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On Tuesday, January 13th, Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar hosted an open house at his district office. The event attracted over 50 attendees from throughout the district and connected residents to government, health, and community services.

Joining Commissioner Aguilar and his office were staff from the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court Mariyana Spyropolous, staff from the office of Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Cook County’s Department of Public Health (CCDPH), Cook County’s Racial Equity and Inclusion Outreach Manager Vilma Colom, staff from the Veteran Assistance Commission of Cook County (VACCC), and Brookfield Zoo. 

Also in attendance were Forest View President David Liska and members of Teamsters Local 777, including their Secretary-Treasurer, Greg Glimco.

“I am so pleased to see so many familiar and new faces at our open house. This shows firsthand that the government’s role in our community must be proactive,” said Commissioner Aguilar.

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“We must meet the community where they are, open up our offices to the people we serve, and ensure that residents are not only aware of county services, but have the opportunity to access them directly. I’d like to thank my staff, volunteers, all our partner organizations and everyone who attended.”

Residents in attendance had the opportunity to speak with Commissioner Aguilar and his office and learn about county services and responsibilities. Residents also had access to multiple resources and services. 

The Illinois’ treasurer office connected attendees to the ICash program to see if individuals were owed unclaimed funds from the state.  Attendees also had an opportunity to learn about upcoming health events and receive Narcan free-of-cost from CCDPH. In addition, the VACCC connected veterans and their families with county services, and Director Vilma Colom spoke with attendees about employment and other opportunities within Cook County. The Clerk of the Circuit Court also provided residents with information on court records and support to navigate the judicial process.

“This was a great opportunity to meet our local leaders and get connected to so many services,” said Riverside resident Karl Strittar. “I was impressed by their emphasis on accessibility, bringing in so many different government departments and organizations to the community. It is very comforting to know that these resources exist and that Commissioner Aguilar is making sure they are available in our community.” 

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Ray Hanania Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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