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AUSTINWEEKLY news ■
Vol. 33 No. 23
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June 5, 2019
West Side galleries present a cultural tour,
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austinweeklynews.com
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Also serving Garfield Park
@AustinWeeklyChi
PAGE 6
@AustinWeeklyNews
AW Westt Sid Sider speaks p k her truth, page 5
IL House OKs marijuana legalization Once governor signs bill, legal retail sales could begin Jan. 1, 2020 By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House on May 31 passed a bill legalizing adult recreational marijuana in the state. The 66-to-47 vote sends House Bill 1438 to Gov. J.B. Pritzker who campaigned in 2018 on a platform that included legalizing marijuana. The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday, 38-17. “The state of Illinois just made history, legalizing adult-use cannabis with the most equity-centric approach in the nation,” Pritzker said in a statement released after the vote. “This will have a transformational impact on our state, creating opportunity in the communities that need it most and giving so many a second chance. In the interest of equity and criminal justice reform, I look forward to signing this monumental legislation.” Friday’s vote, however, came after a marathon debate that lasted nearly four hours, leaving lawmakers with less than 10 hours to complete the rest of their business for the session. That forced leaders to announce the House would continue meeting Saturday and Sunday. With passage of the marijuana bill, Illinois is poised to become the 10th state in the nation to legalize its use by adults for recreational purposes. But it would be the first to do so by a comprehensive statute enacted by the legislature rather than through a ballot initiative. Vermont legalized marijuana through legislation in 2018, but that law covered only personal use and cultivation. It did not include retail sales. The Illinois bill would provide for licensing and regulation of marijuana cultivators, proSee MARIJUANA on page 8
Day of service
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Volunteers move around a layer of wood chips in Douglas Park during a System-Wide Day of Service, held June 1 on the West Side to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mount Sinai Hospital in North Lawndale. More photos on page 6.
Our task? Reporting beyond crisis
We partnered with City Bureau to strengthen our coverage and community commitment By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor | Op-Ed
In 1967, Austin Journal — a now-defunct publication that once circulated in Austin
when the community was mostly white — ran an advertisement. The word “safety,” sprawled in bold type, helmed the upper portion of the ad. Of course, safety in the context of Austin, and throughout most of the West Side of Chicago, had very different connotations back then. When the West Side was mostly white, safety was something advertised in the local paper by a bank selling itself based on the strength of its deposit insurance. Back then, safety meant the safety to invest without fear of losing your money. Now, if the word safety were published
in bold lettering in Austin Weekly News, the context would not likely be an advertisement — let alone one for selling financial security. In Austin today, when nearly 90 percent of its residents are black, safety implies being free of violence and crime. A local paper deposited in this context of perpetual crisis, unlike a white newspaper, has an extra burden to acknowledge the symptoms of this crisis (the individual crimes, victims, suspects), but also
State Farm Mutual Automobile • Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company • Bloomington, IL • statefarm.com® Larry and his staff are licensed and together have over 75 years of State Farm experience.
See OUR TASK on page 12
Larry Williams,Agent 5932 W. Lake Street Chicago, 60644 (773) 379-9010 larry.williams.b0bk@statefarm.com