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Vol. 35 No. 10

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Pete’s Fresh Market and the ‘Matthew principle’,

March 10, 2021

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austinweeklynews.com

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Also serving Garfield

@AustinWeeklyChi

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@AustinWeeklyNews

Austin’s’ community of creatives, PAGE 5

Wintrust Bank opens in North Lawndale

Wintrust Bank opened inside the job training and work readiness campus being developed by the North Lawndale Employment Network By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

A West Side community group helped bring a bank to a neighborhood that has long lacked access to banking and financial services. The North Lawndale branch of Wintrust Bank opened this month at the job training and work readiness campus being developed by the North Lawndale Employment Network at 1111 S. Homan Ave. Before Wintrust opened, North Lawndale had only one bank: the PNC bank at 3340 W. Roosevelt Road. The community workforce campus where the bank is leasing space was once the location of Liberty Bank, the last Black-owned bank on the West Side, which closed in 2018. The North Lawndale Employment Network sought out banking partners as it designed its headquarters because poor access to financial services can stifle wealth-building and entrepreneurship opportunities in the area, said Brenda Palms-Barber, CEO of the nonprofit. Forty percent of Americans can’t afford an unexpected $400 expense, according to a Federal Reserve survey. A financial service as simple as a credit card “can make all the difference in people that are in entry-level jobs that have very little savings,” Barber said. “If you have a credit card with $500 or $800, it’s See WINTRUST on page 8

Provided

POISED FOR RENEWAL: The Austin Mason Community Garden on the 1100 block of South Mason in Austin is poised to get a makeover after the City Council voted for major improvements on Feb. 26. Read more on page 10.

Study shows opioid overdose rates highest on West Side Study by Cook County health department shows West Garfield Park, Austin leading communities in opioid overdose rates

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

A new report released in February by the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) shows that the West Side

communities had the highest annual mortality rates of acute opioid exposure-overdose from 2016 to June 2020. The report — by Alfreda Holloway-Beth and Nhan Nguyen of the county public health department’s Epidemiology Unit,

and Lee Friedman with the University of Illinois Chicago’s School of Public Health — gathered results from the Illinois Poison Center, outpatient and emergency See OPIOID on page 9

Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

Pete’s Fresh Market and the ‘Matthew’ principle

to live fairly close to these centers (particuread the news that a second Pete’s Fresh cluster around capital, money begets monMarket is coming, this time to Madison larly if turnover is high). ey, sales beget sales. Street in Oak Park, and began humming But where is the area’s first Amazon “Businesses want to locate themselves Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child.” Fresh grocery store opening? Our sister near the center of their potential customer “Them that’s got shall have, them paper, the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, population to attract the greatest amount of that’s not shall lose” and the “strong gets reports that it will be in the Berwyn/ customers,” Jennings writes. more” and the “weak ones Riverside/Brookfield area, home to an And Big Business, in particufade” while “empty pockets ever-expanding and ever-diversifying pool lar, intuitively understands don’t ever make the grade.” of knowledge workers and/or well-paid govwhat used to be the mantra of Billie lyrically condensed ernment employees (i.e., not wage workers Big Labor (i.e., us little folk) what the sociologists have at Amazon distribution centers). when labor was still an orgasince coined the “Matthew What’s the popular go-getter’s mantra? nized force that Big Business principle,” so named after Stay hungry? had to reckon with — we’re the book of the Bible where This is a sick setup and it comes at the exmore than the sum of our parts. we find Jesus’ parable of the pense of ignoring people and places as they A Trader Joe’s wants to be talents: “For to every one who are and not what they aspire to be in order near a Whole Foods. A Pete’s has will more be given, and he to compete in an economy that’s rigged Fresh Market wants to be near will have abundance; but from a Jewel. When these stores com- against them anyway. him who has not, even what he What happens to those people who don’t pete within close proximity to has will be taken away.” (Matmove to New York City or Silicon Valley? each other, the sales volume is thew 25:29) Who don’t have college degrees or whitebigger for each competitor than Last week, I shared the collar jobs? What if I live in Maywood or if that individual competitor Wednesday Journal article Austin and don’t have a car to drive into was competing in isolation. about the new Pete’s to the Oak Park or River Forest to shop? What if We see the same dynamic Facebook page of Village Free I’m a bus driver or a grocery store clerk or with people. Talent, too, tends Press, the newspaper I publish a painter and can’t afford to live in a food to cluster around talent. If I’m in Maywood, where I live, and home to preoasis? What if (gasp) I can afford to move seriously into software, I go around other cisely zero full-service grocery stores most somewhere else, but I actually prefer to live people into software. If I’m a musician, I residents here are comfortable shopping in in Maywood or Austin or Nowhere, USA? want to be around other musicians. If I’m a (I must acknowledge places like One Stop Winner-take-all economies, such as the one comedian, I’m attracted to other comedians. Express and Maywood Food Center, but we’re living in now, not only tend to ignore There’s nothing inherently wrong with Google Earth those places and ask yourthose who don’t “win” in the market, but this reality. Indeed, great cities are the reselves if you’d be comfortable relying on they also tend to frame winning the wrong sults of the tendency of talent and capital to them for your groceries). way. How many more Jeff Bezoses and Peter cluster around each other. “Any news when Maywood will get a Thiels and Mark Zuckerbergs and R-Kellys Clustering becomes problematic, howsupermarket? Asking for a friend,” wrote and Jeffrey Epsteins and Harvey Weinsteins ever, when it becomes the only energy the one person in a comment that garnered the and Donald Trumps and Bill Cosbys do we market acknowledges and values. You’re most reactions (40 ‘like’ and ‘laugh’ emoji as need to endure to understand that, to a not either a superstar living among superstars, of Sunday night). insignificant degree, to be really successful a winner living among winners or you’re A few days later, I posted a short article I’d in our society is to be deeply f— up? nobody isolated with other nobodies. The published announcing the development of a And I’m not saying that the average middlegap between the haves and have-nots is widthird Shark’s Fish & Chicken in Maywood class or upper-middle-class professional is ening and that’s apparent when we look at (already home to a Popeye’s and a Church’s as f— up as your typical mega-millionaire or where fresh food is and where it isn’t. Chicken and two other Shark’s Fish & Chickbillionaire. But I can say with confidence that In the last five years, for instance, I’ve ens and numerous other independently your average middle-class or upper-middlereported on the closing of not one, not two, owned fried chicken establishments). class professional administers and facilitates but three major grocery retailers in the “When are we getting a grocery store?” the world that these f— up men make. Maywood/Melrose Park/Hillside/Bellsomeone, predictably, wrote in the comWhat does it say about our society that wood/Broadview area. During the same ments under that article’s Facebook posting. our proximity to, and ability to purchase, time period (in the last two years to be more fresh food depends, in large part, on our What explains fresh food deserts like precise), I’ve reported on the opening of not Maywood and Austin, and food oases like marketability, our success in navigating one, but two Amazon distribution centers in our way through a world that is layered Oak Park and River Forest? And why do this same geographic area. businesses — from grocery stores to car with social pathologies atop social patholoMind you, these are last mile distribudealerships to liquor stores to fried chicken gies, like an M.C. Escher fantasy? tion centers, so Amazon, I’d assume, would joints — seem magnetically attracted to Much has been made of the Matthew prefer the low-paid wage workers it exploits their competitors? principle. Actually, I learned There are a range of explaabout the principle from nations I came across while reading Malcolm Gladwell; Googling and I invite you to however, I tend to gravitate Google terms like “Hotelling’s toward a different principle, Model of Spatial Competition” premised on the scripture in and “Nash Equilibrium.” Matthew 25:40. John Jennings, president “Verily I say unto you, and chief strategist of the Inasmuch as ye have done it St. Louis Trust Company, a unto one of the least of these wealth management firm, my brethren, ye have done it provides a decent summary unto me.” of Hotelling’s Model on his Unfortunately, if Jesus Provided “The Interesting Fact of the were alive nowadays, he’d ANOTHER ONE: An architectural rendering of the proposed Pete’s Fresh Day” blog (theifod.com). starve. In short, capital tends to CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com Market in Oak Park.

MICHAEL ROMAIN

AUSTIN WEEKLY

news Editor Michael Romain

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Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

West Side officials urge residents to get vaccine Elected officials held virtual town hall on March 1 By SHELBY E. HAWKINS AustinTalks

Black West Side officials held a virtual town hall on March 1 to address concerns some people have about getting the COVID-19 vaccine and encourage residents to get vaccinated. Hosted by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, the event featured Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer, Rep Debbie Meyers Martin and Northwestern University’s Dr. Kimbra Bell Balark, among others. The aim of last weekend’s virtual event was to educate the public about COVID and dispel myths about the vaccine. Dr. Bell Balark, who specializes in internal medicine, led an overview of the virus, highlighting how important it is for Blacks to get vaccinated as soon as they can. Black people make up 15 percent of the state’s population but account for 42% of all

COVID-related deaths; Chicago’s Black population makes up 30 percent of the city but 60 percent of COVID fatalities. Bell Balark said these numbers can be attributed to a number of factors, including economic stability. She noted that Chicago’s Black residents are less likely to have equitable access to healthcare and are more likely to be essential workers, putting them at greater risk of contracting COVID. Provided “Our best weapon is to be educated and informed,” she STEPS TO TAKE: A chart showing how residents can get vaccinated. said. The doctor cited the hisonce someone is vaccinated, they should older. It’s expected to be open seven days a torical and current mistreatment of Blacks still wear a mask to limit the chances of week for eight weeks. Available appointments can be found at by the medical and scientific community as transmitting the virus to others. a driving factor for residents’ reluctance to Tamara Mahal, who helps lead Chicago’s zodoc.com/vaccine, and local pharmacies get the vaccine. But she stressed the vaccine COVID-19 operation, also encouraged every- offering the vaccine can be found at chicago. gov/covidvax. is the best option for all. one to get the vaccine once they’re eligible. Some of the facts shared at Saturday’s The United Center will open as a mass vacvirtual session included: No portion of the cination site on March 10 with over 125,000 CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com real virus is used in any of the vaccines. And appointments prioritized for people 65 and

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Loretto offering free colon cancer screenings this month By AUSTIN TALKS Publishing Partner

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cancer killer in the United States. But regular colorectal cancer screenings can save lives. In recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, The Loretto Hospital is offering free gastrointestinal (GI) screenings for uninsured or underinsured residents of Austin and surrounding communities throughout the month of March. Colorectal cancer disproportionately affects the Black community, where the rates are the highest of any racial and ethnic group in the United States. African Americans are 20 percent more likely to get colorectal cancer and about 40 percent more likely to die from it than most other groups, according to the American Cancer Society, which is why Loretto is working hard to remedy that disparity and bring to light the importance of preventive colon cancer screenings. “Regular colorectal cancer screening is

one of the most powerful tools against the disease, as tests can find polyps before they turn into cancer,” Dr. Ilysa Diamond said. “Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer when caught early, and The Loretto Hospital recognizes it’s more important than ever that everyone has access to and is receiving recommended screenings, regardless of race or insurance status.” Loretto will also host a Facebook Live event on colorectal health Monday, March 8 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Community members are invited to join Dr. Diamond as she discusses colon health, including who is at risk and how to prevent the disease. Also, a patient who has had a colonoscopy will share their experience. Those interested in attending can visit https://www.facebook.com/Lorettohospitalchicago/ on the day of the event. Loretto is offering same-day GI screenings for those who qualify. For more information or to schedule a screening, call at 833-TLH-LOVE or visit https://www.lorettohospital.org.

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

Austin home to creative community

5300 block of West Lake Street has artists from all over seeking creative refuge By SHELBY E. HAWKINS AustinTalks

dent, left Humboldt Park for similar reasons. The sculptor and Columbia College Chicago faculty member moved into the Austin building last year after a friend told her about it. She use to work at the Kimball Art Center in Humboldt Park. It was a thriving, grassroots art center until developers came in and wanted to make it a more marketable, trendy place because of its proximity to the 606 trail. Many of the artists left the space after that. Miracle’s new space is 980 square feet, which she notes is the same size as her apartment.

“Finding a space of your own that is separate from your home is a really good direction. If you are not in a position to afford a space in your home, sharing space with other artists is really good and productive.” This is also the first time Miracle has a creative space of her own. Aristotle Koranos, CEO of The Health Equity Project, bought the Austin building after a friend told him it was for sale. He noted how there’s 144,o00 square feet of space, but just 200 square feet had been used in this way until now since the early 90s. When he found it five years ago it was fall-

In the 5300 block of West Lake, there is a community of artists. They come from all over the city to Austin to work in their affordable, creative refuge. The building at 5339 W. Lake, which welcomed its first occupants nearly five years ago, is one of the few, affordable artist spaces in the city, according to studio manager Noah Singer. Singer, a Humboldt Park resident, previously worked on his art at what’s now known as the Fulton Corridor at Damen Street and Grand Avenue. Singer said Wicker Park and the surrounding area used to be the spot for artist studios, but because of gentrification, the artist spaces have been pushed out. “Five years ago, the property values in that area skyrocketed. All of that area was Provided gentrified; it’s all galleries and coffee shops SPACE OF THEIR OWN: A creative space on the 5300 block of West Lake Street in Austin, and breweries down there now.” Laura Miracle, a Ukrainian Village resiwhich is home to a community of artists. Circle Rock

Teaching Minds and Touching Hearts

Teaching Minds Provided After-school and Touching Hearts scholar STANFORD-BOUND: Takyia Cole, 18, in her Stanford gear. She’ll likely be headed to the PAGE 7

quality California collegeeducation inHigh the fall. rooted

PAGE 8

in love, values and family located in the heart of HighAustin quality

New

NEW on-campus performing on-campus arts center education rooted WINTRUST in love, values and performing The deadline for applications MOVING IN family located After-school to be included in Catalyst Circle arts center Proud in the heart of scholar Rock Charter School’s 2020-2021 campus partner Austin A rendering of the Wintrust Bank established at the North UNDER DEVELOPMENT: orchestra, lottery is Monday March 23, 2020. with Circle quality The deadline for Lawndale Employment Network’s workforce campus. athletic teams, Ministries The Catalyst Circle Rock lottery on rootedUrban applications to be and Rock and clubs is included held at thein school at 9:00 am values and Church Catalyst Circle Wintrust/Facebook on March 25, 2020 and is 2021open located Proud Rock Charter School’s 2022 lottery is Monday March heart ofcampus partner to the public. with Circle on-campus 15, 2021. The Catalyst Circle ustin PAGE 9 Urban Ministries performing Rock lottery will be held at the and Rock arts center school at 9:00 am on March 17, Church

New

OPIOID REPORT OVERDOSE RATES HIGH

and is open to the public The deadline for2021 applications with social distancing and to be included in Catalyst Circle safety protocols followed. Rock Charter School’s 2020-2021 ALARMING DATA: A chart of opioid mortality rate data by zip codes. The chart is availlottery of isPublic Monday March 23, Epidemic 2020. in Suburban able in the Cook County Department Health’s Opioid The Catalyst Circle Rock lottery Cook County report. is held at the school at 9:00 am COURTESY COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT PUBLIC HEALTH on OF March 25, 2020 and is open to the public.

PAGE 10

Apply now at: catalystschools.org

Austin Mason Community Garden, in the photos above, is IN THE WORKS: The5608 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60644seen | 773-945-5025 slated for major improvements, some of which can be seen on the bottom right side.

ing apart and likely facing demolition. “The city doesn’t need any more empty lots. To me, it’s a crime to tear down things all the time,” he said. Koranos, who lives on the North Side, said he saw a need for artist space in Austin, especially because properties that have artists communities in them have been in decline over the last 20 years. “If you don’t have a creative group in a community, I think it hurts the overall makeup of the community,” Koranos said. He also purchased some of the empty lots in the neighborhood and has plans to convert them into community gardens. Half of the lot next to the building is used for parking, while the other half will have a garden as well as honey since the Chicago Honey Co-op relocated 15 hives east of the building last year. Because of the pandemic, the garden project is delayed until next year. The idea for gardens came to Koranos when he noticed all of the empty lots in Austin. He said having more community gardens can help improve the community’s overall health by providing access to fresh produce. While Koranos isn’t an artist, he said his creativity lies in “trying to make underutilized things useful.”

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

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Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

Rest in peace, Bishop Sparks

ack in the late 1990s, I was president of the LaFollette Park Advisory Council. LaFollette was a park that had been, in my humble opinion, identified by certain individuals to be a “takeover” location. With two gyms, a swimming pool, an auditorium, and surrounded by a community that didn’t see and still doesn’t see the value in it, it was ripe for the picking. The area manager had an agenda for the park and it didn’t include the people living in the surrounding community. LaFollette had already barely survived an attempt by former alderman Percy Giles to turn it into a cultural center which would have been his fiefdom to control money, jobs and opportunities. Then there was the attempt to encase it in wrought-iron fencing, which many parks did get. However the constant response from the advisory council was that in the event of a shooting, the shooters could stand at the entrance/exit of the fence and the people would be slaughtered. Without a fence, they can run in every direction. It was a sad reasoning to go against a fence, but an accurate one. One Wednesday summer evening, there was a special meeting of the advisory council with the area manager. As I spoke passionately about what the community wanted, the area manager looked around

at the almost empty meeting room and although she didn’t chuckle in my face, I can imagine what she was thinking. I felt dejected because I had personally gone around to people living in the vicinity of the park to ask them to please come out. And that is how I met Bishop Carey L Sparks. His church sat on Potomac just west of Laramie. I had explained to him what was going on with the park and although he sympathized with my efforts, Wednesday evening was his Bible study. I nodded my understanding because the park district had purposely scheduled the meeting for that day and time, and I knew in my heart and soul that the bad timing wasn’t just a coincidence. I was about ready to concede defeat, when I looked out the window and saw Bishop Sparks leading a line of his parishioners down Laramie and straight into the park building. As the room filled with people, I felt empowered. Bishop Sparks had vindicated me. Now the tables were turned and whatever plans had been on the manager’s agenda were no longer going to occur. Bishop Sparks eventually relocated back down South. And on Monday, March 1, while walking in Memphis, Tennessee, he was struck and killed by a car. Rest in peace, Bishop Carey L Sparks. And thanks.

ARLENE JONES

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Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

West Side Lives

STANFORDBOUND: Takyia Cole, 18, in her Stanford gear. She’ll likely be headed to the California college in the fall.

Takyia Cole, 18, is headed to Stanford on a full-ride By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Provided

Takyia Cole, the 18-year-old senior who attends Noble Academy on the Near North Side, was recently accepted into Stanford University with a full scholarship I recently spoke with Cole, who grew up in Austin but now lives in North Lawndale, about how it feels to know she’s off to an elite school unburdened by the worry of college debt. She also talked about some of her passions and plans.

On her plans after college I chose to major in political science, because I’m interested in where I grew up. When I was younger, I would always wonder why everyone in my neighborhood is the same color as me. Political science gives you the ability to think about things like that with facts and data. After getting my bachelor’s, I want to go to law school, because I feel that a lot of society is changed through the law and legal systems.

On advice to other budding scholars on the West Side Define what you’re passionate about, because before I realized my passion for political science, I wasn’t even sure I would go to college and now I’m going to one of the best colleges in the world. Once you find your passion, you can go a long way.

On the ‘dark side’ of the West Side

On her academic bona fides

On why she chose Stanford

I have a 4.7 GPA. I take honors and AP courses, so my GPA is weighted. I’ve been in track and field all four years and I’ve also done mentoring services and various volunteer programs. I founded a couple of my own clubs that mentored freshmen at school. I also did a documentary in neighborhood that I think really stood out to [the acceptance committee].

I wanted to go to a college that will challenge me, but not intimidate me. While researching on Stanford, the school felt comfortable to me. I also connected with their mission statement.

On other schools she applied to I also applied to Spelman College in At-

lanta and Howard University in Washington, D.C. I applied to all of the Ivy Leagues and to Northwestern. Stanford gave me early acceptance, so I’m still waiting to hear back from those other colleges. I was, however, accepted into Spelman [the news was a pleasant surprise for Cole’s mother, who was listening nearby].

When I was growing up, I always saw the positive side of my community. You know, having people who support and understand you. I went to schools that are majority white, so it was nice being in a neighborhood where a lot of people are like you, but when I looked at a lot of the history of my neighborhood … it’s more dark, because I understand why I everybody living here is the same color.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

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Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

WINTRUST

borhoods, the report found. Local access to financial services and community-oriented banks are valuable for creating pathways toward homeownerfrom page 1 ship, said Anthony Scott, Winenough to get the car fixed, which could be trust vice president and business development officer. But catastrophe … so that you can still keep your they are also necessities for the job and keep going to work,” Barber said. community to have a commerAccess to local banking options isn’t just cial environment where busia matter of convenience, Barber said. “It’s nesses and entrepreneurs have about equity.” access to the capital they need “There has been intentional systemic racto grow, Scott said. ism that is designed to create barriers to ac“We’re talking about a comcess and barriers to advancement, barriers munity that has to the middle class.” been overlooked Chicago has an extensive hisfor years,” Scott tory of redlining, where banks said. “This will and governments collaborated make such a big difto deny Black families from getference. You can’t ting loans to buy homes in many draw businesses unneighborhoods. less you have founEven though redlining was outdational businesses Wintrust/Facebook lawed in 1968, a recent report by such as a bank.” UNDER DEVELOPMENT: A rendering of the Wintrust Bank established at the North Lawndale EmployWBEZ and City Bureau showed Client: ComEd Bleed: Region: US Scott, a Lawndale ment Network’s workforce campus. Campaign: 2021 Reliability Campaign Trim: 11.33” x 5.04” Language: English some major bank chains still ofClient: ComEd Bleed: Region: US resident and a board Agency Job #: B1241-022518-00 BRENDA PALMSLive: Notes: None Campaign: 2021 Reliability Campaign Trim: 11.33” x 5.04” Language: English fer very few loans in Black and member for the around their credit,” Barber said. “There Barber said. AD #/AD ID: QEXL1104000 Agency Job #: B1241-022518-00 BARBER Live: Notes: None Latino neighborhoods compared Date Modified: February 26, 2021 10:18 AM Keyline Scale: 100% North Lawndale Employment More than 120 participants of the nonprof- are 120 accounts that are open that otherAD #/AD ID: QEXL1104000 CEO, North Lawndale CR:26, Output at: programs, which focus on peoto white areas. Date Modified: February 2021 10:18 worked AM Keyline Scale: it’s 100% Network, with the nonwise might not be there for people. “ workforce Employment NetworkAD Round: Page: CR: Output at: The federal data showed banks profit to establish the bank at the ple with criminal backgrounds or other barAD Round: Page: offered more dollars for home campus. Pascal Sabino is a Report for America corps riers to employment, have opened accounts NOT TOthe BEpartnership USED FOR COLOR APPROVAL loans in Lincoln Park than in all the Black member covering Austin, North Lawndale The work readiness nonprofit also worked with Wintrust since began. NOT TO BE USED FOR COLOR APPROVAL neighborhoods in Chicago combined. JPM- with Wintrust to create a local pipeline for and Garfield Park for Block Club Chicago. “They have banking products that are fair P: B. Godsell organ Chase loaned 41 times more money in hiring bank staff, Barber said. All ve em- and just, even including those who have had P: B.fiGodsell white neighborhoods than in Black neigh- ployees at the bank are Lawndale residents, a brush with the law or had real challenges CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

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Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

OPIOID

Overdose rates high from page 1 department data from area hospitals, and the Cook County Medical Examiner. The city of Chicago, which has its own public health department, is not included in the Cook County health department’s jurisdiction, but data from certain Chicago zip codes was included in the report “to contextualize the data which has adversely impacted our entire county,” the authors wrote. West Garfield Park (60624) saw an average of 160 deaths caused by acute opioid exposure-overdose between 2016 and June 2020, for a rate of 93.3 per 100,000 residents each year during that period — the highest rate of any zip code in the city. Austin (60644) saw an average of 185 deaths caused by acute opioid exposure-overdose between 2016 and June 2020, for a rate of 84.5 per 100,000 residents each year during that period — the second-highest rate of any zip code in the city. The report’s other key findings included the “sharp increase in opioid overdose mortality rates” among middleaged Black men, ages 35 to 64, in suburban Cook County. “This increase mirrors national trends also showing a marked rise beginning in 2016,” the report explained. “Hospital and mortality rates were more than two times lower among Hispanic/Latinx residents compared to Black/African-American and white non-Hispanic residents” in suburban Cook County. “In addition to the incalculable cost of human lives and the impacts to their families, friends, and communities, there is a high economic burden resulting from opioid use disorders and conditions induced by opioid use,” the report explained. In a statement released Feb. 18, Holloway-Beth said that

fentanyl and heroin “continue to be an incredibly lethal combination in opioid use and no group is immune to these factors in overdose deaths.” Dr. Kiran Joshi, the senior medical officer and co-lead for CCDPH, said the report “reveals not only surprising trends, but potential blind spots in our systems that can be improved to save lives.” Joshi added that the department “will use this analysis to

inform our activities and customize intervention programs to target the needs of different groups with opioid use disorders. By sharing this data with community leaders and stakeholders, we can leverage our collective expertise and resources to address this crisis.” You can read the entire report at: cookcountypublichealth. org/behavioral-health/opioids.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Courtesy Cook County Department of Public Health

ALARMING DATA: A chart of opioid mortality rate data by zip codes. The chart is available in the Cook County Department of Public Health’s Opioid Epidemic in Suburban Cook County report. sponsored content

Struggling with substance use?

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CC Community Wellness Center can provide the help you or your loved one needs to get on the road towards recovery. PCC offers specialty mental health and substance use treatment after medical appointments at many of our 13 health centers on the West Side and near west suburbs. Treatment for substance use is provided with medications like Suboxone and Vivitrol. PCC also offers counseling, support groups, and has peer support specialists with lived experience to help manage recovery, appointments, and resources. PCC has a Chemical Dependency Clinic at the PCC Walk-In Wellness Center at West Suburban Medical Center where patients can begin

their treatment. Once treatment is established, patients can continue their care at another PCC health center. Treatment with buprenorphine and doula support is also available for pregnant women. PCC accepts many health plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. Call 708-406-3929 to schedule an appointment, or for more information. In-person and virtual appointments are available. Learn more at pccwellness.org.

Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

Austin garden to get a makeover

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Garden slated for major improvements after Feb. 26 City Council vote By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

The Chicago City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 26 to approve a deal that will allow a group of nonprofits to transform the Mason Community Garden in Austin into a public asset for the entire Island neighborhood. The garden is located on a 3,750-squarefoot lot previously owned by the city at 1114 S. Mason Ave. For the past three years, the 1100 South Mason Block Club has been maintaining it and using it to grow plants, hold events and give local kids a place to play. The Feb. 26 vote transferred the lot to NeighborSpace, an East Garfield Park-based nonprofit located at 445 N. Sacramento Blvd. NeighborSpace helps community organizations like the Mason block club protect and improve their community gardens. Although the details are still being finalized, the plan calls for adding new play areas, a dedicated community gathering space and a walking path. The design is expected to be finalized by April, so that construction can start in May and finish in June. The Island neighborhood is separated from the rest of the Austin community area by the industrial properties to the east and the Eisenhower Expressway to the north. Nate Tubbs, the founder of the Mason block club, said that, because the neighborhood doesn’t have its own park, residents end up going across the expressway to Columbus Park, 500 S. Central Ave., or to the parks in neighboring Oak Park and Cicero. He said that he and the neighbors were concerned about the garbage piling up and general neglect. After a successful April 2018 community clean-up, they agreed to turn it into a community garden. Since then, Tubbs said, it has become a community gathering space and a play area for kids. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, it continued to host gatherings and events. Their efforts got support from the neighboring Clark Elementary School,

1045 S. Monitor Ave. With NeighborSpace’s help, the block club wanted to build on those uses and improve it for the benefit of the entire neighborhood, adding more permanent fixtures such as seats and play equipment. NeighborSpace helps community groups that want to operate the garden by taking on financial obligations and other property ownership responsibilities, paying for insurance, providing access to water and sharing resources. The community groups that created the gardens are responsible for running the gardens themselves. If the groups are interested in making improvements, NeighborSpace helps raise the funds and works with the contractors to complete the work. The nonprofit previously worked with the South Austin Neighborhood Association (SANA), the Christy Webber Landscapes design firm and Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) to transform a vacant lot at 5413 W. Madison St. into the Veterans Peace Garden. In order to make the renovations possible, the city agreed to sell the lot to NeighborSpace for a symbolic $1. The sales agreement included a covenant allowing the city to take the lot back if it’s used for anything except a community garden. The agreement cleared the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate on Feb. 16 and was approved by the full council on Feb. 26 as part of a larger package of ordinances and resolutions. According to Clark Elementary’s Facebook page, the school and the community residents have been working with Human Scale, a Chicago architecture nonprofit that provides design services for “public spaces in historically disinvested neighborhoods” to come up with the new garden design. Tubbs said there have been several virtual meetings, and that they were “getting very close” to finalizing the design. Robin Cline, NeighborSpace’s assistant director, said that while the exact costs won’t be available until the plan is final, their goal is to raise at least $40,000.

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

Provided

IN THE WORKS: The Austin Mason Community Garden is slated for major improvements, some of which can be seen on the left.

Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

deadline: 9:30 am Monday office hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday

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PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21005983 on February 17, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of LUELLA’S HOME with the business located at: 1434 S SPAULDING AVE APT 3F, CHICAGO, IL 60623. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: CYNTHIA FRANKLIN 1434 S SPAULDING AVE APT 3F, CHICAGO, IL 60623, USA Published in Austin Weekly News 2/24, 3/3, 3/10/2021

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Austin Weekly News, March 10, 2021

Recovery can be hard. PCC will support you every step of the way. PCC Community Wellness Center has 13 health centers that serve the West Side and near west suburbs. We offer specialty mental health and substance use treatment during medical appointments at our health centers.

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We have in-person or virtual (telephone or video) appointments available! PCC accepts many health plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. We also offer a discount program for patients without insurance. No one is denied services, even if you cannot pay.

3 Erie Court, Suite 1300, Oak Park, IL 60302 PCC’s Chemical Dependency Clinic is located at the PCC Walk-In Wellness Center at West Suburban Medical Center. Here, patients have direct access to the first doses of medicine for the recovery of substance use. After treatment is established, patients may continue their treatment and care at another PCC health center. Patients at the Chemical Dependency Clinic will have a peer support specialist with lived experience to help them manage their recovery and appointments.