Ja nuary 23 , 2 0 2 0 vol . 6 4 i ss u e 13
# Bugl e n e w s your Comm u n i t y. your ne ws . in thi s i ssu e e vents
Calendar Events Upcoming events in your area see Page 4
sP orts
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Maine South looking to compete this year see Page 5
Bu si ness
Dave Says Dave Ramsey’s Column see Page 4
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niles townshiP high sChools distriCt 219
Board honors Make A Difference award winners the make a difference award winners for January represent the latinx Club at niles north and the deCa Club at niles west
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he Niles Township High School District 219 Board of Education recognized stellar students who excel in their clubs, and also recognized their inspiring sponsors. The Make A Difference Award winners for January represent the Latinx Club at Niles North and the DECA Club at Niles West. Jatziry Ramos Jacobo is a sophomore who lives with her family of four. They immigrated to the United States from the Mexican state of Guadalajara. Her mother works in a hospital and her stepfather drives for DrivX. “Jatziry has made a difference as a leader in Latinx club by building community with her peers who have similar journeys, toward the goal of making them feel welcomed and supported,” said Niles North Principal James Edwards. “The club also allows her to continue to feel connected to her Mexican culture and traditions. Furthermore, the club symbolizes a sense of unity because all club members know that they are there
to help each other. Last year, Jatziry also made a difference by helping to organize a mural painting activity with local artist Victor Montanez that helped the school community understand the rich history and traditions of Latinx culture.” According to Jatziry, her work in Latinx club “is more than just a simple club, it is a place where we can all get together and make extraordinary things happen.” Jatziry’s future goal is to pursue a career as a law enforcement official. Maya Rios is a senior and is proud to identify as a Tejana. She lives with her mother, brother and grandmother in Skokie. Latinx club was the first club Maya joined at Niles North, and she quickly found her peers to be a second family to her. Her leadership in the club created a supportive environment where “we could eat, talk about issues that impact Latinx members and prepare for presentations at diversity night and pep assemblies,” she says. Maya says she “is so proud to be part of such an amazing club” and feels honored to be able to call herself a leader in this club. According to Edwards, “Like Jatziry, Maya was instrumental in creating the mural project last year that brought so many people together to make an everlasting cultural impact on Niles North. Maya plans to attend
process closes on 03/20/2020.
automated Call: winter storm Parking 1/17/2020
farm on franks application open The Farm on Frank’s application process is open as of January 2, 2020. If you are interested in applying for a plot at the community garden for the 2020 farming season, please return the application, found at https://www.vniles. com/910/Farm-on-Franks, to knd@vniles.com, ea@vniles.com, or in person on the 2nd floor of 1000 Civic Center Drive, Niles IL 60714. Please note, the application
Residents received an automated call on Friday, January 17, with the following message: This is an important message from the Village of Niles. The Village of Niles would like to remind residents to park cars off of the street whenever possible during winter storms. Please use your driveway when possible. If parking on the street, avoid parking directly across the street from other cars, creating a bottleneck. Vehicles parked on the street can create a dangerous situation if emergency vehicles are unable to pass through. Snow and sleet are expected Friday evening and Saturday (January 17th and 18th). The Village of Niles thanks you for your cooperation in helping first
COURTESY OF NILES TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOLS DISTRICT 219
the niles township high school district 219 Board of education recognized stellar students who excel in their clubs, and also recognized their inspiring sponsors. Oakton (Community College) next year and her career goal is to become a private investigator.” Both students expressed their gratitude to the club’s two sponsors, Spanish teacher Alejandra Arteaga and Mathematics teachers Cecilia Serrano, for supporting them and
challenging them to step up as leaders. Serrano told Board members that it has been gratifying “to watch both these young women grow into such powerful female leaders in our community.” Arteaga noted that Jatziry and
responders keep Niles streets safe and clear. Some residents may have received this message twice. We apologize for the error, and have resolved a technical issue for future alerts. To hear this message again, call 847-588-8080. To ensure you continue to receive future emergency notifications, and to customize your communication preferences, please visit www.vniles.com/alert.
has been scheduled for January 23, 7 p.m., at City Hall. The agenda for the meeting will be posted in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
City Council meeting canceled January 20 The City Council meeting for January 20, 2020 has been rescheduled for January 21, 2010 at 7 p.m. at City Hall due to the Martin Luther King Day holiday observance. Sustainability Task Force Meeting canceled January 16 The Sustainability Task Force (STF) meeting for January 16 has been canceled. A special meeting
Pace proposes route changes The City has been contacted by Pace in regards to proposed service changes that would affect Park Ridge riders. Proposed changes would include routes 215, 225, 226, 422, and 423; the addition of Route 424; and, the discontinuation of Routes 210 and 421. Pace is seeking public input on the next phase of these service improvements and will be holding six public hearings throughout its service region. For more information, please visit pacebus.com.
students making sauerkraut learn to
Maya made a significant and lasting contribution to Niles North through their leadership on the mural project. “We make it a point in the club to think about what we can do to educate ourselves so we can share more about our culture with the rest of our school.”
love it, learn about healthy Benefits
Niles West German 2 Honors students were busy making sauerkraut last semester. They prepared the sauerkraut in class and allowed it to ferment for 15 weeks, which is considered quite a long time! German teacher Josef Neumayer said, “As part of our sauerkraut-making unit, we discussed the economy of cabbage, culinary practices, cultural significance, and we ended with the importance of probiotics and health and wellness.” The longer sauerkraut ferments, the more the flavor develops, so last week the students sampled the results and decided the flavor was just right and it was ready to share. Students took home a jar to share or cook a meal for their family over the weekend. Neumayer said, “This batch was amazing.” For many of his students, it was
see ‘Briefs’ Page 7
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thursday, January 23, 2020 | BuglenewsPaPers.Com
state news
Gov. signs legislation eliminating driver’s license suspension as penalty for non-moving violations senate Bill 1786 takes effect on July 1, 2020
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hicago - Governor JB Pritzker today signed the License to Work Act, which eliminates driver’s license suspensions for most non-moving violations and allows tens of thousands of Illinoisans whose licenses were canceled, suspended or revoked to have their driving privileges reinstated. “With this bipartisan legislation, Illinois now recognizes the fact that suspending licenses for having too many unpaid tickets, fines, and fees doesn’t necessarily make a person pay the bill — but it does mean that people don’t have a way to pay,” said Governor JB Pritzker, who also has called for reform for the past several years. “We, as a state, have a vested interest in making sure all our residents who need their licenses to apply to a job or an apprenticeship program, or who already use their licenses to drive to work, to the grocery store, or to the doctor, don’t lose those opportunities because of a practice that reinforces cycles of instability.” More than 50,000 Illinois licenses are suspended each year because drivers cannot afford to pay tickets, fines, and fees. Suspended licenses hinder an individuals’ ability to maintain employment and pay off fines and fees, keeping people trapped in a cycle of debt and unemployment.
“For years, Illinois has held driver’s licenses hostage when people couldn’t pay excessive parking and vehicle tickets. That drives people into poverty and keeps them out of work. Using license suspension for debt collection is cruel, counterproductive, and frankly embarrassing,” said Sen. Omar Aquino (D-Chicago). “I am proud to stand with my colleagues, community leaders, and partners and say; this practice ends today. No more will Illinois take driver’s licenses away and turn lives upside down because of parking and vehicle compliance ticket debts. This is an important victory in the fight to end policing for profit and stop funding government through tickets, fines, and fees - especially on the people least able to afford them.” “The License to Work Act was truly a labor of love. This piece of legislation has taken over two years to introduce and pass and I am honored to have championed it. This new law doesn’t just restore drivers licenses to tens of thousands of Illinois residents, it restores dignity, equity, and quality of life. It eliminates driver’s license suspension as a penalty for most non-driving violations,” said Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Champaign). “I am grateful that Gov. JB Pritzker understands that when we take basic life necessities away from people, we perpetuate a downward spiral of financial despair. This legislation was designed to ensure that over 50,000 li-
censes are restored, jobs are restored, economic growth is restored, community is restored. Today, that downward spiral of financial despair ends, and we starting building up.” “For far too long, thousands of residents in Chicago and around the state every year have had the experience of having their driver’s license taken away -- in turn putting them at risk of losing their car, their job, or worse, and often inflicting the most harm on our Black and Brown communities,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “Today we applaud Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly for taking a giant step forward for Illinois and its communities by signing SB 1786 into law today to prevent driver’s license suspensions for minor offenses. We know that suspending driver’s licenses has a severely detrimental impact, with one study showing that 42% of those who had their licenses suspended lost their jobs. The City of Chicago was proud to take the step of halting driver’s license suspensions for non-driving violations last year, and we’re elated that not only will driver’s licenses now be reinstated, these new policies will also be true throughout the state.” “Over 50,000 Illinoisans have suspended licenses because they simply can’t afford to pay tickets or fines,” said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R- Burr Ridge). “This bill stops a practice that doesn’t fit the times and is the right thing to do.”
u.s. dePartment of transPortation
as super Bowl liv season begins, remember fans don’t let fans drive drunk super Bowl liv falls on sunday, february 2, 2020; plan accordingly Super Bowl LIV is right around the corner. This year, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to remind football fans and Super Bowl partygoers that designated drivers are the best defense against the dangers of drunk driving. Super Bowl LIV falls on Sunday, February 2, 2020. If your Super Bowl celebration involves alcohol, plan for a ride home
with a sober driver. If you’re hosting the party, take care of the designated drivers. We want to remind everyone that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. Whether you’re attending a party, hosting a party, or going out to a bar, keep safety at the forefront of your night. When it’s time to leave, make sure your designated driver is actually sober. Remember that walking impaired can also be dangerous, so designate a sober friend to walk home with you. If you are driving, remember that sober driving isn’t the only law that should be followed: Make sure you
— and your driver — wear your seat belts. If you’re planning to be a designated driver, know that you’re the night’s MVP. No matter what, do not drink any alcohol — people are relying on you. While at the party, enjoy the food, the company, and the non-alcoholic drinks. Encourage other designated drivers on social media using the hashtag #DesignatedDriver.
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Calendar
uPComing events in your area thursday, January 23, 2020 | BuglenewsPaPers.Com
JANUARY 23 PLAINFIELD Crafty kids Crew. 6-7 p.m. Plainfield Public Library District. This program is for children in grades K to 5. Let your creative side show. We supply the materials and you supply the artistic touch. JANUARY 23 SHOREWOOD mini melodies. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Shorewood-Troy Library. Register only the child participant(s). Children under 10 must have a parent present in the program. Online registration ends 24 hours before program start time. Do you like to sing and dance? JANUARY 24 PARK RIDGE Cards for hosPitaliZed kids. 3-6 p.m. Park Ridge Public Library. Help make handmade cards that will bring a smile to the face of a hospitalized child. Service hours available. Drop-in. JANUARY 25 SKOKIE family art Party. 3-4 p.m. Skokie Public Library. Bring the whole family to dive into a hands-on project using all manner of artistic tools and techniques. Drop-in event for families with kids of all ages. JANUARY 25 PARK RIDGE twenty-first star ChaPter nsdar January 2020 genealogy workshoP. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Park Ridge Public Library. Genealogy Workshop, sponsored by the Twenty-first Star Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. in the third-floor meeting room of the Park Ridge Library. The library is located at 20 S. Prospect, Park Ridge, Illinois. JANUARY 26 WESTMONT Blues musiCal ConCert with niCholas Barron. 3-4:30 p.m. Westmont Public Library. Join Chicago singer-songwriter Nicholas Barron for an afternoon of folk and blues. Nicholas has opened for blues heroes Al Green, Johnny Cash, and James Taylor, among others. Hear him play songs from a Westmont favorite Muddy Waters as well as many other blues greats. If you are unable to attend a program for which you have registered, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance, so that we can make your spot available for someone else. You can cancel your program registration by calling the library at 630869-6150 or by using the cancellation link found in your registration confirmation or reminder email. Thank you.
Column >> dave says
Dave Says: Stay away from debt consolidation companies dear dave,
dear Blake,
My wife and I made a resolution this year to pay off $20,000 in credit card debt we’ve accumulated. I want us to follow your plan, and live on a really tight budget. She wants us to use a debt consolidation company, like some of her friends have done. I’m really against her idea, but how can I change her mind?
I’m glad you two have made the decision to get out of debt, and gain control of your finances. When it comes to this sort of thing, it’s wise to remember there’s no magic pill. No debt consolidation company is going to get you out of debt and help you stay out of debt. The answer is learning how to control yourself and your behavior with money.
Using a debt consolidation company seems appealing, because there’s usually a lower monthly payment or lower interest rate attached. The problem in most cases, however, is the lower payment or interest rate exists only because the term is extended. You might pay a little less each month, but you end up staying in debt longer. There are other problems involved in using
debt consolidation companies, too. For one thing, it can trash your credit for a long time when it comes to buying a car or a house. For these reasons I sometimes refer to it as a CON-solidation, because the whole thing is basically a con. They make you think you’re really doing something about your debt problem, but the debt—and all the bad habits that caused it — are still there.
My guess is your wife’s friends think using a debt consolidation company is an easy, harmless way to get out of a financial mess. But sometimes you’ve got to be an adult, admit the mistakes you’ve made, and do what it takes to straighten things out. This kind of thing isn’t a math issue. It’s a behavior issue. Making the decision to get out of debt and never go back there again, by living on a really tight budget and making sacrifices, is the best way to fix this mess and learn a lesson in the process.
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thursday, January 23, 2020 | BuglenewsPaPers.Com
BASKETBALL SOCCER CROSS COUNTRY FOOTBALL SOCCER TENNIS BASEBALL SOFTBALL VOLLEYBALL TRACK & FIELD SWIMMING CHEERLEADING DANCE Bowling BasketBall
different
Paths
maine south, niles west are at different points in the program as hawks feature experience, wolves gaining it By mark gregory editorial director
@Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com
Maine South and Niles West high schools are separated geographically by less than six miles, but this season, their girls basketball teams are separated by light years. The Hawks are built around a core group of two seniors and three juniors who gained varsity experience together a season ago. The Wolves, on the other hand, have only two seniors on a juniordominated roster. West is working on replacing 10 seniors from last season’s team, including Enterprise Publications Player of the Year Sam Galanopoulos, who is averaging 4.2 points per game as a freshman at Loyola. “We lost 10 seniors last year, including Sam, so, this team coming in, every single opportunity we have is a new experience,” said Niles West coach Kyle Braheny. “If you look at us from the beginning of the season to now, we are improving. Against a team like Maine South who is very talented, we gave good effort and that is something you want to see from a young team like us. I am very happy with our effort and we are getting better.” In the Central Suburban League contest, Maine South won 67-39 behind 11 points from senior Greta Miller and 10 each from juniors Nicole and Niamh Gardiner. Junior Niki Manolis added nine, while seniorAbby Ciprian chipped in eight. Niles West was led by nine points
from junior Vasilia Garbis, eight from junior Angelica Cirineo and seven from freshman Trisha Cirineo. “We are playing better basketball in the last month and we want to keep that going,” Maine South coach Jeff Hamann said of the Hawks. “We are playing some really good competition and it is going to continue as we go through January and in the playoffs. Our conference is one of the toughest in the state and when we schedule our nonconference, we want to play the best in the area because that is what we feel we are as well.” While Maine South relies heavily on juniors who still have a bright future after this year, Hamann knows with their experience, the team is built to win right now. “When the three juniors that are starters with Manolis and the two Gardiners, we saw them come in and they are special kids and they were on JV as freshmen and last year, three of our top six were sophomores. Now we are reaping the rewards,” he said. “We have two seniors that play meaningful minutes for us and we have two sophomores up again that play meaningful minutes, so that is the process every year. “We are focused on this team right now and doing the best we can with the season we have in front of us, and that is really all we can control. Of course we are excited for the future, but we are also excited about right now.”
see ‘Paths’ Page 6
senior greta miller is one of the veteran players leading maine south.
PHOTO BY MARK GREGORY
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ChiCago red stars
Red Stars make five draft selections, acquire Hill from Orlando The 2020 National Women’s Soccer League Draft has concluded, with Chicago acquiring forward Rachel Hill and making five selections. The Red Stars began the draft by acquiring the second and third overall selection in exchange for the 4th and 5th overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and allocation money.
‘Paths’ from Page 5 In Hamann’s first year a season ago, the Hawks went 19-11 and fell to Evanston in the regional final, but he said the team is well aware of the program history and wants to return to glory. The Hawks last sectional title was
Chicago then acquired the 15th and 16th overall selections in the 2020 NWSL Draft and allocation money from the Portland Thorns in exchange for the 2nd overall selection in the draft. Additionally, Chicago acquired Rachel Hill, a firstround selection in the 2021 NWSL College Draft, the 19th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL Draft and allocation money from Orlando in
exchange for the 3rd and 26th overall selection in the Draft. “I am really appreciative of Rory and the rest raChel hill of the staff for bringing me in,” Hill said. “I know
there is a great group of girls there, so I am really excited to get going. The fans are always awesome every time we have played there...you can always hear them. They’re great and I am going to work my hardest to do everything I can to help the team.” Hill was a two-time semi-finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy as a forward for the University of Connecticut Huskies in 2015 and 2016.
She was selected 14th overall by the Portland Thorns in the 2017 NWSL College Draft, and was subsequently traded to the Orlando Pride in exchange for first- and fourth-round picks in the NWSL College Draft. Hill made 49 appearances with the Pride over the last three seasons, scoring 11 goals. This past season, she had four goals in 21 appearances.
on 2011 when they placed third in state in Class 4A. “They know the history. With coach (Mark) Smith, the program won 10 regionals in 13 years, made it downstate twice — this is a storied tradition. Our assistant coach was an all-stater for us in the early 90s and if you look in the state re-
cord books, the programs is up there in wins as a program, so the girls know,” Hamann said. “We talked about it the other day after film, that it means something to wear the Maine South jersey and these girls are buying into it and it shows in their play.” The biggest thing that Niles West
could take away from the 28-point loss to the Hawks is seeing what the process allows and seeing where it wants to get. “I look at our schedule in the CSL South and we are facing top programs in that state and they are only going to make us better,” Braheny said. “They care so much and you
can see them frustrated and I tell them, this is a process. The end goal is not to be your best right now. The plan is to get better your junior year and your senior year is when you want to be playing your best basketball. I respect them because the care so much, they just have to stay positive.”
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‘briefs’ from page 2 their first time trying sauerkraut and now there are some big fans. Joshua Saville said, “At first the salt was overwhelming, but afterwards it was tolerable and then delicious.” “It was crazy how easy it is to make sauerkraut,” said Mohtadi Syed. “We only used two ingredients. I learned a lot about fermentation and probiotics. I thought I would spit it out, but it was delicious.”
New IRS data reveal the state loses twice as many high earners as it attracts CHICAGO (Jan. 7, 2020) – Illinois is losing billions each year as residents leave and take their earning potential with them. Original analysis by the nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute found that the state lost out on up to $32 billion in adjusted gross income, or AGI, since 2010 from residents moving to other states. That’s roughly $12.4 million per day. Using new data released by the Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2017-2018, the Institute found that while residents leaving the state come from all income brackets, Illinois is losing more
than twice as many wealthy residents as it is attracting. These findings come as Illinois voters will decide Nov. 3, 2020, whether to scrap Illinois’ constitutionally protected flat income tax for a progressive income tax. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has promised the $3.4 billion tax hike will fund programs, services and new spending.
Other highlights from the analysis: A cumulative loss of $32 billion in income to other states during the decade is the second-largest loss of any state in the nation in both raw dollar terms, after New York, and on a percentage basis, after Alaska. Since 2010, Illinois has not seen a single year in which the state gained AGI on net from other states. Illinois showed a net loss of $6.9 billion in AGI to other states in tax year 2017 and $5.6 billion in AGI to other states in tax year 2018, the worst losses of wealth on record. The largest age group leaving the state in tax year 2018 were those of prime working age, with 58% of those leaving aged 26-54. Those who moved were also higher-skilled workers choosing markets with more job opportunities. Those who left Illinois made on average $18,000 more than those who moved into the state. In tax year 2018, Illinois lost residents to 43 states on net. Illi-
nois only gained a combined 191 residents from the remaining six states: Vermont, New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Jersey. While Illinois is losing income at all brackets, those who earn $200,000 or more are leaving twice as fast as average-income residents. The only state to see a higher share of residents making more than $200,000 leave in tax year 2018 was New York. Orphe Divounguy, chief economist for the nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute, offered the following statement: “When Illinoisans leave the state, they don’t go empty handed. They take with them jobs, opportunity, talent and financial assets that would otherwise have fed Illinois’ economy. This makes state budgeting more complicated and puts more financial pressure on those who remain in the state. “The consistent loss of more people to other states and higherearning residents to other states should exacerbate concerns over Gov. Pritzker’s biggest policy priority: the progressive income tax. The policy increases taxes on the Illinoisans already most likely to exit the state, which means Illinois will be forced to hike income taxes beyond Pritzker’s introductory rates as the revenue runs short. Illinois is running out of rich people
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to tax. We must protect the middle-class residents who will be left picking up the tab.” To read the full analysis, visit Illin.is/IRS2018. For bookings or interviews, contact media@illinoispolicy.org or (312) 607-4977. Courtesy of the Illinois Policy Institute
ISBE’s budget recommendation aims to make Illinois best state in nation for families raising young children SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on Jan. 15 approved its fiscal year 2021 budget recommendation for public education statewide. ISBE recommends a $760 million increase in General Funds for public education for a total investment of $9.64 billion. The request includes a $100 million increase for early childhood programs to build on the historic investments in last year’s budget and help advance the goal of making Illinois the best state in the nation for families raising young children. ISBE will deliver its budget recommendation to Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly. ISBE’s request also includes $43.75 million for high-impact
investments in the teaching profession to elevate the recruitment and retention of diverse and effective educators. “As a state, Illinois is committed to becoming the best place in the nation for families raising young children, with the nation’s best early childhood education and childcare,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “I make this promise – as state superintendent, as a mother and a grandmother, and as a former kindergarten teacher – for every single child in Illinois to have high quality early learning programs that help them develop the cognitive and social-emotional skills that they need to be successful.” Governor Pritzker’s FY 2020 budget included the largest appropriation for early childhood in Illinois history. ISBE’s recommended increase of $100 million for FY 2021 will allow Early Childhood Block Grant programs to serve approximately 10,775 more children from birth to age 5. “I also make a commitment to Illinois’ current and future teachers: We will invest in our profession,” said Ayala. “The work of our teachers in the classroom is where the magic happens. Our teachers love their students and love their jobs, and we promise to invest in them and their work in return.”
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