Obama Commutes Prison Term for ‘New Jack City’ Crack Dealer
Working for a kingpin who terrorized Chicago Heights, Artrez Nyroby Seymour sold crack outside a school for years. He’ll be free on Sept. 2.
Shared from the Chicago Heights, IL Patch
By DENNIS ROBAUGH (Patch National Staff) – May 6, 2016 12:26 am ET
President Obama on Thursday commuted the prison sentence of a man who was part of a crack-dealing gang that terrorized Chicago Heights, led by a kingpin who modeled himself after the Wesley Snipes character in the 1991 movie “New Jack City.”
Known as “the Organization,” the gang ran a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week crack distribution center throughout the 1990s in the Claude Court Housing Complex right across from Gavin Elementary School. The children were never allowed outside, according to federal authorities, to shield them from the armed dealers who lurked nearby.
Artrez Nyroby Seymour, 21 at the time of his arrest, was one of 29 associates snared and convicted in a joint crackdown by the DEA and Chicago Heights police in 2002.
Seymour began working in the gang at 18, according to federal prosecutors. “As a packman, Nyroby was at the sales location and had first-hand knowledge of the amount of crack being sold,” according to the federal complaint. The packman would take the money in exchange for the drugs. Seymour later moved up to security for the ring.
The man at the center of the operation, Troy Lawrence, aka “Nino Brown” and “the Don,” was sentenced to life in prison. He was raking in $10,000 to $20,000 a day slinging crack at $10 a bag in the Heights.
After the “Operation New Jack City” bust — the largest in Chicago Heights history — Police Chief Robert F. Pinnow Jr. said: “Today is a proud day.”
Seymour, a Chicago Heights resident, pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy. In 2005, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. In March, his sentence was reduced to 20 years. U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer was swayed by a letter of apology Seymour wrote from prison in 2015, acknowledging his “monumental mistakes and horrible choices.”
Obama Commutes Prison Term for 'New Jack City' Crack Dealer
Metro Chicago Exports 2016 Grant Program/ exporters with fewer than 500 employees
Metro Chicago Exports
Metro Chicago Exports today announced the launch of its 2016 Grant Program, presented by JP Morgan Chase & Co. Online applications will be accepted through May 27, 2016. No applications will be accepted past this date. Winners will be notified on or around July 11, 2016.
Metro Chicago Exports works with local companies helping businesses navigate and address financial, structural and other barriers to exporting. This year’s single-round Grant Program will award up to $5,000 to small and medium-sized companies located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties that are existing exporters or new-to-export with fewer than 500 employees. Grant recipients will be able to reimburse 50 percent of eligible expenses associated with implementing an export plan.
To learn more about the 2016 Metro Chicago Exports Grant Program, please see the press release below and visit www.metrochicagoexports.com.
Best,
Mackenzie Smith
Sean Morrison Letter to the Editor/ Cook County fuel tax
Sean Morrison Letter to the Editor/ Cook County fuel tax
A 66% tax increase to Cook County’s special use gasoline and fuel tax has been proposed by Commissioner Richard Boykin. This proposed tax increase has been earmarked to fund several new, yet vaguely defined, county government programs. Not only is the 66% gas tax increase questionable, but there are also questions about the new programs that appear to be expanding the size of government by duplicating programs and overlapping services that already exist.
In my view, attempting to impose a tax increase at this time would be circumventing the importance of the county’s budget process. A budget hearing is the proper forum to testify and debate the merits of a tax increase, especially one that specifically expands the size and costs of running county government.
When consolidation of services is being examined at all levels of government, I believe it is best practices to first thoroughly analyze the efficiency of all existing programs and services already provided by Cook County government.
Yes, there are very serious issues of crime and unemployment that plague certain areas of our community and yes, we must make every attempt to properly tackle those issues. But, it would be most effective to do it in a comprehensive approach, not piecemeal.
The county board has been asked to approve this tax increase along with the creation of new programs at a time when Cook County government is faced with serious fiscal challenges. We must be prudent in our allocation of tax dollars and that is why I look forward to working with my colleagues to closely analyze the effectiveness of our existing programs so that they are providing the very best services to address the needs of our constituents.
Sean M. Morrison
Cook County Commissioner
17th District
Traditional Method vs. Common Core (Division)
Is it any wonder students can’t do division without a calculator? We start with a glance at the traditional method of one-digit division. Next, we look at four Common Core strategies taught to fourth graders to solve the same problem. The Common Core strategies clearly present a sense of confusion, guess work, and quite frankly take much longer to solve. Learn more @ https://fpeusa.org/commoncore
? FreedomProject Academy’s Common Core Free, Live Online School is Faithfully Educating America. Individual Classes & Complete Judeo-Christian Curriculum for K-12. Learn more @ https://fpeusa.org
Letter to the Editor/Solar power generating facility on Open Space
April 26, 2016 Letter to the Editor
At the April 11 Homer Township board meeting, Supervisor Meyers announced that the Township’s Open Space and Operations committee approved the concept to develop a solar power generation facility at the Paul Farm. If the Town Board eventually approves this measure, the Township would trade access to our open space land in return for financial benefit. In my view, this plan is not a proper use of public land and the trustees should discard this idea immediately.
In 1999, township residents approved two referenda which gave Homer Township permission to buy $8 million worth of land and the 56 – acre Paul Farm was purchased in 2000 for $1.7 million. Supporters of the referenda, which included Supervisor Meyers and current Open Space Committee member Margaret Sabo, positioned this referenda as a way for Homer residents to have more parks and open space. Today, there are over 200 acres of land in Homer Township’s portfolio and very little of it is used for parks and open space.
Supervisor Meyers has been sitting on the open lands committee for over 15 years. Over the last 7 years, she has had ample opportunity to bring forward long term plans for our open space portfolio which will benefit all of the citizens of Homer Township. Our open lands have been farmed on a “temporary basis” for far too long. Supervisor Meyers’ support of a solar power generating facility on our land makes it clear that she views our open lands as a means to generate revenue for the township. Our $8 million investment was for land that the public could use and enjoy, not to prop up agribusiness and green energy ventures.
Supervisor Meyers does not have a mandate to support using our open space as a platform to subsidize private business ventures and I urge the Homer Township Trustees to reject building a solar power generation facility at the Paul Farm at the next Town Board meeting on May 9.
Sincerely,
Jim Orban
Homer Glen, IL
Fresher, healthier lunch options coming to Homer 33C
News Release
Homer CCSD 33C
Goodings Grove Luther J. Schilling William E. Young William J. Butler
Hadley Middle Homer Jr. High
Contact: Charla Brautigam, Communications/Public Relations Manager
cbrautigam@homerschools.org | 708-226-7628
For Immediate Release:
May 3, 2016
Fresher, healthier lunch options coming to Homer 33C
A committee of parents, administrators and staff members conduct a taste test while researching various food service options for the district.
The days of serving heat-and-serve prepackaged meals are coming to an end in Homer School District 33C.
Hand-tossed pizza
The district is switching food service providers in August, enabling schools to serve healthier, made-from-scratch meals and salad bars.
Wraps, sandwiches and yogurt parfaits
“We’re excited to offer students and staff a variety of high quality foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables each day as well as freshly prepared sandwiches, wraps, pizza and pasta on a rotating basis,” said John Reiniche, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance.
In February, the district surveyed parents to find out what types of meals they would like to see served in the schools and whether they would be willing to pay more for fresher, healthier options.
Salad bar with fresh fruits and vegetables
Of the 567 responses received, 75 percent indicated they would be willing to pay more for higher quality food.
Students currently pay $3 for pre-packaged meals. For 50 cents more, Homer 33C will be able to offer fresh fruits and vegetables each day at self-serve salad bars, artisanal breads and wraps (including options for students who are gluten-free), taco bars with made-from-scratch salsas and tortilla bowls, hand-tossed pizzas and whole grain pastas.
The food will be prepared on site by Quest Food Management Services, a Lombard-based company that currently services over 110 kitchens across the Chicagoland area.
Among the company’s clients are schools in Orland Park and Tinley Park.
Before deciding to enter an agreement with the company, several Homer 33C school board members and administrators visited Century Junior High School in Orland Park to see Quest at work.
“I was impressed,” said board member Elizabeth Hitzman who visited the school on April 26 and talked to a few students as they ate lunch.
Each one gave the food a thumbs-up — especially the wraps and sandwiches.
“It was unanimous,” said Hitzman. “They loved it.
A committee of Homer 33C parents (including one who has a child with dietary restrictions), administrators and staff members conducted a taste test while researching various food service options for the district.
They, too, gave Quest high marks for taste and quality.
By switching companies, Homer 33C will solidify its departure from the restrictive National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which benefits only about 10 percent of students.
Administrators say the program’s strict guidelines for the types and portions of food served have greatly impacted the number of students who participate in the district’s food service program. Only about 15 to 20 percent of Homer 33C students partake in the school-prepared meals.
Based on surrounding school districts that have already switched to Quest, Homer 33C administrators expect to double the number of students who purchase their meals at school.
“The food is fresh, wholesome and flavorful,” said Reiniche, “with menus prepared around seasonal and regionally available ingredients.”
Another advantage to switching programs and moving away from NSLP is that the district will be able to partner once again with its Parent Teacher Organizations to offer healthy treats from time to time, enabling the group to raise money for school programs, activities and equipment.
The opportunity was negated in recent years by NSLP restrictions, said Reiniche.
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Homer 33C Scholastic Bowl team advances to IESA State Championship Crowned IESA Sectional Champions
News Release
Homer CCSD 33C
Goodings Grove Luther J. Schilling William E. Young William J. Butler
Hadley Middle Homer Jr. High
Contact: Charla Brautigam, Communications/Public Relations Manager
cbrautigam@homerschools.org | 708-226-7628
For Immediate Release:
May 3, 2016
Scholastic Bowl team advances to IESA State Championship
Crowned IESA Sectional Champions
The Homer Junior High Scholastic Bowl team is headed to the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Championship.
The team of eight seventh- and eighth-grade students earned the opportunity after winning the IESA Sectionals on Monday (May 3), defeating Woodridge O’Neill, Joliet Washington, and New Lenox Martino.
“This is my second year coaching the team and I am so impressed by the dedication, determination, hard work, and sheer intelligence these students consistently bring whether it is a practice or a match,” said Homer Junior High teacher and Scholastic Bowl team Coach Nichole Boyce. “These seventh- and eighth-grade students worked together seamlessly to secure a sizeable point advantage during each round of Sectionals last night. It was an exciting night for the team, myself, our assistant Mrs. Rachan and spectators.”
It’s the first time in Homer Junior High School’s history that one of its Scholastic Bowl teams has advanced to the State Championship.
“On behalf of everyone at Homer Junior High, we couldn’t be prouder of our historic (first-time) state qualifying Scholastic Bowl team,” said Principal Troy Mitchell.
“Perhaps what makes this accomplishment even more special is that this competition is academic based,” he added.
The Scholastic Bowl season began in December when Boyce began working with 27 Homer Junior High students who took the school to a 6-2 record.
The coach tracked each team member’s performance during the regular season and awarded a spot on the school’s competition team to the top eight students. Those eight competed in the recent Des Plaines Valley Conference, IESA Regionals and IESA Sectionals.
“Even though we compete as a team, a match can be turned around by a single player,” said Boyce. “Each of these eight students has had a chance to be that standout team member during a match this season.”
The team will compete next on Friday (May 6) at the Peoria Civic Center. Students will be quizzed on a variety of academic subjects.
Their first match is at 1 p.m. Follow their progress using this link.
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Homer 33C teachers excited about new textbooks
News Release
Homer CCSD 33C
Goodings Grove Luther J. Schilling William E. Young William J. Butler
Hadley Middle Homer Jr. High
Contact: Charla Brautigam, Communications/Public Relations Manager
cbrautigam@homerschools.org | 708-226-7628
For Immediate Release:
May 3, 2016
Homer 33C teachers excited about new textbooks
It’s not every day that a committee of teachers agree upon the same textbook series when reviewing learning materials for the classroom.
But that’s exactly what happened in Homer School District 33C when teachers previewed and piloted three textbook series in the area of English and the Language Arts.
“Every teacher picked the McGraw-Hill Wonders Series,” said Kathleen Robinson, the district’s assistant superintendent for instruction. “That’s the first time that has ever happened.”
For two months, 25 K-6 teachers worked with the learning materials and evaluation rubric from three textbook publishers.
They unanimously agreed that the McGraw-Hill Wonders Series was the best, offering the most balanced literature approach, including a reading/writing workshop model, a rigorous vocabulary and a blend of informational and literature text.
“It’s rich in literature and informational text,” said Robinson, “something the district’s current series is lacking.”
The district’s current English Language Arts series is nine years old and aligned to the old Illinois State Standards.
As a result, teachers were always searching for supplemental learning materials to bolster their lesson plans, leading to inconsistencies throughout the district.
The new series from McGraw-Hill is aligned to the current Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Literacy.
In addition, it’s based on scientific evidence and research related to elements that have been identified as essential to literacy instruction, said Robinson, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and language, text comprehension and writing.
One feature teachers are most excited about is the fact that the Wonders series offers leveled readers, meaning each child can work from books at their current skill level — whether it’s “Approaching” understanding, “On” level or “Beyond” level. There’s even a leveled reader for English Language Learners.
The only difference between each book is the complexity of text and inclusion of text features, said Robinson.
The leveled readers tie in with the district’s differentiated instruction initiative, which strives to tailor lessons to meet individual student needs.
Knowing some students learn best when they are working with technology, the Wonders series gives teachers and students the option to download material onto their Chromebooks.
“The series is very versatile and addresses many of components that are lacking or missing in our current ELA series,” said Robinson.
It also complements the district’s strategic plan to:
- Provide an effective and engaging instructional program that supports academic success for all students
- Provide a standards-based curriculum that ensures each child will have the same essential learning opportunities
- Commit to setting high expectations for learners and continually collect, monitor and act upon evidence of their achievement progress
- Commit to providing differentiated instruction, timely interventions and appropriate enrichments to help every student learn
The series was formally adopted by the Board of Education on April 26. It will be integrated into the classroom this fall and carry through the 2021-22 school year.
U.S. puts China, Japan and Germany on new watch list over foreign exchange practices
U.S. puts China, Japan and Germany on new watch list over foreign exchange practices
BLOOMBERG
WASHINGTON – The U.S. has put nations including China, Japan and Germany on a new currency watch list, saying their foreign exchange practices need close monitoring to gauge whether they provide an unfair trade advantage over America.
The inaugural list also includes South Korea and Taiwan, the Treasury Department said Friday in a revamped version of its semiannual report on the foreign exchange policies of major U.S. trading partners. The five nations met two of the three criteria used to judge unfair practices under a February law that seeks to enforce U.S. trade interests. Meeting all three would trigger action by the president to enter discussions with the country and seek potential penalties.
The new scrutiny of some of the world’s biggest economies comes amid a bruising presidential campaign in which candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties have questioned the merits of free trade. Republican front-runner Donald Trump has promised to declare China a currency manipulator, and the latest report may fail to appease critics in Congress who say China’s practices have cost American manufacturing jobs.
“We will continue to watch this process closely to ensure that the president squarely addresses currency manipulation and stands up for the American people,” House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, a Texas Republican, said in a statement on the Treasury report.
The Treasury had already been monitoring countries for evidence of currency manipulation under a 1988 law. In the latest report, the department concluded that no major trading partner qualified as a currency manipulator; the last country it labeled as such was China, in 1994.
Under the new law, Treasury officials developed three criteria to decide if countries are being unfair: an economy having a trade surplus with the U.S. above $20 billion; having a current-account surplus amounting to more than 3 percent of its gross domestic product; and one that repeatedly depreciates its currency by buying foreign assets equivalent to 2 percent of output over the year.
China, Japan, Germany and South Korea were flagged as a result of their trade and current-account surpluses, the department said. Taiwan made the list because of its current-account surplus and persistent intervention to weaken the currency, according to the Treasury.
If a country meets all three criteria, it could eventually be cut off from some U.S. development financing and excluded from U.S. government contracts.
“People in Congress who passed this law were very frustrated because they felt they’d never had an adequate explanation from Treasury why some countries weren’t found to be manipulating,” said Nicholas Lardy, a scholar at the Peterson Institute for International Economics who has studied China for more than three decades. “Congress tried to be specific so the Treasury has less discretion.”
Lawmakers working on the trade bill originally sought to include tougher penalties, such as tariffs, for currency manipulators. But the Obama administration opposed that part and it was eventually dropped.
In its report, the Treasury said China’s yuan “should continue to experience real appreciation over the medium term.” In the department’s last report, in October, it said the yuan was “below its appropriate medium-term valuation.” Before that, the department had said the yuan was “significantly undervalued,” a description it avoided again Friday.
The Treasury said more clarity from China on its exchange-rate goals, including its commitment not to devalue its currency to boost growth, would help stabilize the market. The yuan has depreciated 4 percent against the dollar over the last year, even as the Treasury estimated China has sold $480 billion of foreign exchange assets from August through March to support the currency.
The Treasury said it is increasingly important that Japan use all policy levers, including fiscal policy and structural reforms, to lift growth. Earlier in April, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew urged Japan to focus on boosting domestic demand instead of exports as the yen rises. The yen has climbed almost 13 percent this year against the dollar.
Current conditions in the dollar-yen market are orderly, and it is important for countries to keep their Group of Seven and Group of 20 currency commitments, the Treasury said, reiterating Lew comments that were seen as rebuffing Japan’s desire to potentially weaken the yen through intervention.
South Korea sold about $26 billion in foreign exchange from the second half of last year through March to prop up the won, the Treasury noted, saying the intervention represented a shift from efforts to depreciate the currency. “Appreciation of the won over the medium term would help Korea orient its economy away from its current reliance on exports,” the department said.
Germany has the second-largest current-account surplus in the world, and the excess saving could be used to boost growth in the euro area, the Treasury said.
The Taiwanese government should limit currency interventions to the “exceptional circumstances of disorderly market conditions, as well as increase the transparency of reserve holdings and foreign exchange market intervention,” the Treasury said.
Walgreens getting Into the Marijuana Business!
Walgreens Just Got Into the Marijuana Business!
By Jeff Siegel | Tuesday, May 3, 2016 Wealth Daily
Last year, it did $103.4 billion in net sales.
With more than 8,000 stores in all 50 states, it’s actually the largest drug retail chain in the nation. And last week it did something that even I didn’t see coming.
On one of its social networking blogs, Walgreens (NASDAQ: WBA) made a bold move…
It came out in support of medical marijuana.
Well, kind of.
In a blog that was posted on Walgreens’ Tumblr account, entitled “Clarifying Clinical Cannabis,” you can find this:
Research has also shown marijuana provides pain relief in ways traditional pain medicines don’t. Medical marijuana can improve appetite and relieve nausea in those who have cancer and it may help relieve symptoms such as muscle stiffness in people who have multiple sclerosis.
For a company that makes billions by selling conventional pharmaceuticals, this is a bit of a break from the Big Pharma machine that relies on companies like Walgreens to fill prescriptions.
The Walgreens piece even goes as far as listing some of the common uses for medical marijuana, including:
Cancer pain management
Parkinson’s disease
Tourette’s syndrome
Alzheimer’s disease
Schizophrenia
Cardiovascular disorders
Palliative care
Glaucoma
Although subtle in manner, the blog actually has a pretty positive tone. So the question is, why would Walgreens do this? Why would it even bring up the benefits of medical marijuana? Does it know something we don’t?
Truth be told, it looks to me like Walgreens just got into the medical marijuana business.
$10 Billion Up for Grabs
Last month, GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH) soared 130% in one day after announcing positive phase III trial results for its cannabis-based epilepsy drug. Check it out:
It’s entirely possible that GW’s epilepsy drug will be the first cannabis-derived medicine to ever be approved by the FDA, thereby opening the door for dozens of other pharmaceutical and biotech companies actively seeking FDA approval for their own cannabis-based medications.
Walgreens is not a licensed medical marijuana provider. However, if more FDA approvals come for cannabis-based medications, drug retailers would be in a position to provide medical marijuana to their customers.
And let’s face it: there’s a lot of money at stake here.
In California alone, medical marijuana pulled in more than $2.7 billion last year. And there are now 24 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized medical marijuana.
And remember, we’re just talking about medical marijuana — which is actually going to end up pulling in less than recreational marijuana.
By 2020, the medical marijuana market could be generating in excess of $10 billion a year.
So the “less profitable” segment of the legal cannabis industry will still be worth more than the entire GDP of Armenia.
Now name me one drug retail chain that doesn’t want to corner that market.
First in Line
Although medical marijuana can only be purchased in licensed dispensaries, I don’t buy for a second that drug retail giant Walgreens isn’t looking to stake its claim early. And by posting that recent blog, the company essentially unveiled the platform on which it can take full advantage of new FDA approvals for medical marijuana.
Mark my words: By 2020, Walgreens is going to be in the medical marijuana business — not because management particularly cares about cannabis, but because it cares about making money. Just like the rest of us.
So while Walgreens begins to buddy up to the legal cannabis industry in search of a few billion dollars in medical marijuana, we’re actively buying shares of both public and private legal cannabis companies.
You can get access to a full list of our top legal cannabis picks by clicking here.
Look, the bottom line is that the legal cannabis space is already insanely profitable. But just imagine what’s going to happen when more than 8,000 Walgreens stores start carrying medical marijuana.
Don’t kid yourself. Without a doubt, the legal cannabis market is the fastest-growing market in the U.S. And it’s quickly becoming the most profitable. So don’t sit on the sidelines while everyone else gets rich. Get a piece of this action now. Click here to get started.
To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth…
J
Jeff Siegel
