Year: 2015

Children, sex, in-laws, work stress – how couples handle these issues says plenty about a marriage and, often, a divorce. Not surprising to many, however, the No. 1 predictor of divorce is money, according to a study from Kansas State University. More specifically, researchers say that arguing about money, especially early in a relationship, is the best predictor of divorce – despite a couple’s economic bracket. “As with sex, for example, arguments about money are probably connected to deeper, underlying issues, such as trust, self-esteem, identity, etc.,” says Dr. Anne Brennan Malec, a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist with a background in accounting and business. Dr. Malec, author of the book “Marriage in Modern Life: Why It Works, When It Works” (www.drannemalec.com), offers constructive solutions for marital money stressors.

Be partners in your common cause. When one partner carries most of the financial burden, it can thrust that partner into an almost parental role over the other. This is a form of asymmetry that can affect other areas of the relationship and erode a marriage, creating resentment by each partner for different reasons. Whether or not you make roughly the same amount of money as your spouse – or none at all because you’re a stay-at-home parent – stay involved in the goings on of your household’s finances. Understand what you can and cannot afford as a family. Communication is crucial. Discuss your feelings about money and how both of you contribute to the overall well-being of your family.

Avoid financial infidelity. Every couple has to determine how their joint and individual expenses will be shared. Account for the necessities, from rent or mortgage to groceries and more. Account for all of your typical expenses, which may include date night and individual interests or hobbies. Respect individual interests – whether or not they are reasonable expenses, understand that they are important to your partner and may help the relationship. If one shops too much or spends too much on cars, find a way to compromise. Having an agreed-upon monthly budget helps minimize financial tension, and to spend more requires a good explanation.

Have annual discussions about a spouse’s stay-at-home status. There are many good reasons for a mother or a father to stay home and raise children, but you should revisit this decision once a year to determine if it still works for the family. The spouse who chooses to stay at home should make him or herself fully aware of the potential risk of doing so. Can you afford a one-income household? Will the stay-at-home spouse be able to re-enter the workforce? Will you be fulfilled at home? These are valid questions to seriously consider each year.

By: Ashmar Mandou

Local public officials with the help of environmental justice organizations gathered onto Waukegan lakefront near NRG Energy’s coal-fired power plant to celebrate the release of the Obama Administration’s first national carbon pollution protections. The Clean Power Plan allows each state the opportunity to develop its own plan to reduce carbon pollution from power plants and ramp up clean energy. The gathering was hosted by The Clean Power Lake County Campaign.

The NRG plant was named one of the nation’s worst environmental justice offenders in a 2012 NAACP report. The Clean Power Lake County Campaign urged public officials for years to plan a conscientious transition away from coal to secure clean energy opportunities in Lake County. The Clean Power Plan help creates urgency and affirms those calls to action.

“Our elected officials and our City Council need to make sure our community is put first as conversations move forward to evaluate our energy system in Illinois,” said Waukegan Fourth Ward Alderman David Villalobos. “In the hopes of making a positive impact for Waukegan, I will be circulating a sign-on letter with my colleagues in the City Council that will be addressed to Governor Rauner and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency that calls on them to include communities like ours in their decision-making process and to ensure our compliance plan with the Clean Power Plan puts communities like Waukegan first.”

A 2014 Lake County Health Department study showed that over 30 percent of children surveyed in Waukegan were diagnosed with asthma or had symptoms of asthma, which is three times the national average for childhood asthma. “What we learned in Pilsen and Little Village—the neighborhoods polluted by the Fisk and Crawford coal-fired power plants—is that big polluters will continue to pollute egregiously unless they are held accountable,” said Kim Wasserman-Nieto, Director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. “Waukegan and Little Village in Chicago will need to work together to seize the opportunities of the Clean Power Plan and make sure cleaner air and clean energy jobs come to the communities that need it most.”

In an effort to bring water customers into compliance, the City of Berwyn has adopted a new policy which aims to bring non-payers current with their bills. The Berwyn City Council unanimously adopted the policy with the understanding that honest, regularly paying tax payers should not have to foot the bill for those that abuse the water system by not paying. Those who abuse the system will be subject to having their water service terminated. Under the policy, residents with outstanding water bills will receive a letter in the mail informing them of their delinquency. If the bill is not paid within 30 days of the letter, a physical notice will be placarded to the residence and the water will be subject to termination. Berwyn residents can avoid water termination by staying current on their quarterly bills. If residents believe their water bill is unusually high due to a water leak, the City of Berwyn offers residents an analysis by a trained technician free of charge. To schedule, simply call (708)788-2660 and ask to speak to the Water Department.

As summer winds down, the Berwyn Police Department is ramping up its traffic enforcement efforts as part of the national crackdown on drunk driving. The high-visibility campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, is a partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Illinois Department of Transportation to curb drunk and drugged driving and save lives. From August 24 through September 7 (Labor Day), law enforcement partners nationwide and all around Illinois will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of driving impaired by alcohol or other drugs, coupled with roadside safety checks and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce the toll of impaired driving. In addition, seat belt law violators will receive a ticket – no exceptions. In 2013, there were 10,076 people killed in drunken driving crashes in the U.S., almost a third of all traffic fatalities. 38 percent of crash fatalities on Labor Day weekend that year involved drunk drivers, amounting to 161 lives lost. The law enforcement crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds through IDOT.

AT&T will deliver the first-ever nationwide package of TV and wireless services – all from a single provider on one bill, with special discounts – beginning this week. The offer includes HD and DVR service for up to four TV receivers, unlimited talk and text for four wireless lines, and 10GB of shareable wireless data – all for $200 per month, an annual savings of $600 or more in the first 12 months. AT&T is the only single provider that can deliver nationwide TV and wireless services with one point of contact for customer care on a single monthly bill.

As part of this launch, new DIRECTV subscribers will have immediate access to programming – on their mobile devices via a walk out and watch TV experience – at point of sale. They can view it on their compatible mobile devices after leaving the store before TV service is installed. The walk out and watch feature will be delivered through the DIRECTV app and customers will have a limited time to activate their mobile TV service. AT&T sales representatives will assist customers to set up the app on their wireless device in the store. Learn more about the All-in-One offer at www.att.com/dtvoffers. Learn how AT&T is changing the future of television at www.att.com/dtv.