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Citizen ILLINOIS TOLLWAY LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTIONWORKS PROGRAM — PAGE 3 Week of Dec. 26, 2018

| Vol. 54 | No. 39 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

CHATHAM SOUTHEAST

The Gary Comer Youth Center recently hosted the youth-led Taste of Comer culinary event. Photo Credit: Provided by Gary Comer Youth Center

GARY COMER YOUTH CENTER HOSTS TASTE OF COMER CULINARY EVENT

NEWS

BUSINESS

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REAL ESTATE

Could Saving With An Online Bank Help Your Money Grow Faster?

Advocate South Suburban and Advocate Trinity Names New President

Check out our real estate listings for important foreclosure information PAGES 8-10

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2 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

NEWS briefly EDUCATION

FEDERAL COMMISSION ON SCHOOL SAFETY RELEASES COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR KEEPING STUDENTS, TEACHERS SAFE AT SCHOOL After months of research, visiting successful programs around the nation, and receiving testimony from experts and concerned citizens, the Federal Commission on School Safety (Commission) recently released a 177-page report detailing 93 best practices and policy recommendations for improving safety at schools across the country. Utilizing the information gathered, the Commission report offers a holistic approach to improving school safety, ranging from supporting the social and emotional well-being of students to enhancing physical building security. Acknowledging there can be no one-size-fits-all solution to this complex problem, the final report serves as a resource guide for families, educators, law enforcement officers, health professionals, and elected leaders to use as they consider the best ways to prevent, mitigate, and recover from acts of violence in schools. The recommendations are based on efforts that are already working in states and local communities.

HEALTH

SLEEPING IN CONTACT LENSES PUTS YOU AT RISK OF DANGEROUS INFECTION Contact lenses are worn by an estimated 45 million Americans. Improper care or wear, like going to sleep without removing your lenses, can lead to infections of the cornea like microbial keratitis, which can lead to serious health problems. Six tales that should serve as warnings are the latest in a series on infections featured in the January issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine and developed through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the EMERGEncy ID Net, an emergency department-based collaborative surveillance network. The CDC reports that an estimated 1 million annual outpatient and emergency visits were due to keratitis.

LAW & POLITICS

GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL CREATING SCHOOL DESIGN-BUILD PILOT PROGRAM Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed HB 5593 establishing a pilot program for school districts to use the design-build construction delivery method. The method allows architects, engineers and construction contractors to pick their partners and be hired as a team, expediting project completion by allowing early phases of construction to begin as the building design is still being developed. The legislation permits up to five design-build demonstration projects to be undertaken in Illinois. Each must be shown to be in a school district’s best interest as determined by the State Board of Education. “The State has proven the benefit of using the design-build method on vertical infrastructure projects,” Rauner said, “and by piloting this valuable delivery method tool in the K-12 system, it will help to explore ways to increase efficiency and speed in school construction projects.” “As a state, we are always looking for better tools to enable Illinois public entities to construct and renovate buildings more effectively and cost-efficiently,” said state Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City. “Design-build has proven in national studies to deliver the lowest cost, fastest schedule and highest quality. As Representative, I will look to work with local officials to implement this important cost savings tool.”

Gary Comer Youth Center Hosts Taste Of Comer Culinary Event Continued from page 1 BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Middle school students from the Gary Comer Youth Center’s Seed to Table Cooking Club recently hosted their first Taste of Comer event. Students, families, community members, and local chefs all gathered at the event where they sampled and voted on dishes that were prepared by the middle schoolers. The Gary Comer Youth Center, 7200 S. Ingleside Dr., opened in 2006 and provides a safe and supportive environment that young people can come to after school, on weekends and during school. The mission of the Gary Comer Youth Center is to ensure all students graduate high school prepared for college and careers, according to a press release announcing the Taste of Comer. The Seed to Cable Cooking Club is just one of many programs that students can participate in at the Gary Comer Youth Center. “At the Gary Comer Youth Center we have Cooking Classes five days a week and

those classes serve all of our young people from third grade through 12th grade. We also have an employment program that serves youth 18 to 24. The group that hosted the Taste of Comer culinary was our Middle School Group,” said Remington Price, the culinary program manager at the Gary Comer Youth Center. Most, if not all, of the activities that the culinary program students participate in are focused on learning to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients, according to Price. “A lot of young people nowadays are kind of scared to work with fresh ingredients. Especially in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood where the Gary Comer Youth Center is located. It is a food desert here so getting fresh ingredients isn’t necessarily the norm for a lot of our young people and it can be kind of intimidating for them to cook from a recipe and cook from scratch,” said Price. For the Taste of Comer event, students were split into groups and for the three weeks leading up to the event, they worked together to design their menu

items, create a production schedule for the day of the event, and develop detailed descriptions of their food. “They spent probably three weeks planing out their menus and all of the items that they cooked were things that they had come up with. It was entirely their own ideas. We sat down and worked out a production schedule so they knew exactly what time each of the ingredients needed to be finished off and they knew exactly how they wanted to plate it. They also were able to explain to the guests their process of making the food and they were able to talk about the flavor profile of their food. It was really awesome to watch them,” said Price. After each group presented their dish, the guests and chefs that were in attendance voted on their favorite items and awards were given to the winning teams. Proceeds from the event will help the Gary Comer Youth Center purchase new kitchen equipment for the Seed to Table program. To learn more, visit www.garycomeryouthcenter.org.

Duckworth & Durbin Join Senate Democrats in Urging Trump Administration to Reverse Course & Defend Affordable Care Act in Court WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and 46 of their colleagues recently in urging the Trump Administration and the Department of Justice to immediately request a stay of a Judge’s recent decision in Texas v. United States to strike down the entirety of the Affordable Care Act. If that decision stands, tens of millions of Americans will lose their health insurance, healthcare costs will rise, and health insurers will once again be allowed to discriminate against the 133 million Americans who have a pre-existing condition. “We are writing to express our serious concerns with the decision and to reiterate our strong objection to the Department of Justice’s refusal to defend the law of the land. If the ruling stands, nearly every American’s health care will be affected. The human cost of this decision is profound,” the Senators wrote in a letter to President Donald Trump. “The Affordable Care Act is, quite simply, the law of the land, and it is your Administration’s duty to defend it. We urge you to reverse course and direct the Department of Justice to defend the law of the land and pursue a stay of this decision. Millions of Americans are relying on you,” they continued.

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin

In addition to Duckworth, Durbin and Manchin, the letter was signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Van Hollen (DMD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Cardin

(D-MD), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME) and Chris Murphy (D-CT).

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CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

NEWS

Advocate South Suburban and Advocate Trinity Names New President BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Following a nationwide search, Advocate South Suburban and Advocate Trinity Hospitals have recently named Rashard Johnson, a young African American man originally from South Florida, as their new president. Johnson has a high level of experience in overseeing multi-facility health networks and a strong passion for patient care. “As the president of South Suburban and Trinity Hospitals, I’m responsible for directing all daily patient care and activities as well as ensuring the strategic vision and implementing our safety and quality goals. I am also responsible for ensuring patient satisfaction and doing it all in a cost-effective manner,” said Johnson. Originally from Miami, Johnson holds a masters degree in health administration from the University of Central Florida. After college, he worked in several health networks in and around Miami before moving to Dallas where he was responsible for two hospitals and 16 hospital-based clinics. After working in Dallas, Johnson was recruited to take a position overseeing three hospitals in Houston. After all of that, Johnson made his way to Chicago to begin his role as the new president of Advocate South Suburban and Advocate Trinity Hospitals. “For my entire career, I have always

had multi-site operations so that was a big draw for me in coming to Advocate. I am happy to have the opportunity to continue to manage multi-site operations,” he said. As for his style of operating, Johnson said that he is very hands-on and doesn’t like to spend time in his office. “The best way to learn your operation and to learn the quality of care that you deliver is to get out and about. I spend a lot of my time rounding on floors, meeting with team members, talking to guests and patients as well as physicians in their settings and that’s a typical day for me,” said Johnson. Aside from the work he does within the hospital, it is very important to Johnson to find ways to give back to the communities he is serving and to help increase exposure to health careers for inner-city youth. “Growing up, I never knew that this opportunity existed. I was born and raised in Miami and never had an opportunity to be exposed to executives and in particular to health care executives,” said Johnson. “I consider it a true blessing for me to have an opportunity to be at the platform that I’m at and to have been given opportunities for doors to be opened immediately out of school at a young age and essentially that means that one of my passions is to open up doors for those who are in the shoes that I once stood in.”

Advocate South Suburban and Advocate Trinity Hospitals recently named Rashard Johnson (left) as their new president to oversee both hospitals. Photo Caption: Alvin Rider

Illinois Tollway Launches ConstructionWorks Program BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Illinois Tollway Board Chairman, Bob Schillerstrom, along with the Illinois Tollway executive director, Liz Gorman, recently announced that the agency’s new ConstructionWorks workforce training and careers program is ready to launch and will serve job seekers across Northern Illinois, including in Cook County. ConstructionWorks will be administered by The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and will provide free pre-apprenticeship training and support services to underemployed and disenfranchised individuals seeking training and career opportunities in the highway construction industry, including members of minority groups, women and veterans, according to a press release announcing the launch of the ConstructionWorks program. “We are marking the official start of ConstructionWorks to create a pipeline of qualified diverse men and women ready for careers in the heavy highway and related construction industries,” said Schillerstrom. “ConstructionWorks will provide more than just job opportunities, it will allow workers to support their families, send their kids to college and build a better future for themselves.” The Illinois Tollway is the agency that main-

The Illinois Tollway recently announced the launch of ConstructionWorks, a new workforce training and careers program for job-seekers in Northern Illinois. Photo Caption: Illinois Tollway

tains and operates 294 miles of roadways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway. The Illinois Tollway does not receive state or federal funds to maintain or operate these roadways and relies solely on user-fees, according to the Illinois Tollway website.

It is expected that through the ConstructionWorks program at least 150 individuals will be placed into apprenticeship and training programs during the first three years. The program will also place an emphasis on highway skilled construction trades, according to a press release announcing the ConstructionWorks program. “Workforce development has always been one of my administration’s top priorities,” said Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook

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County Board. “I applaud the Illinois Tollway for having the foresight to engage the public workforce system to champion this effort in an industry that has been historically biased against minorities, especially women and people of color.” While administering the ConstructionWorks program, The Cook County Workforce Partnership will work to identify underemployed construction industry workers and trainees and place them in construction industry opportunities that are suited for their skills and their career aspirations. In addition to providing direct access to training, ConstructionWorks will work with individuals who are already working in the field to help them progress into more highly-skilled trades. “I believe very strongly that every single person deserves access to world-class careers, skills training, and job opportunities,” said Karin M. Norington-Reaves, chief executive officer of The Cook County Workforce Partnership. “This announcement aligns with our efforts to ensure we are providing resources for people that are traditionally underrepresented in the construction trade and furthers our mission to create economic empowerment through employment.” For more information visit www.workforceboard.org.

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BUSINESS

Could Saving With An Online Bank Help Your Money Grow Faster? StatePoint - While there’s no doubt that putting money aside with each paycheck is an essential component to a healthy financial future, it’s important to keep in mind that not all savings accounts are going to give you the same pay back or benefits. It’s estimated that American consumers are missing out on over $50 billion dollars of interest they could be earning every year. The average interest rate on savings accounts is 0.08 percent, according to the FDIC, with many of the largest financial institutions paying as little as 0.01 percent. But did you know that the top online banks have interest rates 20 times higher than the national average, according to rates published by the FDIC? Because they have no physical branches, they are often able to pass on that savings to customers through consistently competitive rates. “A traditional bank savings account is certainly a safe vessel in which to deposit money, but it won’t necessarily help that money grow,” says Diane Morais, president, Consumer & Commercial Banking Products for Ally Bank, Member FDIC, which won the title of Best Online Bank in the

Top online banks have interest rates 20 times higher than the national average, according to rates published by the FDIC.

GOBankingRates Best Banks ranking from 2015-2018. What’s more, online banks can offer greater convenience and flexibility, since consumers can bank from anywhere on computers and mobile

devices, and there’s no waiting in line or waiting for the bank to open. The most common services and transactions (i.e. monthly account maintenance fees, standard or expedited ACH transfers, domestic and international incoming

Report: Veteran-Owned Small Businesses Face More Financing Challenges than Non-Veteran Small Businesses

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wires, cashier’s checks and personal checks) are free at many online banks. And most online banks are FDIC insured, so a customer’s deposits are equally as protected as they would be at a traditional bank.

To increase your savings, Morais recommends the following: • Pay yourself first. When you save, you are paying yourself, so be sure your monthly budget includes a line item for savings. You can make it easier to commit to this great habit by setting up automatic transfers to your savings account. • Do a little research. Find a bank that will pay you a more competitive interest rate on your savings. You may have to do a bit of comparison shopping, but the extra money coming your way will make the effort worthwhile. According to the FDIC, the median balance in U.S. savings accounts is around $5,000. At 0.01 percent interest, that equals 50 cents in interest for the year, however if that money was in a savings account at one of the top online banks, it would earn almost $90 of interest. To learn more about saving with an online bank, visit www.ally.com. It is estimated that consumers have about $3 trillion in bank accounts earning a relatively low interest rate. If a portion of that figure belongs to you, consider making your money work harder by moving it to an account with greater interest earning potential.

LISETTE GUSHINIERE Owner, LG Consulting

WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the U.S. Small Business Administration recently issued the report Financing their Future: Veteran Entrepreneurs and Capital Access. The report provides a comprehensive look at the state of entrepreneurship for military veterans, while presenting new small business credit data from the Federal Reserve Banks’ 2017 Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS). “Clearly, aspiring veteran entrepreneurs can benefit from preparation and training to start their businesses and succeed in the marketplace,” said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator of the SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development. “This report highlights the value of SBA-partnered resources like the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program, which helps veterans as they navigate the challenges in financing, starting and growing their companies.” “To solve a problem, it’s critical first to understand its scope. This report presents the most substantial evidence to date of the challenges veteranowned businesses face in accessing capital,” said Claire Kramer Mills, New York Fed assistant vice president. “By understanding how much credit veteran-owned businesses are seeking, where they’re applying, and the nature of their financing challenges, policy makers and service providers can better help veterans overcome financing shortfalls.” The report found that: • Despite similar demand for financing, veteran-owned small business applicants were more likely than non-veteran-owned small business applicants to experience “financing shortfalls,” where they received less than the amount of credit they sought. • They have lower approval rates at the most popular lenders, and the amount of SBA-guaranteed loans they have received has increased more slowly over time than for non-veterans. • This discrepancy in financing experiences could be attributable to the smaller loan amounts that veteran-owned businesses seek, higher credit risk, and lack of information. For more information on key findings and conclusions of the report, visit https://www.newyorkfed.org

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CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

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Citizen On The Move

The Calahan’s Foundation Gala Highlights

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson along with Johnathan Jackson recently posed for a photo with the Calahan during their Gala festivities held recently. (Photo by Jimmie Lewis)

The Calahans poses with their honoree Mrs. Jamila Trimuel, Founder & Executive Director of Ladies of Virtue, Non-For-Profit.

Mr. and Mrs Calahan poses for a photo with their Foundation Board Members. (Photo by Jimmie Lewis)

Honoree, Ms. Jacki Robinson-Ivy, Senior Vice President, Northern Trust Bank and Rev. Jasper Taylor, Calahan Foundation Exewcutive Director.

Parents of Hedi Pendleton joined Mr. and Mrs Calahan for a photo during the Calahan’s Foundation gala event. (Photo by Jimmie Lewis)

Holiday Cheers From Around Town!

Members of the Fisk University Alumni poses for a photo during their Holiday Season Celebration. (Photo courtesy of Fisk Alumni)

A Jack and Jill Affair!

Christmas in the Schools Ms.Tragil Wade the sister of Basketball’s superstar Dwayne Wade (Miami); poses with a student from the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School during a recent Christmas Holiday celebration.

Jack & Jill of America, Incorporated South Suburban Annual Holiday Affair held at the Olympia Fields Country Club. Pictured left to right: Danielle Broadwater, Chairperson, Holiday Affair; Yolanda T. Payne; Deadra Stokes; Donna Leak; Latosha Mayes; Candance Tyndall; Gigi Gresham Hinton: Dominique Wallace; Jaronda Hall; Kimberly Orlandi, Co-Chair Holiday Affair.

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CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

NEWS

Will You Join the Crusade for Bennett? BY JULIANNE MALVEAUX, Nnpa Newswire Contributor

Bennett College for Women is an oasis where we educate and celebrate women and develop them into twenty-first-century leaders and global thinkers. That was my elevator speech in the five years, from 2007 through 2012, when I led the college. It is still an oasis, a safe space for Black women and others who embrace our mission. It still educates and celebrates women. But now, in 20182019, my college has challenges. The accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, has said that Bennett College is fiscally unstable. If we can’t raise a minimum of $5 million by February 1, 2019, just a few weeks from now, the school will lose its accreditation! How has it come to this? Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have had a tough row to hoe for a plethora of reasons. At Bennett, enrollment has dropped from the historic high I managed of 750 in 2009 to something under 500. Thanks to the efforts of the current president, Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, enrollment rose by 15 percent and by 26% with new students this year. That’s good, but we’ve got to be great. What’s great? Student enrollment of 800 or more. Great is, an endowment that is robust and unique academic programs. What’s great is the preservation of an amazing Black women’s history, a history that is too often swallowed. History belongs to she who holds the pen. That was my mantra at Bennett. We need to tell Black women’s stories, and this is a place that reflects them. For every woman who embraces #MeToo, there must be another who embraces the swallowed aspects of Black women’s history. We don’t often hear, for example, of the fantastic legacy of Dr. Willa Player, the first woman President of Bennett College, and the first African American woman to become president of a four-year fully accredited Liberal Arts College. Dr. Player was an amazing grace, a woman who was both a civil rights leader and an excellent educator. She had the audacity to invite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel when no one else in Greensboro would have him. She supported the Bennett students who took part in the Woolworth’s sit-ins (a chapter of history not much elevated as the A&T Greensboro Four were the more prominent leaders). Make no mistake. Bennett women were jailed. Bennett women stood up. And Dr. Player stood with them. Bennett College has a unique history, and it is a history that must be

preserved. It will only be maintained if folks who love women, women’s history, and the elevation of Black women’s voices come together to find five million dollars in just a few weeks. I am writing this column to appeal to those who will help. Here’s how: • You can make a contribution to the College. Check out our website, bennett.edu/donate. • You can tell your friends to contribute. Let’s take this column and make it viral. Take it to your church, to your sorority or fraternity, to your club, to your friends. Black folks have more than $1.3 trillion in annual income. Bennett College needs less than fourtenths of one percent of that. Come on, Y’all. We can do this. If just 5000 of the high net worth black woman gave a grand, we could do this! I’m asking my sisters to join the crusade for Bennett. • You can help us find an angel to help, not only with the $5 million that must be raised but also with a long-term contribution. If you have an angel that you’d like me, President Worthy Dawkins, or President Emerita Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole to talk with, please reach out to me at dr.j@ juliannemalveaux.com. At this time, we only need unrestricted dollars by February 1, 2019. Please help. Year after year we hear stories of HBCUs that are facing financial challenges. Why is this one different and special, and what will Bennett do to ensure that it does not reencounter some of these challenges? Bennett College is prepared to engage in a strategic planning initiative to move us from surviving to thriving. We are prepared to engage in 21st-century technology to make our campus work. We need resources to move to the next step, and we are ready to raise those funds with just a little help. Are you in? Bennett College President Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins has been bold, firm, and strategic, as she has faced these challenges. She says, “We look forward to working with partners who understand that their investment supports the education of deserving young women whose potential is only limited by the opportunities we give them. Our challenge is great. Our time is short. Our resolve is mighty.” I #StandwithBennett at www.bennett.edu/donate Will you? Please send your dollars and your ideas. Please help us water the oasis! Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available via www.amazon. com for booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visit www.juliannemalveaux.com

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CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

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CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

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inate exposure to secondhand smoke. 8. Pain medication is personal. If you are taking prescription opioids, follow your doctor’s instructions, store them safely to prevent diversion or misuse, and properly dispose of any leftover medication. 9. Make sure your family is up-todate on their vaccines, including the annual influenza vaccine for everyone age six months or older. 10. Manage stress. A good diet and daily exercise are key ingredients to maintaining and improving your mental health, but don’t hesitate to ask for help from a friend or mental health professional when you need it. The lifestyle choices you make now will have long-lasting impacts. So, this new year, prioritize your long-term health by forming great habits. _______________________________

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HEALTH

10 DoctorRecommended New Year’s Resolutions (StatePoint) With the new year upon us, you may be looking for resolutions that will help to keep you and your loved ones healthy and happy in the year ahead. “This is the perfect time of year to consider your personal goals, and how you can make positive health choices in the coming year,” says American Medical Association (AMA) President Barbara L. McAneny, M.D. “Small lifestyle changes today can have a lasting effect in improving your health.” To help you start the year off on the right foot, Dr. McAneny and the experts at the AMA are offering 10 recommendations to help you determine where you can make the most impactful, long-lasting improvements to your health. 1. Learn your risk for type 2 dia-

betes by taking the self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Steps you take now can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. 2. Be more physically active. Adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity. 3. Know your blood pressure numbers. Visit LowerYourHBP.org to better understand your numbers and take necessary steps to get your high blood pressure -- also known as hypertension -- under control. Doing so will reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke. 4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar. Also reduce your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and drink more water instead. 5. If your health care professional determines that you need antibiotics, take them exactly as prescribed. Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem and antibiotics will not make you feel better if you have a virus, such as a cold or flu. 6. If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age. 7. Talk with your doctor about tobacco and nicotine use and quit. Declare your home and car smoke-free to elim-

(StatePoint) Though Tax Day happens every year, it still seems to take many Americans by surprise. This year, don’t miss the deadline or let this crucial to-do loom large over your head. To have a smooth tax season, consider the following: • Getting Started Early: If you can, get a head start on your taxes. Filing early is a good tactic for anyone, but particularly those with evolving or complex financial circumstances Not only will doing so help you prevent the anxiety that comes with procrastination, you’ll receive your refund early -if you’re due one -- or give yourself time to prepare to pay any owed taxes. • Relying on Old Tricks: When it comes to tax preparation, sometimes, using old-school methods is the best way to go. Whether you are just getting started on crunching those numbers or you’re finalizing all the information, a printing calculator like Casio’s HR-170RC includes features that can aid in tax preparation and submission. This model also has some newer tools, like a built-in tax feature that lets you store a frequently-used rate and pull it up at-will, slicing your calculation times by an impressive margin. Other functions include: a reprint key, a check function to scroll up to 150 steps of previous calculations, a grand total function for quick correction of mis-entries, currency exchange calculations and cost/sell/margin calculations. • Doing Research: The list of what is tax deductible is more extensive than you might realize, so do your research. Keeping good records throughout the year of your expenditures can help you take advantage of these opportunities. • Having a Refund Plan: Don’t just let your checking account absorb your tax refund only to spend it on an impulse buy. Whether you invest the money in your retirement, sock it safely away for a rainy day or put it towards the purchase of a big-ticket item, such as the down payment of a house, having a plan for your tax refund can help you make the most of

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the money. This year, have a fuss-free tax season. With a little planning, you can file your taxes efficiently, without headache and at the greatest benefit to your finances. _______________________________

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President /Publisher

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SOUTH END

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SOUTH SUBURBAN Serves communities in Harvey, Markham, Phoenix, Robbins, Dixmoor, Calumet Park, Blue Island, South Holland, and Dolton. Shopping- their favorite pastime!

HYDE PARK

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CHICAGO WEEKEND

Chicago Westside Communities, Austin and Garfield Park

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY Bloom Township, Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Food Heights, Glenwood, Homewood, Lansing ,Lynwood, Olympia Fileds, Park Forest, Sauk Village, South Chicago and Steger

CNGI Publishers of the Chatham-Southeast, South End, Chicago Weekend, South Suburban and Hyde Park Citizen, published weekly on Wednesday’s (publishing 52 issues annually). Written permission is required to reproduce contents in whole or in part from the publisher. CNGI does not assume the responsibility for nor are we able to return unsolicited materials, therefore they become property of the newspaper and can or will be discarded or used at the newspapers disgratation. Deadlines for advertising is every Monday at noon. Deadlines for press releases are Fridays at 10 am prior to the next week’s edition. Please send press releases for calendar items at least three weeks prior to the event. Send to: editorial@thechicagocitizen.com. For more information on subscriptions or advertising, call us at (773) 783-1251 or fax (872) 208-8793. Our offices are located at 8741 South Greenwood Suite# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

12 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Dec. 26, 2018

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