Issuu

■

An electric bike company thrives in Austin

PAGE 3

FREE Vol. 36 No. 3

January 19, 2022

■

Also serving Garfield Park

■

austinweeklynews.com

@AustinWeeklyNews

@austinweeklynews

@AustinWeeklyChi

Welch reflects on first year as speaker, page 4

‘The past is not passed,’ clergy say on MLK’s birthday Rev. Jesse Jackson, West Side ministers reflected on King’s legacy, lamented current struggles at Jan. 15 event in North Lawndale By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

On Jan. 15, Rev. Jesse Jackson stood inside of the Dr. King Legacy Apartments at 1550 S. Hamlin Ave. in North Lawndale and reflected on the legacy of his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would have been 93 on that day. The civil rights icon, slowed considerably by Parkinson’s and a recent bout with COVID-19, also lamented that the very forces that he and King fought against years ago seem as powerful as ever. Homelessness is still pervasive. Voting rights are still threatened. Chicago’s West and South sides are still segregated, a key factor driving the pervasive gun violence in those areas. The “violence of our culture,” Jackson said, is still with us. Jackson said he was working on the West Side with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) around the time King and other activists organized the Chicago Freedom Movement. The movement began in late 1965, King’s See MLK on page 2

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Co-executive director Lynette Kelly-Bell (above) was one of parents who founded A House in Austin in 2016 to provide enriching programs and support for parents and children on Chicago’s West Side.

Not just any old house

The nonprofit A House in Austin offers families a place for support By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

When Erica Hilgart moved to Oak Park as a mother of three young children, the former public school teacher enrolled in a Musikgarten class with her children. “It helped me not feel so lonely in Oak Park,” Hilgart said. “I wondered if there

was a place like this in Austin.” Around the same time, young mothers and friends Lynette Kelly-Bell and Becky Martin, who lived on the West Side of Chicago, were looking for activities they could do with their young children. “We couldn’t find anything on the West Side,” Kelly-Bell said. “Every parent and child class was in the South Loop or Edge-

S W E N LASH! F

water.” Seeing the void of opportunities, Hilgart reached out to the By the Hand Club, which offered up a room for her to host a music class. “I created what I needed as a mom,” Hilgart said. See HOUSE IN AUSTIN on page 5

You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box. Sign up for FREE at AustinWeeklyNews.com

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

MICHAEL ROMAIN/Editor

Rev. Jesse Jackson joins local clergy, including Rev. Marshall Hatch (standing to Jackson’s left) and Rev. Ira Acree (standing behind Hatch), on Jan. 15, Martin Luther King’s birthday, to talk about the slain civil rights leader’s legacy.

MLK

Shared struggles from page 1 Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) merged with West Side activist Al Raby’s Coordinating Council of Community Organization (CCCO). King chose Chicago as the site of his northern campaign, which was designed to end the slum housing that was typical on the West and South sides. While in Chicago, King and his family lived in a depilated apartment at 1550 S. Hamlin, where the current museum and legacy apartments are situated. “Dr. King was a West Sider,” said Rev. Ira Acree, the pastor of the Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin. “We say that with pride. Rev. Jackson has challenged us to think about what Dr. King would say today.” The original apartment where King lived has been razed, but the problem of housing insecurity and poverty remain, Jackson said. “There are 600,000 Americans homeless today,” he said, echoing data produced by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

In Chicago, Jackson said, “the homeless are in tents along the highway, but more than that they are also sleeping on the viaducts on the trains. There are thousands in Chicago with no place to stay.” At Monday’s news conference, vestiges of the past also appeared in the form of present activists like Chris Shuttlesworth, the nephew of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, the Birmingham, Ala., minister who co-founded the SCLC alongside King and was present during the fights to integrate the South in the 1960s. “I’ve been hearing something in my ear and it is freedom,” said Chris Shuttlesworth, an activist and founder of the Children’s Earth Foundation, a nonprofit “dedicated to improving the quality of life” in urban and rural areas, according to its website. Brien Cron, the founder and president of Chicago Tiny House, said his organization is attempting to put a dent in homelessness in Chicago by providing tiny houses for the poor. “The cost of each house is about $25,000 per house, which is unheard of in the housing market,” Cron said. “That’s why we’re having so much trouble getting this off the ground,” he added. “It’s a new concept in Chicago that’s never been done before. We are working with the Department of Planning and Development.

Hopefully, we’ll [start to build them] in the near future.” Turning to voting rights, Jackson challenged labor unions to go to West Virginia, the state of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, and march in order to pressure the legislator to support the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which has been stalled in Congress. Other clergy in attendance on Monday echoed Jackson’s concern about the current state of American democracy. “Clearly the past has not passed,” said Rev. Marshall Hatch, the pastor of New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Garfield Park and the Illinois president of Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition. “We’re not [only] here because Dr. King occupied this very space, but we’re here because the struggle is ongoing,” he said. “We’re here back again fighting for the right to vote. That should be fundamental and that was, at one point, a bipartisan agreement — that every citizen has a right to vote. “And so, in many ways, we’ve gone backwards and that’s why Rev. Jackson continues to challenge us,” Hatch continued. “We can’t stop marching, we can’t stop standing up. We must continue fighting relentlessly.”

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Austin pastor calls on youth to mobilize for voting rights Rev. Ira Acree, the senior pastor of Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin, hosted a virtual Martin Luther King Day Assembly on Jan. 17, at Providence St. Mel High School, 119 S. Central Park. During the assembly, the West Side pastor, who participated in the March on Washington for Voting Rights in August 2021, urged young people to mobilize for the right to vote. “King was not just a dreamer but a man of action,” Acree said. “Young people should not just admire King but honor him by becoming activists in our community.” More specifically, Acree urged young people to register to vote, to encourage their friends and loved ones to register to vote and to work with their local churches and the faith-based community to mobilize support for voting rights.

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

AUSTIN WEEKLY

news

Equity Editor/Ombudsman/Editor Michael Romain Senior Editor Bob Uphues Digital Publishing & Technology Manager Briana Higgins Contributing Reporter Igor Studenkov Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks

Berkay Doma (left) and Murat Soyhan (right) pose with a pair of the company’s scooters. IGOR STUDENKOV/Contributor

Austin electric bike company thriving amid pandemic

The business, eBikeling, is located in Austin’s industrial corridor and converts regular bikes to electric bikes By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Tucked away in the Austin industrial corridor is a company that has been doing brisk business across the country, selling kits that allow bicyclists to convert pedal-powered bikes into electrically powered bikes. Originally based in northwest suburban Schaumburg, eBikeling moved to an industrial building at 5658 W. Fillmore St. in 2018. In addition to selling bike conversion kits and converting bikes, the company sells replacement parts. It also repairs e-bikes and electrically powered scooters. While eBikeling does most of its business online, the company gets walk-in customers from Oak Park, Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood and even from as far away as Indiana and Wisconsin. The company touted its customer service, competitive prices and its online presence as major reasons behind its success. The demand for its conversion kits shot up during the pandemic as many people were stuck at home. eBikeling is planning to do more

video tutorials on conversions, as well as to expand its product line. Cyclists can ride electric bikes by either paddling them the way they would any other bike or using the electric motor to help them along. This means that any pedal-powered bike can be converted into an e-bike, so long as the owner installs the right parts. eBikeling was founded by Selahaddin Ganioglu, of northwest suburban Hoffman Estates, in 2008. According to Berkay Doma, the company’s General Manager, Ganioglu thought that bikes and cars were increasingly moving toward electric power, and the demand would only increase. The company name, Doma said, came from combining the words “e-bike” and “cycling.” Doma said that eBikeling moved to its current location because they wanted to be closer to Chicago. The warehouse space in the industrial section of Austin south of the Eisenhower Expressway was affordable and had enough room to suit their needs. It also had the advantage of being closer to a highway than the Schaumburg location. e-Bike conversion is the core of the company’s business. Doma said that, while ideally they would’ve liked customers to bring their bikes to them, the fact that most of their customers are outside Chicago makes that impractical. “We prefer to convert your bike, because we do it professionally,” he said. “One person has a chance to fail due to the wrong

assembly. But because we sell all over the country in 48 states, people purchase [the conversion kits] and we provide them with instructional videos of the installation process, so people can install them by themselves.” The videos and instruction manuals are available on eBikeling’s website. Murat Soyhan, the company’s brand manager and head of customer service, emphasized that, if followed correctly the conversion process typically takes n more than an hour. He said about 1% of the company’s repairs involved fixing botched conversions. Doma estimates that between 95% and 98% of the customers buy products online, with Soyhan mentioning that they get a lot of orders from Ohio. Doma and Soyhan touted the advantages of e-bikes, noting that their products are watertight and they sell snow tires and other equipment that makes them viable in winter. “We are not limiting you to paddling,” Soyhan said. “You can pedal and you can use motor power.” “You don’t have to pay for gas each week and this is a sport, basically,” Doma said. “Each day, you’re exercising.” eBikeing is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the company or to order their products online, visit https://ebikeling.com/

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

Columnist Arlene Jones Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales & Marketing Representavies Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson , Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 773-626-6332 FAX 708-467-9066 CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE www.AustinWeeklyNews.com TWITTER @AustinWeeklyChi Austin Weekly News is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. It is distributed free of charge at locations across Austin and Garfield Park. Our hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advertising rates are available by calling our office. Printed entirely on recycled paper. © 2022 Growing Community Media NFP.

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

Welch reflects on first year as House speaker Cites energy bill, redistricting as major accomplishments

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – One year after being named speaker of the Illinois House, Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch says he is proud of the accomplishments he and his colleagues achieved and he looks forward to building on that record. “I actually thought 2021 was one heck of a year,” the Hillside Democrat said during a recent interview. “You know, we passed the historic, nation-leading Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the CEJA bill. We protected and expanded voting rights. We made Illinois the beacon of hope for protecting reproductive rights and a refuge for women all around the country. The work that we did on the budget and restoring fiscal stability and credit upgrades, paying off a $2 billion loan and saving $82 million. Where do I end? We had a really great year, and certainly looking forward to building on that.” On Jan. 13, 2021, Welch was elected speaker of the House, succeeding the long-serving but embattled Michael Madigan and becoming the first Black person to lead the House. “It’s a very time intensive job,” he said when asked what he’d learned in his first year. “And literally, you’re working seven days a week no-stop. …A lot of work involved. It takes cooperation from your friends from your family, from your employers.” During his first year, Welch worked to put his own imprint on the speaker’s office, setting a much different tone than Madigan, who seldom gave media interviews and shunned the use of email or social media. “I certainly think that it’s a new day in Springfield,” he said. “I think Democrats up and down our ranks would agree with that. I think if you get past Republican leadership, the rank-and-file Republicans would agree that it’s a new day.” “The office of the speaker has been open more than it ever has, I believe in the last 36 to 40 years,” he continued. “Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle came into the office of speaker and said they had never been in there before. They came in to meet with me about ideas they were proposing last year in the Legislature, ideas that got out of Rules (Committee), got out of the House, got out of the Senate, and hit the governor’s desk and became law. Many of those rankand-file Republicans were able to go home and talk about victories that we actually had in the General Assembly. I think they’ll tell you that that’s a new thing for them.” Welch’s relationship with the GOP caucus, however, has not always been friendly. That was particularly true during redistricting, the once-in-a-decade process of redrawing state legislative and congressional district lines in accordance with the most recent U.S. Census. With Democrats firmly in control of both chambers as well as the governor’s office, they drew maps that were intended to ensure they would maintain their majorities for the next 10 years. But Republicans called it blatant partisan gerrymandering, while voting rights advocacy groups complained of a process conducted behind closed doors that actually resulted in the dilution of minority voting power in some parts of the state. They all sued in federal court but were unsuccessful. Welch cited the federal court’s decision as a vindication of the Democrats’ efforts. “I think, because of COVID, we were actually more open, more accessible, more transparent because we had over 50 or 60 hearings, because we were able to do in-person hearings and virtual hearings,” he said. “If we were not in COVID, we might not have had the opportunity to do virtual

Credit: Justin L. Fowler of The State Journal-Register

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, holds his first news conference after taking the Oath of Office to become speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in the 102nd General Assembly on Jan. 13, 2021, at the Bank of Springfield Center. hearing. So I think we were more open and more accessible. And the proof that we got it right is the opinion written by the three-judge federal panel that totally rejected the advocacy groups’ claims. Totally rejected.” Welch was first elected to the House in 2012 from a district in the western suburbs of Chicago. Prior to becoming speaker, one of his major focuses was addressing issues about racial equity. In 2019, he sponsored a bill requiring corporations domiciled in Illinois to report on the diversity of their governing boards. He has also pushed for more diversity in state hiring and contracting. He has continued those efforts as speaker. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, Welch said, he met with the presidents of state universities and the CEOs of the private insurance companies that administer the state’s Medicaid program, known as “managed care organizations,” or MCOs, to push them further toward meeting diversity goals. “Before I ever became speaker, diversity, equity and inclusion was really important to me. And in fact, I don’t think I would be here without that push over the last few years for diversity, equity inclusion,” Welch said. “When I started this job in 2013, that diversity was not there. And it was quite impressive to see,” he said of his meeting with university presidents. “And to see it showing up in their hiring practices at the universities is quite impressive as well. And there’s certainly more work that can be done. And so we’re working very closely with Chairman (LaShawn K.) Ford, who chairs (Senate) Higher Ed, and Chairman (Katie) Stuart who chairs (House) Higher Ed, to continue those efforts forward. And we really plan to make this year the year where we truly plant that diversity flag

in Illinois.” Welch said his main priority for the 2022 session will be passing a budget, a task made easier this year by the state’s improving revenue picture. At the end of December, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability reported that base revenues through the first half of the fiscal year were up $918 million from the previous year. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a lot of competition for those new dollars, but Welch said he’s hopeful of reaching a bipartisan consensus. “We’re going to convene Democrats and Republicans and we’re going to see what the rank-and-file members believe are the priorities,” he said. “We’re going to ask them what the priorities are. But we certainly know that with COVID still being here, and the fact that we’re in the midst of a surge, that we’re going to still have to continue to address many of the things that we’re dealing with, or have dealt with in the past. We know that we still have (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars that can be allocated. We did receive ARPA dollars, and we have four years to spend them. We’ve only spent $2 billion out of $8 billion. So we have some room that will allow us to continue to help people to deal with this pandemic. I think that’s really a top priority.” Lawmakers had scheduled a shortened session this year so they can return to their districts in April to campaign for the June 28 primary. But the recent surge of COVID-19 cases brought on by the omicron variant have cut the number of scheduled session days even further. Both chambers are currently recessed until further notice.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

HOUSE IN AUSTIN Ideal spot from page 1

to convert the residential space to commercial space, and architectural firm Aria Group from Oak Park helped with the design, which included adding and an ADAaccessible bathroom, a ramp, fire protection and all new electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems. Construction began in January 2020, and by the time it wrapped up that fall, the former single-family home had been transformed into a place where parents and children could gather for music, classes and support. Hunter says that during the construction process, the team discovered a lot about the home’s history. Built in 1897, the home was owned by the Frederick Glenn family from 1903 to 1978. Glenn, a co-founder of West Suburban Hospital, had his office in the home for 58 years. A subsequent owner, Padraic Cunningham, a mental health specialist and therapist, also ran his practice from the home office. Hunter says relatives of Glenn and Cunningham have reached out to share photos and memories of the home.

The first Boppin’ Babies music class took place in January 2016. Hilgart says that along with her child, a grandfather from the neighborhood attended with his grandson. The second class brought more participants, including mom Precious Jones. Over the first year, the class grew to include 14 parents. Among those original parents were Martin and Kelly-Bell, who were thrilled to find something closer to home. “Becky found this group that we could walk to,” Kelly-Bell said. “When we went, it was amazing. From that time on, I was committed.” Growth happened organically that first year. “Initially, it was the music piece with a literacy component,” Hilgart said. “Every week, families received breakfast and a book to bring home.” Martin’s experience as a licensed social worker led to the addition of more parenting support programs. “We added a home visit group, and a weekly parent support group meeting with childcare,” Hilgart said. “We COURTESY A HOUSE IN AUSTIN partnered with Children ReParents meet weekly for support groups to take time to recharge. Parents search Triangle to offer therenjoy a meal and have an opportunity to meet other local parents, discuss apy and early intervention services.” important parenting topics, learn and be supported. After borrowing space from other organizations, A House parents who have been with in Austin earned its name the group from the beginning. when the organization purKelly-Bell says that even chased the single-family home through the pandemic, A at 533 N. Pine Ave. in the sumHouse in Austin has continmer of 2016. ued to grow. Parent Café meets Hilgart says the large house on Mondays as a time to offer was an ideal spot for the nonparent support. On Tuesdays, profit organization to grow. there is a virtual and in-perInstead of an institutional son Chicago Parent Program, space, locating in a house fosa 12-session evidence-based tered a sense of home. This parenting program for parents house also provided a large of kids between the ages of backyard, key for providing 2 and 8 designed to meet the the young children with outneeds of culturally and ecoside time throughout the year. COURTESY A HOUSE IN AUSTIN nomically diverse parents. Although the house had the Children engage in early learning development activities while February Tuesdays will feapotential they needed, forYou can get more information ture My Fresh Table, a class parents receive support during group. Children learn a gross and fi ne mer board member Maureen about A House in Austin and register on making healthy, affordable Hunter, who helped with the motor skill, in addition to imaginative play and a healthy snack to for programs at their website, meals for families. Boppin’ construction process, says promote overall health development. ahouseinaustin.org. Music for babies and toddlers that the old frame Victorian During the month of January, meets on Wednesdays, and on house needed significant resAHIA hosts an online fundraiser. “It just has a good history and a strong his- Thursdays there is a Parent Chat and Fatoration. Cards for a Cause offers boxed sets “It’s a magnificent home, but it’s just a tory of supporting the community that will therhood group. of beautifully embellished cards All parent programming correlates with vessel to provide an opportunity to these live on through A House in Austin,” Hunter with matching envelopes that can a My Wonder Kids art and reading class, so families,” Hunter said. “Not only was the said. be used for every holiday and occaToday, Kelly-Bell and Martin are co-exec- that parents and children both are learning sion. From each $30 purchase, $13 size of the house a selling point, but so was goes directly to support the mission the corner lot. Eighty-five percent of fami- utive directors of A House in Austin, and and enjoying time with their peers at the of AHIA. Cards can be purchased on lies in this neighborhood don’t have access Jones serves as a music teacher and sits on same time. the board of directors. Hilgart is happy to the AHIA website. to safe outdoor space.” There was a long process to get a permit have handed the reins over to experienced CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Want to find out more?

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

RibFest Every Day! Mickey’s is the place!

Mickey’s Rib Special 1/2 Slab Dinner Full Slab Dinner B.B.Q. RIBS & CHICKEN BURGERS & HOT DOGS

$13.49

$19.79

includes fries or baked potato, coleslaw and garlic bread

525 N Harlem Ave, Oak Park (708) 848-3333 11am - 9pm Daily

3 Vienna Hot Dogs w/ Fries $ .49

Italian Beef Sandwich w/ Fries $ .99

Wednesday

Gyros Plate Dinner 1 lb meat, 2 pita breads, fries & 3 cups sauce $11.99

Every day Special!

Gyros with fries $8.99

Unintended consequences are a reality

ome of the black community’s biggest problems are “unintended consequences” of planned actions. At every level of interaction, little thought is ever given to all of the potential outcomes that could arise from a planned situation. For example, the quick demolition of public housing. As soon as former Mayor Richard M. Daley knew he could, he began to dismantle public housing. No true concern for where the people would go ever took place even though it was well documented at the time that there wasn’t enough available low-income housing for them. The result has been the destabilization of other neighborhoods that historically have not had the level of crime that currently exists. Sadly, black politicians did not vocalize their concerns (if they even had any) loudly enough. Today, the city of Chicago struggles to deal with the burden of the unintendedconsequence problem of what was once a more contained high-crime area that is now present citywide. Another example of unintended consequences was the decision to arrest gang leaders. The mindset at the time was that they could break up the gangs by eliminating the leaders. The unintended consequences of that action? Without a gang hierarchy in place, rather than eliminate the gangs, the criminal fiefdoms are now everywhere with a multitude of individual criminal posses that are totally out of control. Back in 2019, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx decided she would

not prosecute shoplifting as a felony if the stolen goods’ value was less than $1,000. Instead of the criminal being grateful that they were given a second chance, many, probably bragging a lot through social media, got the word out that those caught stealing wouldn’t be prosecuted. The unintended consequence of that action has been that more people began stealing because they knew they wouldn’t be prosecuted. Another aspect of unintended consequences is that mass mobs of people began swarming into stores to steal. The list of planned situations that have led to unintended consequences is endless. I gave some major examples, but there is a litany of others that also fall into the category. Electronic home monitoring (individuals still committing crimes while on it); child support (fathers killing their baby’s mama because of the threat of it); carjackings, especially by juveniles (multiple repeat offenders); and on and on. Our politicians really need to do deeper thinking when they come up with new laws. Every desired outcome is not necessarily a straight “A” through “F” situation. There will be bumps in the road that might lead to XYZ before “F” even becomes part of the picture. Our elected officials always need to ask themselves what all the possible outcomes will be. “What if ” should always be at the top of their agenda when it comes to any issue. I know it’s difficult for them to think outside the box, but they need to at least give it a try.

ARLENE JONES

1/4 Lb Double Cheeseburger

Big Mickey! $ .49

“The” Friendship BAPTIST CHURCH Rev. Dr. Reginald E. Bachus, Pastor 5200 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60644 773-378-6600

When life throws you a financial challenge, you’ve proven you have what it takes to ace it. Now it’s time to tackle your retirement savings at AceYourRetirement.org

fbcchicago.org facebook.com/friendshipbcchicago JOIN US FOR ONLINE SERVICES • FACEBOOK @FriendshipBCChicago

• YOUTUBE @The Friendship Baptist Church of Chicago

Sundays - 9:30 AM Sunday School • 11:00 AM Worship Service

Wednesdays - 6:00 PM Bible Study

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

Lawndale health organization appoints new CEO

James Brooks said he will prioritize collaborations in the community that can help tackle the social conditions that lead to chronic health issues By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

Lawndale Christian Health Center has appointed Pastor James Brooks as CEO of the community-based clinic. Brooks was formerly the Chief Ministry Officer for the community health center. Brooks was born and raised in Lawndale and is also senior pastor at Harmony Community Church, where his father was previously senior pastor. His experiences growing up in North Lawndale and experiencing the challenges that weigh upon the West Side “gives me a great perspective” on the health needs of the community, Brooks said. “That experience has informed how I will lead going forward,” Brooks said. Since the health center was born out of the Lawndale Christian Community Church in 1984, it has always been driven by a mission to uplift the West Side. Church members initially sought to create the health center in an effort to improve the longstanding health inequalities faced by people liv-

PROVIDED

Pastor James Brooks is now CEO of Lawndale Christian Health Center. ing on the West Side by making high-quality care affordable and accessible to residents. “It had very humble beginnings,” Brooks said. “We’re embedded in the community. That means our residents have access to us. Our mission is to share the love of Jesus by promoting wellness in Lawndale and our neighboring communities.” What started as one small clinic and a basketball court to allow residents to exercise grew into one of North Lawndale’s major anchor institutions. Lawndale Christian Health Center is a safety-net clinic that accepts sliding-scale payment, and 40 percent of patients are uninsured. 75,000 people in the area rely on Lawndale Christian Health Center for primary care, Brooks said.

The nonprofit runs a state-of-the-art fitness center residents can join for just $15, as well as multiple event spaces, a senior center, a pharmacy, an eye clinic and multiple satellite clinics around the West Side. Lawndale Christian Health Center also runs one neighborhood’s only coffee shops, the Green Tomato Café, “where community can gather and have a great meal,” Brooks said. Despite the major strides in improving health access, people living in the area still face massive disparities in health outcomes. Residents in parts of the West Side have an average life expectancy 16 years shorter than people living Downtown, according to a 2015 Virginia Commonwealth University report. That gap isn’t due to shortcomings

in clinical care alone, the study showed: It is also due to social conditions, including disinvestment, segregation and a lack of grocery stores. A priority for Brooks’ leadership is building community partnerships to improve the social conditions that lead to chronic health issues. Lawndale Christian Health Center is already engaged in such initiatives, like its medication assisted treatment programs to support recovery from opioid addictions and its partnerships with over 20 shelters to serve people experiencing homelessness, he said. “We want to be a better collaborator and partner with organizations that are bootson-the ground, trying to make a difference in the social determinants of health. When we look at violence, when we look at homelessness, transportation, we want to partner with those who have that role and come along as a health provider,” Brooks said. Brooks also intends to follow the mantra of Lawndale Christian Community Church’s founder, Coach Wayne Gordon, who often said, “We are better together.” The health center has worked with local churches on a campaign called One Lawndale that aims to unite the Black community of North Lawndale with the Latino community in Little Village under the shared social challenges each neighborhood faces. “Our main campus borders both communities. We have a great opportunity as an anchor institution to bring people together and tear down the walls that divide us,” Brooks said.

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

Overdose reversal medication coming to Austin libraries Narcan kits will be at three libraries in Austin thanks to new city program By SUZANNE McBRIDE AustinTalks

Later this month, patrons at three libraries in Austin – 5615 W. Race Ave., 5724 W. North Ave. and 4856 W. Chicago Ave. – will be able to pick up a Narcan kit, no questions asked. The new program, announced earlier this month by the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Chicago Public Library, will make the nasal spray form of naloxone available through wall-mounted boxes at 14 branches located in areas that have been hardest hit by the opioid crisis. Library staff have been trained on Narcan administration and distribution, and there’s no limit on the number of overdose reversal medication kits patrons can take. Patrons will

not need to provide any information to access the Narcan. “More than 75% of people who die from opioid overdose, do so here in Illinois before an emergency medical team makes it to the scene,” said Dr. Wilnise Jasmin, medical director of behavioral health at the public health department. “It is often bystanders who can intervene quickly, and by having Narcan widely available in public spaces, we can prevent persons from dying from an opioid overdose and buy more time for emergency medical personnel to arrive. The goal of harm reduction is to keep people alive and provide them with a chance to enter recovery,” Jasmin said in a statement. State Rep. La Shawn Ford praised the city for joining other libraries across the country – including in St. Louis and Denver – in making Narcan available to its patrons. “This is a big deal,” Ford said. “This will make a difference. Narcan saves lives.” Ford, co-founder of the West Side Heroin Task Force, said the group has been training

people on how to use naloxone. He noted that a report issued last summer by local health officials shows the work the task force has been doing has helped reduce the number of EMS runs and deaths. There were more than 5,500 EMS responses and nearly 500 opioid-related deaths in Chicago during the first half of 2021, according to a mid-year report by the Chicago Department of Public Health. That’s a 24% decrease in opioid-related EMS responses and an 18% drop in deaths compared to the same period in 2020. Lee Rusch, director of the West Side Heroin Task Force, said there were about 1,000 fewer EMS calls in Austin, East and West Garfield, North Lawndale and Humboldt Park in the first six months of 2021. The task force can see each month where the overdose hotspots are thanks to heat maps the public health department compiles, then target those areas in distributing Narcan. Luther Syas, director of community outreach for the West Side Heroin Task Force, knows Narcan saves lives. Twice a week, he and his team set up a table on street corners

Resources If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder and would like help, call the Illinois Helpline at 833-234-6343 or visit https:// helplineil.org/app/home To request fentanyl test kits for yourself or your organization, email osu. cdph@cityofchicago.org Register as a Drug Overdose Prevention Program and receive free Narcan for distribution from the Illinois Department of Public Health: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page. aspx?item=58142 across the West Side to distribute overdose reversal medication, and he’s seen fellow outreach workers successfully administer naloxone.

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

W. Side orgs get $1.4M to prep people for construction jobs Safer Foundation, Chicago Women in Trades and Revolution Workshop were among 23 Illinois organizations that received nearly $10M in state grants By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

North Lawndale’s Safer Foundation, East Garfield Park’s Revolution Workshop and Chicago Women and Trades, which is located on the Near West Side, were among the 23 Illinois organizations that received $9.6 million in state grants to fund pre-apprenticeship programs for women and people of color interested in getting into the construction industry. The three West Side organizations have programs to help minorities in the city who belong to a demographic that is underrepresented in the construction industry and/or faces barriers to employment in the industry. The grant is part of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Illinois Works program, which seeks to address

long-standing gender and racial disparities in the construction industry while increasing the number of people who can work on projects funded through the Rebuild Illinois capital bill. The program is expected to allow around 1,000 Illinois residents, most of them from Chicago, to qualify for construction apprenticeships. According to a 2020 Illinois Department of Labor report, only 4% of Illinois construction apprentices are women and only 29% are people of color. The Illinois Works program was created to address this disparity through several grant programs. Construction Pre-apprenticeship Program issues grants help cover the costs of programs that train “underrepresented populations in the construction and building trades” with programs that specifically prepare them for public works projects. The training will give the participants the skills and experience they would need to get into apprenticeship programs, which are required in order for anyone to become a trade professional. The program also includes help with getting apprenticeships. Illinois Works accepted the first round of applications in 2021. “Participants of the program will attend tuition-free and receive a stipend and other supportive services to help overcome systemic

COURTESY CHICAGO WOMEN IN TRADES/FACEBOOK

A member of Chicago Women in Trades.

Medicare has changed. Find out how it can affect you.

Important changes to the federal Medicare program became effective at the beginning of the year. As a result, retirees in your state may be eligible for coverage with new options. Find out if you qualify for Medicare Supplement insurance from Physicians Life Insurance Company that can help limit your out-of-pocket expenses.

For FREE information, call:

1-833-461-1514 or visit MedSupBenefit.com/weds

Get the facts that matter to you: • Critical dates for Medicare eligibility • Options that can help keep more money in your pocket • Medicare benefits many retirees may not be aware of In CO, LA, WI: Important Information: Medicare Supplement policies are available to people under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to a disability. We are not connected with, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Federal Medicare Program. Requests for additional information, including costs, exclusions, and limitations, require contact with an insurance agent or insurance company. This is a solicitation of insurance. L030, L035, L036, L037, L038, F001, F002 (LA: L030LA, L035LA, L036LA, L037LA, L038LA; WI: L535, L536, L537, L538, L539). 2600 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68131. 6244_D

barriers to entering the construction industry,” according to the Illinois Works website. “By supporting pre-apprenticeship training programs that primarily serve [women and people of color] – while also providing the needed wraparound support for participants to succeed – these grants will help participants break barriers to enter into apprenticeships while simultaneously creating a sustainable pipeline of qualified, diverse candidates for the future economy.” Safer Foundation, which received $500,000, helps formerly incarcerated residents find steady, stable work and rebuild their lives. While it’s currently headquartered in the Loop and has several facilities throughout Illinois and Iowa, it has a notable presence in North Lawndale, providing services at 2839 W Fillmore St and 800 S. Kedzie Ave. Safer Foundation has several job training programs, including training for carpenters, electricians and construction project managers. Revolution Workshop, 3410 W. Lake St., got $400,777. According to its website, it was founded in 2017 by “skilled trade employers and workforce development leaders” to train youth and adults from under-served communities, with particular emphasis on Black youth, in construction and woodworking. Aside from addressing racial disparities, the founders wanted to address the fact that the trade workforce is shrinking and aging, even as the demand for construction increases. In addition to providing the training, Revolution Workshop pays for trainees’ transportation costs. Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT), 2444 W.

16th St., got $500,437. The organization makes sure that women who want to work in manufacturing and building trades get access to information, training and job opportunities. In a statement, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity officials said CWIT will use the grant to launch a brand-new preapprenticeship program that is expected to help up to 50 tradeswomen. Austin Weekly News reached out to Safer Foundation and Revolution Workshop for comment, but did not receive responses by deadline. In a statement to the media, Jayne Velinga, CWIT’s executive director, touted the grants as “a unique moment for the advancement of women and people of color” who work in trades. “Chicago Women in Trades applauds the state’s timely investment in pre-apprenticeship training and contractor incentives to build the diversity of Illinois’ well-paid construction workforce,” she said. Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated that the program will help create “nearly 1,000 pre-apprenticeships” that will give participants skills they can use to “earn family-sustaining wages and succeed in the jobs of tomorrow.” “My administration is committed to supporting workforce training programs that are equitable and accessible for all Illinois residents, regardless of their background or what neighborhood they call home,” he said. For more information about this and other Illinois Works grants, visit: https://www2.illinois. gov/dceo/IllinoisWorks/Pages/default.aspx CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

HELP WANTED

National Accounts Rep Get a job super close to home! HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job. DEFINITION To perform various network/system administration, computer support, and operational activities for the Village including computer system setup, configuration, and testing. SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director. EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture. 2. Configure, test, and deploy network systems, such as, firewalls, routers, switches, wireless equipment, network servers and storage arrays. 3. Configure, test, and deploy system servers, such as, file, print, Internet, e-mail, database, and application servers. 4. Configure, test, and monitor server and end-user systems for security, such as, user accounts, login scripts, file access privileges, and group policy management. 5. Configure, test, and deploy end-user systems, such as, workstations, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and software. 6. Test, configure, deploy, and support security systems, such as, facility access system, video & audio system. 7. Monitor and auditing of networks, systems, and user activities to ensure security and efficiency of systems. Create scripts and reports of detail activities for regular review. 8. Perform and participate in disaster recovery activities, such as, backup procedures, data recovery, and system recovery planning. 9. Assist end-users with computer problems or queries. Troubleshoot systems as needed and meet with users to analyze specific system needs. 10. Ensure the uniformity, reliability and security of system resources including network, hardware,

software and other forms of systems and data. 11. Prepare, create and update user/technical procedure documentations and provide computer training. 12. Assemble, test, and install network, telecommunication and data equipment and cabling. 13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions. Other important responsibilities and duties 1. Train users in the area of existing, new or modified computer systems and procedures. 2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports. 3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies. 4. Operate, administer and manage the Village and Public Safety computer systems, including E-911 center, in-vehicle computer systems. 5. Prepare clear and logical reports and program documentation of procedures, processes, and configurations. 6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner. 7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing. 8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. 9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: Principals and procedures of computer systems, such as, data communication, hierarchical structure, backups, testing and critical analysis. Hardware and software configuration of. computers, servers and mobile devices, including computing environment of Windows Server and Desktop OS and applications, Unix/Linux OS, VMware, iOS/Android. Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology. Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down. Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, analog, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant. Principles and methods of computer programming, coding and testing, including power shell, command scripting, macros, and

VB scripts. Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment. Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages. Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others. Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance. Work overtime as operations require. Experience and Training Guidelines Experience: Three years of network/system administration in the public or private sector, maintaining a minimum of 75 Client Workstation computers. AND Training: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or a related field. Certifications in Microsoft Server Administration, Networking, Applications and Cisco Networking. Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment. Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred. WORKING CONDITIONS Work in a computer environment; sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; continuous exposure to computer screens; work in and around computerized vehicles outdoor and garage facility; lifting heavy equipment, communication cabling and wiring into walls and ceilings.

Top rated firm, Alpina Manufacturing LLC, founded in 1992, locally Manufacturing owned beautiful campus in Galewood, near Mars candy, 3 blocks north of Oak Park. We build and sell display framing systems to customers nationwide including Wal-Mart, Verizon, Circle K, Hospitals. We are seeking a college educated trainee to become an office professional. Work is in person at our beautiful, safe, spread out, elegant executive offices in Galewood. We train, no travel, work in Galewood. Open to any backgrounds. Excellent pay, salary, benefits, friendly caring management, Oak Park owner. Please send resume to careers@fastchangeframes.com. Visit www.fastchangeframes.com/careers for more details. 6460 W. Cortland Street, Chicago, IL 60707

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HR AND RACIAL EQUITY

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Assistant Director of HR and Racial Equity in the Human Resources Department. This newly created position supports the management of activities and operations of the Human Resources Department and collaboratively develops and drives an organization-wide racial equity and social justice strategy, ensuring timely execution of objectives, and continuously monitoring the progress towards reaching milestones. The incumbent will lead and provide subject matter expertise to the leadership team in the development and implementation of equity initiatives, both internal and external. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Position opened until filled.

POLICE RECORDS CLERK

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Police Records Clerk in the Police Department. This position will perform a wide variety of specialized clerical duties in support of the Police Department including processing and maintaining documents, correspondence and coding reports; and to provide information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

SANITARIAN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Sanitarian in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of duties including education and enforcement activities for the promotion and protection of the public health environment. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak- park.us/jobs.

Seasonal Farmers’ Market Manager

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmers’ Market Manager in the Health Department. This position manages the Oak Park Farmer’s Market including the vendors that sell directly to the public within established guidelines. This is a part-time seasonal position with work from January-mid November and work required on Saturday’s from May through October. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

JANITORIAL

Part-time. 3-5 days per week. Evening hours 5-9. $13-15/hr to start. Job located in Morton Grove, IL. Must have own transportation. Call Larry for more information. 773636-2505

MOVERS

Kolovitz Movers a local family owned moving company is looking for help. Immediate availability, college students welcome. Please call 708-383-5567 (leave message)

ITEMS FOR SALE 40 in. gas range double oven, side by side: $350 obo Wardrobe cabinet: $195 obo Desk: $195 obo CALL 773-722-0405

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead or plastic – other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

WANTED TO BUY

ROOMS FOR RENT Large Sunny Room with fridge, microwave. Near Green line, bus, Oak Park, 24 hour desk, parking lot. $125.00. New Mgmt. 312-212-1212

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT A 1,635 Sq. Ft. Retail Space for Lease (END CAP) Recently Updated/remodeled. Heavy traffic area. **Discounted Rate-Limited Time! If Leave message, Include: Your Name, Number & Type of Business. TEXT or CALL: (708)828-6491

RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft. OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

WANTED TO BUY

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS Restored or Restored or Unrestored Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Import Cars: Cars:

Mercedes, Corvette, Mercedes,Porsche, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, MuscleCars, Cars, Ferrari’s,Jaguars, Jaguars, Muscle Mustang && Mopars Mopars Mustang $$ Top $$ all makes, $$ Top $$ all makes,Etc. Etc.

Collector James Collector James 630-201-8122 630-201-8122

CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Cars:

Starting a New Business?

Place an ad on AWN’s Local Online Job Board Visit AustinWeeklyNews.com/classified today!

Publish your Assumed Name legal notice in Austin Weekly News.

Contact Stacy Coleman for more information. Porsche, Corvette, (773)Mercedes, 626-6332 • scoleman@growingcommunity.org

Call the Experts! (773) 626-6332

Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

HANDYMAN

LANDSCAPING

HANDYMAN

BRUCE LAWN SERVICE

Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates

773-637-0692 Ask for John

Fall Yard Clean-Up Slit Seeding Bush Trimming Fall Leaf Clean-Up Senior Discount Snow Removal

brucelawns.com

708-243-0571

PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost 708.749.0011

WOODWORK Terry's

Woodwork Restoration On-site refinishing of wood

and fiberglass since 1977. Includes doors, woodwork, windows, staircases and new woodwork etc. All work done by hand. NO sanders. Your unfinished project my specialty! References available. Contact Terry Seamans at 630-379-7148 or terryseamans@yahoo.com

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION M&T BANK Plaintiff, -v.OMAR STOVER A/K/A OMAR D. STOVER, MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR USA HOME MORTGAGE CORP, CITY OF CHICAGO, STEEL GUARD, INC., HOMAN SQUARE RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 10 CH 31888 3529 WEST POLK STREET CHICAGO, IL 60624 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on September 12, 2018, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 31, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 030R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 3529 WEST POLK STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60624 Property Index No. 16-14-412-014000 The real estate is improved with a red brick three story home with no garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall

be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identifi-

cation for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 253188 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 10 CH 31888 TJSC#: 41-3062 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 10 CH 31888 I3184317 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST Plaintiff, -v.RICKEY MURFF, JANET EARLY, JEANETTE MCFARLAND, NATHAN DUDLEY, BRAYONE MURFF, NATHAN DUDLEY JR., JERELL D. DUDLEY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, STATE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

OF ILLINOIS - DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF GENETTA MURFF, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, JOHN LYDON, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GENETTA MURFF (DECEASED), QUAASHIE MURFF, TIYIAK TROOP, JEANETTE TROOP, LADARRIUS WALLACE, HORACE MURFF III, KENDRA MURFF, RICKY MURFF Defendants 2019CH08458 3217 WEST FULTON BLVD CHICAGO, IL 60624 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on November 9, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 14, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 030R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 3217 WEST FULTON BLVD, CHICAGO, IL 60624 Property Index No. 16-11-408-0350000 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765

ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-19-06303 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019CH08458 TJSC#: 41-3107 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2019CH08458 I3184983

funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-19-08939 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019CH13082 TJSC#: 41-2913 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2019CH13082 I3184921

21 CH 3659 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause on December 13, 2021, Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at the hour of 11 a.m. in its office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described property: P.I.N. 16-09-120-031-0000. Commonly known as 5216 West Ferdinand Street, Chicago, IL 60644. The property consists of vacant land. Sale terms: 10% of the purchase price will be required to bid at the sale. The balance of the purchase price required by 12:00 p.m. the following day. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the premises after confirmation of the sale. For information call City of Chicago Department of Law/COAL, City Hall 121 North LaSalle Street, Suite 400, Chicago, Illinois 60602 (312) 7420007. INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 Dated: December 28, 2021 I3184633

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, -v.SHIRLEY A. STARLING, CITY OF CHICAGO, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF ALEXANDER STARLING, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, GERALD NORDGREN, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALEXANDER STARLING (DECEASED) Defendants 2019CH13082 3913 W 14TH ST CHICAGO, IL 60623 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on November 8, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 10, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 030R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 3913 W 14TH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60623 Property Index No. 16-23-115-0040000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION CITY OF CHICAGO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION; Plaintiff, vs. JOSEPH EKOWA; DIVA DAVE INC.; AND UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants,

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION OCWEN LOAN SERVICING LLC; Plaintiff, vs. JAMES THOMAS; JANA N. JACKSON; TITIS T. JACKSON; PRINCIPAL SERVICES TRUST COMPANY FKA THE CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF JAMES THOMAS IF ANY; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF JANA N. JACKSON IF ANY; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF TITIS T. JACKSON, IF ANY; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 16 CH 16229 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-13-408-021-0000. Commonly known as 2717 West Lexington Street, Chicago, IL 60612. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Law Clerk at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 3609455. WA16-0749 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3185062

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

y a t S rm! a w ws

ien Your Fr

ds a

ly Ne k e e W n t Austi

Austin Weekly News, January 19, 2022

Every Weekend Starting February 5th, 2022 We invite you to shop locally in Chicagos' Austin neighborhood. Fresh Produce, meat, baked goods and more.

S W NE

! H S A FL

You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box.