Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper December 14 2013 by AFRO News

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DECEMBER 14, 2013 - DECEMBER 20, 2013

Obama Praises Mandela State Trooper Diversity ‘Woefully Inadequate’ as ‘Great Liberator’ By Sean Yoes AFRO Contributing Writer

President Obama remembers Nelson Mandela at a memorial service on Dec. 10 in Soweto.

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By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief SOWETO, South Africa (NNPA) – President Barack Obama described Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first Black elected president, as “the last great liberator of the 20th century” and thanked the grieving nation for sharing their beloved former leader with the rest of the world. Speaking Dec. 10 at a rain-soaked memorial service here attended by nearly 100 current and former international leaders, Obama said, “It is a singular honor to be with you today, to celebrate a life like no other. To the people of South Africa, people of every race

and walk of life – the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us. His struggle was your struggle. His triumph was your triumph. Your dignity and your hope found expression in his life. And your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy.” Mandela died Dec. 5 at the age of 95 after a long illness. The memorial service kicked off a week of celebrations that will culminate Dec. 15 with his burial in his ancestral village of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape region. Flags are flying throughout the country at half-staff. Coincidentally, the memorial service fell on

Continued on A3

Black residents of Maryland are about 30 percent of the population, according to 2012 U.S. Census Bureau numbers—by far the largest population of color in the state. Yet, the ranks of Maryland State Troopers are just slightly more than 10 percent Black, a number that has been dwindling for more than a decade. According to state statistics, only 197 of the state’s 1,453 troopers are Black compared to 312 Black troopers out of 1,612 or about 20 percent in 2000. “There has been a decline in (Black) membership due to attrition however, the attrition has not been favorable… The members have not been retiring as much as they have been leaving for other reasons, i.e. resignations and looking for jobs in other locations,” said Rodney Morris, president of the Coalition of Black Maryland State Troopers. Morris, who retired from the department after 25 years of service, has been president of the Coalition since 2011. He said many Black troopers feel alienated within their own ranks

for several reasons. “There is a non-inclusive feeling (among Blacks) within the department,” he said. “The Maryland State Police is not a Democraticled organization. You have a lot of Western Maryland and Eastern Shore… residents generally running the operation…and their ideology is not always consistent with the Governor’s office. They have a policy of diversity, but it’s not being practiced.” Morris, who entered the department in 1986 says Blacks were aggressively recruited in the 1980’s, a sentiment echoed by Dr. Tyrone Powers, director of the Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute at Anne Arundel Community College. Powers, a former state trooper and FBI agent, was recruited directly out of high school in the early 1980’s by two Black state troopers and after he left the department was recruited by Black FBI agents, who convinced him to join their agency. Powers and other critics said state law enforcement’s efforts towards diversity in the 21st century are woefully inadequate. “Over the last 10 years, when the agency said they were going to increase recruitment of Continued on A3

Illinois Pastor, Grieving for Beloved Wife, Kills Self One Year after Her Sudden Death Shortly Follows Suicide Death of Macon, Ga. Pastor By Zachary Lester AFRO Staff Writer Pastor Edward Montgomery, a marriage counselor at Full Gospel Christian Assemblies International in Hazel Crest, Ill., allegedly shot himself inside his home Nov. 30. According to news accounts, his mother and son were present at his home at the time. Montgomery, 48, also a railroad conductor, had been mourning the death of his wife, Prophetess Jackie Montgomery, who died Dec. 6, 2012 of complications from an aneurism. The two were

reportedly extremely close. Jackie Montgomery, an ordained minister like her husband, partnered with him to oversee the assembly’s marriage ministry, said the Apostle Ron Wilson, Full Gospel’s senior pastor. Montgomery’s death follows by only 20 days the suicide of the Rev. Teddy Parker Jr., pastor of Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church in Macon, Ga., on Nov. 10. Parker, who was married and had two

Medical Examiners Say Heart Failure Killed Tyrone West By Blair Adams AFRO Staff Writer Tyrone West died from heart failure—“cardiac arrhythmia due to cardiac conduction system abnormality complicated by dehydration”-- during police restraint, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). Those were the words used by the doctors to describe West’s death in a just-released finding about the outcome of a violent encounter between the man and several police officers in Northwest Baltimore. City prosecutors released the cause and manner of death on Dec. 10, 155 days after West, 44, died in a July confrontation with police. “The manner of death could not be determined because of an inability to determine the absolute relative contribution of each of the described

factors that caused Mr. West’s death,” in a statement issued by the medical examiners. She said it is still unclear whether the use of the taser, the pepper spray or the beatings was the primary cause of death. “What killed him?” she said. The medical examiners admitted they were unclear about the source of trauma that triggered death. Five months later, the family has answers, but they remain outraged and have no sense of closure. “I’m not satisfied with how long this took and everything wasn’t included in the autopsy report,” Towanda West, West’s sister told the AFRO. “It’s misleading information, like my brother had a medical condition—which he didn’t have, my brother was healthy. They beat my brother to death.” Continued on A3

Jackie and Edward Montgomery

daughters, killed himself on a Sunday morning as his family and congregation waited for him to go to church to preach. Wilson said media reports that Edward Montgomery told people he had been hearing his wife speak to him and hearing her footsteps were unsubstantiated. He said the couple’s daughter, Mikia, 27, to whom the comments were attributed, denied making them. Continued on A3

Health Officials Provide Update on Maryland Health Exchange By AFRO Staff Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown held a news conference Dec. 10 to update Maryland residents on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, including staffing and technology changes to improve the system, according to a statement released by his office. “Our #1 focus—our most urgent priority—is doing everything possible to make sure that Marylanders can sign up for affordable health care and get access to the benefits their families need,” Brown said. “As we move forward, that’s going to remain our focus.

That’s why the governor and I have made changes by restructuring the Exchange’s leadership and bringing in additional resources.” Exchange interim Executive Director Carolyn Quattrocki said she has met with Maryland Health Benefit Exchange staff. “They, along with our IT teams,

vendors, consumer assistance professionals, brokers and other partners, are acutely aware that this is an all-hands-on-deck operation,” Quattrocki said. “Since the launch on Continued on A3

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013

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Baltimore Office • Corporate Headquarters 2519 N. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4602 410-554-8200 • Fax: 1-877-570-9297 www.afro.com Founded by John Henry Murphy Sr., August 13, 1892 Washington Publisher Emerita - Frances L. Murphy II Chairman of the Board/Publisher - John J. Oliver, Jr. Executive Assistant - Takiea Hinton - 410-554-8222 Receptionist - Wanda Pearson - 410-554-8200 Director of Advertising Lenora Howze - 410-554-8271 - lhowze@afro.com Baltimore Advertising Manager Robert Blount - 410-554-8246 - rblount@afro.com Director of Finance - Jack Leister - 410-554-8242 Archivist - Ja-Zette Marshburn - 410-554-8265 Director, Community & Public Relations Diane W. Hocker - 410-554-8243 Editorial Executive Editor - Avis Thomas-Lester Editor - Dorothy Boulware News Editor - Gregory Dale Production Department - 410-554-8288 Global Markets Director - Benjamin M. Phillips IV - 410-554-8220 - bphillips@afro.com Baltimore Circulation/Distribution Manager Sammy Graham - 410-554-8266

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Mrs. Santa Donation Form The Afro-American Newspaper family is helping to grant a wish for the area’s most vulnerable. Would you like to help a child or family and create memories that will last a lifetime? For many disadvantaged families, you can turn dreams into reality by participating in the Mrs. Santa Campaign. o I want to join the AFRO’s spirit of giving. Please accept my contribution of $___________ to benefit a less fortunate family. Name_______________________________ Address_____________________________ Organization_________________________ City________________________________ State___________________ Zip_________ Phone_______________________________ E-mail_______________________________ Please send all contributions and adoption requests to:

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Black Ex-BP CFO Claims Dismissal Due to Braided Hair & Dashikis

A former top official of a British Petroleum Oil Co. division headquartered in California says she was fired after being warned to reserve dashikis and braided hairstyles for special observances in the workplace. Melphine Evans, recently dismissed from her position as chief financial officer for BP said in a lawsuit filed in California’s Orange County Superior Court that she was told, “If you are going to wear ethnic clothing, you should alert people in advance that you will be wearing something ethnic.’” Evans said she was told, “You intimidate and make your colleagues uncomfortable by wearing ethnic Melphine Evans clothing and ethnic hairstyles (‘Dashikis,’ ‘twists,’ ‘braids/cornrows’) “, she said in her lawsuit filed in early December. Her complaint alleged that she was told “If you insist on wearing ethnic clothing/hairstyles, you should only do so during ‘culture day,’ black history month or special diversity events/ days.” Evans seeks unspecified damages for race and gender discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination. She is suing BP Products North America, the BP West Coast Products Office in La Palma, Calif. and nine individuals. “Generally, BP does not publicly discuss personnel issues,” BP spokesman Scott Dean told Courthouse News Service. “However, BP treats all employees fairly. BP disagrees with the claims and will vigorously defend the suit.” She said she was fired and replaced by a younger White male after being warned about dashikis and braided hair she wore to work.

“I was in the middle of leading a discussion on this—actually I was in the middle of speaking, when a young White man in the class interrupted me,” Gibney said. “Why do we have to talk about this in every class,” she said the student asked. In a 15-minute YouTube video interview, Gibney said she was shocked and remained calm while one of the students who posed the question became defensive and took the topic personally. “I tried to explain in a reasonable manner…..that this is unfortunately the content of 21st century America,” she said. According to Gibney, two additional White male students chimed in and said, “I don’t get this either. Like, people are trying to say that White men are always the villains, the bad guys. Why do we have to say this?” She said she assured her students that the discussion on racism was “not a personal attack.” In the video obtained by the AFRO Gibney said she told the students “if you are really upset, feel free to go to legal affairs Shannon Gibney and file a racial harassment discrimination complaint.” The students took Gibney’s advice and filed the complaint and she was called to an investigatory meeting with her union representative, administrators and school attorney. She said she received a reprimand from Lois Bollman, MCTC vice-president for academic affairs after the investigation. In a statement obtained by the Huffington Post, Minneapolis Community and Technical College spokeswoman Dawn Skelly said, “The college has taken no steps to prohibit faculty members from teaching about racism, including structural racism.” Gibney said she is not seeking legal council, however she would be issuing a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission—stating that this was a case of workplace discrimination.

Black Instructor at Minn. College Reprimanded for Discussing Cartoonist Under Fire for Racism in English Class A Minneapolis community college educator was reprimanded Drawing Obama with Ape-Like recently for bringing up the topic of racism with her students Features during her communications class at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. After a presentation on structural racism, three white students filed a complaint against their English instructor, Shannon Gibney, after they questioned whether or not racism should be discussed.

Sketch artist Ted Rall has come under fire after the recent posting of a cartoon depicting President Obama with apelike features. Rall’s comic strip, posted on the liberal blog site Daily Kos on Nov. 27, portrays Obama with a close-shaven head covered in bristles, a protuberant nose that dominates his face and a simian-shaped jaw that juts out from his lower face. The depiction also contrasts statements the commanderin-chief has made about the Affordable Care Act and Afghanistan with what Rall deems the reality. For example, in one illustration he quotes Obama as saying, “We are bringing all our troops back from Afghanistan by 2014… sorta,” and contrasts it with a scenario in which the president tells an Afghan official, “If you like our current occupation troops, you can keep them.” Apparently, the Daily Kos was not amused. Later that day, Rall said, when he tried to log on, he received a reprimand from the site’s administrator: “Your depiction of Barack Obama as ape-like is intolerable. Being critical of Obama, even ferociously so, is not the problem. Through British and American history, Blacks have been subject to racist depictions of themselves as monkeys and apes. No excuse is acceptable for replicating that history, no matter what your intent. If it happens again, your posting privileges will be suspended.” The self-professed leftwinger took the warning as an invitation to leave, but not before he fired a few shots at the site, including the fact that he was not paid for his work. “The grounds for censoring my cartoons from the site — my drawing style — are beneath contempt,” Rall wrote in a Nov. 28 posting on the Daily Kos web site.

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 14, 2013

Obama Praises Mandela Continued from A1

United Nations Human Rights Day. Obama used the occasion to deliver stern words to leaders who repress their own people yet profess to admire Mandela, whom Obama mostly referred to as Madiba, the former president’s Xhosa tribal name. “There are too many people who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality,” President Obama said. “There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people. And there are too many of us on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.” Like many U.S. civil rights leaders, Obama drew a parallel between Mandela’s struggle for majority rule in South Africa and AfricanAmericans’ struggle to overcome slavery and Jim Crow laws that treated Blacks as second-class citizens.

“We know that, like South Africa, the United States had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation. As was true here, it took sacrifice – the sacrifice of countless people, known and unknown, to see the dawn of a new day. Michelle and I are beneficiaries of that struggle,” Obama said to applause. “But in America, and in South Africa, and in countries all around the globe, we cannot allow our progress to cloud the fact that our work is not yet done.” Mandela, a former amateur boxer, gave his last public speech in the soccer stadium where the tribute was held. Fittingly, the stadium is located in Soweto, a township were Blacks were forced to live under apartheid and where Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu have homes. Accompanying Obama on Air Force One were former president George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter arrived in South Africa on separate aircrafts.

Like many international gatherings, journalists observe every detail, including whether adversaries shake hands. Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro shook hands but, White House officials were quick to note that it amounted to nothing more than an exchange of pleasantries. “Nothing was planned in terms of the president’s role other than his remarks,” Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters traveling with Obama. “He really didn’t do more than exchange greetings with those leaders on his way to speak, it wasn’t a substantive discussion.” The fact that Obama and Castro were at the same event demonstrated the breath of Mandela’s impact on their world. “He was more than one of the greatest leaders of our time. He was one of our greatest teachers,” U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told those in attendance. “His baobab tree has left deep roots that reach across the planet.”

Diversity Continued from A1

minorities and specifically African Americans, they’ve actually kind of gone in the other direction,” Powers said. Powers says Maryland troopers don’t do enough recruiting on HBCU campuses. Also, he said recruiters could approach criminal justice instructors like him to identify students

We try to recruit, retain and promote employees who reflect the state’s diversity.”

– Elena Russo

who could be candidates for law enforcement positions. “So, they talk a great deal about diversity and recruitment, but if you look at the program, their approach to recruiting a diverse police community it’s not happening,” Powers added. Elena Russo, spokeswoman for Maryland State Police, said diversity within the department is critical for effective law enforcement. “People in the recruiting office go all over

the state, all over the country to recruit,” Russo said. “In the last couple of years we’ve celebrated some significant accomplishments. For instance, we had our first African American female major appointed in 2012. A large part of our recruiting is focused on women, so we do recruit minorities. We try to recruit, retain and promote employees who reflect the state’s diversity.” Russo also pointed to the work of the State Police Superintendent’s Council of Advisors on Diversity and Inclusion, consisting of several community, political and law enforcement leaders including Baltimore City Council President Bernard “Jack” Young. “They meet quarterly and provide diversity management initiatives, educational opportunities and are trying to come up with new diversity strategies,” Russo said. Powers said efforts to increase diversity within all law enforcement agencies should transcend ideology, politics and prejudice. “If you were superintendent of [the] state police, even if you didn’t have a bone in your body that wanted to deal with anything related to equality, you [should] do it strategically to reduce crime, to make sure you’re meeting the mission of the agency,” he said.

Herbert P. Wilkins Sr., Black Media Company Investor, Dies at 71

fledgling companies, including the Sports Information Network. Herbert P. Wilkins Sr., a general Wilkins developed a profitable partner of Syncom strategy of investing Management Company, in communications a Bethesda, Md. companies that venture capital firm targeted inner-city and a key source of neighborhoods. The finance and investment corporation’s long-term support for Black media investment in Radio One, companies, including a black company that Black Entertainment was the fastest-growing Television and Radio radio broadcasting One, died Dec. 3. He company in 2000, paid was 71 and lived in huge dividends when Columbia, Md. the corporate stock went Born in Boston public in 1999. Syncom’s in 1942, Wilkins assets reached $150 Herbert P. Wilkins Sr. joined Syncom million and Wilkins’ net Management in 1992. worth topped the $75 As an investment analyst and later as a million mark. general partner there, he invested in BET He was a member of the BET board of and Radio One and a number of start-up directors. By AFRO Staff

Illinois Pastor Continued from A1

“Their kids are really distraught over that,” Wilson said. “Someone posted that on Facebook.” Wilson described Montgomery as a “jovial, supportive, energetic guy” who was well-liked in the congregation of 1,500 members. The assembly is located in a suburb of Chicago. Montgomery and his wife had been heading the marriage ministry for a decade. Wilson said he ordained them and put them in charge after noting “their positive qualities” and the power of their own relationship not long after they transferred to the house of worship. He said he believes Montgomery took his life because he was still distraught over the loss of his wife a year ago during the holidays, which were special for him. Montgomery, godfather to several children, and his wife would purchase many gifts for children each year, he said. “He was a good guy, but he was grieving over the death of his wife a year ago,” Wilson said. “Losing someone to sudden death like that is very difficult. You can’t prepare for it. I don’t care how much you try, you are just not prepared for something like that.” Wilson said the congregation is preparing for Montgomery’s funeral, scheduled for Dec. 9 at the assembly. They are also rallying around the couple’s children—Trent, 19, and Mikia. Besides his children, Montgomery is survived by his parents, his wife’s parents and

several other relatives, the senior pastor said. “He had isolated himself ,” Wilson said. “It was definitely a suicide. We were stunned.” He said as a conductor, Montgomery regularly missed Sunday services. He said Montgomery appeared fine the last time he saw him, about a month ago. “He was jovial and happy,” Wilson said “I was surprised that he was looking so happy.” Wilson, however, did not want to discuss his last conversation with Montgomery. Wilson said he counsels the 10 assistant pastors who work with him to keep their responsibilities in perspective and advises them that they should step back and let him know if they get overwhelmed. Research shows that a significant percentage of pastors kill themselves due to the high stress of the job. Wilson said he works out, plays racquetball and travels to help him handle the stress. “Pastors are people too and everybody should respect the office of pastor and what they have to do,” Wilson said. A story in the Christian Post said the suicide was confirmed by an official at the Village of Matteson Police Department. The official told the newspaper that police were awaiting the result of lab tests in the investigation.

Maryland Health Exchange Continued from A1

Tyrone West Continued from A1

She said they still haven’t determined the manner of death, but she said it was the “Taser, the pepper spray, the beatings, what killed him?” The medical examiners said they remain unclear about what they said are the pivotal factors in West’s death. Several witnesses to the incident echoed the family’s assertion that police beat West to death. “Not only did they kill an unarmed man, they killed a healthy man,” she said. The autopsy report comes on the heels of several city council members teaming up with the West family to gain answers. In November, Councilman

December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013, The Afro-American

Tyrone West Bill Henry rallied with the family for answers saying, “I hope to get the family the answers they deserve. They’ve been living with no closure for going on half a year now.” The state’s attorney’s office said in a statement that

they will continue with an independent investigation of the circumstances of West’s death, which will include the findings of the OCME. “We will keep on fighting and standing on this battle field until we get justice for my brother,” Towanda West told the AFRO. The city council planned to scrutinize the autopsy process in a hearing scheduled for Dec. 10 at city hall. “This will be closure when we seek justice and those officers who killed my brother are charged and prosecuted,” she said.

October 1, they have gone above and beyond to improve the website and remove the barriers to enrollment. While there is still a lot of work left to be done, we will not stop until we’ve fixed the problems…” State officials said they have made changes, including stepping up technology, increasing staffing levels and strengthening the organizational structure at the Exchange. Additional workers were also hired to staff the call center and leadership was restructured. The changes, officials said in the statement, have led to an increase in enrollment, the statement said. Officials said 22,000 Marylanders

have signed up with the Exchange—5,200 through Qualified Health Plans and approximately 17,000 with Medicaid. Enrollment information for more than 4,000 individuals who signed up has been transmitted to insurance carriers. The first bills were mailed to customers this week, authorities announced at the news conference. The Exchange has converted 87,000 people in the Primary Adult Care (PAC) program to full Medicaid benefits,

effective Jan. 1, 2014. These individuals, “low income adults who do not have children and were not previously eligible for full Medicaid benefits, will now automatically have full

While there is still a lot of work left to be done, we will not stop until we’ve fixed the problems…”

– Carolyn Quattrocki

coverage,” the statement said. Medicaid ID cards will be sent to those individuals late next week.

Affordable Healthcare for the New Year Anyone seeking health care coverage by Jan. 1, 2014 must enroll and pay the first premium by Dec. 23. In Maryland log onto MarylandHealthConnection. gov. In the District of Columbia, visit DCHealthLink. com, which gives a Dec. 15 enrollment deadline for Jan. 1, 2014 coverage. For those a tad shy of the Internet, navigators are available at the Consumer Support Center 1-855-6428572, with services for the deaf or hard of hearing at 1-855-642-8573.

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013

December 14, 2013 - December 14, 2013, The Afro-American

Surprising Views on Education , Spirituality and Marriage By Zachary Lester AFRO Staff Writer A study of more than 1,700 Black and Hispanic young adults found that the majority value education, believe in a higher power and support marriage. The study, entitled the Inner City Truth 3 Survey, was conducted by Motivational Educational Entertainment (MEE) Productions in Philadelphia. The MEE website called the study “A Unique Look into the Urban Multicultural Youth Market.” Similar studies were conducted in 2002 and 2008 giving surveyors the opportunity to track trends over an 11-year period. The subjects were young African Americans and Latinos in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles/Long Beach and Oakland/Richmond (Ca.). They were tested over a five-month period. The website said the participants included 830 Latino/ Hispanic (48 percent); 797 African American/Black (46 percent) and 94 “Other”—4 percent. They included 881 females, 836 males and four who did not specify a gender. Most of the youths—588—lived in L.A./Long Beach; 363 lived in Philadelphia; 307 lived in Chicago; 271 lived in Atlanta; and 192 lived in Oakland/Richmond. Participants were questioned in mid-2013 about issues including health, education and aspirations of youth, among other topics. “If we really want to be effective in changing the life outcomes of today’s youth of color, we have to understand

their dreams, worldview, motivations and culture,” said MEE President Ivan Juzang in the statement. “We need to know why they do [the] things they do and what struggles they face day-to-day, so that we can reach them in a way that shows we have paid attention to and acknowledged their realities.” He called urban African American and Hispanic young

“If we really want to be effective in changing the life outcomes of today’s youth of color, we have to understand their dreams, worldview, motivations and culture.” – Ivan Juzang people “America’s youngest trendsetters,” in everything from music and fashion to “media consumption and social behaviors,” the statement said. William Juzang, MEE’s vice president, confirmed the study’s results. He told the AFRO the study was conducted for several non-profit groups, including the California Endowment, the Advancement Project, the United Negro College Fund and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. According to a summary, the study found: •Urban youth of color (UYC) value education as the door to future success; they are enrolled in school and plan to

continue beyond high school. • UYC believe both in themselves and a higher power to make things happen. • UYC are intensely connected to digital technology via the Internet and smart phones; it replaces face-to-face time as a favored way to keep in touch with friends. • Despite media portrayals…and despite living in high-risk environments where they have been exposed to significant amounts of violence, the vast majority of African American males have not been perpetrators of violence. • Latina females were overwhelmingly the least satisfied with their bodies and were the most likely to report being bullied. • UYC still have goals of marriage someday and believe that pregnancies should be planned The study attempted to provide insight into UYC worldviews, thoughts on education, lifestyle trends, views on relationships and sexuality and use of online and social media. “Once again, MEE gives us insights into a group of young people whose views are critical, but are either misunderstood or absent from larger national conversations about the issues that affect their lives,” said Marisa Nightingale, senior media advisor at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “The ICT3 survey findings make it clear that urban youth of color have goals and aspirations that are quite similar to those held by youth from other backgrounds. This clear look into the lives of urban youth of color will inform and inspire those who are working to improve the lives of all young people for years to come.”

Mosby Bill Would Take Criminal History Out of Job Interviews By Blair Adams AFRO Staff Writer Baltimore Councilman Nick Mosby (D-District 7) has introduced a bill that would bar questions about criminal records, including arrest from an initial job interview. Mosby introduced what he calls a “Ban the Box” legislative proposal during the council’s final meeting of the year Dec. 5. “This legislation will provide a level playing field for people who have experienced criminal convictions,” Mosby told the

AFRO. “Many of our citizens have bedn convicted...This makes people discouraged about the whole job process

usually a box to be checked on a job application, would help more Marylanders obtain employment and give them

“Many of our citizens have been convicted …This makes people discouraged about the whole job process and doesn’t give them a fair shot to compete.” – Councilman Nick Mosby and doesn’t give them a fair shot to compete.” Mosby said omitting the criminal conviction question,

the opportunity to re-enter the workforce. He said his proposed legislation, known as

Ban the Box, would force employers to judge an applicant’s credentials and job experience, rather than their criminal past. Mosby’s bill would prevent employers from running a background check until after the interview. If passed, employers under the bill could not require an applicant to disclose whether they have a criminal record, conduct a criminal background check or make any inquiries about a criminal past. He told the AFRO that many Marylanders, not just in Baltimore, are rejected because of a criminal history. According to the introduction to Mosby’s legislative proposal, “individuals with criminal records suffer from pervasive

discrimination in many fundamental areas of life including: employment, housing, education and eligibility for many social benefits.” “Hopefully this will help citizens gain employment because a lot of people are unemployed,” he said. Mosby said he hopes to have a hearing on the bill by mid-February. “Right now people aren’t getting a shot at all. Their application ends up in the trash,” he said. “With my legislation, at least they get a chance to put their foot in the door to sell themselves and then the employer gets a chance to make an objective decision based [on] the presentation that the person provided to them in their interview.”

The measure, if enacted, would apply to private employers with 10 or more employees and would not force employers to hire anyone with a criminal record. If enacted, Baltimore would join the list of U.S. cities to address discrimination against ex-offenders with legislation. “This gives people the opportunity to fight and compete for jobs that should be available to them,” said Mosby.

A Snowy Goodbye for ‘Ms. West Baltimore’

Street Soldier, Woman of God West Baltimore activist Gwen Shelton could be described in many ways, but this April 2013 photo best captures her determination to see justice on behalf of the community. On the occasion of her death, Dec. 2, family and friends began to post on her Facebook page – thanks for support, thanks for encouragement, thanks for just being there. “Ms. Shelton was West Baltimore,” Councilman Nick Mosby posted. “She fought to her last breath to ensure that Easterwood was a safe haven for the men, women and children that live in the community.” Even her son, Kibwe, and granddaughter Ikea, were surprised at the many people touched by Gwen’s life. Such a great outpouring was expected that two services were held, the second on a day when the city was shut down in anticipation of snow. She had showed up hundreds of times on behalf of the homeless, those re-entering society after incarceration, the disenfranchised. And hundreds showed up, Dec. 10, at Union Baptist Church in West Baltimore to celebrate a life well lived for the greater good of the community.

Courtesy Photo

Gwen Shelton demonstrating in April 2013 on behalf of a new supermarket on Liberty Heights Avenue in Baltimore.

December April 10, 2010 14, 2013 - April- December 16, 2010, The 20, 2013, Baltimore TheAfro-American Afro-American

AA A5

he world stood still on Dec. 5 when the announcement came that the beloved South African justice fighter, Nelson Mandela, had fled this world for the next. Not even eight months of preparation, trips to and from the hospital, reports of ups and downs from the family, would make us believe we’d eventually be deprived of our Madiba. His giant soul convinced us he belonged to us all. Now, he belongs to the universe, President Obama said in his official statement. We think he always did.

1994 - ANC leader Nelson Mandela casts his vote at Ohlanga High School hall in Inanda, 10 miles north of Durban, April 27, in South Africa’s first all-race elections.

1990 - Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie, give the clenched fist sign as they walk hand in hand into the Soweto Soccer City stadium, Feb. 13, to attend a welcome rally for Mandela.

1993 - Lindiwe Mabuza, ANC chief representative to the U.S. and Nelson Mandela are among the early arrivals at the Capitol, Jan. 20, for the inauguration of Presidentelect Bill Clinton.

1995 - South African President Nelson Mandela greets young supporters, May 21, at a rally at Kwa-Makwethu in Northern KwaZulu-Natal where, in his address, he again threatened to cut government funds to the area if violence continued. The day before, a gunman fired shots in the air just 20 meters from the president when he attended a funeral for massacre victims.

1991 - ANC deputy president Nelson Mandela and Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi embrace at the start of talks March 30, aimed at ending fighting between their followers.

1996 - Michael Jackson applauds Mandela after singing “Happy Birthday” to him at a private birthday function at the president’s Johannesburg home, July 18.

1994 - President Mandela with the Congressional Black Caucus, Oct. 4, on Capital Hill. From left are Rep. Barbara-Rose Collins, D-Mich; Mandela, Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill and Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., chairman of the caucus.

1990 - Nelson Mandela spends a few minutes with Harry Belafonte at New York’s City Hall, June 20, before stepping outside to accept the key to the city on his first day in the United States. 1958 - Nelson and Winnie Mandela on their wedding day, June 14.

1990 - Eight-year-old Bernard Charles from New York gazes at Mandela after the leader invited him to the stage during the June 21 filming of a town hall meeting.

1994 - A hug from Whitney Houston, Nov. 10, at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

1994 - President and Mrs. Clinton stand with President Mandela and his daughter, Zinzi Mandela Hlongwane, Oct. 4, at the North Portico of the White House.

1993 - This 1961 photo was posted in observance of ANC President Nelson Mandela sharing that year’s Nobel Peace Prize with South African President F.W. de Klerk. The Nobel committee cited their efforts to “peacefully end apartheid.”

Nelson Mandela, as captured in Nelson Mandela: The Struggle is My Life.

1990 - Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, center, and Coretta Scott King join Nelson Mandela in holding up clenched fists during the playing of the anthem of Mandela’s African National Congress, June 27.

1996 - South African President Nelson Mandela greets Graca Machel on arrival at the Kutama Mission Church, about 50 miles south west of Harare on the occasion of the Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s marriage to Grace Marufu on August 17. Machel would become Mandela’s bride on his 80th birthday, July 18, 1988.

1995 - President Mandela smiles July 12, after his arrival at Maseru International Airport in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho as part of a twoday tour of the neighboring country. Mandela was presented with traditional Basotho dress by King Moshoeshoe II after his arrival.

1989 - Black nationalist Winnie Mandela embraces the flag of the outlawed African national Congress during a peaceful protest march, Sept. 15, to Johannesburg police headquarters.

1992 - ANC President Nelson Mandela pumps the handle of a water pump on a visit to a water project in the Lebowa Black homeland in Jane Furse. 1995 - An aid helps South African President Nelson Mandela put his shoes back on after visiting the Mahatma Gandhi memorial in New Delhi, Jan. 25.

1992 - ANC President Mandela receives a proclamation declaring April 27 as “Nelson Mandela Day” in Miami Beach, Fla., from James A. Joseph, president of the U.S. based Council of Foundation. Two years ago local officials in the Miami area refused to honor Mandela because of his support for Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Editorial Cartoon by Thomas Stockett

1990 - Nelson Mandela waves to the crowd outside the John P. Kennedy Library in Boston, June 23, as Rep. Joseph Kennedy waits to present a plaque to the South African leader, which bears a quote by his late father, Robert R. Kennedy. Looking on is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

1996 - President Mandela signs into law the new constitution, while the chairman of the Constitutional Assembly, Cyrill Ramaphosa, looks over his shoulder during a special ceremony held in the Sharpeville township south of Johannesburg, Dec. 10.

1990 - Bishop Philip R. Cousin of Jacksonville, Fla., presents Nelson Mandela with a $200,000 check from the National Council of Churches for the ANC.

A4 A6

The Afro-American, December December 14, 14, 2013 2013 -- December December 14, 20, 2013 2013

Housing Advocates See Bright Prospects for Anti-Bias Measures By Zenitha Prince AFRO Senior Correspondent Thousands of Marylanders, mostly AfricanAmerican, are denied housing based on their source of income, but efforts to mitigate such discrimination are finally making headway, advocates say. For 20 years, advocates have been waging a battle to pass legislation, the Maryland Housing Opportunities Made Equal Act, or Maryland HOME Act, to stop source-ofincome discrimination across the state. Many landlords in higher-income areas with better economic opportunities and better schools were refusing to rent or sell housing units to prospective renters or buyers who

receive government assistance to pay their rent or mortgage, advocates said. For example, For example, only 33 percent of people issued vouchers in Baltimore County find the housing they seek. “The idea that thousands of good people in our state are prevented from obtaining decent housing solely because the government helps to pay the rent is unjust, cruel, unnecessary,” said Rabbi Bruce Kahn, a founding board member of the Equal Rights Center, in an email. About 60,000 Maryland families, seniors, single mothers and their children, people with disabilities, veterans and others rely on federally funded housing choice—or Section 8—vouchers, according to U.S. Department of

Housing and Urban Development statistics. Among these households, 56 percent also rely on social security, supplemental security income for persons with disabilities, or pensions; 44 percent are children; 47 of households are made up of single mothers with children and 62 percent are African-American. When these households are denied housing based on their income, they are often forced to live in islands of poverty, where they are plagued by crime and poor health limited educational opportunities for their children. An October 2011 fair housing study by Baltimore City and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford and Howard counties found that a major impediment to mitigating this problem was “the lack of a state law prohibiting

discrimination based on the basis of a person’s source of income.” In the past four years, the Maryland HOME Act Coalition ramped up its efforts to pass such a law, mobilizing grassroots support, lobbying in Annapolis and negotiating with opponents to find an agreement. But, those efforts failed. Still advocates believe there’s a silver lining. At the end of the 2013 General Assembly, the Senate version of the HOME Act passed the Judicial Proceedings Committee when, for the first time, Sen. Norman Stone (D-Balto. County), who represents the most segregated jurisdiction in the state, voted in favor of bill. And, on the Senate floor, it failed by only one vote.

CRIME BLOTTER

Baltimore

North Baltimore Gunman Gets 32 Years in Prison for Murder

Kyle Stevens, aka Cappo, 23, of Remington, Md., was sentenced on Nov. 25 to 32 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fatally shooting Keith Ray in 2007, according to a statement issued by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and others. Cappo pleaded guilty in the Sept. 21, 2007 fatal shooting of Ray, known on the street as “Keithy.” The shooting took place in a wooded area off the 600 block of Wyman Park Drive in Baltimore. Ray’s body was found under a pile of logs four days later. An autopsy determined he died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, the statement said. Stevens told authorities he participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, powder and crack cocaine and oxycodone. In furtherance of the drug conspiracy, on Jan. 24, 2006, he used a .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun to murder James Wright, known on the street as “Ronnie Mo” and a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun to murder Ray. Rosenstein praised the FBI, ATF, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Robert R. Harding and Christopher J. Romano.

Prince George’s County Man Gets 23 Years for Scheme to Steal almost $1.4 Million from Housing Authority of Baltimore City Account U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. on Nov. 21 sentenced Daren Kareem Gadsden, 36, of Upper Marlboro in Prince George’s County, Md., to 286 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Gadsden was sentenced for his part in a conspiracy to steal almost $1.4 million from a Housing Authority of Baltimore City bank account. Quarles also ordered Gadsden to forfeit $1,399,700, according to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. “This heavy sentence punishes Daren Gadsden for a brazen scheme…” Rosenstein said. “Mr. Gadsden identified a vulnerability in the Housing Authority’s payment system and exploited it to steal taxpayer money intended to provide housing for low-income citizens.” According to information presented at his six-day trial in 2009, Gadsden owned a property in Baltimore that was rented to a lowincome individual whose rental payments were paid by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. The rent was paid from a housing authority account directly into Gadsden’s bank account. Witnesses testified that in late 2009 and 2010, Gadsden, known as “D,” made a series of inquiries to another bank where he had an account about how to use his computer to make electronic transfers to and from his account at that bank. In early 2010, the Housing Authority lost a few thousand dollars when a series of unauthorized

electronic transfers debited funds out of the Housing Authority’s account and into Gadsden’s bank account. After being confronted, Gadsden denied any wrongdoing, but paid the Housing Authority $1,400 to cover some of its losses. Trial evidence showed that Gadsden already had embarked on the second stage of his scheme, stealing $8,000 during the spring of 2010, depositing the stolen money into an account for a bogus entity he had created using someone else’s stolen information. Gadsden took money from the Housing Authority account by using fake authorization forms and other fraudulent documents. The evidence showed that Gadsden worked with several coconspirators. Specifically, Gadsden contacted Tyeast Brown to plan the fraud. Brown, in turn, contacted William Alvin Darden and Keith Eugene Daughtry, securing from Daughtry his social security card and birth certificate, which Brown provided to Darden. On May 19, 2010, Darden obtained a Maryland driver’s license with his photograph in Daughtry’s name, using Daughtry’s social security card and birth certificate as proof of identity. Darden then used the fraudulent license to open a bank account in the name of Keith Daughtry Contracting LLC. Gadsden had registered the entity with the state of Maryland only a few days before under a different name. Darden also provided a mailing address for the company that was actually a mailbox rented by the conspirators at a commercial mailing store. The AFRO Crime Blotter is an occasional summary of crime and punishment in the DMV and Baltimore.

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December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013, The Afro-American

OPINION

The Joy of the Gospel Pope Francis is displaying an extraordinary style and passion that demands our attention. He addresses the needs of the poor, embraces the outcasts, and loves those on the margins of society. In this recent “apostolic exhortation,” The Joy of the Gospel, he raises a moral challenge to both his church and his world. Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Pope Francis calls Jesse L. Jackson upon people of faith to “go Sr. forth” to preach and practice NNPA Columnist their faith. “I prefer a church,” he writes, “which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy for being confined and from clinging to its own security.” Pope Francis raises a profound moral voice against “trickledown theories,” which put a “crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power.” He warns that “human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded.” We have witnessed “a globalization of indifference,” in which the poor are dehumanized and ignored. Pope Francis is not a revolutionary. He states that the priesthood will remain open only to men, that the church’s opposition to abortion will continue. But he directs new focus and passion to the growing inequality between and within countries, the stark contrast between the wealth of our technology and invention and the poverty of our ethics. Here he addresses directly the plight of today’s America. The top 5 percent pockets literally all of the rewards of growth, while the remainder struggle to stay afloat. This extreme inequality, Pope Francis writes, is the direct product of “ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. A new tyranny is

The March Is On

Last week, President Obama delivered an address, starting a dialogue on how the long path to America’s current level of inequality has led us to the wrong place. The president said that Americans’ frustration with Washington is “rooted in the nagging sense that no matter how hard they work, the deck is stacked against them.” His timing coincided with the nationwide spread of strikes by fast-food workers, showing they cannot wait for Washington to act on raising minimum wages. Unfortunately, the day also saw the loss of Nelson Mandela, a world-class standard bearer for justice. The passing of Mandela is a time to reflect on how the world can change if people just stand up, eventually justice wins out. The president can do two things to add real meaning to his speech on inequality. First, he should sit down and meet with the workers who protested on Black Friday and with the fastfood strikers. His meetings with corporate heads to talk about creating jobs have yielded little. He should show America that now he is listening to those who labor to build this country. Their daily struggle to make ends meet will give a better understanding of what is wrong with our economy. America cannot stand tall if multibillion-dollar, multinational giants like McDonald’s, the world’s secondlargest employer behind Walmart, gives its workers few hours and low pay. The workers at the two largest employers should be the customers that drive an economic engine.

William E. Spriggs

born” and with it widespread corruption and tax evasion among the most powerful. Money, Pope Francis argues, “must serve, not rule.” Pope Francis says just as the commandment says, “Thou shalt not kill,” we must say, “Thou shalt not” to an economy of “exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills.” He warns of the corruption and the ethical poverty of ignoring the poor. In our politics, poverty has become literally unspeakable. The poor are scorned as lazy or incompetent. Politicians vote to cut off food stamps, to cut unemployment insurance, even to cut back programs of nutrition for impoverished mothers and infants, while they refuse to close the tax havens that allow multinational corporations and the wealthy to avoid paying taxes. Too many politicians seek careers and fortunes not public service. Pope Francis sees this as a moral corruption, and calls for “more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people and the lives of the poor.” At the same time, Pope Francis issues a stern warning to the complacent. Without justice, there can be no peace. Peace will come only when there is hope, and a committed effort to provide opportunity and justice to those who are locked out or pressed down. Economic populism is not foreign to the Catholic Church and has been articulated by previous holders of the papacy. But

Instead, McDonald’s share of the billions spent by the federal government on Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid and housing assistance to support the lives of fast-food workers is a little higher than $1 billion. Generally billion-dollar subsidies are used to produce more of something we need-like education-not more of something we don’t need, like heart stopping, bottom spreading fattening foods. Everyone wants to ask if a McDonald’s worker got $15 an hour, what would that do to the price of a hamburger? Instead,

“America cannot stand tall if multibillion-dollar, multinational giants like McDonald’s… gives its workers few hours and low pay.” what people need to be asking is how much in SNAP, Medicaid and housing assistance does a hamburger cost? Our national inability to relate demands for cheap food, or cheap Chinese electronics with the human sacrifice of America’s workers needing SNAP benefits to eat is at the heart of how our policies have drifted to create increasing inequality rather than rising lifestyles. At Walmart, the majority of

Pope Francis’s clear words and bold style make his message compelling. This is an authentic world-changing gospel of good news. This is a return to the original gospel that Jesus taught. It seeks not pity for the poor; it seeks their emancipation. And churches cannot be silent in the face of growing inequality and desperation. People of faith must “go forth” and be willing to be “bruised, hurting and dirty” in the cause of justice. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is founder and president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

associates don’t even make a living wage of $25,000 a year. But, the tide is turning. Black Friday sales were down this year; in large part because corporate America overplayed its hand at cheapening the Thanksgiving Holiday. Similarly, the fast-food strikes this week are just the beginning of a march to economic justice. America has lost touch with the value of work. The productivity of America’s workers continues to climb, while the wages of our workers sag--all workers, even those with fouryear degrees and those who went to high school. And that gap between what America’s workers make and what they take home is the fuel of the rising inequality. We cannot close that gap through more education or training. The striking fast-food workers and the Walmart workers know that gap will be closed when workers stand up to fight for their share. The second thing the president can do is produce a budget that talks about more than the fiscal deficit. He should score his budget to see how it reduces inequality. In January at the State of the Union, he should point to a fast-food striker up in the gallery and tell how the budget being submitted will close the gap between America’s promise and the reality of years of policies that work against fulfilling that promise. That is the deficit we want closed. Follow Spriggs on Twitter: @WSpriggs. Contact: Amaya Smith-Tune Acting Director, Media Outreach AFL-CIO 202637-5142.

Not Just a Nice Guy: A Freedom Fighter Graciousness. Kindness. Forgiveness. Commentators have heaped these adjectives on Nelson Mandela as they reflect on his passing. Most emphasize Mandela’s role as a kind and generous conciliator, comparing him to Gandhi, King and other larger-than-life figures of our times. Pacifist he was not. Gwen McKinney Canonized for his magnanimous spirit, Mandela was more than an affable guy who forgave his enemies and drew admiration from his friends. Mandela the revolutionary, the freedom fighter and steadfast adherent to armed struggle, also deserves a place in the annals of history. Strategically targeting the apparatus of power was an essential tool in liberating his people from the abhorrent tyranny of white minority rule. This shaped Mandela’s philosophy. Mandela’s African National Congress proudly embraced a guerilla army that was lock-step with the movements and people throughout the southern African region. Angola. Mozambique.

Zimbabwe. Namibia. The moral force of the freedom cause was an important weapon in the liberation arsenal. Like all change movements, justice is won through overthrowing the old order – sometimes through the barrel of a gun. Strong stuff to swallow in a 21st Century world order. Perhaps it is easier to remember Mandela for reconciliation since radical overthrow of a repressive system doesn’t read warm and fuzzy. But without armed struggle and the guerilla movement, Mandela would not have triumphed. Like many of the anti-apartheid advocates of the period before Mandela’s release, I understood that South Africa’s fate was largely tied to tactics and politics regarded as unacceptably radical. But as an advocacy journalist, I also realized that speaking to U.S. audiences with a softer voice was critical to being heard. Reaching audiences using the power of the media was in many ways as mighty as the sword! Add to that the daily demonstrations at the South African embassy, the cultural boycott, vibrant South African freedom songs and the passage of U.S. economic sanctions. These separate, but related measures helped to careen Mandela and the movement into the political, social and cultural mainstream. Like Mandela and the countless legions of anti-apartheid activists, I, too, have morphed to the mainstream. After his release, the demands of the day changed from destroying a

decaying, evil system to building a bold, new one. Lest we embrace rosy idealism, that challenge remains unfinished business for South Africa and the world. But just after Mandela’s release in the early 1990s, it seemed all things were within the grasp of our Amandla! battle cry. Fast forward to Mandela’s first state visit to the United States in October 1994, shortly after the historic elections that installed Mandela as the country’s first democratically elected president. I was enlisted by the ANC leadership in Washington to manage media activities here. Among a range of busy public encounters – absent social media assets – I coordinated Mandela’s appearance at the National Press Club. That appearance is here for posterity. More than an honor, it was my duty, giving enduring meaning to my firm’s credo of public relations with a conscience. That visit was also a reminder of the fruits of remaining true to your beliefs. My fleeting moments with Mandela, like those of millions who celebrate his life, are cherished gems. To paraphrase the profound reflections of President Obama: Yesterday Mandela belonged to all of us. Today he is claimed by the ages. Gwen McKinney is president of McKinney & Associates and a former publicist for the anti-apartheid movement.

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013

My Take

Surviving Cancer Twice Proved to be an ‘Awakening’ By Karen Rice When I was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years back, I reacted like most who receive a cancer diagnosis. The first thing that came to mind was that it was a death sentence. However, I found out later that it was truly “an awakening” for me. I questioned God, but instead of bemoaning my fate, I decided to look for the positive side of it. I also realized that I was about to face a new beginning and new hope, to have a whole new perspective on life. I knew that I would develop and gain strength from all my experiences. After going through all that I did during my breast cancer period, I was left with what the doctors called “neuropathic pain,” pain that is usually with you all day. Later, I was

diagnosed with lymphedema. I just kept smiling and saying to myself “Oh lucky me.” For a time after my surgery, I wasn’t happy with the way I looked around my breast area. I was also unhappy about the pain, but I decided to snap out of it. After being diagnosed with colon cancer a few years later, I thought to myself, “Why another one?” But even with the pain I have to endure through each diagnosis and all the struggles I’ve dealt with, I still feel truly blessed. I think about the individuals who are no longer with us. I also realize that there will always be someone worse off than I am. I still have my life. One day during one of my surgeries, I experienced something of a miracle and felt the compulsion to write it down. I turned that experience into a poem called “Peace.” Writing became therapy for me. I took that poem, along with

many others I had composed during my breast cancer period and had them published under the title “True Simple Poems of Life, Faith and Survival.” I later wrote a children’s book. I’m now working on my third. My poems are from the heart. I hope to make a positive impact on someone who is ill, to help them find the strength to embrace life in a whole new way. I truly believe when you survive a horrific tragedy or a disease as horrible as cancer, it’s for a reason. You have a purpose and I want to live to find out exactly what mine is. That’s what I’m all about now: inspiration. I’m a true example that you can survive cancer not once, but twice, providing you catch it in time, have faith and allow that faith to direct your path. Karen Rice lives in Houston. My Take is a social commentary feature that allows AFRO readers to share their insight into a range of topics. Please submit your 250-450 word entries, with My Take typed into the subject field, to editor@afro.com. Include your name, age, occupation and daytime phone number. The AFRO reserves the right to edit or reject any entry.

December 14, 2013 -December 20, 2013, The Afro-American

Judge M. Holland, Josephine Dotson, sister and Toussaint Holland, nephew

John Carter, Judge Beverly Carter and Kurt Schmoke and Judge Robert Bell, retired

Baltimore’s judicial and legal bar establishment led the huge turnout for Circuit Administrative Judge Marcella Holland’s retirement Diana Gibson celebration Nov. 14 at the Reginald and her F. Lewis Museum. From retired husband, Appeals Court Chief Judge Robert attorney, author, Bell to the newest law school Larry Gibson graduates and legal educators, the crowd applauded Holland, who has been on the Eighth Circuit Court bench since 1997, in recognition of a career that Harry Chase, J. John began as a clerk to Judge Bell Glynn and Charles and included a stint as assistant Bloomquist state’s attorney in Baltimore.

Judge Holland surrounded by law clerk staff

Judge Holland and Scott Phillips standing. Seated, Judge Susan Clayton, Judge Shirley Watts and Judge Michelle Hatten

Photos by J.D. Howard

Judge Holland, Catherine Dorsey and Josephine Dotson, sister

John R. Avery, Judge Bell and Sean Burns

Toi Carter, Joi Belfon-Valentine and Michelle Wilson

Marvelous Marva gives away door prizes

Nicholas Jones, Judge Jennifer Carter Jones and Jake Oliver

Dana Buttion, Michelle Wilson, Cheryl Lotz, Cynthia Jones and Kaye Sullivan

Attorney Warren Brown, Charles Byrd, Judge Meliosa Phinn, and Judge Videtta Brown

Margret Smith, Dorothy Maith, Faye Burnett, Aramenta Cooper, Janet Cooper and Cassandra Burnett

Teresa Payne-Nunn, Valerie Fraling, Denise DobsonMcDonald, former Mayor, Sheila Dixon and Pat Roselle

Ann Branch and Wanetah Wilkins

Jackie Williams and sister, Antonia Colvin

Tony Ferguson, Allen Bennett and Floyd E. Taliaferro III Bob Matlend, Evangela Drummond, Alexia Boone and Don Brock

Elizabeth Julian, Sen Lisa Gladden, Yvonne Lansey and Kurt Dishong

The Baltimore Baltimore Chapter, Silhouettes of Silhouettes of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity presented its Jazz Scholarship Brunch and Silent Auction, Nov. 16 at The Forum Caterers in Baltimore. The group, whose president is Freddi Vaughn, honored Cynthia Brooks, Bea Gaddy’s daughter, and president of the Bea Gaddy Family Center. Brooks has continued the work her mother started in 1981 and has expanded it to include mentoring programs for young people The always dapper Andre and daily meals Honoree, Miles Cynthia for the homeless. Brooks, Bea Gaddy’s daughter

Judy Rainey, Valerie Fraling and Jackie Brock

Loretta Mitchell, Sharon Bunch and Edith Jenkins Howard L. Tutman Jr. and Carolyn Tutman Howard L. Tutman Jr., Robert Draine, and Allen Bennett

Audrey Bennett, vice president and Lora Mayo

Ann Branch, Mildred LongHarper, Denise DobsonMcDonald, June Brown and guest

Door prize winner AFRO columnist, Rosa PryorTrusty

Virginia and Zion Bowser

Betty Greene, Phil Strambler and Elton Martin

Jacquelene Massey, National Silhouettes President; Dr. Thelma T. Daley, former Delta Sigma Theta national president; and Freddi Vaughn, president, Baltimore Chapter Silhouettes.

Denise DobsonMcDonald, Joan Pratt, Balto. City Comptroller; Jackie Brock and Freddi Vaughn, president

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013

By Talibah Chikwendu Special to the AFRO re you still shopping? I am. While I buy tech any time of the year, the holiday season is my favorite. I don’t wait to use it either. If I get it, it’s out of the box and in use (even if I wrap the empty container to give it a position under the tree). This year, I’m sure, won’t be any different. There are still items to get. Here are a few of the gifts still on my list …

Google Tablet TV

When my television died, I wanted a flat screen replacement of approximately the same size. I also wanted a smart TV. I opted for the bigger screen because with the TiVo and Roku, I could make my television mostly smart. I can’t browse the web, check my email on screen or read my Facebook news feed, but I can stream from a variety of movie and television content services, and record and play back, which is largely what I wanted to do anyway. The Android 4.0 Mini PC/Google TV Box from Silicon Valley Peripherals turns the television into a tablet, without

SVP Courtesy Press Photo

Connect this tiny device to your HDMI-enabled TV to add tablet access to the Internet, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter and other apps to your living room. the touchscreen, of course. Compatible with the Google Play Store, this device allows you to do many of the Google tablet functions – including email and web browsing – and runs many of the apps you can operate on a tablet. It connects to the television’s HDMI port, uses a wireless connection to access the internet and can be navigated using a USB wireless keyboard/mouse (that must be purchased separately). Once connected, you can download apps, including your preferred browser and others, to the 4 GB of onboard storage (this can be increased by adding a micro SD card), and run tablet standards like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and even Angry Birds, if you play. You can add a USB camera and run applications like Skype. Using the device for streaming content like full-length movies or TV shows through apps like Netflix or Hulu Plus can be problematic, just like on a tablet with a slow processor. There can be blurring, lots of buffering, or low video quality, but this depends on many factors, not just the device. I must stress, I already have great devices for streaming, so that isn’t why I considered this investment. Finally, the device fits into the palm of your hand and is

easily transported. So, spending a couple of nights in a hotel but don’t want to lug your laptop? If the room has an HD TV and wireless high-speed Internet service available, pack up your device and peripherals, and go.

notification viewing. This watch is NOT a phone. You can answer the call, but you will have to talk through a headset or into the handset, not into the watch. Because it uses Bluetooth, I was concerned I would not be able to use my beloved headset. I was wrong. Pros: The phone, watch and headset work together so beautifully, I • Small, will easily fit into your entertainment console area wanted to cry. • Brings Android tablet apps to a bigger screen Now, I can get routine information from my phone and do • Cost; an inexpensive way to add computer functionality to basic tasks without having to touch it. This includes finding out your LCD television what time it is. However, it does more. I can initiate a call or text (if I am using a pre-programmed message) from the watch. Cons: I can view notes created in the phone app on the watch, even if • Technology lacking for full-streaming over the Internet the devices are not currently connected. It vibrates on my wrist • Cannot support USB peripherals on USB power, must be for incoming texts, emails and calls. There are apps for games, plugged into AC power or the device keeps rebooting if you use your device for that sort of thing, but the screen is • Cannot run apps that have touch screen requirements too small for that in my opinion. The caller ID shows the photo integral into their operation the phone associates with the number and an app to change the watch face allows you to customize it with an image of your choice. The watch itself, for a tech geek like me, is attractive – sleek, polished, upscale. In black, I wanted a watch. When I started carrying a phone it will fade into any outfit, at least any I would everywhere, I found myself looking at it for the time plan to wear, allowing me to keep the phone out of (as I checked texts, emails, etc.), so I stopped wearing sight, but close. The Bluetooth range for the watch a watch. Lately it has been inconvenient to check the is short. You cannot leave the phone in your desk and phone for the time, so it is back to the watch. walk too far away, but within range, you can get My search for the watch started with the information you need by glancing discreetly one that would send information about at your wrist instead of grabbing the phone and my daily habits – motion and sleep tapping on the screen. – back to apps on my phone. As I The marketing of Bluetooth headsets proves Along searched for such a device, I stumbled the technology is available to turn the watch with upon the Sony Smart Watch 2. This into a mobile phone. Some watch phones are for providing watch connects via Bluetooth, to sale. It brings up the question: Why did Sony time your Android phone, serving as leave that functionality out? My guess is Sony keeping, an independent timepiece, but engineers did not want to contribute to the crazy there are a providing call handling (reject, mobile phone sights on the streets. We have gone growing number missed call notification, caller from bag phones over the shoulder with corded of apps available ID information, mute, and handsets, to people walking around appearing to that can increase volume adjustments), incoming talk to themselves. The image of people talking the flexibility and text viewing, Gmail and email into their wrists Dick Tracy style … that makes functionality of the viewing, calendar viewing, music me giggle. Smart Watch. player handling and social media This product does address a big area of need – staying connected when it is inconvenient to grab the phone.

Smart Watch 2

Pros: • Water and dust resistant, so wearable during exercise, hand washing and other normal daily activities (not showering or swimming) • There are a growing number of apps available, making it extremely versatile • It is a beautiful time piece that enhances your appearance

Sony Courtesy Press Photos

The Sony SmartWatch 2 has a sleeker, more attractive design than most of the smart watches on the market. It comes with a variety of band type and color choices, including the ability to purchase one off the rack.

Cons: • Value; while it functions better than the first version marketed, it doesn’t really do more than that version • Cool functions it should perform when you remove it from the box instead have to be installed before the watch will do anything other than tell time • While battery life is stated as five days between charges, the best I was able to get was 36 hours (I did download lots of apps)

Smart meters have in your neighborhood.

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The installation of new digital smart meters is now under way in your

Advertiser:

BGE

Publication:

Afro American

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visit BGE.COM/SMARTGRID. If you have any questions about your new

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community. For now, your new meter will perform the same as your old meter. As BGE’s smart grid initiative continues, however, new features will be introduced in the coming months, and you will have more opportunities to manage energy use and save money. We will let you know when these features become available.To learn more,

BGE.COM/SMARTGRID

MAKING ENERGY SMARTER

together

If you have received this publication material in error, or have any questions about it please contact the traffic dept. at Weber Shandwick at (410) 558 2100.

December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013, The Afro-American

ARTS & CULTURE

Shades of Black

(1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race Book Review By Kam Williams “What exactly is Blackness and what does it mean to be Black? Is Blackness a matter of biology or consciousness? Who determines who is Black and who is not—the state, the society, or the individual? Who is Black, who is not, and who cares? In the U.S., historically a Black person has come to be defined as any person with any known Black ancestry. This definition has been… known as the one-drop rule, meaning that one, single solitary drop of Black blood is enough to render a person black… -- Excerpted from the Introduction (pg. 4) Traditionally, in America, if you were just a teeny-weeny bit Black, you’d always been considered black. This arbitrary color line was even codified by the Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, an 1896 case brought by an octoroon light enough to pass who sued for the right to sit in the “White only” section of a segregated train traveling through the South. Much to Homer Plessy’s chagrin, the court sided with the state of Louisiana, taking judicial notice of the “one-drop rule,” ruling that “a Negro or black is any person with any black ancestry.” In other words, you could be black without looking black. The nation’s population has more mixed ancestry than ever nowadays, which is reflected in the latest census offering over a dozen race options to check off, as well as “Other,” if none of

Rabbit Cocktail Mixer

This is a low-tech item with a definite place on this list, especially around the holiday season. Whether you are mixing drinks with or without alcohol, no one wants a beverage watered down by melting ice. Most people seek a refreshing chill. The Rabbit Cocktail Mixer helps create wonderfully mixed and chilled drinks while providing an interesting visual experience. Simply add ice and drink ingredients, and push the button. The Rabbit runs on AAA batteries and will mix over 100 Metrokane.com Courtesy Photo drinks before it The Rabbit Cocktail Mixer provides needs fresh ones. well mixed and chilled drinks with the The container push of a button. holds 18 ounces and in approximately 15 seconds, the Rabbit has the contents mixed and chilled. This is a fun addition to holiday celebrations.

Pivothead Camera Sunglasses

I find taking pictures separates me from being involved in an activity. Putting the camera – still or video – up to my eye, changes my perspective from involvement in the activity to observation. Sometimes, that just isn’t any fun. That doesn’t, however, take away the desire to photograph or record many experiences. I still want to be involved now, and be able to review and relive them later. Pivothead has embedded an 8 MP still/video camera in high-quality sunglasses to integrate the observation with the involvement. Using the Pivothead Camera Sunglasses, a simple

Pivothead Press Courtesy Photo

The sunglass comes in a few different styles with a variety of lens colors and types to choose from. All provide that “what you are looking at” camera view for stills and video. flick of a switch results in pictures of everything you see and are doing. The glasses record HD video with four focus settings – continuous, auto, macro, and fixed. It has a built in microphone and an optional black and white capture setting. It captures still photos in 3, 5 or 8 megapixel image sizes and has an ISO range of 200 to 1600. It also has burst and time-elapsed modes. The camera, mounted just above the nose bridge of the frames, has 8 GB of onboard storage, uses a rechargeable

the above is to your liking. This means that folks who only a generation ago would’ve been forced to identify themselves simply as Black, now feel much more freedom to avail themselves of an array of alternatives along the ethnic spectrum. (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race is a collection of essays reflecting on racial identity by 60 introspective individuals who until relatively recently would’ve Courtesy Photo been labeled black in the Author Dr. Yaba Blay eyes of the law. The book breaks down the contributors by three categories: “Mixed Black,” “American Black” and “Diaspora Black.” Although “Black” Kathleen Cross has a Black father and a White mother, she has resisted the invitations to join the “Multiracial Movement, which she sees as divisive. By contrast, Harlemite Jozen Cummings describes himself as “Mixed,” with parents who are Japanese, Puerto Rican and African-American. Particularly fascinating are the two albinos participating in the project, Sean Gethers and Destiny Birdsong, who embrace being “Black” in spite of their white skin.

battery with charging and data transfer through USB. There are several lens colors and styles to choose from, all providing 100 percent UV protection. Pros: • Makes it easy to capture memories while you make them • It has three preset modes – active, sports and power save • Camera interfaces easily with Mac OS, Windows and Android devices Cons: • Only one style of frame • While lightweight, the frames are a bit bulky • Does not have stabilizers, so video can be jittery

Parrot Flower Power

I like plants, especially house plants. I don’t have many however, because I don’t do well with taking care of them. They don’t make noise or get in my way. The only way they have to get my attention is to turn brown, but by then it can really be too late. No one will ever say I have a green thumb. The Parrot Flower Power could change that for me and give my plants a new life. This device sends real time information regarding the status of your plants to your smart phone, which evaluates it against the specific plant’s requirement and provides advice/instructions regarding any needed care. This device and the associated app give plants a voice and help them get attention before it is too late. The device is embedded in the soil approximately 2–4 inches from the plant. It has four main sensors monitoring moisture in the soil, ambient air temperature, fertilizer and nutrient levels, and sunlight. It is powered by an AAA battery,

used to transmit Bluetooth wireless updates every 15 minutes to the app. This information is captured when the app is within 16-30 feet of the device. The comparison plant information for over 6,000 plants, trees and vegetables is available to the app for comparison and providing instructions. The real-time nature of the updates means your plants won’t have to remain in distress until you notice them. They will be able to let you know right away. Because the device uses a low-energy Bluetooth, battery life is around 6 months. The device itself is very attractive, shaped like the trunk tree, breaking into two branches. For an easy way to keep up with your plants, indoors or out, consider a Parrot Flower Power. Pros: • Very easy to use • Can be used indoors or outdoors • Comes in three colors Cons: • Cost; the device is expensive • Does not connect using Wi-Fi for transmitting information • The associated app is only available for the iPad and iPod devices

Courtesy Photo

To give your plants a voice and a say in their good health, add the Parrot Flower Power to their soil and see what it tells you. It will help avoid dead plants.

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013

A Weekend of Entertainment & Fun

Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral Street. Here’s an opportunity to meet Christian authors, engage in dialogue about Christian books, and help the lives of the homeless in Baltimore.

Hello, hello, my dear friends! Happy holidays to you! Between now and New Year’s Eve, I must say a lot is going on. There are a lot of fun and interesting places to go and things to do. Leading up to the Christmas weekend, we must prepare ourselves by checking out the Baltimore Farmer’s Market to get your last minute fruits, vegetables, desserts, flowers, and decorations. Folks, let me tell you, this place is a Christmas shopper’s heaven. But remember it is only open on Sunday mornings from 7 a.m. until noon beneath the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday and Saratoga Streets and the last day is Dec. 22. So, before going to the market, let’s hang out a bit.

Malaika Tamu Cooper, founder of the Baltimore Natural Hair Care Expose, Poets N’ The Park and owner of Dreadz N’Headz Natural Hair Care Center and five other dynamic sista’s will sponsor a Sista’s in Suits event on Dec. 15, 3 p.m. at DoubleTree by Hilton, 1726 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, Md. To be admitted, you must wear a suit. For more information, emailsistasinsuits@gmail. com. The Arena Players, 801 McCulloh Street, is hosting a Christmas play on Dec. 13-15 called, Scrooge: The Musical, based on the classic Dickens story, A Christmas Carol. It will feature all of the favorite characters: Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, the three ghosts and, of course, Scrooge himself, on the meaning of Christmas.

Dr. Phill’s Big Band will be featured at the Caton Castle Lounge, 20 S. Caton Street in Baltimore on Dec. 14, 5-9 p.m., to start your Christmas holiday off with some fantastic music. This is a must-see show. For ticket information, call 410-566-7086. Marva Laws will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Marvelous Marva Productions with a fabulous evening of live entertainment “Jewel Box Review”-style presenting impersonations of legends such as Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Billie Holiday, Whitney Houston, and Patti LaBelle, just to name a few, at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral Street, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. For more information, call 240-786-7226.

The Fullwood’s-- Stella and Everett--present their Annual Color Me Christmas VIII Holiday Party on Dec. 14, 9 p.m.2 a.m., at the Patapsco Arena, 3301 Annapolis Road in Baltimore. Bring your own dish, BYOB, free set-ups and much more. For ticket information, call 410-542-2530.

Edmondson High Class of ‘78’s Holiday Cabaret, featuring the Toys for Tots Campaign, on Dec. 14, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Bleu Room, 5801 Security Blvd. It is BYOB and BYOF, with free set-ups. Bring a new toy for the Toys for Tots Campaign. For more information, call 443-6913393.

or low-cost

health coverage is now

within your reach.

2013 Christian Writer’s Literary Festival is Dec. 14 from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., on the second floor of the Central Branch of the

Another show you must not miss to start your holiday off is Travis Winkey’s Holiday Fashion Extravaganza, which will be at the Lexington Market on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. I promise you this event will be fun, entertaining and very festive. No one produces a fashion show like Travis Winkey, Baltimore’s King of Fashion. I will see you there! Well, my friends, it is about that time. Enjoy your week and stay safe. Remember, if you need me, call me at 410-833-9474or email me at rosapryor@aol. com. UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, I’M MUSICALLY YOURS.

Looking for quality health coverage that fits your budget and your needs? From October through March, you’ll find the choices you need in Maryland’s new health insurance marketplace. Maryland Health Connection makes it easier for you to shop, compare and enroll in quality health coverage. Even if you’ve never been able to afford health insurance before, you may qualify for financial help— or you may now be eligible for Medicaid, even if you weren’t before. (Enrollment in Medicaid is year-round.) It’s easy, and you’ll have plenty of help if you need it—by phone or in person. Now one-stop shopping for health coverage is just a click away.

3 ways to enroll ONLINE

marylandhealthconnection.gov

PHONE

1-855-642-8572 TTY: 1-855-642-8573

IN PERSON

Go ONLINE or CALL to find your local contact

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If m ab at PRINT AD

CLASSIFIED TYPESET: Wed Dec 11 12:46:52 2013 LEGALEST NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AIR AND RADIATION MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATION

TYPESET: Tue Oct 15 19:39:04 EDT 2013

BECOME A FOSTER PARENT

Become a Foster Parent! Treatment Foster Parents work from home, receive a tax-free stipend and professional 24 hour on-call support for providing shelter for a young person who has suffered abuse or neglect. For more information, call the CHOSEN Treatment Foster Care Program at 1-800-621-8834.

AD NETWORK

Ad Network Classifieds are published in 65 newspapers.

ITED; CALL 1-855721-6332 x 6 or email wsmith@mddcpress. com or visit our website at www.mddcpress.com

25 words $175 (For more than 25 words there is an additional charge of $7 per word.) Call (410) 554-8200 All ads must be

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

Wanted To Purchase Antiques & Fine Art, 1 item Or Entire Estate Or Collection, Gold, Silver, Coins, Jewelry, Toys, Oriental Glass, China, Lamps, Books, Textiles, Paintings, Prints almost anything old Evergreen Auctions 973-818-1100. Email evergreenauction@ hotmail.com

AUTOMOBILE DONATIONS DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS, RV’S, LUTHERAN MISSION SOCIETY. Your donation helps local families with food, clothing, shelter. Tax deductible. MVA licensed. Lutheran Mission Society, org. 410-636-0123 or tollfree 1-877-737-8567

BUSINESS SERVICES Drive traffic to your business and reach 4.1 million readers with just one phone call & one bill. See your business ad in 104 newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia for just $495.00 per ad placement. The value of newspapers advertising HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER....call 1-855-721-6332 x 6 today to place your ad before 4.1 million readers. Email Wanda Smith @ wsmith@mddcpress. com or visit our website at www.mddcpress.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

LANDS FOR SALE Waterfront Lots Virginia’s Eastern Shore Was $325k Now From $55,000 - Community Pool/Center, Large Lots, Bay & Ocean Access, Great Fishing & Kayaking, Spec Home www. oldemillpointe.com 757-824-0808.

MISCELLANEOUS AIRLINE CAREERS begin here – Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance training. Housing and Financial Aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-481-8974

MOUNTAIN PROPERTY Mountaintop Land Bargain! Next to Ski Area! Only $89,900. Was $249,900. Spectacular mountain homesite set amid tremendous 4 season recreation. SAVE almost 65%. Own in time for ski season. Excellent financing, little down. Wont last, call now 877888-7581, x 167

SERVS./ MISC. Want a larger footprint in the marketplace consider advertising in the MDDC Display 2x2 or 2x4 Advertising Network. Reach 3.6 million readers every week by placing your ad in 82 newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. With just one phone call, your business and/or product will be seen by 3.6 million readers HURRY.... space is limited, CALL TODAY!! Call 1-855721-6332 x 6 or email wsmith@mddcpress. com or visit our website at www.mddcpress.com

REAL ESTATE OUT-OF-STATE

Discover Delaware’s Resort Living without Place your ad today Resort pricing! Low in both The Baltimore Taxes! Gated ComSun and The Washington munity, amazing Post newspapers, along amenities, equestrian with 10 other daily facility, Olympic Pool. newspapers five days per New Homes mid $40’s. week. For just pennies Brochures available on the dollar reach 2.5 1-866-629-0770 or million readers through www.coolbranch.com the Daily Classified Connection Network in 3 states: CALL TODAY; SPACE is VERY LIM-

NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND INFORMATIONAL MEETING The Maryland Department of the Environment, Air and Radiation Management Administration (ARMA) received a permit-to-construct application from P&J Contracting Company, Inc. on June 6, 2013 for the installation of one (1) 100 ton per hour crusher equipped with a 350 horsepower diesel engine, one (1) 100 ton per hour screen equipped with a 94 horsepower diesel engine, and one (1) 500 ton per hour screen equipped with a 111 horsepower diesel engine. The proposed installation will be located at 4300 Shannon Drive, Baltimore, MD 21213.

l ad

410-554-8200

Buy it • Sell it Swap it • Lease it Rent it • Hire it

results

1 Col. Inch Up to 20 Words

AFRO Classified minimum ad rate is $26.54 per col. inch (an inch consists of up to 20 words). Mail in your ad on form below along with CHECK or MONEY ORDER to: WASHINGTON AFRO-AMERICAN CO. 1917 Benning Road, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002-4723 Attn: Clsf. Adv. Dept.

10.

Pursuant to the Environment Article, Section 1-603, Annotated Code of Maryland, the Informational Meeting has been scheduled so that citizens can discuss the application and the permit review process with the applicant and the Department.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Copies of the application are available for public inspection. Ask for Docket #15-13 at the following locations during normal business hours.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

An Informational Meeting will be held on December 18, 2013 (Inclement Weather Date: January 15, 2014) at 6 p.m. at the Herring Run Recreation Center located at 5001 Sinclair Lane, Baltimore, MD 21206.

Maryland Department of the Environment Air and Radiation Management Administration 1800 Washington Boulevard Baltimore, Maryland 21230 Enoch Pratt Free Library Herring Run Branch 3801 Erdman Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21213 (410) 396-0996 The Department will provide an interpreter for deaf and hearing impaired persons provided that a request is made for such service at least five (5) days prior to the meeting. Further information may be obtained by calling Ms. Shannon Heafey at 410-537-4433. George S. Aburn, Jr., Director Air and Radiation Management Administration

NAME: ________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _____________________________________________ PHONE NO.:____________________________________________ CLASSIFICATION: ______________________________________ (Room, Apt., House, etc.) INSERTION DATE:_________________

BALTIMORE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER Legal Advertising Rates Effective October 1, 2008 PROBATE DIVISION (Estates) 202-332-0080 PROBATE NOTICES a. Order Nisi $ 60 per insertion b. Small Estates (single publication $ 60 per insertion c. Notice to Creditors 1. Domestic $ 60 per insertion 2. Foreign $ 60 per insertion d. Escheated Estates $ 60 per insertion e. Standard Probates

CIVIL NOTICES a. Name Changes 202-879-1133 b. Real Property

$180.00 per 3 weeks $180.00 per 3 weeks $180.00 per 3 weeks $360.00 per 6 weeks $125.00

$ 80.00 $ 200.00

FAMILY COURT 202-879-1212 DOMESTIC RELATIONS 202-879-0157 a. Absent Defendant b. Absolute Divorce c. Custody Divorce

$ 150.00 $ 150.00 $150.00

To place your ad, call 1-800-237-6892, ext. 262, Public Notices $50.00 & up depending on size, Baltimore Legal Notices are $24.84 per inch. 1-800 (AFRO) 892 For Proof of Publication, please call 1-800-237-6892, ext. 244

LEGAL NOTICES

TYPESET: Wed Dec 11 15:07:51 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR BALTIMORE CITY Case No.: 24-D-13-002070 IN THE MATTER OF VANESSA MARIE THOMAS FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO VANESSA JUANITA THOMAS ORDER FOR NOTICE BY PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to officially change the name of the petitioner from Vanessa Marie Thomas to Vanessa Juanita Thomas It is this 21st day of November, 2013 by the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, ORDERED, that publication be given one time in a newspaper of general circulation in Baltimore City on or before the 21st day of D e c e m b e r, 2 0 1 3 , which shall warn all interested persons to file an affidavit in opposition to the relief requested on or before the 6th day of January, 2013 Frank M. Conaway Clerk 12/13/13

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS

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Sma

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December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013, The Afro-American

The Afro-American, December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013 LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

AFRO.COM • Your History • Your Community • Your News BOARD OF LIQUORLICENSE COMMISSIONERS FOR BALTIMORE CITY NOTICE Petitions have been filed by the following applicants for licenses to sell alcoholic beverages at the premises set opposite their respective names. The real property for these applications will be posted on Monday, December 9, 2013. Written protests concerning any application will be accepted until and including the time of the hearing. Public hearings will be held after December 26, 2013. Interested parties should contact the office of the Board, 231 E. Baltimore Street, 6th Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 or by calling (410) 396-4380 to determine the exact time and date that a particular application will be considered by the Board. Written protests will be acknowledged by the Board and such protestants will be notified as to the date, time and place of the hearing. 1. CLASS “A” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Mai, Inc. Transfer of ownership & location from Nimesh Shah, Jignabahen Patel & Darlene McNeil ChaseVenture, LLC Transfer of ownership & location from Muriuki Mituruciu & Josphat Kobis 2. CLASS “B” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR RESTAURANT LICENSE Mothers Federal Hill Grill, Inc. Request for live entertainment Adam Rather & Dave Rather B and S Restaurant, Inc. Yong Bok Kim

Transfer of ownership

4419 York Road 5818 Hillen Road 249 W. Chase Street 216 W. Read Street 1113 S. Charles Street 1910-16 N. Charles Street

Pho Main, Inc. Request for live entertainment Kenneth Kirby

2101-03 Maryland Avenue

Fazoli’s Restaurants, LLC New license with outdoor table service Rodney Lee & Victoria and off-premises catering Rothgeb

3731 Boston Street

Sushi Place III, LLC William Malkin

7 E. Lexington Street

Transfer of ownership

3. CLASS “BD7” BEER, WINE & LIQUOR LICENSE Laprada Lounge at 148, LLC Transfer of ownership Corey Laprada

148 S. East Avenue

Glanville, Inc. Shannon Glanville & Lores Glanville

Transfer of ownership, request for live entertainment

4017-19 Eastern Avenue

Bar BB Ortiz, LLC Ernesto Zanella-Castillo

Request for live entertainment

6422-24 Holabird Avenue

R&R II Holdings, LLC Transfer of ownership Jane Kennedy, Richard Mackey & Robert Coyle, Jr.

2318 Fleet Street

Ha, Lin Lin Ha

700 S. Potomac Street

Transfer of ownership from a secured creditor

To advertise in the AFRO call

410-554-8200

TYPESET: Wed Dec 11 12:44:04 EST 2013 City of Baltimore Department of Finance Bureau of Purchases

Sealed proposals addressed to the Board of Estimates of Baltimore, will be received until, but not later than 11:00 a.m. local time on the following date(s) for the stated requirements: JANUARY 8, 2014 * CONSULTANT ASSISTANT FOR CASINO AREA MASTER PLAN B50003285 *VEHICLE, MOTORCYCLE, GENERATOR AND LAWN & GARDEN BATTERIES B50003292 *LABORATORY ANAYLTICAL SERVICES B50003289 *PEA GRAVEL B50003280 *HYDRAULIC & WELDING REPAIR SERVICES B50003291 THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT CAN BE VIEWED AND DOWN LOADED BY VISITING THE CITYS WEB SITE: www.baltimorecitibuy.org

December 14, 2013 - December 20, 2013, The Afro-American

Position: Loan Officer Job Summary:

Accepts residential mortgages and consumer loan applications. Reviews application documents to include credit reports, income data and appraisals. Oversees processing of originated loans; develops new business.

Qualifications:

We Offer:

•

Two (2) to five (5) years experience in mortgage loan origination, loan processing and/or loan servicing. • Knowledge of mortgage loan origination activities and regulations. • Strong skills in organizing, decision-making, and analysis. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as interpersonal skills.

Excellent benefits (medical/dental, company paid life insurance, 401k, subsidized gym membership). • Salary commensurate with experience plus annual incentive program. • Great work/life balance.

Apply online at www.rosedalefederal.com.

Rosedale Federal Savings & Loan Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer

EXECUTIVE SERVICE RECRUITMENT (SERVES AT THE PLEASURE OF THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY) ASSISTANT MANAGER, AIRPORT SECURITY DIVISION PROGRAM MANAGER I (Code 5476) DATE POSTED: December 6, 2013 CLOSING DATE: December 20, 2013 GRADE: 19 SALARY RANGE: $52,150 - $83,726 effective 1/1/14 LOCATION: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI Marshall) Assistant Manager of the Airport Security Division, BWI Marshall. In this capacity, the Assistant Manager directly supervises, as a shared responsibility, the management of the Airport Security Badging and Training Sections, and directly supervises the Contract Compliance Section. These sections comprise the Airport Security Division and functions with a combined annual budget in excess of $6 million. In addition, this position is responsible for the operational oversight of section-assigned contracts such as access control, security guard services, CCTV and fingerprinting services. Salary range $52150 - $83,726, the State of Maryland offers a generous benefits package. Please see https://jobs.mdot.state.md.us for complete job posting or contact 410-859-7618 for more information.

TYPESET: Wed Dec 11 12:43:43 EST 2013 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BALTIMORE CITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES RFP NUMBER: B-1744-13 The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for interested and qualified firms to submit proposals for Project Management and other services in connection with the development and implementation of a comprehensive cased management system for use by the following HABC departments: Housing Operations, Housing Choice Voucher Program, Human Resources, Office of Legal Affairs and the Office of the Inspector General.

EXECUTIVE SERVICE RECRUITMENT (SERVES AT THE PLEASURE OF THE APPOINTING AUTHORITY) AIRPORT DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF (4017) DATE POSTED: December 9, 2013 CLOSING DATE: December 27, 2013 GRADE: 0177 SALARY: $59,355 - $91,754 Effective 1/1/2014 LOCATION: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) An employee in this classification assists the Airport Fire Chief/ Director in the management of the overall emergency services program, along with safety, training and fire prevention programs for the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Fire and Rescue Department (BWI FRD). This position serves as one of two Airport Deputy Fire Chiefs within the BWI FRD. Subordinate personnel are managed through the supervision of Airport Division Fire Chiefs. Work is performed at an airport fire station and at response locations throughout the airport, which are exposed to high noise levels from aircraft. In some emergency situations, the Airport Deputy Fire Chief wears protective clothing and may be exposed to hazardous situations. Employees in this class are considered essential employees and are subject to call-in twentyfour hours a day. In the absence of the Airport Fire Chief/Director, a Deputy may assume the responsibilities associated with this office. In addition, the Deputy will be required to periodically perform training and may be required to perform the duties and responsibilities of an Airport Division Fire Chief. Please see https://jobs.mdot. state.md.us for complete job announcement and application instructions. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of DTS-1 applications, if necessary please call 410-859-7618 for additional information.

Position: Branch Manager — Rosedale Branch Job Summary:

Responsible for overall operations, customer service, staffing and productivity of the branch. Manages, motivates and coaches branch employees. Markets the bank’s products and services to customers and opens accounts/takes loan applications. Develops and promotes good community relations.

Qualifications:

We Offer:

Minimum three (3) years branch experience to include one (1) year supervisory experience. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. • Proven ability to successfully coach and lead a team to desired results. • Strong problem solving and decisionmaking skills. • Strong multi-tasking and organizational skills.

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Excellent benefits (medical/dental, company paid life insurance, 401k, subsidized gym membership). • Salary commensurate with experience plus annual incentive program. • Great work/life balance.

Apply online at www.rosedalefederal.com.

Rosedale Federal Savings & Loan Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Accounting/Finance

PROPOSALS WILL BE DUE no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, January 24, 2014. A non-mandatory pre-proposals conference will be held on Thursday, January 2, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., at 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 416, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202. HABC has established a minimum goal of twenty percent (20%) of the total dollar amount of the proposed contract for Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) utilization, applicable to all minority and non-minority businesses proposing to provide the requested services as the prime contractor. No goal has been established for participation of Women-owned businesses (WBEs), however, HABC strongly encourages and affirmatively promotes the use of WBEs in all HABC contracts. Responders shall also comply with all applicable requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, 12 U.S.C. Section 1701u. The RFP may be obtained on or after Monday, December 23, 2013 at the following location: Housing Authority of Baltimore City Division of Fiscal Operations, Purchasing Department 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 414 Baltimore, Maryland 21202 Attention: John Airey, Chief of Contracting Services Tel: (410) 396-3261 Fax: (410) 962-1586 Questions regarding the RFP should be directed in writing to the address and individual indicated above, and must include the reference: HABC RFP Number B-1744-13. TYPESET: Wed Dec 11 12:50:34 EST 2013

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CAREER OPORTUNITIES Director, Aging & Disability Resources Center Director of Inspections & Permits Equipment Operator II Facilities Maintenance Mechanic I/II Office Support Specialist Planner II Police Corporal Police Officer Recreation Supervisor Visit our website at www.aacounty.org for additional information and to apply on-line. You may use the Internet at any Anne Arundel County library, or visit our office at 2660 Riva Road in Annapolis. AEO/DF/SFE

Grants Manager Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC) Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) – The #1 Ranked Education Program in the USA (For the 5 STRAIGHT YEARS) AND WINNER of the RACE TO THE TOP (RTTT) Grant Fiscal Race-to-the-Top Grants Management opportunity available! The candidate selected for this RTTT contractual position will be responsible for providing overall grant oversight, as well as internal technical assistance for monitoring the financial aspects of the Race-to-the-Top (RTTT) Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers Grant. www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/aboutmsde/jobs MSDE is a State agency that develops & administers education, library, & rehabilitation programs, is on the forefront of standardsbased reform of public education, & is committed to promoting & maintaining a diverse workforce. Annual salary range: to $95,811. QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited fouryear college or university; coursework in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, or Public Administration. CPA is desirable. -AND- 5 years of experience in financial management and/or accounting that is inclusive of managing federal grants and/or budget preparation, presentation and execution. Experience with MS Excel and data management software in preferred. Note: a Master’s Degree or CPA License may be substituted for one year of the required experience. To Apply: Reference position RTTT-GRANT & Send/FAX (410333-8950) resume to Office of Human Resources, 200 W. Baltimore Street, Balto. MD. 21201. Applications/ resumes should be received by December 20, 2013. AA/EOE

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