Austin Weekly News 011724 by Wednesday Journal

■ Legler library reopens PAGE 4

FREE Vol. 38 No. 3

January 17, 2024 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com

Mental health help for West Side flooding victims is now available

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A Austin’s ti ’ queen has h words for Meghan Markle, page 7

BRENETTA HOWELL BARRETT

Habilitative Systems received a grant to offer a range of help for people affected by July’s flooding By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Habilitative Systems, an Austin-based social services organization, received an $888,135 grant to provide mental health services for residents affected by last July’s flooding. Habilitative Systems provides mental health services for kids and adults in Austin and throughout the West Side, and offers emergency housing services and employment training. Its grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services division of mental health will be used to pay eight full-time counselors to provide one-on-one or group counseling, and to refer residents to other organizations for services they may need. The organization will also use the money to market the available services. The grant serves the residents of the areas that were most hard-hit by flooding: Austin and the suburbs of Cicero, Berwyn, and Stickney. See MENTAL HEALTH on page 3

PROVIDED BY CPL

Brenetta Howell Barrett speaking at the Gary Minority Business Development Center of Globetrotters Engineering Corporation’s Women’s Business Development Conference. Gary, Indiana, circa 1980. Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection.

Life of activist Brenetta Howell Barrett on display at Austin library The collection chronicles the major role she played in Chicago’s Black history.

By DEBORAH BAYLISS Contributing Reporter

A vast collection of documents and photographs reflecting the life and legacy of civil and human rights activist

WS ! NEF H S A L

Brenetta Howell Barrett is on display at the Austin Branch Library as part of a traveling exhibit that started last March at a different location. See BRENETTA on page 10

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2 Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

BENEFITS ARE WITHIN REACH! Get connected!

The Benefits Access Network is working to connect our neighbors in Austin, Lawndale and across Chicagoland to food and medical benefits like SNAP and Medicaid. Assistance is free. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: chicagosfoodbank.org/BAN Benefits Access Network This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Deadline to be included in the 2024-2025 lottery: March 18, 2024 The lottery is scheduled at 9:00 am on March 20, 2024

Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

AUSTIN WEEKLY

news

Editor Erika Hobbs Staff Reporters Amina Sergazina, Igor Studenkov, Amaris Rodriguez Special projects reporter Delaney Nelson Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks Columnists Arlene Jones, Aisha Oliver Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales & Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe F. AMANDA TUGADE/CITY BUREAU

Deborah Williams, 53, lifelong Austin resident, community outreach and engagement supervisor for Habilitative Systems, Inc. and a member of Counting on Chicago Coalition.

MENTAL HEALTH Trauma relief from page 1 According to the National Weather Service, during the weekend of July 2 to 3, Chicago received between 3 and 8 inches of rainfall, but the west and southwest sides of Chicago and the western suburbs bore the brunt of it. MWRD reversed the flow of the Chicago River by the afternoon of July 2 to send some water into Lake Michigan, but many basements had already been flooded.

Statistics for the zip codes that include parts of Austin showed that as of Nov. 9, more than 10,000 people who live in the community received federal aid to cope with the damage from the flood. The IDHS grant is part of the state’s larger effort to help the flood-damaged communities “reach pre-flood status,” with particular focus on the already vulnerable elderly, youth, unemployed and disabled residents. According to Habilitative Systems, the organization will use FEMA surveys to help with the outreach. In a statement, Habilitative Systems CEO Donald Dew said that were pleased to have the opportunity to provide services to

residents who need it most. “Flooding impacts the lives of everyone in its path, but it is most devastating to our most vulnerable populations who can’t write a check to make the devastation go away,” he said. “HSI is proud to have the trust of IDHS-DMH and are eager to put HSI’s considerable reach and capacity to the task of helping people recover. We will work in partnership with communitybased organizations and clergy to maximize our impact.” For more information about Habilitative Systems and its services, visit https://habilitative.org

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4 Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

Legler Regional Library reopens 6 months after July flooding

Staff schedule events, hope patrons return By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Legler Regional Library, the West Side’s dedicated regional library, reopened Jan. 7, almost six months after the July 2 flooding damaged the equipment in the basement. Such libraries act as regional hubs within the Chicago Public Library system, with longer hours of operation, larger collections, and programs and services neighborhood branch libraries don’t have. When the flooding damaged the equipment in the basement, forcing Legler to close, CPL shifted staff to the branch libraries and expanded hours at Austin branch library and North Lawndale’s Douglass branch library. Legler library quietly reopened Jan. 7, and it has been open during its regular hours since then. The staff declined to comment on the record, saying that they needed clearance from CPL’s communications department. Officials didn’t respond to requests for comment by deadline. However, staff members indicated

IGOR STUDENKOV

Legler Regional Library, a few days after it reopened on Jan. 7, 2024. that many of the regular Legler patrons still have no idea the library reopened, and they are eager to get the word out to

IGOR STUDENKOV

Legler library patrons can pick up free clothes donated by library staff from the racks tucked away in the back of the adult collection.

try to bring them back. Legler originally opened in 1920. It was downgraded to the branch library in the 1970s, but in 2018, Rahm Emanuel, who was then mayor, announced that it would become a regional library again. The final plans called for it to get CPL’s firstever in-house art studio, a Maker Space, an expanded teen section with YOUmedia multimedia space, an expanded children’s section with more materials and toys, a new auditorium in the basement, more meeting rooms and a new, larger computer lab. The library closed for renovations in the summer of 2019, reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic in late December 2020. The artist studio got its first artistin-residence, Alexandra Antoine, in the spring of 2022. For the past two years, the library also offered free clothes on the racks tucked away in the back of the adult fiction collection. As of Jan. 11, two racks were filled with tops and bottoms, and had plenty of shoes. According to the signs,

which are posted in English and Spanish, patrons can take what they need, but they need to use the restrooms if they want to try any of the items on. The staff has also been scheduling events. Market Days, a monthly event when residents could pick up fresh fruits and vegetables provided by the Greater Chicago Food Depository and find out about local services, will return Jan. 20 and once again take place every third Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A family game night, where families get to play Bingo, chess and checkers against each other, will take place Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and YOUmedia will host a hand sewing workshop for teens on Jan. 23 at 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Legler Regional Library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For the latest information about the library programs and events, visit https://www.chipublib. org/locations/42/

Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

Hope Chicago helps West Side students go through college debt-free In 2020, the program pledged to help 4,000 families get high school students through college debt-free By Amina Sergazina Staff Reporter

Hope Chicago, an economic mobility program led by former CPS superintendent Janice K. Jackson, has launched its first cohort of students at five schools on the West and South sides whom they plan to help have a debt-free education. The schools that Hope Chicago has partnered with so far include Garfield Park’s Al Raby School for Community and Environment, Morgan Park High School, Englewood’s Noble Johnson College Prep, Pilsen’s Benito Juárez Community Academy and Little Village’s Farragut Career Academy. In 2020, the program pledged to help 4,000 families get their high school students through college debt-free for students and their parents. Hope Chicago is collaborating with 23 secondary education partners for teens where students have tuition, room and board covered, as well as a yearly stipend. During the first year, the stipend will be $1,000 and $750 for all subsequent years. The stipend will be given directly to the student, not the school. The program does not require students to choose a specific field of study. However, Hope Chicago does more than just pay for the student’s education; it continues to support them. During their time at one of the partner schools, Hope Chicago has a representative on campus to assist the student and also organizes events for other students from the program. What sets Hope Chicago apart is its twogenerational program model, which allows parents of the students, who are part of

Hope Chicago, to continue or start their higher education and special workforce debt-free. “We don’t believe that a seventeen or eighteen-year-old who goes to college can change the trajectory for the entire family,” said Michele Howard, chief program officer. “But if we do that with the eighteenyear-old and a parent, then the families are more likely to be successful.” Adults can either continue their education or further their career with two or four-year education, a trade, or workforce options with Hope Chicago. Howard said that the majority of Hope Chicago’s families are Black and Latino. To reflect that, they collaborated with local community anchors Chicago Urban League and Instituto del Progreso Latino for their intake process. These organizations work directly with the parents to understand which resources the family might need and navigate the next step in their education. “It was really important for us to make sure that we got partners who were anchored to the city and had a history serving both African American and Latino population,” Howard said. For parents, there are seven higher education options and 10 workforce program partners. According to Howard, Hope Chicago provides flexible options for parents like in-person, hybrid, and online education, and currently, 90 parents are taking advantage of this program. “We really want to be able to give parents an opportunity to really lift as they climb,” Howard said. “Because so many parents have their dreams deferred or their dreams are deterred, and what we really want to do is give them an option to get back on track.” For parents whose child is in the Hope Chicago program and want to learn more about their education, the organization provides handbooks in both English and Spanish. This year, Hope Chicago will introduce five more partners, one for parents and four for the teens.

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6 Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

CCPSA opens applications for commissioner roles The commission is one layer of Chicago’s police accountability By AMINA SERGAZINA Staff Reporter

Applications are open for seven seats at the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Amidst calls for police accountability, Chicago’s city council in 2021 created a new mechanism for police oversight, the CCPSA. The CCPSA works with district councils, which are groups elected in each police district and aim to improve the work of police. The goal is to bring police officers and Chicago residents together to plan, prioritize, and build mutual trust to strengthen the police accountability system. The CCPSA consists of interim commissioners, and this year seven permanent commissioners will be elected. The district council nominating committee is responsible for conducting the application process and submitting at least two nominees for each vacant seat to the mayor. For the 2024 nomination cycle, the committee will submit at least 14 nominees for seven open commission seats and the mayor then appoints one candidate for each vacant seat from the list of nominees. “It’s important for CCPSA to be in existence because the focus of this work is centered around those who have a huge responsibility to the public and that is our men and women in uniform within the Chicago police department,” said Remel Terry, interim commissioner. “Therefore, because of the nature of their work and their direct oversight of enforcing law and protecting communities, the community should have a say to ensure that we have the best, the brightest doing the work.” Chicago residents who fit the qualifications are encouraged to apply. Terry, who is a lifelong West Side resident, also highlighted how the CCPSA can be beneficial for the West Side

community because they will get to directly communicate with CPD about community’s needs and concerns. “When we look at the various communities on the west side of Chicago, we’re facing our own challenges when it comes to public safety and this commission is an opportunity to elevate those concerns on a larger platform. Because our meetings are a city entity, everyone within the city has documented information about what are the needs and concerns that are happening on the West side.” Applicants must meet qualifications to be considered for the role of a commissioner. According to the city of Chicago’s website, these criteria include residency in Chicago for the past five years and at least five years’ combined experience in fields of law, public policy, social work, psychology, mental health, public safety, community organizing, civil rights or advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities.

The candidate must not have been employed with the Chicago Police Department, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or the Police Board in the last five years. The application deadline is on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 12 p.m. The nominating committee will meet on March 8 to select nominees. On April 7, the mayor will appoint the candidates or provide a written explanation for declining to appoint a candidate. If any appointments are declined by May 7, the nominating committee will submit new nominees for any remaining vacancies. Commissioners serve four-year terms on the sevenmember CCPSA, receiving a $1,000 monthly stipend. They oversee the CPD, the COPA, and the Police Board. They also play a central role in selecting and removing the Superintendent of CPD, the Chief Administrator of COPA, and members of the Police Board.

Warming centers open throughout the West Side Where to seek shelter as temperatures drop IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

With temperatures threatening to drop to negative digits all across the Chicago area, the city is encouraging residents who need to stay warm to seek their nearest

warming center. The warming centers operate inside the six community service centers between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. West Siders can take advantage of ■ Garfield Park Community Center, 60 S. Kedzie Ave. ■ Trina Davila Community Service Center, 4312 W. North Ave. The Garfield Park Community Center is open around the clock to help anyone who

needs to find emergency housing. In addition to the community centers, libraries also act as warming centers during their regular hours of operations. The library branches include: ■ Austin branch, 5615 W. Race Ave. ■ West Chicago, 4856 W. Chicago Ave. ■ North Austin, 5724 W. North Ave. ■ North Lawndale Douglass, 3353 W. 13th St. ■ Legler Regional 115 S. Pulaski Rd. ■ North Pulaski, 4300 W. North Ave. ■ Richard M. Daley, 733 N. Kedzie Ave.,

which serves parts of East Garfield Park and West Humboldt Park The Chicago Public Library system website warns patrons that the weather may disrupt regular hours, and encourages patrons to call ahead. In addition, several Chicago Park District fieldhouses may open as warming shelters as the week goes on. Visit its website, https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/, for the most up to date information.

Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

RibFest Every Day! Mickey’s is the place! Mickey’s Rib Special

‘The Crown’ is worth watching

had a lot of downtime the week of Kwanzaa. So what better thing to do than pick a series on Netflix, sit down with my trusty snacks, ice cold drinks, and gorge on it. The one I chose? The Crown! There are six seasons of the series to watch. Each season has about 10 episodes. And each episode is about an hour long. I knew my week of binge watching was assured. I was a tad like Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, in that as an American, I have very little knowledge of the Royal Family. So I clicked on season 1, episode 1 and began the journey. Since the Royal Family is a real entity, there are no spoiler alerts in this column. We know who lives and who dies. We pretty much know all that happens with them. But the context came through the laments of the Duke, Prince Harry, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, since leaving Great Britain and becoming, unintentionally, commoners here. Sorry, Prince Harry, you are not an original suffering Spare. After watching all those episodes, Princess Margaret was the real, true, and genuine original 20th-century Spare. She was the fun-loving, party animal Spare who couldn’t marry the man she loved because of her sister, the Queen. Now that is real drama! Not the illusionary garbage Harry wrote about. And although I haven’t read Prince Harry’s book, Margaret’s life story seems to outshine any of his whines. Prior to marrying Prince Harry, Meghan should have watched the first two seasons of the show. She would have learned all about protocol and curtsying and a lot of the history of the Royal Family that might have raised the eyebrows of someone who was more than a narcissistic, social climber. If Black people as an entire group haven’t beat the inequitable system of racism in America, I don’t know how she expected as a single individual to do

it within the institution of the Monarchy. Personally, I don’t think the Royal Family is racist. I just think they’re dysfunctional beyond belief because of the institution in which they’re involved. I did gain a lot of knowledge about the monarchy and what it must possibly be like to be a family member. Protocol, tradition, expectations, etc. are all parts of that life. And when one is the head of the Church of England, there’s even added emphasis on everything a person does. I think for most Americans we have romanticized King Edward VIII’s decision to abdicate the throne for the woman he loved. Based on the way it was portrayed in The Crown, it wasn’t as romantic as we imagined. Plus, I didn’t know he was such a Nazi sympathizer. Throughout his portion of the series, he had a Black servant named Sydney, whose life story was very interesting. I never thought the Queen of England would need a tutor. But she was ill-prepared for the kind of world she entered, although she was a walking book of knowledge on how the monarchy and the government works. And although she and her sister did sneak out on VE Day and celebrate, the part about the Black soldiers seems to have been fantasized. However, I did learn about Leslie “Hutch” Hutchinson, a Black cabaret singer who was the darling of British high society. The series also made me rethink my opinion of Princess Diana. She was definitely whiny and getting on my nerves. After watching a lot of Prince Harry’s current antics, although William got her looks, I see that Harry got his misdirected behavior directly from his mother! I was also fascinated by Camilla’s role throughout all of this. It reminded me of a friend of mine who always said his greatest illness was that he loved his wife. King Charles truly loved that woman. I highly recommend watching The Crown.

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hat housing is key? The mission of the Oak Park Regional Housing Center is to promote and sustain residential integration. The Oak Park Regional Housing Center was established as a response to the Fair Housing

Athena Williams, Executive Director, Oak Park Regional Housing Center

Did You Know?

Act and the need to create an open housing community in the late 1960’s, as expounded by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during his speech at Chicago’s Soldier Field in 1966.

The Housing Center has helped improve and increase the Village of Oak Park’s community value by introducing more than 100,000 diverse individuals into our community! Housing is the very foundation needed and used to establish healthy lifestyles that include mental and financial stability that is crucial for vibrant neighborhoods as well as the household. Oak Park Regional Housing Center sees on average 5000 individuals per year to receive services, which include: Fair Housing Education; Rental Apartment

Referrals; Property Management Training; Financial Education; and much more! Since becoming the executive director in 2020, Athena Williams has worked with the Housing Center team to provide COVID-19 support to 1,450 renters; assisted 8000 registered applicants find apartments in the surrounding region; helped more than 400 families become homeowners; and assisted more than 100 individuals improve their credit score. With our staff that has more than 30 years combined housing experience, we seek to increase homeownership rates throughout the region, to create more housing inventory, and to create a more stabilized housing

experience for renters and owners alike. At Oak Park Regional Housing Center, we look to 2024 to be a year of more, providing more support to renters and homeowners, bring the community together more around racial healing transformations and to help people with more money management strategies. If you would like more information, to donate, or volunteer, please visit: oprhc.org And remember, housing is key!

Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

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rika Hobbs is the editor at Growing Community Media. A veteran journalist with experience at major regional dailies, local publications and in digital newsrooms, she was hired last summer for what is a new position within GCM. Growing Community Media is the nonprofit newsroom which publishes Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark. As part of the reorganization of GCM’s newsroom, Hobbs was hired as the newsroom’s leader to focus on a digital first effort across the nine communities covered by GCM while also keeping the print versions of each publication strong. Under her leadership, GCM has already become

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BRENETTA

Political superhouse from page 1 “The name of the exhibit is No Brick on My Tongue: Brenetta Howell Barrett for the People’s Liberation display, which was directly pulled from one of her campaign slogans,” said Raquel Flores-Clemons, unit head of the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection. The extensive collection – 93 archival boxes of various sizes – chronicles Howell Barrett’s outstanding career and the major role she played in Chicago’s Black history. Howell Barrett told the Austin Weekly that it was friends and colleagues who encouraged her that if a document is worth looking at twice to not throw it away. Those worthwhile things accumulated over the years to what is now part of her collection and the other stacks and boxes still in her home. “I contacted the library because I knew from just having gone out there to the library for other events related to other collections for other individuals, many that I knew, that collections were established or built, like Addie Wyatt, a black female labor leader who was a good friend.” Documentation on the different organizations she was part of, founded, or supported, bulletins, things she collected from other people that informed her work, photographs, news articles and columns she wrote as a journalist, poems she wrote, – all of it dates back to the 1950s, the start of her community engagement and activism. Born Brenetta Pearl Brooks, June 28, 1932, in Chicago, Howell Barrett grew up with her six sisters in her parents’ – Barissa (“B.B.”) and Arthemise Butler Brooks – South Side home. She was married twice and had four children. The two youngest are deceased. “A lot of people from Bronzeville are part of Barrett’s history also,” Flores-Clemons said. “She was on the South Side until she graduated high school. She moved from Bronzeville to the West Side. Her work as a journalist also brought her to the West Side. That’s important to make those connections. I want to make sure that people understand that this is a citywide connection and not just grounded in one area.” Throughout her career, Howell Barrett served as the Chicago regional director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), from 1964-1968.

PROVIDED BY CPL

“Don’t Steal Our Home”. Corrine Morris, Brenetta Howell Barrett protesting Bethany Hospital expansion, circa 1980. Brenetta Howell Barrett Papers, [Box 87, Photo 236]. Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection, Chicago Public Library. In her fight for gender equality, Howell Barrett joined other notable Black women to found Black Sisters United. She also cofounded the League of Black Women. Her political endeavors include a run for Congress. “She was a political superhouse,” FloresClemons said. “She has run for political office many times and has been an advisor for many successful candidates in various political spheres.” According to her bio, Howell Barrett helped Gus Savage – a major political player and one of Chicago’s most influential black journalists, previous owner of the Citizen newspapers, a chain of community weeklies in the Chicago area – persuade Harold Washington, who was then a state senator, to launch his first mayoral campaign in 1976. She handled Washington’s campaign scheduling, fundraising, publicity, and organized supporters through the West Side Coalition for Unity and Political Action. Although Washington’s 1977 race was unsuccessful, it’s safe to say it laid the foundation for his election in 1983. “She worked with Mayor Harold Washington within his administration,” Flores-Clemons said. “As his scheduler,

she played a very integral role because of security. She was part of that whole operation. She was responsible for knowing where he was and who was going to be there, and she knew the importance of that role and took it seriously. She was a master administrator.” The collection also includes Howell Barrett’s newspaper articles, such as her “Consumer Corner,” column that ran in The Austin Voice, 1987-1989. Her news articles for the Chicago Defender from 1965 are also part of the collection. Howell Barrett founded Pathfinders Prevention Education Fund with a focus on HIV/AIDS prevention, opioid awareness and public health on Chicago’s West Side. The organization celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. “What’s really important about this collection is that Chicago’s Black history is often told through the lens of the South Side communities, which is a very limited scope that often leaves out the other parts of the city, especially the West Side,” Flores-Clemons said. “The West Side is the highest concentration of Black folks in the city so to tell the story of Chicago and to leave that part out, you’re missing a lot. Howell Barrett’s collections, fills in some

of the historical gaps and brings to light the historical narratives of the West Side of Chicago.” Respected educator, political activist, community leader, oral historian and philosopher, Timuel Black, and former U.S. President Barack Obama are highlighted in the collection, along with many other notable African American leaders and politicians. “I feel very fortunate to have met her,” Flores-Clemons said. “She’s lovely and a force to be reckoned with. She’s just wonderful and so intelligent. She’s very strategic. I’m so impressed and encouraged. She’s still active even in her 90s and lends her voice when she can to various causes.” The exhibit opened at Legler Regional on March 18 last year and has already shown at Manning Library Branch. Howell Barrett and Mable Manning, whom the Manning Library is named for, were colleagues. From the Austin Branch, it will continue to Rogers Park and King Library branches, which have special connections to Barrett’s life in Chicago. “We selected Rogers Park because of the work she’s done with the LGBTQ population,” Flores-Clemons explained. “There was an organization that recognized her work that was based in that area. She’s a very strong ally. In recent years, she’s been honored for that work. The King Branch participation is in recognition of the work she did in that area on the South Side. The Austin Branch Library and the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection also hosted For the People’s Liberation: A Conversation with Howell Barrett and longtime colleague Brad Cummings of the Austin Voice to share highlights of Barrett’s community engagement and activism on Chicago’s west side, focusing specifically on the Austin neighborhood. The exhibit will finish as a featured exhibit in the Harsh Research Collection at Woodson Regional Library in spring of 2024, home of the Brenetta Howell Barret Papers. “These collections and exhibits are so important because you make them more tangible to the everyday person and you can see yourself reflected in this,” FloresClemons said. “A lot of this came from her love for her community and her love for her family. Some of her initial activism work came through her being part of the PTA and taking on leadership roles ensuring that her children’s needs were being met in the public school system and just her wanting to be a good neighbor.”

AustinWeekly News, January 17, 2024 11

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Baby Girl L.R. arrived on the 27th day of February 2008 to the parents Rashad and Angelea Rhodes. Weighing 6 pounds and 15 inches long at 6:30pm Trinity Hospital. Published in Austin Weekly News January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Bouncing Boy A.R. arrived on the 8th day of September 2006 to the parents Rashad and Angelea Rhodes. Weighing 8pounds and 18inches long at 10:15pm Advocate Hospital. Published in Austin Weekly News January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Beautiful baby Girl E.R. arrived on the 20th day of November 2009 to the parents Rashad and Angelea Rhodes. Weighing 7 pounds and 61 inches long at 8:37pm. Trinity Hospital. Published in Austin Weekly News January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800669-9777. GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION NEW PENN FINANCIAL LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Plaintiff, -v.DOROTHY KNIGHT, STATE OF ILLINOIS, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 02027 27 N. LATROBE AVE. CHICAGO, IL 60644 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 8, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 16, 2024, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: LOT TWENTY (20) IN BLOCK ONE (1) IN J.H. WHITESIDE AND COMPANY’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF (E1/2) OF THE EAST HALF (E1/2) OF THE SOUTH EAST QUARTER (S.E.1/4) OF THE SOUTH WEST QUARTER (S.W. 1/4) OF SECTION NINE (9), TOWNSHIP THIRTY NINE (39) NORTH, RANGE THIRTEEN (13), EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Commonly known as 27 N. LATROBE AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60644 Property Index No. 16-09-324-0150000 The real estate is improved with a multi-family residence. The judgment amount was $66,844.76. 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, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. 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, contact JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650, Chicago, IL, 60602 (312) 541-9710. Please refer to file number 18 5690. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650 Chicago IL, 60602 312-541-9710 E-Mail: ilpleadings@johnsonblumberg.com Attorney File No. 18 5690 Attorney Code. 40342 Case Number: 18 CH 02027 TJSC#: 44-43 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. Case # 18 CH 02027 I3236348

12 Austin Weekly News, January 17, 2024

City of Chicago | Brandon Johnson, Mayor Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners | Rosa Escareño, General Superintendent & CEO

Polar Days Polar Adventure Adventure Days Have fun while enjoying all the wonders of nature BIG MARSH PARK BIG MARSH PARK at Polar Adventure Days at Big Marsh Park! 11555 S. Stony Island Ave. 11555 S. Stony Island Ave. • Explore Big Marsh Park during winter •

January 20 Saturday & February 17 20 · February • See Husky sled3pm around the park • 17 ·teams 12 — January · • Enjoy guided bird hikes with Mama Edie • 12 – 3pm • Make a of nature-inspired winter craft • Have fun while enjoying all the wonders nature fun listening to stories around a bonfire • FREE! at Polar Adventure Days at• Have Big Marsh Park! • Drink a hot cocoa •

• Explore Big Marsh Park during winter • • See Husky teams sled around the park • Big Marsh Parkguided is located at 11555 Stony Island Ave. • Enjoy bird hikes with S. Mama Edie • Limited• parking is available during Polar Adventure Days. Make a nature-inspired winter craft • • Have funwww.ChicagoParkDistrict.com listening to stories around a bonfireor• call 312.742.7529 For more information visit • Drink a hot cocoa •

Big Marsh Park is located at 11555 S. Stony Island Ave. Limited parking is available during Polar Adventure Days.

For more information visit www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com or call 312.742.7529 For more information about your Chicago Park District, For more about your Chicago Park District, visitinformation www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com or call 312.742.7529. visit www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com or call 312.742.7529. City of Chicago | Brandon Johnson, Mayor

City of Chicago | Brandon Johnson, Mayor Chicago ParkBoard District Board of Commissioners | General Rosa Escareño, General Superintendent & CEO Chicago Park District of Commissioners | Rosa Escareño, Superintendent & CEO