Austin Weekly News 092320

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Vol. 34 No. 39

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North Austin Community Center set to open next year,

September 23, 2020

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Also serving Garfield Park

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A House in Austin opens up, PAGE 2

Austin activists push to change Columbus Park’s name Temaka Williams and other West Siders have started a petition, talks with officials

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

On the heels of a successful campaign to rename North Lawndale’s Douglas Park after Fredrick Douglass, three Austin residents are hoping to achieve the same kind of name change with Columbus Park, 500 S. Central Ave. in Austin.

The campaign to rename the Austin park was started by Temaka Williams, an IT professional and a member of the Westside Branch NAACP. Photographer and community organizer Vanessa Stokes and labor union organizer Crystal Gardner are currently helping to spearhead the effort.

The trio launched a petition to build up support and they are looking to do further online outreach in the future. Unlike the students who pushed for the Douglas Park renaming, they don’t have any particular alternative name in mind, saying that they would support any name that the community supports. The petition states that they would support renaming the park after one of the “many notable Black community leaders.”

Columbus Park is the largest park in the Austin community. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, its field house hosted a number of programs and activities, and Columbus Park Refectory, 701 W. Jackson Blvd., had been a popular spot for comSee COLUMBUS PARK on page 11

PASCAL SABINO/Block Club Chicago

REIMAGINED SPACE: Pastor Reshorna Fitzpatrick at the Stone Temple community garden. The garden has been redesigned with a new stage that will host performances, gardening tutorials and more. Read more on page 9.

Vacant North Lawndale site poised for redevelopment

City inviting bids for vacant industrial site at Roosevelt and Kostner

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

On Sept. 8, the Chicago Community Development Commission voted to allow the Chicago Department of Planning and

Development to put out bids for the redevelopment a long-vacant industrial site in North Lawndale.

The land — which is located between Roosevelt Rd., Kostner Ave., 5th Ave. and Kildare Ave. — is owned by the city, which is aiming to help spur redevelopment through a mix of industrial and commercial projects.

Instead of having each developer approach the city one-by-one, multiple developers will be invited to submit bids,

and the city will choose the best proposal based on factors such as community impact and job creation. The bids are due back on Dec. 15, but it’s not clear when the city will select a winning project or when something might be built.

The process is similar to what the city is doing as part of the Invest South/West community redevelopment initiative; except, in this case, it was requested by Ald. Michael Scott (24th), who wanted the proSee NORTH LAWNDALE SITE on page 5

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Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

A HOME OF THEIR OWN: A House in Austin founders Erica and Bret Hilgart (pictured far right) pose for a photo outside of the organization’s new home with 15th District Youth Liaison Officer Nicole Veazquez.

IGOR STUDENKOV

AUSTIN WEEKLY

news Editor Michael Romain Senior Editor Bob Uphues

Contributing Reporters Bonni McKeown, Igor Studenkov Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks Columnist Arlene Jones Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Designer Debbie Becker Sales & Marketing Representavies Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck

Austin nonprofit debuts new space

A House in Austin also named new executive director

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

By this time next month, the A House in Austin nonprofit organization is hoping to start holding classes at a house in Austin they can call their own. The nonprofit also recently a new executive director.

On July 6, 2016, Oak Park couple Erika and Bret Hilgart bought the two-story house at 533 N. Pine Ave. They envisioned it as not only a place where their burgeoning nonprofit could hold classes for Austin kids and adults, but as a resource for the Austin community, in general. But actually raising the money to renovate the building took time, and so did the renovations. The COVID-19 pandemic added its own complications.

On Sept. 12, A House in Austin held a ribbon-cutting, inviting the community to take a look inside the house, get some free ice cream and find out what the nonprofit has to offer. The kids taking classes got to cut the ribbon. The nonprofit still needed to touch up the interiors and bring in furniture, but they expect to start offering classes within the next 30 to 60 days.

Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, the class sizes will be limited and they will be taking several precautions to try to keep everyone safe, but A House in Austin hopes to be able to open to full capacity this spring.

Erika was inspired to start A House in Austin by her experiences teaching at West Humboldt Park’s Brian Piccolo Elementary

Specialty School and her own struggles raising her three kids. Those experiences made her appreciate how important it was for parents to have support, especially in communities where they don’t have access to the resources Oak Parkers take for granted.

Before the pandemic, A House in Austin had been music, yoga and dance classes, many of which involved parents and kids working together. The organization also provided support groups. While the house was renovated, many of the classes and group sessions were held at the neighboring Original Providence Baptist Church, 515 N Pine Ave. Since the pandemic, the nonprofit has held most of its classes online and hosted music classes in the yard of an instructor’s home.

Erika added that they’ve also done virtual home visits to support families, collaborated with 40 Acres Fresh Market on family meal packages, and distributed toys and supplies to families.

A House in Austin hired Jacquelyn Dortch, who grew up in Austin and currently lives in northwest suburban Mt. Prospect, as the new executive director. She said she has 25 years of experience working for nonprofits focused on child welfare, education and juvenile justice, and she wanted to work for a nonprofit that tried to address some of the inequity she witnessed in Austin.

“We’re really excited and we’re looking forward to really becoming a staple in the community,” Dortch said. “It’s about rewriting the tale of two cities and providing support, and nurturing support, in this community.”

In addition to hosting A House in

Austin’s own programming, the nonprofit plans to work with other Austin nonprofit organizations and service providers who may not have space of their own.

Dortch explained that they don’t want to duplicate what already exists, adding that it was important for them to try to give Austin families an opportunity to access services without having to worry about transportation.

“A lot of programs for families are outside the community and we’re right smack dab in the middle of the community,” she said.

Austin artist Vannessa Stokes is A House in Austin’s newest board member, having joined earlier this month. She said she was excited to be part of the nonprofit.

“A House in Austin is about creating stronger families and engaging and empowering people,” she said, adding that she’s familiar with the issues affecting Black families, especially the ones living on the West side.

River Forest village trustee and village president candidate Patty Henek, who has been on the nonprofit’s board since its creation, said that she’s originally from Austin and has always had a “soft spot” for anything that helps the community. She said she was impressed by Erika’s willingness to make an investment and trusts that A House in Austin will receive more financial support.

“It’s been a long time coming, trying to get the house open,” Henek said. “I’m super excited that Austin residents are going to be able to participate in the program in their own community.”

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

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Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

During COVID forum, survivors share their plights

Sept. 9 virtual forum hosted

by North Lawndale native and COVID-19 survivor Dorothy Tucker

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

When Yolanda Randolph speaks, her voice is barely above a whisper — one of the lingering effects of COVID-19 that she’s still dealing with three months after recovering from the virus. She said her doctors think that her diminished voice may be the result of her having been intubated while hospitalized with the disease.

Randolph was one of the several COVID-19 survivors who spoke during a virtual COVID-19 Survivors Forum held Sept. 9. The forum was organized by the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, the Sinai Community Institute and the Marshall Square Resource Network. The three organizations wanted to give Black and Hispanic survivors an opportunity to share their experiences with the disease.

The organizations were conscious of the fact that COVID-19 hit minority communities disproportionately hard, and

they wanted to drive home the importance of taking protective measures and getting tested and treated early.

But the forum also ended up revealing some disparities. Although the more well-off survivors were able to get tested relatively quickly and could self-isolate, those measures were not options for survivors who lived in close quarters and had to keep working.

The forum emerged out of discussions between the members of the coordinating council’s Health and Wellness subcommittee.

As they brainstormed the ways to raise awareness about the dangers of COVID-19, they felt that having survivors from North Lawndale and other communities that the Sinai Health System serves would drive the message home.

All of the survivors who ended up speaking were either Black or Hispanic, and while some came from North Lawndale, others came from Little Village, Gage Park and, in Randolph’s case, Marquette Park.

The forum was moderated by Dorothy Tucker, a North Lawndale native, CBS2 investigative reporter and a COVID-19 survivor. She explained that her symptoms were relatively mild. She had a cough and she felt tired when walking from one room to another in her own house.

Tucker said that she was already self-

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advantages Tucker and isolating at home when Scott had.

Kareemah the symptoms started, Martin, of North because she’s been in Lawndale, didn’t have any contact with someone room to self-isolate where who tested positive. By her stepfather and mother the time the test results got sick. When she caught returned, she was already the virus, the symptoms feeling better. came on quickly, she “I was a little surprised, said. She felt fatigued, her but I was not completely body ached and struggling shocked,” Tucker to keep her food down. reflected. “Like a lot of Before long, her symptoms people, I didn’t know what got to the point where she was happening at the time.” had to be carried into the Ald. Michael Scott (24th), hospital. whose ward includes most “They gave me a COVID of North Lawndale, tested test, once I told them that positive for COVID-19 my entire house was sick,” in early August, a day Martin recalled. “Maybe after he attended a press the second day I was in the conference with Mayor hospital, I started vomiting Lori Lightfoot. He reflected pure fluid. I ended up that his job only allowed so developing breathing much social distancing. problems.”

DOROTHY TUCKER Like Tucker, he only That last medical issue CBS 2 investigative reporter experienced mild fatigue, was compounded by the and COVID-19 survivor but he didn’t think it fact that she has asthma. At might be due to COVID-19. the time, doctors believed Scott said that if he didn’t that the steroids used to get tested in late July, he might not have treat the virus would make the symptoms realized anything was amiss. worse (which has since turned out to be “I kind of freaked out, because I’ve been untrue), so she was left with nothing but around so many people,” he said, explaining water to treat her asthma. that he hosted a community event only a few Many of the survivors who shared their days earlier. experiences said that they were reluctant Like Tucker, Scott was able to self-isolate to go to the doctor or just didn’t feel the in his home, and his wife and kids self- urgency. Crystal Randolph, Yolanda isolated separately. Because his wife was a Randolph’s daughter, explained that her “neat freak,” he said, they had no shortage of mom got COVID-19 in March, after attending cleaning supplies to regularly wipe surfaces, a funeral service for a family member. She which is why he believed he didn’t infect didn’t live with her mother, but she could anyone else. tell from her mother’s voice that things were “Fortunately for me, I didn’t give it to my getting worse. family,” Scott said. “I self-quarantined and “She had a biopsy [scheduled] on March self-isolated in the basement for 14 days. 27, and she was like, ‘I’m going to the Everybody is fine, everybody is healthy, and hospital [then], let’s wait,’” Randolph said.

I’m just blessed that I didn’t give it to my “Unfortunately, we did.” family.”

But other speakers didn’t have the same CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

“Like a lot of people, I didn’t know what was happening at the time.”

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Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

State taking applications for Business Interruption Grants

West Side youth create their own quality of life plan Young people in Territory used Austin Coming Together’s plan as framework for their own

By ZACH CUNNING AustinTalks

Over the summer a group of young people gathered over Zoom to develop a quality-oflife plan for Austin’s youth.

The project was organized by Territory, an organization that focuses on “youth empowerment, building of community and teamwork,” said Helen Slade, the group’s executive director. All their projects are completely youth led.

For this summer’s project, 11 young people between the ages of 16 and 21 came together and proposed the idea of making a youth version of Austin’s quality-of-life plan, said Isobel Araujo, the project’s facilitator.

Using the plan developed by Austin Coming Together as a framework, Araujo asked the group to identify the topics they wanted to focus on.

They initially identified youth empowerment and public safety as their main concerns. Through conversations, the group “sort of teased out mental health as an additional topic that they wanted to dive deeper into that wasn’t originally mapped out in the original quality-of-life plan,” Araujo said.

ACT was the lead agency in the development of the five-year plan, which was facilitated by Local Initiatives Support Corp. and released in 2018.

It focuses on seven issue areas, including mental health and youth empowerment, and lays out a plan for addressing these issues and affecting systemic change in Austin, according to ACT’s website.

JaKayla R. and Vell U. said the community has to work toward public safety on their own.

We have to “stop the gun violence or what it is that, you know, causing all of this violence in our community instead of trying to contact the police, because we know they won’t do it,” JaKayla said.

Kiara D. said in light of this summer’s unrest, having a heavy police presence in Austin makes it feel like the police are waiting around for something to happen, “so that they have an excuse to be violent towards members of the community.”

She feels like the police aren’t seeking to help the community with its problems.

The team also wants to make people more aware of the mental health challenges facing Austin’s youth.

Vell said they had filled the section with facts and statistics about mental health, as well as personal stories from team members about their struggles and experiences with mental health.

Part of their goal was to correct people’s misconceptions about mental health and what it means, and to give them a resource to learn more, he said.

The team also conducted survey research, including questions about what people already knew, how respondents felt mental health struggles affected the community and ideas for improving mental health in schools.

For Jaime F., empowerment came down to being able to have a voice, even when he comes up against adults who think that just because he’s a kid his opinion doesn’t matter.

“I’m not going to let them silence me,” he said.

“When I think of empowering yourself … I kind of think about, just having confidence, mental confidence, just to do anything,” Paris S. said.

Their team is expecting to publicly release the youth QLP in November or December, to coincide with the annual meeting Austin Coming Together holds each year, Slade said.

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

The funding prioritizes areas like Austin, North Lawndale and W. Garfield Park that have been ‘disproportionately impacted’ by pandemic

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

On Sept. 15, Gov J.B Pritzker’s office announced that applications opened on Sept. 17, for the second round of Business Interruption Grant program funds.

Pritzker said a total of $200 million will go toward the second round funds, with priority placed on businesses “downstate, in disproportionately impacted areas (DIAs), and for heavily impacted industry and regions — representing business that have been unable to reopen or operating at a Beverly diminished capacity since the spring,” according to a statement the governor’s office released on Sept. 15.

Austin, North Lawndale and West Garfield Park are all considered disproportionately impacted areas, according to state officials.

Prospective applicants can click here for more information on the second round of funds. The funding is open to for-profi t and nonprofit entities that had annual revenue in 2019 of $20 million or less.

The businesses who receive the grants “must have experienced losses due to COVID-19 that exceed the size of the award,” the governor’s office stated.

“Support for small businesses has been one of the central features of our COVID-19 response: Helping entrepreneurs stay

afloat, giving business owners the help necessary to keep the lights on and payroll flowing, is vital to preserving jobs and businesses until we get to the other side of this pandemic,” Pritzker stated.

“These two new programs, combined with the first round of Business Interruption Grants, deliver nearly $300 million in aid to the very small businesses that bring jobs and vibrancy to their communities – offering them increased stability so those jobs and that vibrancy can live on,” he said.

Last month, state officials said, approximately 2,800 business in 400 communities received over $49 million in grants. Across the state, the grants averaged $17,000, with most of that money allocated to businesses located in economically distressed communities, state officials said.

“To promote equity in the program, priority for grant funding will be given to small businesses with 50 employees or fewer, women and minority-owned businesses, underinsured or uninsured businesses, and inherently essential businesses – like grocery stores – in economically distressed areas,” officials said.

“DCEO has created a list of impacted zip codes to help determine eligibility of project location [...] For businesses that have sustained property damages during civil unrest but not located in a predetermined zip code, they may work with DCEO’s administrative partners to apply and request that their zip code be added to the list of eligible zip codes.

To apply for the grant and/or to see eligibility criteria, among other matters, go online to: 2.illinois.gov/ dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Pages/ C19DisadvantagedBusGrants.aspx.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

NORTH LAWNDALE SITE

REDEVELOPMENT COMING?: This 21-acre vacant site in North Lawndale may be getting a new lease on life if the city’s plans to entice private development come to fruition.

New life

Google Earth

from page 1 cess to be more transparent.

The 21-acre property is made up of north and south halves separated by the Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad embankment running through the middle.

While most of the buildings to the west of it are either commercial or industrial, the other three sides are mostly residential.

The site has been vacant for over 35 years.

In 2015, West Side community leaders and elected officials tried to make the case that the site would be suitable for President Barack Obama’s presidential library. Washington Park on the South Side was eventually chosen for the library.

In 2016, Chicago-based Clarius Partners LLC proposed putting three industrial buildings north of the train tracks and three commercial buildings – one of which would house a grocery store - south of the tracks.

An April 10, 2018 brochure of the development showed a more scaled-back version of the plan, with two industrial building, a retail building and a grocery store.

The city was willing to sell the property to Clarius, but one of the conditions was that they and their tenants would hire at least 50 of

their employees from the community. During the Sept. 8 Community Development Commission meeting, Ethan Lassiter, the city planner for the west region, said that the deal ultimately fell through because “the milestone requirements were unable to [be] met by developers we engaged in this process.”

The city departments and governing bodies traditionally tend to defer to aldermen about what kind of development gets approved in their wards, which is why developers tend to approach the aldermen first.

Lassiter said that Scott has received a num-

ber of proposals and that he “wants to create a transparent process” to figure out which developer gets approved.

Maurice Cox, a commission member and the city’s Planning and Development Commissioner, said that, if the process is successful,” it may become a norm, that allows the aldermen in partnership with the city to proactively select development proposals.”

When evaluating the proposals, the city will be looking at several factors. According to Lassiter’s presentation, those factors include the number of environmental and noise impact,

local hires, opportunities for ex-offenders and the rate of pay, among others.

Lassiter said that the city is taking cues from the Comprehensive Neighborhood Framework plan for Detroit’s Eastern Market neighborhood, which has a redevelopment focus that entails food production and distribution facilities being buffered from existing houses by live-work buildings and greenways that would reduce flooding by absorbing storm water.

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

We matter and we must be counted!

By DONALD DEW

There is still time to be counted.

But time is running out.

The U.S. Census Bureau recently announced a deadline of Sept. 30 to submit census data. That means the time is now for everyone to be counted.

We’ve all been heartbroken over the persistent and intractable racial inequity that exists in this country. But what can we do about it as individuals?

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We should protest injustice. We should vote.

And we should be counted.

Not many people equate the Census with racial equity. But Census data is used to allocate resources for education, childcare, workforce training and health care. If we are undercounted, we lose resources that are rightfully ours.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. Census data also draws political boundaries, which matters a lot to our representation in the halls of government.

If we are under-counted, our state could lose congressional seats and more. All this matters a great deal.

Most of all, the census is our history. It is the record of who lived here, at this time and this place. It is the record of how diverse a nation we were. Please be a part of that record.

The reason why communities of color are under-counted in every census are varied. Some of it has to do with a distrust of government or a deep cynicism that anything will ever change. But no matter the reason, we should not let it stop us from being counted. In fact, the historic undercount of Black and brown communities should make our commitment to being counted even stronger. It is our

right and our obligation.

There are not many things we can do that take only ten minutes but will last for centuries. But that’s what the census is; a small amount of effort to be counted in a ledger that is kept for all time.

Donald J. Dew is President/CEO of Habilitative Systems, Inc. (HSI), a vital Chicago-based health and human services organization providing programs and services for thousands of children and families in need.

Donald Dew

If you have not filled out the 2020 Census, please do so today. Go to 2020census.gov/ or call 844-330-2020.

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Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

NEED TO REACH US?

Call Editor Michael Romain at 773-626-6332 michael@austinweeklynews.com

C

Covid-19 solutions hurt more than help

ovid-19 has caused remote learning to become the new norm. Parents are now, for the first time in recent history truly responsible for their children’s education. Based on listening to educators across the country, I’ve concluded that a lot of the parents are failing.

From hard-headed ones who don’t want to follow the rules and schedules, to those who appear half naked in the background, to those who stand behind their children making funny faces and gestures, to those who have joints in their hand as big as cigars, to the ones who pawned their children’s laptops. The claim that poor parenting is the reason for children’s educational failures is true. No longer can clarion calls to simply blame the school system and the teacher carry 100 percent validity.

One would think that the legislators

ARLENE JONES

would act swiftly using COVID-19 to install some rules that would penalize irresponsible parenting when it comes to their children’s education. Unfortunately, that has not happened. Perhaps losing things like access to unearned income tax credits, SNAP benefits, Section 8 vouchers, and penalties like community service and jail time might send a message of how serious the government is taking their kids’ education and their parental responsibility regarding it. I won’t hold my breath for it though.

What the government has been quick to do is put out legislation with no regards for the consequences it causes.

One example is a moratorium on evictions.

Although that sounds like a wonderful situation for renters, it has led some tenants to simply stop paying rent while not offering any help to landlords who still have bills to pay. These landlords are not major companies with monetary reserves, but small mom and pop operations.

One recent story in Chicago really broke my heart. A young lady had struggled to

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save money to buy a two flat. Her goal was to keep the first floor tenant, and to move into the second floor. But once the no eviction moratorium went into effect, her tenant refused to move and refused pay rent. The woman and her child are now homeless, living in the car because she can’t get access to an apartment in a building she just bought. Even when presented with this knowledge, the courts are not interested in making her case one of an emergency eviction.

Another hastily implemented and illthought out piece of legislation was to allow SNAP benefits recipients to pay a monthly fee to a major company so that they could order groceries online. That company is actively encouraging them to pay that fee

with advertisements about “free” grocery deliveries. The flip side to that coin is that the drivers that are out here risking their lives during this COVID-19 pandemic delivering groceries, do so to make tips. But the online application will not allow those SNAP beneficiaries to tip. So drivers have been delivering in some very dangerous neighborhoods, where tipping is not on the recipient’s mind, as if the driver’s services are charity.

Now drivers are risking their jobs by refusing to go to certain areas simply because monetarily it’s not worth it. They have even begun citing that in Chicago, even the USPS is considering ceasing mail deliveries to certain areas.

I can’t wait for 2020 to be over!

AUSTIN WEEKLY news Send your letter to the editor to: Austin Weekly News, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

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Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

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Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

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COLUMBUS PARK Name change? from page 1

PROVIDING CONNECTION: A rendering of the North Austin Community Center. The project, which is expected to be completed next year, is modeled after the Pullman Community Center.

New Austin community center to open next year

North Austin Community Center to connect local youth to opportunities

By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

AUSTIN — A parcel of vacant lots on the West Side will be transformed into a community center with sports and recreation programs for young people.

The $2 million sale of the city-owned vacant land for the development of the North Austin Community Center was unanimously approved at a Sept. 9 City Council meeting.

The project has been in development since 2017 as a partnership between Grace and Peace Church and By the Hand Club for Kids. Their plans hit a snag last year during a dispute with the city over the land where the center will be built.

But the city agreed to the proposal after an outpouring of support from residents in favor of the community center.

“The community really embraced the project. It fit the needs of folks in the community,” said John Zayas, a leader of Grace and Peace Church.

The community campus at 1815 N. Laramie Ave. will have extensive programming aimed at young people, especially those 16-25 years old, to find a “sense of direction and purpose,” Zayas said.

“Grace and Peace will come as a wraparound support with anything that families might need,” he said.

The campus will have soccer fields, basketball courts, CrossFit stations and lacrosse programming. It will also have a walking track, a fitness center, a playground and an outdoor workout area. Construction will begin in late fall, and it is expected to be completed during the 2021 school year.

The church is partnering with Young Life so young people at the center will have access to camping and outdoor education programs. Many residents have had limited opportunities to explore beyond their neighborhoods, so Zayas said the center will give “experiences to young people outside of the city limits.”

By the Hand will develop after-school programming at

the 140,000-square-foot center, which will include academic assistance and mentorship for students in elementary and high school. The after-school programs will serve about 400 people. Combined with fitness activities, the center will serve about 1,000 kids daily, said Andraya Yousfi, of By the Hand.

“Our kids need positive and productive things to do with their time,” Yousfi said.

The center is also expected to improve public safety and benefit businesses by drawing more visitors to the area, Yousfi said.

The project is modeled after the Pullman Community Center. Pullman saw significant decreases in crime, increases in home values and a boost to local business after the center opened, Yousfi said.

“It’s going to be really large. There’s nothing really like this in the area. It’s going to be an exciting meeting place,” Yousfi said. “It’s bringing people from all over to experience what the West Side has to offer.”

The area where the center will be built bridges the predominantly Black community in Austin with a large Latino population in Belmont Cragin. The center will bring together young people from each neighborhood to build solidarity between the communities, Zayas said.

“To really bring Brown and Black communities together, especially in difficult times like this, it’s a major plus,” Zayas said.

Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) threw her support behind the center after residents made it clear they wanted more opportunities for youth. She envisioned a community center like this in North Austin when she joined City Council 20 years ago, she said.

“It’s been a long time coming,” she said. “I’m glad I did not give up on that fight.”

The community center will be a “safe haven” for young people from Austin and beyond, Mitts said. “We welcome each and every race to be a participant in our community,” she said.

Pascal Sabino is a Report for America corps member covering Austin, North Lawndale and Garfield Park for Block Club Chicago.

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com Google Earth

Photo provided

munity meetings and events.

The three women behind the petition have all been involved in the community in some capacity. Stokes serves as a co-president of Austin Town Hall Park Advisory Council, a director of Austin’s Special Service Area 72 and a board member of A House in Austin nonprofit. Gardner is a union organizer at American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 31 and founder of the Activate Austin Facebook group.

According to the joint statement by the trio, around three years ago, Williams was moved by a national conversation “about the removal of historical monuments that remind us of the trauma brought on by systemic racism.”

A man who, as the petition put it, “could be described as a greedy invader who enslaved indigenous people” fit the bill.

Williams reached out to Stokes to find out how a park’s name can be changed.

The protests that erupted in the wake of George Floyd, as well as the successful Douglass Park campaign and the protests that resulted in removal of several Christopher Columbus statues throughout Chicago inspired them to “proceed with the idea and just make it happen.” At the time, Gardner had the same idea and reached out to Stokes. “[The three of us] quickly got on a Zoom call and started organizing the efforts to rename Columbus Park,” Gardner said.

The trio’s petition simply asks the signatories to support the name change. The goal is to collect 200 signatures. As of Sept. 17, it had 160 signatures.

Gardner said that they plan to reach out to members of the South Austin Neighborhood Association (SANA). They have already reached out to Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), whose ward includes the park, but have not yet received a response.

They said they’ve also been talking with Art Richardson, the regional manager for the park district’s central region, which includes the West Side Parks. They said Richardson has been “very helpful and forthcoming with the process.”

Gardner said that they wanted “as much community support as possible,” not just in Austin but across the entire city. And she said that they wanted Austin residents specifically to decide what the park’s new name should be.

“This is a collective community process,” she said. “It is important to engage with the Austin community about the changes around what we would like to see in our community.”

The petition is available at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/austin-community-renaming-of-columbus-park.

NEW NAME WANTED: A group of residents are leading a campaign to rename Columbus Park, Austin’s largest park that was named after Christopher Columbus.

12

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

Black Caucus calls for racial equity in education

During Set. 16 press conference, advocates call for significant financial investment to address education inequities

By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus continued to set the stage for its fall legislative agenda on Sept. 16, calling a news conference and committee hearing to discuss education policy.

Education and workforce development make up one of four pillars on the agenda unveiled by the caucus earlier this month. The others are criminal justice reform, violence and police accountability; economic access, equity and opportunity; and health care and human services.

Caucus members are hosting a series of committees on the various pillars ahead of the fall veto session, which is scheduled Nov. 17 to Nov. 19 and Dec. 1 to Dec. 3. Caucus Chair Kimberly Lightford, a Maywood Democrat and Senate Majority leader, said Black Caucus members would like to take the whole session to address items on their agenda.

“Black people matter,” state Rep. Will Davis, a Hazel Crest Democrat and member of a House education appropriations committee,

said during the news conference at Chicago State University. “The education of young black boys and black girls matters.”

Davis, Lightford and State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, called disparity in education the most important consequence of systemic racism to be addressed by the caucus.

Robin Steans, president of Advance Illinois, a policy organization devoted to improving public education outcomes, said at the news conference, “There is no way to undo centuries of systemic racism without addressing education.”

Due to economic and resource imbalances deeply embedded in communities by legal and de facto discrimination and disinvestment, “access to high quality education from birth to career” is one of the most proven methods of leveling the playing field, according to Steans.

The afternoon committee meeting on the issue was a joint hearing of the Senate Education and Higher Education committees.

Advocates testified that income, health outcomes and crime rates of a given area can all be tied to the availability and access to quality education, as well as other factors such as accessible and affordable child care and afterschool services. In Illinois, Steans said, census tracts with a high percentage of Black residents tended to have schools that received fewer resources, had more vacant teacher positions and fewer counselors than other communities.

Potential actions to reverse these trends include, according to advocates, significant financial investment to provide affordable

child care, pre-kindergarten education, literacy programs and other measures focused to give preference to low-income students and families that need resources the most.

Lightford also spoke to the importance of education and gave a tearful response when asked about her inspirations as a child.

“I come from an abusive home and I don’t know that I had inspiration, I just knew that I needed to pray,” she said.

Lightford said her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all homemakers with limited education. Thanks to “some of the best teachers” in grammar school who looked like and could relate to her, as well as the support of her mother to receive a quality education, Lightford said, she was the first in her family to receive a college degree.

During the news conference, Davis said the potentially expensive measures will need the support of his colleagues outside of the Black Caucus.

“While they’re saying they’re with us now, when the rubber hits the road we’ll see exactly where they are,” he said, without naming any specific colleagues. “They just have no desire to see the equity that needs to come about by assisting the black community.”

Democratic legislative leaders Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, have both issued public statements in support of the Black Caucus’ legislative agenda.

Lightford said she was “encouraged” by the support for the agenda she’s seen outside of the Black caucus.

All the West Side’s their stage

Stage for arts, gardening built at Stone Temple.

By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

NORTH LAWNDALE — A community stage being built outside the historic Stone Temple Missionary Baptist Church will provide a place for people to gather outside and express their creativity.

The church at 3622 W. Douglas Blvd. will use the stage to host cultural events and it will be open for community members to have their own gatherings. Reshorna Fitzpatrick, who founded the church, envisions the stage being used for an array of performing arts, like plays and spoken word poetry.

It’s set to be completed this weekend.

Fitzpatrick is also planning workshops in the church’s community garden. They’ll have cooking demonstrations using produce grown there and gardening workshops.

Built in an area where many residents feel neglected by the city, the stage will be a plat-

form for residents to reclaim the narrative of their community and make their voices heard, Fitzpatrick said.

“This is something we certainly need because we get to tell our story,” Fitzpatrick said.

Lawndale is often overlooked and misrepresented, Fitzpatrick said. Many in the neighborhood and beyond know only negative things about the area, she said. Fitzpatrick plans to invite African American historians and scholars to speak at the stage so residents can have a nuanced understanding of their neighborhood and celebrate Chicago’s rich Black history.

“We have so many accomplishments,” Fitzpatrick said. “And there’s so much that has happened because of the African American people. And I want this community to know that.”

The events will also shed light on the often-forgotten Jewish and Polish history of Lawndale and show how the neighborhood became predominantly Black during the Great Migration, Fitzpatrick said.

Residents will also be invited to share their lived experiences through oral histo-

“I think change is not something always easily and readily received… You have to have courage to make a change,” she said.

The need to inform their colleagues is one of the reasons the caucus has planned eight subject matter hearings – two for each pillar – in the General Assembly ahead of the fall veto session.

“It’s our responsibility as Black Caucus members to explain that (Black) experience to our colleagues via experts, data, research, knowledge,” Lightford said. “The things that we know ‘cause we live it, we need to make sure they understand.”

Wednesday’s Senate committee heard the testimony of experts on early childhood education funding and access to early literacy programs. Witness organizations included the Ounce of Prevention Fund, Voices for Illinois Children, Illinois Action for Children and Advance Illinois.

Witnesses agreed on the prevalence of child poverty in Illinois, its crippling effect on youth development and the inherently expensive nature of any solution to existing disparities.

Experts called on legislators to make difficult choices on funding, and some suggested centralizing programs and diverting public funds from affluent areas to meet projected costs.

The caucus has already called two hearings on criminal justice, including one on police accountability and public safety, which took place the same day the caucus unveiled its agenda. The second, on sentencing reform, took place Tuesday.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

ries so older residents can pass down their wisdom and so youth can have a platform to tell their own stories.

“We’ll have … a collabPASCAL SABINO/Block Club Chicago orative of people coming together and sharing their REDESIGN: The garden at Stone Temple Church has been stories and sharing their redesigned with a new stage and hard pathways to improve truths,” Fitzpatrick said. accessibility.

“Not a revisionist history, but the real history.”

The stage was built in Stone Temple’s com- tions, Mayorga said.

Mayorga said Human Interest was excited munity garden along with a seating area with to take on the project pro-bono in honor of capacity for about 35 socially distanced guests.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in North The project will make the garden a more comLawndale. King preached at Stone Temple fortable place for neighbors who want a peaceduring the Civil Rights Movement in his ful place to work, grow produce or simply refight against redlining in Chicago. lax, said Jorge Mayorga, of Human Scale, the “He used his voice for the community,” design firm that built the stage.

Mayorga said. “We wanted to remember that Human Scale also helped the church redeand create a platform for people to stand up sign the garden to make the pathways accesand voice their opinion.” sible for people with disabilities. The stage’s Pascal Sabino is a Report for America corps seating area also has a ramp. member covering Austin, North Lawndale The project was estimated to cost at least and Garfield Park for Block Club Chicago. $30,000, but the firm did the project for free with the help of grants and material donaCONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

REAL ESTATE FORÂ SALE

13

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

CLASSIFIEDS TO PLACE AN AD

CALL: 773-626-6332 | FAX: 708-467-9066 | E-MAIL: classifieds@AustinWeeklyNews.com Place your ad online anytime at AUSTINWEEKLYNEWS.COM/CLASSIFIED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER PART-TIME Part-time Electrician’s Helper.

Must have own transportation.

Call for more info.

708-738-3848

HAPPY KIDD’S WEST INC. 6928 W 16th St Berwyn, IL 60513 We are seeking a Director and 2 teachers. Director must be qualified and have Associate’s degree or equivalent. Teachers must be director or teacher qualified. Mon thru Fri. working with Infants to 6 yrs old. Compensable salary negotiable based on experience.

Call 773-619-5545 or fax resume to 773-728-5437.

FLOATER YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Hephzibah Children’s Association is a social service agency in Oak Park, IL providing a variety of programs including Residential Group Homes, Foster Care programs and other Family Based services and Day Care.

We are accepting applications for part time Floater Youth Development Specialists in our Day Care program for the 20-21 school year. You will assist with e-learning and provide supervision and care to 5-11-year-old (Kindergarten-5th grade) children in the Oak Park community.

The position is part time, as needed, between the hours of 7:20 am and 3:20 pm weekdays – approximately 16-24 hours per week.

Requirements include: • Minimum of 6 semester hours in education, recreation, social work, or related college courses • Experience working with children You will supervise and assist children with e-learning programs; plan and supervise arts and crafts, indoor & outdoor play, games, sports, homework help, lunchtime, snack time and more.

The program follows the safety guidelines of the IDPH including daily health screening of all staff and participations (temperature check and health questionnaire) required face masks, social distancing and cleaning & disinfecting.

Contact: MJ Joyce at mjjoyce@ hephzibahhome.org Equal Opportunity Employer You have jobs.

We have readers!

Find the best employees with Austin Classified!

Call 773/626-6332

CITY RENTALS DELUXE 3BR APT 5955 W HURON First Floor. Large kitchen, all electric appliances. Near West SuburbanHospital. Near all public trans. $1150/mo.

Call 773-637-8677 for appt.

ROOMS FORÂ RENT AUSTIN CLEAN ROOM With fridge, micro.

Nr Oak Park, Super Walmart, Food 4 Less, bus, & Metra. $116/wk and up.

773-637-5957

ESTATE SALE Riverside

ESTATE/MOVING SALE 194 W BURLINGTON ST (block of Hollywood Motors)

SAT 9/26 & SUN 9/27 11AM TO 3PM

EVERYTHING MUST GO! Paintings, Good Quality Furniture and much more!

GARAGE/YARD SALES Forest Park

YARD SALE 1101 HANNAH SAT 9/26 9AM TO 3PM

Lots of stuff for Do-It-Yourself homeowners! Tools and tons of miscellaneous.

Forest Park

BLOCK SALE 1000 THOMAS FRI 9/25 9AM TO 5PM SAT 9/26 9AM TO 4PM SUN 9/27 11AM TO 3PM

Check both alleys for the Block of 1000 Thomas Garage Sale in Forest Park! Stop by for fishing items, baby clothes, tools, kitchen items, sports memorabilia, picture frames, board games, DVD’s, books, rototiller, etc.

Saturday ONLY - Stop at 1045 Thomas to register to VOTE and purchase a treat from Chef Ashley.

Forest Park

SUBURBAN RENTALS FOREST PARK 3BR 3 BR apt, 2nd floor, w/ dining rm and breakfast nook. New kitchen w/ granite & stainless. New baths central air, free laundry. Garage space included. 2 blks to blue line. $1800 + deposit & credit check required.

312-802-8291 OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223

SUBURBAN RENTALS Apartment listings updated daily at:

GARAGE SALE 1010 THOMAS FRI 9/25 9AM TO 5PM SAT 9/26 9AM TO 4PM SUN 9/27 11AM TO3PM

Harley Davidson Sportster, Honda Silverwing Scooter, vacuum, propane tank, propane bug fogger, new electric smoker, 26� ladies fix gear bike, hand tools, fishing reels, bobbers, so many lures, 2- 36 lb trolling motors, hardware, office, lots of home goods, breadmaker, DVDs, books, ladies clothes, men’s L/XL, jewelry, travel golf bag, dog cage, breakfast nook bench and STUFF! Must wear a mask!

To Be Given Away, Items for Sale and Lost & Found classified ads run free in Austin Weekly News!

Call 773/626-6332 to place your ad.

Price is $100/chair or $500/set of 6.

Delivery available.

773-780-6315

AUTOS FOR SALE FORD INTERCEPTOR 2008 FORD CROWN VIC INTERCEPTOR 62K miles. $7500, 2013 FORD TAURUS INTERCEPTOR 140K MILES. $8500.

Call Pearson 773-540-7650

AIR CONDITIONING/ HEATING AIR CONDITIONING AND APPLIANCE EXPERT Air Conditioning Automotive A/C Refrigerators Ranges • Ovens Washer • Dryers Rodding Sewers

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

PUBLIC NOTICES

HANDYMAN

FREE SERVICE CALL WITH REPAIR AND SENIOR/VETERAN DISCOUNT.

773-637-0692

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: Y20004259 on August 27, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of CLASS C ENTERPRISES with the business located at: 5464 W POTOMAC, CHICAGO, IL 60651.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: CAROL HARRIS, 5464 W POTOMAC, CHICAGO, IL 60651, USA

WANTED TO BUY

708-785-2619 or 773-585-5000

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

Buying? Selling? Renting? Hiring?

Austin Classified 773/626-6332

CEMENT

CEMENT

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

PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING

Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

708.749.0011

Residential Commercial Industrial Licensed Bonded Insured Free Estimates ¡ Veteran Owned

Drives Walks Patios Stamped Concrete Curbs/Gutters Garage Floors Foundations Water Control / Management

devegaconcrete.com ¡ 708-945-9001

MAGANA

ITEMS FOR SALE

COMMERCIAL ˜ INDUSTRIAL ˜ RESIDENTIAL

IRISH CARDIGAN Men’s size large.

708-386-6160

Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

HANDYMAN

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N

WATERFORD GLASSES Colleen pattern, 2 water goblets, 2 wine glasses, 5 double old fashioned glasses

ELECTRICAL

Lic/Bonded 25 yrs experience

Sat only at 1045 Thomas – Chef Ashley baked goods, voter registration and voter info

LENOX CHINA 5 piece place settings Lenox china, Tuxedo pattern

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue.

Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment.

ITEMS FOR SALE VINTAGE HOWELL RED CHAIRS 6 beautiful vintage red chrome steel dining chairs by furniture maker Howell (St. Charles, IL) from the 1950s. All chairs in great condition.

Small tears in two of the seats and extremely minor tear in third.

Other three are in excellent condition. Wear is consistent with age/ vintage condition and all chairs have been temporarily repaired to prevent further tearing.

“QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION� ESTABLISHED IN 1987

708.442.7720 '5,9(:$<6 Â&#x2021; )281'$7,216 Â&#x2021; 3$7,26 67(36 Â&#x2021; &85% *877(56 Â&#x2021; 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* Â&#x2021; 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7(

Rake in some extra cash with a fall garage sale.

FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

Call our Classified Dept. to advertise: 773/626-6332

Attn: Home-Improvement Pros!

Advertise here! Call 773/626-6332

PLASTERING McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

Small & big work. Free estimates.

Complete Plaster, Stucco & Re-Coating Services

708/386-2951 â&#x20AC;˘ ANYTIME Work Guaranteed

Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years

ROOFING

MIDWEST ROOFING All types of roofing repairs Commercial - Residential Call for free estimate

773-637-0692

Published in Austin Weekly News 9/9, 9/16, 9/23/2020

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,â&#x20AC;? as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y20004344 on September 9, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of 1200 GRILL with the business located at: 5637 W. DIVISION ST., CHICAGO, IL 60651.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: KRISTOPHER MCLENDON 14718 ELLIS AVE, DOLTON, IL 60419, USA. Published in Austin Weekly News 9/23, 9/30, 10/7/2020

Starting a New Business?

Call the experts before you place your legal ad!

Publish your assumed name legal notice in Austin Weekly News Call Mary Ellen for details: 773/626-6332

Illinois Classified Advertising Network WANTED TO BUY

FREON WANTED: We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans.

R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals.

Call 312-598-1758 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

14

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

CLASSIFIEDS (773) 626-6332 | FAX: (708) 467-9066 | E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@AUSTINWEEKLYNEWS.COM Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year

AustinWeeklyNews.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DITECH FINANCIAL LLC; Plaintiff, vs.

HAROLD T. ROBINSON; LIBERTY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY FKA COVENANT BANK; COOK COUNTY; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 17 CH 14629 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 Monday, October 19, 2020 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. 16-14-108-028-0000.

Commonly known as 3906 West Gladys Street, Chicago, IL 60624.

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 Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 19-042344 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3155847

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004SC1; Plaintiff, vs.

LEE WATT; SHIRLEY WATT; CITY OF CHICAGO; Defendants, 16 CH 14732 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 Monday, October 26, 2020 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. 16-09-227-028-0000.

Commonly known as 418 North Lavergne Avenue, Chicago, IL 60644.

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 Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 16-029325 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3156249

local employees... happy employees!

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

Austin Weekly News

Selling your home By Owner?

Make it stand out – advertise in Austin Weekly News.

Call Mary Ellen for details: 708/613-3342

Hire Local. Place an ad on AWN’s Local Online Job Board.

Go to AustinWeeklyNews.com/classified today!

Contact Mary Ellen Nelligan for more information.

(773) 626-6332 • maryellen@austinweeklynews.com

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Your local mental health agencies are dedicated to providing education, resources and help throughout the community.

Please check out The Hub: healthconnectionhub.org

73%

of people say...

The pandemic has made them more aware of the importance of taking care of their own mental health. *According to a survey by AFSP and partners

Prevention Services and Positive Youth Development

NAMI Metro Suburban • The Living Room (FREE) (708) 498.0200 • a safe place to talk with a peer if you are experiencing life’s emotional stresses. Located at: 1917 W. Roosevelt Rd. • NAMI Family Support offers hope and shared experiences for family members supporting loved ones with a mental

The community coalition (+PYD) is the prevention go-to for providing education and awareness in Oak Park and River Forest. By using evidence informed strategies, we are able to provide training and tools to help others in understanding

health condition.

For more information please visit namimetsub.org

that healthy kids = healthy community.

For more information or online screenings please call 708.383.8005 or visit oakparktownship.org/preventionservices

Riveredge Hospital As your community partner in care, we continue to deliver behavioral health care to the individuals in our care. With enhanced safety guidelines in place, we are open and in full operation. We are offering both in-person and virtual services for children, adolescents and adults. If you are in a mental health crisis, do not delay in seeking help. Call 708-209-4181, 24/7 for a no-cost level of care assessment or visit riveredgehospital.com for more information about our programs and services.

15

16

Austin Weekly News, September 23, 2020

RibFest Every Day! Mickey’s is the place!

Mickey’s Rib Special

1/2 Slab Dinner B.B.Q. RIBS & CHICKEN BURGERS & HOT DOGS

$11.99

Full Slab Dinner

$17.99

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 Italian w/ Fries Beef $ .49 Sandwich w/ Fries $ .49

8

8

Wednesday

Gyros Plate Dinner 1 lb meat, 2 pita breads, fries & 3 cups sauce $10.99

Every day Special!

Gyros with fries $7.99

11 Tables for Indoor Dining!

1/4 Lb Double Cheeseburger

Big Mickey! $ .99

2