South Suburban Citizen 7-29-2020

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

Citizen The Citizen: Serving The Black Community For 55 Years Week of July 29, 2020

| Vol. 39 | No. 36 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

SOUTH SUBURBAN

Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Park Forest) on the Senate Floor in Springfield November 2019. Photo courtesy of State Senator Patrick Joyce

PARK FOREST-CHICAGO HEIGHTS SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVES GRANT TO EXPAND BROADBAND Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 received a $300,000 grant to help the school district expand its high-speed internet. PAGE 2

Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Announces Launch of New E-filing and Case Management System

Study: Major Cities are Slow to Recover After Public Transit Usage Dropped 75% Amid COVID-19

Wellable Partners with Sweat Factor for On-Demand Fitness Classes

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NEWS briefly EDUCATION NATIONAL COLLEGE FED CHALLENGE TO BE HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT IN 2020 The Federal Reserve Board, along with co-sponsoring Federal Reserve Banks and other regional partners recently announced that the National College Fed Challenge will be held in a virtual format in 2020. The new format will include a video submission, a virtual judged question and answer session, and a virtual event announcing the winners in November. The new format will allow schools outside current Fed Challenge districts to compete in a newly created at-large region.

Interested colleges and universities should see “College Fed Challenge 2020 Rules and Steps” on the Board’s website for details on how to enter the 2020 competition. The deadline to register for the competition is September 30, 2020.

College Fed Challenge, in its 17th year, is a team competition for undergraduate students. Teams analyze current economic and financial conditions and formulate a monetary policy recommendation, modeling the Federal Open Market Committee.

More information can be found on the Fed Challenge website at https://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/ educational-tools/fedchallenge.htm

HEALTH

CDPH CONDUCTS A COMPREHENSIVE MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL PROGRAM The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has confirmed the first West Nile Virus (WNV)-positive mosquito batch in the city for 2020. CDPH will continue to monitor the area where the mosquito batch tested positive. Following additional tests, CDPH will determine the appropriate next steps to be taken. No human cases of WNV have been reported to date in 2020.

CDPH began its annual mosquito control activities on May 26th. This includes treating 40,000 catch basins in Chicago with larvicide, which kills immature mosquitoes and is the most effective control strategy. In addition, CDPH places up to 83 traps throughout the city and tests mosquito samples every week. This information guides CDPH’s efforts throughout the season, allowing teams to respond quickly in specific geographic areas to further reduce risks through neighborhood outreach and spraying.

The most effective way to prevent infection from WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and avoid mosquito bites. Residents are encouraged to take personal precautions against mosquitoes.

For more information about mosquito-borne diseases, including symptoms and prevention, visit www.chicago.gov/health.

Call 311 to report standing water, dead birds or high grass/weeds.

LAW & POLITICS

OJJDP RELEASES 2019 ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recently released its 2019 Annual Report to Congress. The report describes programs and activities that OJJDP carried out in fiscal year 2019.

OJJDP awarded more than $323 million to fund programs, research, training and technical assistance, and information dissemination activities that enhance public safety, ensure juvenile offenders are held appropriately accountable, and that empower youth to live productive, law-abiding lives.

“OJJDP continues to stay focused on issues of national concern. We work with communities plagued by gang and gun violence, as well as neighborhoods affected by drug abuse,” said Caren Harp, OJJDP Administrator. “We pursue better methods to protect children who are abused, exploited, or exposed to violence — and to inspire young people who need positive adult mentors. When young people are empowered to live up to their potential, our communities become stronger and safer places in which to live and learn.”

Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District receives grant to expand broadband Continued from page 1

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 received a $300,000 grant to help the school district expand its highspeed internet.

The grant will benefit the students and families in the community and School District 163 was one of 12 organizations to receive the grant money in this round.

The grant is part of Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Illinois Connected Communities program.

The goal of the grant is to help build capacity in underserved areas. The program serves K-12, higher education and library locations across the state of Illinois.

Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce, D-Park Forest, said internet access and remote learning capabilities and resources are critical at a time when schools are utilizing remote learning due to COVID-19. He said areas were

selected where school districts face some challenges.

Grant money will be distributed in another round this year, Joyce continued. He said $150,000 comes from state grants and another $150,000 comes from philanthropic funds.

According to the State of Illinois’ website, Connect Illinois is the largest state broadband matching grant program. It provides the magnitude of funding necessary for state-driven broadband ubiquity as well as lasting broadband equity.

Joyce said as school districts are deciding what is the safest way to have students return to school in the fall during COVID-19, e-learning will also be a part of the back-to-school plan.

“If there’s challenges for the student body, this grant is to fill that gap,” Joyce said. “This program, state-wide, is going to be enormous,” he added. Joyce continued, “[The program] will fill a need that’s been going on for five or 10

years and I think the road that we’re going down with COVID-19, is part of our new reality and we just need to be prepared for such a thing,” he said.

Dr. Caletha White is the superintendent of the Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163. “We are always excited about opportunities to support our families and particularly during this time when students are learning from home,” White said. She added it’s “an amazing way” to provide them with a resource they need.

“We [SD163] will be working with the Village of Park Forest, the Park Forest Library and creating a plan to implement ways to support families that do not have access,” White said. “It was very necessary. This helps us level the playing field for our students who did not have access to [the] internet to engage in at-home learning activities,” she stated. “This money allows us to support families so they can enhance that experience for their children.”

Marijuana sales create $52 million in state revenue in first six months

BY JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois. com

Springfield — Since January, Illinois residents and visitors have spent nearly $240 million on legalized recreational marijuana, producing $52 million in state revenue, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Of that, $34.7 million came from excise taxes, while $18 million came from sales taxes.

Per the law, 8 percent of that revenue will be shared with local governments, while the Illinois Department of Revenue estimates $25.9 million from excise and sales taxes will be directed to the state’s General Revenue Fund.

Also under the law, 25 percent of revenues collected from recreational cannabis sales will be reinvested through the R3 program (Restore, Reinvest and Renew) in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the justice system, and to

Since January, Illinois residents and visitors have spent nearly $240 million on legalized recreational marijuana.

address substance abuse and prevention and mental health concerns.

Recently, the R3 program announced $31.5 million in grant opportunities to organizations working in historically underserved communities across Illinois.

“Illinois has done more to put justice and equity at the forefront of this industry than any other state in the nation, and we’re ensuring that communities that have been hurt by the war on

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drugs have the opportunity to participate,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a recent news release.

The announcement signals progress for one of the legalization bill’s three main social equity measures.

Another, which is aimed at allowing groups from areas disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs to obtain an ownership stake in the industry, has stalled amid licensing delays caused by the COVID-19

pandemic.

A lead marijuana advisor to Pritzker has said September is a goal date for when new dispensary and craft grow licenses will be released.

Another key equity measure is expungements for low-level marijuana offenses, and the governor’s office said Pritzker is working with Chicago State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, and Illinois state’s attorneys to advance those goals.

CITIZEN | South Suburban | Week of July 29, 2020

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NEWS

Retailers Partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to Help Prepare Kids and Teens for Back2School Michaels Going on now through - August 29, Michaels customers will have the opportunity to directly support their local Boys & Girls Clubs with select arts supply purchases.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America recently launched its 2020 Back2School cause campaign in partnership with more than a dozen retailers around the country.

As millions of kids and teens are gearing up to return to school, whether virtually or in-person, the youth advocacy organization is working to ensure that all kids, especially those who are in the most need, have the same opportunities to succeed in life.

“Back to school will look a lot different this year for America’s kids,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “But even in uncertain times, Boys & Girls Clubs are here to support kids and teens, providing a safe place with meals, school supplies and virtual or in-person programs with positive mentors.

I want to give a huge thank you to this year’s Back2School partners.

Their support will help Clubs do whatever it takes to ensure kids, families and communities have what they need to navigate the upcoming school year.”

Throughout the Back2School promotion, corporate partners are supporting Club youth by donating school supplies, galvanizing their employees to volunteer with local Clubs while adhering to social distancing guidelines, and engaging the public to participate in the cause campaign.

Charles Schwab Foundation, Chuck E. Cheese, Comcast NBC Universal, FRThankYou.com, The James M. Cox Foundation, Panda Express, Ross Stores, Toyota North America, and Wayback Burgers are supporters of Boys & Girls Clubs of America Back2School by raising awareness of the needs facing kids and helping ensure that they have all the right school tools for a successful educational experience.

In addition, the following Back2School partners are offering ways customers can get involved by participating in the following partner programs:

Champion Athleticwear On August 5, Champion is launching a new CSR initiative, Champion For All, aimed at creating a more inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds – regardless of their race, age, income, religion or gender. As part of this initiative, Champion is donating 50,000 masks to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Champion wants to make sure kids are safe and protected when returning to school this fall. Champion is also launching a Champion For All collection as well. Proceeds from this collection will help support the mask donation. The collection will be available exclusively at Champion. com and Champion retail stores in New York, Boston and Las Vegas.

Buffalo Wild Wings On August 19, guests can support youth sports by dining at Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants.

Ten percent of the check plus all additional guest donations will support local youth sports through partners like Boys & Girls Clubs.

The Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola and Family Dollar have teamed up with Boys & Girls Clubs to make a difference in the communities they serve. By purchasing participating Coca-Cola products through December 31 at your local Family Dollar

Microsoft Microsoft Rewards will be supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of America Back2School with a “Give With Bing” campaign and fundraiser through September 30.

Supporters can sign up (https:// www.bing.com/give) to donate just by selecting Boys & Girls Clubs of America as the nonprofit partner and then searching with Bing on desktop, mobile or the Bing Search app. Xbox One users can also donate points via the Rewards App on their consoles. Microsoft Rewards will match donations to Boys & Girls Clubs of America through September 30 to support Back2School.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America recently launched its 2020 Back2School cause campaign in partnership with more than a dozen retailers around the country.

stores, 10% of purchases, up to $1 million, will be donated to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

CVS Pharmacy CVS will host a back-to-school promotion from August 9 through September 5, online and at CVS locations nationwide. CVS and P&G are donating $500,000 in value, which includes personal care products to local Boys & Girls Clubs to help kids in need go back to school with confidence.

Family Dollar Going on now through September 7, join Family Dollar customers in supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of America this Back-toSchool season by donating $1, $2 and $3 at store registers.

Kids Foot Locker Kids Foot Locker is empowering Great Futures as it hosts a nationwide donation program in-store where customers can donate $1, $3, $5 or $10 at check-out to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of America going on now through September 12.

Murphy USA Murphy USA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America are maximizing the potential of kids in your local community. Going on now through - September 1, Murphy USA will ask customers to roundup or donate $1, $5, or $10 to support Boys & Girls Clubs.

Old Navy Going on now through August 6, visit any Old Navy store to donate to Boys & Girls Clubs at checkout to support big dreams and bigger opportunities for the next generation. Customers who donate $5 or more in-store will receive $5 off their $35 next purchase. Customers who shop online in the US can also support Boys & Girls Clubs by selecting the “donate at checkout” option.

The Back2School campaign aligns with Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Great Futures Campaign, which calls attention to the crisis facing kids and teens and elevates the role after-school time plays in creating opportunities for youth explore their individual voice and the activities that inspire their dreams and passions.

For more information about ways to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Back2School campaign, visit www. bgca.org

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Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Announces Launch of New E-filing and Case Management System The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) is rolling out a new, cloud-based electronic filing and case management system. The system, called CompFile, will allow for paperless filing and processing of court documents for workers’ compensation cases in Illinois.

Upon his appointment to lead the IWCC in March 2019, Chairman Michael J. Brennan made it a priority to modernize the IWCC’s operations. Over the past year, the IWCC has been working to create a fully paperless electronic filing system, bringing consulting firm WorkComp Strategies and technical resources from Microsoft Consulting Services on board to design and implement the system.

CompFile is scheduled to roll out in three phases. The first phase, which launched on Feb. 10, 2020, involved registration of law firms and account setup.

The second phase, which began on July 22, 2020, includes the drafting, signing and approval of settlement contracts. The third phase, planned for the late fall of 2020, will incorporate applications, motions, decisions and reviews.

The first phase was successful, with 1,000 registered users in the first week alone. The IWCC provides multiple ways to learn how to navigate the new system on the CompFile Implementation webpage, www.iwcc.il.gov/compfile In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of leveraging technology to support remote work and ensure business continuity is more evident than ever.

The IWCC processes approximately 40,000 applications, 35,000 settlements, thousands of hearings and tens of thousands of motions and other filings every year.

The new e-filling system will allow for faster processing and immediate, aroundthe-clock access to critical information for attorneys and their firms, as well as self-represented litigants.

CompFile will benefit the IWCC right away in the form of reduced printing, delivery and storage costs.

It will also provide the workers’ compensation community with greater transparency, a more efficient adjudication system and improved data management and recordkeeping.

As the IWCC’s CompFile team continues to work towards the third phase of CompFile, progress is underway, and improvements are ongoing.

The CompFile team welcomes questions, input and feedback at wcc.compfile@illnois.gov

4 | CITIZEN | South Suburban | Week of July 29, 2020

BUSINESS

Tech Job Gains Confirm Pockets of Strength in Recovering Labor Market The two components of information technology (IT) employment – industry and occupation – each showed signs of an improving labor market, according to an analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics #JobsReport by CompTIA, the nonprofit trade association for the global tech industry.

While overall tech industry employment showed a slight decline of 5,600 jobs, three of five sectors experienced positive gains. Tech manufacturing led the way with a net increase of 7,300 jobs, covering both technical and non-technical positions.

On the tech occupation front, IT jobs across all industry sectors of the

economy increased by an estimated 227,000 positions. Through the first half of the year, tech occupation employment increased in five of the six months.

“The latest employment data for tech was generally positive, with continuing signs of momentum,” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. “While uncertainty is still a major concern, the forward-looking employer job posting figures suggest hiring will accelerate in areas such as software development, IT support, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and certain emerging tech fields.”

In addition to tech manufacturing, the other industry sectors that

experienced jobs gains for the month include data processing, hosting and related services (+ 5,600) and the other information services category, which includes search engines and portals (+ 2,200).

The IT services and custom software development segment lagged, with an estimated loss of 20,400 positions. The telecommunications sector also continued its downward slide, with a net loss of 300 jobs.

“Because the IT services and custom software development segment is dominated by small firms, they tend to be more sensitive to disruptions in customer spending,” said Herbert. “As the broad small business market

“While uncertainty is still a major concern, the forward-looking employer job posting figures suggest hiring will accelerate in areas such as software development, IT support, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and certain emerging tech fields,” said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA.

recovers, we expect hiring will resume among IT services and customer software development firms.”

Wells Fargo Names Kristy Fercho to Lead Home Lending Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: Housing Council, and a member of WFC) recently announced that Kristy its Residential Board of Governors.

Fercho will join the company at the She also serves on the boards of beginning of August as the new head City Year and the Detroit Zoological of Wells Fargo Home Lending.

Society. Her industry accolades Fercho has 18 years of leadership include MReport honoring her as experience in the mortgage industry one of the Top Women in Housing, and will replace Michael DeVito, who Diversity Journal listing her among has announced plans to retire after its Women Worth Watching, more than 23 years with Wells Fargo.

National Mortgage Professional Fercho will join the company Magazine naming her to its list of from Flagstar Bank, where she has Most Powerful Women, and the served since 2017 as president of the Michigan Chronicle selecting her for company’s mortgage division. its Women of Excellence recognition.

Under Fercho’s leadership, the DeVito’s retirement comes after a mortgage business flourished, financial services career that spans expanding to over 87 retail more than 30 years, including 23 home lending centers and 2,300 at Wells Fargo. He was selected to correspondent and broker lead Wells Fargo Home Lending relationships. Prior to joining in January 2018 after serving as Flagstar, she spent 15 years with head of mortgage production for Fannie Mae, where she led the the company and previously ran its strategy and business performance mortgage servicing operations. of single-family customers in the DeVito also was head of western United States and also served Education Financial Services for Kristy Fercho, new head of Wells Fargo Home Lending in customer engagement and human nearly three years and led retail Photo: Business Wire resources roles. fulfillment for Home Lending.

Fercho began her career and served Previously, he was a leader in Home in a variety of sales, operations, and human at Wells Fargo. “Buying a home remains Lending’s early e-business initiatives and resources roles at Baxter International before one of the most important financial managed retail home equity. moving to Pepsico Inc., where she ultimately decisions our customers will make in their “Michael has always been an active was director of worldwide corporate human lifetime, and Kristy is the right person to advocate for his teams, our customers, resources. help us ensure that no one can do it better our industry, and the communities “Kristy is a customer-first business for them than Wells Fargo.” where we work,” stated Weinbach. “I am leader with deep home lending experience.

Fercho currently serves as vice chair exceptionally grateful for his dedication She has been an inspiring and vocal leader of the board of the Mortgage Bankers to doing what’s right for our customers across the mortgage industry while driving Association, vice chair of the MBA’s and his passion for helping people become transformational growth at Flagstar,” said Diversity and Inclusion Advisory homeowners, and wish him all the best in Mike Weinbach, CEO of consumer lending Committee, co-chair of the Affordable his retirement.” www.citizennewspapergroup.com

The CompTIA IT Employment Tracker is available at https://www. slideshare.net/comptia/comptia-itemployment-tracker-july-2020.

Study: Major Cities are Slow to Recover After Public Transit Usage Dropped 75% Amid COVID-19 For those who depend on public transit, severe drops in ridership can be detrimental. With fewer riders comes limited scheduling and days where public transit may not run at all. For the busy metropolises on ValuePenguin’s list, that could mean fewer people are able to get out to grocery stores or medical facilities.

ValuePenguin examined bus, subway, and train ridership in the top 10 major cities across the country, and even as major cities like New York City and Seattle open up, transit usage has recovered more slowly in those cities than in others.

Key findings: Transit usage plummeted 75% nationwide in March, and only reached 49% of pre-coronavirus usage rates as of July 1.

Cities hit with earlier COVID-19 outbreaks have had bigger drops and slower recoveries than those cities hit later.

Transit usage is recovering more slowly than other modes of transport: Walking and driving are both well over 100% of pre-coronavirus levels nationwide, though not all cities are recovering at equal rates.

Cities ranked by biggest drops in transit ridership post-coronavirus: Seattle New York City San Francisco - Bay Area Washington DC Boston Chicago Los Angeles Philadelphia Denver Atlanta To view the full report, visit: https://www.valuepenguin. com/2020/07/transit-usage-drop-during-covid-19

CITIZEN | South Suburban | Week of July 29, 2020

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FASHION

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU FAST FOR WEIGHT LOSS? Two daily fasting diets, also known as timerestricted feeding diets, are effective for weight loss, according to a new study published by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The study reported results from a clinical trial that compared a 4-hour timerestricted feeding diet and a 6-hour time-restricted feeding diet to a control group.

“This is the first human clinical trial to compare the effects of two popular forms of time-restricted feeding on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors,” said Krista Varady, professor of nutrition at the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences and corresponding author of the story.

Participants in the 4-hour time-restricted feeding diet group were asked to eat only between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Participants in the 6-hour time-restricted feeding diet group were asked to eat only between the hours of 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In both the study groups, patients were allowed to eat whatever they wanted during the 4-hour or 6-hour eating period. During the fasting hours, participants were directed to only drink water or calorie-free beverages.

In the control group, participants were directed to maintain their weight and not change their diet or

Two daily fasting diets, also known as time-restricted feeding diets, are effective for weight loss, according to a new study.

physical activity levels.

The participants were followed for 10 weeks as weight, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, HDL

cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammatory markers were tracked.

The study, published in Cell Metabolism, found that participants in both daily fasting groups reduced

calorie intake by about 550 calories each day simply by adhering to the schedule and lost about 3% of their body weight. The researchers also found that insulin resistance and oxidative stress levels

were reduced among participants in the study groups when compared with the control group. There was no effect on blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.

There also was no significant difference in weight loss or cardiometabolic risk factors between the 4-hour and 6-hour diet groups.

“The findings of this study are promising and reinforce what we’ve seen in other studies — fasting diets are a viable option for people who want to lose weight, especially for people who do not want to count calories or find other diets to be fatiguing,” Varady said. “It’s also telling that there was no added weight loss benefit for people who sustained a longer fast — until we have further studies that directly compare the two diets or seek to study the optimal time for fasting, these results suggest that the 6-hour fast might make sense for most people who want to pursue a daily fasting diet.”

Varady and her colleagues also reported that there were no major adverse health events reported by study participants during the study and that the mild adverse events — such as dizziness or headaches — were limited to the beginning of the trial.

Co-authors on the study are UIC’s Sofia Cienfuegos, Kelsey Gabel, Faiza Kalam, Mark Ezpeleta, Eric Wiseman, Vasiliki Pavlou, Shuhao Lin and Manoela Lima Oliveira. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01DK119783)

Wellable Partners with Sweat Factor for On-Demand Fitness Classes Wellable, a leading employee wellness technology and services provider, is partnering with Sweat Factor to help employers better address their employee well-being needs, especially with challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership will allow Wellable customers to access the Sweat Factor library of on-demand fitness classes.

Resulting from shutdowns of nonessential workspaces and closings and capacity limits on gyms, employers are looking to their wellness partners to help them provide employees with

the resources to stay active.

Through Sweat Factor, top trainers from across the globe deliver exclusive content for all fitness levels.

There are more than 300 classes to choose from, with new content being added each month.

Class categories include Pilates, yoga, Barre, boot camps, and more as well as address a wide range of goals (strength, cardio, prenatal, etc.) and areas of focus (core, upper body, lower body, etc.).

“As a provider of wellness services, we recognized the void created by employers no longer being

able to offer fitness classes to their employees. This was exacerbated by the closing of gyms,” said Nick Patel, president of Wellable. “This is why we wanted to offer a solution to the problem. Our clients can now provide their employees with a wide array of on-demand classes to stay physically active from their home and without a gym.”

The partnership will allow Sweat Factor to expand its reach into www.citizennewspapergroup.com

employee well-being programs, helping even more people reach their physical fitness goals.

“I am so glad to be partnering with a company that has such a strong track record in delivering success for employers across the country,” said Mike Donavanik, president of Sweat Factor. “I am looking forward to growing our library of exclusive content and helping employers improve the health and well-being of their employees alongside a great partner.”

Wellable works with employers, health plans, and properties of all

sizes across the world, with active users in more than 23 different countries. Visit Wellable online at www.wellable.co.

Sweat Factor provides a library of more than 400 on-demand, at-home workouts through internationally recognized trainers like Mike Donavanik, Anja Garcia, Gideon Akande, Sarah Kusch, Betina Gozo, Ashley Joi, Kenta Seki, and more.

Classes can be watched on a Mac/ PC or from a Sweat Factor app on iPhone, Android, Roku, or Apple TV. For more information, visit www. sweatfactor.com

6 | CITIZEN | South Suburban | Week of July 29, 2020

HOME

Make the Most of Your Bathroom Renovation (Family Features) Adding additional bathroom space to your home or renovating an outdated lavatory can improve your home’s usability and increase its value, too.

To get the most practical benefits and value out of your new space, there are several factors to consider.

Before you get started, take into account these considerations about the design and function of your new bathroom from the remodeling experts at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

Space A primary consideration is the available footprint to create your new bath. This is often a concern as children reach their teen years and also with expanding families. If there aren’t enough bathrooms in the house, you may want to add another, or it may be that you simply need to improve the layout and features to make better use of the existing space. For example, if the bath will be shared by multiple members of the family, a separation of the sinks from the rest of the room may be helpful.

Features Determining how you will use your bathroom dictates the features you’ll want to include. A guest or hall bath is likely to have far fewer features than a master bath but may share some similarities with a kids’ bathroom. First, you’ll need to make decisions about basics like lighting, the number of sinks and amount of counter space you’ll need.

If you like baths, you’ll need to decide between a tub and shower combination unit or separate facilities. With a separate tub, the style you prefer may guide your overall design. The aesthetic for a bathroom with a focal point like a claw-foot tub is likely different from a jetted tub.

Storage Storage is one of the biggest concerns in any design, particularly in rooms as small as typical bathrooms.

Carefully consider this aspect of the room during your preplanning phase. To help determine how much space you need, make a list of all the items you need to store in the bathroom, including cleaning agents, toiletries, linens, first aid items and medications It’s a good idea to also think about where in the room you would like to store each of these items. You may want

some of the toiletries in the shower area, while others will be used near the sink or dressing area.

Sustainability Many contemporary bathroom fixtures are designed with sustainability in mind, so you can manage your water usage while still enjoying a water-rich environment. You can find water-saving features on everything from toilets to shower heads to even sink faucets.

Accessibility Applying universal design principles to your project can promote safety and increase your home’s appeal to a wider range of buyers in the future. In the bathroom, you can improve safety by incorporating nonslip flooring surfaces and ensuring the space is well-lit.

Other ideas include adjusting counter and toilet heights to make bathrooms more accessible (wall-hung toilets should be approximately two inches higher). You could incorporate structural bracing around the tub, shower and toilet for grab bars. You might also consider a walk-in tub or standup shower with no threshold, levered handles for faucets and an adjustable showerhead.

Find more ideas and inspiration for your bathroom design at remodelingdoneright.com. www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CITIZEN | South Suburban | Week of July 29, 2020

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25. Winter bug 28. Hatha or bikram 30. Incense burner, in a church 35. Bubonic plague spreaders 37. Bottle plug 39. Part of TNT 40. Bad luck predictor 41. *"D'oh!"

43. Cleopatra's necklace 44. Red Cross supply 46. Have supper 47. Female crab, or crybaby in Australia 48. Belonging to Cree, e.g.

50. Byproduct of combing wool 52. Be nosey 53. Spilled the beans 55. Band booking 57. *"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers" 61. *"The caged bird sings of freedom" 65. Acoustic output 66. Polar toy-maker 68. Oodles 69. *"Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant."

70. "Funny or ____" 71. Tutor's student 72. Withered 73. Use a Singer, e.g.

74. Not be frugal DOWN 1. Fresh talk

(773) 783-1251

Coverage Areas:

WANTED TO BUY FREON WANTED: We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans.

R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient.

Certified Professionals.

Call 312-598-1758 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com _______________________________________ _

2. Surveyor's work 3. Excellent 4. Pen dweller 5. *"Don't worry 'bout a thing, 'cause every little thing is gonna be alright."

6. *"A martini. Shaken, not stirred."

7. Samantha of "Full Frontal" 8. Words to live by 9. Submarine sandwich 10. Climbed down 11. Potluck offering 12. *"It's a moo point" 15. Habituate, like a plant 20. Historical period 22. Tolkien humanoid 24. Global problem?

25. *"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood" 26. Coeur de ____ ____, "Titanic" 27. Embryo cradles 29. Well-behaved 31. Lice eggs 32. "Sesame Street" prominent architecture feature 33. Not right 34. *"Yo, Adrian!"

36. Give the cold shoulder 38. Bingo-like game 42. 1837 to 1901, to Queen Victoria 45. Ronald McDonald or Mickey Mouse 49. ____-di-dah 51. Hanukkah's eight 54. Must-haves 56. "Faster!" to a horse 57. Tea servings 58. Fishing decoy 59. Month before Nisan 60. Half a golf round 61. "____ ____Good Men" 62. Like the White Rabbit 63. Inviting sign 64. Like a hand-me-down 67. Baron Munchausen's statement

CHATHAM-SOUTHEAST

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

SOUTH END

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

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

HYDE PARK

Lake Meadows, Oakland, Prairie Shores, Douglas, Grand Boulevard, Kenwood, Woodland, South Shore and Hyde Park.

CHICAGO WEEKEND

Chicago Westside Communities, Austin and Garfield Park

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

Citizen Newspaper Group Inc., (CNGI), Publisher of the Chatham-Southeast, South End, Chicago Weekend, South Suburban and Hyde Park Citizen and Citizen Suburban Times Weekly. Our weekly publications are published on Wednesday’s (publishing 52 issues annually).

Written permission is required to reproduce contents in whole or in part from the publisher. Citizen Newspaper Group, Inc. does not assume the responsibility for nor are we able to return unsolicited materials, therefore they become property of the newspaper and can or will be discarded or used at the newspapers disgratation. Deadlines for advertising is every Friday at noon. Deadlines for press releases are Thursdays at 10 am prior to the next week’s edition. Please send information for the calendar at least three weeks prior to the event. Send to: editorial@citizennewspapergroup.com. For more information on subscriptions or advertising, call us at (773) 783-1251 or fax (872) 208-8793. Our offices are located at 8741 South Greenwood Suite# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

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8 | CITIZEN | South Suburban | Week of July 29, 2020

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