Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper December 6 2014

December 6, 2014 - December 6, 2014, www.afro.com

Volume 123 No. 18

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DECEMBER 6, 2014 - DECEMBER 12, 2014

Mayor Says City ‘Will Have Body Cameras’

NYC Grand Jury: No Charges for NYPD Officer in Killing of Eric Gardner

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake guaranteed the implementation of a body camera program in Baltimore City and stated numerous times that her main concern was to get the program right during a recent conversation with the AFRO. RawlingsBlake also said that her rejection of the Baltimore City Council’s recent bill on the matter, which she has vetoed, was about substance and that she had been willing to work with the council to improve their bill, a claim the office of City Council President Bernard Young has challenged.

“We will have body cameras in Baltimore. I just

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By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO

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Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said the city will soon implement a body camera program. want people to be very very clear,” said the mayor at the outset of our conversation, where she laid out a number of the policy concerns a city work group she convened last month is currently investigating in order to make recommendations to the city in early 2015.

Among those concerns are the collection and retention of data, which includes determining whether the city will create its own IT infrastructure for storing and documenting the data or use a

private, cloud-based solution; determining how and when videos are attached to incident reports; when officers are allowed to review the video with respect to writing reports or making statements about a particular incident; how long data should be stored; and an accurate estimate of costs to ensure the sustainability of any program implemented.

Maryland’s body camera working group—an independent effort of the state not connected to the city’s Continued on A3

The NYPD officer whose chokehold led to the death of Eric Gardner last July will not be indicted by the special grand jury impanelled this fall to consider charges against him, according to reports from various news agencies.

Garner family attorney Jonathan Moore tells the Associated Press (AP) that he has been informed that no charges would be issued by the grand jury.

“I am actually astonished based on the evidence of the video tape, and the medical examiner, that this grand jury at this time wouldn’t indict for anything, is really just Courtesy Amtersdam News astonishing,” Moore told the AP. Eric Garner and wife, Esaw Garner The grand jury had been convened in September and was officers while arresting him for selling loose, investigating whether there was sufficient untaxed cigarettes. He has been suspended evidence to charge officer Daniel Pantaleo from the force and still faces an internal with any crimes in Garner’s death. Pantaleo investigation by the NYPD, reports the New had placed Garner in a chokehold and wrestled York Times. him to the ground along with a group of other ralejandro@afro.com

Young Bishop Describes Harrowing Encounter with City Police

playing with my brother, his uncle,” said Wilson. “The police come rushing out there in the parking lot. [My nephew and brother] are just laughing a little bit, talking about some things that just went on in the meeting, that’s all. . . . The police come rushing out with guns.

Actually, two police officers, one African American, one Caucasian.

“The African American guy knew that we were just playing, that there was no serious issue. However the Caucasian officer pursued—I mean he has his gun out, he’s screaming and hollering.

“So I say to him—of course Continued on A3

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO

Bishop Mark-Anthony Wilson of Love and Liberty Ministries shared an unnerving experience he had last July in the parking lot of the Madison Park North Apartments (MPNA), where he was renting commercial space for worship and meetings.

Wilson says the incident occurred after two officers on foot patrol in the complex observed Wilson’s 13 year old nephew having a somewhat loud conversation with Wilson’ 26 year old brother after leaving a meeting at the church.

“One of my nephews was

Shouts of “No justice, No peace” Follow Advocates Say Efficiency is Equal to Water Privatization Inauguration Ceremony in Towson

By Linda Walker Dorsey Special to the AFRO BALTIMORE COUNTY – On Monday December 1st, elected officials of Baltimore County government were sworn in for the second time under County Executive Kevin Kamenetz’s administration.

Most noteworthy among those individuals taking the oath of office at what was a brief, but officious, inaugural ceremony held at the new Towson University SECU Arena was Julian Jones. He is only the second African American councilmember in Baltimore County history.

Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie RawlinsBlake, four former County executives including Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, several state delegates and senators, members of the Executive cabinet and about three hundred members of the general public were on hand for the event, which was opened by the Milford Mill High School Marine JROTC. Stan Stovall, anchorman for WBAL

TV, served as master of ceremony for the inauguration which lasted two hours and was followed by a reception.

The ceremony also included a video celebration of Baltimore County government’s accomplishments, efficiency and progressiveness.

County Executive Kamenetz chose to center much of his inaugural address on inclusiveness and diversity in his administration, including the police and fire departments, an obvious contrast of Baltimore County’s reality to places like Ferguson.

Outside the calm of the Towson University based Inauguration festivities, however, at noon arrangements were well underway on the other side of campus for a largely Towson University student organized march protesting events in Ferguson, Missouri.

Just after noon about 200 black and white students and other members of the public carrying signs, left their classes and work to march peacefully from the Towson University Continued on A4

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO

‘Efficiency’ is just privatization by another name, say community activists and advocacy groups pushing against Baltimore City’s request for an external efficiency review of its water and wastewater treatment operations. At a time of declining federal funding, and after years of losing their best and brightest, the Dept. of Public Works (DPW) says it is simply trying to improve and modernize its operations within the context of the human and financial resources it currently has at its disposal.

In mid-May, DPW published a request for proposal (RFP) to conduct an efficiency study of the city’s water and wastewater treatment plants, the oldest of which is 100 years old, according to Jeffrey Raymond, division chief of communications and community affairs for DPW. The request went out in four Baltimore newspapers, including the AFRO, and two proposals were received by the July deadline. The city is still conducting a review of the proposals and no contract has yet been awarded.

One of the proposals submitted is from Veolia Water North America Operating Services, a company whose track records, advocates say, is one of taking over municipal water systems, driving up rates for consumers, labor abuses, and failing to Continued on A4

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014

NATION & WORLD

her eligible for release on Jan. 27. According to the TimesUnion, a sentencing hearing has been scheduled for that day, making it likely that Alexander will be sentenced and then released based on her time already served. Under the plea deal, she will have to serve two additional years of house arrest with an ankle monitor.

In 2010, Alexander and her husband, Rico Gray, got into an argument over some text messages. Alexander went to the bathroom and locked herself inside, but Gray broke through the door and grabbed her neck.

Alexander fled into the home’s garage and returned with a gun from her car. When Gray threatened to kill her, Alexander said she fired the gun as a warning shot at the wall; Gray was uninjured.

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20-Year-Old Black Man Found Dead Near Area of Ferguson Protest

Chairman of the Board/Publisher - John J. Oliver, Jr. President - Benjamin M. Phillips IV

A Ferguson, Mo. man was found dead early Nov. 25 in near an area of the city where protests took place following the grand jury announcement of Officer Darren Wilson not being indicted for the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

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Florida’s Marissa Alexander Accepts Three-Year Sentence for Firing Warning Shots at Husband

A Florida woman pleaded guilty and accepted a three-year jail sentence for firing a warning shot at her husband during an argument.

Marissa Alexander, 31, faced three felony counts in connection with the August 2010 warning shot, fired after her husband attacked her and threatened to kill her. A jury initially found her guilty in May 2012 and Alexander was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the minimum under state statutes for anyone who fires a gun in the commission of a crime.

According to the Florida Times-Union, a higher court later threw out Alexander’s initial conviction, ruling that the trial judge gave incorrect instructions to the jury. In her new trial, which had been set to begin Dec. 1, Alexander faced 60 years in prison—under a recent state court ruling, her 20-yearminimum sentences on each of the three counts would now have had to be served consecutively, not concurrently.

On Nov. 24, Alexander accepted a plea deal which would sentence her to three years in jail. The 1,030 days Alexander has already served would count toward that sentence, making

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At 9 a.m. on Nov. 25, hours after the grand jury determined it would not bring charges against Wilson, 20-year-old DeAndre Joshua was found dead in a white Pontiac Grand Prix in the Canfield Green Apartments, which is the same location Wilson shot Brown. Shattered glass covered in blood lay on the ground near the car.

According to Yahoo News, Joshua’s body was found in the driver seat of the car, which was backed into a parking space. Joshua had been shot once in the head and his body lit on fire, severely burning his arm, fingers and legs.

At least 14 people were reported injured during the protests, 80 others were arrested, and a dozen buildings were reportedly burned in the St. Louis and Ferguson areas overnight, according to USA Today.

Police are investigating Joshua’s death, but Joshua’s grandmother Renita Towns told USA Today, “Police don’t care—he’s Black.”

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20-year-old DeAndre Joshua was found dead Nov. 25.

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On Nov. 24, Marissa Alexander accepted a plea deal which would sentence her to three years in jail.

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 6, 2014

December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014, The Afro-American

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Baltimore Run Aimed at Helping Former Prisoners and their Families

By Lisa Snowen-McCray Special to the AFRO The Friday after Thanksgiving, when many were sleeping off turkey hangovers, heading out to shop or trying to avoid the day’s bitter, windy chill - Lorig Charkoudian was getting ready to run.

Charkoudian is the executive director for a group called Community Mediation Maryland. They specialize in mediation and conflict resolution services. Their services are available for any Marylander who needs them. However, on Thursday, the focus was re-entry mediation – a process aimed at helping Maryland prisoners start life over successfully after they have served their time.

This run – a 67 mile trip from Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore to the Maryland Institute of Corrections in Hagerstown – is to help fund their re-entry mediation services.

“I’m grateful for lots of reasons, but I’ve learned more personally about what it looks like to love and to love through really hard times by sitting in mediation,” Charkoudian said, shortly before she began. She said she’s seen people overcome remarkable pain and setbacks to start their lives over again.

“You are carrying them on your back today!” said Errika

Body Cameras Continued from A1

group—is currently mulling recommendations to alter the state’s public information act (MPIA) in the event the General Assembly mandates the adoption of body cameras by police agencies statewide.

The city, however, has no authority to amend or change the MPIA and must determine beforehand how it will handle requests under the law as currently constituted.

One city in Washington state, Poulsbo, has found themselves underwater, struggling to cope with the request of a single citizen for all of the Poulsbo Police Department’s extant videos from its body camera program.

“You can see what happens when you’re not thorough in taking a look at all of the questions that are out there before you implement,” said Rawlings-Blake. “It leads to things like that.”

Privacy was one of the major concerns that stuck out to the mayor, who cited the hypothetical example of a domestic violence survivor who has already been victimized once when the police show up equipped with a camera, publicly documenting her (or his) victimization for the world to see.

“That crime, and that pain, and that hurt will live on forever,” said the mayor. “For me it’s important to get that right.”

Rawlings-Blake said the key is to strike the right balance between evidentiary needs and victims’ rights.

“We want to make sure that we’re able to fully prosecute, but we also want to make sure that we’re not doing damage to survivors of domestic violence.”

The mayor also argued that while body cameras may reduce police misconduct, there is no evidence they will not eliminate it, and that a holistic approach to the problem of police abuse was necessary.

“I think it is a mistake to

think that [body cameras are] a cure-all, and I also think it’s a mistake to think that we don’t need to do more than that,” said Rawlings-Blake.

“We need to implement body cameras, we need to do it the right way, and we also need to implement the other reforms that are going to help us get closer to where we need to be.”

On the AFRO’s Facebook page, numerous people voiced their opinions on police body cameras.

“Body cameras should be part of the uniform,” a comment from Facebook user Gloria Smith read. “Body cameras are a must…the police must be responsible for all of their actions.”

Meanwhile, user Vincent Owen Stewart said, “Giving cameras to the police is not a good idea. All that does is let the police self evaluate their conduct. A better idea is to give cameras to the communities and let them record incidents of police brutality.”

As part of the broader effort to reduce misconduct and improve policecommunity relations, the mayor cites the city’s ongoing work to implement Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts’s strategic plan, announced in Nov. of 2013, and which includes more (and less reactive) foot patrols, as well as things like updating officer training.

The mayor also addressed the conflict between her office and the city council, which has passed an ordinance mandating that “every police officer . . . be personally equipped with a digital audioand-video portable recording device,” according to a draft version of the bill received by the AFRO from Young’s office.

The mayor says that she had been interested in fixing the bill, and that she has “begged” Young and Councilman Warren Branch, the bill’s sponsor, to amend the bill in such a way as to

make it something she would be willing to sign—a shift in tone from her previous public pronouncements on the bill in which the mayor has indicated that not only is the bill overinclusive, requiring even undercover officers and folks working behind a desk to wear the cameras, but that the city council lacks the legal authority to direct the commissioner with respect to the administration of the police department.

Lester Davis, director of communications and policy for Young, disputes the mayor’s account of being willing to improve the legislation, and says that there was simply an impasse between the council and the mayor’s office about the legality of the measure.

“There was a fundamental disagreement about the legality of the Baltimore City Council saying that the Baltimore Police Department had to do something,” said Davis. “In this case, buy and wear and implement a body camera program.”

Davis says that the mayor preferred a non-binding resolution—an idea Young and the council rejected— and that Young’s offer to create a small pilot program rather than passing a bill requiring a departmentwide implementation of body cameras, or to simply allow time for the police department to develop policies and regulations under the proposed ordinance in order to address some of the limitations of the bill, were both rejected by the mayor’s office.

The mayor had to veto the city council’s body camera bill within three council meetings from the date of its passage, giving her until Jan. 27. The mayor vetoed the bill on Dec. 1.

“It’s not a substantive piece of legislation, and honest to God, if they were interested in implementing body cameras they would take it seriously and put a serious piece of legislation forward,” said RawlingsBlake. “The citizens deserve better and I am working my hardest to give them a complete program that is well thought out, that meets the needs of the community, meets the needs of the department and continues to make Baltimore safer. I don’t have time for showboating.” ralejandro@afro.com

Bridgeford, the group’s director of training. “And in your feet!”

Charkoudian was cheered on by a group of about a dozen people – some of whom have taken advantage of the group’s services – who had come to run with her or to see her off.

According to the group, people who have served time in prison face a difficult transition once they are allowed to go home. Time with family and an opportunity to reevaluate the past can help keep former prisoners out of trouble and on the right path. But, sometimes those loved ones may not have the funds to make the trip. The run was to help raise money for their travel expenses.

The group says that re-entry mediation has been shown to decrease recidivism rates by 10 percent.

“People oftentimes say they come in there unsure what’s going to happen or what they are going to say to their loved ones and family members, said Brandon Booth, who works with the group. “But by the end of the mediation they’ve cried, they’ve laughed they gone through Photo by Anna Lee all this range of emotion…They are able to have Elizabeth Morse is on a mission. that really difficult conversation that you can’t have in a letter, you can’t have over the phone. We just give them that space to have that really tough, difficult conversation.”

The Monday after the run, Charkoudian said they had raised about $35,000 so far, and that fundraising efforts will continue for the next week. The group has mostly been relying on word-of-mouth to collect funds. Many of the group’s volunteer counselors, she said, have been working to raise money themselves. “Many of them feel personally connected.”

Charkoudian said the trip took about 10 hours to complete. She stopped once an hour for food and water.

“As soon as I would stop, I’d start shivering,” she said. “It was good motivation to keep moving.”

Young Bishop Continued from A1

I’m going to protect my family—so I say to him, ‘No, no, no, they’re family. They’re just playing, they’re family.’ He then tells me to pull out my ID, he’s going to arrest me because I am causing a public disturbance, or something like that.

“So I say to him I’m not, and he says I’m trespassing. Which I’m not doing and I informed him that I pay almost $2500 a month to be in this space, so I’m definitely not trespassing.

“He continues and pursues, and he calls for back-up because I’m ‘disturbing the peace,’ so within minutes there were about maybe 15 cars, and maybe about, I’d say at least 25 officers on the scene harassing me with lights and running background checks, warrant checks, and all that to find a reason to arrest me.

“And as I’m arguing with him and persisting, ‘You have no reason to ask for my ID, you have no reason to harass me this way,’ he’s continuing to tell me that I’m an embarrassment to the church, I’ve embarrassed my family, I’m an embarrassment to my race.

“He continued to be disrespectful to me as the other officers, they came—and some of them left but the others stayed and, you know, ‘You should respect this police

officer, he has a right to send you to jail;’ and I’m explaining to him, ‘Jail doesn’t scare me especially if I have done nothing. “‘You came out here, screaming and hollering at me, and I’m talking at you back in the manner in which you’re talking at me, and you’re waiving guns and screaming and hollering, so I have a right to speak back to you the way you’re speaking to me. You can’t talk down to me just because you’re a police officer.’

“So that issue continued. He wound up checking my license, running my license plate, running my tags, and then, as we were leaving—he runs everybody’s tags that are there, he runs my license—and while we’re leaving he pulls over one of our deacons, about a block up the street, and harasses her. No ticket, nothing. Just to be, I guess, irritating; just to cause a scene.”

Wilson says that he reached out to the head of security at MPNA after the incident and was told that the White officer in question would not be returning to patrol the area.

Wilson says the officer was back on duty at the apartment complex the next day.

The AFRO has reached out to the Baltimore Police Department regarding this incident, but to date, has not received a response. ralejandro@ afro.com

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Support for Body Cameras, Opposition to Officers Bill of Rights at Reform Hearing

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Support for body cameras and opposition to the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights (LEOBR) were principal themes at a recent public hearing on law enforcement reform. A number of activists also expressed disappointment in the assembled delegates from Baltimore who had called the hearing, saying they had failed to protect the community from harmful laws during their tenures as legislators.

The hearing was called by the Baltimore City house delegation’s subcommittee on criminal law and justice, held on Nov. 22, and chaired by Del. Jill Carter of the 41st district.

For just under three hours, the assembled state representatives from Baltimore, including Dels. Curt Anderson and Frank Conaway, Jr., and Sen. Bill Ferguson, listened to experts on law enforcement, community leaders, activists, citizens and police officers on various topics related to reform.

Sonia Kumar, a staff attorney with the ACLU MD, testified on the LEOBR, calling it one of the most protective law enforcement bill of rights in the country. Kumar said that the protections inhibit meaningful civilian review of police, effective discipline of police officers and real investigations of misconduct.

In a similar vein, Dr. Marvin Cheatham, president of the Matthew A. Henson Neighborhood Association, testified about his

proposal to strengthen Baltimore’s civilian review board by adding two new members from the ACLU MD and Baltimore NAACP— raising the total number of members to 11—as well as granting the board subpoena power.

The civilian review board has been often criticized in the past for its lack of subpoena power, which, especially combined with the protections offered police by the LEOBR, effectively cripples the Photo by Roberto Alejandro board’s ability to fully Diane Butler, aunt of Tyrone West, testifies before a investigate claims of subcommittee hearing on law enforcement reform on Nov. 22. misconduct.

There was broad felt that they had not adequately represented support by those in the audience for the or protected members of the community. adoption of body cameras in Baltimore City.

“I need a commitment from every Some community members asked questions legislator in this room that you’re not going of the representatives from the Baltimore to vote for bills in this upcoming session that Police Department present at the hearing are going to harm us,” said Kim Trueheart, about the pace of implementation of a body a well-known community advocate and the camera program. director of the Liberty Rec and Tech Center in But the main current that seemed to flow West Baltimore. “Like you did with the law throughout the hearing was the community’s enforcement bill of rights, like we’ve done frustration with ostensibly progressive with the curfew law here in Baltimore City.” lawmakers and organizations. Many people The crowd made vocal gestures of

Water Privatization Continued from A1

make necessary infrastructure investments in favor of profits.

“Globally we see that when private water firms are involved, whether it’s in the Philippines, or in India, or in South America, rates go up, people lose their job, water gets contaminated,” said Kara Kauffman, a press officer for Corporate Accountability International (CAI), an advocacy group that has been working on national water issues for eight years and which is a member of One Baltimore United, a coalition of faith, labor, and community groups that advocates on behalf of Baltimore families, according to its Facebook page.

“These corporations are seeking profit, and they’re seeking profit through, essentially, privatization,” said Kauffman.

CAI has released a report detailing the practices of private water operators, including Veolia Water, domestically and abroad. The report argues that companies like Veolia Water package their services as consulting contracts to help improve efficiency—what Veolia terms Peer Performance Solutions— but are actually misleading attempts to take over the management and operation of municipal water systems.

In its July 14, letter of interest to the city regarding DPW’s RFP, Veolia pitches its Peer Performance Solutions model to Baltimore, touting its ability to achieve substantial cost savings in the city’s water operations.

But cost savings is not what many municipalities who have contracted with Veolia have experienced say advocates. Attorney Peter Kovacs filed a class-action law suit against Veolia in 2008 for overbilling Indianapolis residents when they used a tariff formula to estimate water usage rather than take actual meter readings.

The day after he filed the lawsuit, Kovacs said he received hundreds of voicemails from citizens complaining they too had been overbilled.

“I talked to people on

fixed income that were making decisions about, ‘am I going to pay the water bill or am I going to buy food.’

It was getting that bad,” said Kovacs.

When the utility commission began investigating Veolia’s management of Indianapolis’s water works, they found that Veolia had gone back to the city five years after taking over the water system and demanded an additional $5 million because they were not turning the expected profit. The commission also found that supposed incentive clauses in Veolia’s contract with the city were almost always being met and paid out.

“That was an indication that these were not real benchmarks, or not real incentive payments, that in fact they were just additional payments that [Veolia] just got, and there really was no oversight over Veolia’s running of the utility,” said Kovacs.

When Indianapolis decided to finally break its contract with Veolia, they had to pay $29 million to get out of the contract.

Advocates acknowledge that cities like Baltimore find themselves in a difficult place since federal funding for water infrastructure improvements has declined for decades. In 2013, the Army Corps of Engineers’ national infrastructure report card gave the nation’s water infrastructure a grade of D. Rudolph Chow, director of DPW, testified at a City Council hearing on Dec. 1 that Baltimore experiences 1,000 water main breaks annually—three per day—and said the reason the city is seeking an external review of its operations is because the city cannot rely on rate increases alone to meet service demands.

Asked by Council President Bernard Young why current DPW employees could not make efficiency related recommendations, Chow said that much of DPW’s institutional knowledge had been lured away by higher salaries offered by consulting and

other private companies, leaving DPW without the human resources to modernize its facilities or effectively improve its efficiency.

Chow testified that DPW has begun the process of rebuilding its engineering staff so that external reviews

ability to implement any recommendations its proposed efficiency study might produce, the sort of thing advocates warn about and call privatization.

“If requested, we could then work with you, under a shared risk type of contract

“Our concern is that there hasn’t been a great deal of transparency. If it were just the case that we want to do a study, then why the secrecy?”

– Charly Carter will be unnecessary in the future, but that for now external help is necessary.

He also testified that, “This RFP for an efficiency study is a study that the department has asked for. It was not done through a solicitation from anyone else.”

Kauffman and other advocates with One Baltimore United point to emails that CAI obtained through a public information act request indicating communications between Chow, Tonorah Houston-Burgee, the acting chief of the city’s contract administration division, and Veolia Water dating as far back as May 2013 discussing efficiency studies, as well as a $3,000 campaign contribution from Veolia Water to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s election campaign in 2011 as evidence of backroom lobbying.

Kauffman also points to the way in which Chow and other city representatives have adopted the language Veolia uses to package its services in ways that deflect public distaste for public utlity privatization.

“When DPW says we’re just seeking an efficiency contract, they’re literally correct because Veolia is calling it an efficiency contract, but they’re misinforming reporters and they’re misinforming members of the public in not explaining the full story, and not recognizing or disclosing that any kind of contract with a private water operator like Veolia will lead to privatization in the future. It’s just privatization by another name,” said Kauffman.

Veolia’s letter of interest, does pitch Veolia’s

approach, to implement these improvements for the benefit of your organization and your water and wastewater

agreement as Trueheart spoke, and applauded vigorously when she finished. Trueheart would return to the microphone twice more over the course of the event to make the same inquiry of the Baltimore delegation when she felt she had not received an answer.

Duane “Shorty” Davis, another community advocate who is a staple at Baltimore public hearings on law enforcement matters, echoed Trueheart’s sentiment when he asked, “If you ain’t did nothing for us in the last eight years, what are you going to do different for us now?”

Both Anderson and Carter said that the testimony heard at the day’s hearing would help shape future legislation aimed at cutting down police misconduct.

One of the evening’s most emotional moments came when Diane Butler, the aunt that raised Tyrone West, the Baltimore man who was beaten to death by police in July 2013 and whom Butler refers to as her son, asked the Baltimore police officials in attendance about the training and procedures of force which were at the heart of the day’s hearing.

“When was the beating supposed to stop?” asked an emotional Butler. “My son was on the ground screaming for the beating to stop.

Was the beating supposed to continue until he was no longer breathing? No longer moving?

My son was dead, and your police officer still was kicking him in the back of his head, and he was cuffed.”

operations,” reads a portion of the letter.

The city denies that there is any privatization effort underway whatsoever, and according to Caron Brace, communications director for Mayor Rawlings-Blake, a review of the city’s water operations that improves efficiency and lowers costs is the best way to guarantee those operations remain under public control.

Ultimately, the concern of advocates is that the city has been mislead by companies like Veolia as to what its services and intentions actually are, and that more problematically, these conversations have occurred outside the public eye, citing the city’s refusal to release the

content of the bids under the Maryland Public Information Act among other things.

“Our concern is that there hasn’t been a great deal of transparency,” said Charly Carter, executive director of Maryland Working Families, another One Baltimore United coalition member. “If it were just the case that we want to do a study, then why the secrecy? Why issuing the RFP, not responding to FOIAs (public information act requests), not wanting to be open about a process where you would think that people would be very interested . . . in a conversation about how we can be more efficient and improve service. But that hasn’t been what we’ve seen.” ralejandro@gmail.com

Inauguration Ceremony Continued from A1

campus about a mile to the Baltimore County government office complex, shouting “No justice, no peace!” as part of Justice for Michael Brown Day protests occurring nationally.

Gathering in the courtyard outside the Old Courthouse building, the group stopped to highlight that even in a county with the standard of living and effective government of Baltimore County, the devaluation and loss of young black youth’s lives at the hands of some police officers is still a reality.

Referencing the death of youth like 17-year-old Christopher Brown of Randallstown in June 2012 at the hands of an off-duty Baltimore County police officer, James LaBoard, who was acquitted and received back pay after his pursuit and strangulation of Brown by using a controversial choke hold, the group wants reforms made locally.

Chris Brown’s death never received the attention of others.

Ironically the precipitating event had been other neighborhood youth, not Christopher Brown, pounding or throwing a rock at LaBoard’s front-door in a childish game called “knicker-knocking.”

Even though off-duty, Officer LaBoard was allowed to treat Brown as a fleeing criminal when he scattered like all the other boys when confronted by an angry neighbor.

Unlike the slaying of Michael Brown and Travon Martin, however, there were no major marches or visceral reaction in the community to protest the death of Christopher Brown, a church usher and a member of Randallstown High Schools Naval JROTC. However, like the situation in Ferguson the assistant state’s attorney after investigating the matter failed to make a strong case on behalf of the victim.

Some courtroom witnesses felt several ambiguous statements helped justify the slaying of the 6’1” football teen by a smaller police officer, who after pursuing a teenager

slowed by a visible knee brace for blocks, argued he too feared for this life.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz released a statement at the time of the Chris Brown killing in 2012, saying, “Regardless of the facts, the Brown family has lost a son, and our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. I have spoken with Police Chief Jim Johnson and with State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, and they have assured me that Wednesday’s events will be thoroughly investigated in a fair and impartial manner. I am confident that all of the facts will be evaluated objectively and that both the Police Chief and State’s Attorney will follow those facts to their logical conclusion as they would in any case of this nature.”

What did occur in the aftermath of the jury trial clearing LaBoard of use of the controversial chokehold was passage in 2014 of Christopher’s Law, sponsored by Delegate Jill P. Carter. The law requires additional training for police officer about appropriate use of force, mandatory CPR training and cultural and gender training.

In contrast to the start of his first term, Mr. Kamenetz announced no major shake-ups in his administration during his second term.

His speech made no reference to the need or plans for additional police training, accountability or use of new equipment in light of Ferguson, or police reforms now being recommended by President Obama.

Community members hope, however, that this does not signal that the administration assumes all is well, or becomes complacent to the genuine concerns of many black and white citizens that black, male teen lives and freedom may not be as valued as their white counterparts.

Many in the African American community are counting on newly elected Councilman Julian Jones to keep his pledge to be more of an activist than his predecessor in demanding investigation of citizen complaints.

December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014, The Afro-American

The 1960s

The 1970s

The 1980s–90s

Remembering Marion Barry

By Frances Murphy Washington AFRO Staff Originally published Oct. 30, 1998 How do you want to remember Marion Barry Jr.?

There are two schools of thought about this.

One set of people like to think of him only as the Washington, D.C. mayor who was jailed for six months after an FBI sting operation caught him on video smoking a pipeful of crack cocaine.

Others prefer to remember him as the strong, Black man who refused to let anyone keep him down -- the man who gave who served four four-year terms as mayor and gave 40 years of good service to this nation’s capital.

On the Washington, D.C. website, it is obvious the mayor wants to be remembered in the latter vein. We agree. Here is his biographical sketch from the mayor’s own office: Marion Barry Jr. - elected Mayor of Washington, D.C., for an unprecedented fourth term in 1994 - has made an indelible imprint in reshaping the Nation’s Capital from just a “political hub,” as it was oftentimes referred to in the seventies, to an international business center and culturally diverse, multi-faceted city.

Mayor Barry’s appeal to the citizens who elected him has always been clear. His commitment to creating economic opportunities for youth, initiating programs to assist the elderly and developing areas East of the River, is unparalleled. His commitment to a “people’s government,” in which the ideas and suggestions of citizens, workers and business owners are included in his Administration’s agenda, are also key to his success.

But, perhaps most notable is his proven commitment to rebuilding a D.C. “community” that has been weakened by years of federal neglect, political maneuvers and an unsupportive media.

Under Mayor Barry’s leadership a number of firsts can be counted, including the establishment of an accounting system to determine how much money the city actually had in the bank.

Prior to 1978, there was no mechanism in place to determine where the city stood financially. Marion Barry changed that and, by 1984, the city entered the bond market with an SP 1 plus rating (the equivalent of an AAA or AA rating), one of the highest ratings possible, by Standard and Poors’ and Moody’s.

In addition, the Mayor created an Office of Business Development. This office attracted new businesses to the District which, in turn, provided its citizens with new opportunities and avenues to success for those left out of the competitive market.

Articles Legend: The 1960s The AFRO Interviews Marion Barry, 9-19-60 2 appointed to staff at SCLC, 7-2261 Clarification Needed, 6-18-66

What They’re Saying, 9-3-66 Black Power Speakers, 10-1-66 The 1970s Pilot Police Project, 7-25-70 Superfly, 9-16-72 Can Barry Save D.C.?, 3-10-79

In 1994, Mayor Barry found that he had inherited a $322 million deficit that had been left by the previous administration. The city’s finances were in shambles, much as they were when he was first elected Mayor in 1978. But, the task of turning around the financial crisis was harder because the U.S. Congress enacted legislation creating the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority.

This created yet another entity to synchronize with, in addition to the D.C. City Council and the U.S. Congress, to devise ways to reduce the deficit.

While systematically chipping away at the deficit with his financial team, Mayor Barry reduced the deficit by $281 million in his first year of reelection. And, while there is still a lot of work to be done before Washington is financially where the Mayor wants it to be, there has been consistent and steady improvement under his leadership.

Mayor Barry’s goal from the moment he reentered office was to bring a District government, encumbered by outdated equipment, unskilled personnel and a limited budget, into the 21st Century.

To achieve this, he assembled a transformation team of 30 senior advisors and more than 200 specialists to develop a blueprint for a new type of governance.

This new government recognizes its residents and visitors as “customers” and sees their satisfaction as a way to measure service delivery. It is also a government which works within realistic limits and recognizes the value of making hard choices.

After a year of making necessary personnel and budgetary cuts, the Barry Administration is focusing on performing fewer functions, but performing them better.

This is quite a feat for one of the busiest cities in the world. To date there are, in the District, approximately 100 million square feet of commercial office space, with 200 top employers -- including four Fortune 500 companies and between 400 - 475 minority businesses.

D.C. attracts millions of tourists and has approximately 24,000 hotel rooms in which to house them. All of this is overseen by the office of the newly created Assistant city Administrator for Economic Development.

Throughout the years, Mayor Barry has been a consistent advocate for improving the lives of senior citizens through his Office on Aging and, has been equally consistent in his devotion to the city’s youth through the continual funding of summer jobs programs for young people through the Department of Employment Services.

Read more on afro.com.

The 1980s–90s D.C. Mayor Shows Compassion, 9-28-85 DC Mayor, 1-10-87 All photos from the AFRO Archives

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Baltimore Scouts Give Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Awards

The Baltimore Area Council of Boy Scouts of America honored Stuart O. Simms and Tyrone D. Taborn with the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award, presented annually to those who “demonstrate involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth.”

Ethan B’lanton was the scout speaker for the event, held Nov. 19, at the Radisson at Cross Keys. Formerly Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Simms has almost 20 years experience as a trial lawyer and is currently a partner with Brown Goldstein Levy. Taborn is chairman and CEO of Career Communications Group and publisher of Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology, the nation’s oldest general-interest technology magazine for the Hispanic community.

Proceeds from the event are used to support scouting programs for underprivileged Scouts, programs that “emphasize personal growth and service in a context of a value-centered life.”

Putty Hill Ave. Parkville, Md. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. There will be vendors available for Christmas shopping.

For more information, contact Deborah StewartAkles at 410-668-6868 or visit www.vcsed.com

Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter, AKAs, to Host Youth Enrichment Open House Laurel, MD - Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is hosting a free academic enrichment and mentorship Open House to showcase the launching of the ASCEND youth development program.

ASCEND is a youth enrichment program designed to motivate, engage, and assist high school students in reaching their maximum potential. ASCEND will focus on Achievement, SelfAwareness, Communication, Engagement, Networking, and Development Skills. Students in the ASCEND program will have the opportunity to receive academic enrichment and life skills training to support their journey to college or vocational employment.

This free event, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 6, at the Beltsville Library located at 4319 Sellman Road, Beltsville, Md., will explore the benefits and information available to young aspiring teens by partnering and participating in the ASCEND program. Persons interested

Community Concert Choir to Sing Christmas Concert

Photo by J.D. Howard

Whitney Young Awards Reception: Kurt Schmoke, Howard Jessamy, Stuart Simms, Ethan B’lanton, Tyrone Taborn and Brian Steger in attending the Open House should RSVP to peoASCEND@gmail.com.

To obtain more information about the ASCEND program and the application; please visit www.aka-peo.org.

specializing in teaching young girls the art of liturgical dance and ministry, is hosting its

annual Christmas Dance Recital, 6 p.m., Dec. 13, at Parkville High School 2600

The Community Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Marco K. Merrick, will sing “Emmanuel” its annual Christmas Concert, 5 p.m., Dec. 21 at The United House of Prayer for All People, 3401 Edgewood Rd. in Baltimore. A fellowship reception, sponsored by The Open Church, will be held immediately following.

Visions Christian School of Etiquette and Dance Visions Christian School of Etiquette and Dance is a local non-profit organization

The Community Concert Choir

Courtesy Photo

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December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014 The Afro-American

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EDITORIAL

The Enormous Blessing of Marion Barry’s Incessant Civil Rights Spirit Washington D.C., indeed the entire Black community of this country, lost an enormous historical civil rights figure when former Washington D.C. Mayor passed away unexpectedly last week. The AFRO has had a long history of reporting on the many facets of Marion Barry’s life. During the 1960s we wrote about his efforts as a then emerging civil rights leader for the Student NonViolence Coordinating Committee who was staging sit-ins in the South at segregated lunch counters, movie theaters and large parts of American society. While it can be infuriating to recall that it wasn’t that long ago that Blacks were openly—and legally—prevented from entering certain businesses, Barry was at the forefront of the movement to end a kind of racism that was so embedded in society that its very pervasiveness made it unremarkable.

After nearly two decades of civil rights work Barry was elected mayor of Washington, D.C. in 1978. He became legendary for his summer jobs programs and awarding business to minority contractors as well as putting minorities and women into government

positions that had previously gone only to Whites. He would go on to be re-elected three times before going to jail for six months for cocaine possession after being caught in a Federal drug sting.

While this would be the end of most politicians, Barry nevertheless managed to come back: first as a council member of D.C.’s Ward 8 and then as mayor again in 1994. And therein lay Barry’s genius: No matter the odds against him, he always got back up and continued moving forward.

During his ‘94 campaign he told reporters: “Who can better help our city recover than someone who himself has gone through recovery?”

Marion Barry was clearly a man with problems. Those problems led the AFRO to withhold endorsing him in the Democratic primary in 1994 (The AFRO endorsed him in the general election). And while many of those problems played out in public, especially in his later years, Barry managed-somehow-- to just keep on going.

In that spirit, we leave you with a Barry

quote that you are unlikely to see as cited as some of his more colorful sayings: “If the White people are stupid enough not to listen to the legitimate demands of Colored people then

I think they have to suffer the consequences of these things and maybe it might wake them up.” Marion Barry, as quoted in the AFRO, in 1966.

COMMENTARY

Same Old Problem, Same Old Response In 1983, it was Michael Stewart, 25. He was a graffiti artist who was beaten to death in police custody in New York.

No one paid a price for his death. On the day of Stewart’s arrest, the Committee Against Racially Motivated Police Violence was holding a news conference. There were vigils.

That was 31 years ago.

For anyone who wonders why young people in Ferguson don’t want to have anything to do with old leadership, think Lauren Victoria on that.

Burke Brace for the usual cast of NNPA Columnist “misleadership” characters to “funnel Black peoples energies into official channels that go nowhere,” to quote activist Glenn Ford. African Americans have been dealing with police brutality for decades. Until new leadership and forceful solutions arrive the community will continue to deal with it.

And there has been plenty to deal with • In, 1999, Amadou Diallo, 23, was shot 19 times. The officers were acquitted.

• In 2004, Tim Stansbury, 19, was shot by a cop for no reason on a roof. A grand jury ruled it “an accident.” No one was prosecuted.

• Ten years later, the same thing happened. Akai Gurley, 28, was shot dead in Brooklyn in a stairwell by a cop in another

“unfortunate tragedy.”

• Eric Garner was strangled to death on a sidewalk by Daniel Pantaleo, a cop with two previous lawsuits against him, in one of which the city paid damages. It’s likely Pantaleo will pay no price for Garner’s death.

• Earlier this month Tamir Rice, 12, was shot less than three seconds after the police arrived.

• In August, John Crawford, 22, was shot dead in a Wal-Mart in Ohio looking at a toy gun.

• In St. Louis, while everyone was discussing the case of Michael Brown being shot dead by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson, cops shot Kajieme Powell, 25, to death 16 seconds after their arrival.

• Vonderrick Myers, 18, was shot 17 times by an off duty cop a month after Brown was shot.

Again, no one indicted.

St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson lied to reporters about Powell’s actions, saying Powell was holding a knife over his head with “an overhand grip” within “three or four feet” of officers. Then – whoops – a video surfaced showing Powell doing no such thing.

“Young black males in recent years were at a far greater risk of being shot dead by police than their white counterparts – 21 times greater,” according to a ProPublica study in October. The incidents happen at a time when crime is at a record low in the U.S. Many of the 600,000 police officers in America do a great job. But it cannot be ignored that the cases of Garner, Brown, Powell, Myers, Gurley and Rice occur at a time when death in the line of duty for cops is at its lowest point in 40 years. In 2013, the fewest number of cops was murdered in the line of duty: 27. That was a 44 percent decrease from the 49 officers

Marion Barry: A Man for All People

No one is neutral about D.C. “Mayor for Life” Marion Shepilov Barry Jr. You either love him or despise him; there is no in-between. He gave no room for inbetween. He was, indeed, “all that!”

The larger than life “People’s Prodigal Prince,” as I once dubbed him while he was singing his redemption song, was beloved or berated, even in death. Some sobbed; some said good riddance when they heard the news of his passing on Nov. 23 after long-suffering health complications.

Will the good he did for others outweigh the bad he did to himself? I hope so. His supporters will have to insist so. “I helped a lot, a lot, a lot of people,” he said in a February radio interview with me. And his autobiographical narrative is replete with examples of his trademark altruism, as it should be.

For those of us in the D.C. press corps who spent decades chasing him, he was remembered by a colleague as, “The gift that keeps on giving.” Stories, that is: We never had to wait long before bodacious Barry would provide cannon fodder for a front page story, or a “breaking news” live shot, or even, in my case, the once-in-a-lifetime “Extra” edition.

To know Barry and all his complexities – and there were many as his political trajectory went from school board to D.C. Council member to mayor and back to the council as its Ward 8 representative -- was not necessary to grow to like him, but at the very least to learn to respect him as a masterful politician,

Adrienne Washington

as I did despite all his shenanigans I took him to task for over the years. And, quiet as it’s kept, so did others in the seemingly hostile local press corps. His stories made several successful journalism careers, including mine.

Barry was anything but dumb or dull. Few people knew that he possessed such a brilliant mind, so much so that he was on his way to earning a doctorate degree in chemistry, but was serendipitously derailed by his quick rise in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) by his natural leadership qualities and his innate yearning to be a man of the people, or as he often said, “the lost, the least, and the left out.”

The young, brash Brother Barry was the embodiment of all many folks believed the Civil Rights Movement would bring them. He was James Brown’s model for “say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud.” The frail, senior Barry may have lost that “Pride Inc.,” ‘60s stride in his step, but he never lost the agitator’s passion in his voice to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. Even at his darkest hour, the inspiration and the lesson learned was “if Barry can fall and get back up, so can I.” D.C. businessman Joe Johnson told me that he and “MB,” as close friends called him, spoke hours before the Ward 8 councilman collapsed and died. “Marion was upset about businesses not giving him enough money to buy turkeys for his Thanksgiving giveaway,” Johnson said. “[Barry] said, ‘Man, I got to get more turkeys’.”

Even to his last breath, Barry was more worried about others

killed in 2012.

So what is it? Why now? Why are cops drawing their guns in dark stairwells with no verified threat? Why couldn’t Darren Wilson arrest a flip-flop clad jaywalking alleged cigar thief without shooting him to death? Is it poor training? Is it low IQ cops joined with low hiring standards? Is it watching too many movies? Some even theorize it’s a backlash to President Obama.

Whatever it is, the problem has long needed political attention.

What is it about American police that in 2013, 461 people were shot dead by them? No other industrialized nation has a stat anywhere close to that. But the factually-challenged, led by Rudy Giuliani, who loves race games, are suddenly obsessed with Black on Black crime. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” former New York City mayor said, “Ninety-three percent of Blacks are killed by other Blacks.”

In 2011, 6,329 Black people were murdered in the U.S. – 93 percent by other Blacks. Whites kill each other at a similar rate.

There is little difference between the rate of Blacks and Whites because most homicide victims know their murderer. What Guiliani left out was the chances of being murdered in the U.S. are 1 in 19,000. The odds of dying of heart disease is 1 in 517.

That is not to say changes aren’t needed. Body cameras on all police officers, a Justice Department update of their racial profiling language for federal police, a federal investigation into local fines and St. Louis municipal government and an end to Pentagon program 1033 would be a start.

Lauren Victoria Burke is a freelance writer and creator of the blog Crewof42.com, which covers African-American members of Congress. She can be reached through her website, laurenvictoriaburke.com, or Twitter @Crewof42 or by e-mail at LBurke007@gmail.com.

than himself.

As a personal example, he discovered my late mother’s name and her phone number on one of his many trips to the Northwest senior citizen apartment building she lived in. He phoned her so often to check on her health, that one day she asked, “Would you please tell Marion Barry to stop calling me?”

Once when I visited him in Howard University Hospital, he had all manner of tubes coming out of him and breathing machines hissing and blowing steam. Barry looked over to the panoramic picture window of the VIP suite, waved his hand across the landscape view and said, “How do you like my city I built?” I couldn’t help it; we both burst out in laughter. “Indeed, you did.”

In what would be my last broadcast interview with him earlier this year on the “Lyndia Grant: Think on These Things Show,” a hospitalized Barry was not expected to live much longer. News organizations all over town were dusting off his obituary. He, however, was preparing for his 78th birthday party.

“Hell, I got more than nine lives,” that self-assured, sly cat said referring to the 2010 HBO documentary “The Nine Lives of Marion Barry.”

Clearly he spent them all, but not without being a man of the people; indeed, “The People’s Prodigal Prince.”

Adrienne T. Washington is a veteran DC-based columnist who can be reached at awashingtonnote@aol.com.

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014

On HBCUs, President Gets Modest Scores

By Talib I. Karim Special to the AFRO

Come Support the

Nation’s #1 African American Newspaper

2014 Nielsen-Essence Consumer Report

The Afro-American Newspaper invites you to participate in this year’s toy drive! With your help we hope to grant many children their holiday wishes.

Toy Drive Events: Friday Dec. 5 6pm to 9pm

Friday Dec. 12 6am to 10am

Colin’s Restaurant, 3653 Offutt Rd., Randallstown

AFRO Headquarters, 2519 N. Charles St., Baltimore

Wednesday Dec. 10 6pm to 8pm Phaze 10 885 N. Howard St., Baltimore

Friday Dec. 12 6pm to 9pm

Hosted by The Friday Night Bunch

Hosted by Radio One – WOLB, Larry Young Morning Show

Hosted by The JUGS and the Baltimore City Pinochle Bugs

Colin’s Restaurant, 3653 Offutt Rd., Randallstown

We collect new, unwrapped toys for ages 0-12 in original packaging.

Please visit the next Toy Drive Event or drop off donated items at the Afro American office, 2519 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21218.

THANK YOU

for making this holiday brighter!

money for [financial aid] Is the first African but we make [it] harder to American President investing get,” notes Carter. He points enough in Historically Black to the 2011 changes in the Colleges and Universities Parent PLUS loan program, (HBCUs)? The answer is which was a vital source of not really, say researchers HBCU funding. Under the and advocates who see rule change, parents who HBCUs as the best resource had “charge-offs” and debt for addressing the nation’s accounts that were under shortage of well-trained collection for the past five science and technology years were excluded from workers. the program. This resulted The National Association in a loss to HBCUs totaling for Equal Opportunity in over $160 million. To the Higher Education (NAFEO) Courtesy Morehouse College Administration’s credit, the points out the following: PLUS loan rule change was President Obama at 2013 Morehouse College • HBCUs are just 3 percent Commencement. largely reversed last month of American colleges and due to the public outcry led universities, yet they produce by the Congressional Black 40 percent of the nation’s Caucus and HBCU presidents.

African Americans STEM The Obama degree graduates; administration’s new higher •HBCUs make up nine education accountability rules of the top 10 colleges for have also drawn criticism graduating African Americans from HBCU advocates. They who later earn a Ph.D. in say the rating system tying Science or Engineering; and a college’s eligibility for •HBCUs account for federal financial aid dollars four of the nation’s top 10 producers of African American to retention and graduation could negatively impact HBCUs. physicians.

These institutions train a disproportionate share of students Given this data, it’s clear that “As a nation and in the with less preparation and money needed to stay in school and states our investments of our tax dollars do not reflect graduate. these outcomes, or the centrality of HBCUs to the nation’s Carter also notes that our first African American president education, economic, excellence and diversity goals,” says has “…no one on his cabinet, no one in his inner circle, with NAFEO Executive Director Lezli Baskerville. any ties to or experience with Black colleges.”

At the beginning of his administration, President Obama While acknowledging these criticisms, supporters of the announced an ambitious goal to increase the nation’s Obama Administration point to high profile HBCU advocates population of college graduates from 40 percent to 60 percent within the Department of Education including Dr. George by 2020. This translates into over 13 million more young Cooper, past South Carolina State University president, and people earning associate or baccalaureate degrees. NAFEO Dr. Ivory Toldson, a former Howard University professor and expects that slightly over 1 percent of these new college grads editor of the Journal of Negro Education. Both lead the White (167,000) will come from HBCUs. House Initiative on HBCUs, among others.

And while this may be a small number, even to hit this These HBCU supporters within the Obama Administration mark, HBCU students will need more in the way of federal recently got a key ally in the form of Congressman Bobby and state student financial aid. Critics like Jarrett L. Carter Scott (D-Va.) who last week became the leading Democrat from the HBCUDigest.com said the Obama administration on the House Education Committee, with direct oversight has actually made it more difficult for HBCU students to get for federal HBCU funding. While a graduate of Harvard and money for college.

Boston College, Scott represents Hampton University and “[The Obama administration says we] will give you more three other HBCUs.

“…HBCU students will need more in the way of federal and state student financial aid.”

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December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014, The Afro-American

in Baltimore City

Charles Owens and granddaughter Brittany Brown

With the theme, “Giving Thanks, Moving Forward and Looking Back,� Macedonia Baptist Church celebrated its 140th anniversary honoring former pastors, sharing a brunch where the Rev. Jimmy Baldwin was the preacher and hearing a spirited word, Nov. 23, from the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Rev Jimmy Baldwin, Sr. Pastor, Rev Dr. Darron D. McKinney, Sr. Pastor and Dr. A.C. D. Vaughn

Photos by J.D. Howard

Rev Dr. Alvin Hathaway and First Lady Kathleen B. Hathaway

Celebration in Song, Psalmist Paula Huggins, First Mt. Olive Freewill Baptist Church

Celebration in Dance, Mr. Torens Johnson

Rev. Arlene E. C. White History Maker, First Ordained Woman Preacher of MBCBC

Macedonia Music Ministry, Derrick Thompson, Director

Buffet line

Joy Johnson, Nancy T. Thomas and Ronnie Thomas

Rev Jimmy C. Baldwin, New Shiloh Christian Community Church, Guest Speaker

Treasurers Dance Ministtry

Wendy Gordon, Mildred Taylor and Lisa White

McNair Taylor, Paula Abid and Aliyah Abid Praising time with Rev Al Sharpton, guest speaker

Macedonia Baptist Church Deacon Board

Rev Jimmy Baldwin and First Lady Charlene Baldwin

Female Usher Board Marching

Vikki Graham, Sherrel Taylor and Ruby M. Lee

Ryan Turner and Billie Jo McKinney

Deaconess LaVerne Holland, Chairperson

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014

“The man, who wants a garden fair, or small or very big, with flowers growing here and there, must bend his back and dig. The things are mighty few on the earth that wishes can attain. Whatever we want of any worth, we’ve got to work to gain. It matters not what goal you seek its secret here reposes. You’ve got to dig from week to week to get results or roses.”

Edgar A Guest “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 “When you been blessed it’s like heaven” “Some enchanted evening” was how friends and family described the impromptu celebration of James “Peck” Bogans birthday as they dropped past his home unexpectedly on his birthday. Peck was overjoyed as one by one neighbors, family and friends remembered his birthday.

“Ain’t no party like an old school party cause an old school party don’t stop” By nightfall, an old school party had developed as daughter Berice and granddaughter Auvea played the music.

“A good man will see something new in a woman every day, but each day it will make him feel the same way he did the first time he saw her.” Ash Sweeney “You bring me joy.” The look of love when Peck suavely took the hand of his bride of 53 years and smoothly danced across the floor.

The night was truly a moment to remember.

“The Pride of Baltimore” The rainy night didn’t dampen the spirit of the standing room only crowd at Grammy nominated Baltimorean Maysa Christmas CD release party hosted by Phaze 10 owners John Carter, Tony Randall and William Hudson. Guests grooving to Maysa’s smooth sounds were Pamela Ms. Maybelle” Leak, Jean Powell, Alice Taylor, Freddie Vaughn, Michelle Mitchell and WEAA, radio personalities Ernestine Jones and Doressa Harvey. Karen Miller and Marsha Jews coordinated the evening as guests enthusiastically purchased personally signed CD featuring old standard and jazzy Christmas songs a must have during the holiday.

Baltimorean Shawn Carter Peterson son of Harold Peterson was the featured star with opening credits on NCIS New Orleans. Shawn graduated cum laude from Vassar College with a dual degree in Drama and Africana Studies, an actor and producer of The Host, Hannah Montana: The Movie and The Untitled Bob Marley Project has appeared in several prime time shows including McDonald commercials.

Shawn’s wife Sy Smith is currently touring with Chris Botti.

Congratulations to Pamela “Ms. Maybelle” Leak, recipient of Doni Glover ‘s BMORENEWS Black Wall Street award for her contribution in entertainment The Horseshoe Casino lives up to its advertisement as an entertainment center. The restaurants and food court are diverse in their menus and provide plenty of seating for guest

who are not enticed by the bells, lights and whistles but want to experience Baltimore’s entertainment attraction. It was great seeing WJZ personality Marty Bass with his wife Sharon out for the afternoon with his motherin-law relishing the scene. Marty a Baltimore icon is not a gambler but was enjoying the food from the different venues including Mallow Bar, an African-American owned establishment and the pizza shop where guests build their own pizzas and many more.

Gian Marco, Ruth’s Chris, Colin’s and Prime Rib were among the restaurants and shops that donated over 100 items for the Kappa Silhouettes Jazz Brunch hosted at Forum Caterers. Sen. Nathaniel McFadden received the Rising Star award presented by the Silhouettes. Guests of the event, chaired

by Freddie Vaughn, included the Honorable Sheila Dixon, Dr. Vallen and Michelle Emery, Dean and Mert Evans, Jackie Brock, Betty Greene, Phil Strambler, Donna Galmore, Lexie, Mildred Harper, Victor Green, Liston George, Ann Parker, Darlene and Robert Williams, James and Jackie Massey and Jackie Richardson, Celebration time come on! Happy birthday to my daughter Lisa Lee Packer, Darren Henson and John Lee of Zenith Hospitality.

Be Mo Jazz and Dollie Owens and Vernard Gray present Holiday Jazz Jam Featuring Craig Alston, Warren Wolf, Alex Brown, Romeir Mendez, John Lamkin III, Dec. 27 at Caton Castle. For tickets www.BeMoJazz.com.

“Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.” Edgar Degas Rest in Peace Annie Lee. Your faceless artwork depicting the everyday life of “people like us” ushered many into their first foray into the art world. How many of us related to “3 no trumps”, “cleaning chitterlings” or “did I burn you baby.” One of her well known paintings is “Blue Monday.” I know you just glanced at your picture. Thanks Annie Lee for showing us how to embrace our culture through art.

“I find my life is a lot easier the lower I keep my expectations.” Bill Watterson A friend commented that the year was over and he had not reached any of the goals he had set at the beginning of the year. I said I reached all my goals; he said, “Val how did you do that?” Easy I don’t set any goals.

Everything I do in life is a goal obtained with no expectations, stress or disappointment. I never say I’m going to lose weight because I would concentrate so hard that I would gain and then be disappointed so I just try to live a healthier lifestyle. In life, we have expectations about what we want to achieve; try living life by doing the things that you want and in doing so you will obtain your goals. As for me, I have only one expectation and that is for my beer to be cold because that’s how its advertised, “ice cold beer”.

Pray for Ferguson as we live “by any means necessary.” Malcolm X

HBCU NEWS HUD Secretary Julián Castro to Address Morgan’s December Grads Morgan State University President David Wilson has announced that Julián Castro, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will address Morgan’s graduates at the December 2014 Commencement. This will be the second December graduation in the University’s 147-year history.

Castro, the 16th secretary of HUD, commands a $46-billion budget of an agency with 8,000 employees.

He was sworn in on July 28, 2014. President Obama has described Castro as, “a proven leader, a champion for safe, affordable housing and strong, sustainable neighborhoods.”

In 2010, he was selected as one of Time Magazine’s list of rising stars in American politics and placed on the World Economic Forum’s list of Young Global Leaders.

Julián Castro is an attorney who has Morgan’s December 2014 served not only as a member of the Commencement is scheduled city council in his hometown of San for December 19th at 10:00 a.m. in the Antonio, Texas but also as that city’s Murphy Fine Arts Center’s Gilliam mayor. During his term as mayor, Castro Concert Hall, 2201 Argonne Drive on the is credited with refocusing attention on University’s South Campus.

San Antonio’s downtown and center city district, producing new investment from the city’s private sector and producing over 2400 new housing units.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

The Afro-American Newspaper family

Mrs. Santa Donation Form

is helping to grant a wish for the most vulnerable. Would you like to help a child create memories that will last a lifetime? For many disadvantaged families, you can turn dreams into reality by participating in the Mrs. Santa Holiday Charity Drive. o I want to join the AFRO’s spirit of giving.

Please accept my contribution of $___________ to benefit a less fortunate family.

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December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014, The Afro-American

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ARTS & CULTURE

Tavis on Repositioning Dr. King as a Revolutionary

By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO Tavis Smiley is the host and managing editor of “Tavis Smiley on PBS,” and “The Tavis Smiley Show” from Public Radio International.

He is also the author of 16 best-selling books. Here, he talks about his latest opus, Death of a King.

Kam Williams: Hi Tavis, thanks for the time, brother.

Tavis Smiley: Always nice to speak with you, Kam. KW: I have lots

of questions for you from readers. Attorney Bernadette Beekman says: I know that your book deals with the last year of King’s life when the tide was turning against him, such as the Black Panthers, Ralph Bunche, and others in the movement. Now, Dr. King is viewed as a martyr.

Was it difficult for those still living to now speak negatively about King?

TS: Good question, Bernadette.

Now that he is a dead martyr, rarely do people speak

Book Review

negatively of him. My point is that it’s easy to celebrate and applaud dead martyrs. The problem is that when King was here and in our faces, and talking about inconvenient truths, like what he called the triple threat facing our democracy--racism, poverty and militarism—everybody turned on him. Yet, 50 years after his assassination, what do we see when we look at Ferguson, Missouri? Racism, poverty and militarism! We have deified King in death, so it’s easy for people to say nice things about him now. But in life, we demonized him.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: Do you have any interest in entering politics?

TS: Let me put it like this, “N, O, NO!” And put that in caps.

KW: Harriet PakulaTeweles says: An historical biography of the last year of Dr. King’s life, no matter how beautiful a tribute, is it really what we need to read now to get it right?

TS: Absolutely! The answer’s “Yes,” because we come to know who we really are in life during the dark and difficult and desolate days of our journey. If you think you respect and revere Dr. King, wait ‘til you read this book.

You’re going to feel that way even more so afterwards, because you’ll get to see how he navigated the most difficult period of his life, the last year of his life when everybody turned against him.

That’s what fascinates me about him. After reading this

KW: Patricia says: You quote Dr. King asserting that “Our nation is sick with racism, sick with militarism, sick with a system that perpetuates poverty.” If Dr. King were still alive, what do you think his assessment of present-day America would be?

TS: Excellent question!

He’d pick up right where he left off, talking about that triple threat of racism, poverty and militarism. Even in the era of the first black president, racism is still the most intractable issue in this country. Regarding poverty, half of all Americans are either in or near poverty.

Poverty is certainly worse for African-Americans now than it was during King’s

book, you’ll have a different appreciation of Dr. King.

It’s important to see him in his full complexity, and be honest about the fact that we help to kill King because we abandoned him. And once we abandoned him, we isolated him, which made it easy for someone to assassinate him. It was a three-step process.

lifetime. And there’s a highway into poverty, but barely a sidewalk out. This is not a skill problem, it’s a will problem, and King would be challenging us about the lack of our will to eradicate poverty. On militarism, the growth of the Military-Industrial Complex has been exponential since his assassination. If he were here now, he’d have a strong critique of the American empire’s militaristic approach to the world. And frankly, he’d have a strong critique of the Obama administration on its use of drones.

KW: Chandra McQueen says: This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Do you think Obama is as deserving of his?

TS: I want to be as charitable as I can be, here.

It’s been very difficult, sometimes heartbreaking to watch this war President with a Nobel Peace Prize, navigate his presidency.

KW: Have you considered having some of Smiley Books translated into other languages?

TS: We’ve translated some, but we could do more.

KW: Vassar professor Mia Mask asks: What’s up with your campaign against

Obama? Isn’t it somewhat self-serving? What, if anything, have you and Cornel West accomplished with your public criticism of the President?

TS: I am not engineering a campaign against Obama.

My work and witness is about holding our leaders accountable.

KW: Kyle Moore asks: What has to be done to change to the political stalemate we see in Washington?

TS: We need to elect leaders who understand that leadership is about loving and serving people, not about selfadvancement.

KW: Thanks for another great interview, Tavis.

TS: Thank you, Kam. I look forward to reading it.

The Light of Truth: Writings of an Anti-Lynching Crusader

By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO

“Ida B. Wells was born a slave in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862. After beginning a teaching career to support her orphaned siblings, she moved to Memphis to become a journalist…

In 1883, she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a train, an experience that she chronicled in her first published piece. Though Wells achieved success as a writer, editor and even co-owner of a newspaper, her greatest accomplishments came after the lynching of a close friend in 1892 spurred her into a lifelong anti-lynching campaign.

She published powerful diatribes against lynching, leading to death threats and forced exile in the North… Wells devoted the rest of her life to civil rights, publishing widely and delivering impassioned speeches.”

–Excerpted from the Introduction (page i) Over 70 years before Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus, Ida Wells was similarly arrested for refusing to surrender her seat on a train to a white person. Wells survived the ordeal and was eventually inspired to embark on an impressive career as an eloquent advocate on behalf of African-American civil rights.

Her specific focus was lynching. After all, the practice went unpunished for over a century during which not one white person was ever tried, convicted and executed for employing that brand of vigilante justice against any of the thousands and thousands of black men, women and children victims. Edited by Mia Bay and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Light of Truth is a collection of Ida’s fiery essays, culled from her early writings.

“…Ida recounts case after case in which a rush to judgment led to a gross miscarriage of justice.”

In a professional and persuasive journalist tone, Ida recounts case after case in which a rush to judgment led to a gross miscarriage of justice. For example, in Selma Alabama a “colored man named Daniel Edwards” was hung from a tree and riddled with bullets as a “warning to all Negroes that are too intimate with white girls.” Truth be told, he had secretly dated the daughter of his employer for over a year until the scandalous relationship produced a biracial child.

Another entry discusses the details of the 1892 lynching in Quincy, Mississippi of five African-Americans merely on suspicion of poisoning a Caucasian, despite their already having been declared innocent by the local coroner. In this instance, Ida chastises white Christian ministers for failing to give the matter “more than a passing comment” in the pulpit. She goes on to cite the slayings as “proof of the moral degradation of the people of Mississippi.” And so forth.

A debt of gratitude is owed Ida Wells for preserving for

posterity a host of illustrative examples of racist mobs bent on satiating their bloodlust by visiting violence on the bodies of blacks in vile fashion without any concern about guilt or innocence.

INVITES YOU AND A GUEST TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING

EMAIL: CUSTOMERSERVICE@AFRO.COM TO REGISTER TO WIN TICKETS! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Supplies are limited. One pass per winner. Each pass admits two. Seating is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Employees of all promotional partners and The Afro American are not eligible. All decisions are final.

IN THEATERS CHRISTMAS DAY!

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014

Idris Elba Releases Music Album Inspired

by Nelson Mandela

By Jonathan Hunter Special to the AFRO When Idris Elba played Nelson Mandela in “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” in 2013, the role inspired the actor/singer to make a newly-released music album.

According to the Associated Press, “Idris Elba presents mi Mandela” is a 14-track project released on Elba’s own 7wallace label that outlines an uplifting journey inspired by Mandela and his late father. The album features South African rhythms and styles that includes Kwela, Mbube, Marabi, Mbaqanga and Marabi.

Elba wrote most of the album with just a keyboard and laptop during the taping of “Long Walk to Freedom” in Johannesburg. While Elba spearheaded the venture, the album is a collaboration with other artists including the Mbaqanga group Mahotella Queens, producer Aero Manyelo, and British actor-singer Shaun Escoffery.

Elba has close roots in Africa; his father is from Sierra Leone and his mother is from Ghana. Elba’s parents later moved to London, where Elba was born.

Hip Hop Corner

Integrating into a Burning House

By Jineea Butler NNPA Columnist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last conversation with Harry Belafonte echoed in my head as I watched the Ferguson aftermath send the country in a tailspin: “I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply. We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know we will win. But I have come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house. I’m afraid that America has lost the moral vision she may have had.

And I’m afraid that even as we integrate, we are walking into a place that does not understand that this nation

needs to be deeply concerned with the plight of the poor and disenfranchised. Until we commit ourselves to ensuring that the underclass is given justice and opportunity, we will continue to perpetuate the anger and violence that tears the soul of this nation. I fear I am integrating my people into a burning house.”

Burning house? What was the burning house Dr. King was referring to?

Does the burning house resemble Ferguson, Mo.?

Does it resemble Officer Darren Wilson’s testimony rationalizing why he killed Michael Brown? America is the burning house. And it’s still on fire. A negative narrative is being scripted around Black men aimed at destroying any positive perspectives of our identity as a people and how we conduct our lives. Images of professional football players punching and dragging their women, abusing their children not to mention America’s favorite Dad is being publicly crucified for allegedly drugging and sexually abusing a host of

women while we see young Michael Brown viciously push a store owner moments before he is gunned down.

According to the latest count, people in 170 cities protested the grand jury decision not to indict

of violence and looting.

We know the freaks come out at night. Christmas is right around the corner.

Why would you bait the disenfranchised who see no reason to care about the life and well-being of others

“I’m afraid that America has lost the moral vision she may have had.”

–Martin Luther King Jr. Officer Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown three days before Thanksgiving. Thousands across the country took to the streets and expressed how they felt in the wake of the decision. The city of Ferguson experienced two nights of civil unrest after a nighttime grand jury announcement on Nov. 25.

I believe the announcement was unnecessarily delayed to provoke the citizens of Ferguson, providing the match to set off the fuse

when no one seems to care about them?

Do you think there was no strategy in place when the state of Missouri deployed the National Guard? They used their manpower to protect the federal buildings and areas they deemed no looting zones. Meanwhile they sat back and watched many protesters throw a pricey tantrum in the affected community. Live on TV. This was a chance to intensify the circumstances of Darren Wilson’s experience with Michael Brown. “Look at

what they are capable of. If they are doing that to their own community, what do you think they would do to you?”

Then we finally meet a calm Officer Wilson on television as he publicly shares his version of events for the first time, He was obviously coached to describe his encounter as if he were the store owner we all got a visual of Michael Brown pushing and taking cigars from. In his interview, he said he felt like a 5-year old attempting to restrain Hulk Hogan. No officer Wilson, the store owner looked like a 5-year old next to Hulk Hogan. You are 6’4, Michael Brown was also 6’4.

Darren Wilson’s legal team exploited images of Michael Brown’s altercation in the store. At the end of the day, Darren Wilson acted out of fear and cultural stereotypes that led him to believe his life was in imminent danger, if he indeed felt that. A 1985 Supreme Court decision places certain limitation on the use of deadly force.

It is approved for use only

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when the officer reasonably believes that the action he or she is about to take is in defense of human life.

This takes us back to the burning house. Where do you think people form their opinions of us? Is it not in our music, our behavior, our way of communication, our style of dress? Is it not because of our dropout rates, Black on Black crime, images on TV? Regardless of what is fair, this is why the police are quick to pull the trigger and get away with it. Let’s come up with a pro-life strategy that protects our children and pushes our community to change those images and behaviors so we don’t always get left out and let down.

Jineea Butler is founder of the Social Services of Hip Hop and the Hip Hop Union is a Hip Hop Analyst who investigates the trends and behaviors of the community and delivers programming that solves the Hip Hop Dilemma. She can be reached at jineea@ gmail.com or Tweet her @ flygirladyjay.

December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014, The Afro-American

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SPORTS AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff

Can Oklahoma City Still Make the Playoffs?

“And the Beat Goes On and On…” It doesn’t seem like I am going to get away from my Pop’s story for a while, so I am going to ask you to jump on board and enjoy the ride. The last time we met, Sam was smirking over my discomfort while treating a skinned knee I acquired trying to outrun a street light that was about to determine my curfew. That curfew was just a part of growing up in the household of Sam and Alberta.

“I think it is time to show you the softer side of Sam Lacy.”

I think it is time to show you the softer side of Sam Lacy. I was a cast member in an Operetta at school. The play was ‘The Captain of the Guard,” and I was to wear a sword. My cousin Raymon had been a Cadet Commander and had a sword he used in that role. I borrowed this sword with the promise of returning it in good shape.

Being a knucklehead, I enacted a scene from one of the swashbuckling movies with another knucklehead who was in the play. I was Captain Blood and Robin Hood rolled into one. The swords clanged, the blood in our veins flowed and then all of the make-believe heroics came crashing to the ground. The sword broke. I am not going to say I had an accident in my pants, but it was a nearmiss.

I usually have a cool head under duress, but this time I was in full panic mode. I gathered the pieces and ran home. On the way, I thought about one of my neighbors, Mr. Neff. He seemed to be a pretty resourceful dude (little did I know he was also a stool pigeon). He said he would work on my problem—I didn’t know that this meant dropping a dime to my pop. At any rate, Sam picked up a new sword on his way home. No punishment, but I had to work it off. While working to pay for my stupidity, I could hear Sam Cook’s “That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang.” This was Sam’s way of making a point.

Point well taken.

On our block there was an alley. This alley was shaped like an elongated “C” and we took advantage of every inch. One end of the alley came out on the upper portion of the block, the other end came out on the lower end, and we played in it from coast to coast. There was a vacant garage we used as a club house, and if that garage could talk I would still be serving a life sentence at San Quentin.

Back in the day there were hucksters who were part of the landscape. These guys would come through the neighborhoods with their horse-drawn buggies loaded with fruits and veggies. They would sing out to let the neighborhood know they were in the block, and the women would come to the back door to make their purchases. On this day we heard one coming and hid in the club house until he passed. As he passed we sprinted out of the garage to board the wagon from the back and unload a little fruit. As I caught up with the wagon Mrs. Wilson raised her window and hailed him. He stopped and I ran into the back of the wagon. Not only was I busted, but I had a knot the size of a boiled egg on my forehead.

As I arrived home, Sam was standing there with the phone in his hand. I heard him say, “Okay, Mrs. Wilson, thank you.” He turned to me and said, “Why don’t you sweep the back porch to burn off some of that energy?” I really got off light, but I guess my pop was remembering his days as a juvenile delinquent. That was Sam, hard but fair.

By Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley AFRO Sports Writers At 5-12, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in a dangerous position. The absence of stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant pushed the Thunder into their worst start since the 20082009 season, when the team ended November with a 2-16 record. The Dallas Mavericks won 49 games last season and still had to fight off competition to break into the playoffs as an eighth seed. Unfortunately for the Thunder, the Western conference is off to another hot start and a similar race for the final playoff berth could come down to a team with wins in the high 40s.

With little room for error, OKC would need to play close to .700 basketball the rest of the way to even have a chance to make the postseason.

With the timetable for Durant’s return still very cloudy and Westbrook’s return from a broken thumb still a work in progress, can the Thunder make the playoffs this year?

Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley debate.

Green: If I’m in the front office for the Thunder, then I have to be seriously considering tanking the season to secure a high draft pick. The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are hovering around the final two playoff spots right now and they both have a .560 or higher winning percentage.

If either team can keep up that pace, they’ll finish with between 45 and 50 wins, making the Western Conference playoff picture a strong one. The margin of error is too small for the Thunder, and trying to scramble to make the playoffs in what’s shaping up as a lost year could result in added injury for Westbrook or Durant. Keep in mind that Durant is out with a foot injury, and those delicate

injuries need time to heal.

Rushing him back could have lingering effects that last into next season, and the last thing the NBA needs is another Derrick Rose situation.

Oklahoma should let Durant heal properly and snag a top pick to make a run next

year in Durant’s final year of his contract.

Riley: Considering that Durant only has two years left on his deal, it’s even more vital that OKC make this push now. Durant’s a great player and the Thunder can’t just assume that he’ll re-sign for another run. The future is never promised, so the Thunder need to continue to try to win games while he’s still under contract.

You can’t just throw away a whole season of an MVPcaliber player and hope that everybody comes back healthy next season. OKC is down in the conference, but with arguably two of the NBA’s top five players on the same team, there’s always going to be a window of opportunity for the team as long as both of those players are healthy. We haven’t even entered December yet, and there’s still a ton of basketball to be played. If Durant can hustle back from injury, then OKC could surge as the New Year comes.

Green: After a string of disappointing postseason finishes, it might be safe to say that we’ve already seen the best the Thunder have to offer.

We’ve seen them without Westbrook and we’ve seen them without Durant. We’ve seen them

without Serge Ibaka and we’ve even seen them healthy with all their pieces intact, including departed free agent James Harden. No matter which version of the team you’re looking at, they’ve all suffocated under the pressure of being a top unit and dealing with injuries and setbacks.

There’s no evidence to show that Durant and Westbrook returning from their injuries will suddenly catapult this team into a dominant position.

Even if Durant comes back firing, how much more damage can a bandaged Thunder team do compared to a healthy one? The twoman game of Durant and Westbrook still needs a few more pieces around it, and OKC could find themselves in a prime position to gain that piece with a high draft pick.

Riley: The two-man game of Westbrook and Durant has been enough to power the team to new heights over the last few seasons and, barring injury, those two would be enough to sneak them into the playoffs.

Things typically come full circle in the NBA, so don’t discount the idea of any of the current conference leaders coming down with the injury bug themselves.

The task is going to be a tall one for the Thunder, but with two superstars on the team any type of run is possible.

Thunder head coach Scott Brooks has to be feeling some type of heat at this point for not delivering more with the talent he has. Oklahoma City knows their time as a unit could be dwindling with Durant and Westbrook’s contract status up in the air, and the team won’t simply lay down without delivering a strong charge to make the playoffs.

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The Afro-American, December 6, 2014 - December 12, 2014

State Debates Folding Tax Credit For ‘House of Cards,’ Other Productions

By Dani Shae Thompson Capital News Service

Frank Underwood may be looking for a new base of operations.

Maryland tax credits worth millions have kept “House of Cards” in the state for three seasons, but a real-world budget crunch may mean Kevin Spacey — who plays the political villain — and rest of the cast and crew will head elsewhere.

A state legislative committee held a public hearing Tuesday on the feasibility of Maryland’s film production tax credit, most notably associated with the Netflix series.

Film productions are exempt from state tax when purchasing goods or services related to the production, but the state is reaping only 10 cents for every dollar it gives up, according to a report from the state’s Department of Legislative Services.

The report concludes that the credit does not promote long-term economic growth for Maryland and recommends that the General Assembly allow the film production activity tax to expire as scheduled on July 1, 2016.

Legislative Services staff members who contributed to the report were present at the meeting to defend their recommendations.

“The current funding amount is about $25 million (per year). But is that what optimizes economic benefits to the state?” said Robert Rehrmann, a policy analyst who contributed to the report.

Film production tax credits have become more popular in the last decade, with 37 states and the District offering some form of incentive in 2014.

Capital News Service Photo by Dani Shae Thompson

Robert Rehrmann, a policy analyst from the Department of Legislative Services, addresses the Tax Credit Evaluation Committee at the Maryland General Assembly on Dec. 2.

In a letter to Gov. Martin O’Malley last year, Charlie Goldstein, senior vice president of MRC Studios, which produces “House of Cards,” warned that if the show does not receive tax credits, they will look to film in another state.

In total for all productions, Maryland has provided or set aside $62.5 million in tax credits from fiscal year 2012 through 2016.

Supporters of the tax say the film industry promotes economic growth in Maryland by bringing in jobs and more local spending, and that we need to offer at least $25 million in

credits each year to be competitive with what other states offer.

“For many small businesses in the state, it has made the difference for keeping their doors open, the difference in hiring new staff, or the difference in making capital improvements to their property, ” said Hannah Byron, assistant secretary for the Maryland Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts.

While some small businesses are reaping the benefits, the Department of Legislative Services’ report estimates that Maryland is only getting a 10-cent return for every dollar

of tax credits provided to the film industry.

Byron countered that another independent study calculated a return of $1.03 — or 3 percent — on every dollar in credits, and that the Legislative Services report did not focus enough on indirect benefits of production, such as the potential for film tourism.

Still, the report has a few more criticisms, one being that 96.5 percent of all credits are going to only two productions — “House of Cards” and HBO’s “VEEP.” The report also points out that a few jurisdictions benefit much more than others, and also that the productions are short-lived and will not add any permanent benefit to the economy because jobs provided will be temporary.

Michael Davis, a scenery builder in Maryland for over 27 years, disagreed with this idea Tuesday in testimony before the committee.

“I worked on project after project, sometimes more than one at a time, and other times no work at all … and the pay is at least 30 percent more per hour and we will work 50 to 60 hour per week during a production,” Davis said.

However, Rehrmann reminded, the report shows less than one-tenth of 1 percent of Marylanders are employed by the film industry.

The decision on whether to extend or modify the current tax credit will have to be made by the General Assembly by July 1 and could be influenced by Gov.-elect Larry J. Hogan Jr. “We’ll take a look at (the report) and have something to talk about later … there’s one governor at a time,” Hogan said Tuesday.

Some Products Aimed at Kids May Be Dangerous, Consumer Group Says

By Madeleine List Capital News Service

BALTIMORE – Some of the innocentlooking children’s toys on America’s store shelves may be hiding something.

Many products aimed at kids are potentially dangerous, according to an annual report by Maryland PIRG, an independent, citizenfunded, public interest organization.

Despite a recent tightening of federal regulations on toy safety, companies are still importing and selling toys that contain high levels of toxic metals, pose choking hazards or produce excessively loud noises, among other dangers, according to the report.

Matthew Wellington, campaign organizer for Maryland PIRG, presented the report’s findings and focused on safety tips for consumers at a news conference at the Herman and Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore on Tuesday.

Wellington discussed a variety of toys, purchased online and from dollar stores as well as other retailers in Maryland, that Maryland PIRG researchers studied and declared unsafe.

“Some of the most dangerous hazards contained in toys are invisible,” Wellington said.

A set of play sheriff’s badges tested positive for lead, a neurotoxin that can lead to behavioral issues and lower IQ in children, Wellington said.

A toy tambourine contained a high level of chromium, a chemical shown to adversely affect health, he said.

But posing a choking hazard was the leading cause of toy recalls between 2005

and 2012, he said. Between 2001 and 2012, 96 children died from choking on toys, balls, balloons or parts of toys, according to the report.

Current regulations are not strict enough for toys made for children younger than 3, Wellington said.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission defines a “small part” as anything that fits inside a small cylinder with a 1.25-inch diameter and a depth ranging from 1 to 2.25 inches, according to the report. Federal law bans the sale of toys intended for children younger than 3 if they contain small parts, and mandates that toys with small parts carry an explicit choke hazard warning for children between the ages of 3 and 6, according to the report.

Kids can still choke on toys that pass the cylinder test, especially toy grocery items that may be mistaken for edible food, he said.

Consumers can test for choking hazards themselves when shopping for young children, said Dr. Dana Silver a pediatrician at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. If the product, or parts of the product, fits through a standard toilet paper roll, it may not be safe for children, she said.

“We say for children 3 and under, but the reality is, kids put things in their mouths,” she said. “I have a developmentally normal child who is 17 and he still puts toys in his mouth.

They just do it.”

Small, high-powered magnets, balloons and batteries also made the list of items that are dangerous if ingested by small children.

Wooden toys are often sturdier and less likely to contain harmful toxins, like lead, she

Capital News Service photo by Madeleine List

Balloons can cause asphyxiation, airway obstruction, aspiration and choking. Potentially dangerous toys were presented by Maryland PIRG at Herman and Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore on Dec. 2.

Capital News Service photo by Madeleine List Capital News Service photo by Madeleine List

Dr. Dana Silver, M.D., pediatrician at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore spoke at a press conference on toy safety on Dec. 2. said.

“They can be much safer for children than a lot of these plastic things that can break and only last a few days,” she said.

Some toys meant to be held directly to the ear produce loud noises that could lead to hearing damage, Wellington said.

Though products may comply with federal noise standards, a limit of 65 decibels for close-to-the-ear toys, Maryland PIRG finds many noise-producing toys are still too loud for kids, and the standards should be tightened, Wellington said.

The majority of toy-related deaths reported in 2013 were attributed to asphyxiation or choking, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission adopted a new rule in September banning the sale of small, high-powered magnets, which can be ingested and cause internal injuries.

The ban will take effect on April 1.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed in 2008 to raise toy safety standards.

Adrienne Appell, spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association, a nonprofit trade group, said federal regulations are fine the way they

Matthew Wellington, campaign organizer for Maryland PIRG, an independent public interest group, presented findings from the organization’s annual report on toy safety. are and consumers should feel good about the products on store shelves.

“The current regulations are in place for a long time, and they are safe,” she said.

About 80 percent of toys are manufactured abroad, but no matter where they are made, all toys must comply with U.S. safety standards before they are put on shelves, Appell said.

“We tend to find that around the holidays these groups needlessly frighten parents,” she said. “We want parents to feel confident when they walk into a store this holiday season that the toys they are buying are safe.”

Maryland PIRG’s press conference was postponed last week after a grand jury decided not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, in Ferguson, Missouri, Wellington said. The decision caused protests and unrest in Ferguson and across the nation.

“In response to the Ferguson decision, we just decided that it was not the most appropriate time to talk about toy safety,” he said. “We figured that people would be captivated by that and we decided that it wasn’t a good time to be talking about toy safety and shopping for toys with such an issue on the forefront.”

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Movie Review:

‘Top Five’

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic

Chris Rock recently hosted “Saturday Night Live.” During the show’s normal intro section, he did around 10 minutes of standup. One of the targets of his wicked humor was the new World Trade Center. He said he would never go in it. There were audible gasps, and a bit of controversy followed. Some weren’t amused that he had the audacity to say what people think. That’s the brilliance of Rock, who is a talented social satirist; he’ll say anything.

Top Five gives us a glimpse of that comic genius. Just a tad.

Andre Allen (Rock) is a hip New York-based stand-up comedian who has stretched his talents thin. He’s in a plethora of movies; none are particularly good, though they have brought him fame and fortune. His ladyfriend, Erica Long (Gabrielle Union), a gorgeous, sexy brownskinned woman with a blonde, two-tone weave, has a reality show, and Andre is a frequent guest. An impending filming of their marriage will put their fragile relationship to the test, on coast-to-coast TV. He lives in a fish bowl.

Rock’s script sets up the incessant turmoil of Andre’s life perfectly. You know something deep and meaningful is missing in his existence, yet you don’t feel sorry for the wealthy brotherman. A normal screenwriter/director would add just a couple of more characters to the soup. But not Rock. His script calls for an endless parade of cameos, from his own friends and acquaintances that turn the proceedings into a potpourri of New York Who’s Who and Who Cares.

Gabrielle Union and Chris Rock star in the comedy satire “Top Five.”

Fate brings a tall, lovely, headon-her-shoulders-right journalist into Allen’s life. She’s Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) and she’s writing a profile piece about the comedian. He’s reluctant at first. His agent (Kevin Hart) twists his arm.

Then almost instantaneously, Allen is smitten. Chelsea is everything Erica is not: genuine, smart and not playing to the cameras. Could she be the one that helps him find a more fulfilling life?

Over a 24-hour period, sequences on the red carpet, in the ghetto, the streets, fancy apartments, busses and bathrooms blend together like a drunken night spiraling out of control. It’s New York. Anything can happen, and it does. The overthe-top scenes peak with a miniorgy and Allen trying to manhandle two sexy, insatiable ladies. It’s the funniest scene in the movie.

As a director, Rock’s style is either controlled mayhem or he’s letting his cast run amuck.

Housewives of Wherever shows. Shallow, glamorous and add another pinch of shallow for good measure.

Saying Kevin Hart is manic as the agent, is redundant. He does frantic better than anybody.

Chilean cinematographer Manuel Alberto Claro was the Courtesy Photos D.P. on Lars Van Trier’s controversial sex drama Nymphomaniac: Vol. I. Maybe

An endless parade of headstrong comedians, movie stars, journalists and celebrities play to the balcony seats. They overpower the thin plotting. And the waytoo-talky script makes the movie feel like a play on wheels. If you get the feeling that this vanity project panders to a shallow, attention-deficit, reality TV-type audience, you’re not alone. But so what? You’ll laugh anyway.

Rock is solid as the comedian in turmoil, and he looks dapper.

Dawson is the kind of alluring actress most men wish they could date, and her Chelsea character has an equally come-hither persona.

Gabrielle Union’s Erica Rosario Dawson and Chris Rock is a synthesis of all the

that’s why the bedroom scene was so much fun to watch. Editor Anne McCabe (Maria Full of Grace) has OK timing; the laughs, outrageous moments and funny cameos come at the right times.

There’s a good chance this nugget of urban and urbane humor will find a laugh-starved audience this holiday season. But if Chris Rock truly wants to give his fans a holiday treat, he will film a new stand-up comedy concert and talk about: Police shootings. Global warming. Oil pipelines. Poll tax.

National healthcare. Immigration.

Or, even the new World Trade Center. It’s what he does best.

Visit NNPA Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.

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