CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:43 AM Page 1
www.chicagocrusader.com
Blacks Must Control Their Own Community
To The Unconquerable Host of Africans Who Are Laying Their Sacrifices Upon The Editorial Altar For Their Race Audited by
•C•P•V•S•
VOLUME LXXIV NUMBER 36—SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
PUBLISHED SINCE 1940
25 Cents and worth more
Ordinance offered to stop red light cameras By J. Coyden Palmer During a press conference at City Hall earlier this week, mayoral candidate Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) announced plans to introduce an ordinance to immediately stop the city’s red light camera enforcement program at next month’s City Council meeting. Mark Wallace of Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras joined Fioretti in calling for an end to the controversial program that has been rife from the start with legal and ethical questions. Chicagoland drivers have also been outraged with the program because of the high ticket fines and complaints the cameras actually make the safety situation worse because people slam on brakes as soon as the light turns yellow for fear of being ticketed. The Crusader obtained a copy of Fioretti’s proposed ordinance. In it, he cites scientific studies that call into question the efficacy of the deployment and utilization of the automated system. A study conducted by Dominique Lord, an associate professor at Texas A&M University’s Department of Civil Engi(Continued on page 17)
FIORETTI INTRODUCED AN ordinance into the City Council that if passed would end the red light program on April 15, 2015. (Photo by Chinta Strausberg)
Wilson upset over subpoenaing his circulators However, while Livingston says Wilson is on the ballot, James P. Allen, communications director for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said, “The number is not yet known, and the hearings are still going on.” “There are questions about hundreds of signatures where the voter wrote an address (Continued on page 3)
Says mayor harassing his campaign By Chinta Strausberg It takes only 12,500 signatures to run for mayor, but while mayoral hopeful Dr. Willie Wilson turned in 47,000, and so far, the Chicago Board of Elections has verified 12,603 more than enough to keep Wilson on the ballot; he is upset that the mayor has now subpoenaed his circulators. “It is wrong,” said Wilson referring to the subpoenaing of his circulators. “We did what we were supposed to do. This is harassment. I question why the mayor wants to subpoenaed my circulators. It’s another tactic they are trying to use to disenfranchise the citizens of Chicago,” Wilson told this reporter. Referring to the ballot challenges he is undergoing at the Chicago Board of Elections, “We still have 20,000 signatures to go. We are following procedure and will go all the way to court, if necessary. I am going to win,” Wilson stated confidently.
PASTOR IRA ACREE, head of the Greater St. John Bible Church, called on the Board of Election Commissioners to be fair in its ballot challenge process and to keep Dr. Willie Wilson on the ballot. (Photo by Chinta Strausberg) Late Tuesday night, Rev. Gregory Seal Livingston, who is working with Wilson’s campaign, said in a statement, “I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Willie Wilson currently has 13,011 verified signatures
and growing. We needed 12,500 to make the ballot. We still have over 1,000 pages to count. We are looking at least 15,500 to 17,000 when the records exam is over next week.”
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Commissioner Boykin passes key policy resolutions (See story on page 2)
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NEWS
Congresswoman Kelly Hosts Business Roundtable Congresswoman Robin Kelly hosted U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman recently at a roundtable with more than a dozen business leaders in the 2nd District to discuss international trade issues. The roundtable, which took place at the Hazel Crest headquarters of Mi-Jack Products, focused on U.S. trade agreements and helping Illinois businesses compete in the international marketplace. Representatives with Nucor Steel, Best Diamond Plastics, Whiting Corporation, Gelita, Solvay Inc., Avatar Corporation and Landauer were also present at the roundtable. “The meeting was a unique opportunity for our local business community to have an audience with the Ambassador to air their international trade concerns,” Kelly said. “Business leaders were
able to share their experiences in importing materials from overseas and offered input on future trade agreements with Europe and Asia.” “It was great to join Congresswoman Kelly and local businesses and manufacturers in her district today to discuss President Obama’s trade agenda,” Ambassador Froman said. “Last year, Illinois exported $66.1 billion of Madein-America goods to the world, supporting 339,000 jobs. Our goal is to build on that success by removing trade barriers abroad so that local businesses can sell to the world. Our discussion today also focused on how the President’s trade agenda helps level the playing field for American businesses and workers by setting higher labor and environment standards with our trading partners.” The Office of the U.S. Trade
AMBASSADOR MICHAEL FROMAN (center), Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Gene Larkin of Mi-Jack Products after a roundtable discussion with 2nd District business leaders on U.S. Trade Policy. Representative is the agency re- Ambassador Froman negotiates lators and public interest groups sponsible for developing and rec- directly with foreign governments to gather input on trade issues ommending trade policy to the to create trade agreements, and and to discuss the President’s President of the United States. meets with business groups, legis- trade policy positions.
Commissioner Boykin passes key policy resolutions Cook County Commissioner Richard R. Boykin of the 1st District got off to a fast start at this 2014’s final Cook County Board meeting Wednesday, December 17. The Commissioner introduced three substantive resolutions on key issues facing the 1st District and Cook County. Each one of the resolutions passed with overwhelming Board support. The first of the Commissioner’s resolutions, item # 15-0708 called upon the Governor of Illinois and the State Legislature to appropriate additional funds for mental health treatment pursuant to the Cook County advisory referendum spearheaded by Commissioner Boykin this past November. The referendum garnered over a million votes. The resolution passed without a single dissenting vote and drew supportive statements from numerous other Commissioners. “The greatness of a county is judged by how well we treat our children, how well we treat our seniors, and those who are considered the most vulnerable in our society,” Commissioner Boykin stated in introducing the resolution from the floor. “Mental health is a moral imperative. We are a better county and state when we insure that those who suffer from mental illness are able to be treated in an appropriate facility.” The second resolution introduced by Commissioner Boykin and passed by the County Board, item #15-0715 called upon President Barack Obama to create a National Commission on Criminal Justice and Race. Following the tragic deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of police officers, the Commissioner had sought to put the Board of Commissioners on record in advocating for the President of the United States to con2
nation of such practices, particularly those that target minorities and poor individuals. “This is a step in the process of holding accountable big banks that have settled predatory lending suits and been found guilty of such actions,” said Commissioner Boykin in remarks delivered before the vote. “Predatory lending is responsible for wiping out the wealth of generations of African Americans, Hispanics and poor whites. It is my fear that big banks that settled or were found guilty of predatory lending have not learned their lesson. The taxpayers of this county must be protected from actions that undermine Richard R. Boykin vene the National Commission with the goal of systematically reducing the number of incarcerated Black males in America. “The problem of the 21st Century is the problem of the criminal justice system and the pervasiveness of race,” Commissioner Boykin stated in introducing the resolution. “Do we continue to allow lawmakers to be lawbreakers without consequences? This resolution will help Cook County as well. Because in our criminal justice system, whether you look at Cook County Jail or you look at the Juvenile Detention Center, we have an overrepresentation of African-Americans and Hispanics in both institutions.” Having been approved by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the resolution will now be sent to the attention of President Obama. The third resolution put forth by the Commissioner, item #15-0709, addressed the predatory mortgage lending tactics of big banks. The “Resolution Holding Financial Institutions Accountable for Predatory Lending” expressed Board condem-
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
democracy.” Following Commissioner Boykin’s remarks, the resolution was approved. With the Board having condemned the predatory lending practices of big banks in the strongest possible terms, the Commissioner looks forward to hearings in the New Year on amending and strengthening the County’s predatory lending ordinance. Finally, in addition to his own legislation, Commissioner Boykin was pleased to co-sponsor Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle’s resolution, item #15-0749 calling on the General Assembly to convene and pass House Bill 4733 increasing the
minimum wage. “I enthusiastically support this legislation,” said Commissioner Boykin. “60% of the communities I represent lie within the City of Chicago and 40% of the communities I represent are in the suburbs. I have seen firsthand the impact of the disparity in the minimum wage that now exists between the City and the suburbs, and I think it’s critically important that we have a uniform standard across the state of Illinois.” Going forward, the Commissioner plans to convene a town hall meeting in the 1st District to provide an overview of his policy agenda to date with his constituents.
Chicago Teachers Union calls for resignation of Deborah Quazzo from the Chicago Board of Ed The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) calls for the immediate resignation of Chicago Board of Education member Deborah Quazzo amidst reports that companies that Quazzo has ownership in have been paid nearly $3 million by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) since her appointment to the Board by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Coupled with the nearly $1 million in contracts paid to Quazzo’s companies from 2010 until her June 2013 appointment, the Board’s newest member is profiting at the expense of the city’s school children to the tune of nearly $4 million from her private investments in companies with lucrative contracts with CPS. This emerging controversy follows a previous scandal involving Board of Education president David Vitale, who advocated for toxic interest rate swap agreements with Loop Capital, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and the Royal
Bank of American that will cost the district more than $430 million over the lifetime of the agreements. Vitale is also the former board chairman of the Academy of Urban School Leadership, which has greatly expanded the number of schools and funding it receives from “turnarounds” decided on by the mayor’s handpicked Board since Vitale began his tenure. It is unusual for a public official to profit from businesses over which they have direct oversight authority. While Quazzo has denied wrongdoing and recused herself of decisions involving the companies, this is an insufficient check against corruption. Quazzo is a known venture capitalist who worked with Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan Chase before joining the Board. “Once appointed, she should have withdrawn all investments in any companies associated with the Board in order to diminish any
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
conflict of interest and remove her ability to profit as a result of her school board appointment,” said Financial Secretary Kristine Mayle. “Instead, she decided that her profits were more important than her stewardship over a system of more than 400,000 students, and we regret that she made that choice.” At the time of her Board appointment, CTU President Karen Lewis blasted the charter school booster and said the mayor’s selection was “a missed opportunity to include a compassionate voice that will fight for an equitable, thriving school district for all students.” The CTU calls for Quazzo’s immediate resignation and, in lieu of these numerous scandals, demands that the mayor ends his campaign against an elected, representative school board that will provide transparency, fairness and democracy to the management of Chicago’s public schools. www.chicagocrusader.com
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NEWS
Illinois Appellate Court reverses Circuit Court finding in the Occupy Chicago Cases Court rules Chicago’s park curfew ordinance is constitutional As protests against police misconduct and racial injustice sweep the nation, a panel of the Illinois Appellate Court, Tuesday, December 23, 2014, upheld one of the largest mass arrests in the city’s history. Occupy Chicago protesters, represented by pro bono attorneys with the National Lawyers Guild of Chicago (NLG), People’s Law Office (PLO), and Durkin & Roberts had won an earlier lower court decision dismissing their 2011 arrests as an unconstitutional violation of their First Amendment rights. The case, City of Chicago v. Tieg Alexander, et al., 1-12-2858, dates back to October of 2011, when approximately 300 activists associated with Occupy Chicago were arrested on two consecutive Saturdays in Grant Park. Ninety-two of the arrestees challenged their arrests and were victorious in the Circuit Court, which struck down the ordinance used to arrest them. A panel of the Illinois Appellate Court overturned that decision, in a rollback of First Amendment rights. “The policing in these cases illustrates Rahm Emanuel’s shameful corporate agenda, designed to elevate corporate interests and erode the rights of everyday people,” said Sarah Gelsomino, attorney with the
People’s Law Office and National Lawyers Guild. “It’s outrageous that the City continues to waste our money on prosecuting activists for a petty curfew violation. NLG attorney Molly Armour stated: “Today’s decision strikes a blow to protest movements at the very moment we see how essential they are to the national dialogue and to affecting fundamental social justice. As lower court recognized — public spaces should be reserved for the people and the moments in our history where dissent is essential.” “The National Lawyers Guild will continue to demand protections for those who challenge injustice,” Gelsomino says. “The fight to protect freedoms of speech and assembly is vital, especially now as protests against racist and oppressive policing sweep the country.” The NLG continues to support people’s movements in the streets with its Legal Observer™ Program and in the courts defending those arrested. While disappointed in the ruling, the NLG remains steadfast in its commitment to the fights for social, economic, and racial justice. The National Lawyers Guild was founded in 1937 and is the oldest and largest public interest/human rights bar organization in the United States. Its headquarters are in New York and it has chapters in every state.
CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS arrested approximately 300 protestors in the 2011 Occupy Chicago protest in Grant Park, which is known as one of the largest mass arrest in history. Illinois Appellate Court has recently overturned the ruling of 92 arrestees who challenged their arrest and won their case in the Circuit Court, which struck down the ordinance used to arrest them.
We Are a Proud Black Race By Shaka Barak Under the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League founded in the year 1914, by the Jamaican born, Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, (August 17, 1887, died June 10, 1940), for 100 years we have been engaged in building strong and powerful African nations. We have been engaged for 100 years in building a civilization of our own by uniting the 1.2 billion Africans and people of African descent, and we are inspired to never give up. We are inspired because we remember that or race gave the first great civilization to the world; and for centuries Africa, our ancestral home, was the seat of learning, where Blackmen were fit then for the company of the gods,
and were philosophers, artist, scientist, men of vision, and leadership. We are encouraged because we remember that we are direct descendants of the greatest and proudest race who ever peopled the earth. We are confident because we remember that we have the glorious and wonderful achievements of our fathers in Africa, Europe and Asia. With this inspiration, encouragement and confidence, will teach that Blackmen were so powerful in the earlier days of history that they were able to impress their civilizations, culture and racial characteristics and features upon the peoples of Asia and Southern Europe. The dark Spaniards, Italians and Asiatics are the colored offs springs of a powerful Black African civilization and nationalism. We will never forget that the 1.2 bil-
lion Africans of the world have a beautiful history of their own and we will write and speak on that history for the guidance of our children and ourselves. We are determined to teach our race worldwide that our history is as good as that of any other race or people, and nothing on this side of heaven or hell will make us deny it. In memory of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey we will prove that undisturbed and unmolested, together we shall show the world through a resurrected UNIA & ACL, nations in African, the Caribbean and South and Central America of proud, refined and cultured Black men and women, whose achievements will soon outshine others. Shaka Barak is, President of The Marcus Garvey Institute
Wilson upset over subpoenaing his circulators (Continued from page 1) and then that address has a line drawn through it and another address was written in. The next hearing will be at noon on Friday,” Allen told this reporter. He added, “There also are a variety of petition circulators where the ob-
jectors are alleging that the circulators do not reside at the addresses given on the petition sheets.” At a press conference held in the basement of 69 West Washington, a group of Black ministers led by Pastor Ira Acree, head of the Greater St. John Bible Church, demanded that fairness prevail
during this signature challenge and voiced their concern over the possibility of Black voters being disenfranchised if Wilson is knocked off the ballot for the February 24, 2015 election. “When we look at the conditions of South Side and West Side neighborhoods, it is important
REV. MARSHALL HATCH, pastor of the New Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, voiced concern that Black voters will be disenfranchised if Dr. Willie Wilson is kicked off the ballot. (Photo by Chinta Strausberg) www.chicagocrusader.com
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
that we have an advocate, and that there is some genuine dialogue about there being one Chicago,” Acree said. He urged the board to be fair in its procedures, “We expect the Board of Elections to do the right thing.” Referring to Mayor Emanuel’s first run for mayor, Acree stated, “Many people questioned whether he lived in Chicago. We expect him to be empathetic, but that’s not the case, obviously. It would be a tragedy for a viable person like Dr. Wilson to be barred from the ballot and an entire community and voice disenfranchised. “Dr. Wilson has stellar credentials, impeccable character, a successful businessman, caring philanthropist, and he is a model citizen. He also has the personal testament as to what hard work, optimism, enduring faith in God, and the promise of this nation.” Referring to Wilson’s 47,000 signatures, Acree said for anyone to claim that 80 percent of the signatures are bad is unbelievable. “I would bet my house against that,” he told reporters. “This is much bigger than Dr. Wilson. To bar him from the ballot would disenfranchise an entire
community.” Businessman Scott Winslow has known Wilson for a long time and reflected on the time Wilson walked to Tiananmen Square. “On one of his hundreds of business trips, as he walked through Tiananmen Square…people were calling his name” wanting to shake his hand. “Willie Wilson has a great following. He has a machine on the community; a machine on his gifts; and his good heart and his steely-like business abilities. He could have 470,000 signatures in Chicago in just a few days…in probably hours. This man has the support in all communities. This is a solid citizen of Chicago, and he has to be on the ballot.” Other ministers who have spoken glowingly of Wilson include: Pastor T.L. Barrett, Life Center Church; Rev. Marshall Hatch, New Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church; Rev. Douglas Moye, Sr., Holy Temple Cathedral COGIC; and Rev. Joseph Henry, Omega Baptist Church, who is dean of the Chicago Baptist Institute (CBI).
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
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EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL HAPPY HOLIDAYS DURING A TIME OF TRANSITION! The World is in transition during this 2014 holiday season. Just about everywhere we look systems are in the process of being dismantled, re-examined and/or transformed. Across the world the Russians are grappling with crippling financial woes as the ruble plunges in value; ISIS is threatening lives on an incredible and brutal scale, and China, Africa, and other places are experiencing crises of one sort or another. Closer to home, the United States is in the throes of a turbulence generated by cyber warfare attributed to North Korea and by the killing of unarmed Black men by the police. Sadly, two policemen were killed by what is being called a mentally unbalanced Black man who, after shooting a former girlfriend in Baltimore, traveled to New York and allegedly “assassinated” two police officers. Some are of the opinion that this deed was in retaliation for the police killings of Blacks. Other kinds of turmoil are evident - Black-on-Black violence is taking the lives of thousands of African Americans and another unfortunate trend is also evident - the wholesale incarceration of Blacks, which is arguably the advent of neo-slavery in America, and the trafficking of women and girls for the sex trade is seemingly on the upswing worldwide. If we look at the trouble visiting this planet, most of it can be traced to one major source - the “ism schism.” People are divided by ethnicity, economic status, race, power and locale. In other words, the world seems to be splitting in so many pieces based on people’s perceived place in the scheme of things. Intra-racial and extra-racial strife is tearing communities apart; justice and equity seems to be just out of reach for too many residents of this planet. This last point is truly unfortunate...we have not learned the lessons of brotherhood and good will that this important season represents. This period of time is sacred to many groups - Christians celebrating Christmas, Jews celebrating Hanukkah, African Americans celebrating Kwanzaa, and others celebrating the Winter Solstice. It is a turning point where the Earth reaches its farthest point in its tilt away from the Sun and begins its new journey back toward the Sun, the bringer of life and warmth. Christ has been called the Son (Sun) in some quarters. In this regard, the symbols that accompany Christmas have a deeper meaning than many people realize. This holiday celebrates the birth of Christ, although there is doubt as to whether or not he was actually born during this period of time. Be that as it may, the symbolic Christ principle is a representation of a divine power within each person, an “inner Sun,” that is everlasting. With this in mind, the symbol of the “evergreen” Christmas tree can be seen in a new light. Moreover, the idea of Santa Claus piggy-backs on this concept, in that if one is “good” one will get what one desires. This again brings up the notion of the Christ principle. If we follow the tenets espoused by Christ, a fresh new, evergreen experience awaits us. What is the major principle that was taught by Christ? It was simply this - LOVE. If you think about it, all of the problems facing the world today, ALL of them, can be mitigated by love, by agape. If we could see beyond boundaries erected by skin color, ethnicity, status, gender, economics and other artificial constructs, the world would be in a much better place. Now, a few words about Kwanzaa, the African American Celebration of “First Fruits.” The Nguzo Saba, the seven principles, is actually the implementation of the concept of love. That is what would result if the Black community would fully embrace them.With this said, The Crusader wishes for you a Safe, Prosper, and Happy Holiday Season filled with Love! 4
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Someone better do something Dear Editor: My oh my, how things change, yet remain the same. The New York police are up in arms about the death of two on their force by a deranged man over the weekend. And rightly so. But I also think Black people are justified in reacting to the deaths of so many of our Black males, young and old, like Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Simply put we are fed up!!! The police showed their disdain for the Mayor of New York by turning their backs on him because he had the audacity to tell his son to be aware of the police in his goings about. But the reality is that he could be stopped by police at any time, Mayor’s son or not, and the results could be the same. How the police and grand juries are insensitive to the many Black men the police have executed, seems to be if I might borrow a phrase from a song, “well with their soul.” It’s almost like the grand juries across this country are daring the Black community to react. Just last week a Black man’s death in Milwaukee was declared justified, death after death, men being killed with their hands behind their backs, being mysteri-
ously found hung in their cells, a kid playing with a gun shot multiple times . . . and it goes on and on and on. They want to point out the actions of the lone man in New York that killed the police officers by saying he was mentally ill. And I am sure he was, there are more mentally ill people on the streets, those identified as such and those unidentified, that are sick and tired that there is no recourse for police killing Black boys and men and getting away with it. Someone needs to step in and right the ship that has run aground. It will only get worse if nothing is done. Elijah Bell
How can the poor feed an animal too? Dear Editor: Around the holidays, many well-meaning people contribute to hunger-relief charities like Heifer International, which sends cows, goats, and other farmed animals to poor people in India and other developing nations. These programs often do more harm than good, and many people in India have even said that they don’t want the animals, who have
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
been thrust upon them. Animals are expensive; they require veterinary care, shelter, food, and water. Cows, for example, cost between 120 and 150 rupees a day in feed—more than twice the minimum wage in India. It’s more economical and efficient for people to directly eat the grains and drink the water that (Continued on page 17)
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CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:43 AM Page 5
COMMENTARY
President Putin – It is the Economy Beyond the Rhetoric By Harry C. Alford NNPA Columnist Russia’s President Vladimir Putin with all of his arrogance and bravado has really gotten his nation into a serious conundrum. Putin believes he is the ideal leader for the world much less the European/Asian nation. He has been named “Man of the Year” consecutively for the last 15 years. Of course, that is rigged but it lets you know just how big his ego is and how corrupt he can make things. Russia is considered an economic power based on its military strength and raw material potential. The term potential is very important. There is definitely a void in the leadership of this nation since the first term of Putin. His corrupt cronies and other rascals started exploiting a lax prosecution process and raiding precious financial pillars for personal gain. Quite a few billionaires popped up since the ascension of power of this very confusing man. Like the United States a president only gets two consecutive terms. Putin got around that by setting up his loyal friend, Dmitry Medvedev, to follow in his place after the first two terms. Medvedev was simply
Harry C. Alford “filler” holding down the office and the nation until Vladimir could legally step back in for a new two term run. In essence, Russia has returned to a dictator state. Not one nation in the entire world or the United Nations questioned this activity. The most embarrassing thing for the United States is that President Putin appears to have no respect or positive impression of President Obama whatsoever. He is like a school yard bully and our president is like a punk refusing to deal with this wild, out of control and old
style despot. The epitome came when this ego tripping bad boy decided that he was going to show the world just how tough is he. He invaded the Ukraine and stripped this sovereign nation of 40 percent of its land – Crimea. He did it despite all of the verbal protests and outrage from the entire world. He knew that the United Nations could never get around Russia’s veto if any formal action was taken by that body. The most confident thing he had going was that President Barack Obama has proven himself to be very, very timid when it came to physical showdowns with belligerent nations. He could not get up enough courage to “slap” Syria’s President Bashar Assad when he crossed Obama’s “Line in the Sand” by bombing his own people with chemical weapons. Russia has been losing its grip on its neighboring nations compared to the days of the old Soviet Union. Putin wanted to restore such “prestige” which was actually feared among the neighboring satellites which is composed of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. He wanted to return to the days of Soviet Dictator Joseph Stalin. All of the member states of the Soviet Empire feared Stalin tremendously and it
was that which Putin felt was missing from his “swagger.” Based on President’s Obama timidity concerning the Syrian crisis he decided to make his move. He set up a scheme which peeled off the Crimea region from the government of the Ukraine and sent his troops (disguised as rebels) into the Ukraine. This was an act of total aggression and, in fact, war. The world was shocked and held many meetings of protest. But Putin, who can read a weak soul like it was a wet rag, knew he was going to win this show. There was just one thing the bully Putin didn’t put into the scenario. What if the free world decided to put economic sanctions on Russia until he withdrew the aggression against the Ukraine? He probably thought they were too afraid to do that just like those during Stalin’s days. That would be consistent with how his nation has fortified its economic system. Somehow, he believes that because Russia is self-sufficient in oil and gas he can use that advantage to miss with any neighboring nation that was dependent on access to that energy at a reasonable price. He never saw it coming! It did not dawn on him how proficient the
United States has become in energy production. Our oil supplies and gas reserves thanks to new technology such as “Fracking” and other 21st century technology has made the United States, his rival, the energy king of the world. Within a very short period, we, his rival, has been able to manipulate the price of energy to all-time lows. That doesn’t hurt us. In fact, our industries prosper from the low cost of energy. Conversely, Russia is totally dependent on having the advantage of energy supply to the point they dictate the price and gather in the profits. Putin’s customers are now coming to us and other oil producers. Russia is on the verge of becoming rather broke. The sanctions are having their toll as the “want to be old school” communist nation has entered into a recession and it is apparent that a depression will hit Putin’s fiefdom in the short term. Just like the old Soviet Union, he never thought that capitalism meant that much. President Obama has whipped him! Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
After Cuba, Hope Rises in Palestine and the Western Sahara By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist The loudest shouting after the announcement of a thaw in the U.S.-Cuba icy relationship may not have been in Havana or Washington, but in Ramallah, the de facto capital of the Palestinians in the West Bank about 10 miles north of Jerusalem and among the Sahrawis exiled in Morocco, Mauritania and five refugee camps near the city of Tindouf in southwestern Algeria. Of the two struggles, the Palestinian plight is the better known. Joel Beinin and Lisa Hajjar, writing for the Middle East Research and Information Project, observed: “Jewish claims to this land are based on the biblical promise to Abraham and his descendants, on the fact that the land was the historical site of the ancient Jewish kingdoms of Israel and Judea, and on Jews’ need for a haven from European anti-Semitism. “Palestinian Arab claims to the land are based on their continuous residence in the country for hundreds of years and the fact that they represented the demographic majority until 1948. They reject the notion that a biblical-era kingdom constitutes the basis for a valid modern claim. If Arabs engage the biblical argument at all, they maintain that since Abraham’s son Ishmael is the forefather www.chicagocrusader.com
of the Arabs, then God’s promise of the land to the children of Abraham includes Arabs as well. They do not believe that they should forfeit their land to compensate Jews for Europe’s crimes against Jews.” The already tense situation has worsened with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressing for a new law that would declare Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people. He said, “The state of Israel provides full equal rights, individual rights, to all its citizens, but it is the nation state of one people only – the Jewish people – and of no other people. And therefore, in order to bolster the status of the state of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, I intend to submit a basic law that will anchor this status.” Israel has decided to dissolve the Knesset and hold new elections on March 17. For the past 41 years, there has been a major dispute over who should control the Western Sahara, land that has been annexed by Morocco. Like Cuba, the Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony. The U.S. State Department notes: “Morocco claims the Western Sahara territory and administers Moroccan law through Moroccan institutions in the estimated 85 percent of the territory it controls.
George E. Curry The Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario), an organization that has sought independence for the former Spanish territory since 1973, disputes Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over the territory. There has been no census since the Spanish left the territory… “In 1988 Morocco and the Polisario agreed to settle the sovereignty dispute by referendum. The parties did not resolve disagreements over voter eligibility and which options for self-determination (integration, indepen-
dence, or something in between) should be on the ballot; consequently, a referendum has not taken place. “Since 2007 there have been various attempts to broker a solution in face-to-face negotiations between representatives of the two sides under UN auspices, most recently facilitated by the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy for the Western Sahara, Christopher Ross. Morocco has proposed autonomy for the territory within the kingdom; the Polisario has proposed a referendum in which full independence would be an option. During a ninth round of informal talks held March 11-13 [2013] in Manhassett, New York, each side maintained its position, as in previous rounds, unwilling to enter into negotiation.” Sahrawis, the indigenous population, are living in Morocco and neighboring Algeria and Mauritania. Under the sponsorship of both the Moroccan government and the opposing POLISARIO authority, I have seen both sides of the Western Sahara dispute up close. I have visited the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune in the Western Sahara, where Morocco controls 85 percent of the land. I returned to the U.S. Sunday after spending a week in Algeria, including several nights in the home of a family in the Boujdour Re-
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
fugee Camp near Tindouf. In November, I spent two weeks in Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of an African American delegation sponsored by the Interfaith Peace-Builders. There are some interesting parallels between the struggles of the Palestinians and the Sahrawis, both of whom are in a fight to regain their native land. Borrowing a page from Israel, Morocco erected a berm, a sand wall, to separate most of the Western Sahara from the remainding land controlled by POLISARIO. I will be writing two separate series on the Western Sahara dispute and the Palestinian issue for the NNPA News Service in coming weeks. In the meantime, hope abounds among the Palestinians and Sahrawis that after a diplomatic breakthrough with Cuba, the U.S. will turn its attention toward their plight. George E. Curry, former editorin-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.
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COMMENTARY
THE KWANZAA SEASON AND ECONOMICS zaa and the 45th year of its celebration in Chicago. Kwanzaa was created to introduce African people in America to new values. Kwanzaa is a seven day celebration that is held from December 26 to January 1. These new values are called the Nguzo Saba or the seven principles of Blackness, “if practiced would give them (us) a set of priorities and commitments which would enhance their (our) human possibilities and lead to their (our) liberation and a higher level of human life.” The United States economy is suffering from the white supremacy arrogance of centuries of brutal exploitation of the world’s resources and its people. This era of United States history demands that African people in America place a greater degree of emphasis on our collective economic salvation. Once again, the old Dr. Conrad Worrill truth that “Black people are the last Kwanzaa is an African in America hired and the first fired,” is surfacing celebration based on African agricul- itself throughout the major employtural/harvest celebrations and collec- ment centers in this country. Given this economic crisis, the tive principles which contribute to the unity and development our Kwanzaa season helps us place the community in the United States. question of economics on the agenThis is the 48th anniversary of Kwan- da of our struggle. The eradication
(Dr. Conrad Worrill, Chairman Emeritus of the National Black United Front (NBUF) located at 1809 East 71st Street, Suite 211, Chicago, Illinois, 60649, 773-4930900, Fax# 773-493-9819, E-mail: nbufchic@sbcglobal.net, Web site: nbufront.org)
of our economic slave condition must continue to be a major challenge as we enter the twenty-firstcentury. It cannot be stated enough that we are far too dependent on Europeans and Asians for our food, clothing and shelter. The principle we commemorate during the Kwanzaa season that speaks to this issue is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics). This principle encourages African people in America “to build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.” On the fourth day of Kwanzaa, Wednesday, December 29th, this principle is celebrated. In this regard, it is important, once again, to state Malcolm X’s economic philosophy of Black nationalism. Malcolm said: “We must be re-educated to the importance of controlling the economy in which we live by owning and operating the business in the community we live in and developing some industry that will employ our people so we won’t have to boycott and picket other people in other communities to get a job. We must understand the importance of
spending money in the community in which we live.” Malcolm went on to say that, “The neighborhoods in which you spend your money become richer and richer and the neighborhoods in which the money is taken out of becomes poorer and poorer. This creates slums- all the wealth leaves.” Finally, speaking on the topic of economic philosophy of Black nationalism, Malcolm continues by pointing out: “Even when we try to spend money in our own community we don’t. Business is controlled by outsiders who don’t live in the community because we don’t know the importance of owning and operating businesses ourselves. So money leaves the community in a basket at sundown. We must control our own economy.” One important activity African American people should practice during the Kwanzaa season is doing business with each other, thus continuing this practice throughout the year. In next to the final chapter of Dr. Chancellor Williams classic book, The Destruction of Black Civilization, he addresses the issue of “Or-
ganizing A Race For Action.” Dr. Williams explains that this organizing for racial action should have as a major component, “The Division of Economic Planning and Development.” He explains that: “The Division of Economic Planning and Development should be the foundation of the organized efforts and a principal source of support and promotion of the most important activities of the whole race. A guiding principle should be that all promoted community enterprises shall be cooperatively owned and controlled by the people of the community and that each enterprise be highly trained management and competent service personnel.” In this connection, Dr. Williams makes this observation: “The second great understanding should be that economic activities are so fundamental in any truly upward movement, so clearly indispensable at this stage in history, that it should be unnecessary to state it even.” If we are ever to become a free and independent people, we must organize the race for action.
Blackness And Poverty Are Not The Same Thing By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist African Americans are overrepresented among the poor, but it would be a mistake to conclude that all African Americans are poor. We are all aware of the seven, eight, and even nine figure incomes of luminaries like Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé and Jay Z, hundreds of athletes, tech leaders, and many others who are “living large.” It is equally important, though, to acknowledge those African Americans who, while not wealthy, are earning more than simple survival wages. While African American families have a median income of about $33,000, white families have a median income of about $54,000. With median wealth of $113,000, the average white family has wealth at 20 times that of African Americans, or about $5,700. Several historical and contemporary factors contribute to these income and earnings gaps. African Americans have less education, higher unemployment, less intergenerational wealth, less spatial access to employment opportunities, among other things. While there has been significant progress since the pas6
sage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, from an economic perspective some gaps are widening instead of narrowing. Still, it is important to note that more than a third of all African Americans have incomes of more than $50,000 a year. These incomes would be considered, by some sources, middle class incomes. Fewer African Americans than whites have these relatively comfortable incomes, but too many conversations about race and economic status proceed as if all African Americans are either poor or, as in the case of our superstars, extremely wealthy. Those African Americans who have comfortable incomes are often overlooked from the policy perspective. Also, too many are simply silent. One of the reasons this is a relevant topic during this time of the year that ‘tis the season to be giving. If your mailbox looks anything like mine, it is chock full with requests to contribute to a myriad of causes. Some are causes I’ve given to before. Others suggest that the sender has done absolutely no research on me. Contributions for dogs? Please. It would be politically incorrect to
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Dr. Julianne Malveaux suggest that my position on dogs is that they should not be allowed to populate the earth. The United Negro College Fund? Worthy, but I’d rather give my money to individual colleges for scholarships. I also believe every African American who did not go to an HBCU needs to adopt one. The Rainbow /PUSH Coalitions, the NAACP and the Urban League? Absolutely. These organizations are fighting for our rights and they deserve to be supported. Our sororities, fraternities, or alma maters? Of course, but only when they “do
the right thing.” African Americans are generous people. We are most likely to give to our churches, but are also likely to give to education, to social service organizations, and to civil rights organizations. While the amounts of giving may be lower, the percentage of those giving is comparable, or even higher, than the giving among others. We must be strategic with our giving. It makes more sense to target two or three organizations or causes that are important to us than to send a few dollars to a series of causes. If we are affiliated with an organization as a board member, that organization should be one of the top three organizations we give to. It doesn’t matter how much we give, though. It matters that we give. End of the year solicitations come at such a pace because, for some dedications are tax-deductible and the end of the year is a great time to calculate the tax you will owe and the fact that giving money to charitable organizations may reduce tax liability. At the same time, all giving will not be tax deductible. If we don’t support our politicians, their efforts are weakened, and now that Con-
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
gress has increased the amount of money that the wealthy can give to political action committees, those with more modest incomes must support the politicians that support us. When African Americans are offered the opportunity to give, too many of us say we don’t have the disposable income to contribute. Our forefathers and mothers gave, frying chickens and baking cakes to support our churches and our historically Black colleges. Can we do less? All Black people are not poor, and we ought not behave as if we are. We can afford to tithe to our churches, and we can afford to give to our institutions. If we don’t support ourselves, who will? Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, D.C.
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CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:43 AM Page 7
GOSSIPTARY
By Ima Gontellit EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is published as political satire, street gossip and humor, and therefore should not be considered as fact but rather as matter of opinion. None of the items therein are collected by the news gathering staff of the Crusader Newspaper Group. Items forwarded to The Chatterbox are kept confidential unless otherwise requested by the author in writing. For submissions please forward to: AChicagoCrusader@aol.com. Original photography and artwork are permitted. Thank you for reading!
enough and decided she could do better. So she hired a Republican hack to run her failing campaign as Sandi Jackson’s former chief of staff continues to act more like the real alderman than Natasha Holmes, who appears clueless and a little afraid. The 16th Ward may also be heating up with allegations of ‘wrong doing’ flying back and forth between supporters of the
dy with a gold filing on her front tooth. “We know Ed Smith is behind all of this. We’re sick of him too—though I’d take him back over that Ervin boy.” -ImaTINY PIROUETTES We hear Mayor Emanuel is happy than a you know what in a CC Factory. Why? Because his two main challengers seem to be running more against each other than against his mean ole’ self. Alderman Without A Ward and the Commissioner Nobody Knows looks lak dey is cancelling each other out as they continue to pop up right behind each other de-
Emma Mitts BLIND ITEM MAILBAG The son of a Chicago celebrity showed up with a “fat lip” after claiming he was robbed and beat up about two steps away from a security detail that was assigned to protect Momma and Daddy. The people in the know are suggesting the boy may have gotten smacked across the face for mouthing off in de crib. After the “ghost bandits” took off with the celebrity kid’s merchandise, apparently the security detail must have been on break, because nobody gave chase or called the Ghostbusters. Signed (The Eyes That See) -ImaSOUTH SIDE FOLLIES Look for some mess going on in South Shore as two group of Negroes battle each other, cuss each other out, and pretend they want to be the next alderman of the 7th Ward. One of the people is the Country Preacher’s Bodyguard and the other is the former supporter of the other but decided the bodyguard wasn’t smart
Sandi Jackson www.chicagocrusader.com
David Moore former cop and the former gangpeace contender. And in the 17th Ward we hear the white priest with the Black accent is a little worried that former Latasha Thomas employee David Moore will beat his hand-picked former Latasha Thomas employee Glenda Franklin. Yet, another handpicked politician by the priest is keeping out of it. We hear State Senator Jackie Collins will not only stay out of the ward race, but has been allegedly ordered to stay out of the mayor’s race too— though she was supposedly leaning toward that Garcia man.
scared of the older Stamps and maybe they should be scared of her daughter too, who also has no problem “busting you out,” said one man with a backward baseball cap on. “Old folks like Emma Mitts, ‘cause she old too.” Last, but not least is the 28th Ward where people getting kicked off the ballot so fast, you think the seat of they pants is on fire. Not to be outdone by newcomers, Ald. Jason “Striptease” Ervin is using every trick in the book to beat back his challengers including “making up stuff” and “having his people challenge petitions when ain’t nothing wrong,” said one la-
nouncing anything dey think will make De Negro population of Chicago stay mad at De Tiny Emperor. And while the City Hall Grinch looks lak he ain’t fazed at all, he sho’ is running some strange campaign commercials where a bald-headed Black girl credits him for raising the minimum wage, when that ain’t become law no where in de town. The other bizarre commercial had his City College employee tout how he helped her raise the graduation rates from a whopping 1.1 percent to a possible 2.2. percent since he’s been mayor. That both of them gals is dark skin, and one is damn near night, people is saying it appears Rahm is targeting “ignorant Black women” who “think the white man is better than cold ice,” said one old critic riding the PACE bus. “How them gals can hold they nose and go on TV and say that (curseword) is confusing. But I guess you can always find “one” to do anything. -ImaSPEAKING OF THE MEXICAN Jesus (HAY-ZEUS not GEEZUS) Garcia has served on the Cook County Board for a while
Rahm Emanuel
(Continued on page 17)
-ImaWEST SIDE FOLLIES All eyes be on three West Side wards where folks is claiming the election ain’t even underway and foolishness has already kicked in. In the 29th Ward, people are claiming there’s some “conflicts of interest” with Deborah Graham’s office, as some of her former supporters work in not-sosecret unison to unseat her. Chief complaint is the mystery money they claim the scary-eyed alderlady is getting from De Tiny Emperor as well as the mystery money being pumped in the ward in “a strange way” by a labor union. Next up is the 37th Ward where Emma “Country Kitchen” Mitts is going face to face with a few people including the big mouth daughter of the late big mouth activist Marian Stamps. Senior citizens are claiming they were
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
THE JOFFREY BALLET PERFORMS THE NUTCRACKER: The Joffrey Ballet’s annual performance of The Nutcracker, accompanied by the Chicago Philharmonic, run through Sunday, December 28, at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy, Chicago (between Michigan and Wabash Avenues). It has been a Chicago tradition since the 1980s. Experience Tchaikovsky’s classic score and the spectacle of this classic holiday ballet. Joining the Joffrey onstage are local children’s choruses and nearly 120 young dancers from the Chicago area and beyond. For more information, call 312-9222110, 312-386-8905, or visit http://joffrey.org. EXPERIENCE THE GREAT WAR THROUGH THE EYES OF CHICAGOANS: The Newberry commemorates 100th anniversary of WWI with dramatic exhibits. This series of free related public programs will run through Saturday, January 3, 2015 at the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, Chicago, IL 60610. Visitors are invited to step back 100 years and experience what Chicagoans of 1914 were feeling as the world went to war at Chicago, Europe, and the Great War, a thought-provoking new exhibit at the Newberry. Drawing on the Newberry’s collection to present striking wartime propaganda posters, news reporting and editorial cartoons, and a number of never-before-seen photographs, the exhibit walks guests through the wartime emotions and motivations fueling Chicago residents and underscores the city’s deep ties to the battlefields of Europe. Highlights include: photographs taken by soldiers in the streets of France, a Red Cross nurse’s letters from the trenches, a French child’s drawing depicting the close bond formed between countries, and a typewriter used by a Chicago Daily News reporter to share harrowing tales from the front lines. An accompanying exhibit continues the story of American involvement in WWI, taking as its subject the massive volunteer effort undertaken by Anne Morgan, daughter of financier J.P. Morgan and tireless leader of the American Committee for Devastated France. American Women Rebuilding France, 1917-1924, curated by the Franco-American Museum at the Château de Blérancourt, showcases an array of photographs—along with rare footage of a film—Morgan commissioned to document the work of her hundreds of volunteers. These women left comfortable lives in the U.S. to provide humanitarian service and rebuild a war-torn France during and after the conflict. Both exhibitions reinforce the scale of the “Great War” and the various ways in which it was experienced by Americans on 8
both sides of the Atlantic. The cost to attend is free. CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD AND HOLIDAYS OF LIGHT! The 73rd annual Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light is ONGOING at the Museum of Science and Industry through January 4, 2015. This exhibit began as a United Nations Day salute to the Allies during World War II. Now the exhibit has grown into a forest of heartwarming trees and homemade displays. Across the Museum’s Main Floor, guests will enjoy more than 50 trees and displays beautifully decorated by volunteers from Chicago’s ethnic communities representing their diverse culture and holiday customs. In the Rotunda, MSI’s 45-foot Grand Tree will be decked out with more than 30,000 twinkling lights and hundreds of ornaments and festive trimmings. A mix of festive holiday tunes play throughout the Rotunda; “snow” falls every half hour; and on the weekends and select weekdays, guests can enjoy performances of various ethnic dance and choral groups on the Holiday Stage. Regular Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., but extended hours (until 5:30 p.m.) is offered December 26 through December 30. The Museum is closed on Christmas. The Museum of Science and Industry is located at 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive. For more information, please visit msichicago.org. ADLER PLANETARIUM EXHIBITS: Destination Solar System: In Chicago for the holidays? Transport your family to the most spectacular places in the Universe for an immersive tour of the Solar System. The Adler Planetarium’s new show, Destination Solar System, takes you to the hottest hot spots and the coldest, stormiest sights imaginable! Celebrate the holidays at the Adler through January 4. Also, the following are ONGOING at the Adler - Our Solar System - In the Adler’s exhibition, visitors can experience the solar system in a whole new way. The gallery incorporates technology and interactive exhibits to bring to life the fascinating stories of the solar system. Visitors can touch actual pieces of the solar system— Mars, the moon and the asteroids Ceres and Vesta. Visitors can get an up-close look at a model of the “Opportunity” Mars Rover and check out updates on current NASA missions. Planet Explorers - 3-2-1…Blast off! Get ready for the ultimate planetary play date. The Adler’s permanent exhibition Planet Explorers allows families with young children to take the helm in this modern-day space adventure. Children will enter a world where they can play and learn what it takes to be part of a mission to
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
CHICAGO ENTREPRENEUR ZONDRA HUGHES is the 2nd place winner of Cricket Community Stars: Salute to Solopreneurs contest. The contest recognizes solo entrepreneurs who make it a priority to provide positive contributions to the community. Hughes (center), who is the founder of Six Brown Chicks, is joined by some of her supporters in the photo during the in-store celebration that was hosted on Small Business Saturday. The second place prize package includes $2,500, six months of complementary service from Cricket, and a Samsung Galaxy S© 5 courtesy of Samsung Telecommunications America. outer space. They will become scientists, astronauts and space explorers. Imagine studying the moon from your own backyard with your very own telescope. Be a Mission Control Specialist guiding the next rocket flight into space or climb a gantry like a real astronaut. In the space station, learn how to operate the robotic arm to do important tasks and take a very special walk into space. Drive X MOVERS, crawl through and discover secret tunnels, and do cool ex-
periments in the Planet X Research Station. Free with general admission. Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass - The most comprehensive exhibition of its kind to date, Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass presents the technology used to gather information about our Universe. From the earliest telescopes used by Galileo 400 years ago, to the Hubble Space Telescope and into the future with leading-edge technologies, the exhibition shows how these amazing
instruments have changed our concepts of the Universe and our place in it. Featuring some of the world’s most important telescopes and one-of-akind hands-on interactive, the exhibition will explore the extraordinary beauty and technology of these amazing instruments and the objects they discover. The Adler Planetarium is located at 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. For more information, call 312-922-7827 or visit www.adlerplanetarium.org.
Extended Coverage Thanks to today’s electronic connections, more people are able to run a small business from home. But it’s still a business and deserves appropriate insurance protection. *** Your homeowner’s or renter’s policy will offer some protection, but not enough—especially if your loss occurs away from home. A wiser choice is usually an inhome business policy. *** The incidental business occupancies endorsement adds really important coverages, such as liability for bodily injury (did a client fall down your steps?), property damage from business-related activities, and business income interruption coverage. *** Such an endorsement to your homeowner’s policy also increases the limits for coverage of your business property on or off premises and money and securities. *** This coverage is not particularly expensive in most cases and is de-
ductible as a business expense. *** Happy holidays from all from your friends at the Community Insurance Center, Inc., 526 E. 87th Street, your insurance headquarters. We have been serving the community since 1962. For more information about the services we provide, call (773) 651-6200. You can also reach us via email at: sales@commuCRUSADERS WORD DOC nityinsurance.com or visit the webMilton E. Moses site at www.communityins.com.
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CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 9
BUSINESS
CFPB Tackles Medical Debt Affecting 43 Million Consumers By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist Anyone who has been to an emergency room, out-patient clinic or undergone a series of medical tests knows how it feels to receive confusing bills from providers you never knew were treating you. The effects of so many bills and their high costs can almost make a person sick a second time – just from learning how much their medical care costs. Each year, 43 million Americans have unpaid medical debt that adversely affects their credit, says the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Nationwide, one out of every five credit reports show overdue medical debt and accounted for 52 percent of all debt appearing on credit reports. Over the past year, the number of debt collection complaints CFPB received surpassed those of both mortgages and credit cards. Beyond confusing bills, CFPB learned through investigating these complaints that two frequently-cited concerns were the lack of standard practices and deliberate failure to notify consumers that detrimental entries were added to the personal credit reports.
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The varying amount of time that medical providers allot before turning accounts over to collections agencies can be as short as 30 days after billing to as long as 180 days. In other cases, some debt collectors bypass directly informing consumers of an alleged delinquency and instead file derogatory comments with credit bureaus. The CFPB also found that almost one in four consumers filing medical debt complaints claimed that the debts were not their own. These consumers were more than twice as likely to allege that the ‘debt was paid’ compared to other types of debt collection concerns. A second widely claimed position of complainants was that the collector was seeking the wrong amount. These two types of complaints the wrong amount owed and the debt being owed by someone else – together illustrate how the lack of uniform standards in medical collection negatively impacts consumers. These and other related reasons prompted CFPB to convene a public hearing on medical debt on December 11. Held at Oklahoma City University’s Kerr-McGee Au-
Charlene Crowell ditorium, Richard Cordray, CFPB Director, opened the session saying, “It’s hard for consumers to navigate the medical debt maze and come out with a clean credit report on the other side. Getting medical care should not make your
credit report sick.” Lisa Stifler, a policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending, testified at the hearing, citing even more concerns. “Debts are often sold with limited and inaccurate or incomplete information about the consumers and the debts,” said Stifler. “This, along with the collection tactics used, results in people being harassed and wrongly pursued for debts they do not owe, have already paid, or are too old to be the subject of a lawsuit.” “Debt buyers are also increasingly operating as lawsuit factories clogging the courts to collect on the debts they purchase, often resulting in garnished wages and other financial harms,” continued Stifler. She also noted how the sale of credit card debt has dropped in recent years with debt buyers now looking to other forms of debt to purchase, including medical debt. To effectively remedy the growing medical debt issue, CFPB announced a series of steps it will take to ensure accuracy of data in credit reports. Both creditors and credit bureaus will be required to regularly provide CFPB with accuracy reports. Some of the key metrics will include:
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
• The volume of information and total number of disputes on the top industries reported; • Identification of the creditors furnishing the largest number of consumer disputes; and • A record of the efforts taken by reporting agencies to investigate problems and relevant actions. For consumers, CFPB released tips on how to deal with medical debt both before and after it reaches credit reports. Citing a quote by William Osler, considered by many as a father of modern medicine, “Soap and water and common sense are the best disinfectants,” Director Cordray added a promising footnote, ”We can and we will make it a point to apply more common sense to improve life for consumers.” Charlene Crowell is a Communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.
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EDUCATION
Paid programs now open for Chicago teens Applications now open for approximately 7,000 programs for Chicago High School Teens seeking paid Apprenticeship Programs and Internships with After School Matters® After School Matters® is now accepting applications for its Spring program cycle. Programs in the arts, communications, science, sports and technology will be offered beginning the week of February 2 at Chicago public high schools, Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Library and community-based organization locations across the city. In total, approximately 7,000 paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities in more than 300 programs will be available to Chicago high school teens this spring through After School Matters. Spring pro-
hour. “After School Matters is dedicated to helping Chicago youth reach their potential by providing a diverse range of programs that appeal to the various interests and passions of our teens,” said Mary Ellen Caron, chief executive officer of After School Matters. “Our devoted instructors, enthusiastic teens and creative program offerings cultivate a positive and educational opportunity for teens to grow and learn, all while having fun in a safe environment.” After School Matters unique programs offer teens an opportunity to explore and develop their talents, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond. Multiple independent studies and recent data have confirmed that teens who participate in After School Matters programs have fewer course failures, improved attendance and higher high school graduation rates.
ONE OF THE art programs offered throughout the city this spring includes the Glass Mosaic Project in the Loop. Teens in this program will create a public art memorial honoring former Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley.
Mt. Carmel Advent Action Program Gives Back
SOME OF THE innovative programs offered include digital music in a BeatLAB, business building, fitness, aquatic rescue, music video production, journalism, video game programming, and science research methodology. These students learned the technology behind radio controlled cars. for internships) and who are entering or currently enrolled in high school. Teens who have been in After School Matters for three or more sessions will be given priority consideration for internships. As part of the application process, teens interview with program instructors to discuss and present their skills and interests. Chicago teens are encouraged to apply early, as program opportunities fill up quickly. For questions about programs and applications, call 312-742-4182 or email inSTUDENTS EXPERIENCE A diverse range of programs de- fo@afterschoolmatters.org. pending on their interests. This student chose to explore the culinary arts while earning a stipend. For more information about After A few of the innovative programs School Matters and to apply for grams will meet approximately three days a week for three hours per day offered throughout the city this Spring programs, visit www.afterschoolmatters.org. Follow After over the course of 10 weeks. This spring include: Teens can search and apply for School Matters on Twitter at @afspring, participating teens will be eligible to earn a stipend of between Spring programs online at www.after- trschoolmttrs, on Facebook at face$275 and $425 (depending on the schoolmatters.org. All After School book.com/afterschoolmatters, on program level), more than double Matters programs are free and open to YouTube at youtube.com/aftrschoolthe previous School Year stipend Chicago teen residents who are at mttrs, and on Instagram at Afteramount. Interns can earn $8.25 per least 14 years of age (16 years of age SchoolMatters. 10
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
Mount Carmel students collected 3,500 cans of food and more than 1,100 new toys during the school’s annual Advent Action program, a school tradition to help those less fortunate by collecting canned foods, donating toys, and giving extra to the mission collection during the holiday season. “Men of Carmel have been participating in Advent Action for more than 15 years,” said Mount Carmel President Fr. Tony Mazurkiewicz. “Every year students go above and beyond the call by donating more than is asked.” The canned food was delivered
to the Maple-Morgan Park Food Pantry run by Mount Carmel alumnus Matt Taylor ’57. The food pantry is especially in need during the holiday season because of large distributions to patrons during Thanksgiving and Christmas. The students collected 1,100 new toys, which exceeded their goal. The toys are distributed to the Kevin Dowling Foundation, St. Bernard Hospital‘s annual community Christmas party, and the St. Martin De Porres House of Hope, a new foundation on the Advent Action donation list.
MOUNT CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL Students delivered more than 900 toys to St. Bernard Hospital during Advent Action, a tradition of service and giving at Mount Carmel for over 15 years. From left (kneeling): Thomas Dillon (LaGrange Park, IL), Cullen Walsh (Beverly, Chicago), Alex Correa (Oak Lawn, IL), Grant Peebles (Beverly, Chicago). From left (standing): Joseph Malkowski (Hegewisch, IL), Joe Conroy (Morgan Park, Chicago), Roberto Delreal Jr. (South Deering, Chicago), Sean Farrell (Oak Forest, IL), Thomas Doyle (Beverly, Chicago), Dr. Marie Muscadin of St. Bernard Hospital, Gilbert Tyson Jr. (South Holland, IL), David Tabb (South Chatham, Chicago), Scott Sortal (teacher and service club moderator).
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
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CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 12
ENTERTAINMENT
By Elaine Hegwood Bowen, MSJ By Raymond Ward MONEY MAKER: Michael Bublé has much to celebrate this holiday season. The multi-Grammy award winning singer, songwriter and global entertainer will be completing the 157th performance of his phenomenally successful sold-out world tour this week in London and just last week he hosted his 4th Annual Christmas Special, “Christmas in New York with Michael Bublé” featuring the legendary Barbra Streisand, Miss Piggy and Ariana Grande, aired on NBC-TV. Add to this his “Christmas” album which has sold over 9 1/2 million copies worldwide is back on the charts for the 4th consecutive year. In 2014, the “To Be Loved Tour” sold 992, 637 tickets with a box office gross of 106 million dollars (YES, 106 MILLION
DOLLARS). In the United Kingdom alone Bublé performed 18 sold-out shows, 31 in Europe, 12 in Canada and several in Mexico, South America, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Bublé’s Christmas album has just been certified “diamond” in his native Canada - the first record to do so since Adele’s “21” album. “Christmas” is currently the Number 1 album in Australia for the 4th consecutive year - an unprecedented achievement in that country. In the United States, the Christmas CD has remained in the Top Ten for the last several weeks, was certified triple platinum and has sold over 3.5 million copies since its release four years ago. SEASON’S GREETINGS and WISHES FOR A VERY SPECIAL NEW YEAR To All The Readers, Subscribers, and Supporters of THE CHICAGO CRUSADER Black Eyed Peas For Everyone! Raymond Ward December 2014 12
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
New funky artwork repurposes long forgotten South Side properties I have been to a couple of 3Arts awards presentations, where the organization annually recognizes 10 Chicago artists working in the performing, teaching and visual arts by giving them a grant of $25,000, with no strings attached. The awards support women artists, artists of color and artists with disabilities. However, I had not seen any of the artists’ work outside of the presentation other than local Chicago song stylist Dee Alexander, who was a 2012 3Arts Award recipient in the music category. Now, I have become acquainted with the work of Cornell University graduate Amanda Williams, who is the Stan Lipkin & Evelyn Appell Lipkin Art awardee, and her work is simply fascinating! She is using the funds from her recent award to paint abandoned homes in the Washington Park and Englewood neighborhoods. This project
Amanda Williams particular shared Black existence— Pink Oil Moisturizer being used by the women in your home or at a salon; the green of the Newport 100’s being sold as ‘Loose Squares’ on the corner and the distinct yellow of the Safe Passage signs that
PINK OIL MOISTURIZER house proudly represents work of Williams in Englewood. involves her using African-American cultural signifiers. At one house, she has used a vibrant color of pink to bring attention to her unique work. If you are wondering just what an African-American cultural signifier is, then Williams is happy to explain. “The signifiers are those elements or objects that are intangible representations of a specific experience. They aren’t symbols but instead something that helps you make an association,” Williams said. “In the case of this project, they are colors that one can immediately assign/connect to things that are a part of a
now relentlessly dot the streets/sidewalks of predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods.” She added that this is not an exhaustive list and doesn’t entirely describe what it means to be Black. However, the colors are definitely recognizable. “I am interested in places or things that can be abstracted into distinct color associations that instantly resonate with people who are part of that lived experience.” Williams has had an easy time painting the homes, even though neighbors are still present on the blocks in which the homes are situated. She recalled the actions of Kerry James Marshall, who is one of her favorite artists. “He [Marshall] once urged a group of artists to ‘show up like you belong.’ He was specifically speaking about the kind of attitude that is necessary when you are trying to assert yourself into a contemporary art community that has no expectation that you should be included,” she said. “I have taken those words to heart whenever I make art or think about the kind of artist I want to be.” She explained further: “When we first started doing this project, attitude was everything. We arrived early in the morning, then quietly but respectfully got to work trimming trees and overgrown weeds and cleaning garbage and painting. Those actions conveyed an attitude that I had a right to be doing what I’m doing.” Her work was welcomed, also, (Continued on page 13)
ULTRA SHEEN BLUE looks great on this house on the South Side.
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
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ENTERTAINMENT
Teen Singer Yemi Marie releases new CD just in time for Christmas tainment label. She also co-produced each of the songs, working with noted producers including Morris “Butch” Stewart, Hit Save, Slavic Livins and T.L. Williams.
With abundant talent and determination, teen singer and songwriter Yemi Marie is releasing her new CD – and several singles are already popular on radio playlists. Simply titled Yemi Marie, her second CD showcases the 17-year-old artist’s multiple talents and her growth as a vocalist and lyricist. The catchy, bouncy, popular single “Love Bop” (featuring dance phenon DLow) already is getting airplay. Also on the CD is the selfassured, uplifting anthem “Super Star,” which surely will move listeners to nod their heads. And then there’s the kicky, vibrant, catchy “Shoe Game,” which will inspire you to get up and move your feet. And with a dramatic change of pace, the young singer convincingly belts out “Real Thing,” on which she demonstrates incredible vocal range. Yemi Marie co-wrote each of the 10 songs on the recording, which is released on the Prize Music Enter-
The MLK Project: The Fight For Civil Rights Chicago Children’s Theatre presents Writers Theatre’s The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights January 24-February 6, 2015 as part of its new Later Stages series for kids ages 8 and up. It is a one-woman show written by Yolanda Androzzo and starring Caren Blackmore, The MLK Project that follows a Chicago student’s personal transformation through studying the Civil Rights Movement. Alaya uses her fists as an outlet for anger. But after interviewing local heroes of the Movement she discovers she can put “anger into action” and that her power is in her voice and her hip hop, not violence. By weaving real interviews, poetry, hip hop, history and multi-media projections, The MLK Project tells stories of both celebrated and unsung Chicago-based Civil Rights Activists. Featured are Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles, who was present on the evening Dr. King was killed; poet and artist Dr. Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs, founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History; Reverend Jesse Jackson, longtime fighter for social justice; and Puerto Rican poet and activist David Hernandez. The MLK Project opens Saturday, January 24, 2105 at 6 p.m. There is also an evening performance for family audiences on Saturday, January 31 at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $15. Visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555 to purchase tickets. Weekday matinees continue through February 6, Tuesday through Friday at 10 am and noon. These performances are ideal for school groups, home schoolers, tourists, and groups celebrating Black History Month. Show times vary by day. Please check the schedule at chicagochilwww.chicagocrusader.com
drenstheatre.org or contact Chicago Children’s Theatre Group Sales at (773) 227-0180 x 13 or GroupSales@chicagochildrenstheatre.org. Group tickets start at $10. Chicago Children’s Theatre presents at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago. Via public transit, the Ruth Page is a short walk from the CTA Red Line Clark/Division and Chicago stops, and the Clark, Broadway, Division
and Chicago Avenue bus lines. Street parking is available, and the Ruth Page offers discounted garage parking with ticket validation at 1250 N. Dearborn and 1030 N. State. For more information about Chicago Children’s Theatre visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, call CCT’s dedicated box office line, (872) 222-9555, or the administrative office, (773) 227-0180.
“I’m so excited about the new CD,” says Yemi Marie. “I am thankful for the support of my fans and team, and I truly hope they are pleased with my new music, which features a variety of genres and something for music lovers of all
ages.” Yemi Marie started writing songs when she was a pre-teen and released her first singles when she was just 15 years old. Over the past two years, her catchy songs have gotten airplay on iHeart Radio Network, WGCI-FM, V103-FM, B96-FM, WKKC 89.3-FM, Sirius XM Radio, Power 92-FM, Smokin’99.com, as well as the Comcast Music Choice channel. For the past two years,
(Continued on page 12) because she was placing value on properties that had long been forgotten, either due to foreclosure or just outright abandonment. “Black people have a long history of valuing place, but we’ve been historically and systemically exempted from land ownership and self-determination. Years of fighting institutional racism, power and the politics of space (from 40 acres and a mule to redlining) has made generations of frustration look like apathy. It’s not apathy, it’s fatigue,” she said. “My bigger question is not so much about the residents not valuing the property, but about how the systems that determine economic value—the financial institutions, real estate markets, etc., —can control the conversation about how we equate worth and space. How can the same square foot of land, with similar soil underfoot on North LaSalle and South LaSalle streets be valued so drastically different? What makes a structure relevant? As an architect, one never thinks about the end of the life of something you’ve designed, and I consider my role in not just the beginning moments of a piece of architecture, but also at its end.” Along with Pink Oil Moisturizer, other names that Williams employ
comprise a palette that she calls Colored Theory. “The name ties the color to a whole shared cultural memory and history. It momentarily connects everyone who has that similar experience to that color and by extension connects them to the painted structure. There is a value in that collective moment that I’m trying to tap into with this project,” she said. “These are colors that are uniquely tied to urban space and the Black experience: Harold’s Chicken red; Ultra Sheen blue; Currency Exchange yellow; Safe Passage yellow, etc. I’m interested in studying the effect of applying these colors outside of their original context onto structures that are tied to those urban spaces and experiences.” Williams admits that she is on to something so great that she, herself, hasn’t defined it, yet. But she is committed to this project as a 3Arts awardee. “I don’t understand the full impact yet, so I’m going to keep going until I do,” she said. For more information about the 3Arts organization or Williams, an Auburn-Gresham native, Bronzeville resident and Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology where she teaches Design and Color Theory, visit http://www.3arts.org/artist/amanda-williams/.
The Crusader Newspaper Group
PHOTOS OF ALAYA, played by Caren Blackmore, in scenes from The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights in which she uses a variety of artist and music mediums to tell the Chicago-based Civil Rights story. Photo Credit: Tom McGrath / Promotional Credit: Caren Blackmore
is interested in our readers’ ideas, thoughts and opinions. Whether you’re in Chicago, NorthwestIndiana or any part of the U.S. we encourage you to send a letter to the editor at crusaderil@aol.com. Please limit your letters to 200 words.
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CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 14
ARTS AND CULTURE
CMA’s 2nd annual Southside Do-It-Yourself ‘Messiah’ draws singers from far and near By Barbara Wright-Pryor More than 350 singers and audience members attended Chicago Music Association’s second annual Southside Do-It-Yourself “Messiah” held Tuesday, December 16 at South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive. The beautifully-appointed Paul Robeson Theater was filled with the glorious sounds of George Frederic Händel’s monumental oratorio that chronicles the prophecy of the coming of the Christ child through His birth, ministry, persecution and crucifixion, and ultimate triumph over death. CMA Music Director Charles Thomas Hayes led the choristers from the stage as Maestro Renée Baker conducted the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project Orchestra (CMOP) and soloists from the “orchestra pit” on the floor beneath the stage. Soloists Elizabeth Norman-Sojourner, soprano; Cynthia Clarey, mezzo-soprano; Jeffrey Burish,
tenor; and Brandon Brown, baritone, all making their debuts on Chicago Music Association concerts, delivered their recitatives and arias depicting the advent, birth, death and resurrection of the Christ with sincere expression, clarity of tone, and religious intensity and fervor in re-telling the “greatest story ever told.” CMA’s first South Side Do-ItYourself “Messiah” (DIY Messiah) in December 2013 drew more than 250 singers and audience members to the first event of its kind ever held on the South Side of Chicago. Chicago Music Association was established in March 1919 and is the founding branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. (NANM) in August 1919, an organization whose major objective was to provide performance venues for Black classically-trained musicians who were denied access to major concert halls and opera stages throughout
CHARLES THOMAS HAYES, CMA Music Director and Maestro Renee Baker congratulate one another following a successful performance.
The altos and basses came from a variety of choral organizations. 14
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
the country. The 3rd annual South Side DIY “Messiah” is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15, 2015. Lock
the date on your calendars now and come to the South Side event and join in celebration of song with Chicago’s finest singers. Ad-
mission to CMA’s concerts is always FREE, and secure parking is available at $1.25 per hour in the Cultural Center lots.
THE SOPRANOS AND tenors section singing the DIY Messiah (foreground: Conductor Baker and orchestra)
DO-IT-YOURSELF MESSIAH SOLOISTS (from l. to r.) Jeffrey Burish, tenor; Elixabeth Norman-Sojourner, soprano; Cynthia Clarey, mezzo-soprano; and Brandon Brown, baritone. (Photos/Barry K. Elmore)
CMOP founder/conductor Renée Baker (center) with CMA Executive Secretary Claudette M. Douglas (left), and CMA President Barbara Wright-Pryor. Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
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CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 15
SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING
A Moment to Super Size Your Thinking By Effie Rolfe All of you. This holiday season give yourself the gift of loving all of you—the good, the bad and the ugly. Remember that your reputation does not determine your destination. Why, because you are the sum total of your experiences. There are few people who would not welcome the chance to take a chunk of their life and erase certain chapters into oblivion. The truth is you can never escape your past—it’s like your shadow because it’s always there and you can’t outrun it. Embrace it. What you are experiencing right now is a result of your past thoughts. Your present situation is a result of your past thoughts—even if it was one second ago—it’s still your past. Perhaps what you consider a mistake is what makes you
unique. Actually, those mis-steps are minor in the grand scheme of things but major as they are marks of greatness for your life. Just for the record, God only uses people who make mistakes—who have imperfect past. No one on this earth is perfect—no one is exempt! Everyone encounters dark chapters in their lives whether voluntarily through ignorance or as a victim of circumstance of bad choices. We all are ex- something but if we allow God—He can take your misery and give you a mission. Test will become a testimony and grief can be replaced with grace. Isaiah 61:3 states, “…He will give you a crown of beauty for your ashes” and Psalm 30:11, “You have turned my mourning into dancing…” Plain and simple we have all been tore up from the floor up— straight up, jacked up. But remem-
Effie Rolfe
ber God specializes in things impossible—there is nothing too hard for God including forgiving your past. Let’s revisit some of the most noted bible characters that God used mightily. These men of God had messed up tainted lives. Paul was a serial killer, David was a murderer and adulterer, Moses was a fugitive and Peter lied and denied Jesus Christ. In other words—all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). I believe God allows us to mess up so we don’t boast in our own abilities and works. Trials and challenges of life often make us stronger, better, wiser, thankful and more compassionate people. Your past should not be your autobiography, but rather a reference point. Since, you can’t drive forward looking through the rearview mirror, resist allowing your past to
rob you of your future. It is an active part of who you are—God wants to use all of you. He is looking for ordinary people available for service that will give Him glory. We should be willing vessels to allow His works to shine bright like a diamond in the sky. As we prepare for 2015, don’t look back—you’re not going that way. Instead look forward to a better—bigger and brighter future that is more than you could ever imagine as you make your life print in this world. What’s do you see in your future…? Effie Rolfe is an Author of “Supersize Your Thinking,” Media Personality and Motivational Speaker. You can contact her at effierolfe.com or on twitter.com/effiedrolfe.
The Crusader Gospel Corner Motown Christmas, a collaborative release from Motown Gospel and Motown Records, is a stunning holiday album featuring soulful, inspired interpretations of seasonal classics and a must-have addition to any music collection and will help spread the joy of the season. The power packed project was produced by Aaron Lindsey, Grammy Award winner and Motown Gospel Vice President of A&R, Motown Christmas features mesmerizing duets and flawless solos from an impressive lineup of Grammy
to exceptional sonic effect, the songs boast the soulful, feel-good signature Motown sound with a little heart pulling praise and worship added to the mix. “I’m hoping this album draws people together while reminding us of the reason that we celebrate Christmas, which is because we have a savior,” says Lindsey. “We all love getting gifts, this music is even a gift, but the real gift is from heaven.” Ne-Yo and Tasha Cobbs, marquee artists for Motown and Motown Gospel, respectively, certainly gift listeners with heavenly harmonies on a spare yet powerful rendering of the holiday classic “The Christmas Song.” Anita Wilson’s R&B and jazz infused gospel vocals are the perfect complement to Gre-
mas Time.” With a nod to the historic, soulful, feel-good musical legacy of Motown Records, and a full embrace of the uplifting worship of Gospel music that points to the “reason for the season,” Motown Christmas raises the bar for holiday albums to come. The project is delightful and is available wherever music is sold. *** Also, talented gospel singer/songwriter and musician Jason Nelson released “I Am” the first single from his third album “JESUS REVEALED” this fall on RCA Inspiration. “I Am” is a powerful ballad that showcases the newly appointed bishop’s heart for worship and his dynamic vocal ability. The newly appointed Bishop is not only the twin brother of Stellar Award winner, Jonathan Nelson, but also the Pastor of The Tabernacle at Greater Bethlehem Temple, a thriving ministry in Randallstown, Mary-
Smokie Norful Award winning singers and dynamic signature voices including KEM and Janice Gaines (“Bethlehem”); Ne-Yo and Tasha Cobbs (“The Christmas Song”); Tasha Cobbs (“O Come All Ye Faithful”); Smokie Norful (“O Holy Night”); Gregory Porter and Anita Wilson (“Go Tell It On The Mountain/Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”); and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and Kevin Ross (“It’s Christmas Time”). Under the direction of Lindsey, who recorded with live musicians www.chicagocrusader.com
gory Porter’s warm, earthy tones as the pair delivers an intriguing mashup of the well-known spiritual “Go Tell It On The Mountain” with the timeless Motown hit “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” And the silky smooth vocals of newcomer Kevin Ross add a fresh dose of R&B swagger to the classic crooning of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles on “It’s Christ-
land. His powerful single captures God speaking to his people of His perfect ability and power through Nelson’s voice, which was written by Nelson and long-time music partner, Dana Sorey. The song is burning up the airwaves as well as climbing upwards on the Billboard charts since it’s digital release in July. As a part of this year’s Full Nelson Summit, Jason Nelson recorded his new project “Jesus Revealed” in front of a full capacity audience that included Tasha Cobbs, Jonathan Nelson, Livre and Maurette Brown Clark at The Mt. Olive Freewill Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD. With a guest feature by “Sunday Best” winner and Fo Yo Soul recordings/RCA artist, Tasha Page-Lockhart, the live recording was a powerful night
of praise that attendees will remember for years to come. The CD is available wherever music is sold. *** Lastly, members, friends and family celebrated three days to honor the life of Pastor Gordon Humphrey, Jr., senior pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago, Olivet Church in Stockton, California and Olivet Baptist Church in Oakland, California. Services were last Saturday, December 20 at Shiloh MBC, 10540 S. Halsted, Chicago. On Sunday a memorial concert was at House of Hope, 752 E. 114th Street. The homegoing services were held on Monday Dec. 22 at House of Hope and immediately followed by a private burial.
Love Never Fails – Wedding Seminar New Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church is conducting its first wedding seminar for anyone considering marriage or recovering from a broken marriage. Presenters are Elder Evan and Minister Stacie Nicole Simmons, who will present topics for those who desire a stronger marriage, who are in marriage counseling and provide single attendees with directions in praying for a soulmate. The seminar will be held at New
Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church located at 531 N. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago. It is a two-day event commencing on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 10 a.m. – noon and concluding on Sunday, Dec. 28 from 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to register in advance by email at RRevpauljakes2002@yahoo.com or by calling 1-773-2650909. A freewill offering will be graciously accepted.
Jason Nelson Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
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HEALTH
Dealing With A Cancer Diagnosis During The Holiday Season By Rev. Percy McCray Between now and the New Year, millions of people across the country will gather to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. At this same time, thousands will face challenges and deep crisis of faith when they hear “you have cancer.” The American Cancer Society projects that about 1.6 million people will have received a new diagnosis of cancer by the time we say good bye to 2014. While studies show early diagnosis and advances in treatment have increased survival rate and improved prognosis; discovering a cancer diagnosis, especially around the holidays, can derail the joy of the season, when fear and uncertainty set in. The key for cancer survivors, caregivers and their families is to rely on the very same elements of the season to propel them through this new challenge – faith, family and hope in the future. The holidays bring families clos-
er together. A person recently diagnosed can find strength and harness the support from those family bonds as they create the battle plan for the days and year ahead. If you are diagnosed with cancer, I do not advocate for withholding information and choosing not to reveal a medical struggle to your family, in an effort to avoid dampening the joy of the season. While your intent is to protect your loved ones, it will add undue stress on your life and could trigger a deep depression in a time when you are gearing up for the fight of your life. Don’t underestimate their strength to handle the information and the power of your loved ones to join in your battle planning. They can and will very likely show up for you. Trust God to give you and your loved one strength. The holidays are a time when we reflect on our Faith – the belief that inner strength, supported by our higher power will propel us through all obstacles. Regardless of where an individual is spiritual-
ly, a diagnosis of cancer prompts an inward self-assessment. This look inside will reveal the successes enjoyed throughout your life and are the foundation for the future. Allow the spirit of gratitude, the love of your family and your faith sustain you through the holiday and through your cancer journey. Here are just a few tips for coping with cancer during the holidays. Don’t delay treatment or adherence to medical regimen because of the holidays. It’s a long stretch of almost two months between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Patients who receive a diagnosis around the holidays should proceed with regular medical care and attention. Family and friends will understand. They will be there for you. Avoid shutting down or putting up a wall of silence. Cancer patients can create even more physical dynamics if they compromise their immune system with stress. Embrace family and friends and draw strength from relationships.
Rev. Percy McCray The holidays bring us closer together. Tap into the power of your Faith and your support system. Balance holiday activities. The holidays are busy times. We all
want to shop, visit with friends, dine with family and attend special functions. Remember, this is a time to find balance. Give yourself time. Taking care of your health matters.
Consider your family’s oral health during open enrollment The open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act runs through Feb 15, 2015, giving Illinois residents an opportunity to shop for health care coverage that could have a major impact on their physical and financial health. Whether you are already covered or are looking for the first time, it is important to evaluate the available options and remember not to overlook dental coverage for your family’s oral health. Although dental disease is largely
health issues, and nearly three in five say the biggest reason for not addressing a problem is the ability to pay for care, according to a survey by Delta Dental of Illinois.3 Serious oral health problems can be expensive and time-consuming to treat. But the fact is that dental coverage is relatively low cost, and because it is prevention-based, it actually encourages regular dental checkups that can save money in the long run. Nearly eight of 10 Illinoisans with dental coverage visit
and visiting the dentist contribute to better oral and overall health. These are just some of the reasons why it is important for you and your entire family to have dental coverage that encourages regular dental visits. On the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace, it is possible to purchase pediatric and adult dental benefits through a medical carrier or from a stand-alone dental benefits carrier. Many Illinois residents choose stand-alone dental benefit plans because of the likelihood their
preventable, it still finds its way into the mouths of our state’s residents and is actually the most common chronic childhood disease today.1 In fact, by third grade, more than fifty percent of Illinois children have cavities.2 Alarmingly, many are left untreated, which can affect a child’s ability to learn, speak and eat. Fortunately, dental coverage for children is an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act. This means that if you have a child under 19 and purchase a health care plan, pediatric dental coverage will be included. However, health plans are not required to offer adult dental coverage, but you should strongly consider its importance. Nearly one in four Illinois adults has unresolved oral
the dentist at least once a year versus a little more than half who don’t have coverage.3 Seeking preventive oral health care, like checkups and cleanings, can be far less expensive than receiving costly treatments down the road. Plus, oral health is linked to your overall health and a dental exam can help you protect your overall health. During a checkup, your dentist can detect as many as 120 different diseases in their earliest stages, when they are most effectively and cost-efficiently treated.4 Studies also suggest that the state of your oral health can affect other health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. The mouth is a key part of the body, and good dental habits such as brushing, flossing
dentist is in-network and the overall value they provide. For example, since many medical plans may require the policy’s annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums be met before paying dental benefits, a stand-alone dental policy may expand benefits and reduce overall expenses. Along with dental coverage for individuals and families, most dental benefit carriers also now offer dental plans for small businesses off-exchange that are compliant with new Affordable Care Act guidelines. Choosing health care coverage is one of the most important decisions you will make. Therefore, it is essential that you fully understand your options during open enrollment so you can choose benefits that are best
16
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
for you and your family. For more information or to select a dental plan that helps your entire family maintain great oral health, visit GetCoveredIllinois.gov or DeltaDentalIL.me. 1Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health in America, 2000. 2Illinois Department of Public
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
Health, Healthy Smile Healthy Growth Assessment, 2008-2009. 3Delta Dental of Illinois Oral Health and Well-Being Survey, 2013. 4Steven L. Bricker, Robert P. Langlais, and Craig S. Miller, Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine and Treatment Planning (Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1994).
www.chicagocrusader.com
CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 17
LEGAL NOTICE
NEWS
Ordinance offered to stop red light cameras portation department stated primary criteria of reducing angle crashes to increase safety. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) was unable to substantiate its claims, according to the Inspector General. Further, the inspector general found a lack of basic recordkeeping and lack of analysis for the ongoing program that generates tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Fioretti said the city could be penalized if they terminate the contract with the company in charge of the program. But, he said the program was wrought with problems from its infancy, with insiders getting a $1,500 commission for every camera installed at an intersection. Fioretti, who is also an attorney, said he would take on any legal case with the company personally, and that the city needs to get out of the contract immediately. A few years ago, the city of Houston placed the red-light enforcement program on the ballot; 86 percent of the voters voted to abolish the program. Wallace and Fioretti say Mayor Emanuel has done everything he could to keep the issue off the ballot in Chicago. They believe if Chicago citizens were given the opportunity to vote, the results would be the same as those in Houston, if not more. “Whenever citizens have been allowed to vote on the measure across the country, photo enforcement has been rejected,” Wallace said. “I don’t think this mayor is interested in justice or doing
the will of the people. I think the mayor is interested in purporting a policy that is an illegal policy. How can you support a policy, regardless of how much money it generates, that was brought under illegal means of fraud and bribery? I think the council has more than enough evidence that this is a policy that they should act on and show leadership now.” Two weeks ago, Martin O’Malley, a bagman for Redflex, pled guilty to bribery of a public official and could be sentenced to five years in prison. O’Malley, 73, was indicted in August, along with former Redflex CEO Karen Finley and John Bills, the city’s former managing Deputy Commissioner of Transportation. Bills is accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, vacation trips and personal gifts to rig the contract. Bills and Finley have pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. Wallace said several aldermen, who have voted for the program in the past, have since changed their minds; similar to what has happened with the shuttering of city mental health clinics. “They voted on the policy based off of misinformation that came from the administration and the Department of Transportation,” Wallace said. Fioretti was asked by the Crusader how much it would cost taxpayers to physically have all of the cameras removed. He said instead of having the cam-
(Continued from page 7) and even though he been voted to mess with county sitting up there smiling at Toni pensions of employees at “I Got One For Yahll” Preck- Stroger Hospital and he “ain’t winkle, his career has been as doing nothing I can see,” said quiet as his campaign for may- one County Worker who we or. Folks is saying how is they think got fired for sleeping on gone vote for him when he de job. “I’m with that anybody
but… but is he all we got? I like Willie Wilson even if he sound like an extra in Django Unchained. At least I know him and I can always get a dollar meal at his restaurant. Garcia voted to cut my pension, man, and do he celebrate Kwanzaa?”
(Cont’d from page 1) neering, concluded the cameras do not reduce injury-related crashes overall. “It is incumbent upon this legislative body to expeditiously redress these egregious defects in an already scandalridden program,” Fioretti wrote. “I don’t know what the inside deals were with this program, but it’s just the wrong program for the city, and we have to put an end to it. I think there is a growing— albeit quiet—sentiment [sic] in the council where people are saying you are right on this issue. So, we have to ask ourselves are you with the citizens of this city who are right on this issue? Or, are you with the wrong administration for the wrong reasons?” Wallace believes there are other steps the city could take to improve intersection safety that would be legal and not so controversial. Wallace said other cities— based on recommendations by engineers—have increased the amber light by one second and increased the red-light time so that all angles are illuminated red by one second. “These are simple things that can be done to reduce crashes, rear-end collisions, right-angle collisions…we don’t believe that one should be compromised for the other,” Wallace said. In May 2013, the city’s Office of Inspector General issued an audit report seeking to determine if red-light camera installations that were made and managed based on the city’s trans-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (Continued from page 4) the animals consume. Many people in predominately vegetarian countries like India prefer to get their nourishment from fruits, vegetables, grains, soy, and other plant foods. If you want to help them, why not
contribute to Food for Life Global, VegFam, or another charity that provides vegan food for the hungry. For more ways to make a difference for both humans and animals, see www.PETA.org or read Ingrid E.
www.chicagocrusader.com
Newkirk’s book “One Can Make a Difference.” Sincerely, Heather Moore PETA Foundation Norfolk, VA 23510
eras removed, he would just have them all shut off. Fioretti plans to introduce his ordinance at the City Council meeting in January. Another mayoral candidate, Dr. Willie Wilson, also announced that he would eliminate all red light cameras in the city. He said the program is unfair to low-income areas where the red light cameras are mostly located. “It’s wrong for the mayor to put this burden on our communities. There is not one red light camera in downtown Chicago,” Wilson said. “All citizens of Chicago should be treated with fairness.”
LEGAL NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Plaintiff, -v.CITY OF CHICAGO, WILLIAM BUTCHER, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DECEASED MORTGAGOR, CHARLES FOUNTAIN, GEORGINA HAMILTON, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF CHARLES FOUNTAIN, IF ANY, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, ALEXANDER STEWART Defendants 12 CH 17068 1036 WEST 61ST STREET CHICAGO, IL 60621 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 24, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 27, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1036 WEST 61ST STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60621 Property Index No. 20-17410-042-0000. The real estate is improved with a single family home with a detached 1 car garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.attypierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1208317. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1208317 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 12 CH 17068 TJSC#: 3418667 I638391 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Plaintiff, -v.CARMELA BARHANY, YEHUDA BARHANY, 5944-5946 SOUTH PRAIRIE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 13 CH 17473 5946 S PRAIRIE AVE APT 2 CHICAGO, IL 60637 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 16, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 22, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 5946 S PRAIRIE AVE APT 2, CHICAGO, IL 60637 Property Index No. 20-15303-042-1007. The real estate is improved with a four story multi-family residence; detached garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.attypierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO,
IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1109024. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1109024 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 13 CH 17473 TJSC#: 3418189 I637986 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION JAMES B. NUTTER & COMPANY Plaintiff, -v.UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF ANCEL J. BAHAM, IF ANY, WILLIAM BUTCHER, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DECEASED MORTGAGOR, ANCEL J. BAHAM, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 14 CH 05043 7524 SOUTH STEWART AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60620 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 20, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 21, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 7524 SOUTH STEWART AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60620 Property Index No. 20-28-306-022-0000. The real estate is improved with a brown, brick, two unit apartment; two car detached garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.attypierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1317458. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1317458 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 14 CH 05043 TJSC#: 3418428 I637981
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
17
full of the amount bid, the purchaser will
CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 18 receive2007 a Certificate of Sale that will entitle
ROOFING AND TUCK POINTING All types of Roofing Leaks Patched With Guarantee Shingles tear Off and Reroofed Flat Roof Specialist Free inspection call 708-724-7002 city and suburbs
LEGAL NOTICE Kajundii M. Cannon– Smith of 9922 S. 86th Avenue is trying to locate erica J. CannonSmith for the dissolution of a civil union. 12/13, 20, 27, 2014 and 1/3/2015
HOUSES FOR SALE
the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver's license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Plaintiff's Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1205534. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1205534 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 12 CH 12549 TJSC#: 34-18201 I637634
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BAYVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC P l a i n t i f f , v . MICHELLE HOLMES, OAKDALE CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT, INC., UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK D e f e n d a n t s ILLINOIS COUNTY, 12 CH 12549 DEPARTMENT COUNTY 1021 WEST 69TH STREET CHICAGO, DIVISION CHANCERY IL 60621 FSB CENLAR NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS P l a i n t i f f , HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a v s . Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered STEPHANIE LICHTMAN AKA in the above cause on October 16, 2014, an LITCHMAN; STEPHANIE agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON will at 10:30 AM on January 22, 2015, at CLAIMANTS; RECORD The Judicial Sales Corporation, One D e f e n d a n t s , South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CH 39795 11 CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that auction to the highest bidder, as set forth pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure below, the following described real estate: entered in the above entitled cause on May Commonly known as 1021 WEST 69TH 28, 2014, Intercounty Judicial Sales STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60621 Property Corporation will on Tuesday, January 6, Index No. 20-20-419-003-0000. The real 2015, at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at estate is improved with a 2 flat with 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, business front and no garage. Sale terms: Chicago, Illinois, sell to the highest bidder 25% down of the highest bid by certified for cash, the following described property: funds at the close of the sale payable to P.I.N. 20-19-227-009-0000. The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third Commonly known as 6627 SOUTH party checks will be accepted. The HONORE STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60618. balance, including the Judicial sale fee for The mortgaged real estate is improved Abandoned Residential Property with a single family residence. If the Municipality Relief Fund, which is subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction common interest community, the purchaser thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or pay the assessments required by wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the hours. No fee shall be paid by the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: mortgagee acquiring the residential real 25% down by certified funds, balance estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale within 24 hours, by certified funds. No or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or refunds. The property will NOT be open other lienor acquiring the residential real for inspection. Upon payment in full of the estate whose rights in and to the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a residential real estate arose prior to the Certificate of Sale which will entitle the sale. The subject property is subject to purchaser to a Deed to the premises after general real estate taxes, special of the sale. confirmation assessments, or special taxes levied For information: Visit our website at against said real estate and is offered for http://service.atty-pierce.com. Between 3 sale without any representation as to p.m. and 5 p.m. only. Pierce & Associates, quality or quantity of title and without Plaintiff's Attorneys, 1 North Dearborn recourse to Plaintiff and in "AS IS" Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602. Tel.No. condition. The sale is further subject to (312) 476-5500. Refer to File Number confirmation by the court. Upon payment in 1 1 2 4 6 9 0 . full of the amount bid, the purchaser will INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle C O R P O R A T I O N the purchaser to a deed to the real estate Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 after confirmation of the sale. The property I636004 will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the iN tHe CiRCuit COuRt OF COOK COuNcondition of the property. Prospective ty, iLLiNOiS COuNty dePARtMeNt bidders are admonished to check the court CHANCeRy diViSiON file to verify all information. If this property ReVeRSe MORtGAGe SOLutiONS, iNC is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the Plaintiff, unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a -v.mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and HeRMAN tyLeR, uNKNOWN HeiRS ANd the legal fees required by The LeGAteeS OF LuCiLLe tyLeR, uNCondominium Property Act, 765 ILCS KNOWN HeiRS ANd LeGAteeS OF ViR605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a GiNiA HARVey, uNKNOWN HeiRS ANd condominium unit which is part of a LeGAteeS OF dOROtHy tyLeR, FRANK common interest community, the purchaser HARVey, ReGiNALd HARVey, byRON of the unit at the foreclosure sale other OLSey, uNKNOWN OWNeRS ANd NONthan a mortgagee shall pay the ReCORd CLAiMANtS defendants 12 CH 05354 assessments required by The 6409 SOutH PeORiA StReet CHiCAGO, Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS iL 60621 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE NOtiCe OF SALe PubLiC NOtiCe iS MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HeReby GiVeN that pursuant to a HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER in the above cause on October 7, 2014, an ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF agent for the Judicial Sales Corporation, will POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE at 10:30 AM on January 13, 2015, at the WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE Judicial Sales Corporation, One South ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE Wacker drive - 24th Floor, CHiCAGO, iL, LAW. You will need a photo identification 60606, sell at public auction to the highest issued by a government agency (driver's bidder, as set forth below, the following delicense, passport, etc.) in order to gain scribed real estate: Commonly known as entry into our building and the foreclosure 6409 SOutH PeORiA StReet, CHiCAGO, sale room in Cook County and the same iL 60621 Property index No. 20-20-214-003identification for sales held at other county 0000. the real estate is improved with a venues where The Judicial Sales gray, brick, single family home with no Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highFor information: Visit our website at est bid by certified funds at the close of the service.atty-pierce.com. between the hours sale payable to the Judicial Sales of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Corporation. No third party checks will be acPlaintiff's Attorneys, One North Dearborn cepted. the balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1205534. THE JUDICIAL 18 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014 SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1205534 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 12 CH 12549 TJSC#: 34-18201 I637634
TO PLACE AN AD IN THE CHICAGO CRUSADER CALL 773-752-2500
HOUSES FOR SALE Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. the subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS iS” condition. the sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. the property will NOt be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. if this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). if this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/18.5(g-1). iF yOu ARe tHe MORtGAGOR (HOMeOWNeR), yOu HAVe tHe RiGHt tO ReMAiN iN POSSeSSiON FOR 30 dAyS AFteR eNtRy OF AN ORdeR OF POSSeSSiON, iN ACCORdANCe WitH SeCtiON 15-1701(C) OF tHe iLLiNOiS MORtGAGe FOReCLOSuRe LAW. you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where the Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PieRCe & ASSOCiAteS, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHiCAGO, iL 60602. tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1127635. tHe JudiCiAL SALeS CORPORAtiON One South Wacker drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, iL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALe you can also visit the Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PieRCe & ASSOCiAteS One North dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHiCAGO, iL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1127635 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 12 CH 05354 tJSC#: 34-17674 i636395 iN tHe CiRCuit COuRt OF COOK COuNty, iLLiNOiS COuNty dePARtMeNt CHANCeRy diViSiON ReSideNtiAL CRedit SOLutiONS, iNC. Plaintiff, -v.StACey SMitH A/K/A StACey t. SMitH, AHKeA N. SMitH, MORtGAGe eLeCtRONiC ReGiStRAtiON SySteMS, iNC., SPRiNGLeAF FiNANCiAL SeRViCeS OF iLLiNOiS, iNC. F/K/A AMeRiCAN GeNeRAL FiNANCiAL SeRViCeS OF iLLiNOiS, iNC., CAPitAL ONe bANK (uSA), N.A., CHASe bANK uSA, NA, CitibANK, N.A. defendants 14 CH 001072 8211 S. WOLCOtt AVeNue CHiCAGO, iL 60620 NOtiCe OF SALe PubLiC NOtiCe iS HeReby GiVeN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 3, 2014, an agent for the Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 13, 2015, at the Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker drive - 24th Floor, CHiCAGO, iL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 8211 S. WOLCOtt AVeNue, CHiCAGO, iL 60620 Property index No. 20-31-226-004. the real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to the Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. the balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. the subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS iS” condition. the sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. the property will NOt be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admon-
ished to check the court file to verify all information. if this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). if this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/18.5(g-1). iF yOu ARe tHe MORtGAGOR (HOMeOWNeR), yOu HAVe tHe RiGHt tO ReMAiN iN POSSeSSiON FOR 30 dAyS AFteR eNtRy OF AN ORdeR OF POSSeSSiON, iN ACCORdANCe WitH SeCtiON 15-1701(C) OF tHe iLLiNOiS MORtGAGe FOReCLOSuRe LAW. you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where the Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: COdiLiS & ASSOCiAteS, P.C., 15W030 NORtH FRONtAGe ROAd, Suite 100, buRR RidGe, iL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-1331068. tHe JudiCiAL SALeS CORPORAtiON One South Wacker drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, iL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALe you can also visit the Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. COdiLiS & ASSOCiAteS, P.C. 15W030 NORtH FRONtAGe ROAd, Suite 100 buRR RidGe, iL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-13-31068 Attorney ARdC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 14 CH 001072 tJSC#: 34-20637 NOte: Pursuant to the Fair debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. i636328 iN tHe CiRCuit COuRt OF COOK COuNty, iLLiNOiS COuNty dePARtMeNt CHANCeRy diViSiON JPMORGAN CHASe bANK, NAtiONAL ASSOCiAtiON Plaintiff, -v.tyLeR K. SMitH, uNited StAteS OF AMeRiCA, uNKNOWN OWNeRS ANd NONReCORd CLAiMANtS defendants 12 CH 017282 7730 S. iNdiANA AVeNue CHiCAGO, iL 60619 NOtiCe OF SALe PubLiC NOtiCe iS HeReby GiVeN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 6, 2014, an agent for the Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 14, 2015, at the Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker drive - 24th Floor, CHiCAGO, iL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 7730 S. iNdiANA AVeNue, CHiCAGO, iL 60619 Property index No. 20-27-314-030. the real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to the Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. the balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. the subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS iS” condition. the sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the united States, the united States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 u.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the united States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. the property will NOt be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. if this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). if this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/18.5(g-1). iF yOu ARe tHe MORtGAGOR (HOMeOWNeR), yOu HAVe tHe RiGHt tO ReMAiN iN POSSeSSiON FOR 30 dAyS AFteR eNtRy OF AN ORdeR OF POSSeSSiON, iN ACCORdANCe WitH SeCtiON 15-1701(C) OF tHe iLLiNOiS MORtGAGe FOReCLOSuRe LAW. you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where the Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: COdiLiS & ASSOCiAteS, P.C., 15W030 NORtH FRONtAGe ROAd, Suite 100, buRR RidGe, iL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-1213682. tHe JudiCiAL SALeS CORPORAtiON One South Wacker drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, iL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALe you can also visit the Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. COdiLiS & ASSOCiAteS, P.C. 15W030 NORtH FRONtAGe ROAd, Suite 100 buRR RidGe, iL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-12-13682 Attorney ARdC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 12 CH 017282 tJSC#: 34-20861 NOte: Pursuant to the Fair debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. i637023 iN tHe CiRCuit COuRt OF COOK COuNty, iLLiNOiS COuNty dePARtMeNt CHANCeRy diViSiON PROSPeCt MORtGAGe, LLC Plaintiff, -v.dANe b. FAiR defendants 14 CH 001198 6433 S. AbeRdeeN StReet CHiCAGO, iL 60621 NOtiCe OF SALe PubLiC NOtiCe iS HeReby GiVeN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on May 29, 2014, an agent for the Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 14, 2015, at the Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker drive - 24th Floor, CHiCAGO, iL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 6433 S. AbeRdeeN StReet, CHiCAGO, iL 60621 Property index No. 20-20-210-011. the real estate is improved with a single family residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to the Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. the balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. the subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS iS” condition. the sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. the property will NOt be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. if this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). if this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/18.5(g-1). iF yOu ARe tHe MORtGAGOR (HOMeOWNeR), yOu HAVe tHe RiGHt tO ReMAiN iN POSSeSSiON FOR 30 dAyS AFteR eNtRy OF AN ORdeR OF POSSeSSiON, iN ACCORdANCe WitH SeCtiON 15-1701(C) OF tHe iLLiNOiS MORtGAGe FOReCLOSuRe LAW. you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where the Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: COdiLiS & ASSOCiAteS, P.C., 15W030 NORtH FRONtAGe ROAd, Suite 100, buRR RidGe, iL 60527, (630)
794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-1333112. tHe JudiCiAL SALeS CORPORAtiON One South Wacker drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, iL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALe you can also visit the Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. COdiLiS & ASSOCiAteS, P.C. 15W030 NORtH FRONtAGe ROAd, Suite 100 buRR RidGe, iL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-13-33112 Attorney ARdC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 14 CH 001198 tJSC#: 34-20711 NOte: Pursuant to the Fair debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. i637003 iN tHe CiRCuit COuRt OF COOK COuNty, iLLiNOiS COuNty dePARtMeNt CHANCeRy diViSiON NAtiONStAR MORtGAGe LLC Plaintiff, -v.eMMeRA WALKeR, CHiCAGO titLe LANd tRuSt COMPANy AS tRuStee utA dtd 12/20/06 KNOWN AS tRuSt NO 8002348209, MORtGAGe eLeCtRONiC ReGiStRAtiON SySteMS, iNC., AS NOMiNee FOR COuNtRyWide bANK, 1517-19 eASt MARQuette CONdOMiNiuM ASSOCiAtiON, iNC., uNKNOWN beNeFiCiARieS OF CHiCAGO titLe LANd tRuSt COMPANy AS tRuStee utA dtd 12/20/06 KNOWN AS tRuSt NO 8002348209, uNKNOWN OWNeRS ANd NON-ReCORd CLAiMANtS defendants 11 CH 26542 1517-19 eASt MARQuette ROAd uNit 3e CHiCAGO, iL 60637 NOtiCe OF SALe PubLiC NOtiCe iS HeReby GiVeN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 10, 2014, an agent for the Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 13, 2015, at the Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker drive - 24th Floor, CHiCAGO, iL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1517-19 eASt MARQuette ROAd uNit 3e, CHiCAGO, iL 60637 Property index No. 20-23-226-028-1007. the real estate is improved with a multi unit condominium with no garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to the Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. the balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. the subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS iS” condition. the sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. the property will NOt be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. if this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). if this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 iLCS 605/18.5(g-1). iF yOu ARe tHe MORtGAGOR (HOMeOWNeR), yOu HAVe tHe RiGHt tO ReMAiN iN POSSeSSiON FOR 30 dAyS AFteR eNtRy OF AN ORdeR OF POSSeSSiON, iN ACCORdANCe WitH SeCtiON 15-1701(C) OF tHe iLLiNOiS MORtGAGe FOReCLOSuRe LAW. you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where the Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PieRCe & ASSOCiAteS, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHiCAGO, iL 60602. tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1114221. tHe JudiCiAL SALeS CORPORAtiON One South Wacker drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, iL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALe you can also visit the Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PieRCe & ASSOCiAteS One North dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHiCAGO, iL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1114221 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 11 CH 26542 tJSC#: 34-17892 i636492
www.chicagocrusader.com
CHiCAGO CRuSAdeR 12-27-14_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 12/24/14 3:44 AM Page 19
SPORTS
Life Time Fitness opens its doors free of charge Every year 45 percent of Americans make resolutions yet only 8 percent achieve them. Top resolutions are to lose weight, get organized, spend less/save more, enjoy life more, be more fit, quit smoking and the list goes on. As Jan. 1 approaches, Life Time says enough with the failed resolutions, and is inviting everyone to make their health a priority in 2015 by opening its doors to the first-ever Commitment Day Festival – four days of complimentary fun, engaging and invigorating activities for all ages. The Festival is open to the public, including non-members who register online for the guest list anytime through Jan. 4. All Life Time clubs will have several activities taking place to mark your commitment to 2015. Highlights include the Third Annual Commitment Day 5K Fun Run, which will start off the celebration at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1 with hundreds of people of all ages participating. The 5K run will be held at five of
the clubs’ locations: Bloomingdale, Burr Ridge, Romeoville, Vernon Hills and Warrenville. Registration is open now through race day and there is a registration fee (for this event only) of $24. There are also daily fit talks and workout workshops to know, nourish and move your body for optimal results like “How to Break Up with Sugar” and using TRX straps to get a full-body workout. Other events will be taking place like group fitness and training classes and sessions which will feature top fitness instructors, family fun events engaging the whole family with gym activities and an indoor pool party and much more. The event begins Jan. 1 – 4 at the Life Time clubs’ nine locations, which are Bloomingdale, Burr Ridge, Romeoville, Vernon Hills, Warrenville, Orland Park, Algonquin, Schaumburg and Old Orchard (Skokie). For more information, visit commitmentday.com/illinois.
DRUELLA PARKER weighed 339 pounds and after signing up for Life Time Fitness Commitment Day 5K, she lost more than 100 pounds.
’85 Chicago Bears help ComEd tackle refrigerator recycling Winner of the “Retire Your Old Fridge” contest receives visit from ’85 Bears One lucky ComEd customer received a gift fit for a champion this holiday season. ComEd teamed up with WBBM radio to host the “Retire Your Old Fridge” contest, which awarded a ComEd customer for participating in its
Smart Ideas® Fridge and Freezer Recycling program. Winner Katie Straka of Palatine received a personal visit from former Bears champions Otis Wilson and Richard Dent, who presented her with tickets to Sunday’s Bears game. Old refrigerators and freezers can consume as much as three times more energy than newer
models and could cost customers up to $150 a year in electricity. Through ComEd’s Fridge and Freezer Recycling program, customers can receive free pick up of their old, working refrigerator or freezer. In addition, through a partnership with JACO Environmental, which operates a local recycling facility in Addison, Ill., ComEd will
TWO FORMER CHICAGO BEARS champions Otis Wilson (far left) and Richard Dent (far right) present the “Retire Your Old Fridge” contest winner Katie Straka of Palatine with two tickets to an upcoming Bears game. The contest was hosted by ComEd and WBBM radio. www.chicagocrusader.com
recycle the unit in an environmentally responsible way and send customers $35 for participating in the program. Customers also can receive $10 for a working room air conditioner when it’s picked up at the same time as a fridge or freezer. “We congratulate Katie on winning and taking steps to save energy and help the environment,” said Val Jensen, senior vice president of Customer Operations at ComEd. “We understand the extremely important role we play in helping our customers save energy and also preserving the environment in the communities we serve. This is why we’ve created programs like the Fridge and Freezer Recycling as part of our Smart Ideas Energy Efficiency Program to provide our customers with the right tools and knowledge to help them make smarter energy decisions.” Recycling these appliances helps prevent oils and refrigerants from escaping into the environment. Recycling them also reduces the amount of glass, metal and plastics that could end up in landfills. Since 2008, ComEd has recycled more than 200,000 units, keeping more than 13,000 tons of metal, 2,500 tons of plastic, and 500 tons of glass out of local landfills and using them in the production of products such as laptop cases and building supplies. The Fridge & Freezer Recycling program is among a wide variety of programs, tools and resources ComEd offers through its Smart Ideas Energy Efficiency Program. Now in its seventh program year,
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
ComEd’s award-winning Smart Ideas program has helped customers save nearly one billion dollars on their electric bills and reduce electricity usage by more than 9.8 million megawatt-hours, enough to power one million homes for a year. The “Retire Your Old Fridge” contest was launched in Nov. Customers who scheduled a refrigerator pick up from Nov. 10 to Dec. 7 were entered into the contest where the winner was selected at random by CBS local affiliate WBBM. To schedule a free pickup and to learn more about ComEd’s Fridge and Freezer Recycling program, customers can call 855-433-2700 or visit ComEd.com/FridgeRecycling. For additional Smart Ideas rebates and tips on how to save energy and money, visit ComEd.com/HomeSavings for residential customers and ComEd.com/ BizIncentives for business customers. Customers can also follow ComEd on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates and ways to save. Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2014
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
www.chicagocrusader.com