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DEVOTED TO THE TRUTH-THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
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The Official Voice of the Church and Community “The Spoken Word Is Like The Air’ But The Printed Word Is Always There”
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Telling it Like it is! Volume 69 Issue 9
From Where I Sit See page 5
High Speed Rail: On Track See page 14 IOTA PHI LAMBDA SORORITY - PSI CHAPTER Page 10
Early Voting Runs Tuesday February 20-March 2, 2018 Primary Election Day Tuesday March 6, 2018 The Rev. Billy Graham, from North Carolina, who preached to millions in stadiums across the world, called crusades and a pastor to many presidents, a renowned Christian evangelist for more than 60 years, died this Wednesday at his home. He was 99.
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February 23, 2018
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CHURCH WOMAN OF THE MONTH Sister Angela Hudson
Greater Emmanuel Baptist Church I Thesddalonians 5:16-18 Favorite Song: “Sweet Sweet Spirit” & “In the Beauty of Holiness Pastor Rev. Burley Hudson President of Ministers Wives Vice President of the Women Mssion Married to Rev. Burley Hudson Favorite saying: “We serve an awesome God”
MINISTER OF THE MONTH REV. BURLEY HUDSON Greater Emmanuel Baptist Church 2110 E. 11TH STREET
Sponsor for Minister and Churchwoman of the Month
This Is Called The Mozelle Blair Special with LaShante Williams
By LaShante Williams I’m a big fan of packing wholesome lunches for my family. Avoiding processed food is one way to get the best nutrients. To do this in a significant way making a plan is key. And since we’re talking about our precious little ones - let’s be sure part of that plan includes some fun! You are not “depriving” your kids if you are not throwing in the highly processed lunchables or gummy fruit snacks other kids are bringing to school. In reality, you are providing them with a priceless foundation of good health, while also expanding their palates (far beyond PB&J) along the way. That’s not to say they won’t indulge in processed treats on occasion! You can find other ways to keep their lunches fun without all the unnecessary junk food. Kids (and adults) eat with their eyes first. Adding a couple food picks or colorful silicone muffin cups is a quick way to add some fun flair to a lunch! Try this Healthified Chicken Caesar Pitas Lunch Idea.
Lunch Idea; Healthified Chicken Caesar Pitas
SherriDoll Richardson 204 S. Cedar Ridge Dr. Duncanville, TX 972-709-4208
Blast from the Past
Ingredients 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4 oz each); 1/3 cup reduced-fat Caesar dressing; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 2 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce; 1/4 cup shredded carrot (1 small carrot); 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese; 2 whole wheat pita (pocket) breads (6 inch), cut in half to form pockets; 1 plum (Roma) tomato, thinly sliced Directions • Set oven control to broil. Brush both sides of chicken with 1 tablespoon of the dressing; sprinkle with pepper. • Place chicken on rack in broiler pan. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat 8 to 15 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Cool about 5 minutes. Cut into thin slices. • In medium bowl, toss lettuce, carrot and cheese with remaining dressing until coated. Fill each pita bread half with tomato and chicken; top with lettuce mixture. LaShanté Williams The Lifestyle Chef, A Fresh Approach Lifestyle Consulting SM Transformational Health Coaching, Personal Chef Services, and More Making Eating Nutritious and Unbelievably delicious! SM Phone: 214-766-2773 LaShantew@gmail.com
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Congresswoman releases statement on School Shooting in Parkland, Florida
WASHINGTON, DC – ConCongresswoman Johnson. gresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson “We have not been largely sucreleased the following statement after cessful in implementing meaningful the high school shooting in Parkland, reforms to our gun laws in over 20 FL, which claimed the years since the Brady Law was lives of more than 15 enacted. I do not believe that people: no single gun law will prevent “My thoughts and every shooting. However, prayers are with the there are solutions that can families and those reduce gun violence and save who lost their loved lives – for instance, addressing ones to yet another mental illness. We need to senseless act of gun discuss the types of mental violence, although health services provided for I recognize that those who pose a threat. In Congresswoman Johnson prayers without acmany prior incidents, it has tion means nothing been noted that the shooters to the victims and their families,” said have a mental illness and have made a
public cry for help. “Since I believe gun control policies alone will not stop mass violence, I have remained a strong supporter of mental health reform. We have learned that many individuals who committed mass violence either lacked or sought mental health treatment, but were unable to get the treatment they needed. My former colleague Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) and I were successful in passing legislation that implemented these measures in the 21st Century Cures Act, so I will remain a firm advocate in ensuring that those with mental illnesses have the care they need.”
The Road Map to Creating Wealth
By: Shelley Thrash
When we think about our financial status and how that effects our families and our legacy, we can’t help but to evaluate how or if we have made the right decisions to build wealth. Let’s talk about how you can do a self-examination and then make the necessary tweaks or changes if need be. The first is to understand the main concepts and what is the Wealth Formula. The concepts include understanding Rate of Return, Taxes and the various options to invest in. These are ways to grow your wealth through having a clear understanding where to place or invest your money and get the most out of it. When you understand how to play the game, you are empowered to make life changing decisions for you and your children’s children. Rate of Return is about the interest rate earned on your funds. Making sure that you are not losing, your money is protected and your current money is building new funds to the pot. Taxes as a focus is about making sure your choices are not causing you to pay money unnecessarily. You can take advantage of tax relief or minimize such expenses for yourself. The options are of importance to ensure you know if there is risk involved, if you have a minimum or maximum start up amount requirement and
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ensuring you have diversity of the locations or account types housing your funds. For example: Money Market Account, Certificate of Deposit, IRAs, Mutual Funds, Annuities, Stocks, Bonds and even Life Insurance with Cash Value. There are typically two types of people in the money game. They are Mr./Ms. Planner and Mr./ Ms. Procrastinator. The Planner typically thinks about saving, what their future will look like and actually executes a plan early on in life to save. The Procrastinator puts off saving to later on in life. Mr./Ms. Planner will not have to work as hard to save or contribute as much and Mr./Ms. Procrastinator. Below I am sharing a formula that’s very easy and provides a clear guide for anyone to understanding how to
Shelley Thrash determine their wealth level. Money + Time +/- Rate of Return – Inflation – Tax = Wealth Have you ever heard of “The Rule of 72”? 72 divided by the interest rate to determine how many years it will take for your money to double. Allow me to provide a numerical example to better explain it. You have $5000 in a Money Market Account. The rate paid is 4%: 72/4=18 years; It will take 18 years for the $5000 to double to $10,000. Why is this important for you to know? To ensure you understand how quickly or slowly your funds will have a return. This goes along with planning your future. These are a few tidbits to begin evaluating your finances to establish a plan to build wealth. http://www.wealthchics,com
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Columnists Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Kimberley Blair Pleasant
Contributing Writers Judge Brandon Birmingham Rikki Burke FeLisa Gambrell Alonda Price Kamesha Sheffield La Tonya Spencer Shelley Thrash Devoreaux Walton LaShante Williams Distribution Community Calendar: elite.calendar@aol.com Advertisement: dbabron.elite@aol.com Stories: elitearticles@aol.com elite.writers@aol.com elite.sports@aol.com
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Submission of all articles, ads, etc., are due every Monday by 5:00 pm. We except All credit cars. The views and opinions of guest writers and columnist do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher, and staff of the Elite News. Elite News is not liable for submissions are payments made to parties other than those authorized agents listed below: All checks and money orders made payable to Elite News shall be mailed to 5258 County Road 3110 Campbell Texas 75422. 214-372-6500. Accepting all major Credit Cards and Checks/Debit Cards.
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February 23, 2018
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BEAUTY
Love at First Try: Masking the Skin
By La Tonya Spencer
Facial Masks are the “Must Haves” to a perfect skincare regimen, basically anyone can benefit from adding a facial mask to your daily skincare routine, yes, men, including you. What concerns do you have with your skin? Dull and La Tonya Spencer dry, large pores, oily skin or aging skin, “selecting the right mask to address your
skincare concerns is essential for amazing healthy looking skin,” says La Tonya, a certified professional makeup artist. Pro tip: mask twice weekly for oily skin and weekly for dry, dull and aging skin. Selecting the right Mask to address skin concerns: ●Combination or Oily skin concerns Hottest buzz Charcoal Activating Mask benefits Gentle exfoliating agents absorbs oil and toxins from outer and below the surface of the skin Triple action mask deeply cleanses Reduce appearance of pores Reduce excess unwanted oil
Treat acne, great for spot treatments Improves skin texture ●Dry, dull or aging skin concerns Lifting Bio-Cellulose mask See visible lift in just two weeks
Benefits Mask increases skin moisture levels for 24 hours, after a single use More radiant, soft and smooth skin After 2 weeks of consistent use Skin looks lifted and firmed More luminous and younger looking skin After 4 weeks Appearance of fine lines, wrinkles reduced Next week’s Love at First Try Skincare 101: additional facial masks and Body care chollerway@marykay.com
Dressing for Success: How to Show Personality in Your Wardrobe Written By: Devoreaux Walton President & Founder The Poise Pursuit Contact Number: 214-509-7188 www.thepoisepursuit.com hello@thepoisepursuit.com
compared to work interview attire. Showing personality in your wardrobe is synonymous with wearing your personal style. When you intentionally select clothing, shoes and accessories to wear, it creates Your style is a way to your specific look - which repexpress your personaliresents your personal style. Your ty and creativity. Many personal style is an outlet for you people find it challenging, to communicate who you are to though, to show personothers. ality in their work attire. The first thing to consider when Although work attire is showing personality in your more conservative and wardrobe is what you want your professional, there are style to say about you. What is still ways to get creative in Devoreaux Walton your personality? Energetic? Laid what you wear to the office back? Creative? Assertive? Decide on a regular basis. Everyday work attire on the personality traits you want to exis an opportunity to be a bit more casual press in your wardrobe. This will guide the
clothing or accessory selections you make to express your personality. A great way to show personality in your wardrobe is to choose one clothing or accessory item in an outfit that will be the focus point and express your personality with that item. This piece is also known as the "statement item" in an outfit. This clothing or accessory item will, in a sense, make a statement in your outfit - it may be something with a bold color or interesting pattern. Ladies can have fun with statement clothing items, such as skirts, trousers, dresses, jackets, blazers, or blouses. Don't forget about all the accessory options! Statement accessory items can include jewelry, scarves, and watches. Gentlemen can have fun with statement
clothing items, such as trousers, sports jackets, button-down shirts, or socks. Statement accessory items can include ties, cuff links, pocket squares, and watches. A particular trend that has risen in popularity recently is dress socks in interesting colors and patterns. Many stores carry them both online and offline, making them easy to access. Your work wardrobe doesn't have to be boring! It should be professional, appropriate for your industry, and comply with the dress code at your company, but it can be fun and show your personality, too. By wearing an outfit that you feel comfortable and confident in, with one item that makes a statement, you can show your personality while dressing for success.
Make sure you thoroughly shampoo and condition your Tip #1: TAKE YOUR VITAhair. Massage the scalp to MINS stimulate blood flow to your Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, hair follicles. Apply condiFish Oil, Vitamin B5, Iron just tioner to the ends working to name a few. Using vitamins your way up, avoid your with biotin and collagen helps scalp. Conditioner to your your hair growth. Your hair scalp, causes you hair to needs good nutrition from look limp and greasy once Rikki Burke the inside to grow out. it’s dry. Detangle your hair ` Tip #2: SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER` with a wide tooth. You may leave it on for
15 minutes with a plastic bag under a heated dryer for a deep conditioner. Rinse with cold water in order to close hair cuticle, sealing in the moisture. Tip #3: STAY AWAY FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT When I say too much heat will cause all kinds of breakage, trust me it will! Too much of anything it bad for you! Lay off the curling tools, blow dryers, and flat irons. When using hot tools, remember to apply a heat protector. Tip 4: STOP OVER PROCESSING YOUR HAIR splits
Ladies, it’s important that we space out our chemical services. Chemical services should be done 6-8 weeks apart. Have patience, especially those who get a relaxer and hair color. Tip #5 CUT YOUR ENDS Cutting your hair ends promotes hair growth! Split ends only break your hair causing you to lose length. So, cut them. Healthy hair is thick from the root to the ends.
By Rikki Burke
5 TIPS FOR HEALTHY HAIR GROWTH
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Compiled By Sandra Crenshaw Date of photo: 1957 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with Ernest C. Estell at the 1957 National Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress at Memorial Auditorium Date of photo: Jan 4 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with, from left to right, H. Rhett James, Rabbi Levi Olan, and J. A. Stanfield, at Fair Park Music Hall for Voter Registration & Poll Tax Rally
Dallas 1963 By Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis Twelve 384 pages $28.00 TWELVE Sometimes, the nightmares come back in crystalline detail. A short, solid-looking man named Jack Oran, who now runs a small bicycle and motorcycle shop in Dallas, always remembers what happened to him in the concentration camps: He is pushing out of a bunk bed filled with six people. There is a dead man in the camp, someone whose pockets can be picked for scraps of moldy food. A piece of old bread, covered with lice, is on the floor and people are fighting for it. And then he is being summoned, one painfully gaunt man among hundreds, to see Dr. Josef Mengele—the Nazi monster at the Auschwitz death camp. Oran is castrated. No anesthetics are used. He is sewn up, blood is running down
From Where I Sit
his legs, and he is ordered back to work. He is certain his parents, his four sisters, and his brother have all been killed. Now it is 18 years later, and he is 39 years old. After the Russians opened the gates to Auschwitz, he found his way to the United States. He got a job as a dishwasher in the Jewish ghetto in New York City—and then followed the promise of jobs, and an American Dream, to Dallas. He met a woman and they adopted three children. He opened up his bike store—he was good at fixing things, working patiently on broken parts and putting them back together. He has been reading the papers, following what General Walker has been saying, what Reverend Criswell has been preaching, what H.L. Hunt’s Life Line program has been airing, and what The Dallas Morning News has been printing. In the paper, just a few days ago, there was a man from a Dallas suburb named Jimmy Robinson, someone swearing allegiance to an organization founded by an American who thinks Hitler was too lenient. Robinson had come out to protest against a preacher, Dr. King, who is professing equality—and love—as an alternative. Jack Oran has seen political extremism develop before. Although reticent to discuss his past, he decides that he should no longer be silent: That was the great failing in Europe—too many people were silent. He begins scheduling talks before local groups, to churches, to synagogues, to civic organizations, to veterans’ groups, to the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. He tells people how he came to have the death camp number 80629 scratched into his body and about how evil really does exist how hatred exists how it is allowed to fester and then it is fed by indulgence, by some sort of swelling fervor and hysteria. That is how it all begins—until all sense of humanity is ended. He has been speaking in public for several months now, telling his story. Each time he talks he is flooded with the same emotions and nearly breaks down. Some people hug him,
others are racked with tears. Some just bow their heads and pray. Be aware. There is hatred, extremism, and it is feeding itself like a fire. It is the way it began with the Nazis. Please don’t let it come to Dallas. It is Jan. 25, and it is near freezing, brutally cold. Oran is through with work, finally returning to his modest home. His neighbors like him; he is a dignified but friendly man. A few of them know his history, have seen his death camp tattoo. And a few realize that something is troubling him about Dallas, and making him feel obligated to do something he avoided for years. To talk in public, to address strangers, to warn people. As Oran pulls onto this street, there is a strange, unnatural glow coming from the direction of his house. There are wisps of smoke and dancing embers blowing over the grass and sidewalk. He stops and stares. Someone has jammed a giant wooden cross into his lawn and set it on fire. It is roaring, blazing, and people are coming out of their homes to see it, to gape at it. Oran is almost dizzy as he goes inside and calls the police. It takes days, but Oran finally learns that the police have picked up a suspect. His name is Jimmy Robinson, the same man who was leading the angry protest against King’s visit to Dallas. Oran learns that the man grew up in deep rural Texas and was drawn to Dallas only a few months earlier. Robinson defiantly, almost proudly, admits to the police that he set the large cross on fire at the Holocaust survivor’s house. He did it, he said, because he didn’t like
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what Oran was saying in his speeches. He pays a $10 fine and is released. Excerpted from the book DALLAS 1963. Copyright © 2013 by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis. Reprinted by permission of Twelve Books. All rights reserved. Get the latest Texas Observer news, analysis and investigations via Facebook, Twitter and our weekly newsletter. H. RHETT JAMES Obituary Condolences JAMES, THE REV. DR. H. RHETT Civil Rights Leader and Minister Dies The Rev. Dr. H. Rhett James died Sunday at the age of 75. Dr. James served as pastor at the New Hope Baptist Church for twenty-five years. During his pastorate, Dr. James shepherd the move of the church in 1968 from its North Dallas location to its present location in South Dallas. Dr. James taught at Bishop College for many years and retired from the Dallas Independent School District after having worked in various positions with the school district. Dr. James will be remembered as a civil rights activist, who, along with other courageous men and women, worked diligently to desegregate Dallas in the late 1950's and throughout the 1960's and 70's. He became president of the local chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. in 1962 and in 1965, he served as the first president of the Dallas N.A.A.C.P. Metropolitan Council of Branches, as president of the John F. Kennedy Branch and held that position from 1965-1977. During his
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February 23, 2018
Elite News Calendar February 23
Pete Schenkel Scholarships Deadline: Feb 23, 2018 Honoring its past Chairman Pete Schenkel each year, the State Fair of Texas awards multiple $6,000 scholarships to selected applicants who are graduating seniors from the following Fair Park-area high schools: Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, James Madison, Lincoln, North Dallas and Woodrow Wilson High Schools. Students must attend a college in Texas and maintain a good GPA.
February 27 EAST GATE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 2018 POLITICAL OFFICE CANDIDATE PUBLIC FORUM East Gate Will Host A Voter Education Forum For The March 2018 Primary Election For National, State, & Local City Management Office Positions Throughout Our Greater Dallas Community. Our mission is to provide a well-moderated platform conducive to intelligent and
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informed public discussion of politically important issues for the election of qualified candidates. Registered campaigning Candidates invited from Dallas County Elections 2018 ballot. MEDIA IS INVITED TO ATTEND, REPORT, AND/OR BROADCAST LIVE. WHAT: One-On-One Q&A Public Forum With March 6th Election Political Candidates. WHO: Pastor Kennedy Young, Jr. (Host) & Phyllis Arceneaux (Precinct Chair #3058/Host). WHEN: 6:00pm-8:00pm Tuesday 27th February WHERE: East Gate Missionary Baptist Church Ÿ 6960 S. Polk Street, Dallas, TX 75232.
On February 27, 2018 the 4th Tuesday Seminar will be discussing Disability Resources and Benefits For People with Disabilities and for Seniors at the Dallas Area Agency on Aging, 1341 West Mockingbird Lane Conference Center on the lower concourse. CEU’s are available. To RSVP or get more information, please contact Corina Castro at 214.954.4220 or ccastro@ccadvance.org. South Oak Cliff High School presents
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My Little Sister’s KeeperGuidance For Our Girls Thursday March 1, 2018 Time 9:00am Location 4949 Village Fair, Dallas, Texas 75224
Spring Summit presented by Southern Greens Community Outreach. The Summit is free for Teenagers ages 12—18, registration is required, The Summit will be held on March 10, 2018 from
for collaboration among responders in a community-wide disaster response.
10am-2pm at the Shiloh Church in Garland. https://www.southerngreensco. org
If you or you know someone who would like to attend all they need to do is register via preparing texas. org. The link to the class is: https://www.preparingtexas.org/ Roster.aspx?classid=892aa1df-6ebd497e-92db-73fdaa3765df
March 14-15 FREE Training: Community Healthcare Planning and Response to Disasters. Seats are going first. Upcoming training opportunity. Let’s fill the seats. Classes are scheduled for March 14-15 (8 am-5 pm). Hosted by LSU National Center for Biomedical Research and Training. This course provides comprehensive planning tools to mitigate impacts on communities during large-scale incidents and examines the need
February is Black History Month. Elite News celebrates
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“FALL IN LINE or FALL BACK”
By Kamesha Sheffield
Well guys as I conclude this journey you have been so willing to take with me, I can’t neglect to let you guys hear about my last and final interview with the subject at hand. I realized there was one question I neglected to ask her. I found myself sitting at home wondering, is this something she had to endure all on her own, was there anyone there for support, and if not just how did she manage to make it through all that she had endured on her own. Was there a special guy around? Well guys this was her response. She said, “I met what I think is the love of my life, someone who was in the ruff with me, someone who strengthened me when I felt worthless. However, the biggest problem with gaining back your worthiness is that you get stronger and stronger hoping that the person that aided you in your time of need will be there to watch you grow. Only sometimes this may not always end up as we wish. This growth sometimes CAUSES A RIFT between the “YOU” and ‘THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE”. This was something I could very well relate to. So then of course I asked her the hardest question of all “Do you believe that he will be willing to grow with you?” Her response in her exact words was “HE WILL EITHER FALL IN LINE or FALL BACK.” I responded by saying, “NOT EVEN I COULD HAVE SAID IT
Kamesha Sheffield BETTER. That left me wondering if it was really all that simple. She reminded me of a saying, “LIFE IS SIMPLE, WE MAKE IT COMPLEX”. I couldn’t help but laugh. What was ironic was I never recalled hearing her laugh throughout this whole JOURNEY. Even I was able to get something out of her experience. Sometimes God puts us in places but it’s up to us to take flight. Unfortunately that sometimes mean letting go of our past especially if our past is not willing to flow into our future in a positive perspective. Even I know how hard letting go can be. So I only hope that her story doesn’t end that way. I suppose I’ll check in on her somewhere down the line and see how she is doing, I’ll let you guys know when I do. kameshaford26@gmail.com
And Justice For All.
NEWS February 23, 2018
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I’m a dictator, and this is not democracy…
And Justice For All - A Column by Judge Brandon Birmingham, Presiding over the 292nd Judicial District Court, and Presiding Judge of the Felony District Courts in Dallas County. Join him on his Facebook Page – Judge Brandon Birmingham Every Friday LIVE at FIVE for “Fridays in Chambers,” a weekly video summary of what’s happening in the criminal justice system.
timization is through an app that includes the ability to send messages or pictures. More troublesome still is the fact that the content of some of the apps is automatically deleted after a certain amount of time, and unless you are a phone wizard with tools like the FBI has, you’ll never be able to see what was being said or sent. The apps are end less, but any app …As far as my that allows for any children are concommunication cerned. The averought to be conage citizen enjoys tinually monitored the right of priby the adults in the vacy in their cell home. If you don’t phone, and poknow which app Judge Brandon Birmingham lice can’t search it has these capabiliwithout a warrant. ties, ask the child or But my kids don’t other parents you know. And if you don’t have that constitutional right. I can search recognize an app, google it. And if you’re it whenever I choose. I’m Big Brother, and still not sure about an app, make the child I’m not going to apologize to them for it. delete it. Make clear, too, that these things are not negotiable. Some might say I am being harsh and overbearing, or that I should have more Share what you know and learn with other faith in my children to do the right thing. parents, too. Nothing wrong with sharing I do have faith in them. It’s the rest of the intelligence. Don’t allow the child to have world I am concerned about. I listen in the phone by themselves at night. Keep it Court and read a lot of search warrants, in your room, and have a rule that no call, and continue to see a new take on a recur- text or e-mail can be deleted without your ring theme in sexual crimes committed approval. And be diligent about checking against children: unmonitored access. It on things. Check as often as you can. I used to be that a predator would isolate the can tell you based on experience in these child from the parents and/or the child’s courts that it doesn’t take a long time for support system by finding ways to spend these predators to work. time alone. From the alone time with the child, they would gain the child’s trust, Let the constitution and it’s rights of prigive them extra attention, make them feel vacy work it’s magic outside them home. special, all in their quest to victimize the There’s no room for it in yours. child. The experts have long called this process “grooming,” and it is evolving. Brandon Birmingham Judge – 292nd Judicial District Court The words and techniques predators use Presiding Judge – Criminal District Courts Dallas County, Texas are still substantively the same, it’s just that 214-653-5882 the way in which they prey has gone digThis bench does not belong to me | It ital. Time and again, the genesis for vicbelongs to the people
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From Where I sit,
tenure, he hosted Dr. Martin Luther King in 1962, who spoke for the chapters annual voter registration drive in the Fair Park Auditorium. Among the other highlights of his career, he was founder, chief executive officer, and first board chairman of the Dallas Opportunities Industrialization Center, a national organization established by the late Rev. A. Leon Sullivan of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also on served numerous boards, including the boards of the Dallas Urban League, the American Baptist Churches of the South, the Visiting Nurses Association, the United Way of Dallas, and Childrens Medical Center. He graduated from Virginia Union University and held three masters degrees. In addition, he was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1981. He is survived by his four children: Gregory Michael of Arlington, TX, Cedric Dwight of Dallas, TX, Pamela Jones of Bloomfield Hills, MI, and Stephen Anthony of New York, NY, as well as six grand and four great grandchildren. He is also survived by three siblings, Alva James McNeal of Houston, TX, Dr. A. Lincoln James of Chicago, IL, and Dr. Allix B. James of Richmond, VA, and a host of nieces and nephews. Services will be held at the St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church this Saturday. Family Hour and Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Worship Service will begin at 10 a..m. The church is located at 4536 Philip Ave., Dallas, TX 75223. The cross streets are Haskell and E. Grand Ave. The Rev. Allen Madison will preside. A college scholarship will be established in his name at the Dallas branch of the N.A.A.C.P. branch. Published in Dallas Morning News on Mar. 19, 2004 AMES, HALLOIS RHETT Daniel J. Nabors JAMES, HALLOIS RHETT (1928–2004). H. (Hallois) Rhett James, African-American Baptist pastor, college professor, and Dallas civic leader, son of Samuel Horace and Tannie Etta (Judkins) James, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 1, 1928. As the son of a Baptist minister, James experienced the life of a nomad during his early childhood. After leaving Baltimore, the James family made stops in Topeka, Kansas, and Nashville, Tennessee, before finally arriving in San Antonio, Texas, in 1940. After graduation from Phyllis Wheatley High School in San Antonio, James attended Virginia Union University in Richmond, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and sociology in 1950. James returned to San Antonio for five years, where he taught elementary school, as well as at San Antonio Junior College. He also became the first African-American graduate student at Our Lady of the Lake College, where he received his master’s degree in education. In 1955 James returned to Virginia Union University
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to pursue his master of divinity degree, which he achieved in 1958. He also served as pastor of Moore Street Baptist Church in Richmond. In 1958 James moved to Dallas to become the head pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, a religious institution of great renown within Dallas’s African-American community. James served as pastor of New Hope Baptist until his retirement in 1986. His time as pastor was marked by prosperity and improvement, as James moved the church from downtown Dallas to a new half-million-dollar facility at 5002 South Central Expressway in 1968. In addition to a new locale, the church experienced an increase in attendance, the addition of a new educational building, and the establishment of new organizations such as the Men’s Progressive League, the Women’s Progressive Club, and the Commission on Youth. James was also credited with improving the teaching and worship programs, as well as instituting shrewd budget reforms. Although fully committed to his pastoral duties, James continued his pursuit of education as well. Immediately upon arriving in Dallas, he enrolled in the Graduate School of Theology at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. In 1961 James became the first African American to receive a master’s of theology from TCU. After graduation, he worked as secretary of a committee that aimed to move Bishop College from Marshall, Texas, to Dallas, which was successfully accomplished in 1961. James taught at Bishop from 1961 until its closing in 1981, serving as associate professor of history and social sciences. James was also in charge of Bishop’s federal grant programs, director of church relations, and director of continuing education. Just as Bishop College was closing, James was finishing a Ph.D. in history at the University of Texas at Arlington. After receiving his doctoral degree in 1981, Dr. James began teaching histo-
ry at UTA and became the first African-American professor at the institution. James also taught at Mountainview Community College and Austin College in Sherman during his teaching career. Although James spent a great deal of time in higher education, he also worked closely with the Dallas Independent School District, serving as a staffing specialist and teaching recruiter from 1987 to 1994. He was also assistant principal of Arthur Kramer Elementary in 1994. Although his educational commitments and pastoral duties would have been enough for many, James managed to carve out a notable civic and political legacy as well. When he arrived in Dallas in 1958, he served as the head of the educational committee for the Dallas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement Colored People; he served as president of the Dallas NAACP in 1962. James also made an unsuccessful run for Dallas school board in 1959, just as his predecessor at New Hope Baptist Church, Rev. Maynard H. Jackson, Sr., had done. Also following in Jackson’s footsteps, James fought the poll tax and the white Democratic primary, in an effort to give African Americans in Dallas a voice at the polls (see ELECTION LAWS). In addition to serving on the United Way board for nine years, James was also the first African American to serve as president of the Dallas County Community Action Committee. He gained some notoriety in 1961 for his picketing of H. L. Green Department store, as well as his effort to bring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to Dallas in 1962. James was also involved on the state and national level, especially during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. In 1960 James was an executive member of the Dallas John F.Kennedy election committee, and in 1961 he was the Dallas head of John Connally’s gubernatorial campaign, a job offer that Lyndon Johnson personally asked James to take. In 1963 James traveled to the White House to attend the Emancipation Proclamation Centennial celebration, and during Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 presidential campaign he was the assistant
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director of the state re-election committee. In 1965 James was largely responsible for bringing LBJ’s “War on Poverty” program to Dallas. Navigating local resistance to federal funding, James became the first African-American president of a “War on Poverty” office. James also served as president of the Opportunities Industrialization Center in Dallas from 1976 to 1983. His book, Audacity to Survive, was published in 1994. James married his wife Leora on April 15, 1949. Together they had one daughter and three sons. H. Rhett and Leora James divorced on November 7, 1991. He died in Dallas on March 14, 2004, leaving behind an impressive legacy that spanned the political, educational, and religious realms. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Dallas Morning News, February 17, 1985; March 19, 2004. Dallas Times Herald, December 18, 1962. “The History of the New Hope Baptist Church” (http://www.newhopebapt-dallas.org/nhbchistory3), accessed February 20, 2012. “H. Rhett James: an oral history interview,” Interview with Bonnie Alice Lovell, December 21, 2002: Goals for Dallas Oral History Project, Dallas Public Library, 2003. Smithsonian Collections Blog
Highlighting the hidden treasures from over 2 million collections Thursday, January 23, 2014 Discovering Rev. Rhett H. James: A lesser known civil rights leader Civil Rights Movement; Minister, Reverend. You might think of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., or if you listened in school, Reverend Ralph Abernathy, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, or Reverend C.K. Steele. We know these iconic figures of the Civil Rights Movement, and even the dates, cities, and events associated with them. Abernathy and the Montgomery bus boycott in the late 1950’s, C.K. Steele in Tallahassee, Florida, and Shuttlesworth and the infamous series of events in 1960’s Birmingham, Alabama. However, there were many other courageous men and women who played important roles within their communities. As an intern with the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, I have been honored to process and produce a finding aid for the papers of one of these many courageous men: Reverend H. Rhett James. Reverend H. Rhett James was an ardent pastor, educator, and community activist, who played a role in Dallas during the Civil Rights era. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 1, 1928 and he received his early education in the public schools of Topeka, Kansas, Nashville, Tennessee and San Antonio, Texas. After graduating from the Phyllis Wheatley High School of San Antonio, Texas, he enrolled
See Part Two, Next Week
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February 23, 2018
ELITE NEWS
The Brotherhood By James Durham
“Are You a Faithful Omega?”
By James Durham
“While this poem is about a Faithful Omega it can be applied to all organizations in our society. At its core, the poem speaks to commitment. I’d like to challenge anyone reading the poem to get back committed. Get back committed to God, get back committed to your marriage, get back committed to your community, schools, churches and organizations, and be blessed.” Says James Durham It wasn’t I? I made a decision in the past. To join Omega at last. The decision I made was from my heart. Time has passed, I’m not doing my part. What happened? Between now and then? Was I committed or just wanting to fit in? Oh!!!! Omega is the Best. Look, I still wear the letters on my chest. What have I done to help it grow? Pay dues, community service, meeting, mentoring… No! I am just a member who’s on the inactive roll. Has Dear Omega moved forward? “Heck, I don’t know.” What has happened to the fire in me? Don’t pay my dues, but wear
the letters, you that day. Would see. My house, hold high the office, car have aims, never stray. it all, cups glassOmega may be es, boards, key dying, yes, because chains, banners, of me. Would I be standing tails. I too busy for the James Durham funeral, you see? have grown and time has changed. There will come a I have a bond with those time when my children will on my line. Those are true say, “Dad, what happened brothers, you see. Where I to that organization you am now, they don’t underonce belonged to?” What stand me. Don’t have time will I tell them as tears swell for those games. in my eyes? Will it be truth Furthermore, what can or some small lie? Just tell “They” do for me? I have them it has dissolved. Bea family, job and business, cause I was too busy to be you see. involved- Author Unkown Yes, I made a promise on Jdurham19@hotmail.com
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YOUNG VOICES SPEAK
By Daphne Hornbuckle This year’s theme is “Young Voices Speak: -- Are We in Crisis? – Education/Black Lives/Beyond Puberty. In this day and age our youth are faced with many challenges and obstacles including bullying within the schools, violence within the community and adolescent peer pressure. We will hold a round table conversation with youth sharing and discussing issues affecting their environment on a daily basis. This free event is meant to encourage, inspire, and assist with awareness of some of the most crucial occurrences in the life of our youth. Ms. Brenda Napier, President; Ms. Juanda Wallace, Black History Chairperson; along with the members of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Psi Chapter welcome the attendance
of your youth and young adults as participants in this informative and timely event. Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. is a national business and professional women’s organization founded in 1929 that establishes and promotes civic and social service activities for youth and adults. Many of our national, regional, and local programs and projects are centered on youth. Career Exploration, Tutorial, Toy’s U Can’t Return, Future Iota Leaders (FIL), Mother’s Career Assistance, and Scholarships are some of our youth projects. For more information regarding our programs and projects, visit www.iota1929.org. Join us for this free event celebrating our Black History Month and the round table discussion with our youth. For more information, please contact Ms. Juanda Wallace via email: jjloud@flash.net or cell phone: 214802-8592.
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Marty Jo Taylor
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February 23, 2018
ELITE NEWS
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE! Please Help Me Reach My $500 Goal.
160th District Court DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY 2018
Vote Early Feb. 20 to March 2 Election Day Tuesday March 6
I am raising money for Cedar Hill Baseball 2018. Please help me reach my goal and support our cause in any way that you can. Donations: Donations will go towards the upgrading of equipment, field costs, travel costs and uniforms. Donations are vital for the success of this program. Sharing: You can also help by easily sharing this fundraiser out to your own network of contacts.Simply to go to the fundraiser page SNAP, Heath Harris invite@ snap-raise.com and choose a donation amount where you can learn more details and support the cause. Thanks for all of your help!
- Heath Harris
Pol. Ad paid for by Aiesha Redmond Campaign - P.O. Box 1252 Desoto, Texas 75123 - Lee Lemons, Treasurer
I've taken great pride in serving you the past 3 years and I hope to have your support as I seek re-election.
Re-elect JOHN WARREN Dallas County Clerk
March 6, 2018 Proven and Effective Leadership
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Re-elect
Judge Shequitta Kelly
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An ad ocate for people suffering with mental illness and addiction within the justice system!
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February 23, 2018
ELITE NEWS
High Speed Rail: On Track
My Day By Dr. J. Ester Davis
For decades we have heard about the ‘high speed rail’ transportation in Japan and China from students and various world travelers. Shinkansen Trains, Japan, are celebrating their 50th anniversary. The famed bullet train claims to be the world’s longest high speed rail. The Hayabusa is the fastest train in Japan with a maximum speed of 320km (200mph).
For nearly a year, I have been in constant contact with Nancy, a younger family member who lived in Japan for a year teaching English. She recently returned home to her beloved Houston and the next day returned to the University of Houston The Federal Railroad for advanced studies. Administration (FRA)has Nancy and her friends issued the Draft Envitraveled extensively over ronmental Impact StateJapan with ease via the DR. J. ESTER DAVIS ment(EIS) for the proposed acclaimed rail system Dallas-to-Houston High without incident. Speed Rail Project. Several years ago, I interviewed a This route, the first in the nation, will former Lincoln High School graduate connect North Texas and South Texas. who spent two years in China teaching A series of public hearings are being English. held in and around the State of Texas In Shanghai, China, they boast the now ending on March 9, 2018. I attendfastest commercial train in the world ed the public hearing held at Wilmer which operates at a speed of 431km(268 Hutchins High School in January, 2018. mph). (You can stay up-to-date on this pro-
ject:www.fra.dot.gov/pageP0700 or just Google: Texas High Speed Rail Project). This project is estimated to create more than 10,000 jobs and will cross ten(10) counties in Texas. The current proposal is to construct and operate a 240 mile, for profit, train system connecting Dallas and Houston using the Japanese N700 Tokaido Shinkansen technology. This technology is totally electric. This is a proposed 90 minute trip on a ‘closed’ system, meaning that the train will run on dedicated tracks. . . not sharing any intersection with roadways. Amazingly and as initially proposed the tracks will run mainly on elevated tracks and beams adjacent to crossings, existing infrastructure, which will not interfere with wildlife, wetlands, floodplains, and the forever favorite Texas Bluebonnet fields we all enjoy. As imagined, there is direct and absolute opposition to the high speed rail in Texas. But progress speaks. There are definite advantages to having the high speed rail first and in Texas. Texas has a projected growth pattern over the next decade that will demand
an environmental way to move and protect the population. Texas and its agencies cannot control the growth. As soon as we complete a freeway, it is overwhelmingly crowded and toll tags on tollways are NOT the answer. Texas has the land mass and the rail will lead to net reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Without the high speed rail, we can expect a 200% increase in vehicular traffic on I45 between Dallas and Houston shortly. Let’s face a simple fact. Our travel demand is increasing so rapidly and our infrastructure deteriorating even faster, we cannot keep up with the growing demand. We need a proactive and aggressive transportation plan for all the growing cities in Texas and beyond. Can we please move into the 21st Century. Tell the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) you support the Texas Bullet Train. Ester Davis can be reached @estyler2000@aol.com or 214.376.9000
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER By FeLisa Gambrell I’ve often stood in line and marveled at the young ladies that grace the cover of some of these magazines. At times, I have thought to myself they had better be glad I have stretch marks otherwise I would give them a run for their money. Then, I quietly giggle to myself and return the magazine to its rightful owner. But could I really? I mean truly compete with these youngsters? Why would I even think such thoughts you say. Please, allow me to explain, yes, I am a professional signed model with a local agency; Yes, I audition for local fashion shows where the girls are younger than my 26 year old son; Yes, I am more “seasoned” than they are, not as bright eyed and bushy tailed as they are, been there…done that; And yes, I am 48 years old. My thought
process comes from a place of experience within this industry, “the life of a model”. It’s thought to be so glamourous, but what FeLisa Gambrell little do you know. It’s a place where your physical appearance is all that matters. And it’s not about being the prettiest in the room, it’s more so do you have “the look’. In this industry, age usually does not equate “the look”, which is usually associated with youth, but little do they know that age is the look. Age comes with character developed through life’s experiences, not something that a 25 year old
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can convey. Now let me state this, I am not bashing these young beauties by any means. I mean let’s face it, they are the future, the face of tomorrow, but that does not mean age is the face of yesterday. It’s about finding your niche; what works for a model that is over 30, 40 or even 50, is not the same as someone 18, 21 or even 30. Believe it or not, it’s ok. It all goes back to that statement “not everything is for everybody and what works for one, does not work for the other”. This is a perfect explanation for the disparity that I have seen and experienced locally. It is what is it and there should not be any hard feelings on such. A 50 year old does not “wear” the trend of today the same as a 20 year old does, its fact. Likewise, a 20 year does not “wear” the trend of yesterday. Yea, right. I laughed out loud as I typed this. If you believe this,
then I have some ocean front property in South Dakota I can show you. It can’t be true, hence the reason I walk the runway with beauties half my age. Urban, hip-hop, classic or formal, I wear it. It all depends upon on your audience, the designer’s vision and the model’s capability to relate and convey. You get a girl with that combination, you get a winner. I walk the runway with many winners. I am the face of yesterday, they are the face to tomorrow and we co-exist on the runway was family. With age comes poise, grace, an elegance that is developed and a true understanding of one’s self. Taking nothing away from our younger models, we give credit to our ‘younger” faces, they are the face of tomorrow, which become the faces of yesterday. Swan Chronicles from your Runway
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SPORTS with Bill and Casey
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Casey”Hott Doc” Blair
DUO OF HAM AND RODRIGUEZ-WEEMS BREAK SWAC RECORDS DAY ONE OF INDOOR SWAC CHAMPIONSHIPS BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On the opening day of the 2018 SWAC Indoor Championships, two of Prairie View A&M pole vaulters broke SWAC records along with their own as the men’s team is in second place (47.5) and the women’s team is in fourth (24). A record previously held by Texas Southern Jawalyn Brooks, both sophomores Tristan Ham and Sunne Rodriguez-Weems shattered the record clearing 4.85 in the pole vault. Ham went on to take the gold medal with
a meet record of 4.95 (16-02.75 ft.), while Rodriguez-Weems finished second capturing the silver with a vault of 4.85m; 15-11.0 ft. Freshman Cameron Carson and junior Xavier Robertson posted top ten finishes in the pole vault finishing fifth and sixth respectively. Carson had a mark of 3.55 meters (11-07.75), while Robertson had a mark of 3.25 meters (10-08.00). In the men’s shot put, sophomore Jovondi Williams posted a fifth place finish with a throw of 13.95 meters, while in the high jump sophomore DeAnte Crittenden also
placed fifth in his respective event jumping 1.90 meters (6-02.75) in the high jump. In the 3,000 meters, two Panthers finished in the top ten as Levante Williams placed fourth with a time of 8:55.41 and Aaron Austin placed seventh overall with a time of 9:23.47. In the final event of the day PVAMU’s quartet of Tracy Marley, Logan Williams, Austin, and Le Williams placed second in the men’s distance medley with a time of 10:27.92 to earn the silver for the Panthers. On the women’s side, JoAnna Benavidez
placed fourth in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 10:57.53. In the women’s distance medley Dinah Murphy, Sydnee Mitchell-Jemison, Noelia Rodriguez and Benavidez placed third for the Lady Panthers with a time of 12:55.07 to win the bronze. Several athletes qualified in the preliminaries advancing to the finals on Saturday. The Championship will conclude Friday with an 8:30 a.m. start with the men’s heptathlon finals as the first event.
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MINISTERS LISTINGS
2110e11thst@yahoo.com
New Covenant
Missionary Baptist Church 411 N. Hampton Road DeSoto, TX 75115 972-230-3707
Sunday School 9:00a.m. Morning Worship 10:30a.m.
Pastor Darrell W. Pryor
Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church Sunday: 8:00am & 10:45am Sunday School: 9:30am 5th Sunday Combined Service: 10:00am WOW Bible Study: 12:00pm & 7:00pm 1819 N. Washington Ave. Dallas, TX 75204 Ph. 214.823.7308 Fax: 214.823.9720
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Rev. Curtis Wallace
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February 23, 2018
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ELITE NEWS - The Official Voice of the Church and Community
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Teacher position open, "CDA a plus" required.
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North Texas Media Group The Edge of Innovation
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WANTED AND NEEDED: Someone who loves the Gospels and can be a tutor or study partner. If interested please contact: johnfifteenseven333@gmail. com
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