GLENWOOD DID YOU KNOW... APRIL 2024 ISSUE #3

APRIL 2024

ISSUE # 3

...W

L G

D YOU I D D O KN O W O N E

FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH

*At the February 6, 2024 village meeting, I shared that several surrounding cities and villages recognized and scheduled events celebrating Black History Month. I expressed disappointment that Glenwood, a village that is over 70% African American, did not have any events scheduled to recognize the contributions of residents to the town and society, therefore; I created this newsletter to highlight as many as possible in this and future issues.

Deborah Birmingham, M.Ed., M.A. The Federal Reserve acts as a fiscal agent or bank to the federal government by providing financial services to the United States Department of Treasury and by selling and redeeming government securities such as Savings Bonds and Treasury bills.

The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the U.S. The Fed supervises the nation's largest banks, conducts monetary policy, and provides financial services to the U.S. government. It also promotes the stability of the financial system.

The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States.

The Fed manages inflation, regulates the national banking system, stabilizes financial markets, protects consumers, and more.

Although the Fed board members are appointed by the president, it is designed to function independently of political influence.

The Fed plays a significant role in financial concerns that affect the lives of all Americans.

The Federal Reserve has four main functions: Manage inflation: This is the Fed's most visible function. As part of this function, the Fed also promotes maximum employment and ensures interest rates remain moderate over time.

Supervise the banking system: The Fed supervises and regulates the nation’s largest banks and enacts laws to protect consumers.

Maintain the stability of the financial system: It maintains the stability of the financial markets and constrains potential crises.

Provide banking services: The Fed provides services to other banks, the U.S. government, and foreign banks.

Balance Money FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO - DID YOU KNOW...?

Click

Fun Facts on the Chicago Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve System processes cash at 28 offices throughout the country; Chicago is one of the largest processing facilities in the country.

The $20 is the most frequently counterfeited denomination within the U.S., while it's the $100 outside of the U.S.

Financial literacy is focused on the capability of someone to understand their own situation. Economic literacy is focused on the capability of someone to understand their own situation, its broader economic context and thereby the situation of others. Dec 8, 2022

Click on - Financial Literacy 101

Make money, spend money: Groceries, housing, transportation, utilities, health, entertainment, and more. Oh, and don't forget about credit, debt, and financing!

If you know the cycle of your life, you know this is the reality. And you probably aren't going to change that reality. But if you spend money wisely, the cycle will be a lot easier to manage, and even more fun, too.

So, here's the secret to spending money the right way—and becoming financial literate while you're at it: Always, and I mean always, be a healthy skeptic. A healthy skeptic is a FoolProof Skeptic.

This is what FoolProof is all about: Be a healthy FoolProof skeptic when it comes to anyone who—or any company that wants to touch your money or impact your wellbeing.

FoolProof Skepticism is as important to your life as food. Be a FoolProof Skeptic, and the money you have will go further.

You'll respect yourself more. And even your overall health and wellness may improve. And, even though some debt may be necessary, we'll show you how to manage it and help you, rather than hurt you.

Here's how to glue FoolProof Skepticism in your brain: 1. Do I need it?

2. Do you need it to survive? Or do you just want it? That can be a $500,000 question (The approximate amount of money you can throw away in your lifetime on purchases you don't need to make, or can get cheaper).

3. Can I afford it?

4. Don't kid yourself here. For most everyday things, or toys and gadgets, if you can't afford to pay cash, you can't afford it. At least right now. Should you buy now, or save and buy in a while? And if you are impulse buying (which some people do all the time), please don't ever finance those impulse buys.

5. Is this the cheapest or best place I can get it?

6. Cheap may be good, but not if the quality is bad. What are you looking for? Are there less-expensive alternatives that fill your want/need? Does this place have the best customer service and warranty? Are they reliable? Maybe you should compare price and quality, first...

7. Is now the right time to buy it, or will it be cheaper in the future?

8. This is yet another question to help stop your impulse buying habit! At certain times it may be cheaper to buy certain items than others. Think of Black Friday and electronics, for example. But consider too, that buying on a "cheap day" isn't smart if you can't afford what you want to purchase!

Four simple questions! You can memorize those, right? Try them this week. What do you have to lose (other than money)?

Financial Literacy

In the heart of the city or suburban bliss, No matter your race or age, no one is missed, From financial illiteracy, we're all on the list, It's a universal problem we can't resist.

From men to women, young and the old, This issue's growing, it's becoming bold, We can't ignore it, let the truth be told, It's a silent crisis, a threat untold.

Financial literacy, it's the key, To unlock potential, to set us free, An economic slave, we refuse to be, In the language of money, we'll find our spree.

16 years in school, but what do we gain?

Skills for a salary, but what about the financial strain?

Saving, investing, growing - it's a different terrain, Without these, all our efforts are in vain.

Complex financial products, they keep on growing, The responsibility and risk, they keep on showing, A higher burden on us, it keeps on throwing, The need for financial education, it keeps on glowing.

Financial literacy, let it rise, Open your minds, open your eyes, In the secret psychology of money lies, The path to becoming financially wise.

A lack of money isn't the problem you see, It's a symptom of what's within you and me, Financial success isn't a mystery, It's about changing our financial history.

Teachers, you're the key, you're our guide, In you, our trust and hopes reside, Your qualifications, they coincide, With our success, in you we confide.

Financial literacy, it's our right, In the face of economic plight, With knowledge and wisdom, we'll ignite, A future of financial insight.

We weren't taught this in our school, But it's time to change, break the rule, Financial literacy, it's our tool, To turn the tide, to refuel. ©️ G r a d e A C u e

Robbie Bright, MBA/CPA Brookwood School Dist. 167 Bloom H.S. University of Illinois - Accountancy (Cum Laude) University of Texas - MBA

Finance Director | Strategic and Operational Business Partnership | Manufacturing and Supply Chain Finance | Cross-Functional Leadership and Collaboration | Financial Planning & Analysis | Mergers & Acquisitions About Hands -on and results-driven Finance Leader (MBA/CPA) with expertise in manufacturing and supply chain operations, strategy planning and execution and financial planning and analytics. Possess a keen talent for cross-functional collaboration to achieve business results.

Trusted and active advisor to senior leadership with strength in dissecting, analyzing, synthesizing and presenting complex solutions to recommend strategic financial decisions.

Successful in identifying cost reduction opportunities, assessing viability and influencing business partners on achievability.

Effective leader of multi-faceted, culturally diverse teams of professionals located throughout the globe (US, China and Europe) Public accounting foundation with demonstrated leadership and accomplishments in the Life Sciences and Consumer Packaged Goods sectors.

What inspired you to study finance?

Working with numbers runs deep in my family. My mom is a retired Math Teacher for Chicago Public Schools and my older sister had a successful career in accounting. So genetically, I was very good at math and that was my favorite subject in school. After taking an accounting class in high school, I quickly decided that would be my major and my career.

After completing my undergraduate studies, I went into public accounting and had the opportunity to interact with business leaders and learn what made them successful. This experience led me to pursue my MBA in Finance.

Why is finance important? Whether in a personal or professional context, finance relates to money and cash management. How successful you are in doing this has a direct correlation to supporting and maintaining your desired lifestyle but it is also critical to wealth accumulation and providing for future generations.

What do you enjoy most about your career?

Most people do not like dealing with numbers or just don’t understand what they mean. I love being able to connect actions with financial results. I’ve been successful in partnering with business colleagues to make intentional and educated decisions to drive desired business results.

What advice would you give young people on the importance of finances/financial literacy?

Money management is a critical life skill no matter how much money you have. Learn the basics like budgeting and living within your means while investing and accumulating wealth. There is plenty of literature online for self study but connect with trusted friends and professionals in this space for further guidance and insight..

Is there a work-life balance, if so, what is yours?

Achieving an optimal work-life balance has been a challenge in my chosen career path. Early on I was focused on building knowledge, credibility and relationships. As I progressed, I learned smarter and not harder resulting in a better balance. I knew more so it became easier to make trade-offs and to get comfortable with excellence versus perfection. I also became comfortable with delegating and getting things done with the help of others.

Edwin King President Brookwood Point Homeowners Association Glenwood has a rich history that is built on a strong foundation. It’s a foundation built around shared values, active participation and a sense of community. It is incumbent upon us all to continue this legacy that has been established.

Community involvement is crucial in creating and maintaining vibrant, forward thinking, resilient communities. As cultures evolve, it is important for the community to be architects in the evolution. Each of us, as Glenwood residents, play a vital role in maintaining the quality of life, preserving property values and fostering a sense of community. There is an educator that said, “idealization is only as great as actualization”.

The next step after having an idea, seeing issues, is to act with a sense of urgency. The specific action that I’m asking for is for residents to get actively involved with your Homeowners Association. Glenwood has four that represent the different subdivisions. We cannot afford to allow apathy to guide us as this leads us down unknown paths blindly.

If we are going to grow as a community, we must employ all to get involved.

Brookwood Point 1st Wednesday of the month @ Hickory Glen Fieldhouse - 7PM

Glenwood Manor 1st Thursday of the month @ Arquilla Park Fieldhouse - 7PM

Glenwood Estates 2nd Wednesday of the month @ Arquilla Park Fieldhouse - 7PM

SPRING CHECKLIST & GARDENING IDEAS

Click on Glenwood village ordinances

Click on Spring flowers and Plants ideas

Sec11.04 - Area, display, illumination and content of signs Sec. 110-31. - Noxious weeds prohibited; declared a nuisance

Bailey Hadnott Taylor, P.E., M.S. Brookwood School District 167 Homewood-Flossmoor H.S. University of Iowa University of Minnesota

I am currently an Environmental engineering consultant at Barr Engineering Company, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My work includes serving industrial and public clients who have water and wastewater treatment problems to solve. I have worked at Barr for three years and in addition to serving clients, I am also involved in Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, and am very passionate about seeing more people of color in the engineering field. I have a minor in Spanish and Mathematics, and I am currently working towards my Master's degree with the University of Minnesota.

What motivated/ inspired you to study Environmental Engineering?

An event in middle school that focused on a Cholera outbreak in Africa inspired me. I knew I wanted to bring clean drinking water to people. I knew I had a passion for math and science in middle school and high and applied for a major in the area.

Why is environmental engineering important to the community?

It comes down to the air you breathe and the water you drink. In order to get that, it takes a lot of engineering and I don’t think they (the community) get that. If we aren’t aware, we can get taken advantage of.

If my clients have a hint of a contaminant or a new facility wants to get rid of their waste to provide clean water for consumer use. they call on us and we will troubleshoot.

During the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Convention workshop, the presenter discussed the need for more environmental engineers. Why should young people consider a career in the field?

This generation inherits climate change, economic gaps, and failing infrastructures; it will take different thinkers to solve the problem.

The more people we get that reflects the community is the best way to go forward and have a voice in the solution.

How can schools relay the message of great opportunities available in environmental engineering?

First, the word engineer may turn people off as being too hard. Schools can make students aware of the great opportunities available in environmental engineering by breaking down the wall and having more local people in the field. Exposing students now to NSBE is the thing to do to make it less like a pipe dream and more of a reality with people talking about their experiences, having more examples of success stories, breaking down financial barriers to attend community colleges, universities, and conferences. There must be less disparity. Getting access is the biggest thing.

What do you enjoy/dislike most about your job/career?

I solve complex problems. I feel what I do matters. I help create. Someone somewhere has clean water. It’s never the same thing everyday. The dislike- a lot of my work has government or political ties.

Is there a work-life balance, if so, what’s yours?

Post COVID, my work life balance isn’t very good. I think about work outside of work hours. We’re so available on weekdays and weekends.. I’m so passionate about my work that I find myself working more than I have to. In a career, setting boundaries early is important. You can create a balance by getting rid of pleasing people.

What advice/suggestions would you give young people on the importance of finances/financial literacy and/or seeking a career in Environmental Engineering?

Do not be afraid to ask questions. My first year, I thought I had to be super smart. I could have gone further if I asked. It takes persistence and patience. Stick with it and come out with a meaningful degree. Follow your passion, ask a lot of questions, and set boundaries.

Interest: camping with the dog, trying new recipes, and traveling

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES S c h o l a r s h i p s I n t e r n s h i p s V a r i o u s a r e a s o f e m p l o y m e n t

Click for Career opportunities

Click for Career opportunities

Click for Career opportunities

Click for Career opportunities

Click for Scholarship information

ERIC SLAUGHTER PRIMARY, CEO CIRE Group, Inc. COOK COUNTY HOUSING COMMISSIONER CHAIR OF CEDA (COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION) PAST, CEDA BOARD TREASURER

Highly motivated, Energetic, Overachiever noted for achieving high levels of results from team members. Strengths in; Creating Innovative Strategies, Penetrating New Markets, and Management of Teammates, Public Speaking and Leadership.

CAUSES: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT What motivated you to study business economics? I fell into it after leaving the military. The first thing I told my mother was, “I’ll never make you cry.” That meant, I didn’t do drugs; I didn’t smoke; I’m not going to go to jail, period. When I got out of the military, I asked, what could I do to make the biggest impact on my life, and others lives? And I thought about banking. I thought about banking because of Jesse James; I wasn’t going to steal the money; I was going to figure out how to work with and make money. It was a career that many kids like me didn’t get. The black kids that look like me didn’t get that information. I began in banking where I learned about the 5 Cs of credit: Character, Capacity, Conditions, Capital, and Collateral.

I did so well and got so much education through the various banks that they made me the Regional Director of Corporate Lending in Texas. This is an education that no school is going to give you. This is an education where I’m a young black guy that a lot of people, (if you heard me on the phone), sounds like a middle aged white guy and that’s how, honestly I was able to get around a lot of things because I didn’t sound like a black person (but what does that sound like), and it really got to the point when an older white guy came into my office and said, “Eric, it’s not a matter of who owes you money, what you owe, or anything else. What really matters is that credit doesn’t matter, it’s assets. You don’t need to show money until you need to borrow money”. This is stuff in the ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’, we never got. So, understanding those things and how people are able to use other people’s money, how people are able to use credit and assets to get what they want and trade things and services, and so I just became an absolute study of it all. I was then recruited and moved to Chicago to consult banks and credit unions around the world.

My cliche that I say I stole from Zig Ziglar, “if you help enough people get what they want, enough people will help you get what you want”. I don’t go after money, power, status. I just do what’s right. If you do what’s right, good things will come your way. Some of the most important things in life are number one; your health and number two is happiness, everything else will fall in line. Doing the right thing for the right reason, not expecting gratitude or a pat on the back, others recognize your accomplishments and they come back to you and ask you to do things with and for them. That is what has excelled me in my career. People have come to me because of my skill set and honesty about their situations.

What do you enjoy most about your job/career? My freedom. I gave up a high six figure income because of stress.

People retire from jobs like this and pass away 4-5 years later because of what they put themselves through. I'd rather be happy and healthy. Now, I enjoy being able to help as many people as I can. What can I do so that I can make a living and not work as hard? For me, it’s Medicare insurance and the ability to help people in almost any state.

Because I’m a long-term thinker, I can help them with Medicare and my clients don’t pay me anything. I talk to grandma, grandpa, and assist them with their grandchildren where I can help them while I build long-term relationships that can help me as well. This gives me the opportunity to travel, to help others, work two days a week if I choose. Health is more important than power, and freedom is more important than money. Unfortunately, most of us don’t get to that point. We find that we’ve given up so much for so little. Being a younger person and listening to what my older clients have to say; I pay attention. I choose life.

You volunteer on the Finance Committee for the village. What is the purpose of the committee and why is it important to the community? Why is finance important for a community?

The premise of the committee is to help the city make a concerted effort as to where the city is spending the citizens tax dollars. It’s an oversight to the elected officials to point out potential issues, pitfalls, grievances, or detriments that may happen down the road. It’s the ability to ensure that the city is making sound decisions on behalf of and in the best of its citizens. We are a collection of various citizens with various backgrounds looking over new business coming into town, TIFs, bonds that the city may be involved in and this all wraps up into your household taxes. One of our biggest issues is don’t spend what you don’t have. You can’t spend what you don’t have, and as a household we know what we get in and how much to spend going out. The village should know what their budget is and what their spending of the budget. We want to be sure we’re on track. Elected officials must own-up to the budget at an annual meeting, we must hold our elected officials accountable.

What advice/suggestions would you give young people on the importance of finances/financial literacy and/or seeking a career in your area of study?

I know we place a tremendous amount of pressure on young folks for education. We are in a different criterion now than where we used to be, now we have AI scanning resumes. One of the things, as I talk to young folks, that we are missing is the ability to build relationships. That is one of the biggest issues that young folks have. They are electronically and technically a lot smarter, but one of the skills sets that the older generations (50+) have is the ability to build bridges and relationships and down the road that’s what matters most.

I’ve been tapped to join boards and other major organizations during my professional career. You work hard when you’re young, so you don’t have to work as hard when you’re older, or not at all.

I would like to see CEDA build a training facility in the northern suburbs, as we do in South Holland to assist high school students learning the skills necessary to be a positive contributor to society and to thrive. Understanding the family dynamics and building family relationships, students need sparks from their family history. Young people 14–21-year-olds, figure out what you think you want to do by the time you're in the 10th grade.

Expose yourself to things outside of your community. Speak to someone who is doing what you think you would like to do, and job shadow them if you can or take them to lunch or out for a coffee as you seek their help to explore.

In regard to finances, understand your own pocketbook. What’s coming in and what’s going out. Do you want an investment or a savings? Understand the value of worth. Get the things you need and save for the things you want.

Is there a work-life balance, if so, what is yours?

Yes. Because I have freedom, I’m vibrant and can travel internationally, swim, and bike, all the things I enjoy. My father said, “no matter how smart or dumb you are, no one can take away your life experiences”. Go out and explore life to see the world. A person’s demeanor changes when their environment changes.

Get a passport and travel the world. New Zealand, Germany, Sri Lanka, Nome Alaska, Austria, Belgium, Russia, Norway, Korea, and Cuba are a few of the 96 countries I’ve traveled to.

Again, health is more important than power and freedom is more important than money.

CHOOSE WISELY

OP- ED E d

H a d n o t t

Former Village Trustee

VILLAGE OF GLENWOOD TIF 101 The history of tax increment financing goes back to the 1950s.

First let us get the acronyms out of the way.

T I F stands for tax increment financing.

E A V stands for equalized assessed value.

But for means the development will not happen without the incentive.

Base EAV means the value of all the parcels in the TIF district before the TIF district was established.

Growth in the EAV means the difference between the base EAV and the current EAV. Tax rate means the percentage of the EAV that goes to taxes.

Increment means the growth in the EAV that goes into the TIF fund.

Levy means the amount that the taxpayer is burdened with by a particular taxing body.

The Village of Glenwood has had TIF Districts for 33 years. The seven TIF Districts in the Village of Glenwood generated $3,462,897.29 in tax year 2021 which is received in 2022. Those same TIF Districts generated $4,689,680.73 in tax year 2022 which is received in 2023.

What is a TIF District? A TIF District is designated and designed by your local government. The TIF District has an original life span of 23 years and can be extended for as long as two additional terms of 12 years with the approval of the other taxing bodies.

TIF Districts can have both positive and negative effects on the municipality and the other taxing bodies. The potential benefits are, increased economic growth, removal of blighted areas and increased property values.

The negative effects are lack of transparency in decision making, diversion of revenue and less funding to schools and other taxing bodies during the life of the TIF District.

There needs to be better oversight, monitoring, planning and collaboration between the Village of Glenwood and other taxing bodies like schools, the library, etc. During the 23 years of the TIF District monies are diverted away from the taxing bodies into a TIF District controlled by the Village of Glenwood. Many Elected Officials do not fully understand the impact of their votes to use TIF monies. For each dollar of TIF money that is wasted, thirty cents are lost to the Village of Glenwood. Another 30 cents are lost to Brookwood 167 and 15 to 20 cents is lost to either Bloom or H F High school.

TIF Districts can be beneficial but only if the Village, citizens, and other taxing bodies can fully participate in the disbursement of TIF funds.

1. I would like to present you with all sides of the TIF incentive argument. The first argument is from the Cook County Clerk's Office. The Cook County Clerk's Office oversees the TIF reporting. Every ordinance from the city or village must be sent to the Cook County Clerk's office to direct the Cook County Treasurer to allocate the amount of the increment back to the village. The TIF reports are on the Cook County Clerk's website. The reporting is a year behind since we pay taxes one year in arrears. For more information visit https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov 2. I have enclosed a chart to show how the TIF increment works.

3. The second side of the argument is from developers who want to attain as much from the Village as possible. Many developers are demanding as many as five different incentives to even consider investing in our community. The incentives that developers seek are as follows.

1. Class 8, 7A, 7B, 7C, 6A or 6B. I would like us to consider Class 7C, which is only for 5 years instead of Class 8 which is for 12 years.

2. TIF funds. TIF districts are typically 23 years in life so if a developer gets into the TIF district at the beginning of its life they can capture a greater amount.

3. Sales tax sharing. Many agreements have a sales tax sharing clause where the village and the developer share in the amount of sales tax.

4. Mortgage forgiveness where the developer’s mortgage is forgiven in lieu of property taxes or sales taxes.

5. Land. Many developers demand land below market value or for free as well as the waiving of permit fees.

Developers want to spend as little as possible of their money and attempt to leverage as much as they can. It’s important that we scrutinize their income projections and cost projections.

The other side of the argument are those that claim that TIFs are biased and or racists. The argument is that TIF funds are diverted from minority neighborhoods and given to developers instead of going to schools, parks, etc. You can visit https://civiclabs.us for more information.

Now for the practical side of this argument that affects your bottom line. The most successful TIF has been the Industrial Park TIF which unfortunately sunsets in the tax year 2026. The next most successful TIF district is the Holbrook/Halsted TIF which was the TIF that included the old Walmart and now the U-Haul property.

That TIF district has declined since Walmart left. Walmart paid $1.6 million in taxes in tax year 2016 of which 1.3 million went to the village instead of the other taxing bodies. Now U-Haul is only paying around $800,000 and the Village just granted them a Class 8 which will reduce their taxes by 60%. U-Haul paid $682,000 in the Holbrook Halsted TIF District which will be reduced by 60% so that TIF District will see a large decrease in revenue.

The bottom line is that when increment funds are diverted to the village they must not be wasted. TIF funds can be used for many things to help the residents of the Village of Glenwood. For example, we can use TIF funds for job training.

I am not aware of one single resident being trained. We should be doing a ten-year TIF report to make sure that our TIF districts are effective. To my knowledge we have never done a ten-year TIF report. There is no transparency in how much of the TIF funds are spent. I suggest that 20% of TIF funds be declared a surplus and reinvested into our community. The last surplus was declared in 2013.

Finally, the Halsted South TIF district is the TIF that I am most dissatisfied with. This TIF district does not just include the old Glenwood Plaza. That would be too simple. The Halsted South TIF district includes all the apartment buildings, all the homes on Roberts Drive, all the homes on Gay Court, homes on 187th Street, Chase Bank, Aldi, both auto parts store and the new development and this TIF still owes the taxpayers $1,950,000 and other TIF districts millions.

What do you think happens when the taxing bodies have to wait 23 years to enjoy the increase in property values in TIF districts?

There is also the issue of control. All the fund transfers between TIF funds are required to be Board approved. I can tell you that has not happened during my time as a Board member.

There are many unintended consequences of TIF districts. One would be the Glenwood-Lynwood library having to sell their book mobile due to not receiving adequate funding and school districts and other taxing bodies having to increase the amount of their levies to make up for the monies lost.

Stay informed at Our Glenwood Community

Thank you, Senator Dick Durbin I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from the Senator’s office inviting me to join him as he visit the Underground Railroad Memorial Park.

It was truly a historic event and an honor.

Click the links below to check out news coverage of the ribbon coverage ceremony: ABC7 Chicago The Voyager

VILLAGE OF GLENWOOD WATER QUALITY REPORT VIOLATION EXPLANATIONS - 2022

Click the link to view the entire report Village of Glenwood Water Quality Report - 2022

WATER Water, Water Water, water, we need you so, To quench our thirst and make us grow.

You're essential for life, And we're grateful for your gift.

But not all water is clean, Some is dirty and mean.

It can make us sick, And even make us die quick.

So we need to protect our water, And make sure it's always pure.

We need to filter it and boil it, And make sure it's safe to drink.

We need to conserve our water, And use it wisely.

We need to share it with others, And make sure everyone has enough.

Water is a precious resource, And we need to take care of it.

We need to make sure that everyone has access to clean drinking water, Because it's essential for life.

GLENWOOD’S NEWEST LEADER A L A N A N E W S O M Future Career: Dentistry or Occupational Therapy Hobbies: traveling to Hawaii Florida, North & South Carolina, and New York City, bowling, swimming, reading, playing with my dog spending time with my family What are you interested in studying in school? I’m interested in becoming a dentist or dental assistant because I'm used to having braces and I think that I will help people that have braces and have problems with their teeth or an occupational therapist because I love helping people.

How did it feel to work your first summer job and have your own money?

I loved my first job experience. I did Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training that taught me how to provide emergency care to people. I was trained to read heartbeats, take blood pressure, and give an IV. Did you save, spend, or invest your money? I love having my own money I put some in my checking account and then I put the other half in my savings account.

Did you have to budget any of your money? Were you able to spend some of your money for what you wanted?

Yes, but I didn't spend a lot .

What advice/suggestions would you give young people on the importance of good grades, finances, and/or college preparation? First, in order to have good grades, you have to study. I have to study to get good grades or I’m not going to get good grades.

As for finances, see how much you want to spend and how much you want to save and that really helps.

As for college, I feel that if you go to college, you will learn more than if you don't go to college and you will have a better education.

Is there a school work life balance for you , if so what is yours?

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Sometimes, all I think about is school homework.

The next day, I would think about work and what I have to do. I usually take a break from my work by reading, watching television or going outside.

Just be your best!

Dream destination: Paris- I heard they have a lot of fashion. I want to see if the fashions are like mine.

T a l i y a h G l o b a l

R i c e

C i t i z e n

Brookwood School Dist. 167 Marian Catholic H.S. Spelman College The National Society of Leadership & Success Nominee Sophomore Computer Science Major | Interactive Media Minor | Aspiring Web Developer & UI/UX Designer | Creativity & Innovation Enthusiast What an incredible journey it has been, filled with invaluable experiences and profound lessons. I am thrilled to share that I embarked on a transformative service-learning trip to Tanzania, East Africa, alongside Planting a Seed International (PASI) over Spring break.

During this remarkable adventure, my cohort and I had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed organizations such as the United Nations and the Youth of the United Nations in Tanzania. Together, we engaged in in-depth discussions on pressing global challenges, ranging from climate change and poverty reduction to quality education, peace, and justice. We also formed teams to explore local implementation strategies for select Sustainable Development Goals among the 17, with my group specifically concentrating on the third Goal, “Good health and well-being.”

Moreover, our journey took us to the University of Kampala and Gongo La Mboto Jica Primary School, where we engaged with scholars and actively participated in cultural exchange. These interactions allowed us to embrace cultural diversity, forge connections, and discover common ground.

This service-learning experience has truly broadened my perspective, introducing me to a new culture and way of life. It has ignited a passion to establish myself as a global citizen dedicated to making a positive impact internationally. Moving forward, I am inspired to continue seeking opportunities abroad, using travel to deepen my understanding of the world.

I am deeply thankful for this enriching experience and the invaluable support and guidance of my cohort, program director, lead professor, and tour aides. Until we meet again, Tanzania, Asante sana! hashtag#ServiceLearning hashtag#StudyAbroad hashtag#TanzaniaAdventure

🇹🇿✨

Jim Summers H u s b a n d F a t h e r G r a n d f a t h e r E n t r e p r e n e u r E d u c a t o r Mentor & Boy Scout H i s t o r i a n Phi Beta Sigma Following are Interview excerpts. Listen to full interview on YouTube

Early in life, my grandfather, who was basically my default dad, motivated me to be an entrepreneur. I never knew my dad; To this day, I never knew who he was. My grandfather was a preacher, but he was also a kind of a jagged -leg, do -it yourself person. He did all kinds of work. He built a house. I helped him as a kid, myself and my uncles.

We helped him build the house out in Bowie, Maryland. We lived in Washington, DC, but he had some land out in Bowie, Maryland that he grew a lot of food and vegetables on, but he decided to build a house.

And it wasn't much of a house, but we got it built and it was livable. He lived in that house for a while. And he was always talking about doing your own thing. In fact, he got me started as an entrepreneur, doing yard work, landscaping for some folks out in Alexandria, Virginia.

I was 14 or 15 years old when he came home one day and told me of a lady out in Virginia who wanted to have her yard done, and told her I would do it. I don't know how he knew these people. I said, “okay”, He dropped me off at her beautiful house; It was a home that, growing up in DC., we weren't used to. We had a decent house, but we didn't have houses, you know, I had never been in a house like this out in Virginia. He showed me how garden and put down mulch and fertilize. She helped me get two others, people saw her yard, say, gee, who does your yard? And so they were shocked when they found out that this kid, this young teenager, was taking care of her yard. And so I had two more houses to do.

Three days a week, I'd go to Virginia. My granddad would drop me off, and I'd hitchhike or whatever to get to other houses.

It got to the point I had like five houses to do. The money was pretty good for back those days. They weren't giving me much; it was peanuts, because they were paying black people as little as possible. But for me, that was good money, you know? And based on the fact that I was coming from collecting newspapers and pop bottles, and wanting to make money, having somebody give you a crisp $5 bill, I was in tall cotton. So that got me interested in business. And had I been really smart, I would have continued, I could have built that up. Looking back on it, I thought, why didn't I, when I was old enough to get a truck, buy some equipment, hire some other guys to help me? My grandfather he had a business mind, but it was on a small southern type scale, so he didn't advise me on how to build it up. Looking back, I could see that.

That’s how I got me interested in business.

Like a lot of blacks back in the 50s, I was planning on joining the military when I graduated from high school. What else was I going to do? I had no skills; I did not view cutting grass as a marketable skill. I didn’t know anything about the whole term marketable.

So I planned on going to the Navy, but then I found out about D .C. Teachers College. A recruiter came to campus, and said, “you can, you know, be a teacher. We need teachers badly.” He said it was $35 a semester. I said, whoa, I didn't pay that because at the time I was working at a grocery store as a stock clerk. You know, from 11 o 'clock at night to 8 in the morning I leave work to go to school. I've been working every day of my life since I was 15.

I worked all through high school. I would come home from school do my homework, go to work, and go to bed.

I repeated that cycle and just wanted to get away from it, so the teaching profession in the 50s was probably the most obvious profession for black people because the only professionals that I had ever met were doctors and school teachers.

I could be a schoolteacher. I could do those classes and decided I wouldn't join the Navy. I was going to teachers’ college because it was the most obvious and quickest way to making a good living. My first wife and I had kids so I had to start making real money.

My friends- Thurgood Marshall & Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After my first year of college, I took a job, as a library page, with the United States Supreme Court that had quite an impact on me. I was going to school In the evening and working the court from 9 to 5; it was a good and decent job as a student. Library pages were college students. I was exposed to a lot of greatness among all the Supreme Court Justices. I would go to the offices every day to take, drop off, and pick up books. So very early in life, at 18 years old, I got to meet famous people who were knowledgeable, very well paid, and articulate. Thank goodness my grandfather raised all of his kids and his grandkids to be well spoken due to speaking and reciting poems in church. We learned early on to speak well. I moved very well in that circle. My friends, whose parents were typically laborers, didn't have that advantage. So I was fortunate enough to be able to do that job and do it well and met a lot of people.

That's where I met Thurgood Marshall, who at the time was an attorney for the NAACP. And down the road, he introduced me to Dr. King. Mr. Marshall would come into the library 2-3 times a week if he needed research for a case.

He would come into the library where the lawyers would fill out a book request sheet and put it on a stack. I noticed that the librarians always made sure to keep his request from being attended to. He would never get his book request filled until everybody else got theirs filled. I would take a bunch of bookmarks and actually go through and put the pages he wanted to cite. Finally, one day I said, Mr. Marshall, I'm gonna tell you something, you can't tell anybody because they'll firing me.“ He asked, “what's that?” I said, “they take your request and make sure we never get to them.

I've been pulling your sheets out and getting your request done. So I just wanna ask, are they okay?” I always thought the librarians were doing it. I said, no, I figured it out. He said, man, this is great, but thanks for telling me. The only time I ever heard him curse, he said, “I knew those **** were up to something.“ Mr. Marshall started asking for me when he came into the library because my buddy and I were the only blacks in the library. He would call for me again before he left and ask how am I doing. I told him about my involvement in sit -ins, lunch counter sit -ins and how I'd been locked up and stuff. He gave me his card and told me to call him if I ever need him in the future. I told him I’m married now and have a kid. My sit-in days are over. So every time he'd come in, we'd chat about what I'm doing in school, I'd ask what cases he was working on, what was coming down the pike, and what could I expect to see in the newspapers about what he was doing. We came real close over the years that I worked there. One day, I got a call over the loudspeakers, I went to the front desk and was told my buddy was waiting for me.

As I was walking to the table, I noticed he was standing there with another guy - a guy who was kind of short.

Mr. Marshall said, “I want you to meet a friend of mine. You probably know him; this is Dr. Martin Luther King. I said, “Dr. King. I thought I recognized you, but I wasn't sure”. He said, “yeah, young man, don't worry, a lot of people would say the same.” We chatted about my, going to school and about civil rights issues Dr. King and Mr. Marshall were working on. We didn't have all these gadgets and laptops. So you could say, here's what I'm working on. So you see, you got to come with me to the library and I'll show you what I'm up to. And so he would come in, I probably met him in the library maybe half a dozen time over the five years that I worked there.

I got to know Dr. King. I was at the March in 1963, where he did his I Have a Dream speech. They fired me because I attended that march. Again, I tell the story to students so they can understand what things were like back in those days. When the march was announced, A. Philip Randolph, my fraternity brother, was actually the one who was putting it together. Technically, Bayard Rustin was actually putting it together, but the movement, I didn't know at the time, because he was gay, they didn't want his name out front.

I requested the day off but was repeatedly denied. During lunchtime, I walked down Constitution Avenue to the bottom. And the crowds were all the way in front of the Lincoln Memorial. A couple offered me chicken, potato salad and a cool drink. I declined because I had to get back to the Supreme Court. They encouraged me to stay, eat, and listen to Dr. King’s soon to be delivered speech to the crowd. I stayed and heard Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream Speech.’

As I returned to work the next day, I was fired and told to get my things for attending the march. I was going to say goodbye to others in the building when Justice William Douglass noticed me admiring his arrowheads in a display.

Surprisingly, we were both Boy Scouts and shared an interest in arrowheads. When I informed him that I was saying good-byes because I was fired for attending Dr. King’s march, he immediately called downstairs and informed my boss that this is a free country and I will be returning to work for as long as I wanted to work at the Supreme Court.

I got exposed to greatness early. I met a lot of influential people. People asked, why I didn’t take pictures? I didn’t walk around with a camera, because I was meeting famous people every day. And if you worked in the government , seeing famous people was not that big a deal.

You know, I wish I'd had a cell phone so I could have taken those pictures, but it wasn't that big a deal, and I didn't have the means to do it.

I moved to Chicago and did quite well as a salesman and entrepreneur. I still desired to become a teacher and enrolled in Chicago State University in 1974. in 1976 I got my degree in marketing from Chicago State. That was really my beginning to; I didn't know what the real money was until I got that degree. I tell people that degree is the nicest of print money. As a black man, $7 ,000 a year was good money to me without degree. Once I got my degree, the base salary was $13 ,000.

What advice would you give young people on finances /financial planning or career choice?

Number one, think about what you enjoy, not only what you're good at doing. You may be good at things that you really don't want to be bothered with. Think about what you're good at but most of all what you like, because if you follow the path of what you like , you're never gonna work a day in your life. You're just gonna make money, you're gonna be successful and so figure out what you work to what you really like and then find out how that is marketable.

Find out and learn as much as you can about finance.

I know kids get upset you don't want to listen when the parents want to sit down and have that finance talk . They don't want the parents to have that sex talk or finance talk. Parents are just just trying to keep you from spending money and having a good time. Get as much input as you can from as many knowledgeable people that you can. Seek out people with backgrounds in in finance and business because that was one of the things that we were lacking.

Get exposed to as much stuff as you can. I know we wanna do the things we enjoy. I love our culture, but I found out that it's very important to expose yourself to different cultures so you don't avoid those environments. You got to learn how to deal with people, whether you like them or not. They could help you move forward. You got to learn how to navigate in two different worlds .I love the people back in the hood, but they’re not in a position to move me forward. I tell folks all the time, I'm bilingual. I speak Ebonics, but I also speak the King's English. I can't get paid speaking Ebonics.

My grandfather taught us that very early on. I realized that part of the reason why I was so successful was because I was able to, when I met people, put on a good front. they were always impressed by me because I was not intimidated. I was not bothered, even though I may not be able to stand the environment that I was in because it was distasteful. I dealt, I smiled, and got through it because it was gonna help me move forward.

Some people say, well, you kind of sold your soul, you turned your back on, I didn't ever turn my back on anybody, I didn't ever stop loving my people, never stopped hanging with my people, and I tell people all the time, I could hang with my people, go to a family function, speak Ebonics, eat ribs, fried chicken, and watermelon all weekend long, On Monday morning, I ‘m back in my suit, talking to white folks, and making my money. So just avail yourself of all the opportunities to gain knowledge in terms of finance, in terms of business, but most importantly, expose yourself to other cultures. Don't just stay where you are.

Boy Scouts had a lot to do with my success. I shared a bunk with white kids and got exposed to them early on.

Immerse yourself in different cultures to make yourself not only amenable, but just aware so that when you're in those environments, you shine. Yeah, you can shine in the hood, but what is it gonna get you? Learn to shine in other cultures. Be accepting of people. Can you imagine what life would be if you didn’t try Mexican food ? Can you imagine a life without tacos , enchiladas, tamales, or burritos? Your life would be different if you weren’t exposed to those foods . That's true of many other cultures, so expose yourself and find the information that will help you in your career.

Did you encourage your grandsons to go into business/finance? Kyle is in finance.

No. Kyle is in finance. When I found out he was interested, I encouraged it. He initially talked about being being a lawyer and got exposed to a lot of different areas at Marian Catholic H.S. I'm not sure where the finance bug really bit him. We exposed them to all kinds of things. He was good with numbers and saw that investment banking paid well.

Like most of my family members, he’s good at intermingling with other people from other environments.

Kendall is in business technology. He also attended Marian H.S. and got exposed to different areas of study. He’s good in with numbers and computer skills. My grandsons experience various cultures are are good navigating different environments.

Hobbies/Interest

Running Scouting Music Family

Scouting and music helped me through life. I joined the band in junior high. My grandfather bought me a trumpet and I played it for the first time, I was in the drum bugle corps. We didn't have a band yet, so I played the trumpet and I joined the bugle corps. Following that we got a band and I learned music. I learned how to play. He wouldn't even let us touch a trumpet until we learned how to play the piano because you would have all the notes in the music scale on the piano. Music and scouting and music kept me off the streets. My two cousins and I had to fight a lot because when we put on those Boy Scout uniforms guys thought, for some reason, we had morphed into pushovers. They would try to beat us up. Every time we got to the Boy Scout meeting, we were dirty and bloodied, but we made that meeting in our uniforms.

Finally, they got tired of beating us up.

I faced adversity attending Anacostia. a predominately white, high school because I wanted to be in a top-notch band. The black kids had to fight most days. We were hit with bricks. We got jumped on every every morning on the way to school. they never jumped us one -on -one or two -on -one. It was always a bunch of them, so we gave as good as we got. We started carrying bricks and sticks; they ended up getting as many bumps and bruises as we did.

They figured it wasn't worth jumping on these few guys because there were less than a hundred blacks at the school.

Success never comes without adversity.

As a sales manager, I cared that you set a goal and persevered until that goal was reached. When I was hiring at U .S. Robotics, I didn't pretty much have the guy who played quarterback on the football team and got out in four years or the kid who went to Michigan and graduated from four years ago because his parents were donating.

I hired a lot of guys and one lady who took five, six, maybe seven years to get the degree because they had to stop, go make some money, come back, or they had to go to school part -time like I did because they stuck it out. I didn't care about the kid whose parents paid for his degree because I knew in sales that there were going to be some tough times. I knew sales was a hard job. You've got to be able to deal with adversity. If you've never had to deal with adversity, sales was not for you. Most of the people I hired did not come out in four years. But it showed that they had the perseverance.

The fact that you got a degree showed that you set a goal and stuck it out. You were successful. You reached that goal. That's what a degree is all about.

Success never comes without adversity.

Click Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Speech

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BJ!

Bashaun Benford, Jr. enjoyed his birthday at the Black Ensemble Theater’s THE TIME MACHINE - A TRIBUTE TO THE 80s.

B.J. aspires to become a D.J. Not only can he spin a record or create an awesome beat, but he can tell you the date that any random album was produced and who produced it.

Click to checkout - The Time Machine

IT HAS BEEN EXTENDED FOR THE SECOND TIME BECAUSE IT’S JUST THAT GOOD - NOW THROUGH MAY 12TH Click for tickets or call (773)769-4451 DON’T MISS IT!

FINANCES OP-ED MORGAN D. MYERS, MPH BROOKWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT 167 MARIAN CATHOLIC H.S. UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI (MIZZOU) The cost of living is constantly increasing from year to year. Every time I buy something it’s like I can hear my bank account crying. At this age, many of us are paying for everything ourselves, so many of the price increases we are experiencing have become quite noticeable. From gas, to rent, to groceries, etc., many people are struggling to make ends meet. On top of that hourly wages and salaries are not changing to compensate for the cost of living.

When I think of my peers, many of them are not only working a full time job but they also have to have a part-time one in order to cover their expenses. So many hobbies have turned into “side hustles” just to stay afloat. So while it’s easy to say “just cut back on your expenses,” what if you’ve already done that? What if the expenses you have left are necessary, such as rent, utilities, tuition, groceries, etc.?

Many of us were told to pursue higher education in hopes of making more money once you receive your degree.

Although even with those degrees many are still scraping together what they can, to cover their cost of living. I hope to see a day where we are better compensated for our work. To think that we spend 40+ hours a week at work, to barely see it represented on our paychecks is insane. Oh and let’s not even talk about how difficult it is to find affordable housing options now. While it may sound like I am simply complaining, I’m not.

When I was in my Masters program, one thing that stuck out to me was just how much socioeconomic status can affect one's health and wellbeing. Without good pay, you can’t provide for yourself or your family. Then it’s a domino effect of how one thing affects another because without good pay how can you buy healthy and nutritious food? How can you take care of your personal hygiene? How can you live in good housing conditions? How will you have access to public transportation or recreational parks? All of these things can affect our health outcomes, so what will that look like for our country in later years?

The truth of the matter is things need to change to better support the people of this country. Sometimes it feels like our concerns are going overlooked and unanswered. How much will it take for us to take a stand?

Truck Presentation to the Glenwood Village Board - Leon Fields

History/ Background We presented and played a video at a village meeting with Rev. Sharpton interviewing an environmental expert. The main point was environmental racism and you don’t pay people to kill you. We have been before the board since 2021 complaining about trucking hubs, developers promoting trucking businesses and pollution. We even read a poem written by one of our members . We have not received any substantial answers or real feedback to our issues of health, pollution or quality of life.

Environmental Racism The EPA under Trump’s presidency concluded environmental racism is real; people of color are much more likely to live near polluters and breathe polluted air even as the agency seeks to roll back regulations on pollution. Source The Atlantic 2/28/2018 The facts are people of color are likely to die from environmental causes source ABC Equity Report October 26, 2021 Pollution The ingredients of air pollution Cars, trucks, and buses produce air pollution throughout their life cycle, including pollution emitted during vehicle operation and fuel production. Additional emissions are associated with the refining and distribution of fuels and to a lesser extent, manufacturing and disposal or recycling of the vehicle.

Related article - Chicago Tribune

The following are the major pollutants from motor vehicles: • Particulate matter (PM). One type of particulate matter is the soot seen in vehicle exhaust. Fine particles — less than one-tenth the diameter of a human hair — pose a serious threat to human health, as they can penetrate deep into the lungs. PM can be a primary pollutant or a secondary pollutant from hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxides.

Diesel exhaust is a major contributor to PM pollution.

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These pollutants react with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight to form ground level ozone, a main ingredient in smog. Though beneficial in the upper atmosphere, at the ground level this gas irritates the respiratory system, causing coughing, choking, and reduced lung capacity. VOCs emitted from cars, trucks and buses — which include the toxic air pollutants benzene, acetaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene — are linked to different types of cancer.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx). These pollutants form ground level ozone and particulate matter (secondary). Also harmful as a primary pollutant, NOx can cause lung irritation and weaken the body's defenses against respiratory infections such as pneumonia and influenza.

Carbon monoxide (CO). This odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas is formed by the combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and is emitted primarily from cars and trucks. When inhaled, CO blocks oxygen from the brain, heart, and other vital organs. Ting

Sulfur dioxide (SO2). Power plants and motor vehicles create this pollutant by burning sulfur-containing fuels, especially diesel and coal. Sulfur dioxide can react in the atmosphere to form fine particles and, as other air pollutants, poses the largest health risk to young children and asthmatics.

The BP refinery in Whiting was criticized by Carolyn Marsh, an administrator of the Facebook group BP Whiting Watch for a lack of transparency on the company’s part who failed to alert the community. Susan Thomas, Director of Legislation and Policy at Just Transition Northwest Indiana criticized BP and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management saying they looked the other way on oversight and enforcement, long owed to this region. Both benzene and hydrogen sulfide are highly toxic and can be fatal in very high concentrations. Exposures to high levels of benzene can cause dizziness, headaches, tremors, unconsciousness, and leukemia. Before the major power outage 7 months ago a partial power outage resulted in the release of gasses including sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide across 3 Indiana counties.

The refinery’s permit is up for renewal February 8 at 6:00 pm at East Chicago High School for public comments. Source The Daily Southtown 1/26/2024 I would invite you to read the comments on Ring where neighbors in Cal City, Lansing, Lynwood and Glenwood complained of being sickened by affects of the gasses during the last burn off BP had. Source Ring Doorbell Traffic and Truck Accidents Trucks cause damage to the road, not to mention the railroad crossings. I complain of the road condition and need for repaving from the intersection of Glenwood-Dyer and Glenwood- Lansing road east to bridge crossing 394. Once you cross the bridge Glenwood- Lansing road i.e. 45 Ave has been recently paved to Calumet Ave thus LYNWOOD, LANSING, and MUNSTER have roads as smooth as a baby’s bottom with the exception of Glenwood. We are still waiting for an adequate response.

Perception Drive down Cottage Grove SOUTH of Glenwood Lansing Road you will see trucking businesses offering truck and trailer and cargo box parking storage and etc.,. notice the increase in truck traffic and cars drivers taking risk to avoid being behind the trucks, in addition look at the trash thrown out of the vehicles who did not do this when the land was green space. The perception is the area is a dump; these businesses are less than 7 blocks from the residents of Glenwood.

Let me cut through the chase. We have trucks polluting and running pass our three schools, our apartments, condos, and homes, our shopping/strip mall, and rehab/ retirement housing. These deadly trucks should be routed down State Street away from our old fragile residents and our children who could spend up to 9 yrs. in this toxic area. If other villages can do it, so can Glenwood. In a board presentation a developer wanted Glenwood to annex a property on Joe Orr Road east of Cottage Grove. The Board stated they had the authority to reroute the truck traffic away from Glenwood. So we ask you to reroute the truck traffic with a truck free zone to protect Glenwood’s most viable residence, our children, your elderly and our diseased residents.

We Remember We remember Glenwood manicured lawns, beautiful shrubbery, and green grass too.

All kinds of activities for our children to do.

Glenwood was glamorous, and so well known.

A community where everyone, complimented and loved our beautiful homes.

We remember when our children went out to play, and no one worried if they stay all day.

We remember it was quiet and always good.

There was no talk of crime in our neighborhood.

We remember when elected officials didn’t turn a blind eye.

Leaving our community to decline, be neglected and die.

We remember when elected officials treated us with care.

We didn’t have garbage cans out front and trash everywhere.

We remember when outsiders weren’t buying and renting up our town. Not following ordinance and taking our property value down.

We remember when elected officials showed that they care.

They didn’t smile and ignore us as though we weren’t there.

Now we look around Glenwood, our neighboring communities too. We pray oh Lord have mercy and show us what to do.

When we speak of Glenwood now, many hearts are filled with shame.

We don’t want crime, trash, and unkempt homes to scandalize our name.

Ugly distribution centers and diesel trucks is what we will be seeing in days. Environmental racism is being practiced, filling our clouds with haze.

C.O.P.D., asthma, lung disease, and cancer is moving in our town, We can’t escape the air it’s circling all around.

They are practicing environmental racism, and they don’t care.

They own their lovely homes and live elsewhere.

When diesel trucks, high traffic, and noise move in Property value and our health will never, never win.

It’s time for us in Glenwood and surrounding communities to let the world know. Environmental racism is not welcome, it's time for it to go.

WE DON’T NEED A DIESEL DEATH ZONE IN GLENWOOD Author - Fresh Air

You touched the lives of thousands of students. The seeds of knowledge you planted in the minds and hearts will continue to grow as they travel the world!

D e d i c a t e d

D e v o t e d

Z e a l o u s

P a s s i o n a t e W h o l e h e a r t e d

BROOKWOOD

SCHOOL

DISTRICT

167

EDUCATOR & ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

GLENWOOD FIRE & POLICE COMMISSION

Did you know:

GLENWOOD FIRE & POLICE COMMISSION’s sole obligation is to Hire, Promote and Overseas discipline for Full-time Glenwood Firefighters & Policemen?

Did you know: GFPC is an independent village department with its own rules and regulations and is appointed by Mayor Gardiner and approved by the Trustees?

It consists of three long term residents with almost 50 years of residency?

They volunteer.

The commission sets the standards & develops the operating rules and regulations for screening candidates and appointing candidates to the police & fire department.

Did you know: GFPC is NOW hiring entry level Firefighters and Police Officers Candidates can Contact C.O.P.S. for more information at (847)310-2677.

Candidates must be 21-34 years of age.

If you need more information, we have it.

STAY TUNED

R E S O U R C E S

Cuttie W. Bacon, III, Ph.D Book-How To Teach Kids To Be Millionaires

Motown’s Barrett Strong Click link MONEY IS WHAT I WANT

Budget tips - Budgeting Apps ILLINOIS FINANCIAL LITERACY Illinois Financial Literacy Resources

Linal Harris Certified Ontological Life Coach Media Personality Global Entrepreneur Former Fortune 500 Chief Diversity Officer.

He has created an inspirational platform that reaches over 40,000 people around the globe, visited and worked in over 40 countries and 260 cities worldwide, making him one of the most highly sought after speakers and coaches in Chicago.

Harris is also the recipient of various awards and honors such as the Chicago Defender’s Men of Excellence award, Chicago Urban Roundtable’s 40 Game Changers Under 40 award and was a 2015 inductee into Triton College's Hall of Fame.

Harris has started a number of successful businesses, two of which have experienced global success.

As Founder and Managing Partner of Insights 4 Life Coaching, LLC, he’s built a global coaching practice that supports a variety of high-profile clients; from corporate executives and accomplished entrepreneurs to professional athletes and celebrities.

Linal is also the founder and CEO of Inspirational Perspective Publishing, LLC, which is home to the award-winning blog and radio show (WVON 1690 AM), "Inspirational Perspective". Through these mediums, he challenges his global audience to Murder Mediocrity™ and live their best life possible.

Passionate about philanthropy, he spreads his inspirational work in the Chicago community by sharing his resources and volunteering his time with inner-city High Schools and youth groups, often hosting discussions with students on how to live a life of excellence.

If you are interested in learning more about Linal or connecting further visit linalharris.com

APRIL 2024

ISSUE # 3

This newsletter was created to highlight individuals whose contributions to the community and society are recognized and greatly appreciated.

If you want to share positive news, email details to glenwooddidyouknow@gmail.com Who knows, it just may be included in upcoming issues.

It costs just over $0.12 to print each $100 bill.

It would take about 4,000 double folds (forward and back) before a Federal Reserve note would tear.

U.S. currency is not made of paper; it is 25% linen and 75% cotton.

The same firm, the Crane Company, has been manufacturing the currency material since 1879.

The largest note ever printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was the $100,000 Gold Certificate, Series 1934, for use only by Federal Reserve Banks.

In 1929, the first major redesign of U.S. currency took place to standardize the size and design.

The security thread and microprinting were added to the design of U.S. bills in 1990.

The Money Museum hosted about 69,145 visitors in 2017.

The money pit in the Money Museum holds $50,000 in change, from pennies to silver dollars, which are 6 inches deep.

69,145 people visited the Money Museum in 2017, making it the most visited museum or visitor center in the Federal Reserve.

13,110 people visited the Money Museum over one weekend in 2018, a new record, as part of the Open House Chicago event.

Every day the Chicago Fed and the Detroit Branch shred about $26 million in worn out currency, for a total of nearly $6.5 billion in 2017.

The Chicago Fed counted about $43.4 billion in currency in 2017.

What would you do if you won $1,000,000?