to accessorize and individually express themselves and I like how these drinks were fan inspired. Which is the reason why this collaboration with Starbucks and creating a bag for the new RTD Pink Drink and Starbucks® Paradise Drink makes so much sense.”

Additionally, as part of the brand’s ongoing community investment efforts, Starbucks is supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest mentoring organization.

These musthave accessories are as bright and bold as the beverages they were made to carry: new Ready-toDrink (RTD)

Pink Drink and Starbucks® Paradise Drink

Brandon Blackwood

Girls Like Me Project Partners with National Geographic Explorer for an Immersive Film Screening Experience of Disney’s “Enchanting the Little Mermaid”

CHICAGO, IL- (May 1st, 2023) Girls Like Me Project, Inc, in partnership with National Geographic Explorer Alyea Pierce, Producer of the critically acclaimed podcast, Into The Depths, aims to push past stereotypes by exposing girls to the powerful narratives and contributions of Black girls in spaces that have otherwise muted their impact by hosting an exclusive screening of one of Disney’s most anticipated beloved classic film “Enchanting the Little Mermaid”. Saturday, May 27th at 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Cinema Chatham: powered by Emagine 210 W. 87th St. Chicago, IL. 60620.

This event will create an interactive, immersive movie-going experience where Black girls connect to HERstories rooted in concepts of memory, authenticity, identity, and oral storytelling through sound and voice about maritime archaeology. To help exemplify the experience, GLMPI partnered with National Geographic Magazine’s Into the Depths to serve as a platform to help explore the experience.

Special Guest Speaker, National Geographic Explorer and Fulbright alumna, Alyea Pierce will present a reflection conversation using poetry, spoken word performance, audio, and photography to examine oral storytelling and folklore traditions across the African diaspora. As a poet and researcher, she also recently contributed to National Geographic’s podcast series Into the Depths, and was recently featured on episode 1 of National Geographic’s The Soul of Music—Overheard’s four-part podcast series focusing on music, exploration, and Black history.

PLAY

• Swimwear Fashion Showcase

• Live DJ

• Interactive STEM activities

• Photo Booth

• Popcorn & Drink

For tickets log on to: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/little-mermaid-immersive-screening-experience-tickets-613648006707

Proceeds from ticket sales support FREE programming for girls and help advance the mission of Girls Like Me Project.

About Girls Like Me Project Inc.:

The mission of GLMPI is to help African-American girls ages 13-18 critically examine social, cultural, and political ideologies in media so that they will be able to overcome stigmas and negative stereotypes. In addition, we equip them with the tools and strategies to become influential, independent digital storytellers who transform their communities and foster global sisterhood. The program intends to serve as a resourceful career-driven program in the Chicagoland area, by creating a safe space for Black girls between the ages of 12-18 who aspire to pursue careers in the media industry.

For more information on Girls Like Me Project, Inc., visit https://www. girlslikemeproject.org/.

Connect with Girls Like Me Project, Inc. on:

The Immersive experience includes:

• Live displays of oceanic artifacts powered by National Geographic

Facebook: Girls Like Me Project, Inc.

Twitter: GirlsLikeMeProj

Instagram: girlslikemeproject

LinkedIn: Girls Like Me Project, Inc.

Why DIVERSITY

in Clinical Trials Matters

Clinicaltrials are a critical part of the research process for new medicines and vaccines. The information gained is fundamental to the development of new ways to help treat and prevent disease. Evidence has shown that some drugs and vaccines show variations in the response to some individuals depending on their racial or genetic background. For this reason, it is important that volunteer participants of clinical trials appropriately reflect the people that the investigational medicine or vaccine is intending to treat.

Our company, Merck, and many others, are working to ensure that volunteer participants from diverse backgrounds are included in clinical trials. Why is this so important? Age, gender, weight, race, or ethnicity might change how individuals respond to a treatment. By including people with varied traits and characteristics, research can provide important information to understand how treatments work in a diverse population.

There are many reasons why people volunteer for clinical trials – and many reasons they choose not to. In the United States, past medical mistreatment made some people distrust science and medicine. Financial or travel issues can also make it hard for people to join research trials. Too often, all those worries combined prevent people from volunteering.

That’s why we’re trying to make it easier for all volunteer participants.

The importance of diversity in cancer research

Diversity in clinical research is especially important in cancer research because the impact of cancer can be very different among diverse groups of people. For

example, the American Cancer Society says prostate cancer is increasing. It also is 70% more common among Black men than White men in the United States. It’s important then that Black men are also a big part of research into the disease and the evaluation of investigational treatments.

Improving diversity in trials by reaching people in underrepresented communities

We need to do a better job engaging people in underrepresented communities and help them understand what participation in a clinical trial involves. Then we need to help those with challenges, like being too far from a trial or having financial concerns.

Partnerships with local organizations –groups who know their people best -- can help. We’re also running our trials in more areas. Last year, about half of our clinical trial locations were placed in areas where underrepresented groups live to meet them where they are.

We recognize that there are things we can do to improve the clinical trial experience for volunteer participants, such as providing travel to and from clinical sites for their study appointments.

We know people often feel more comfortable with doctors and medical professionals who look like them too. So, we’re working to improve the diversity of clinical researchers. Plus, we’re creating tools to help health care professionals engage their patients about participating in trials.

We’re training more people to help volunteer participants through the clinical trial process called Patient Navigators. Patient Navigators can work with patients and medical staff as a go-between. We’re also looking at how to run trials

so that some aspects may be easier for volunteer participants, like using telemedicine.

Working together to improve clinical research

We have a lot more to do, but we’re seeing progress. In 2022, we enrolled about 50 percent more diverse volunteer participants in our trials. It’s positive momentum we are working hard to grow, to make sure clinical research is an option for everyone.

You can help. Be open to learning more about clinical trials. Every trial has risks and benefits, and participation is completely optional and voluntary. You can stop at any time. Volunteer participants get to be active in their health and help advance medical research for everyone.

Authored by: Adrelia Allen, Senior Director, Clinical Trial Patient Diversity, Merck Research

BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE AND THE WEEKND PARTNER TO LAUNCH “SAMRA ORIGINS”

OAKLAND, Calif., PRNewswire -- Blue Bottle Coffee, a global leader in specialty coffee, has announced a partnership with multi-platinum recording artist Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and his record label, XO. Together, they have created Samra Origins, a brand and product line celebrating Ethiopian culture and excellence in coffee. Named in honor of The Weeknd’s mother Samra, Samra Origins pays homage to his family’s heritage with a shared respect for Ethiopia — the proud birthplace of coffee.

“Ethiopian culture is an important part of my identity and I’m proud to work alongside the Blue Bottle Coffee team to shine a light on Ethiopian traditions, values, and of course, coffee,” said Tesfaye. “Growing up, I watched my mother perform Buna Tetu, a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. This sensory experience helped shape my understanding of community and taught me to always honor my roots. Samra Origins is a true passion project that I hope will inspire curiosity and encourage support for Ethiopia’s people, while also spreading the warmth and friendship so ingrained in Ethiopian culture.”

Commemorate Ethiopia’s Coffee Heritage

Through Samra Origins, Blue Bottle and The Weeknd are curating and crafting coffees that encapsulate Ethiopian coffee excellence. Coffee plays an integral part in Ethiopian traditions, especially through the time-honored Buna Tetu coffee ceremony.

“Ethiopian coffee is truly in a class of its own and the country holds a special place within our Blue Bottle community,” explained Karl Strovink, CEO of Blue Bottle Coffee.

“Since Blue Bottle Coffee’s inception in 2002, we’ve sourced coffee from Ethiopia. In 2023, Ethiopia is still consistently among our top origins by volume. I’m excited that we’re extending our commitment there with Samra Origins so we can continue to share the best of Ethiopian coffee and support our network of producers in the country.”

Blue Bottle’s Samra Origins launches this month with a limited release of Exceedingly Rare Ethiopia Wolde Faye Koricha COE #7 ($65 per 100 gram tin), available exclusively online at www.samraorigins.com.

Samra Origins Blend Coming Summer 2023

The Weeknd and Samra developed the first Samra Origins blend in collaboration with Blue Bottle’s Head of Innovation & Quality, Benjamin Brewer. Brewer selected some of Ethiopia’s best coffees to craft three blend variations. During cupping sessions, both The Weeknd and his mother tasted each variation and carefully selected the offering most similar to the coffee Samra brews at home. From there, Blue Bottle carefully worked with The Weeknd to fine tune the blend. After making final adjustments, the end result is a distinctly delicious blend that pays homage to both Samra

and Ethiopia with Blue Bottle’s signature attention to tasting notes and quality.

Debuting in Summer 2023, the blend whole bean will be available for purchase online and in select Blue Bottle cafes in the US. These cafes will also offer this coffee as cold brew.

A Partnership with Purpose

Born to Ethiopian immigrants, The Weeknd’s strong ties to his family’s heritage ignited his passion about Ethiopia and giving back to communities in need. The Samra Origins partnership signals a mutual commitment between Blue Bottle Coffee and The Weeknd to maintain traditions and unify communities. As part of The Weeknd’s humanitarian efforts, Blue Bottle will donate to the XO Humanitarian Fund, administered by World Food Program USA. The Fund supports the United Nations World Food Programme’s lifesaving emergency operations in hunger hotspots around the world, with a special focus on Ethiopia where an estimated 20 million people require urgent humanitarian food assistance. Learn more and donate to the Fund here.

“Samra Origins honors our longstanding commitment to caring for communities around the globe,” said Strovink. “We jumped at the opportunity to work with The Weeknd because his advocacy with the World Food Program inspires us to continue lifting up communities in need and highlighting their incredible work.”

“We are grateful to have The Weeknd and Blue Bottle Coffee’s steadfast support as we work to feed families in hunger hotspots worldwide,” said Barron Segar, President and CEO of World Food Program USA. “Private sector partners like Blue Bottle Coffee are critical in generating both public awareness and funding to save the 43 million people on the brink of starvation across 51 countries.”

For full details on Samra Origins and to sign up to be among the first to be notified about upcoming product drops, please visit www.samraorigins.com. Follow along on Instagram and TikTok via @bluebottle.

THEY’RE MOVING ON AND MOVING UP IN ‘RUN THE WORLD’

(Black PR Wire) Santa Monica, Calif. —STARZ released the key art and trailer for the critically acclaimed series “Run the World” set to premiere on Friday, May 26. Vicariously live through Whitney (Amber Stevens West), Renee (Bresha Webb) and Sondi (Corbin Reid) as they fashionably navigate through the ups and downs of life, love and careers in the pursuit to have it all. They’re moving on, and moving up. The second season of the half-hour comedy series will premiere at midnight (ET) on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms. On linear, it will debut on STARZ at 9:30PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada.

“Run the World” chronicles the euphoric highs and heartbreaking lows that Whitney, Renee and Sondi must endure in their pursuit of world domination. Whitney must follow the road of self-discovery in order to thrive in her life with or without Ola, while Renee and Sondi must decide what they truly want out of life – both in love and their careers. Whether they reunite with a past love, taste the life of a millionaire, or see their career take off in a radical new direction, these powerful Black women, fortified by their impenetrable friendship, won’t let anything get in their way.

Amber Stevens West (“The Carmichael Show”), Bresha Webb (“Marlon”) and Corbin Reid (“Valor”) return to their roles as “Whitney,” “Renee” and “Sondi,” three best friends living and thriving in Harlem. Stephen Bishop (Moneyball) and Tosin Morohunfola (“Black Lightning”) return in series regular roles. Erika Alexander (“Living Single”) and Nick Sagar (“Queen of the South”) will also be returning as recurring guest stars and Jay Walker (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and Tonya Pinkins (Enchanted) will return as

guest stars.

STARZ previously announced that Tika Sumpter (Sonic the Hedgehog 2, “Mixed-ish”), Comedian CP (“Detroiters,” “Love Life”) and Isha Blaaker (A Madea’s Homecoming, “The Flight Attendant”) will be joining the second season in recurring roles, while Cree Summer (“Better Things,” “Queen Sugar”) and Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins (“Dear White People,” Bad Hair) will guest star.

Rachelle Williams-BenAry (“Love Life,” “Mixed-ish,” “Survivor’s Remorse”) joins season two as showrunner and executive producer. Yvette Lee Bowser and Leigh Davenport serve as executive producers. “Run the World” is produced by Lionsgate for STARZ.

“Run the World” Online Twitter: @ RunTheWorldTV | @STARZ Instagram: @RunTheWorldSTARZ | @STARZ Facebook: @RunTheWorldSTARZ Join the conversation with #RunTheWorld and #STARZ STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its international

premium streaming platform STARZPLAY, now LIONSGATE+, to provide subscribers access to bold, curated storytelling. LIONSGATE+, coupled with the STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture in MENA and Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia, has a footprint that extends across the globe. STARZ and LIONSGATE+ are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 17,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.

Samra Origins

West Town Chamber of Commerce Announces Do Division Street Fest

CHICAGO, ILL. – Ahead of the West Town Chamber of Commerce’s much-anticipated Do Division Street Fest, the team is thrilled to announce the full 2023 live music lineup! Kicking off Chicago’s festival season from Friday to Sunday, June 2-4, 2023, the event will feature local vendors and electrifying live tunes on Division between Damen and Leavitt. In addition to two live music stages, patrons can enjoy a wide variety of local shopping, food, and plenty of ice cold beer, including varieties from local favorite Goose Island Beer Co., as well as spirits from White Claw and Deep Eddy.

To engage and entertain festival-goers of all ages, Do Division Street Fest will also feature a dedicated “Do Division Family Fun Fest” organized by A.N. Pritzker Public School and LaSalle II Magnet School, who are festival season benefactors along with Jose De Diego Community Academy. “Do Chicago Fashion Fest” will also return with local designer runway shows and vendors throughout the weekend, organized by Dynamic Salon. Further, Do Division Street Fest will welcome more than 30 bands across two live music stages throughout the weekend, programmed by two of West Town’s renowned live music venues: The Empty Bottle and Subterranean.

“Do Division Family Fun Fest” is one of the premier neighborhood children’s events of the year, which takes place on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, 3023, from 12:00p through 6:00p. The event jam packs two blocks (Hoyne & Crystal) full of fun for little ones to enjoy, including train rides, face painting, bounce house, arts, crafts and dozens of local children’s retailers. To top it off, the “Do Division Family Fun Fest” boasts its own live entertainment stage, including family-friendly musical acts and a talent show! All proceeds will benefit A.N. Pritzker Public School and LaSalle II Magnet School.

TICKETS + DETAILS

Festival attendees can pre-reserve entry by visiting https://www.eventbrite. com/e/do-division-street-fest-tickets-628593870187.

The West Town Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization with hundreds of small business members. The Chamber’s mission is to foster community and economic development by empowering businesses with information and technical resources, creating connections, and providing neighborhood-wide marketing and other valuable programming. For more info: westtownchamber.org.

Oggi Trattoria Announces Relocation in Chicago’s West Town Neighborhood

CHICAGO, ILL. – After more than 30 years on Grand Ave, the Padilla family is thrilled to announce the reopening and relocation of Oggi Trattoria. Now open to the public at 1461 W Chicago Ave, the move for the beloved restaurant marks a significant milestone for the Padilla family, who’ve lived and worked in West Town since the late 1970s.

The new space has been completely gutted and built out, providing a fresh environment for patrons to enjoy the same incredible classic food and service Oggi is known for. Interiors include custom wallpapering, “The Tree of Life,” made in collaboration with local business, Urban Source—as well as custom brass bar stools, mint green accents and plenty of natural light, thanks to the installation of several new windows along the eastern wall. The new Oggi Trattoria will have seating for 75 guests, including 10 seats at the bar.

“We wanted to give our long-time customers a fresh environment and an overall elevated experience,” said head chef Sam Padilla. “Even if you’re just having a glass of water, we want it to be a more refreshing experience.”

Oggi Trattoria has become an iconic establishment in West Town over the years, known for its authentic Italian cuisine and

warm, welcoming atmosphere. The new space on Chicago Ave is set to continue this tradition, offering diners an unforgettable experience, and the continuation of a family legacy. Notably, this is the restaurant’s third location in West Town, but the first that the family has owned after renting two different locations on Grand Ave for the past 30 years.

“West Town has always been home for our family, but we could never plant our restaurant’s roots in one place because we’ve always rented,” says Padilla. ““It’s been an incredible journey over the past 30 years in West Town, and we can’t wait to bring our passion for great food and hospitality to this new location. We are finally home on Chicago Ave. We’ve finally made it.”

The new Oggi Trattoria is located at 1461 W Chicago Ave in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, and will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 3 to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 9 p.m. The restaurant can be found on Instagram at @oggitrattoria and on Facebook at @OggiTrattoria, and reservations can be made via OpenTable by clicking here. For all menus, special events and info, visit oggitrattoria.org.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sweetpotato Taquitos

Recipe courtesy of Tracy Shaw on behalf of Healthy Family Project

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

1 cup sweetpotatoes, peeled and diced small nonstick olive oil spray

1/2 cup peanut butter, preferred nut butter or nut-free butter

8 small, low-carb flour tortillas

1 cup blueberries, washed and dried

1 cup raspberries, washed and dried

Preheat air fryer to 400 F.

Add diced sweetpotatoes to air fryer basket and lightly spray with olive oil spray. Cook sweetpotatoes 10 minutes, shaking basket 1-2 times to toss sweetpotatoes.

Transfer cooked sweetpotatoes to medium bowl; add peanut butter and mix well.

Lay tortillas on counter and place 1-2 tablespoons sweetpotato mixture on each tortilla.

Add blueberries and raspberries next to sweetpotato mixture.

Roll each tortilla tightly. Place rolled tortillas, seam sides down, in air fryer.

Spray tortillas lightly with olive oil spray. Cook in air fryer 6-7 minutes.

Fuel Up for Summer Fun

Dietitian-approved, family-friendly recipes

(Family Features) Summer sun brings an abundance of outdoor activities from jumping in the pool and playing in the yard to simply lounging in the shade. Making the most of those warm weather moments with loved ones means maximizing your time and fueling up for adventure with easy, kid-friendly recipes the whole family can enjoy.

From favorite snacks to homemade lunches, flavorful dishes that are quick to make using nutritious fruits and veggies can help keep your family ready for whatever summer brings. Dietitian-approved recipes like Peanut Butter and Jelly Sweetpotato Taquitos and Easy Homemade Salsa offer better-for-you summer solutions with healthy ingredients like sweetpotatoes, blueberries, raspberries, sweet onions, Roma tomatoes and more.

Ready in less than 30 minutes, these taquitos let you enjoy the convenient benefits of cooking with an air fryer, including:

• Healthier cooking: Requiring little to no oil, air frying is a healthier alternative to deep frying.

• Timesaving: Air fryers can cook foods faster than traditional methods and typically with less cleanup.

• Versatility: From vegetables and meats to desserts or reheating leftovers, air fryers can cook a variety of foods.

“Get into the kitchen together as a family and get cooking,” said Julie Lopez, registered dietitian and culinary nutrition chef. “Cooking together can help kids build self-confidence and lay down the foundation for healthy eating habits.”

While shopping for your family’s preferred ingredients, remember to look for the Produce for Kids and Healthy Family Project logos next to favorite items in the produce department, as adding these flavorful fruits and veggies to your cart can help make a difference in your community.

Visit HealthyFamilyProject.com to find more summer recipe inspiration.

Easy Homemade Salsa

Recipe courtesy of Healthy Family Project

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

1/2 small RealSweet sweet onion, halved

5 mini sweet peppers, seeded and quartered

3 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 1/2 limes, juice only

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt, or to taste tortilla chips

In food processor, blend onion, peppers, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt until desired consistency is reached. Serve with tortilla chips.

SAS announces first HBCU Fellows

CARY, N.C., PRNewswire -- High demand for data science skills generates rewarding career opportunities, but those opportunities have not historically gone to underrepresented populations. Innovative professors at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are forging opportunities for students to engage with data analytics in meaningful and creative ways, ensuring students develop career-ready analytics skills. To supercharge their efforts, SAS developed the HBCU Fellows Program and recently named the four members of the inaugural cohort.

The HBCU Fellows Program supports educators at Historically Black Colleges and Universities by helping integrate analytical tools into academic programs and increase access to data and analytics education. Fellows are chosen based on interest in data analytics, feasibility of proposed plan and projected impact to teaching. The inaugural cohort is using SAS to explore compelling real-world applications in financial services and investing, human resources, marketing, and sports analytics.

“The HBCU Fellows are opening doors to exciting careers in data and analytics for their students,” said Liz Moran, Director, SAS Academic Programs and Certification. “They are also helping make their institutions destinations for a new, more diverse generation of data scientists and analytics experts that can use data to grow businesses, power research and improve society.”

Those selected for the program receive customized curriculum planning and technical guidance, opportunities to network with technical experts, and more. Fellows will participate in quarterly training and professional development events aimed at advancing their analytics and data science skills and identifying resources for teaching data analytics in their disciplines. The first cohort of HBCU Fellows are:

Minnette A. Bumpus, PhD, Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business at Bowie State University.

Gregory W. Ramsey, PhD, Associate Professor in the Information Science and Systems Department at the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management at Morgan State University.

Pamela Queen, PhD, Professor in the Accounting and Finance Department at the Graves School of Business and Management at Morgan State University.

Joni Jackson, PhD, Associate Professor of Marketing in the College of Business at Chicago State University.

Striving to close a growing skills gap

According to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce report, Black people account for 12% of the US workforce but occupy only 8% of tech jobs. That gap is projected to widen. Technology jobs are expected to grow 14% by 2032, but Black tech talent in those roles is expected to grow only 8%.

By integrating data skills into coursework and projects, HBCU Fellows will prepare students with real-world experience to seize those growing opportunities.

At Morgan State University, some of that experience will be in the rapidly growing area of sports analytics. Students will get to work with the university’s Center for Data Analytics and Sports Gaming Research to study and support research on socio-behavioral attitudes about esports, sports wagering, gambling addiction and other trends to inform public policy and regulations.

“The SAS HBCU Fellows Program will enable me to serve as an ambassador to my colleagues by customizing curriculum and student assignments that will better prepare Morgan students to utilize data analytics in various business disciplines, including sports and fintech,” said Queen.

Increasing representation in the analytics workforce

For decades, SAS has supported education at all levels to shrink the data skills gap and prepare more students for college, work and success in the analytics economy. From its partnerships with minority-serving institutions to diversity hiring initiatives and employee inclusion groups, SAS is committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion within the company and in the industry.

Last year, SAS hosted the first HBCU Invitational in concert with the SAS Championship golf tournament. It joined many other outreach and recruiting programs, including SAS HBCU STEM & Business Connects, HBCU Career Development Marketplace and HBCU Academic Excellence Program.

Learn more about the HBCU Fellows Program: https:// www.sas.com/en_us/events/22q3/hbcu-fellows.html

Bank of America Awards Negro Leagues Baseball Museum $1M Grant for New Facility

KANSAS CITY, Mo., PRNewswire -- The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) announced it has been awarded a $1 million grant from Bank of America in support of the museum’s $25 million capital campaign to build a new 30,000 square-foot facility. This funding will enable the NLBM to provide the latest state of the art technology that will be used to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity through the lens of America’s unsung baseball heroes who overcame tremendous social adversity to play baseball. The announcement was made at the NLBM with bank and museum officials alongside Congressman Emanuel Cleaver; Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas; Frank White, Jr., Jackson County Executive; Kathy Nelson, President & CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission and John Sherman, Chairman & CEO Kansas City Royals.

To coincide with the bank’s commitment of the new museum, Major League Baseball alumni players David DeJesus, Rajai Davis, and Dexter Fowler will take part in a Bank of America “Play It Forward” baseball clinic on Saturday, May 6 for 50 area youth from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. The Clinic coincides with the celebration of the winning spirit of the Kansas City Monarchs and is held on the anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s first game with the team.

The new state of the art facility will be built adjacent to the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center (BOERC) which will now be housed in the former Paseo YMCA. That historic building is where Andrew “Rube” Foster established the Negro Leagues in 1920. With help from the anchor grant, the new NLBM, in combination with the BOERC, will create a “Negro Leagues Campus” that will become the gateway into Kansas City’s famed Historic 18th & Vine Dis-

trict. This will be a catalyst for economic growth in a vastly underserved, predominantly African American community.

The bank’s support will allow the NLBM to expand programming, create dynamic interactive displays, house a gallery to showcase new exhibitions, feature a larger gift shop, and include a more expansive archival and storage space.

“Thanks to the generosity and continued support of Bank of America, the future of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum begins today,” said Bob Kendrick, museum president. “Our growth from a one-room office to becoming America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has been an amazing journey. Now, we’re building an organization that will continue to preserve and celebrate the triumphant story of the Negro Leagues but also fortify our position as one of the nation’s most important civil rights and social justice institutions,” Kendrick said.

The grant is part of Bank of America’s overall commitment to strengthening the Kansas City community by addressing key issues fundamental to economic opportunity and social progress. It also builds on Bank of America’s efforts to advance racial equality and opportunity for communities of color. The new facility will integrate a blend of technology and nostalgia to create an immersive culturally enriched experience that enlightens students and adults about a precious piece of baseball and Americana that has been excluded from the pages of American history books.

“We share NLBM’s mission to preserve and celebrate the rich history of African American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America,” said Matt Linski, president, Bank of America Kansas City. “Our commitment recognizes the importance – culturally and economically –

of the 18th & Vine District to Kansas City today and we hope it will be an example for other funders to follow. Additionally, this grant is paramount to ensuring greater understanding and better appreciation of the many contributions African Americans have made and continue to make, including Jackie Robinson breaking the Major League color barrier.”

This announcement is the latest in a series of investments that Bank of America has made in the Kansas City community. Bank of America has invested more than $13 million in grants and sponsorships since 2020 as well as capital investments to help small businesses, affordable housing, and other economic revitalization projects benefiting communities throughout Kansas City.

Bank of America’s relationship with the NLBM dates back to the 1980s with bank leaders having served on the original 18th & Vine Authority Board that established the district. Bank of America funded the exhibition Discovering Greatness that traveled to all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) campuses to reach young African Americans who might otherwise have been unaware of their Negro Leagues heritage. In 2008, the museum presented Bank of America the prestigious Buck O’Neil Legacy Award. In 2019, the museum was selected for Neighborhood Builders®, Bank of America’s signature philanthropic program and received $2000,000 grant for operational funding and leadership training. President Bob Kendrick has provided thought leadership at numerous Bank of America events including Courageous Conversations over the past three years and at the recent opening of the Barrier Breakers exhibition at Dodger Stadium. The NLBM has been part of the bank’s Museums on Us® program for many years.

SAS partners with minority-serving institutions to increase opportunities and help create a more diverse analytics and data science workforce. [Photo from the SAS HBCU STEM Connect event] PRNewsfoto/SAS

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

J DHARMAVARAM 851 S. Racine Ave. #F Chicago, IL 60607

Address of the Property: 3231 Nelson Robbins, IL 6047

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02426-016-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building

Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Tyrone Ward P.O. Box 993 Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 3222 Nelson Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02425-012-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCSS/11-31-l(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Pearl Parham 3216 Nelson Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 3216 Nelson Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02425-009-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

C Coleman 3215 Nelson Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 3215 Nelson Robbins, IL60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02426-008-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e} that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or

unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Matthew Cash 4608 S Calumet #lN Chicago, IL 60653

Address of the Property: 3230 Nelson Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02425-016-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Inice Ledet 14218 S Grace Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 14218 S Grace Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02427-010--0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCSS/11-31-l(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Louis Campbell 13834 S Trumbull Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 13834 S Trumbull Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02225-042-0000; 28-02-225-043-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-l(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Taxpayer of Record 13824 S Trumbull Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 13824 S Trumbull Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02225-036-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/6/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-l(e} that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so. If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building

Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Mitchell Prop Mgmt Inc 13734 Claire Robbins, IL 60472

Address of the Property: 13734 Claire Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02220-006-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 2/21/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so. If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Betty Brownscott 4603 Saratoga Rd. Richton Park, IL 60471

Address of the Property: 3209 and/or 3211 w 137th Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02222-042-0000; 28-02-222-043-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 3/7/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building

or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Erika Foster 15925 Woodbridge Harvey, IL 60426

Address of the Property: 13811Central Park Robbins, IL 60472 Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02-223-006-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 3/7/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Hubert Long 1185 Veltre CR SW Atlanta, GA 30311

Address of the Property: 13823 Ridgeway Robbins, IL 604720

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02119-011-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 3/10/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCSS/11-31-l(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the above-listed address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the

Continued on next page

LEGAL NOTICE

Continued from previous page

beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472

708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Roberto Lee 4210 Midlothian Tpke Crestwood, IL 60418

CLASSIFIEDS

Address of the Property: 13827 Ridgeway Robbins, IL 60472

3/10/2023

Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the abovelisted address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the

property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building

Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Curtis I Moore 4529 ½ S Drexel Chicago, IL 60653

Address of the Property: 13831 Ridgeway Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02119-045-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 3/10/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCSS/11-31-l(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the abovelisted address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so. If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

4 Factors to Consider When Determining How Much Home You Can Afford

(StatePoint) Figuring out how muchhome you can afford is one of the most important questions you’ll need to answer before you begin house hunting. But as home prices and interest rates have increased in the past few years, you may be wondering how your buying power has changed.

To get a rough estimate of what you can afford, most lenders suggest you spend no more than 28% of your monthly income — before taxes are taken out — on your mortgage payment, which includes principal, interest, taxes and insurance. In addition to having a firm grip on your income and expenses, it’s important to understand the role the following factors play in how much home you can afford:

Your Credit Lenders look closely at your credit score when determining whether you qualify for a loan. Generally, the higher your credit score the more options will be available to you, including better loan terms and a lower interest rate. Because of the large role credit plays in the homebuying process, make sure you under-

stand how your credit score is compiled, how to get a copy of your credit report and how to build strong credit.

Current Mortgage Rates

It’s important to watch mortgage rates carefully, because when rates are lower you may be able to afford a larger mortgage. Although 26 million mortgage-ready potential homebuyers had the capacity to afford a $400,000 mortgage at a 3% interest rate, the total falls by 3 to 4 million with each percentage point gain, according to Freddie Mac research. In short, a small increase in rates can make a home that was once affordable, unaffordable. Bear in mind that similar borrowers may receive notably different rates based on the lender, so you may want to shop around to increase your buying power. In fact, you can potentially save $600-$1,200 annually by applying for mortgages from multiple lenders, according to Freddie Mac.

Your Down Payment

Typically, homebuyers need to make a down payment of at

least 3%, and generally between 5% and 20%, of their home’s purchase price to qualify for a mortgage. That means as home prices go up, so do down payment requirements. Talk to your lender about all the down payment options available and explore assistance programs. Each year, many state, county and city governments provide financial assistance for people in their communities who are well-qualified and ready for homeownership. Requirements vary, but if you are eligible you could receive down payment assistance ranging from a few thousand dollars to larger amounts, depending on your needs, your qualifications and where the home is located. Additionally, many programs specifically benefit veterans, Native communities and workers employed in education, health care, law enforcement and firefighting. Your lender or housing counselor should be able to point you in the right direction of these programs.

CAREERS

How a Nursing Career in Home Healthcare Can Help Expand Care Access

(StatePoint) For those who are in hospice, recovering from an injury or illness, or who have long-term disabilities, home healthcare can be an ideal solution. It delivers cost-effective, highquality care in the setting where patients most often want to be -- home. Unfortunately, access to this important service varies by region, with particular shortages in rural areas, often where the need is highest. Industry experts say that nurses who make the switch to treating patients at home can help close the gap.

“I’ve seen firsthand how home healthcare is so often the best choice for patients, translating to better adherence to care management plans and an improved quality of life,” says Jennifer Sheets, president and chief executive officer of Interim HealthCare, Inc., a nurse with real-world experience herself, and a nationally recognized leader and advocate for continued funding for home healthcare.

Whether you’re still in nursing

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE TO REMEDIATE

Village of Robbins, Illinois

Notice To: All Owners of record of the property listed below, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to said property, and all lienholders of record of said property as shown in the records of the Office of the Cook County Clerk's Recording Division, which are as follows:

Brenda A Brooks 14149 S Western #539 Blue Island, IL 60406

Address of the Property: 13736 Central Park Robbins, IL 60472

Permanent Tax Index Number: 28-02116-032-0000

Date Posted at the Property: 3/10/2023

From: Village of Robbins, 3327 W. 137th St., Robbins, IL 60472

REAL ESTATE

AC 5-3-2023

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION The Bank of New York Mellon f/k/a The Bank of New York, as Trustee for Amresco Residential Securities Corporation Mortgage Loan Trust 1997-1 Plaintiff, vs. Unknown Heirs and Legatees of Theodore Ford; United States of America; Angela Ford aka Angela Booker; Theodore Ford; Damon Ritenhouse, as Special Representative of Theodore Ford; Unknown Owners and Non Record Claimants; Defendants; 21 CH 4376

Fees and Other Closing Costs

Don’t forget that when you get a mortgage, you’ll need to pay closing costs, which likely include an appraisal fee, credit report fee, tax services fee and more. These costs will generally run between 2% and 5% of your purchase price.

To crunch the numbers, start by using Freddie Mac’s Homebuying Budget Calculator, then learn more about the homebuying process with Freddie Mac’s CreditSmart. Visit creditsmart.freddiemac.com to get started. If you think you’re ready for homeownership, you’ll want to work closely with your lender to determine what you can comfortably afford. It’s their job to cover all bases so that

Notice to Remediate is given under 65 ILCS5/11-31-1(e) that the Village has determined that the building at the abovelisted address is open and vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community. Unless the building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are removed so that the immediate and continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then it is the intent of the Village of Robbins to demolish, repair, or enclose the building, or to remove any garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials, if the owner or owners, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title, or lienholders of record of said property fail to do so.

If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30 days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice, whichever is later, the corporate authorities shall have the power to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials.

Prepared By: Robbins Building Department 3327W. 137th Street,Robbins, IL 60472 708-385-8940 ext. 233

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 25-34-115-037-0000. Commonly known as 544 East 134th Street, Chicago, IL 60827. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. Theproperty will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Law Clerk at Plaintiff's Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 360-9455. INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3218812

school or a seasoned professional, here are some of the top reasons to consider a career in home healthcare:

Career Consistency

A career in home healthcare can be a seamless transition for nurses of all specializations, experiences and backgrounds. While many home healthcare patients are older adults, home healthcare actually offers the full continuum of care, and is designed for patients of all ages with a range of chronic and acute conditions. What’s more, home healthcare careers can deliver benefits like good work-life balance, flexible hours you can set yourself, rewarding assignments and competitive pay.

Big Impact

The last few years have put unbearable pressure on nurses everywhere, making it difficult to provide the personalized care patients deserve. The care delivered in patients’ homes however, empowers nurses to make a true impact on health outcomes. And it goes beyond that. In areas of the country where there are home healthcare shortages, patients and their families are often faced with tough decisions and difficult circumstances, including extended hospital stays. Home nurses can alleviate strain on the healthcare systems of under-serviced communities by improving access to at-home care.

Major providers of home healthcare are actively hiring nurses right now, including Interim HealthCare, which has locally-owned and operated franchises nationwide. To learn more about home care careers, visit careers.interimhealthcare.com.

“More nurses working in home healthcare means better access for patients who could benefit from care at home,” says Sheets. “If you’ve thought about a career pivot, this is one change that can improve lives and help communities.”