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-Roger Goodell September 18-24, 2014
Volume 87 • Issue 6
So What Happens to Summerhill After the Braves Leave?
By Terry Shropshire “It’s just a game,” some have said. But anyone with even a modicum of common sense and any vestige of wisdom knows that professional sports have never been “just a game.” When you hear the oft-regurgitated phrase, “it’s just a game,” it comes from individuals who have little to no discernment as to the vast economic, political and cultural impact that professional franchises and collegiate sports programs have on a community, a region and a state. The construction of the new Georgia Dome, which comes with a price tag north of a billion dollars — including tens of millions in taxpayer dollars — but, will employ thousands of Atlantans, is a prime example of the economic and social impact sports teams and their accompanying facilities have on a community. And that’s just for the Atlanta Falcons football team. The announcement that the Atlanta Braves baseball team would be moving from its longtime home at Turner Field, just south of downtown Atlanta sent seismic quakes reverberating throughout the political, financial and cultural infrastructure in the city and the state — not to mention the Summerhill community that housed the franchise and withstood decades of crowd inconveniences, detours and clogged roadways. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and the Summerhill neighborhood that surrounds Turner Field are still reeling from the aftershocks of the announcement nearly one year after it was made. Now that they’ve settled into the realization that the
Braves will pack up the franchise and move to suburban Cobb County that straddles the outer northwestern edge of the city, man have to wonder what’s next. In an almost defiant stance taken during a press conference at Atlanta City Hall this past week, Reed assured the city that the Summerhill neighborhood surrounding Turner Field will be okay with the absence of the Braves. “We’re not walking around here moping. I hate losing. But there are times when other people make plays,” he said, later adding: “We’re not losing anything. The Braves are still in the region, so I don’t feel like this is a loss.” In the months since the Braves brain trust announced the team’s imminent move in November 2013, the mayor has worked to secure a future for the land south of downtown. Plans include a proposed $300 million development by Georgia State University, which is devouring downtown real estate square inch by square inch. GSU officials are negotiating to build a university sports complex and mixed-use development. Reed leveraged the platform of the press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 16 to also allay fears of the Hawks leaving town, and he rightly seized the opportunity surrounding the controversy to pressure the Braves to make their plans known about exactly when they are moving out. Reed said he called the press conference — the same day as the Braves groundbreaking — because he was traveling in China last week during much of the Hawks’ controversy. The inner
dysfunction of the Hawks franchise made national headlines in the past week and a half, after a part-owner’s racially-charged email and a separate executive’s remarks were made public. It was also revealed during the same week that general manager Danny Ferry also uttered inflammatory words about prized free agent Loul Deng by referring to his personality quirks as “he has a little African in him,” to imply that Deng is underhanded and slick. Ferry has since asked for, and been granted, an indefinite leave of absence from the team and no one — pundits and fans alike — expect Ferry to ever return to the team. City spokeswoman Anne Torres confirmed that the city decided on Tuesday morning to hold the press conference, but said suggestions the office was attempting to distract from the Braves’ celebration were “ridiculous.” Reed did offer a statement about his commitment and the franchise’s move, explaining that Cobb County officials are offering more than double what the city of Atlanta would be able invest with tax dollars for requested renovations to the stadium. “The Atlanta Braves are one of the best baseball teams in America, and I wish them well. We have been working very hard with the Braves for a long time, and at the end of the day, there was simply no way the team was going to stay in downtown Atlanta without city taxpayers spending hundreds of
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President Obama Visits CDC in Atlanta, Announces Plans to Combat Ebola Virus
September 18-24, 2014
Summerhill from Page 1
millions of dollars to make that happen. It is my understanding that our neighbor, Cobb County, made a strong offer of of $450M in public support to the Braves and we are simply unwilling to match that with taxpayer dollars. “Given the needs facing our city and the By Terry Shropshire impact of Turner Field stadium on surrounding neighborhoods, that was something I, President Obama Congress to redirect to carry out humanitarian and many others were unwilling to do. We announced plans efforts in Iraq and in West Africa. have been planning for the possibility of this on Tuesday, Sept. The officials said it would take about two announcement and have already spoken to 16, to help stem the weeks to get U.S. forces on the ground. multiple organizations who are interested in tide of the Ebola The U.S. effort will include medics and redeveloping the entire Turner Field corridor. virus epidemic that’s corpsmen for treatment and training, engi“Over the next three years, we will be tearing a swath of neers to help erect the treatment facilities working with our prospective partners to destruction in West and specialists in logistics to assist in patient bring residential and business development Africa during his transportation. that is worthy of our city and strengthens our visit to the CDC in downtown. Those conversations will continue “This is one of the worst, if not the worst, suburban Atlanta. and I am excited about how we use the land outbreaks of the Ebola virus we’ve ever seen,” While at the that is now Turner Field, to be a tremendous White House Spokesman Josh Earnest. Centers for Disease asset for our residents, our city, and our region While at the CDC, Obama was also briefed Control and Prefor years to come.” about cases of respiratory illness being revention in DeKalb County, Ga., the president Reed said the city has been planning a ported in the Midwest, the White House said. announced the deployment of 3,000 troops replacement for the stadium for months, and Public health officials are monitoring a high and other military personnel to fight the he promises a major announcement in the number of reported illnesses associated with deadly virus. next few months that he vows will validate his human enterovirus 68 in Iowa, Kansas, Ohio Obama’s plan includes the training of as decision. and elsewhere. many as 500 healthcare workers a week to So what happened to the professional After leaving Atlanta, Obama traveled fight Ebola and setting up nearly 20 100-bed relationship between the Braves and City Hall? to Florida to visit the headquarters of U.S. facilities in the region. Apparently, the price tag for Turner Field upCentral Command in Tampa, where he met grades were far too high. Reed said the Braves The cost of the transcontinental effort will with military officials about the U.S. counterasked for between $150 million and $250 milbe in the range of $500 million in overseas terrorism campaign against the Islamic State lion for infrastructure improvements for the contingency operations, such as the war in Af- group. T:10.375” team to remain downtown. He said that would ghanistan, that the Pentagon already has asked
have left the city “absolutely cash-strapped” and unable to chip away at a nearly $1 billion infrastructure backlog. Financial and sports pundits have speculated that while Reed busied himself negotiating the exorbitant terms for a new Georgia Dome for the Atlanta Falcons football franchise, he didn’t appropriate that same level of commitment to the Braves, who took umbrage at the perceived slight. Some, on the other hand, believed that the Braves knew they had the mayor in a corner and tried to throw its considerable weight at him. Reed insists it was simply about the city’s checkbook and it’s ability to provide necessary upgrades around the city. “Atlanta is not that liberal with our spending,” he said. “I’ve been talking about roads, bridges and infrastructure the entire time I’ve been in office,” he said. “We have a $922 million infrastructure backlog that has to be dealt with. We were not taking this lightly.” Now that it’s clear that the Braves are leaving, Reed said “one of the largest developments for middle-class people that the city has ever had” will go up at the site of Turner Field. Reed has been particularly interested in a $300 million redevelopment plan submitted by Georgia State. Officials at GSU have mentioned interest in building a 30,000-seat football, soccer and track stadium at Turner Field, as well as a new baseball park and academic buildings
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This month, XFINITY® catches up with R&B’s best-kept secret — KEM. Get concert highlights, photos and KEM-inspired videos, all leading up to the simulcast presentation of TV One’s HelloBeautiful.com Interludes Live: KEM. Enjoy an exclusive performance and interview with the soulful singer himself, online only at CelebrateBlackTV.com. Show premieres September 27th at 8/7c on TV One and at CelebrateBlackTV.com.* *Check local listings for date and time confirmation.
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Atlanta City Councilmember Felicia Moore Calls for Study on Municipal Bond Issuance Atlanta City Councilmember Felicia Moore has introduced legislation to require a feasibility study or debt affordability assessment before the city considers the issuance of $250 million in municipal bonds for infrastructure Felicia Moore improvements. The legislation was co-sponsored by City Councilmembers Mary Norwood, Andre Dickens, Yolanda Adrean, Alex Wan, Ivory Lee Young, Jr., Natalyn Archibong and Howard Shook. The City of Atlanta faces an infrastructure backlog of more than $900 million. To address the city’s pressing infrastructure challenges with city roads, bridges, sidewalks and upgrade critical public buildings and facilities, the Reed Administration is proposing a $250 million infrastructure bond referendum to pay for many of the needed repairs and improvements. The administration intends to use a
Michael Brown Grand Jury Delays Decision Whether to Indict Darren Wilson
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combination of savings recommended by the Commission on Waste and Efficiency in Government and the sale of certain City of Atlanta assets. “I feel that the City Council should be fully aware of the financial impacts of approving a bond issue of this magnitude,” Moore said. “Therefore a financial feasibility or debt affordability study should be performed prior to the approval of legislation authorizing the bond referendum for the issuance of any bonds.” Moore said the study will provide a basis for measuring the impact of future debt issuances on the City’s financial position and enable policy makers to make informed decisions on financing alternatives and capital spending priorities. Prior to a bond referendum, the Atlanta City Council must vote to authorize an election to be held for the purpose of determining whether bonds shall be issued for the stated amount and purpose. Moore’s legislation was referred to the Finance Committee for discussion at its 1 p.m. meeting on Wednesday, September 24 at Atlanta City Hall, Committee Room No. 2.
On Tuesday, Sept. 16, a St. Louis County (Mo.) judge has approved the delay of a grand jury decision on whether to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, the man who fatally shot Michael Brown six times on Aug. 9, sparking intense national outrage and a series of contentious demonstrations in the St. Louis suburb. The grand jury now has until Jan. 7, 2015 to decide whether or not to bring criminal charges against Wilson, who shot the unarmed teenager just days before he was to begin college courses. St. Louis County Circuit Judge Carolyn Whittington extended the usual four month period, which expired last week, and now the grand jury has an additional 60 days to make a decision. “She extended it to the full amount allowed by law,” said Court Administrator Paul Fox said.
The panel is hearing evidence in the Michael Brown case exclusively, and can meet whenever it needs to, Fox said. The grand jury is comprised of 12 people selected from the standard jury pool to meet in secret, usually weekly, to hear evidence and decide whether criminal charges are warranted. It takes nine votes to issue an indictment, which sends a defendant to a public trial. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch can bypass a grand jury and take a case to trial by filing a complaint that goes first to a preliminary hearing, a public proceeding in which a judge decides if there should be a trial. Often, his office files a charge first and then obtains an indictment to replace it, avoiding the preliminary hearing. McCulloch chose to take the full investigation of Wilson’s use of deadly force to the grand jury. He announced weeks ago that he would present all the evidence gathered, leaving to grand jurors the decision of what to do. The medical examiner revealed Brown was shot six times, producing numerous wounds with some of the bullets entering and exiting several times, including one that left at least five different wounds. Wilson was not identified immediately and once he was, police revealed that he had been allowed to leave town.
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September 18-24, 2014
NAACP Hosts ‘How to Stay Alive When Stopped by a Cop’ Forum In the wake of Michael Brown’s tragic death in Ferguson, Missouri the NAACP Atlanta held its first in a series of forums designed to discuss the constitutional rights of African American citizens and to guard against police brutality. The historic civil rights organization asked law enforcement agencies and community leaders to come together to discuss ways to protect black youth and in some instances keep them alive when they encounter a law enforcement officer. Rev. Dr. R.L. White, Atlanta NAACP President and senior pastor of Mt. Ephraim along with other religious leaders and NAACP officials insist that they will not allow black males to be profiled and murdered without just cause or consequence. The organization also demanded answers to questions surrounding Brown’s death and call for accountability and justice for the family of Michael Brown. Attorneys BJ Bernstein, of The Bernstein Firm, P.C. and Janice Mathis, counsel for the Rainbow Push Coalition joined Fulton County Sheriff Ted Jackson and Rev. White at the forum. In an action that preceded the NAACP forum, black lawyers across the nation have called for Attorney general Eric Holder to conduct investigations regarding police brutality in African American communities across the nations The National Bar Association (NBA) recently announced plans to file open records requests in 25 cities to study allegations of police misconduct. Pamela Meanes, president of the Black lawyers and judges group, said that the NBA was already making plans for a nationwide campaign to fight police brutality when Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a White police officer following a controversial midday confrontation in a Ferguson, Mo. Meanes called police brutality the new civil rights issue of this era, an issue that disproportionately impacts the Black community. “If we don’t see this issue and if we don’t at the National Bar Association do the legal things that are necessary to bring this issue to the forefront, then we are not carrying out our mission, which is to protect the civil and political entities of all,” said Meanes. The NBA, which describes itself as “the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges,” selected the 25 cities based on their African American populations and reported incidents of police brutality. The lawyers group will file open records requests in Birmingham, Ala.; Little Rock, Ark.; Phoenix; Los Angeles; San Jose, Calif., Washington, D.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Miami; Atlanta; Chicago; Louisville, Ky.; Baltimore; Detroit; Kanas City, Mo.; St. Louis, Mo.; Charlotte, N.C.; Las Vegas; New York City; Cleveland, Ohio, Memphis, Tenn., Philadelphia; Dallas; Houston; San Antonio, Texas, and Milwaukee, Wis.
BUSINESS
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Earvin Johnson, NBMBAA and Partners Discuss Leadership and Economic Empowerment Basketball legend and business baron Earvin “Magic” Johnson lead a Town Hall Meeting on economic development during the 2014 National Black MBA Conference on Thursday, Sept. 18 at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. Johnson, a first-ballot NBA Hall of Famer who transformed himself into a universally-respected business impresario, joined Jesse J. Tyson, President and CEO of the NBMBAA; Rich Foster, the VP of Brand Management at Nationwide, and John Williams, the Controller of Target Reporting at Chrysler Group LLC, at the annual Town Hall Luncheon during the 36th Annual NBMBAA® Conference & Exposition. Johnson, who runs a conglomerate at Magic Johnson Enterprises that includes the Magic Johnson Theaters, TGIF restaurants, vast real estate holdings and ownership of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparx, Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Starbucks (although he sold his shares in the latter two), was
September 18-24, 2014
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invited to share insight on the art of leadership and what tools he used to create his own masterpiece. The National Black MBA Association® Annual Conference & Exposition is one of the nation’s largest business and professional conferences and expositions. The annual event matches job seekers in areas of employment across some of the country’s best talent, Fortune 1,000 corporations and global companies. Through innovative and interactive programming, the conference attracts almost 10,000 attendees and offers a myriad of opportunities that features renowned thought leaders and business experts in the areas of professional and personal development, entrepreneur institutes, citizenship and service. Established in 1970, the National Black MBA Association® (NBMBAA®) is dedicated to developing partnerships that result in the creation of intellectual and economic wealth in the black community through its five channels of engagement: education, career, leadership, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle. The NBMBAA® has 46 chapters, 28 collegiate chapters, a membership base of more than 10,000 and more than 300 corporate partners.
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For more information, visit www.nbmbaa.org. The National Black MBA Conference and Exposition takes place from Thursday, Sept. 18 through Saturday, Sept. 20.
Rinkins Report: Detra Shaw-Wilder’s Rules for Business Agreements By Zack Rinkins
Many times friends, family members and professional associates enter business agreements with thoughts of grandeur and dreams of prosperity. In reality those dreams become nightmares for many prospective business owners as a recent U.S. Small Business Administration study affirm that nearly 80-percent of new businesses fail. A complex commercial litigation attorney says many of the concerns that impact business failure could be resolved with careful contemplation and a legally binding agreement. “Usually when people go into business there is a lot of positive energy. Both parties are thinking about the business’s success. They are not necessarily thinking about their protection if things don’t go as planned,” says Detra Shaw-Wilder, a shareholder at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton, a Coral Gables, Florida-based law firm. Shaw-Wilder represents a diverse range of clients in matters brought in state and federal courts, including contract disputes, commercial foreclosures, and employment law disputes. Having been involved in significant litigation, she has a broad range of trial experience in commercial cases and earned Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating (AV). She recom-
mends all parties take time to think about the legal ramifications of operating together. The 20-year legal veteran offers five considerations before engaging in business agreements: Start with the End in Mind: “People need to understand what their goals are and use legally binding language, mediation or litigation as tools to accomplish their goals. Clarify the Details: “Sometimes people have things written on paper. But, they did not actually agree on the definitions. It is critical to walk on one accord and have the same philosophy.” Take a Risk Assessment: “Clients must fully understand the costs and risks associated with engaging the legal process. This assessment includes the costs of litigation, the risks of the final decision being in the jury’s hand, or time away from running your business. In some cases, it may be better to settle the matter.” Negotiate Post-Resolution Actions: “Both parties must understand how to proceed after the resolution. Is there a no-compete clause? Which party will own the business after all is said-and-done? Who walks away with certain assets ? Understanding your needs and desires helps attorneys advocate for your interests.”
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COMMUNITY
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September 18-24, 2014
RITE AID Foundation Donates $50,000 to Support Kids Health and Wellness in Atlanta The Rite Aid Foundation will present $10,000 KidCents grants to five local, kid-focused non-profit organizations across the Atlanta area. The grants are in celebration of an enhancement to The Rite Aid Foundation’s KidCents program, an in-store round up program that supports non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children. Local charities participating in the KidCents program include Gainesville-based Challenged Child and Friends, which provides specialized programs for children with developmental delays and disabilities; The Atlanta’s Children’s Shelter, which offers comprehensive services to homeless children and families; the SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center in Marietta, which delivers comprehensive, professional, and child-friendly approach to allegations of child abuse; Atlanta’s H.E.R.O for Children, which works with children affected by HIV/AIDS to provide holistic care and support; and Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers, of Rome, which offers therapeutic treatment to Georgia’s most severely abused
children. This week, The Foundation announced it was taking charitable giving to the next level by letting members of the company’s wellness+ program will now have the ability to designate their rounded up change to one of the 204 approved KidCents charities on www.kidcents.com. Each of the 204 inaugural KidCents charities, which were selected by Rite Aid associates across the country, will receive a $10,000 KidCents grant, totaling over $2 million in donations from The Rite Aid Foundation. To participate in the KidCents program, Rite Aid customers can sign into their wellness+ account at www.kidcents.com and review the profiles of approved KidCents charities they can choose to support. Each charity profile features information about the organization and the services it provides as well as stories of those helped by the organization. Once a charity is selected, the next time the customer shops at Rite Aid, their purchase will be rounded up to the nearest dollar and
their change will be designated to their selected charity. Nonprofit organizations interested in participating in The Rite Aid Foundation’s KidCents program can visit www.kidcents.com/apply to submit an application. To be eligible, an organization must be classified as exempt from federal tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and meet the KidCents program guidelines. Once approved, KidCents charities are also eligible to earn a “Step Up” reward; for every $500 a charity raises in contributions through the KidCents program, it will receive a matching donation of $500 from KidCents, up to a maximum of $5,000. For more information, visit www.kidcents.com.
Center for Sustainable Communities/Emerald Cities Metro Atlanta Participate in International Green Apple Day of Service Center for Sustainable Communities/Emerald Cities Metro Atlanta is pleased to announce that on Sept. 27, over 100 volunteers, parents, students, experts and specialists will come together at Atlanta Public School – BEST Academy for a Green Apple Day of Service – Weather Ready Nation event. This event is part of a larger global movement, the Green Apple Day of Service, an initiative from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council that brings together advocates from around the world and encourages them to take action in their communities through service projects at local schools. “At the Center for Green Schools we’re always astounded by the ingenuity and innovation of communities across the country and around the world during the Day of Service,” said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. We commend the Center for Sustainable Communities/Emerald Cities Metro Atlanta for transforming our schools and transforming our communities.” In 2013, over 2,100 volunteer projects took place in communities around the world that participated in the second annual Green Apple Day of Service, generating school improvement projects in all 50 states and in 40 countries. The 2013 host schools were the Marietta Center for Advance Academics and High Tower Elementary School. 3 Goals of BEST Academy for a Green Apple Day of Service –Weather Ready Nation Event: • Gather students, parents and faculty from at least thirty schools,
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• Gather residents from a least thirty communities and • Educate representatives from at least thirty school on ways to green their school. The half day event will center its initiatives on three main activities that include the following: (1) Ten Project Based Learning Modules - focused on Weath- er, Climate and Resiliency ➢ What is Weather? ➢ Water cycle and clouds ➢ Atmosphere in Motion ➢ Weather Careers and Industry ➢ Weather Hazards and Safety ➢ Elements of Emergency Management ➢ Emergency Kits ➢ What is Climate? How do Changes Affect Us? ➢ Helping Others to Be Weather Ready ➢ Building Resiliency in Cities, Tours and Communities and Infrastructure (2) High Altitude Balloon Launch (including robotics exper- iments) (3) First Lego League Robotics (Nature’s Fury) Demonstra- tion To learn more on the Green Apple Day of Service, visit mygreenapple.org.
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EDUCATION
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First Lady Michelle Obama Kicks Off Back-to-School Tour at Washington High in Atlanta
September 18-24, 2014
Kids’ Brains Reorganize When Learning Math Skills
By Terry Shropshire
First lady Michelle Obama recently kicked off her Reach Higher initiative in conjunction with Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s fifth annual “Partners in Progress” Back-to-School Bus Tour with a college fair and “prep rally” at Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington High School. The first lady encouraged Washington students to start spending time on college campuses to get acclimated to the ambience and climate of post-graduate life. “Neither of my parents graduated from college, so I was a little overwhelmed,” Obama told the students. The two-time Ivy League graduate (Harvard University) and former practicing lawyer also stressed that “attendance matters,” a message that resonates with APS Superintendent Meria J. Carstarphen. “We are excited that first lady Obama and Secretary Duncan kicked off their education tour in Atlanta,” Dr. Carstarphen said. “It was a powerful moment to have Mrs. Obama remind students of the importance of coming to school every day. She is absolutely right, and that is the primary reason for our APS Day One: Be There Campaign. Attendance impacts student achievements, and we
(AP) — Sometime in elementary school, you quit counting your fingers and just know the answer. Now scientists have put youngsters into brain scanners to find out why, and watched how the brain reorganizes itself as kids learn math. The take-home advice: Drilling your kids on simple addition and multiplication may pay off. “Experience really does matter,” said Dr. Kathy Mann Koepke of the National Institutes of Health, which funded the research. Healthy children start making that switch between counting to what’s called fact retrieval when they’re 8 years old to 9 years old, when they’re still working on fundamental addition and subtraction. How well kids make that shift to memory-based problem-solving is known to predict their ultimate math achievement. Those who fall behind “are impairing or slowing down their math learning later on,” Mann Koepke said. But why do some kids make the transition easier than others? To start finding out, Stanford University researchers first peeked into the brains of 28 children as they solved a series of simple addition problems inside a brain-scanning MRI machine. No scribbling out the answer: The 7- to 9-year-olds saw a calculation – three plus four equals seven, for example – flash on a screen and pushed a button to say if the answer was right or wrong. Scientists recorded how quickly they responded and what regions of their brain became active as they did. In a separate session, they also tested the kids face to face, watching if they moved their lips or counted on their fingers, for comparison with the brain data. The children were tested twice, roughly a year apart. As the kids got older, their answers relied more on memory and became faster and more accurate, and it showed in the brain. There was less activity in the prefrontal and parietal regions associated with counting and more in the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus, the researchers reported Sunday in Nature Neuroscience. The hippocampus is sort of like a relay
need students to come to school every day in order to prepare them for college and career success.” Addressing the students as “Washington Bulldogs,” Mrs. Obama said she chose to visit Washington High School because the school is celebrating its 90th anniversary on Sept. 24. Washington High School opened in 1924 as the first public high school for African Americans in Georgia. It is the school that Dr. Martin L. King Jr. attended before entering Morehouse College when he was in his junior year of high school. Obama began her visit to Washington High with a tour of a college fair for Washington High School students with Secretary Duncan. The “Prep Rally” highlighted efforts by Mrs. Obama’s Reach Higher initiative and the Obama Administration to increase access and opportunity for all students. The initiative focuses on the importance of pursuing and completing some form of higher education. It also encourages students to do their part to answer the President’s call to ensure that by the year 2020, America once again has the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.
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station where new memories come in – short-term working memory – and then can be sent elsewhere for longer-term storage and retrieval. Those hippocampal connections increased with the kids’ math performance. “The stronger the connections, the greater each individual’s ability to retrieve facts from memory,” said Dr. Vinod Menon, a psychiatry professor at Stanford and the study’s senior author. But that’s not the whole story. Next, Menon’s team put 20 adolescents and 20 adults into the MRI machines and gave them the same simple addition problems. It turns out that adults don’t use their memory-crunching hippocampus in the same way. Instead of using a lot of effort, retrieving six plus four equals 10 from longterm storage was almost automatic, Menon said. In other words, over time the brain became increasingly efficient at retrieving facts. Think of it like a bumpy, grassy field, NIH’s Mann Koepke explained. Walk over the same spot enough and a smooth, grass-free path forms, making it easier to get from start to end. If your brain doesn’t have to work as hard on simple math, it has more working memory free to process the teacher’s brand-new lesson on more complex math. “The study provides new evidence that this experience with math actually changes the hippocampal patterns, or the connections. They become more stable with skill development,” she said. “So learning your addition and multiplication tables and having them in rote memory helps.” Quiz your child in different orders, she advised – nine times three and then 10 times nine – to make sure they really remember and didn’t have to think it through. While the study focuses on math, Mann Koepke said cognitive development in general probably works the same way. After all, kids who match sounds to letters earlier learn to read faster. Stanford’s Menon said the next step is to study what goes wrong with this system in children with math learning disabilities, so that scientists might try new strategies to help them learn.
FAITH Michelle Williams Shares ‘Journey to Freedom’
September 18-24, 2014
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By Effie Rolfe Former Destiny’s Child member, Michelle Williams, is on a ‘Journey To Freedom’ the title of her latest gospel album. Although released Sept. 9 on eOne Music, the popular diva shared that it’s been eight years in the making. “Actually I knew when Destiny’s Child recorded our last album. I had been praying to God what do you want me to do. He dropped it in my spirit and I prayed again and said Lord what do you want me to do. I had been fighting and fighting until eventually you get tired of running. God knows you’re gonna’ fight and says let me know when you’re finished,” said Williams. “I would say that I deal
and low self-esteem. From procrastination, which may seem so simple but that keeps us from putting one foot in front of the other. I want us to be free from whatever is keeping us from moving forward and being God sent,” she said. Favorites on the album are Fire and If We Had Your Eyes featuring Fantasia, “Every time I sing that song, it puts me in check. Am I seeing people the way God sees me? Am I seeing myself the way God sees me? He sees me as perfect and whole. He knows your ending before the beginning—He purposed you before you ever born. If He knows all of that, I need to love people and I need to be right,” she said. “I have a song My Soul Says Yes—I’m gonna’ be alright. If God has given you something to do, then those who are to receive it will. Former band singers, Beyonce’ and Kelley Rowland joins Williams on this popular track. “They have always been supportive and overwhelmed me with their love and support. They chose the song that had Jesus in it. What’s so remarkable is that they chose the song, When Jesus Say Yes—nobody can say no. They wanted to proclaim His name so that everybody around the world could know.
with a lot more criticism and hurt in gospel than any other genre and I didn’t want to go through that again. I said God you work this out, I’m gonna’ do what God told me to do.” Although recording this CD was her assignment and she needed to stay focused, Williams allowed her feelings to get the best of her, “I remember I was having a pity party while with Juanita Bynum. She said ‘look your assignment is bigger than your emotions. I don’t want to hear that—just do what you’re supposed to do’. The people I find blessed are the people outside the church.” The CD is called Journey to Freedom—free from things that could possible keep you and me from being our best. One of those things is being free from people’s opinion. You had a purpose before anyone had an opinion. Free from things like depression
There would be no mistake of who we’re singing about,” explained the talented singer. As far as what’s next, Williams shared, “I want God’s absolute best for my life. I’m about souls being saved and choosing life. However God leads—in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.” Journey to Freedom is available online and wherever music is sold. Also, check your local listings for the docu-series Fix My Choir on Oxygen Network.
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Second Season of ‘Finding Your T.I. is Tired of Black People Criticizing Iggy Azalea … Wait, What? Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.’ on PBS By Michael Arceneaux
As fall arrives and new shows debut on the small screen, one television show in particular will allow viewers to learn more about the heritage and ancestries of 30 of today’s leading entertainers, athletes, chefs and media personalities, including hip-hop superstar Nas and author Stephen King. Ford Motor Company has joined forces with Public Television to bring the second season of “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” back this fall. The 10-part series which debuts on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at * p.m. EST, finds Henry Louis Gates, Jr. continuing on his quest to – as he puts it – “get into the DNA of American culture.” By weaving a group of celebrity stories together, each episode takes viewers on a journey through layers of ancestral history, uncovering familial secrets. “This is one of the most fascinating ways history is uncovered, a true example of the significance our past plays in where we are
Iggy Azalea is in the middle of one of the biggest breakout years we have seen from a female rapper in a long time. But along with her success she has also been dogged by some critics who accuse her of cultural appropriation and rumors of not writing her lyrics. T.I. is not happy about this. Despite all the criticism however, as it stands now, Iggy has accomplished nothing but milestones in 2014. Her anthem “Fancy” earned the honor as Billboard’s top Song of the Summer for 2014, with a strong follow up hit in “Black Widow,” featuring Rita Ora. And the gigs continue to pile in: she’s got a job in TV as host of MTV’s revamped “House of Style,” already announced her first foray into film, and landed a shoe line in partnership with Steve Madden. Criticism has not curbed Iggy’s success, so why not let naysayers keep talking? According to T.I., who offered his protégé a key co-sign at a pivotal point in her career, her detractors don’t have “the right.” In his mind, he thinks there’s a hint of hypocrisy in black people scolding Iggy. In an interview with ‘The Grio’, T.I. had this to say about Iggy’s critics: She is a white rapper, but she’s also a phenomenally talented and gifted performer. I think that in this day and age… 2014, color, race, creed, gender… for us to use those stereotypical things to separate us or use it as an excuse to not like something… I think that makes you a wack person. If there’s anything wack, it’s the reality that Iggy can embody black cultural mores and customs and maintain broader reach, but the likes of Nicki Minaj feel compelled to sing pop ballads about potions,
today,” said Shawn Thompson, manager, Ford Multicultural Marketing. “The role Professor Gates is undertaking to show how all Americans are connected is something we – as a company – can stand by. Ford is thrilled to be a part of this project.” Each hour-long episode will highlight three celebrity guests bound together by an intimate, sometimes hidden link. With the help of a team of genealogists, Gates travels thousands of years into the past to discover the origins of today’s game changers. In addition, each episode will feature a 30-second spot that looks back at the history of Henry Ford and his visionary, family-owned company. For Gates, one of Henry Ford’s lasting contributions was his willingness to pay a fair wage to African American workers employed in his factories, which led Southern sharecroppers to Detroit as part of the early 20th century’s great migration.
starships, and super basses in order to capture that same audience. The same goes for other black acts. Sam Smith and Adele can be praised for their “soul,” but Jazmine Sullivan won’t get the same spins on those same pop radio stations. “Me knowing her, knowing where she comes from—for real, the whole racist thing, that’s American—we forget, she’s not American. So the whole Black, white, color divided thing, it isn’t a part of her DNA like it is here in America. It’s just ignorant to me. In this day and age, to be a race of people who are demanding equality and speaking out on injustices and wanting to be treated fairly, to stand up and do the exact same thing in opposite to someone unwarranted for no reason, it’s hypocritical. I’m a ride with her,” T.I. said in a recent interview. To read this story in its entirety visit atlantadailyworld.com
Kandi Buruss Claims Claudia Jordan is Reading ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ Cast Kandi Burruss revealed that one of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” newbies will be slinging shade with the best of them this season. The recently married entrepreneur told “The Breakfast Club” this week that Claudia Jordan isn’t necessarily one to mince her words or sugarcoat things for the “RHOA” vets. Things haven’t gotten physical with any of the ladies, but a few of them may have felt the sting of her sharp tongue. “Let me say this, “ Kandi stated, “that damn Claudia Jordan [has a mouth on her]. When I tell you that girl be saying some things, I was like, ‘okay.’ She was letting some people have it this year.” Kandi wasn’t open about what’s going to happen with Phaedra Parks’ storyline now that her husband Apollo Nida is heading to prison for the next eight years. On the day that he was supposed to report to prison in Kentucky, Apollo decided that he was going to delay heading into lockup so that he could have one final argument with Phaedra as he unexpectedly popped up at her home. When he arrived at Phaedra’s place, he wanted to know why she hasn’t put any money on his books so that he can buy things in prison. Bravo cameras were rolling for the altercation; it’s almost certain that some snippet of it may end up appearing on season 7. That’s probably why Kandi was so secretive when the DJs asked her what’s going on with Phaedra and
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Apollo. “It’s a lot of stuff about that situation that you’re going to find out on that new season, so I can’t really tell you,” Kandi said, and she wouldn’t directly answer any questions about whether Apollo had slept with their “RHOA” co-star Kenya Moore, either. “I can’t, no, but it’s some things that will be surprising about that situation that’s going to come on the new season.” There might be some harmony on the cast, though! Apparently, Kandi and cast original NeNe Leakes are getting along much better these days, but Kandi’s not Claudia Jordan comfortable in their new alliance just yet. Truth be told she could be expecting NeNe to switch up on her at any moment. “I think in the past, NeNe and I bumped heads for whatever reason. This year, we’ve been doing a lot better, so far because we’re still taping,” said Kandi. “In the past we bumped heads a lot and I don’t understand why, but for whatever reason—I don’t know, she was never a fan.”
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September 18-24, 2014
Atlanta Braves Fans Unhappy Vikings Suspend Adrian Peterson Again, This Time Indefinitely With Name of New Stadium By Terry Shropshire
The Atlanta Braves announced the name of their new ballpark during their groundbreaking ceremony in Cobb County, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta. The Braves will play in the soon-to-be SunTrust Park, named after the Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks Inc., one of the nation’s largest banking organizations which boasts a 25-year relationship with the team. SunTrust chairman and CEO William H. Rogers Jr. used to the platform to announce a $100,000 donation from the SunTrust Foundation to the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation as homage to Major League Baseball’s all-time home run king. The philanthropic gesture did little, however, to stem the criticism of the stadium’s name. Still, SunTrust brass are pleased at helping to write a new chapter in the history of the Braves. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to partner with a great organization that shares our values for winning and serving the community,” Rogers said in a statement to press. “This partnership provides SunTrust increased visibility on a regional and national level through a truly unique mixeduse development that will attract fans and visitors throughout the year. Importantly, it will help us reach more people as we fulfill our bank’s purpose of lighting the way to financial well-being.”
By Terry Shropshire
The Minnesota Vikings are laughably and pathetically exemplifying both schizophrenia and sheer cowardice. After deactivating superstar running back Adrian Peterson on Friday, Sept. 12, prior to the game against the New England Patriots, and then getting destroyed at home on Sunday, the Vikings came back on Monday and said they were bringing Peterson back on. However, just a day later, the vacuum of leadership for the Vikings released a team statement at 1 a.m. saying they are again deactivating Peterson and suspending him from all team activities for the foreseeable future. Not coincidentally, the Vikings radically changed their minds about bringing Peterson back after Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton and Minnesota Sen. Al Franken blasted the Vikings and major sponsors such as Radisson Hotel pulled their advertising from the team. Here is a statement from the black hole of leadership within the Vikings ownership: “In conversations with the NFL over the
The Braves are scheduled to take ownership of their new stadium at the commencement of the 2017 season. The move will take them from their current location in an economically deprived area near downtown Atlanta and will be located on the outer edge of Atlanta’s bustling northwest side at the intersection of I-75 and I-285 in the bustling Cumberland CID. The stadium will be sandwiched comfortably between surrounding developments that include a vibrant atmosphere with unique shops, restaurants and entertainment venues that are accessible 365 days a year, not only on Braves game days. “The new ballpark constitutes a new chapter in Atlanta Braves baseball, and we are excited that SunTrust has decided to build upon our decades-long relationship and embark on this journey with us,” said Atlanta Braves Chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk. “Both of our organizations have deep roots in Atlanta and loyal fans throughout the Southeast and across the nation. We couldn’t imagine a more perfect partner and look forward to seeing the first pitch at SunTrust Park in 2017.” Unfortunately, not many of the fans are as excited as the Braves and SunTrust brain trust are over the name of the new playing field, SunTrust Stadium. In fact, many are downright repulsed that the beloved team will play ball under the name of a financial institution.
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last two days, the Vikings advised the League of the team’s decision to revisit the situation regarding Adrian Peterson. In response, the League informed the team of the option to place Adrian on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission list, which will require that Adrian remain away from all team activities while allowing him to take care of his personal situation until the legal proceedings are resolved. After giving the situation additional thought, we have decided this is the appropriate course of action for the organization and for Adrian. “We are always focused on trying to make the right decision as an organization. We embrace our role – and the responsibilities that go with it – as a leader in the community, as a business partner and as an organization that can build bridges with our fans and positively impact this great region. We appreciate and value the input we have received from our fans, our partners and the community. “While we were trying to make a balanced decision yesterday, after further reflection we have concluded that this resolution is best for the Vikings and for Adrian. We want to be clear: we have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children, and we want to be sure we get this right. At the same time we want to express our support for Adrian and acknowledge his seven-plus years of outstanding commitment to this organization and this community. Adrian emphasized his desire to avoid further distraction to his teammates and coaches while focusing on his current situation; this resolution accomplishes these objectives as well. “We will support Adrian during this legal and personal process, but we firmly believe and realize this is the right decision. We hope that all of our fans can respect the process that we have gone through to reach this final decision.”
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ANNOUNCEMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP – SAN – 101514 - SSF ADVERTISEMENT for DESIGN and INSTALLATION of STRESSED MEMBRANE SALT STORAGE FACILITY The City of College Park is accepting Sealed Proposals from qualified vendors for Design and Installation of Stressed Membrane Salt Storage Facility. Sealed proposals will be received no later than 3:00pm, Wednesday, October 15, 2014 at the City of College Park Purchasing Department, 3667 Main Street, College Park Georgia, 30337 at which time they will be opened and publicly read aloud. Bids received after the above date and time, or in any other location other than the Purchasing Department will not be considered. A bid packet may be obtained from the City of College Park Purchasing Department, 3667 Main Street, College Park, Georgia 30337, or from www.collegeparkga.com. A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at City of College Park City Hall. Bids will not be accepted from any vendor not attending this meeting. Questions arising or clarifications needed after the meeting shall be directed via email ONLY, to bgregory@collegeparkga.com until close of business (COB = 5:00pm EST) Wednesday, October 1, 2014. An Addendum listing all Q&A, clarifications, etc. will be posted on or about COB Wednesday, October 8, 2014. It is always the vendor’s responsibility to check the City’s website for any/all addenda. As a requirement of this RFP, a Bid Bond of ten percent (10%) shall be provided with proposal submission. Successful vendor will be required to provide Performance and Payment Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of full contract amount before execution of contract. The City of College Park reserves the right to reject any or all bids based on past performance and to waive technicalities and informalities and re-advertise. All Minority, Woman and Small Businesses are strongly encouraged to apply. Only responsive bids that are determined to meet the requirements and criteria set forth by the City of College Park will be considered.
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GUEST COMMENTARY
GUEST COMMENTARY
by Roger Smith
by George E. Curry
NFL DOMESTIC ABUSERS GET TAP ON WRIST
WALK IN THEIR SHOES
I’m a CEO with a GED, and I have walked in the shoes of a minimum wage worker. I know from experience that it’s a tougher road today. The minimum wage buys fewer necessities now than it did when I needed it to survive. And as a successful capitalist, it pains me to see that the American Dream, which so inspired me, is increasingly out of reach. As a young boy, I knew all too well the despair of empty pockets. I learned to be resourceful, making money by selling my most precious possessions. The sound of change in my pocket gave me hope. From ages 15 to 18, I was homeless. I did what I had to do to survive and put money in my pocket. I worked under the table as a day laborer, toiled in pool halls, bussed tables and worked a variety of minimum-wage jobs. I saw the minimum wage as a temporary entry wage. I believed that if I worked hard and played by the rules, I’d eventually get ahead. The scales weren’t as tipped against workers as they are today. It was a time in America when a homeless kid with a GED could still find opportunities and a path to living the American Dream. It was a time in America, when millions were rising into the middle class, not falling out of it. My path to living the American Dream has been through a 37-year career with American Income Life. I started as a life insurance agent and worked my way up to my current position as CEO. Our company culture remains one of creating shared prosperity and providing opportunity unlimited. We are proof that businesses can profit and grow by paying a fair wage and providing a pathway to the American Dream for employees. For me and so many others of my generation, the minimum wage was just the first of many rungs on a career ladder. But too many workers today find themselves running in place on a treadmill -- stuck in low-wage jobs without real opportunity. Today’s federal minimum wage has less buying power than it did when I was a homeless teen in the 1960s. The minimum wage hit its high point in value around the time I most needed it. At its peak in 1968, the minimum wage was worth $10.96, adjusted for inflation. That’s way more than today’s federal minimum wage -- stuck at $7.25 since 2009. The $3.71 difference between the minimum wage in 1968 and today isn’t pocket change. It adds up to $7,717 over the course of a year for full-time workers.
For millions of Americans, the minimum wage is no longer a temporary entry-level wage, but a longtime wage that locks them and their families into poverty and undermines the consumer demand that drives our economy. Raising the minimum wage makes good economic sense. Many business leaders want to see it increased. As a successful CEO, I was not surprised to see a recent national poll released by the American Sustainable Business Council and Business for a Fair Minimum Wage. It found that 61 percent of small-business owners with employees favor raising the minimum wage to $10.10 and then adjusting it annually to keep pace with the cost of living. Business owners see the practical effects of raising the minimum wage. As consumers, workers with money in their pockets provide a boost to sales at Main Street businesses. A higher wage also positively affects internal functions like employee retention, employee morale and quality of service provided to customers. Raising the minimum wage makes good economic sense, but it’s much more than that. You cannot have a strong economy or fulfill the promise of the American Dream when most Americans are running in place or falling behind while the richest Americans pull further away from the rest. Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would benefit 28 million workers with an average age of 35 years old. Many of them have more formal education than me. Raising the minimum wage is a crucial first step to restoring the shattered American Dream. The same American Dream that gave a homeless kid with a GED a chance to succeed. Roger Smith is president and CEO of American Income Life Insurance Company.
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The NFL – which has been referred to as everything from the National Felons League to, in the cases of players, Not For Long – has imposed a lifetime ban on Ray Rice yet rarely disciplines other brazen offenders. And when a team takes the rare action of disciplining a player for striking a woman, it usually results in a tap on the wrist. The National Football League initially imposed a two-game suspension of Rice after it was disclosed that he had abused his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, in an Atlantic City, N.J. casino hotel elevator. But after the celebrity website TMZ aired the full video showing Rice knocking out his future wife with a strong blow to the face, rendering her unconscious, the Baltimore Ravens voided Rice’s contract and the NFL banned him from pro football for life. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who is in charge of protecting the nation’s most popular sport’s $10 billion in annual revenue, acknowledged that the NFL “got it wrong” when it imposed only a two-game suspension on Rice. But what Goodell, who earns $44 million a year, didn’t admit was the NFL continues to get it wrong while serving as a high-profile enabler for other domestic abusers in the league. For example: • Rice’s teammate, All-Pro Linebacker Terrell Suggs, continued playing after Candace Williams, the mother of his three children and his future wife, filed for two protective orders against him in the last five years. The first was in December 2009. The Baltimore Sun reported, “According to the complaint …Williams said Suggs threw a soap dispenser at her head, hit her in the chest with his hand, and held a bottle of bleach over her and their 1-year-old son, which spilled on them and caused a rash. Baltimore City District Court Judge Ronald Alan Karasic wrote that a laceration was visible on Williams’ chest.” Though the protective order was granted, Suggs was never charged with a crime. Three years later, Williams filed for another protective order, alleging that Suggs “punched her in the neck and drove a car containing their two children at a ‘high rate of speed’ while she was being dragged alongside.” The couple later married. In neither case did the Ravens or the NFL take any action against Suggs. • Carolina Panthers All-Pro Defensive End Greg Hardy was convicted last summer of assaulting and threatening to kill his former girlfriend, Nicole Holder, but no action was taken against him until the Ray Rice story exploded on the national scene. In her request for a protective order, Holder said Hardy threw her into a tile tub, pulled her from the tub by her hair, choked her with both hands and picked her up over his head and threw her onto a couch filled with assault rifles and shotguns. At the trial, Holder testified, “He looked me in my eyes and told
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me he was going to kill me. I was so scared I wanted to die. When he loosened his grip slightly, I said, ‘Just do it. Kill me.’” Hardy was found guilty of misdemeanor charges and sentenced to a 60-day suspended sentence and 18 months of probation. He is appealing the verdict. Hardy was deactivated for last Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. • San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald was allowed to play in last Sunday’s game, despite being arrested and charged with felony domestic violence connected with allegedly striking his pregnant fiancée. A hearing scheduled for Monday was postponed, pending further investigation. These are not isolated cases. A database maintained by USA Today shows that there have been 713 arrests of NFL players since 2000 – 85 for domestic violence. The database covers only incidents reported by the media. Of the 56 known domestic violence cases that occurred on Goodell’s watch, players were suspended only a combined total 13 games, excluding Ray Rice. Typically, players involved in domestic disputes had charges dismissed after they were placed in a diversion program for first-time offenders, completed anger management counseling or performed community service. In many cases, the abused woman refused to file charges. Only 10 players were released by their team and three of those landed on other squads. Overall, arrest rates among NFL players are lower than the national average for men in their age range. Among NFL teams, according to the New York Times, the Minnesota Vikings had the most players arrested since 2000, with 44, followed closely by the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos. The Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams, with 11 each, tied for the lowest mark. Baltimore had 22 players arrested over that period, mirroring the league average. Though the most common offense was driving while drunk, domestic violence has taken center stage. The domestic cases are chronicled by Sidepin. The website stated, “Goodell is perceived as being tough on players. He’s an authoritarian, the likes of which the league has never seen!! But there’s one thing Goodell will tolerate, and that’s NFL players abusing women.” George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www. twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.
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ATLANTA DAILY WORLD
September 18-24, 2014
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