The Daily Northwestern Friday, January 20, 2017
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Candidates discuss IN JORDAN’S MEMORY development, taxes Mayoral, ward, clerk candidates attend forum By KRISTINA KARISCH
the daily northwestern @kristinakarisch
Candidates for mayor, city clerk and 5th Ward alderman addressed issues from affordable housing to property taxes in Evanston at a forum event in the 5th Ward on Thursday evening. Ald. Delores Holmes (5th) told The Daily she hosted the forum, which was open to questions from the audience, to get all the candidates in one room together and allow them to introduce themselves to the residents. “I think that people enjoyed it, and it was a first chance to get the candidates all together,” Holmes told The Daily. “That’s how you make an informed decision — listen to them all together.” The candidates spoke about a variety of issues including the importance of workforce development and property taxes. The issue they discussed most was affordable housing. Most agreed that there needed to be a focus on making affordable housing more accessible, especially in the 5th Ward. Misty Witenberg, who is running for alderman against Carolyn Murray, Daniel Featherson, Robin Rue Simmons and Carlis Sutton, stressed economic development with protections to avoid raising taxes and rent hikes. She urged for increased tenant protection, which would allow people to stay in their homes if their landlords have to file for foreclosure. In addition to protection for current homeowners, Murray said she plans to focus on ways to provide assistance on down payments and programs to guide first-time buyers. These programs are set up to help homeowners remain in their houses and in Evanston. Featherson agreed with Murray and Witenberg on the importance of affordable housing, but said he would try to work on programs
that were already in place. “The city does offer a lot of programs where seniors can refinance and keep their homes,” Featherson said. “They do provide quite a few dollars, so I think getting the word out to people … and working with the mayor and the city government to keep taxes under control would be a big, beneficial help.” The candidates also discussed lowering property taxes. Steve Hagerty, who is running for mayor against Ald. Mark Tendam (6th), Ald. Brian Miller (9th), Gary Gaspard and Jeff Smith (Weinberg ’77), said during the panel that he thinks property taxes are too high in Evanston. As a result, Hagerty said, people are having difficulties paying for a home in the city. “You go around the city and you talk to people and you find people who love Evanston,” Hagerty said. “And you say, ‘Oh my gosh, what part of Evanston do you live in?’ And they say, ‘Well, actually I live in Rogers Park.’” He urged for “smart and sensible” economic development, citing property taxes as something the city controls and that affects homeowners — especially young ones. Tendam is the aldermanic representative on the Housing and Homelessness Commission. He said the commission started a fund that has now grown large enough to make use of in providing assistance for affordable housing. He stressed the importance of the city using its own funding ahead of uncertain federal funds to maintain its affordable housing. Incumbent City Clerk Rodney Greene and Devon Reid, who is challenging Greene, were also at the forum. They both emphasized the city clerk’s role in providing information to citizens and working for them as a source of information and assistance. Early voting begins on Feb. 13. A primary will be held for the mayoral and 5th Ward aldermanic election on Feb. 28, and the general election will be held in April. kristinakarisch2020@u.northwestern.edu
Source: Northwestern Athletics
Weinberg sophomore Jordan Hankins handles the ball for Northwestern. Hankins took her own life Jan. 9.
Friends, family celebrate Jordan Hankins’ selflessness, warmth By MATTHEW CHOI and KHADRICE ROLLINS daily senior staffers @matthewchoi2018 @khadricerollins
INDIANAPOLIS — Anyone who coached Jordan Hankins knows her signature phrase. “I got this.” That’s what Kevin Merriweather, who knew Hankins for 12 years as a coach and mentor, told a filled sanctuary at Eastern Star Church in Indianapolis. Friends
EPD officer stays active, appeals suspension decision
daily senior staffer @davidpkfishman
Maytham Alzayer/The Daily Northwestern
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
She will be buried Jan. 23 in North Carolina, where she was born. Hankins was a devout Christian, and Pastor Jeffrey Johnson, Sr., who officiated the ceremony, said the service was a “homecoming.” “We are not bodies that possess souls. We are souls that live in bodies,” Johnson said. “The memory we have of Jordan, death can’t take that away.” Three of Hankins’ former coaches offered remarks remembering their time with Hankins on and off the
court. Chris Giffin, Hankins’ coach when she was on the varsity basketball team at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, spoke about the many ways Hankins demonstrated selflessness toward her teammates and classmates. Hankins volunteered at her church through youth ministries and with students with disabilities at her school. Giffin recalled Hankins’ connection to the students and children she » See HANKINS, page 6
Officer rebuked Loan providers after Reid arrest hit with lawsuits By DAVID FISHMAN
Candidates for mayor, city clerk and 5th Ward alderman sit onstage at a forum Thursday night. The candidates discussed affordable housing and property taxes, among other items, at the forum.
and family from across the country, including more than 20 Northwestern students along with members of the women’s basketball team, gathered at the church for Hankins’ memorial service Thursday. Hankins, 19, took her own life on Jan. 9. A native of Indianapolis, the Weinberg sophomore was a guard on the women’s basketball team and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was on the pre-med track, according to her Facebook page.
One Evanston police officer has been reprimanded and the other has retired after the arrest of Devon Reid, a city clerk candidate who in November was apprehended while petitioning in downtown Evanston, police chief Richard Eddington said. Sgt. David Berman retired during the department ’s internal investigation into the matter, and Officer Amy Golubski was given a suspension, a decision she is appealing. In the meantime,
Golubski will remain active in the force. “I have made a disciplinary decision; she’s appealing that,” Eddington said. “Having done this for a while, I know if I impose the suspension now before she’s exhausted her appeals … I’m going to have to compensate her in some way if the arbitrator changes my decision.” The development comes about two months after Reid — a 24-year-old black man — was arrested at the corner of Sherman Avenue and Church Street for refusing to give specific personal information to an officer. The officer approached Reid believing he was in violation of a city ordinance that prohibits solicitation on Sundays. » See EPD, page 6
By BILLY KOBIN
daily senior staffer @Billy_Kobin
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the nation’s largest student loan provider and another moneylending corporation for allegedly engaging in risky and deceptive lending practices. Madigan filed the lawsuit against Navient Solutions, Inc. and Sallie Mae Bank. Navient, which was part of Sallie Mae before the company was divided into two separate entities, became the loan servicing company of Sallie Mae in 2014. The lawsuit alleges the two entities offered risky and “designed to fail” subprime loans over several decades to students across the country, according to a statement from
Madigan’s office. The lawsuit also alleges the loans carried high interest rates and fees and were mostly given to students at “poorly accredited” for-profit schools. “My investigation found Sallie Mae put student borrowers into expensive subprime loans that it knew were going to fail,” Madigan said in the statement. “Navient’s actions have led to student borrowers needlessly carrying billions of dollars in debt and the company must be held accountable.” The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also filed a lawsuit against Navient on Wednesday for allegedly cheating borrowers out of their repayment rights. Madigan said Sallie Mae’s conduct was similar to the behavior of the country’s » See DEBT, page 6
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