Mayor Harold Washington and Cook County Board President John S. Stroger, Jr.

READ THE BOOKS; BUY THEM TODAY

Harold Washington, Chicago’s greatest mayor, was the first African-American elected mayor of the City of Chicago.

“Harold: The Making of a Big City Mayor”

In the book, Bratcher zeroes in on how this spirited campaign got off the ground, how the dream was accomplished, and the uphill struggle that brought it about. The book focuses on:

• The early stages of the campaign
• Voter registration drive
• The infusion of racial politics into the campaign
• Excerpts/statements/speeches on the campaign trail
• Washington’s views on the Rev. Jesse Jackson
• Interviews following his inauguration
• Black aldermen’s views on the city’s first black mayor
• Council wars/polarization
• Selected quotes from the campaign
• The battle cry for change
• Why Washington accused former Mayor Jane Byrne of trying to destroy the Democratic Party
• Washington accused the Vrdolyak ’29, headed by then Alderman Edward Vrdolyak, of a nervous reaction to his administration’s reform process. Vrdolyak tried to sabotage every agenda Washington tried to put in place or change.
• 16 pictorial pages

$10 plus $3.00 S&H

President John S. Stroger, Jr.,  First Black President of the Cook County Board of Commissioner

“Beyond the Boardroom: Empowering a New Generation of Leaders”

A biography of John Herman Stroger, Jr., the first African-American elected president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, was a legendary icon in county, city and state politics

Stroger spent almost four decades in public office. He was elected as a Commissioner to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1970. He served as ward committeeman before becoming a commissioner. During his 24 years as a sitting commissioner and then heading up the powerful Finance Committee, Stroger made a run for President in 1994, and won. At the age of 77, Stroger was running for a four-peat term in 2005. He said he was running for re-election because he had a vision for County for the next four years.

In the book Stroger discussed race and politics, dealing with the white media

“I’ve been dealing with race in terms of different racial people and culture. There are some people who are saying subtly that some race is being played in it (2006 campaign). But when you got a guy of my pigmentation and a white guy running there may be some race (involved). But as you know, even before I got to be President, I (put together) a multi-racial group. I’d like to think that I’d be judged in the end on my performance as an elected official.”

• Quotes from various elected officials
• Stroger’s staying power
• Stroger suffered a debilitating stroke. He won the primary election but asked Democratic Party to replace him on the ballot with son, Todd
• Stroger goes out a winner, declaring: “This is probably one of the most difficult periods in my life (recuperating from stroke, and calling it quits). This is a battle I’m going to win.”

$22.95 plus $3.50  S & H

Author: Award-Winning Journalist Dr. Juanita Bratcher

STIMULATE THE MIND: READ A GOOD BOOK. ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY at 773 375-8127 or e-mail: www.juanitabratcher@yahoo.com

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed more than 40 deaths in 2017 due to a powerful, new opioid.

The office has confirmed that from January through April 8, 44 deaths were attributed to acrylfentanyl, a new fentanyl analog whose potency is still being studied.

The data for 2017 is not a real time number, as toxicology testing can take several weeks.

In 2016, seven deaths were attributed to acrylfentanyl.

The Medical Examiner’s Office has seen a marked increase in deaths from fentanyl and fentanyl analogs since 2015.  The office has determined its recent findings require notice to the general public and to first responders.

“Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues are very powerful drugs that are likely to be lethal,” said Dr. Ponni Arunkumar, Cook County’s Chief Medical Examiner. “Just one dose can easily stop a person from breathing, causing immediate death.”

“These high-potency opioids and opioid analogs are thousands of times stronger than street opioids like heroin and are far more likely to cause death,” said Dr. Steve Aks, emergency medicine physician and toxicologist at the Cook County Health & Hospitals System’s Stroger Hospital.

“In many cases, one dose of naloxone, the heroin antidote, will revive a person who has overdosed on heroin. But we are seeing people in our emergency department who need increased doses of naloxone – in some cases as many as four doses – for the patient to be stabilized after ingesting fentanyl, or a heroin/fentanyl combination. The EMS and emergency medicine community needs to be aware of the potential need for additional naloxone in such cases.”

In 2016, a total of 1,091 people in Cook County died, at least in part, because of an opiate-related overdose. In 2015, 649 people in Cook County died, at least in part, because of an opiate-related overdose.

Of the opiate-related overdoses in 2016, 562 people died, at least in part, after using fentanyl or fentanyl analogs, which are illicit versions of fentanyl, a powerful drug used by physicians to treat severe pain.

The most common fentanyl analogs in Cook County include furanyl fentanyl and a precursor/metabolite of fentanyl called despropionyl fentanyl or 4-ANPP. Toxicology tests show decedents have used fentanyl and analogs alone, as well as with heroin and with other drugs such as cocaine.

Madigan Seeks to Immediately Shut Down Fraudulent Pyramid Operation

CHICAGO, IL – Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit and temporary restraining order against a Chicago-based pyramid sales operation after receiving more than 20 complaints about its false and misleading claims that lured people into the costly scheme.

Madigan filed the lawsuit in Cook County against Wealth Partners Publishing Inc. (WPP) and its President Candice V. Cunningham for operating a direct-mail pyramid scheme called “Partners in Profit” that falsely promised people they could build direct mail businesses to earn a quick and lifelong income. In filing the lawsuit, Madigan also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and an order preserving assets to immediately prohibit Cunningham and WPP from continuing to operate the scheme in Illinois.

Madigan alleged the pyramid operation’s sole revenue stream relied on attracting people to pay as much as $10,000 to participate and recruit additional people to join, a classic sign of a pyramid sales scheme. The only way existing participants in the scheme earned money was by recruiting others. No goods or services were ever sold.

“The people behind this pyramid scheme made promises that could never be fulfilled and came at great cost to the people who bought into the lies,” Madigan said. “I am seeking to immediately and permanently shut down this pyramid scheme.”

In promoting the illegal scheme, Madigan alleged that Cunningham and WPP described the sales program as a proven way for people to make substantial income and achieve financial independence. Sales materials claimed participants could earn their share of a $42 billion direct mail industry and included testimonials from people who supposedly claimed they earned thousands of dollars within a matter of days, quit their jobs, paid off their debts and began building lifelong income by joining the program.

Madigan further alleged Cunningham and WPP encouraged people to join the program by offering a minimum 2 percent money back guarantee on investment and promising to refund people’s money if they did not meet the response rate detailed in program materials. However, people did not make any money by paying into the program and did not receive the guaranteed refund.

Madigan’s lawsuit seeks full refunds for people who were lured into the program as well as civil penalties. Illinois consumers who believe they may be a victim of this pyramid sales scheme can submit a complaint online or by contacting Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Hotline:

1-800-386-5438 (Chicago)
1-800-243-0618 (Springfield)
1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale)

Assistant Attorneys General Tom James and Jennifer Crespo are handling the case for Madigan’s Consumer Protection Bureau.

CHICAGO, IL  – Mr. Man Hee Lee, International Peace Dignitary will be making his mark in Chicago. Mr. Man Hee Lee is a Gandhi Global Family award recipient and founder and chairman of HWPL. Mr. Man Hee Lee is now bringing his message of peace to Chicago, IL. Chairman Lee is a Korean War Veteran who has not forgotten the suffering he and his fellow soldiers endured in their youth during the Korean War. He recalls the atrocities committed against the youth during war, and vowed to bring an end to military conflict. Since then, Chairman Lee has worked tirelessly to leave a legacy of peace to future generations.

Chairman Lee, along with over 100 branches of HWPL and in conjunction with the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), and the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), is working to bring all wars to an end. HWPL is a non – profit international peace organization, a movement promoting world peace and the cessation of wars. As emissaries of world peace, HWPL is working towards the restoration of humanity through interfaith interactions and a heavenly culture. Here are some of HWPL accomplishments:

The cease of the 40-year conflict of Mindanao, Philippines, HWPL began the process through signing a peace agreement between representatives of the Catholic and Islam faiths in the region.

• Cooperated with various education institutions worldwide to promote peace education in 117 school in 8 different countries
• Established and maintaining the following: International Law Peace Committee, Advisory Council, Publicity Ambassadors, Peace Advocacy Committee.

For more information, contact: Ciara Mason @ 224 343-8952

Illinois’ Secure Choice Plan Will Move Forward

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs released the following statement after the U.S. Senate’s vote to pass House Joint Resolution 66. The passage of the resolution weakens protections for employers who choose to offer Illinois’ Secure Choice retirement savings plan to their workers.

Frerichs championed Secure Choice as an Illinois senator and fought for stronger federal safe harbor protections as state treasurer.

“Common sense was locked out of Congress today. Congress had a chance to help millions of Americans who lack retirement savings options. Congress had a chance to protect employers from frivolous lawsuits. Instead, Congress again chose to stand with big money and Wall Street,” Frerichs said. 

Frerichs urged President Donald Trump to reject this short-sighted decision.

In Illinois, the Secure Choice Program will go forward.

Illinois’ Secure Choice Program touches Illinois businesses with at least 25 employees, that have been in business for two or more years, and that do not currently provide a qualified savings plan. Employees from these businesses will be enrolled in a default target date Roth IRA with a default 3 percent payroll deduction, but could choose to change the contribution level or fund option at any time, or choose to opt-out of the program altogether. Accounts are owned by individual participant and will be portable from job-to-job. Employers can choose to offer a qualified private-market savings plan at any time.

Secure Choice is scheduled to launch in 2018. As many as 1.3 million workers are expected to participate.

–

Nationally, only half of working Americans save for retirement, according to the Survey of Income and Program Participation by the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those who do not save, 84 percent work for an employer that does not offer a retirement savings vehicle. A lack of retirement savings increases the likelihood that workers will be over-reliant on social security or retire into poverty, creating significant future burdens on state and federal social safety nets.

Advocates say the reason these workers do not have access to a retirement savings tool is because Wall Street and the financial services industry does not offer a product. Secure Choice was designed to fill this need.

For more information about Illinois’ Secure Choice Program, visit www.illinoistreasurer.gov.