Former commissioner pleads guilty, PAGE 9
Legislative Black Caucus unveils antiracism agenda
Vol. IV No. 37
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
theVillageFreePress.org
Proviso First Pass Assessments, INSIDE
PANDEMIC ADJUSTMENTS: Donald Robinson teaches Auto Tech I and II at Proviso East, providing students with hands-on learning and a space to feel at home.
Springfield lawmakers will tackle police reform first By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus released its agenda of “sweeping reforms” meant to address systemic racism in the state at a news conference on Sept. 1. The agenda is focused on four pillars of policy: Criminal justice reform, violence and police accountability; education and workforce development; economic access, equity and opportunity; and health care and human services. State Senate Majority Leader and ILBC Chair Kimberly Lightford opened her remarks at the news conference by noting, “This is the moment that I have dreamed of, that I have prayed for, that I have worked towards my entire life.” “This is a time when I stand on my parents’ shoulders, and their parents’ shoulders, and their parents’ shoulders and their parent’s shoulders,” she said. “We’re finally here … today as the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, to present to you our agenda to end systemic racism that has oppressed our people for as long as we’ve ever known.” The news conference focused on the first pillar as the ILBC emphasized a need for ending mass incarceration, enacting police reform and strategically investing and redirecting state funding to reduce violence in Illinois communities. “We respect, admire and honor our officers. But legislatively, we must address bad actors and racism in law enforcement,” Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, said. “Here in [Chicago], Blacks make up 75 percent of the CPD shootings, 30 percent of See BLACK CAUCUS on page 8
Alex Rogals
Madison Street cigar shop a purveyor of conversation Casa de Puros in Forest Park specializes in quality cigars and quality connections By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
Pat Braniff, that guy who puffs on a big cigar as he plants flowers or plows snow for the public works department, enthusiastically describes Casa de Puros to his friends as a great cigar store and much more. A cigar gourmet with a discerning palate, Braniff is impressed with the selection he finds at the 7410 Madison St. location. Julienne Tooles, one of Casa’s three owners, said that he has 500 brands of cigars in his temperature controlled walkin humidor, almost all of them coming from Latin American countries like Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic where the tobacco is grown and the cigars are rolled.
Braniff said he also appreciates Casa’s knowledgeable staff. Tooles laughed and said that he’s like a cigar sommelier. “We can break down a cigar in its entirety for you,” he said. “If I don’t know something about a particular brand, Brandon Prince — another owner — will. We can tell you about the notes of the cigar and its after taste, if it’s sweet or lite or if, when you smoke it, you will feel like you’re in a fight with a real man!” Prince and Tooles can even advise you on which foods pair well with different cigars. For example, some pair well with chocolate and others with Scotch. “Just as craft beers or premium spirits,” a website called Statista reported, “cigars might buck the general secular trend of declining alcohol and tobacco sales as sophisticated consumers might consume
less in total but could at the same time be willing to spend more on each individual occasion.” You won’t find a pack of Swisher Sweets at Casa de Puros (Spanish for “house of cigars”). The least expensive smoke costs $4.50 and the most expensive will set you back $85. As much as Braniff appreciates the selection and quality of the product Casa sells, he keeps coming back for the relationships created and maintained in Casa’s two lounges. “The cigar shop is more than just a place to smoke a cigar,” he said. “It’s a place where you are treated like brothers and sisters. The conversation there is generally the most interesting part of the experience.” “I started coming to the cigar lounge with See HOUSE OF CIGARS on page 4