The Voice Newspapers, Serving Chicago's West Side

REPORT FROM ALDERMAN EMMA MITTS

The 19th Annual 37th Ward Gospel & Back-to-School Festival
Will Spiritually Rock LaFollette Park on Saturday, Aug. 4th

The history of Gospel music is deeply rooted in Chicago. Born at the city’s legendary Pilgrim Baptist Church in Bronzeville under the inspiration of Thomas Dorsey, and lovingly raised in Black Churches and Spiritual Houses of Worship throughout west and south side African-American neighborhoods, to many - Gospel is considered our much beloved homegrown gift to the music world!
In other words Gospel music is Chicago!
So now it’s time to MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Tell your neighbors, friends and family and plan to attend the 19th Annual 37th Ward Gospel & Back-to-School Festival, produced by 37th Ward Alderman & Committeeman Emma Mitts, the 37th Ward Pastors Alliance and Global Outreach Ministries.
On Saturday, August 4, 2018, from 11am - 7pm - - the 19th Annual 37th Ward Gospel & Back-to-School Festival is back at LaFollette Park, 1333 North Laramie! Join music fans citywide to enjoy, and pay tribute to America’s undeniably most influential musical art form!
This FREE and open-to-the-public event, will truly be ‘Gospel Holy Ground’ , featuring fun and great food, family entertainment, local vendors and a host of powerful voices of prayer & praise - - who are ready to make this 2018 Gospel Fest an unforgettable summer experience, while supporting our youth!
“On behalf of the entire 37th Ward, I invite you, your family, friends and neighbors to join us as we sing, celebrate, inspire and empower each other through spiritually-focused traditional and contemporary Gospel music, good eats, games, prizes, school supplies and more with the wonderful people of the Austin and Garfield Park community on Saturday, August 4th, “ said Alderman Mitts. “I look forward to seeing you there!”
The 37th Ward Gospel and Back-to-School Festival on Saturday, August 4th is dedicated to sharing and celebrating Gospel music of all styles including Pop, Rock, Praise & Worship, Urban Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Southern Gospel, and more. This is the summer event you’ve been waiting for and you don’t want to miss it! Who’s going to perform? Check here next week for the exciting lineup!

Got a question or concern? For more information, contact the 37th Ward Alderman’s Office at 773-379-0960.

AS I SEE IT By Representative La Shawn K. Ford

Happy 100th Birthday,
Nelson Mandela!

This year, I am happy to host the 5th year anniversary of the naming of Mandela Road on the West Side of Chicago and the 100th anniversary celebration of Nelson Mandela’s birthday. It is great to be joined by Alderman Emma Mitts, Westside Health Authority, Good Neighbor Austin, Loretto Hospital, Healing Temple Church, New Yerusalem Lodge # 158 F, AM PHA, Schweet, Brown Sugar Bakery, Jamaican Grill, and others for the celebration.
Nelson Mandela International Day was launched in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on July 18, via unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly in 2009. It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said that “it is in your hands now”. The celebration is intended to be more than a celebration of Mandela’s life and legacy, but a global movement to honor his life’s work and act to change the world for the better.
To honor Nelson Mandela, who was a South African statesman, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and first President of the post-apartheid South Africa, I introduced House Joint Resolution 89 in 2014 designating the portion of Cicero Avenue from Grand Avenue to Roosevelt Road as Mandela Road. The resolution passed both the House and the Senate in unanimous, bipartisan votes. The dedication of the naming of Mandela Road occurred on July 18, 2014, Mandela’s birthday.

On every July 18th we honor President Mandela and we join the movement of change-makers to do our part to in the spirit of Mandela to spread social justice and freedom for all. This is our chance to become a part of a continuous global movement for good. Let all of us emulate the servant-leader we loved by becoming servant-leaders ourselves. By becoming a Mandela Day change-maker and doing something that effects positive change every day, we can show that actions speak louder than words.

For more information, contact one of Ford’s Constituent Service Offices: 816 S. Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park at 708-445-3673, 4800 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago at 773-378-5902 or in the Stratton Office Building in Springfield at 217-782-5962, or visit www.lashawnford.com.

REACHING BEYOND THE WALLS By Reverend Dr. T.C. Thomas, Sr. Pastor

Develop Your Faith Muscles!

One of my members with so much emphasis and power frequently reminds us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When she recites this scripture to us, we become conquerors of the world knowing that God is on our side. Our brain is a muscle that must be filled with learnable material to be a greater tool for us individually. Just like the brain muscle, our faith is a muscle that must be exercised daily to become stronger. We must consider our stance in the realm of faith. If we can spend time in the gym working out to become stronger in our physical body, we should be even more ready to spend time in God exercising our faith muscles. If we are going to be strong people of God, we must exercise our faith to enhance our faith. Jesus is the reason for our having faith to rely upon, so allow Him to direct your paths which will keep you exercising your faith muscles!

Dr. T.C. Thomas is the Pastor of Walls Memorial C.M.E. Church, 200 S. Sacramento Blvd., on Chicago’s west Side. He is a strong advocate for children, education, healthcare and most of all the people of God “being better and not bitter.” Rev. Thomas may be contacted at 773/533/2721.

A Call To Action: By Reverend Charles C. Brown, Ph.D. - Pastor, New Heaven Christian Church

In the Words of Donald Trump, “I Meant to Say…”

In what seemed like a poorly scripted line from a never-ending soap opera, Mr. Trump put an utterly implausible spin on the truth that would have made P.T. Barnum, the great showman, a very proud man. On Monday, when asked about Russia’s interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, Mr. Trump stated, “I have President Putin. He just said it’s not Russia. I will say this, I don’t see any reason why it would be.” These were the unprecedented words of the 45th President of the United States of America, while he was standing on foreign soil. The current leader of the free world went on to denounce the ongoing probe into Russia’s suspected meddling, blamed the U.S. for the bad relationship between the two nuclear powered countries, and criticized the findings of his own intelligence agencies. All in the same interview.
However, not even a full 24 hours later, he walked back his statement with an outrageous claim that he misspoke. During a press conference, held in the Cabinet Room of the White House, and surrounded by House Republicans Mr. Trump quantified his prior statement by asserting, “I said the word would instead of wouldn’t…I think that probably clarifies things pretty good by itself.” However, the context in which he spoke does not support his explanation, and further study of his complete text would suggest that he meant what he said the first time. This was his ill-fated attempt to control some of the damage that was created by his prior comment. For those of us who may believe his statement to be true, in the words long attributed to Mr. P.T. Barnum, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
Although some of us may not view this as being a major issue, others may view it as being a question of integrity. To some, Mr. Trump’s words were viewed as being a simple mistake or a poor choice in words. However, to others they were viewed as being yet another example of the misleading statements that have become a major focal point within his presidency. In May, Chris Cillizza, who is CNN’s Editor-at-Large, found that although Mr. Trump had only been in office for 466 days, he had somehow managed to utter more than 3,000 statements that were found to be false, untrue, or misleading.
Although some may argue that all politicians lie, the number of inconstant statements given by the current administration could very well be viewed as being unprecedented. This is an alarming trend, and according to Mr. Cillizza, “That means that, on average, Trump says 6.5 things that aren’t true a day. Every. Single. Day.” In my opinion, Mr. Trump’s actions can not only tarnish his future legacy, but they can also damage the credibility of his current leadership. Therefore, Mr. Trump’s advisors should remind him of the fact that a leader cannot be truly effective unless the people have a high level of confidence in their ability to lead. Furthermore, the people’s sense of confidence in their leader’s ability to lead is predicated upon their perceived level of integrity, which is easily eroded by inconsistencies. Although I do understand the pressure of living your life under a microscope, I can also attest to the chaos that is created when a leader lacks stability. If the people cannot trust the words of a leader, how can they be expected to follow any of the leaders’ mandates or directives? Consequently, any inconsistencies on behalf of a leader will negatively impact every aspect of that leader’s leadership, for in the thought provoking words of James, the brother of Jesus, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

By: Charles C. Brown, PhD
drccbrown@gmail.com
Pastor, Professor, Advisee to State Representative LaShawn K. Ford, Illinois 8th District Chair of Higher Education, and the Co-Chair for the 37th Ward Pastors Alliance

What Does God Have To Do With It? Who’s Running It? By Angie Mims

HEALING

A few years back, distraught was an understatement. Utterly disappointed at the outcome & brutally confounded when I was in search for answers to understand, I had reached a pivotal low that would eventually add an unknown layer of determination to God’s Purpose. An urgent call was placed that aided me in how to move forward in ministry. The answer? “Stop expecting healing from broken places.” People, unrelated or related, will always find ways to attack.......even when they don’t want to. It’s what they’re used to and it is their norm.
To the person who struggles with figuring out why the “script has been flipped” and why people brazenly treat you in an unkind manner when you KNOW you’ve done nothing to them personally to warrant such heart disturbing behavior:
1. Examine the place it’s coming from
2. Pray mightily for strength to endure for the sole purpose of growth and
3. Don’t dwell on it. Focus on ensuring that you don’t fall into the same trap. It’s far better to be found, healed, doing the right thing alone than broken, behaving wrongly with many around endorsing the offense.
In the words of my advisor at that time, “Don’t look across for healing. It’s broken. Look up.”
So, what does God have to do with it? Everything. If everyone liked us, if everyone truly loved us, how could we help others? Consider the hurt, the lies and the pain as instrumental to your future growth. Try your hardest not to give in to the snares and remember, “A seed grows with no sound but a tree falls with huge noise. Destruction has noise, but creation is quiet. This is the power of silence. Grow silently.” Healing will not always come from the offenders but true healing comes from Jesus Christ. Relax. God has your back.

Angie Mims is a radio personality for the Promoting Precision Radio Show. She has interviewed many greats on her show such as NBC 5’s Art Norman, CLTV News Dr. Garrard McClendon, Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, Ebony Magazine’s Senior Editor, Lynn Norment, the former president of Nigeria, General Olesugun Obasanjo, NBA players and many others. Visit her online at www.promotingprecision.com. Angie loves to meet new people and is in a constant attempt to unite people from all over the world. If you have a great story, don’t hesitate! Email her at AngieMims@PromotingPrecision.com today! You may also call (708)-612-4864. Support The Austin Voice Newspaper and let them know your thoughts about her column.

JESUS FREEWAY EXPRESS

CAST ALL YOUR CARES (WORRIES) TO
JESUS FOR HE CAREST FOR YOU!

Greetings my dear brethren – everyone. The times may be hard; the storms in your life may be raging – yet with Jesus in your boat with you, you will smile at the storm. Fear not, fear not, fear not, for he who is with you (Jesus) is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world.
As Jesus continued teaching & preaching, the evening came and the crowd were sent away and Jesus and his disciples got in a ship to cross to the other side of the lake. While they sailed, storm came with strong winds with water beating on the ship and flinging it; Jesus was asleep. The disciples feared drowning and they came to Jesus and awoke him saying Lord save us, we perish; and Jesus arose saying unto them: Why are ye so fearful, O ye of little faith? Then Jesus rebuked the wind – saying unto the sea; Peace be still. The wind ceased and there was a great calm. But the disciples marveled saying, what manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him (Matthew 8:23-27).
Today – this period in our lives; we all experience all kinds of storms: financial storms, health storms, unemployment storms, storms in marriage other devastating storms. I don’t know what storm you have in your life, but be assured that with Jesus in the boat with you, you will smile at the storm. Cast your cares and worries at the feet of Christ Jesus. He invites you today – this moment stating: Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
Pray without ceasing. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). When things go sour and problems mount – piling up like the wall of Jericho; fear not, for God is with you and He will uphold you with His right hand of His righteousness (Isaiah 41:10). Wait upon the Lord, for those who wait upon the Lord shall be supplied all their needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ (Jesus). Philippians 4:19.
If saved, but back sliding renew your faith in the Living God – get closer to Him. If not saved, know assuredly that Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life; no one can go to the Father (God) in heaven after life on earth except through Jesus (John 14:6). Accept Him as your Lord and Savior today. Get saved. Jesus loves you and so do I. For prayer support, please call me at (630) 965-0256. I am your brother in the Lord, Rev. (Apostle/Prophet) Emanuel Dada. Please Note: The next Parade for Jesus planning meeting is Saturday – July 28, 2018 at 1030 North Mason at 4p.m. Hope to see you there. The actual date of the Annual Parade for Jesus/Revival this year is Saturday – August 25, 2018. The Parade for Jesus kickoffs promptly at 10a.m. at 5330 West Division. Hope you are planning on participating in this glorious event for Jesus. Do it for Jesus – Don’t Hide Him (Jesus). Thanks and God bless.

Dr. James Poulos Presents:

Aging and Dental Health

As you age, it becomes even more important to take good care of your teeth and dental health. One common misconception is that losing your teeth is inevitable. This is not true. If cared for properly, your teeth can last a lifetime.
Your mouth changes as you age. The nerves in your teeth can become smaller, making your teeth less sensitive to cavities or other problems. If you don’t get regular dental exams, this in turn can lead to these problems not being diagnosed until it is too late.
If you want to feel good, stay healthy, and look great throughout life, you might be surprised what a difference a healthy mouth makes.

Tips for Maintaining
and Improving Your
Oral Health

• Brush twice a day with a toothbrush with soft bristles. You may also benefit from using an electric toothbrush.
• Clean between your teeth once a day with floss or another flossing tool.
• If you wear full or partial dentures, remember to clean them on a daily basis. Take your dentures out of your mouth for at least four hours every day. It’s best to remove them at night.
• Drink tap water. Since most contains fluoride, it helps prevent tooth decay no matter how old you are.
• Quit smoking. Besides putting you at greater risk for lung and other cancers, smoking increases problems with gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss.
• Visit your dentist. Visit your dentist regularly for a complete dental check-up.

By adopting healthy oral habits at home, making smart choices about diet and lifestyle, and seeking regular dental care, you can help your teeth last a lifetime—whether you have your natural teeth, implants or wear dentures.
Caregiving for a Disabled or Elderly Loved One

You may have a parent, spouse or friend who has difficulty maintaining a healthy mouth on their own. How can you help? Two things are critical:
• Help them keep their mouth clean with reminders to brush and floss daily.
• Make sure they get to a dentist regularly.

These steps can prevent many problems, but tasks that once seemed so simple can become very challenging. If your loved one is having difficulty with brushing and flossing, talk to a dentist or hygienist who can provide helpful tips or a different approach. There are dentists who specialize in caring for the elderly and disabled. You can locate a specialist through the Special Care Dentistry Association’s referral directory. For those who wear dentures, pay close attention to their eating habits. If they’re having difficulty eating or are not eating as much as usual, denture problems could be the cause.
When you’re caring for someone who is confined to bed, they may have so many health problems that it’s easy to forget about oral health. However, it’s still very important because bacteria from the mouth can be inhaled into the lungs and cause pneumonia.
If you are a representative for a nursing home resident who needs dental care and is enrolled in Medicaid, there is a regulation, called an Incurred Medical Expense, that may help pay for medically necessary care as determined by a dentist. The Medicaid caseworker at the nursing facility and the dentist providing care can work together to apply the Incurred Medical Expense to pay for needed dental benefits.

James Poulos, DDS, leads a team of dental specialists at Madison Pine Dental Clinic, 5470 West Madison Street, Chicago. Kidzone is a part of Madison Pine Clinic providing care to children and teenagers in a comfortable, nonthreatening setting. The clinic provides orthodontic care, braces, implants, and cleaning, in addition to fillings, crowns, and dentures for patients of all ages. Madison Pine accepts Medicaid patients and most insurance plans. For an appointment, call (773) 287-2277.

MONEY RUN By Kevin Pearson

Plan to Plan

Have you ever wondered why do I need a business plan? One may say to ones self “ I know what I want to sale. Can I just open my doors and start making money.” This is a thought that has crossed many entrepreneur minds, but having or not having a business plan can be the beginning or the end of ones business.
In early 2001, you all may know I published a hip-hop magazine that circulated in Chicago and two other major cities. The idea to start the magazine came over night. I can remember sitting on the floor in my brother’s room flipping through some old magazines. I looked him right in the eye and said, “ I want to start a hip-hop magazine.” Neither of us had writing experience and definitely no publishing experience, yet he was all in. Our entire business plan was fluttering in our imaginations.
Finally in 2003, after hundreds of hit or miss (only by the grace of God) we put out a full color glossy magazine. The hip-hop community loved the publication. We were on the media list of major music labels; we got passes to just about every hip-hop event. So what was wrong with that you ask? NO MONEY. We had zero revenue coming in, and no strategy in place to get any. We were the new guys on the block, and no ad agency would touch us. Also, big hip-hop publications where adding online versions of them selves, called e-zines, yet we still owed the printer. We hung on for a few years but closed shop in 2006.
In the end, we had a great product and tenacity, but no plan to execute anything. Today I plan everything, ever phone call, email, I even wrote a plan to write this column. “Remember no business has ever been totally successful with out a plan in place to make it successful.”

Want to increase your customers and profit, but don’t know where to start? Let us help, contact the Voice Newspapers at Ph: 773-889-0880 or email: austinvoiceads@gmail.com

PCC WELLNESS CENTER By Alexandra T. Chavez, Development Coordinator

PCC Offers Care Centered Around You
Pregnant and struggling with addiction?

With growing heroin use on the west side of Chicago, PCC Community Wellness Center (PCC) has started a chemical dependency program that offers combined prenatal care and substance abuse treatment for pregnant women. In this program, the treatment of heroin, alcohol, and prescription drug abuse is offered right in the doctor’s office.
PCC’s goal is to meet patients where they are in their recovery and help them to set goals without judgment. PCC can help improve the patients’ health and the health of their babies. Patients in this program receive safe, medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine and counseling. They visit weekly, are given ultrasounds, and deliver their babies at West Suburban Medical Center with a PCC doctor.
Services are available at our Chemical Dependency Clinic, located inside PCC Walk-In Wellness Center at West Suburban Medical Center at 1 Erie Court, Suite 1300, Oak Park, IL 60302. Pregnant women and their families in this program may continue to receive primary care, pediatric care, and behavioral health care at a nearby PCC location.
PCC accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and many health plans and also offers a sliding fee program for patients without insurance. They do not deny services because of inability to pay.

CANCER SOCIETY WARNS WOMEN OF THREAT FROM RADON EXPOSURE

A new report finds a statistically significant positive association between high levels of residential radon and the risk of hematologic (blood) cancer in women. This study is the first prospective population-based study of residential radon exposure and hematologic cancer risk, leading the authors to caution that it requires replication and whether it truly differs by sex.
Radon is a naturally-occurring byproduct of the decay of radium and is a known human lung carcinogen, the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Modeling studies show that radon delivers a non-negligible dose of alpha radiation to the bone marrow and therefore could be related to risk of hematologic cancers. More than 171,000 new cases of hematologic cancer and more than 58,000 deaths are expected in the United States in 2016. Hematologic cancers are the most expensive cancers to treat per quality-adjusted life year gained.
For the current study, researchers led by Lauren Teras, Ph.D., of the American Cancer Society used data from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort established in 1992, to examine the association between county-level residential radon exposure and risk of Hematologic cancer. The analysis included 140,652 participants among whom there were 3,019 hematologic cancers during 19 years of follow-up. They found women living in counties with the highest mean radon concentration had a statistically significant 63% higher risk of hematologic cancer compared to those living in counties with the lowest radon levels. They also found evidence of a dose-response relationship.
The authors say men may have a higher baseline risk, possibly because of more exposure to occupational or other risk factors for hematologic cancer, reducing the impact of any additional risk from residential radon. In women, who have a smaller baseline risk, residential radon exposure might be a larger contributor to overall risk. Another reason may be that the women of this generation spent more time in their homes, so had more residential exposure than men.
According to Dr. Teras, “Radon is already associated with lung cancer and if other studies confirm the link to blood cancers, we think it would warrant strengthened public health efforts to mitigate residential radon risks.”

ST. MALACHY + PRECIOUS BLOOD REQUESTS HELP FOR MOBILE PANTRY

Father Matthew Eyerman, Pastor of St. Malachy + Precious Blood Catholic Church, 2248 West Washington Boulevard, reminds everyone that his congregation hosts deliveries by the Greater Chicago Food Depository Mobile Pantry on the third Tuesday of each month. Volunteers unload the truck, bag the food, and distribute non-perishables, fruits, and vegetables to West Side residents. This food is available to anyone free of charge and without income verification. Each month, St. Malachy + Precious Blood serves more than 250 households representing well over 750 people, regardless of weather conditions.

In past years, the public has donated a pallet mover, tables, and bins. This year, Father Eyerman is requesting help in obtaining items to keep staff and clients dry and warm:

• $500 will install a retractable canopy

• $100 will purchase a pop-up canopy to keep food and volunteers dry

• $75 provides hand warmers for volunteers

• $50 provides single-use rain ponchos for clients & volunteers

For information about the monthly Mobile Pantry at St. Malachy + Precious Blood or making contributions to the program, call Father Eyerman at 312/733-1068 or 312/919-1610.

MT. VERNON BAPTIST CHURCH OFFERING YOUNG ADULT RE-ENTRY PROGRAM FOR EAST GARFIELD

MT. VERNON BAPTIST CHURCH OFFERING YOUNG ADULT RE-ENTRY PROGRAM FOR EAST GARFIELD AND NEAR WEST YOUTH

Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, 2622 West Jackson Boulevard, is providing assessment, support, and referral services as part of its Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) Re-Entry Program for East Garfield and Near West youth and young adults being released from Department of Correction facilities.

Any East Garfield Park and Near West juvenile between the ages of 13-28 currently on parole from any Department of Correction facility, or returning to CVPP communities from Department of Correction facilities are eligible to participate in the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church CVPP Re-entry Program. Interested persons should call Denise Harris at 773/826-3295.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

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