Vol. I No. VI AUGUST 16, 2017
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Meet the regal Susie Lewis, PAGE 7
Businessman wants renters to reap what they sow By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor
According to a December 2016 study produced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an estimated 26 million people in the U.S. don’t have credit histories with any of the three national credit reporting companies. Less than three months ago, Leonard Dew, 46, was among them. “I had never in my life used credit,” said Dew, an auto mechanic who owns a body shop in Chicago. “When I was younger, I had child support to pay and once they run your credit and see you got child support nobody wants anything to do with you. So I always paid cash — for everything.” Two months ago, Dew overheard West Side businessman Marseil Jackson, 29, (pictured in photo above), talking to a mutual friend of theirs about a new company Jackson had started called Rental Harvest, which allows renters to build their credit histories by applying the past two years of rent payments to their credit reports. In order to apply for the service, landlords or property managers are required to verify the rental payments. For a one-time reporting fee of $99.95 and an additional $14.95 a month for a monthly subscription — which entails the company reporting ongoing rental payments and offering assistance with resolving past rental issues — Dew might be able to come into the light at last. Initially, he said, the prospect sounded too good to believe. But as with many of Jackson’s clients, the serial entrepreneur’s pedigree allowed Dew to take a leap of faith. See RENTAL HARVEST on page 4
the village free press
Sebastian Hidalgo/VFP
Pastor Anthony Pelegrino accepts prayer during a prayer walk held July 29 in Maywood. Years ago, while on drugs, Pelegrino came to Maywood to feed his habit. Now, he returns in order to help save it. Read more on page 7.
Taste of Bellwood deemed a success by vendors, mayor The two-day event was the first of its kind in nearly two decades, said Mayor Harvey By SHANEL ROMAIN Contributor
Sergio Minniti, of Westchester, and his business partner, Bobby Anzaldi, of Melrose Park, were nothing but smiles on
Aug. 6 as the first-ever Taste of Bellwood wrapped up. Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey said the two-day event, which started on Aug. 5 and happened along Washington Blvd. (between Eastern and 25th Avenues), was perhaps the biggest event of its kind in nearly two decades, attracting a crowd he estimated may have been around 5,000 strong over two days. For local businesses like Minniti’s
and Anzaldi’s Minchia Meats Honey Hot Boneless, the weekend event meant revenues and additional exposure. “So far, we’ve been killing it [in sales],” Anzaldi said. “We’re on pace to do what we’ve done at other events we’ve been at in the past.” G.W. Skipper, of Skipper’s Clippers Beauty and Barber Salon, 236 Mannheim Rd. in Bellwood, said that he has no See TASTE on page 5
Available in Maywood and the surrounding communities of Bellwood, Broadview, Melrose Park, and Stone Park. Including: • Maywood Public Library, 121 S. 5th Ave.
• Maywood Fine Arts, 25 N. 5th Ave.
• Global Business, 840 S. 17th Ave.
• Maywood Police Station, 125 S. 5th Ave.
• Afriware Books, 1701 S. 1st Ave., Suite #503
• Kathy’s Cafe, 1008 S. 17th Ave.
• Maywood Village Hall, 40 Madison St.
• Meal of the Day Cafe, 1701 S. 1st Ave., Suite #410
• Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest, 1001 Lake St
Call Dawn at 708-613-3329 to advertise.