Austin Weekly News 073124 by Wednesday Journal

Opportunities for West Side fathers are few. U.S.

Rep. Danny Davis aims to change that

‘Our vantage point is that fathers should be actively engaged in the lives of their children,’ the congressman says

By KATHERINE FRAZER Contributing Reporter

U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis is working to support Austin fathers and families of all shapes and sizes. Data from the 2022 American Community Survey shows that 26% of households in Austin, North Lawndale, East Garfield Park and West Garfield Park are led by single mothers. For fathers who do not live with their children, there are fewer opportunities to connect and engage

Austin residents Tina Humphrey, le , Jovon ompson, 6, and Yvette Humphrey watch the oats pass by during the “Say No to Drugs & Violence” parade along Chicago Ave. on Saturday, July 27 in Austin.

By MICHAEL BANIEWICZ Contributing Reporter

Marching bands, colorful floats and flag twirlers lined West Chicago Avenue

on Saturday morning for the 36th Annual Say No to Drugs & Violence Parade. Sponsored by the Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute nonprofit, the community celebration was attended by community leaders, Austin residents and le gislators. The event is the largest neighborhood

NEWSFLASH!

MICHAEL BANIEWICZ

Summer Hawaiian Dance

Friday, August 23rd 6pm-8pm

BIG WEEK July 31-Aug 7

Family Night: Austin “County Fair”

Friday, Aug. 3, 5 – 8 p.m.

4th Annual Community Day

Friday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Malcolm X College West Side Learning Center

Stop by to learn about the West Side Learning Center’s a ordable programming, support services and partners. 4624 W. Madison St.

NLCCC Annual Arts Festival

Saturday, Aug. 3, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Douglass Park

Join North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council’s eighth Ar ts Festival in Ana and Frederick Douglass Park. The event showcases local performing artists, visual artists selling their original art, culinary artist, jewelry and clothing. The Westside of Chicago will again come together and have fun! 1401 S. Sacramento Drive.

Join BUILD for a county fair-themed family night. Activities will include: line dancing, mechanical bull, carnival games, pie- eating contest and a dunk tank. Also sample root beer, apple pie, a pay-what-you-can lemonade stand and a bluegrass band. It is free and open to the community. Questions? Contact Sarah Lo man at sarahlo man@buildchicago.org. 5100 W. Harrison St.

Ta ste of The Hatchery

Saturday, July 27, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Gar eld Park Neighborhood Market

The Gar eld Park Neighborhood Market is hosting the Taste of The Hatchery, a collaboration with Gar Community Council that will feature the food businesses in residence at The Hatchery. Market visitors will be able to buy and sample food from businesses that ar part of The Hatchery. Legacy vendors will be selling as well. Don’t miss produce from the gardens! Soul Kitchen Chicago, Shane’s Sweet & Savory, Lowtide Goods Momma Dee’s Soul Food, Trini’s Tasty Pastries and Divine Bites Bakery. Lake Street & Kedzie Avenue.

Editor Erika Hobbs

Sta Reporters Jessica Mordacq Amaris E. Rodriguez

Special projects reporter Delaney Nelson

Contributing Editor Donna Greene

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan

Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks

Columnists Arlene Jones

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Sales & Marketing Representatives

Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Publisher Dan Haley

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Youth Budget

Engagement Roundtable

Tuesday, July 30, 5 – 7 p.m.

Harold Washington Librar Winter Garden

At the 2025 Youth Budget ngagement Roundtable, hosted by The O ce of Ma Brandon Johnson and Chicago e of Budget and Management, youth will have the opportunity to share their ideas around key topics for the 2025 budget. This roundtable is designed to get input from Chicago’s youth between the ages of 13-24. Adults 25+ will be able to attend but not participate. Free food included! If you require ASL and live language interpretation or any other accommodation, please contact ommunityengagement@cityofchicago.org. Register here: https://ow.ly/IYGZ50SKr8r

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Gre n

Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com

ONLINE www.AustinWeeklyNews.com

PARADE

from page 1

parade on Chicago’s West Side. It also includ ed a college and trade school resource scholarship presentation, food and entertainment, as well as a book bag and school suppl giveaway and tables of local vendor

Prior to the parade, volunteers and officials spoke to those gathered at the pa ing lot of the Healing Temple Church W. Chicago Ave. Lawmakers in included 37th Ward Alderman E 8th District Illinois State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. It was also attended by officers from the Chicago Police Department’s 15th District and other community leaders.

along Chicago Avenue.

Speakers advocated for a greater unity between the community’s residents with law enforcement.

“We have to put our arms around one another,” Mayor Johnson said. “It is going to take all of us to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago…We have a lot of work to be done, but we are already seeing transformation in our communities. We cannot allow outside forces to determine or dictate what we do for our own city, especially what we do for our own people.”

According to the Mayor’s Office Violence Reduction Dashboard, from Jan. 1 through July 26 Austin has seen a 20.6% decrease

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks to the crowd during the press conference at Healing Temple Church.

in homicide victimizations, dropping from 34 in 2023 for the same period to 27 in 2024. The same period comparison in Austin saw a 13.2% decrease in all shooting victimizations from 144 in 2023 to 125 in 2024.

The calls for unity in Austin came three weeks after Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot in her Illinois home by now-fired Sangamon County Sherif f Deputy Sean Grayson. In recent years nationwide, Massey is one of several Black women who have been killed by law enforcement in their own home, including

Students from Ke nwood Academy per form dur ing the “Say No to Dr

parade along North Cicero Avenue.

Breonna Taylor and Atatiana Jefferson. Massey’s killing has also drawn national attention and protest.

“This gathering represents the ongoing dialogue between this community and law enforcement,” Rep. Ford said in a press release. “This is an important annual community event, but the unnecessary and tragic murder of Sonya Massey especially reminds us this year of why we must engage and take meaningful, collective action.”

Dozens of people attended a “Justice for Sonya Massey” rally on Saturday in Chicago’s Federal Plaza. The protestors called on Congress to take legislative action on

police reform. Demonstrators demanded lawmakers pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill then U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (now mayor of Los Angeles) introduced in February 2021. The proposal aims to prevent police misconduct, excessive use of force and racial bias in law enforcement.

The Say No to Drugs & Violence Parade goes back to 1989. It was started by the pastor of Healing Temple Church, Rev. Dr. Arthur Lockhart, to address challenges faced by members in the community. The le gacy of gathering community members to combat violence continues on Chicago’s West Side 36 years later.

MICHAEL BANIEWICZ

Carlin Morse, commander of the Chicago Police Department’s 15th district, speaks to the crowd during the press conference at Healing Temple Church on Saturday, July 27, in Austin.

MICHAEL BANIEWICZ

ugs

Violence”

MICHAEL BANIEWICZ

“Say No to Drugs & Violence” parade continues

How will the Democratic National Convention a ect you?

Expect delays and longer travel times

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

With all eyes on Chicago for the upcoming Democratic National Convention, the United States Secret Service and law enforcement officers are finalizing safety measures for those who live in the city and the 500,000 estimated to visit it

Most of the impacted areas will surround McCormick Place and the United Center, where the convention’s main events will be held, officials said at a July news conference about safety planning.

McCormick Place’s West Building will be shut down to anyone without DNC credentials starting at 10 p.m. on Aug. 16 to the early hours of Aug. 23. A portion of East 24th Street and East 24th Place will also be shut down, along with part of West Cermak Road and South Indiana Avenue. No vehicles larger than passenger cars will be allowed on the stretch of the Stevenson Expressway just south of McCormick Place.

Nearly two square blocks on every side of the United Center will also be closed to those without credentials from 7 p.m. Aug. 17.

Businesses within this area have been reserved for use by DNC attendees and volunteers.

A wider area outside both locations is open to pedestrians, but streets will be closed and vehicles are required to undergo a screening process to enter

Security barriers and fencing will likely go up around McCormick Place and the United Center before the dates that they’re closed to the public There will also be lane disruptions and limited access to sidewalks, plus parking

restrictions that will be posted in advance.

Chicago Transit Authority buses will operate normally. But those with routes through the restricted vehicle zone will have to undergo security screening measures. The same will go for food and package deliveries, plus taxis and ride shares

“We ask the citizens for their patience and their grace while we work to ensure their safety,” said Jeff Burnside, the Secret Service’s DNC coordinator.

In addition to expecting delays and allowing extra travel time, officials request that locals consider alternate routes and use public transportation, if they can.

How will the DNC a ect the rest of the city’s safety?

While the Secret Service is responsible for safety measures inside the DNC’s footprint, Chicago police have jurisdiction over everywhere else in the city.

“This is not just about the Democratic National Convention,” said Larry Snelling, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. “The Chicago Police Department has an obligation to the entire city of Chicago, every single neighborhood.”

Snelling said the Chicago Police Department started training for the DNC over a year ago. The Secret Service and local law enforcement will have one final training, days before the first delegates arrive

One of the biggest things Chicago police have been preparing is procedures for planned and impromptu demonstrations

T he city is expecting protests during the convention, and has even gone to federal cour t against groups that are planning to demonstrate, but have had their permits denied

“All of our training is rooted in the First

e red area will be restricted to those without DNC credentials, while the yellow area will be open to pedestrians and vehicles, which w ill undergo a screening process

and Fourth Amendments,” Snelling said. While he said police respect the right to protest, they will not tolerate violence or vandalism.

Out of more than 80 protests over the last year, “we have not seen any major, major incidents when officers are engaged with those who are out protesting,” Snelling added, a success he chalks up to communicating with protesting groups about their expectations, and sharing those from the police.

Chicago officials have dealt with large crowds in past years, whether they’re participating in protests or are on a larger scale, like the DNC. Mayor Brandon Johnson mentions the NATO summit in 2012 and the city’s NASCAR races.

“We are no stranger to hosting large-scale events,” Johnson said. “Whether you want to exercise your First Amendment, visit the convention, or just simply continue to live and work in Chicago like you normally do, you will be protected and served throughout this convention.”

As Chicago gears up for another big convening, officials say the public will play a vi-

tal role in the safety of the city.

According to Lucas Rothaar, acting special agent-in-charge of the Chicago field office of the FBI, the FBI receives tens of thousands of tips a year, all of which are reviewed and prioritized

“These tips from the public help us to identify threats before they become a crisis,” Rothaar said. “There is no such thing as something too insignificant to report.”

If you see something suspicious or threatening online or in-person, call 911 or 1-800CALL FBI.

In the less than a month before the convention, city departments and federal agencies will continue to canvas the areas around McCormick Place and the United Center to answer any questions residents and businesses have.

Maps of closed streets are available at www.Chicago.gov/OEMC. If there is a critical situation in the area, people will be notified through the Chicago OEMC app. They can also text DNC to 226787 for text alerts T he co nvention is scheduled for Au g. 19 to 22.

West Siders can get $25,000 to help recover from July 2023 ood damage

The $5 million program aims to help up to 200 West Side homeowners, primarily older people, x or restore ooded basements.

By ALEX V. HERNANDEZ Block Club Chicago

The city has secured another $5 million to help West Side neighbors still recovering from flood damage caused by last summer’s storms.

The Flood Assistance Repair Program for 2024 will help up to 200 homeowners — primarily older people — living in single-family or one- to two-unit properties on the West Side. Mayor Brandon Johnson and officials with the Chicago Department of Housing announced the funding Tuesday.

N early one in four households in Austin re ported flooding after recordbreaking storms swep t through Chicago Ju ly 1-2, 2023.

West Siders and western suburban residents saw up to 9 inches of rain and flash flood warnings over those 24 hours, which resulted in Gov. JB Pritzker issuing a disaster proclamation for numerous counties, including Cook County.

City crews collected more than 2,000 tons of debris from the storm and responded to over 18,000 tree emergencies across the city, Johnson said.

“By prioritizing support for our seniors and the most affected communities on the West Side, we are taking meaningful steps toward recovery and resilience,” Johnson said in a statement. “Together, we will ensure that our city remains strong, safe and united in the face of any challenge.”

Eligible homeowners at or below 100 percent of the area median income can

qualify for up to $25,000 each to help fix and restore their basements. That would mean a household income of no more than $112,100 for a family of four.

Homeowners don’t need to apply for the aid as the Department of Housing will collaborate with community leaders and organizations to ensure aid reaches those most in need without requiring a separate intake or re gistration process, officials said.

“Our administration is dedicated to supporting Chicagoans who have been adversely affected by natural disasters,” housing department Commissioner Lissette Castañeda said. “The Flood Assistance Repair Program is a vital step in ensuring that our residents, especially our seniors, can live safely and comfortably in their homes. We are committed to rebuilding and strengthening our communities with resilience and care.”

More than 63,000 Chicagoans applied for federal flood assistance after the July 2023 storms, resulting in $170 million in payouts

The Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance included $147 million in housing assistance and $24 million in assistance for other needs, which provided a critical lifeline for those who needed it most, officials said.

Throughout Cook County, applicants had received $310 million, making this disaster the biggest emergency declaration Illinois has seen, FEMA’s Chicago branch chief Susan Jensen previously said.

Last year’s storms also prompted West Side Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) and other members of the city’s budget committee to urge the water department to ramp up its work to prevent severe flooding, which is likely to worsen amid the climate change crisis.

“We know that there’s still much work to be done,” Johnson said. “We are acutely aware that climate change most impacts communities of color due to policies of neglect that have left these communities behind and caused tremendous amounts of vulnerability.”

Sometimes a crack is how the light gets in

Years ago, when I used to work out on the far northwest side, there was a ceramic shop about a block away. During my lunch time, I would go there and take lessons in how to do ceramics. It was relaxing and enjoyable. Plus, I got to make things with Black skin tones. Over the course of time, I did a lot of Christmas decorations. I made a Black Santa and Black angels.

JONES

My love for doing ceramic hasn’t waned over the years. However, ceramic shops are not as popular or plentiful as they used to be It is not an expensive hobby per se. And, as long as the paints are tightly capped, they can last quite a number of years.

My other passion is finding things cheaply. I wanted a water feature for my front yard, but I didn’t want to spend $150plus for it. I was thrilled when I won one for less than $20 on my favorite auction site. Ho er, that joy dissipated when I pic front of the ceramic vase was crac and broken. And, was quite visible. Thankfull pieces

tioning pump for the water. I had spent

last year repairing a Buddha statue from the same auction place. I did a spectacular job of putting that Buddha statue back together. So, I was ready for this latest challenge. Initially, I had planned on taking a week or so to work on and re pair the fountain. But recognizing that the fountain would eventually involve water flowing over it, I decided to give it extra time for drying and curing. I re paired the gaps, cracks, and missing areas using Milliput epoxy putty. Milliput is an excellent medium to do the re pair. It’s a two-part medium that becomes a claylike substance that can be sculpted. Plus, it’s suitable to be used in wet locations. After it hardened, I was able to use my dremel tool to sand it down smoothly.

Matching the color to the existing fountain was my next challenge. Fortunately, I found some specialty green spray paint that was similar in appearance. I ended up spray painting quite a bit of the vase so

e hand-repaired, hand-painted water fe up to the ta sk

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Walser House in Austin: looking for a new lease on life

‘I

think this is a house that really captures people’s imaginations, in par t because of where it is,’ a preser vation manager said

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

The J.J. Walser House at 42 N. Central Ave. in Austin is in need of a savior. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1903, the home is an early example of Wright’s Prairie Style. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is working with members of the Austin community to save the house and ensure its survival.

Designed for printing company executive Jospeh Jacob Walser, the home is one of only five existing Wright-designed Prairie structures in Chicago. It is the only Wright-designed single-family home on the West Side

Decades ago, the home was the focus of preservation efforts. The most recent owners, Anne and Hurly Teague, purchased the house in 1970, and Hurley, a contractor, worked to stabilize the home. Prior to the purchase, the art glass windows were removed and sold, a rear addition was completed in the 1950’s and sometime prior to that, porches flanking the front room were enclosed

The home was named a Chicago Landmark in 1984, a designation that prohibits demolition and requires approval for exterior changes. In 2013, the home was listed on the National Re gister of Historic Places.

According to John Waters, Preservation Programs Manager at the Conservancy, the home has been on the Conservancy’s radar for quite a while. In 2017, the Conservancy visited the home to meet with then-widowed Anne Teague and brought in Wiss, Janney, Elstner to prepare a pro-bono detailed condition assessment of the home. In 2018, they shared this report with Teague, and in 2019, the Conservancy visited the home with contractors to assess a leaking roof Waters praised the Teagues’ stewardship of the home.

“The house would not be there today if the Teague family hadn’t owned it for 50 years,” he said.

He added that it is not infrequent to encounter preservation obstacles when elderly owners are living in private homes

“There are very limited funding sources for private homes,” he said.

Most Wright homes are privately owned, and while the state offers a tax freeze program for preservation efforts, Waters pointed out that this program is most useful in areas such as Oak Park and Lake Forest, where property taxes are high

Waters said that after Anne Teague died in 2019 conservation efforts hit a few roadblocks, one of which was Covid-19.

“The house was always on our minds,” he said. “We were very wor ried about it.”

Post-pandemic, the Conservancy learned that Austin Coming Together was working with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning on reinvigorating ef for ts for the Austin corridor.

These ef for ts reignited interest in the house, which is one of the few residences left to document the early 1900s era on Central Avenue.

A reverse mortg age on the home, combined with foreclosure proceedings, are complicating ef for ts to preserve and make necessary improvements to the house. The tangled financial issues and bank ownership make it challenging to address deterioration accelerated by five years of vacancy.

A recent Crain’s Chicago Business article on the house has bought more interest to the preservation ef forts, and Waters said that the Conservancy is working closely with ACT to unravel the legal and financial situation and determine how to preserve the home.

He stressed that the home is very significant in the Wright canon. It’s a smaller version of some Prairie designs that Wright would go on to build elsewhere. The co-

axial design allowed for flow of light and air.

“It’s a small house with lots of room in it, something Wright was so good at,” he said.

Waters, who has been in the house many times, described its state.

“Much of the original fabric is there. There is stuf f to restore. But there’s basically a hole in the roof. Our goal is to get access to the house, so to speak, so we could get that temporarily covered.”

He estimated that shoring up the home and getting it stabilized would cost approximately $500,000 and said that rough estimate doesn’t cover the costs of restoration of the entire home.

Waters said that the Walser House is on the agenda for the Conservancy’s annual conference in Detroit in the fall, during which they will discuss three Wright homes and consider how their environments and surroundings play into preservation ef forts. The other two homes are in areas such as Atherton, California, where development has come to meet the communities, making the land worth more than the house itself.

“This project [the Walser House] is the opposite,” he said.

“Advocacy people always bring up moving a house,” Waters added, “but this house is a part of Austin. It’s just a mile from Unity Temple, but it’s a different world.”

The involvement of ACT is a great boon to the preservation ef forts, he added.

While there are a lot of moving parts to saving the house, Waters said he is optimistic that it will be done and thinks that preservation will be aided by interest from the Austin community itself.

“I think this is a house that really captures people’s imaginations, in part because of where it is.”

FLW B UILDING CONSERVANC Y

e J.J. Walser House at 42 N. Central Ave. in Austin

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CONNECT & LEARN

LUNCH & ENTERTAINMENT

Kehrein Center for the Arts | 5628 Washington Boulevard

August 9 | 11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

CULTURAL & CREATIVE ARTS

National Museum of Mexican Art | 1852 W. 19th Street

July 25 | 1:00–3:00 p.m. To register, email angela@museumofmexicanart.org.

WALKING & WELLNESS CLUB

Salvation Army Freedom Center | 825 N. Christiana Avenue

Meets every Friday from 8:30–10:00 a.m. To register, email programs@mather.com or text (847) 316.1365.

Registration appreciated! Anyone 55+ is welcome

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Join a live-stream or ondemand class through our Y360 platform and mobile app. Classes include fitness, wellness, and enrichment.

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In partnership with the Village of Oak Park, all community health programs at the West Cook YMCA are complimentary and include a membership to the West Cook YMCA for the duration of the program.

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FATHERS

Supporting fathers

from page 1

with their children, something Davis has been working to remedy.

“Our vantage point is that fathers should be actively engaged in the lives of their children whether they live with them or whether they don’t,” Davis said.

Recognizing and promoting fatherhood has gained national interest in recent years. Many communities have implemented programs that support fathers, providing them with the resources and connections they need to strengthen relationships with their families.

Earlier this summer, Davis hosted “Fatherhood in the Neighborhood,” a celebration for fathers in the community. Highlighting the importance of father figures and their role in the community, the day brought together neighbors to support fathers and families.

“We had more than 200 men who came to our office on that Saturday to engage in positive conversation, to experience fellowship and camaraderie of other men and other fathers,” Davis said.

In neighboring Chicago communities, investing in fatherhood has proven to be worthwhile.

Marlo Passmore is the program direc-

tor for Brightpoint’s Thriving Fathers and Families Program, an initiative that allows fathers to participate in a 12-week curriculum that focuses on building healthy families and relationships. Although the program is located in the Englewood and West Englewood communities, they accept fathers from all over the Chicagoland area.

The program provides fathers with resources to improve their capacity as parents. After completing the initial curriculum, fathers are connected with services that help them support their families, continuing to grow relationships with co-parents and their children.

“In my opinion, the more stable a household is, the more likelihood of the family thriving,” Passmore said. “While a lot of our fathers are under the impression that there aren’t many services that are catered to fathers and fatherhood, we wanted to make sure we tapped into that demographic and potentially distilled that myth.”

Thriving Fathers and Families received a grant about five years ago that allowed them to grow their operations, and Passmore said that investing in fatherhood has paid of f.

She tells the story of a father who entered the program hoping to improve his relationship with his co-parent amid complicated circumstances. Through the program, he began to repair the relationship with his co-parent. It was so successful that his co-parent attended the completion ceremony and spoke to the audience about the

impact the program had on them.

“The dad was able to garner ideas and ways to better communicate with the coparent and it then turned into a situation where although they are not together, their relationship begin to get better because she was able to see the change in his behavior as it related to being a co-parent,” Passmore said.

Although some fathers might not live with their children, opportunities and resources for them to support and engage with their families yield positive outcomes in our communities.

For Davis, supporting fathers and their children extends outside of his district.

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, he recently introduced legislation that aims to improve the relationship between incarcerated parents and their children.

“We work to bring fathers into positive ontact with their children,” Davis exlained. “Even to the extent of taking children for the last several years to correctional institutions to visit with their thers, and that has been a very rewarding experience.”

A 2020 report from the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents found

that nearly 200,000 children in Illinois, or about one in 20, have had a parent in jail or prison.

Davis has aided in providing incarcerated fathers from the community with the opportunity to form relationships with their children.

At the start of his “Fatherhood in the Neighborhood” celebration in June, he accompanied children in the community who were visiting family members at the Sheridan Cor rectional Center.

“There were some fathers who hadn’t seen their children in five or six years and there was one fellow who had never seen his granddaughter,” Davis said. “There were fathers who acknowledged that they were going to do a better job of trying to care for their children and there were children … who hadn’t seen their fathers in a couple years and so for th, but had good feelings about them.”

Davis plans to continue supporting fathers and f amilies in the community with solutions people can see, such as suppo rting community groups for fathers and continuing to work on legislation to help local families.

“Rather than cursing the dark, light a candle,” Davis said.

COURTESY OF REP. DANNY K. DAVIS

U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis aims to show that resources are available for fathers and fatherhood.

COURTESY OF REP. DANNY K. DAVIS

Anthony Hargrove, former CPS dean, runs

‘I’ve seen the challenges and triumphs that students, teachers and administrators face ev

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

As the November election approaches, the race is on for Chicago’s first elected school board.

Leading up to the election, Austin Weekly News will interview candidates from the school board’s 5th District, which covers Austin, Galewood, Garfield Park and Lawndale. These conversations will highlight candidates’ experience and their goals for CPS and its schools on the West Side.

Anthony Hargrove, 41, decided to run for the 5th District school board about a year ago. He lives in East Garfield Park and has worked in CPS for about 20 years, holding positions from volunteer to dean. He is cu rently the associate director of Breakthrough Beyond, a program for students that have stopped attending Chicago Pub lic Schools.

“During the pandemic, ap proximately 40,000 kids dropped out of school,” said Hargrove, who is a third-generation educator and has four children who attended or are attending CPS.

Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood fo about five years.

He was chief dean at John Marshall Metropolitan High School in East Garfield Park where his mother went. There, he said he was in charge of training other deans, plus changing the culture of the school.

“We had a student shot on the steps, probably my first day,” Hargrove said. “We lost double-digit students that year.”

Harg rove helped navigate that heartbreak by bringing in community partners to help change staf f and students’ outlook through restorative practices, plus “really believing in the kids and loving on the kids,” he said.

At the start of the 2021 school year, CPS enrollment had declined by nearly 25,000 students since the start of the pandemic, Illinois Policy re ported. And in the 2021 school year, 16,000 students stopped coming to school, according to WBEZ Chicago Breakthrough Beyond aims to re-eng age these students to get them back in school, or to get their GED or into a trade program. It does this by giving resources, such as food and shelter, to students who have dropped out of CPS. Many of the program’s participants have their own kids, so Breakthrough Beyond provides child care. It also gives participants $250 weekly so they can pursue their education with fewer roadblocks

“My belief is that we set low bar riers for students and high expectations, and they will rise to the occasion,” Harg rove said. “That’s the reason I’m running.”

Harg rove, born and raised in Austin, started his career in education as a culinary instructor at Orr Academy High School, his alma mater. He then became dean at Wendell Phillips High School in

The following year, Hargrov said acts of violence at Marshall decreased by 60% and student attendance increased. Harg rove then worked at Alcott Elementary School in the Lincoln Park neighborhood before becoming operations manager at Christian Fenger Academy High School in the Roseland neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. He transitioned to become dean at Jordan Community Elementary School, one of CPS’ most-northern schools. Finally, Hargrov served as compliance specialist for CPS’ north re gion, ensuring that area schools follow local, federal and state laws.

“I’ve seen the challenges and triumphs that students, teachers and administrators face every day,” Hargrove said. “I thought the board could use someone with the experience from the ground-level up.”

Goals for CPS and its West Side schools

As Hargrove has been campaigning for the 5th District school board, one of his hopes is that there will be more information for the community about the board’s role

“The school board is responsible for basically one employee, and that’s the CEO,” Harg rove said. “They’re not in charge of the day-to-day operations of our schools.”

As for schools themselves, Hargrove said Chicagoans should create a new vision for education, “reimagining how we look at things, reimagining how we articulate our framework to kids about their future.”

way,” Hargrove said.

When asked about budget constraints and how West Side schools would receive equitable funding, Hargrove said there’s no easy answer.

CPS is experiencing a $500 million deficit. Though the Chicago Public School system has worked toward getting out of the red by restructuring its debt, plus cutting office staf f and administrative costs, one can’t help but consider how that will affect CPS schools that are already underfunded and underpopulated.

CPS is on its way to addressing this inequity, as it has changed its budgeting model to allocate the same resources to all schools in

challenges often center around techni cal issues of whether nominating signature requirements have been met. T hose whose nominations have been challenged have convened with a hearing officer to go through their signatures

Any candidate removed from the ballot can run for the school board in the November election as a write-in option.

Though Hargrove hopes it doesn’t come to that, he will pursue the write-in path if it means creating a better future for CPS students.

“I believe in our babies,” Hargrove said. “I believe they can accomplish anything. I believe that everything is possible for our kids.”

PROVIDED

Hargrove in a classroom at Shoop Academy, an elementary school on Chicago’s South Side

ANTHONY HARGROVE

NOTICE INVITATION TO BID TO METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT OF GREATER CHICAGO

Sealed proposals, endorsed as above, will be submitted back to the District via an electronic upload to the Bonfire Portal only, from the date of the Invitation to Bid, up to 11:00 A.M. (Chicago time), on the bid opening date, and will be opened publicly as described in the Invitation to Bid by the Director of Procurement and Materials Management or designee at 11:00 AM on the stated bid opening date below for: CONTRACT 17-273-4P

FURNISH AND INSTALL ODOR CONTROL SYSTEM AT THORNTON RESERVOIR

Estimated Cost: Between $3,693,496.00 and $4,471,074.00

Bid Deposit: $224,000.00

Voluntary Pre-Bid Site WalkThrough will be held on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., Central time, at the northeast corner of the Thornton Reservoir, 17061 State Street, South Holland, Illinois 60473.

Voluntary Technical Pre-Bid Conference: Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 10:00 am Chicago Time, via ZOOM Link Compliance with the District’s Affirmative Action Ordinance Revised Appendix D, Appendix V, and the Multi Project Labor Agreement are required on this Contract.

Bid Opening: September 10, 2024 ****************************************

The above is an abbreviated version of the Notice Invitation to Bid. A full version which includes a brief description of the project and/or service can be found on the District’s website, www.mwrd. org; the path is as follows: Doing Business > Procurement and Materials Management > Contract Announcements.

Specifications, proposal forms and/ or plans may be obtained from the Department of Procurement and Materials Management by downloading online from the District’s website at www.mwrd.org (Doing Business > Procurement & Materials Management > Contract Announcements). No fee is required for the Contract Documents. Any questions regarding the downloading of the Contract Document should be directed to the following email: contractdesk@mwrd.org or call 312-751-6643.

All Contracts for the Construction of Public Works are subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130/1-et.seq.), where it is stated in the Invitation to Bid Page.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals if deemed in the public’s best interest

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

By Darlene A. LoCascio Director of Procurement and Materials Management

HELP WANTED

Environmental Chemist (Original)

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will be accepting applications for the following classification(s):

Environmental Chemist (Original)

Additional information regarding salary, job description, requirements, etc. can be found on the District’s website at www.districtjobs.org or call 312-751-5100.

An Equal Opportunity Employer - M/F/D

Published in Austin Weekly News July 31, 2024

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTCHANCERY DIVISION HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF THE FIELDSTONE MORTGAGE INVESTMENT TRUST, SERIES 2006-3 Plaintiff, -v.JOSE ANTONIO GONZALEZ, VERONICA GONZALEZ, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS

Defendants 17 CH 003245 2426 S. HOMAN AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60623 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 27, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 A.M. on August 13, 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 21 IN MOORE PATTEN AND HAIR’S SUBDIVISION OF LOTS 41, 48, 49, AND 56 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST 1/2 OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 26, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Commonly known as 2426 S. HOMAN AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60623

Property Index No. 16-26-219-0330000

The real estate is improved with a multi-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, 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 rep-

BURR RIDGE IL, 60527

630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-23-00786

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002

Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 2023 CH 01160

TJSC#: 44-1447

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

resentation 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, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 7949876 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.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100

BURR RIDGE IL, 60527

630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-17-02267

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002

Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 17 CH 003245

TJSC#: 44-1725

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 # 17 CH 003245 I3248154

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTCHANCERY DIVISION

CITIZENS BANK NA F/K/A RBS

CITIZENS NA Plaintiff, -v.-

WALTER LEE HARRIS SR, RHONDA HARRIS, CITY OF CHICAGO

Defendants

2023 CH 01160

5318 W HARRISON ST 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 May 21, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on August 23, 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: Commonly known as 5318 W HARRISON ST, CHICAGO, IL 60644

Property Index No. 16-16-121-0550000

The real estate is improved with a residence.

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).

For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876

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

765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

Case # 2023 CH 01160 I3248530

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTCHANCERY DIVISION

SELFRELIANCE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, F/K/A SELFRELIANCE UKRAINIAN AMERICAN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Plaintiff, -v.-

PETRO GLIBKA A/K/A PETER GLIBKA, MARIA GLIBKA, CAVALRY PORTFOLIO SERVICES, LLC, CITY OF CHICAGO, OLEKSANDR MYRONYUK, OLEKSANDRA MYRONYUK, GALYNA MYRONYUK, ELENA MYRONYUK, PARVIDA VIBOON, MYKHAILO VALCHYSHYN, ROMAN POROKHNYAK, SVITLANA SKOROBOGACH, ULIANA PAZIUK, IHOR PAZIUK, HALYNA KHABA, MYKHAYLO KHABA, TARAS KHABA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS

Defendants 2022 CH 5668 2528 WEST CORTEZ STREET CHICAGO, IL 60622

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on August 4, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on August 21, 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: Commonly known as 2528 WEST CORTEZ STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60622

Property Index No. 16-01-410-0250000

The real estate is improved with a multi-family residence. The judgment amount was $638,144.68.

For information, contact B. GEORGE OLEKSIUK, OLEKSIUK & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 422 EAST PALATINE ROAD, PALATINE, IL, 60074 (847) 202-4030. 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.

B. GEORGE OLEKSIUK OLEKSIUK & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 422 EAST PALATINE ROAD PALATINE IL, 60074 847-202-4030

E-Mail: bgoleksiuk@gmail.com Attorney Code. 39474

Case Number: 2022 CH 5668 TJSC#: 44-1888

Case # 2022 CH 5668 I3248647