Baton Rouge Weekly Press Week of Feb 21, 2013

BATON

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Louisiana’s First African American Chief Justice Sworn In

ROUGE,

LOUISIANA

Holden, Together Baton Rouge, to Tackle East Baton Rouge Food Deserts

Bernette Johnson

NEW ORLEANS - Bernette Johnson has been sworn in as the first African-American chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, less than four months after her colleagues resolved a dispute over whether she was entitled to the position. Johnson took her oath of office during a brief ceremony Feb. 1, a day after her predecessor, Catherine “Kitty�

Kimball, formally retired. A public ceremony marking her investiture is scheduled for Feb. 28. Johnson sued in July after her colleagues said they would debate whether she or Justice Jeffrey Victory, who is white, had the seniority that entitled them to succeed Kimball. The state’s highest court ended the racially tinged power struggle in October, ruling that Johnson’s years of appointed service count when deciding which justice is “oldest in point of service� under the state constitution.

SU Announces College Night On The Bluff

Kip Holden held a press conferenceat Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church to kick off the Food Desert Study in association with Together Baton Rouge.

BATON ROUGE—President Kip Holden held a press conference Thursday on how the parish plans to tackle “food deserts.� Food deserts refer to large pockets of the community that don’t have easy access to a grocery store.

Holden’s spokesman Scott Dyer said Monday Holden will outline plans for a 13-member Food Access Policy Commission, which will analyze the food desert neighborhoods throughout the parish. Dyer said the commission is a joint

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project between Together Baton Rouge, a local faith-based coalition, and the mayor’s Healthy City Initiative’s Fresh Beginnings Project.

The commission will, “determine the root causes of food access discrepancies in Baton Rouge in order to explore and implement sustainable solutions,� Dyer said.

Lyndsi Lambert, the Fresh Beginnings Grant Coordinator, said Fresh Beginnings is a, “farreaching food access and fitness education and grant project

serving Baton Rouge’s largest food deserts� in the 70807, 70805, and 70802 zip codes.

According to a Fresh Beginnings fact sheet, the USDA said 81 percent of north Baton Rouge has limited or no access to supermarkets or outlets for fresh, healthy foods.

In August 2012, Fresh Beginnings was awarded a $1 million grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation’s Challenge for a Healthier Louisiana Grant Program.

NAACP Mourns the Passing of Rupert Richardson Past President and National Board Member National Board of Directors member and President Emeritus Rupert F. Richardson, the much loved “Grand Dame� of the NAACP, died unexpectedly yesterday while decorating her new home with friends in Baton Rouge. She was 78. The NAACP extends its sincerest sympathy and support to the family of this civil rights lioness.

Richardson was a former national NAACP president, serving from 1992 to1995. She held a vice presidency position in the NAACP from 1984 to 1991 and had a 16-year tenure as president of the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP. Known for her elegance, grace and fanciful hats, Richardson was one of the longest serving national board members, was well respected and widely regarded as an expert on Robert’s Rules of Order and NAACP policy. She also chaired the NAACP Health Committee, a position she held since 1999. “Rupert Richardson served the NAACP in many, many capacities; but she will be best remembered as a tireless crusader for justice in Louisiana,� said NAACP National Board of Directors Chairman Julian Bond.

Until her death, Richardson was a member of the NAACP Special Contribution Fund Board of Trustees. She was first elected to the NAACP National Board of Directors in 1981. Other positions she held within the NAACP over the years included national Life Membership Chair, president and treasurer of the Crisis and member of the NAACP National Housing Corporation Board.

Rupert Richardson

“Rupert was selfless in the sacrifices she made on behalf of the less fortunate and disenfranchised,� said NAACP Interim President & CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes. “The African American community and the NAACP are today a bit poorer because of her passing.�

Richardson’s passion was healthcare. In the late 1990s, she served for a time under then Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bobby Jindal, the state’s current governor. Her professional career in Louisiana state government spanned nearly 30 years with positions in health and employment agencies. She started her own healthcare-consulting firm in 1994 after retiring as the state’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

Richardson’s other community work included serving 16 years on Louisiana’s Commission on Human Rights, the Louisiana Advisory Committee See RICHARDSON, on page 2

HBCU Green Ambassadors Answer President Obama’s Call to Tackle Climate Change

BATON ROUGE-Southern University will offer high school seniors scholarships and information on exciting paths of study at its annual “College Night On The Bluff� event, Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

The University is inviting not only high school seniors, but also juniors, their parents, and others considering Southern.

Representatives from the various disciplines and staff will be on hand to discuss financial aid, student life, academics – essentially everything needed to See NIGHT, on page 2

Washington, DC - As President Barack Obama reiterated the need to fight climate change during his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, “Green Ambassadors� were already doing their part to tackle climate change by promoting sustainable lifestyles to students and staff at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Selected and trained by UNCF Special Programs (UNCFSP) Building Green Initiative and Toyota Green Initiative, some 52 students on 27 HBCU campuses serve as “Green Ambassadors.� Currently the ambassadors are competing in the 13th annual RecycleMania, a competition to see which college campus can reduce, reuse

SU ‘GOES RED’ TO BRING AWARENESS TO HEART DISEASE

and recycle the most on-campus waste. The eight-week contest raises awareness about waste reduction programs on over 500 college campuses. Last fall Green Ambassadors participated in the Toyota Campus Prius Tour, a college tour featuring Toyota hybrid vehicle testdrives, a simulated recycling center and eco-friendly games and prizes. “Sustainability is not a new concept for black colleges; See HBCU, on page 3

Spelman Green Ambassador Kandyce Perry (black shirt) judges as students compete for prizes by tossing recycled plastic bottles into bins during the Toyota Prius Tour visit to Spelman College.

HEALTH NEWS

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/btrbb-renaissance-baton-rouge-hotel/

STATE & LOCAL NEWS

BUSINESS NEWS

RELIGION NEWS ELBERNITA “TWINKIE� CLARK continues making new music and recreating herself and The Clark family music genius that no one can replicate or surpass....See Page 6

INDEX

BLACK HISTORY: WHITNEY YOUNG JR. The Southern University Office of Student Programs & Organization held a SU Goes Red Luncheon on Feb.14 at 11 a.m. to bring healthy eating, living and hearts to the SU campus and to raise money for the American Heart Association...See Page 2

Whitney Young Jr. was arguably the National Urban League’s most influential executive director. During the decade he served as head of the civil rights organization, Young increased its budget 18-fold...See Page 3

MICHAEL A. RASHID RECEIVES AWARD

Michael A. Rashid, president and chief executive officer of (AMFC), is being honored for his contributions to the Philadelphia business community with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Leadership Award. ..See Page 5

HEALTH SECRETARY FOR COMMISSION

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced he has selected Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein to be a member of the recently created National Commission...See Page 7

Local & State ...........................2 Commentary............................4 Business...................................5 Religion ...................................6 Health ......................................7 Sports ......................................8

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THEWEEKLYPRESS.COM Celebrating 37 Years Of Service To The Baton Rouge Community 225.775.2002 Educate, Engage & Inspire Our Readers by Sharing Your Diversity FEBRUARY: CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF GREAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS or Community Initiatives

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Southern University ‘Goes Red’ to Bring Awareness to Heart Disease BATON ROUGE - The Southern University Office of Student Programs & Organization held a SU Goes Red Luncheon on Feb.14 at 11 a.m. to bring healthy eating, living and hearts to the SU campus and to raise money for the American Heart Association.

The luncheon featured a cooking demonstration by Chef Pointer, healthy lifestyle tips by Dr. Rani Whitfield a.k.a, ‘The Hip Hop Doc’ and a ‘Get Fit’ workout by recording artist Cupid.

Guest received an intimate atmosphere of dining, singing and a fashion show by members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Alpha Sigma Chapter and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Alpha Tau Chapter.

The event was a part of the SU Goes Red week following the “Fashion Extravaganza� held Feb. 13 in the F.G. Clark Activity Center featuring recording artist Melanie Fiona.

SU ended the week with a “Jazz and Poetry Open Mic Nite� held Feb. 15 in the Cotillion Ballroom

The Weekly Press Newspaper is a published weekly in Baton Rouge and distributed every Thursday with a circulation of 7,500.

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All money orders or checks should be made payable to The Weekly Press, P.O. Box 74485, Baton Rouge, La. 70874

Dr. Rani Whitfield a.k.a, ‘The Hip Hop Doc’ gives pointers on the ways to live a healthy lifestyle during the SU Goes Red Luncheon held on Feb. 14.

on Southern’s campus.

All proceeds from the events will go to the American Heart Association in support

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to fight heart disease.

Please contact either Edward Pratt or Erin Fulbright with Southern University

Media Relations at the following numbers (225) 771-4545 or (225) 771-3907 for more information.

Lt. Gov. Dardenne Hosts Brunch Honoring GrammyÂŽ Nominees

CHIT CHAT

MARGE’S CHIT 6. The United CHAT States government THOUGHT FOR has helped Blacks THE WEEK: Lest we succeed. The only forget how we have people who believe been led in the past, this lie are ones who we have nothing to believe rumors about fear in the future. how blacks got into White slavery in the first CONGRATULAplace. Read the Black Marge TIONS, AGAIN!! To Internal Affairs.

Lawrence Pastor Ivory Payne 7. Jews build and the Weekly Press’ the pyramids. The staff for being one of the honor- Great Pyramids of Egypt are ees of Delta Sigma Theta. You considered the first of the are saluted for the good work Seven Wonders of the World. you do to assure the community They were built before there an efficient way and positive was any mention of another slant of our history in print. race. See The Thirteen Tribe Thanks.

by Sand.

Black History Month‌ 8.

Blacks sold other �Ten Lies of Black History� blacks into slavery. Who (Courtesy- The Final Call) wants to believe blacks have 1. Whites were the first this much self-hatred? Not people age on earth. Not so! See true says Walter Rodney’s A Wayne Chandler’s The Moor: History of the Upper Guinea Light of Europe’s Dark.

Coast.

2.

Blacks in slavery 9. Slavery did not exist were only cotton pickers and in the North. Want to bet? Hismaids. No indeed! See more tory of slavery can be found in information on this subject by the newspaper media and in reading Records of Columbia the Reclamation Project.

University.

10. Columbus discovered 3. Abraham Lincoln freed American. This is the most hithe slaves. Are you kidding? larious of all the above-menThe Emancipation Proclamation tioned lies. While we would proves otherwise. Read Lerone appreciate a day off for rest Bennet’s Forced into Glory for the fact is Columbus did not additional information. know where he was when he 4. Blacks ate each other arrived in the Caribbean, not in Africa. Yuck!! Cannibal- America. See They Came Beism was attributed to the Eu- fore Columbus. ropeans, not those of African Go jags! Go Tigers!! decent. History tells us in HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ReAlden Vaughn’s American’s bekah Richard, Pamela Craig, Genesis that there was a famine Carolyn Blevins, Michael R. in the new colony of Virginia Scott, James Denman, Erica and English settlers dug up Jones, Gregory Miller, Lisa remains and did eat.

Scott.

5. Blacks were cursed by HAPPY Anniversary to God. It is the so-called Ham Robert and Phoebe Landry & curse. Not so! View and review Michael and Lisa Scott the Genesis story and how Jews Gained Control Over Blacks, Love, volume 2.

Marge

Celebrate African-American History â€œâ€ŚNot just in February but, American History Year Round BATON ROUGE, LA – The African-American Museum located at 538 South Boulevard will be hosting “Recognizing Louisiana African-American Achievers on Saturday, February 23, 2013

READER INFORMATION

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Correction Policy The Baton Rouge Weekly Press strives to be fair and accurate. The newspaper corrects any significant errors of fact brought to the attention of the editor.

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The guest speaker will be Mr. Clay Young of C. Y. Enterprises.

They will have music, crafts, history, food, and drinks.

Sponsors for the event are Entergy, Around Town Show, 1st Company, and 100 Black Women of Greater Baton Rouge.

For more information, please call The African-American Museum at 225-343-4431 and ask for Mrs. Sadie RobertsJoseph.

Scotlandville Mobile Pantry FREE Produce For the Community

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MARGE'S

L to R: Shannon McNally, Victoria Williams, Maggie Warwick, 2013 GRAMMY winner Wayne Toups, James Adams, Corey Ledet, Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne and Kix Brooks join for an impromptu performance of You Are My Sunshine.

Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne hosted the sixth annual Only in Louisiana brunch honoring GRAMMY nominees from Loui-

siana on Saturday, Feb. 9, in Los Angeles. More than 350 travel writers, music writers and music industry professionals attended

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the brunch to learn about Louisiana’s musical heritage, experience live performances and eat Louisiana seafood prepared by chef Cory Bahr of Cotton restaurant in Monroe.

For more information, please contact Jacques Berry with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor at 225-342-8607 or at jberry@crt.la.gov.

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become a successful student at Southern.

Qualifying students will receive scholarship offers on the spot. Also, students who meet entrance criteria for Southern will have their names placed in a raffle in which they could win scholarship funds to the Baton Rouge campus.

For more information, contact the Admissions office at 225.771.SUBR (7827).

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BATON ROUGE, LA – The St. Michael’s Episcopal Church located at1620 77th Avenue on February 23 and March 16, 2013 with the weather permitting.

Bring a chair and food

RICHARDSON

carrier at 9:00 a.m. or until supplies last the food.

Food provided by and partnership with Together Baton Rouge and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

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to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the advisory board of the Louisiana State University School of Social Welfare and the Governor’s Council for Drug Free Schools. “This is a great loss spiritually and physically,� said NAACP Louisiana State Conference President Ernest L. Johnson who had spoken with Richardson just two hours before her passing. The pair began working together in 1983 when they filed a lawsuit to change the state public schools’ superintendent selection process. “She will be greatly missed,�

Johnson added. “We endured a lot of good fights and had plans to continue our efforts at improving the living conditions in Louisiana.�

Richardson and Johnson were coordinating ‘The Black Assembly,’ a gathering of African American officials and community leaders from across Louisiana expected to draw 500 activists and policymakers to the Southern University Law

Center tomorrow.

Richardson earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern University and her master’s in counseling and psychology from McNeese State University. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Coalition of 100 Black Women, she attended Shiloh Baptist Church in Baton Rouge.

Richardson was a mother and grandmother. Arrangement details are forthcoming.

However services and celebrations of her life will take place late next week in Baton Rouge and in her hometown of Lake Charles, LA. Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

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Whitney Young Jr. National Urban League’s Most Influential Executive Director

BY NADRA KAREEM NITTLE Whitney Young Jr. was arguably the National Urban League’s most influential executive director. During the decade he served as head of the civil rights organization, Young increased its budget 18-fold, pushed corporate America to provide more jobs for African Americans and swayed dignitaries to use federal funding to benefit inner cities. Learn more about Whitney Young and his legacy with the biography below.

Born July 31, 1921, in Lincoln Ridge, Ky., Young got an early start in the professional world. At just 18 years old, he graduated from Kentucky State College and began a career teaching and coaching. Between 1942 and 1944, Young’s career took a turn while he served a stint in the U.S. Army. There, he demonstrated a flair for race relations by diffusing tensions between white and black soldiers working on a road construction project. After his discharge from the military, Young earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota.

In 1947, Young began volunteering for the NUL’s Minnesota chapter. Three years later, NUL’s Omaha chapter named him president. In Nebraska, Young not only expanded the memberships of the NUL but also helped score jobs for blacks in the

Whitney Young Jr.

community. All the while, he put this education to use by teaching social work at the university level.

In 1954, he became social work dean at Clark Atlanta University.

Six years later, he became a state president for the National Asso-

ciation for the Advancement of Colored People and won a Rockefeller grant to study at Harvard for a year.

As civil rights issues took center stage in the U.S., Young was named head of the NUL

in 1961. During his tenure with the league, Young reportedly expanded its annual budget from $325,000 to $6.1 million. He also fought for cities to receive federal assistance to combat the social ills facing black America, a strategy President Johnson included in his War on Poverty platform.

Moreover, Young pressured corporations such as Ford to hire more African Americans and established programs for black community leaders and youth to tackle problems such as high school dropout rates.

To keep the American public abreast of the issues important to the NUL, Young launched a weekly column called “The Voice of Black America.� The fact that Young served as an advisor to Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon certainly contributed to his ability to effect groundbreaking changes as NUL head.

While serving as the NUL’s executive director, Young published a book called To Be Equal in 1964. The next year, he became president of the National Conference on Social Welfare. Young became head of the National Association of Social Workers Foundation in 1969.

Also that year, Young released a book called Beyond Racism: Building an Open Society and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Johnson.

La. Lt. Gov. Dardenne Rolls Out 2013 Tourism Ads Louisiana Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne is announcing Louisiana’s 2013 tourism campaign, a series of 30-second television commercials and print and Web advertisements.

The ads will run throughout 2013, during which Lt. Governor Dardenne has chosen to focus on Louisiana music as a tourism attraction. The ads can be viewed at www.LouisianaTravel.com/2013. “Music is the soul of Louisiana and it’s one of the many passions to draw people to the state, so we decided to focus on our substantial music legacy this year,� Lt. Governor Dardenne said. “Whatever we can do to entice people to Louisiana means more jobs to the state.�

The ads were created by Trumpet, a New Orleans-based advertising firm under contract with the Office of Tourism.

The ads will run in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock, Memphis, Atlanta and Chicago. Chicago represents a new market for Louisiana Tourism, in an effort to expand “fly-in� tourism in Louisiana.

Please contact Jacques Berry with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor at 225.342.8607 or by e-mail at this address jberry@crt.la.gov for additional information.

SU to Host Films by Award-Winning Filmmaker In celebration of Black History Month, Southern University will host the showing of a series of documentaries by award-winning filmmaker and Baton Rouge native Keith Beauchamp. “Americas’ Civil Rights Journey – Uncovered: Real‌to Reelâ€? will include the showing of several Beauchamp documentaries highlighted by his awardwinning “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till.â€?

In 2004, the United States Department of Justice reopened this 51 year-old murder case citing Beauchamp’s documentary The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till as both a major factor in their decision and the starting point for their investigation. In May of 2005, Emmett’s body was exhumed and most recently, the FBI turned over their evidence to

HBCU

the appropriate District Attorney in Mississippi.

Beauchamp, who attended Southern, has been featured on 60 Minutes, ABC World New Tonight, Court TV, MSNBC, CNN, and BBC. He has also been profiled in hundreds of publications around the world including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Associated Press, and The Chicago Sun Times.

There will be a reception and screening of the series at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24, in the Cotil-

Emmett Louis Till

CNA Training School

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efficiency, conservation and innovation have been central to institutional survival,� said Felicia M. Davis, director UNCFSP Building Green Initiative. “Recycling is an important first step on the road to sustainability. RecycleMania is a great way to encourage students and staff to reduce, reuse and recycle while providing exposure to green economy principles and sustainable lifestyles. The cool thing is that there are no losers in this competition, every little bit helps and this is a great way to inspire positive change.�

The UNCFSP Building Green Initiative (buildinggreennetwork.org) has created a diverse network committed to increasing green building, energy efficiency, student engagement, curriculum development, research and campus-wide sustainability for Black, HispanicServing, Tribal and Asian Pacific Islander institutions. The UNCF Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) Green Report surveyed sustainability activity at 52 MSIs. A special HBCU Sustainability Report will be released during a briefing on Earth Day, April 22, 2013.

RecycleMania (www.recyclemania.org) will run through March 30, 2013, with the involvement of more than 4.4 million students and nearly 1 million faculty and staff participating throughout the US and Canada.

Schools compete in 11 categories to see which campus can recycle the most paper, cardboard, cans and bottles, and food waste on a per capita basis; which can produce the least amount of waste; and which recycles the largest percentage of their overall waste stream.

For more information, please contact Edrea Davis at (770) 961-6200 or by e-mail at this address edmedia@dogonvillage. com.

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lion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.

The documentaries will be shown Monday, Feb. 24 in the Cotillion Ballroom. The Emmett Till story will air at 9 a.m.

A series of 4, 1-hour documentaries focusing on unsolved murders from civil rights era will be shown from 10:10 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 1:10 p.m.

BREC’s Black History Month Program Independence Park Theatre 7800 Independence Blvd.

Feb. 15 from 6-8 p.m.

Join BREC as we celebrate Black History Month through the arts. Activities include a variety of musical performances and performing arts showcasing the rich cultural heritage and contributions of African Americans.

For more information, call 225-272-9200, ext. 400 or visit brec.org.

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The Toxic Chemical Industry Fights for Outdated, Unhealthy Materials in “Green� Buildings BY: ROBIN GUENTHER The war over toxic chemicals and human health is spilling over into places we live and work: our buildings. The American Chemical Council (ACC) has launched an expensive and focused attack on the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to protect the status quo of a small set of bad-actor manufacturers of toxic and obsolete chemicals. But innovative companies across the building industries and human health advocates are fighting back.

The American Chemical Council is lobbying to end the federal government’s use of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building certification system unless USGBC removes all references to human health. If successful, they will keep taxpayers from receiving the cost savings and productivity benefits that LEED certification has generated. Why does a chemical industry trade association think better buildings are such a threat, you ask?

The USGBC has transformed the global building industry with its emphasis on high performance, low energy and healthier building practices through its LEED certification program. In only a decade, LEED plaques have become synonymous with the best buildings in the world.

USGBC’s mission is to make buildings not only more energyefficient, but healthier spaces for those who inhabit them. The new draft version of LEED seeks to assuage human health concerns of buildings by offering voluntary credits for buildings using healthy materials. Many in the health community see this as a long overdue step for the rating system.

The ACC, however, sees this as a dangerous threat to their member companies because a few of them make a pretty penny producing controversial chemicals.

So if you can’t beat ‘em,

lobby against ‘em, right? ACC is doing what it does best -- spreading misinformation and shoving truckloads of cash into lobbying efforts to keep the market from abandoning toxic materials and embracing green chemistry.

They’ve even gone so far as to form the laughable “American High-Performance Buildings Coalition,� a group whose membership reads like a who’s who of industries that make unhealthy products, all uniting to lobby against LEED. From big chemicals to vinyl to adhesives to petrochemicals -- they’re all here.

These toxic trade associations are trying to convince us that they are the ones who truly support “green� building. Perhaps next they’ll suggest that their products only increase your odds of developing “green� cancer.

While they claim LEED is not consensus-based, this is demonstrably false. Any revision to the LEED standard must be approved through a democratic balloting process open to all 14,000 members of USGBC. These members are architects, engineers, builders, contractors and product manufacturers.

In fact, the ACC and many of its member companies are participating in the LEED development process. But when the professionals who purchase building materials began to suggest that a LEED credit be available for purchasing healthier building materials, suddenly the process is flawed, and not consensusbased.

In the real world, when your customers ask for something, you don’t lobby against their right to buy what they want, do you?

Let’s hope these companies wake up and start to reign in their out-of-control trade association before people really start to notice who’s behind the curtain.

Green buildings are about

John McNeil, the Georgia man arrested and sentenced to life for defending his own home, agreed to a plea bargain and a charge of voluntary manslaughter in court today. He was released from prison today.

The NAACP has been involved in this case on the state, local and national levels for years.

NAACP leaders made the following statements in reaction to his release: “Today John McNeil walks out of prison a free man, though the damage has been done,� stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “While we would have preferred John to be exonerated based on selfdefense, we are thankful that he can return home to be with his two sons and start his life over.

His release today is a bittersweet victory because he also returns home in sorrow following the recent death of his loving wife Anita who fought for his release until her last breath.� “The court’s decision is an acknowledgement that John McNeil was convicted in error, and that error took far too long to be rectified,� stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd

BY GEORGE E. CURRY NNPA Columnist The murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 was a watershed moment, marking the beginning of the modern Civil Rights Movement. While visiting relatives near Money, Miss., the Chicago native was murdered for allegedly whistling at a White woman. The brutal act was intended to send an unmistakable message to Black boys everywhere: If you even whistle at a White woman in the Deep South, you could pay for it with your life.

Like everyone else, I was appalled to learn that rapper Lil Wayne had made a vulgar reference to Till’s death. On a re-mix of an upcoming CD by Future called “Karate Chop,�

Lil Wayne essentially spewed the line: “Beat that [female sex organ] up like Emmett Till.�

When I sat down to write this column, I planned to excoriate Little Wayne about his insult. I started to remind him

that musical artists don’t have to be ignorant fools, even while showing their underwear on stage. I was going to say that Curtis Mayfield of my era and Chuck D of his generation demonstrated that African-American artists can make good music and provide uplifting race-conscious lyrics at the same time.

Rather than spend another nanosecond on Lil Wayne, we should use this Black History Month moment to educate young people who may not have ever heard of Emmett Till. While serving as editor of Emerge magazine, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Mamie Till Mobley, Emmett’s mother. For the 40th anniversary of his death in 1995, I wrote a story on Emmett Till.

This is how it began: Mamie Till Bradley was about to experience a mother’s worst nightmare. She had to identify the corpse of her only child, 14-year-old Emmett Till, who had been abducted, beaten, shot in the head and tossed into

the Tallahatchie River near Greenwood, Miss., for allegedly whistling at a White woman.

As she approached the cold, metal slab that held the mutilated body at A. A. Rayner & Sons funeral home in Chicago, the grieving mother thought to herself: “I got a job to do and it’s not going to be easy.�

Mamie Till wanted to look directly into her son’s face, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not yet. So she started with the lower extremities and worked her way up. “Those are his feet,� she concluded. The ankles? Yes, those were her son’s skinny ankles.

Next, she surveyed the knees.

Most people have sharp, pointed kneecaps. But the mother and son had flat ones. “Those are the Till knees,� she told herself.

Her eyes continued up her son’s body and stopped on his genitals. Later, she would be happy that her inspection included that section of her son’s body because some people later would say, incorrectly, that Em-

mett had been castrated. Now, she would know otherwise.

Mrs. Mamie Till Bradley Mobley — who will be called Mrs. Till hereafter to make it easier to follow the cast of characters in this drama — examined Emmett’s hands and arms, which provided more confirmation of what she did not want confirmed. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked at her son’s decomposed face. This, too, she did piece by piece, separating his face into imaginary compartments, starting with his chin and moving to the top of his head. “Bo,� as he was known, had flashed a perfect set of teeth during his short life. Now, in death, only one or two were visible. “Oh, my God,� his mother thought. “Where are the rest of them?�

The bridge of his nose, though all chopped up, was recognizable. She looked for his right eye — it was missing.

There was only an empty socket.

See TILL, on page 7

See BUILDINGS, on page 5

NAACP: John McNeil Coming Home Georgia inmate released from prison on reduced charge after six years of wrongful conviction

Lil Wayne Insults the Memory of Emmett Till

Jealous. “No man – regardless of color – should have to go through such an ordeal. While the reduced charge is still too harsh, we are glad that he will be able to return home to his children.� “On the eve of Lent, and the 104th anniversary of the founding of the NAACP, which began as an organization fighting against the false and unjust convictions of African-American men, the Georgia criminal justice system has engaged in a kind of partial repentance,� stated NAACP North Carolina State Conference President Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II. “While John pleaded to a lesser charge, the criminal justice system in Georgia and America still remains guilty of the greater charge of continuing disparities and inequities in the sentencing, convictions and imprisonment of African-Americans, minorities and poor whites. While we are happy that John is free, we remain ever committed to continue the work of making our judicial system fair for all.�

Barber continued: “The NAACP does not endorse violence, and none of us, especially John and his family, are happy about the loss of life. We pray for the Epps family. “The George State Conference NAACP is relieved that John McNeil is free,� stated NAACP Georgia State Conference President Edward Dubose. “It is clearly long overdue, considering that John McNeil’s only crime is defending his son and home See NAACP, on page 7

Protecting Our Most Precious Resource

BY MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN NNPA Columnist As President Obama closed his State of the Union speech on February 12, after listing all of his other policy proposals for the nation’s future, he said: “Of course, what I’ve said tonight matters little if we don’t come together to protect our most precious resource—our children.�

As he urged the members of Congress in the audience to bring upcoming proposals for common sense gun reform to a vote, he continued: “In the two months since Newtown, more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun. One of those we lost was a young girl named Hadiya Pendleton. She was 15 years old.

She loved Fig Newtons and lip gloss. She was a majorette. She was so good to her friends, they all thought they were her best friend. Just three weeks ago, she was here, in Washington, with her classmates, performing for her country at my inauguration.

And a week later, she was shot and killed in a Chicago park after school, just a mile away from my house. Hadiya’s parents, Nate and Cleo, are in this chamber tonight, along with more than two dozen Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. They deserve a vote.�

Like the 20 beautiful young faces of Newtown 5- and 6-yearolds massacred with guns two

months ago, Hadiya’s story and beautiful smile have become sadly familiar to many Americans over the last two weeks. As a sixth grader Hadiya had appeared in an anti-gang video to encourage other young people to avoid gang violence, saying, “It’s your job as students to say ‘no’ to gangs and ‘yes’ to a great future.� She could have meant a future like her own: as a high school sophomore, she was an honors student at a college preparatory school—doing everything right, with the world ahead of her. But all that changed because of a gun.

Gun violence has left our nation littered with broken hearts, decade after decade.

Since 1968, more than 1.3 million Americans have been killed with guns, including children and teens, that would fill 7,815 classrooms of 20 children each.

On Valentine’s Day, two months to the day after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, Hadiya’s mother Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton joined the Children’s Defense Fund and One Million Moms for Gun Control to deliver a powerful message to all members of Congress. One Million Moms for Gun Control is a non-partisan grassroots movement of American mothers created after the Sandy Hook tragedy to demand action on common-sense gun legislation. In just two months it has gained tens of thousands of members in nearly 80 chapters across the United States.

In the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, mothers around the country and their children made more than a thousand homemade valentines for their members of Congress with messages similar to this: “Have a heart. Moms demand action on common sense gun safety laws. I’m a Mom, and I vote.�

On Thursday, the valentines were hand-delivered to each member of Congress along with a broken-hearted teddy bear with the message “Protect Children, Not Guns.�

Hadiya’s mother spoke at the event along with Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), a Vietnam veteran, gun owner, and the chair of the House of Representatives Gun Violence Prevention Task Force; Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) from Newtown and a vice chair of the task force; Shannon Watts, the founder of One Million Moms for Gun Control; and Patti Hassler, CDF’s vice president of communications, whose sister Pamela Jean Hassler Groff was a victim of domestic gun violence in her Pennsylvania home, killed by her estranged husband in front of Patti’s beautiful 11-year-old niece and 9-year-old nephew. They were a reminder of how many millions of American parents, children, sisters, and brothers have been left broken-hearted by gun violence. Whether the violence happens in urban Chicago, suburban Connecticut, or rural Pennsylvania; whether guns kill by homicide, domestic violence,

accident, or suicide, the resulting trauma for all of the loved ones left behind is always the same.

As Patti said, “We all live with how that gun changed our lives forever‌Some wounds never heal.â€?

This Valentine’s Day, a movement of mothers and others chose to tell their members of Congress that these families are not alone—we are all left brokenhearted by their losses, and millions of Americans are ready to stand with them and demand change. Shannon Watts said, “A child’s heart is her mother’s pulse . . . Today, I am here for every beat lost. And I am here to tell every mother who has felt her core broken because of senseless gun violence—I am here to tell you that there is an army of mothers behind you.�

We all need to join the army fighting to say no more gun violence in our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. Our nation’s children and families have suffered enough broken hearts. We are determined that children get a vote on common-sense gun safety measures to protect them from guns. Take action with us. Watch and share ourAmerica’s Broken Hearts video widely on social media. Call your members of Congress at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to protect children, not guns and end the epidemic of gun violence and broken hearts all across America which threatens our children’s lives and nation’s soul.

The views expressed in the editiorial columns are not necessarily the veiws of The Weekly Press or its staff. Address all opinions and comments to: Letters to the Editior, P.O. Box 74485 Baton Rouge, La. 70874 or E-mail them to: theweeklypress@yahoo.com

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BUSINESS

New Central Louisiana Technical Community College Chancellor to Host Series of Meetings BATON ROUGE, LA – Dr. Rodney Ellis, Chancellor of Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC), will hold a series of meetings at all seven-college campuses beginning on Thursday February 14 and concluding on Friday, February 22.

During the meetings, Ellis will share his first 100day plan and vision for the college moving forward. He will also discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the college and how the college’s success is vital to the future of Central Louisiana.

Meeting Schedule: ‡ $OH[DQGULD &DPSXV Thursday, February 14, at 10 a.m. ‡ /DPDU 6DOWHU &DPSXV Thursday, February 14, at 2 p.m. ‡ 2DNGDOH &DPSXV )ULGD\ February 15, 10 a.m. ‡ )HUULGD\ &DPSXV 0RQday, February 18, at 2 p.m. ‡ 5RG %UDG\ &DPSXV Thursday, February 21, at 10 a.m. ‡ +XH\ 3 /RQJ &DPSXV Thursday, February 21, at 2 p.m. ‡ :DUG + 1DVK $YR\HOOHV Campus, Friday, February 22, at 10 a.m.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed Ellis chancellor of CLTCC on January 4, 2013.

Dr. Ellis earned his doctorate in Higher Education Administration, with a specialization in Community and Technical College Leader-

BUILDINGS

AMFC President, CEO Michael A. Rashid Receives Kappa Alpha Psi Leadership Award Dr. Rodney Ellis, Chancellor of Central Louisiana Technical Community College

ship, from the University of Georgia; a Master of Science in Judicial Administration from Auburn University at Montgomery; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Alabama.

Dr. Ellis has over eighteen years of experience in postsecondary education. Dr. Ellis is also heavily involved in the community. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta, the Atlanta Tech Civitan Club, the Atlanta Airport Chamber of Commerce, and the Atlanta Business League. He is also a member of the Media and Film Community Jobs Task Force, the Atlanta Emerald Cities Green Jobs Task Force and the Atlanta BeltLine Employment Working Group.

Please contact Quintin Taylor at (225) 922-2391 or email to this address quintintaylor@lctcs.edu for more information.

from page 4

more than energy and water conservation; they must also include consideration of human health. Hospitals have started to lead the way. The Health Product Declaration, an independent, open-source methodology for declaring content of building products, is ushering in a new age of transparency in corporate reporting. The Healthier Hospitals Initiative recently released targets for safer products that include credit for avoiding chemicals of concern in interior furniture. Major manufacturers of

health-care building products have begun substituting PVC and phthalate plasticizers with safer alternatives. These firms are innovating and capturing market share.

While the ACC protests these LEED credits, we would venture to say their innovative members are investing in R&D to move to safer alternatives precisely because of these initiatives. The construction industry needs the USGBC and LEED; citizens do, too. Someone has to make the push to get these chemicals out of our faces.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Michael A. Rashid, president and chief executive officer of AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies (AMFC), a national leader in Medicaid managed care and other health care solutions for the underserved, is being honored for his contributions to the Philadelphia business community with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Philadelphia Alumni Chapter’s Business Leadership Award. Mr. Rashid, a brother in Kappa Alpha Psi, will accept the award at the chapter’s Black History Month celebration on Friday, February 15, at 6:00 p.m., at the Kappa Achievement Center, 5521 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia.

Rashid has been a senior executive with AMFC since 1995 and became president and CEO in January 2010. During this time, AMFC has grown from 300,000 members in two states to 4.7 million members in 14 states. He is also the chairman of Medicaid Health Plans of America’s (MHPA) Board of Directors. MHPA is the leading national organization solely dedicated to representing health plans participating in Medicaid managed care.

In addition to honoring Rashid and its other annual award recipients, the chapter’s Black History Month celebration will also raise funds for its scholarship program and its Achievement Academy, which provides mentoring, counseling and training programs for Philadelphia’s young adults. “I am honored to be recognized by an organization that shares my commitment to helping people gain and seize opportunities to improve themselves and their communities,� said Rashid. “I share Kappa Alpha Psi’s founding belief that people should not let themselves be held back just because others do not expect much of them. Adhering to this principle can help even the most underserved people and communities achieve greater heights.�

Founded in 1911 on the campus of Indiana University, Kappa Alpha Psi is a predominantly African American collegiate fraternity with undergraduate and alumni chapters throughout the country. The Senior Affairs Committee of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Philadelphia Alumni

Michael A. Rashid, president and chief executive officer of AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies (AMFC)

Chapter bestows the Business Leadership Award each year upon a fraternity brother who is a local business leader and best exemplifies the legacy of the leaders who have preceded them. “Mr. Rashid’s accomplishments at AMFC embody the qualities that we seek in each recipient of our Business Leadership Award,� said Charlie Greene, chairman of the Senior Affairs Committee for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Philadelphia Alumni Chapter. “We are pleased to recognize Mr. Rashid for all he has done to help build healthier, higher-achieving communities in the Philadelphia area and across the country.�

AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies (AMFC) is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for the underserved. AMFC operates in 14 states and serves more than 4.7

million Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP members through its Medicaid managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management services, behavioral health services and other administrative services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AMFC is a mission-driven company with 30 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations.

Louisiana Unemployment Insurance Claims Report February 15, 2013 BATON ROUGE – Initial unemployment insurance claims for the week ending Feb. 9, 2013, decreased to 2,829 from the previous week’s total of 3,126. Initial claims were below the comparable week ending Feb. 11, 2012, figure of 3,143.

The four-week moving average of initial claims decreased to 3,177 from the previous week’s average of 3,591.

Continued unemployment insurance weeks claimed for the week ending Feb. 9, 2013, decreased to 29,781 from the previous week’s total of 31,123. Continued weeks claimed were below the comparable week ending Feb. 11, 2012, figure of 40,007.

The four-week moving average of continued weeks claimed decreased to 31,309 from the previous week’s average of 31,980.

For more detailed information on occupational groups of unemployment insurance claimants, visit Louisiana’s employment homepage at www.laworks. net and select Labor Market Information.

The UI Weekly Claims Data webpage includes the following features: UI Weekly Claims Data

by Regional Labor Market Area and by Parish, UI Weekly Claims Data by Industry for Louisiana, UI Definitions and UI Monthly Claimant Characteristics by Parish. To access these products begin on Louisiana’s employment homepage and select Labor Market Information. Scroll down the LMI page to the LMI Products section and select Unemployment Insurance Claims.

BUYING OR SELLING A SERVICE? Call the Weekly Press to place your advertisment.

HELP WANTED

OUTSIDE SALES

URS Corporation seeks the following position in their Baton Rouge, LA location: Civil Geotechnical Engineer.

Site investigation/site assessment, geotechnical analysis & design.

EOE. Submit resume at www.urs.com. Response must reference requisition # IE75883. No phone calls.

Due to Rapidly growing business Utility Technology Services is looking for an experienced outside sales professional.

Candidate will introduce and sell exciting, cutting edge technology in the municipal water and electric market in southern Louisiana. Will train experienced salesperson on product line. Base pay + commission, company car, and excellent benefits provided! For more information and to submit your resume visit www.utilitytechnologyservices.com.

HELP WANTED

BUYING OR SELLING A SERVICE? Call the Weekly Press to place your advertisment.

Call one of our VDOHV UHSV DQG ÀQG out how you can reach your target group

URS Corporation seeks the following position in their Baton Rouge, LA location:

SALES PERSONS The Weekly Press, Baton Rouges’ oldest muti-cultural community newspaper is building a diverse sales team. We are seeking sales personnel to service the Baton Rouge, Baker and surrounding areas who are looking to earn an above average income. The right person must be a team player, professional, aggressive, creative, earnest, able to think outside of the box, have reliable insured transportation, committed to working and great communication skills. Contact Mr. Ivory Payne at (225) 775-2002 for appointment and interviews.

The Weekly Press An Equal Opportunity Employer

Industrial Water/Wastewater Engineer. Perform engineering duties in the planning, designing and overseeing of water and wastewater systems.

EOE. Submit resume at www.urs. com. Response must reference requisition # IE76085.

No phone calls.

Sales Position Utility Technology Services, an authorized dealer of Sensus water and electric smart meters is looking for an experienced sale professional to cover the Southern part of LA. Experience in the waterworks industry or working within a Municipality or Parrish would be helpful.

Applicants should upload their resume and salary requirements to www.utilitytechnologyservices.com.

Excellent benefits, including company car.

HELP WANTED ENGINEER CH2M HILL Engineers, Inc. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana seeks an Engineer 3 to assist in developing design project cost estimates at various design milestones, including quantity take off, maintaining cost database, creating draft deliverable and coordinating with local vendors and equipment suppliers for budgetary quotes. Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field (or foreign equivalent) and at least 3 years of experience in pump station and pipeline hydraulics, pump station design, pipeline design, cost estimating for design and construction projects. To apply, mail resume to: Lisa Vatnsdal, CH2M HILL Engineers, 9191 S. Jamaica St., Englewood, CO 80112. Must reference job code: 82965. EOE.

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RELIGION

Use Wisdom and Patience; Don’t Settle

BY DONALD LEE Scenario: A godly man prays effectually and fervently for a wife. He knows in his heart the kind of woman he needs in his life, one who shares his passion for the things of God. Like the first of two women mentioned in Proverbs 14:1, she possesses heavenly wisdom and delights in doing her part to ensure a harmonious home. In other words, this “wise woman buildeth her house.�

She is a woman of virtue.

She walks in uprightness. She has integrity and lives a chaste lifestyle. The beauty of her inner spirit eclipses her physical attractiveness.

But while the man prays for such a wife, he also must contend with his propensity to be impatient at times. Herein lays a dilemma. Such a woman takes time to find. The man in this scenario, on the other hand, wants a companion now.

Proverbs 18:22 says Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord. And Proverbs 31:10 says Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

The word “find� suggests that something is hidden or is not in plain view. It must be sought after; it must be discovered. King Solomon, the author of the book of Proverbs, poses an interesting question. “Who can find a virtuous woman?�

The emphasis, here, is on the pronoun “who�. What’s alluded to is that it takes a special kind of man to find that special kind of woman. If he desires a woman of virtue, does he also possess a virtuous spirit? Is

he, himself, a man of wisdom? “Who� is he?

If this man the word “who� refers to is to “find� her, patience must be an integral part of his character. And if he just holds out --- not succumbing to any antagonistic desires he may have that would distract him from “finding� the woman he wants --- he will end up with that extremely valuable, “virtuous woman.�

Included with that package, this man of wisdom and patience secures the comfort of knowing that he can trust this woman with his inner-most feelings, according to Proverbs 31:11. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness, Proverbs 31:26 says.

Oftentimes, people lower their standards to avoid being alone. “Why settle for less?� says Bre Eaton, an intercessor and associate pastor at God’s Guiding Light Christian Center in southeast Houston. “A man already knows that a good woman is going to stick by his side, honor him, support him, build him up and encourage him. “And most of all, she will love him for who he is,� Pastor Bre says.

Yet these people, in their feelings of loneliness, often gravitate to other people who are less desirable to them but more readily available.

Pastor Donald Lee can be contacted at (225) 773-2248 or pastordonjlee@yahoo.com. His prayer line is (218) 862-4590 (code 279498#) at 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

NEW MUSIC: Twinkie Clark ft.

Karen Clark Sheard – “Speak Lord�

Beech Grove Baptist Church of Jackson, Louisiana Became the First Church in East Feliciana to Be 100% Smoke Free

BY FRANKIE POLAND JACKSON, LA – The Beech Grove Baptist Church located at 890 Hwy 68, holds the distinction of being the first African-American church in E. Feliciana Parish to have successfully completed the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center-Communities of Color Network (CoC) 100% TobaccoFree Church Program.

To achieve this accomplishment, members of the congregation took part in a number of educational awareness activities about the harmful consequences of tobacco use and the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Frankie Poland, Regional Coordinator, says that as a result, “Beech Grove has signed, adopted and implemented the CoC Church Policy that prohibits the use of tobacco prod-

ucts on their church grounds or during church activities.�

Rev. John L. Bowman, along with members of his congregation, is being presented with signage recognizing Beech Grove as a 100% Tobacco-Free Church by Frankie Poland.

For more information about how your church can get involved, please contact Mrs. Poland at 225-771-6237 or at frankie_poland@suagcenter. com.

The Allstate Gospel Superfest Returns To Atlanta, GA For 14th National TV Recording The Allstate Gospel Superfest will hold its fourteenth national TV recording and festival in Atlanta on Saturday, March 9, 2013. The show will take place at the Georgia International Convention Center (Atlanta airport area) and feature some of America’s most accomplished names LQ WKH ÀHOG RI LQVSLUDWLRQDO DQG R&B music. Artists scheduled to

appear include: ‡ 7KH &KLFDJR 0DVV &KRLU ‡ 7UDPDLQH +DZNLQV ‡ 'RULQGD &ODUN &ROH ‡ 'RWWLH 3HRSOHV ‡ 'H:D\QH :RRGV ‡ %\URQ &DJH ‡ $QLWD :LOVRQ ‡ (DUQHVW 3XJK ‡ %HYHUO\ &UDZIRUG ‡ 5LFN\ 'LOODUG 1HZ *

‡ 5HJLQD %HOOH ‡ /(;, ‡ /RQQLH +XQWHU The show will be hosted by accomplished actress and TV VWDU :HQG\ 5DTXHO 5RELQVRQ who is known for her lead role as the character “Tasha Mack�

RQ WKH KLW %(7 1HWZRUN VHULHV “The Game.� This is Ms. Robin-

son’s second appearance as host of the Allstate Gospel Superfest.

The Allstate Gospel Superfest will deliver an inspiring night of non-stop entertainment for the entire family with great music, comedy, urban dance and several surprises. The recordings from the event are scheduled to air in national syndication during the months of March and

June of 2013.

The Allstate Gospel SuperIHVW ´/LYH ,Q $WODQWD¾ LV H[HFXtive produced by show founder Bobby Cartwright, Jr. (Cincinnati, OH) and directed by Ryan 3ROLWR /RV $QJHOHV &$ 7KH one-day power-packed musical spectacular will take place at the See SUPERFEST, on page 8

She’s the Queen of the B3 Organ and a quarter of the most decorated and most respected female gospel groups in the world. She has penned a titanic catalog of gospel songs that dwell in the hearts of children and adults across all denominations, races and nationalities.

She is ELBERNITA “TWINKIE�

CLARK and she continues making new music and recreating herself and The Clark family music genius that no one can replicate or surpass.

Twinkie Clark kicks of 2013 with a new single “Speak Lord� from her forthcoming spring CD release LIVE & UNPLUGGED (on Larry Clark Gospel, LLC) which was recorded at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, MI on July 21, 2012. “Speak Lord� was originally recorded by The Clark Sisters in 1980 on their groundbreaking record IS MY LIVING IN VAIN. Continuing in the family tradition, Twinkie is joined by her sister Karen Clark-Sheard on the new single with her nephew Larry Clark at the producing helm for the project.

Fans can watch the official music video for “Speak Lord� and download the single now on iTunes or Amazon Live & Unplugged (Track List): 1) Great Is Thy Faithfulness 2) Hiya 3) God Gave Me Favor 4) Speak Lord ft.

Karen Clark-Sheard 5) Fix Me 6) There Is A Word ft.

Larry Clark 7) Bless That Wonderful Name 8) Hallelujah ft.

The Clark Sisters 9) I’ll Keep the Faith 10) Awake Oh Zion 11) Hallelujah Praise Break 12) Jesus Is A Love Song

CHURCH DIRECTORY

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25

VISTIT US ONLINE @

www.theweeklypress.com EMAIL YOUR CHURCH NEWS ARTICLES TO

thewpres@bellsouth.net

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NAACP

while being black. While we celebrate John’s freedom we are equally saddened that Anita McNeil’s death occurred before John could walk free. Now that John is free we are committed to completely clearing his name. We must put an end to this unequal justice system that forces African Americans to take guilty pleas even when they are innocent.�

In 2006, McNeil was convicted for shooting Brian Epp on his property after Mr. Epp threatened his son with a box cutter and charged at John, with the weapon in his pocket.

Two white investigating officers concluded that McNeil did not commit a crime, but 294 days after the incident McNeil was charged with murder and sentenced to life in prison.

On September, 25th, 2012 a Georgia Superior Court Judge granted McNeil’s petition for habeas corpus based on ineffective counsel, noting that,

TILL

HEALTH

from page 4 among other things, John’s trial attorney, “failed to request charges based on the theories of defense of habitation and/ or defense of property.� But Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens appealed the ruling and McNeil remains in prison. After today’s plea bargain, McNeil will remain on parole for 14 years.

McNeil’s wife Anita McNeil, who has been outspoken in support of her husband and criticism of his imprisonment, passed away earlier this month.

His local NAACP branch in Wilson, NC, which convinced the North Carolina NAACP, Georgia NAACP State Conference, Cobb County NAACP and national NAACP to take up the fight, started the campaign for John McNeil’s freedom.

Please contact Ben Wrobel at (917) 846-0658 or by e-mail at bwrobel@naacpnet.org for more information.

from page 4

She looked at the left one and it was detached, dangling from the socket. “That’s his hazel eye,�

Mrs. Till said. “Where is the other one?�

She searched for one ear and it, too, was missing. Peering through the ear hole, she could see daylight on the other side. The remaining ear protruded from her son’s head, just like hers— another family trait. “That’s Emmett’s ear,� she said, softly.

His hair? Yes. After inspecting the outstretched body inch by inch, Mrs. Till came to the sad but inescapable conclusion that the remains of what remained before her were those of Emmett Louis Till. Still, she turned to Gene Mobley, later to become

her third husband, hoping he might have noticed something that she had not, anything that would cast the slightest doubt about whether this was indeed Bo. But Mobley had identified young Till in his mind long before the child’s mother had finished her methodical examination. The barber had recognized the haircut he had given Emmett two weeks earlier, just before Bo left for Mississippi.

Mrs. Till had one thought over and over: What kind of person could do this to another human being, especially a 14–year–old boy?

Her second thought was that this was a sight so ghastly, so inhumane that people would have to see it for themselves to believe it

Kidney Health State Health Secretary Selected for National Commission on Long-Term Care Screening at Bruce D. Greenstein will serve on 15 Member panel BATON ROUGE -- Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY.) announced today he has selected Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein to be a member of the recently created National Commission on Long-Term Care. Greenstein is the only representative thus far from Louisiana appointed to the bipartisan, 15-member commission, which is tasked with studying how to effectively reform long-term care supports and services and submitting recommendations to Congress. “I want to thank Leader McConnell for the opportunity to serve and offer a state-based perspective on this critical topic,�

Greenstein said. “In just 15 years, one in every five Americans will be aged 65 or older. They are aging into a system that spends hundreds of billions of dollars a year and delivers uneven results.

We must work across state lines and levels of government to create a long-term care system that meets their needs and looks like it was designed on purpose.�

The Long-Term Care Commission will have six months once all appointments are made to examine how best to reform and restructure these services for the elderly and people who have disabilities and their caregivers, then develop a comprehensive report on recommended

Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein

changes.

The commission will look at how long-term care is delivered, both in home/community and institutional settings, who provides these services and how they are funded, to better define the appropriate roles of Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance in covering long-term care.

The last time a national committee convened to review the country’s long-term care system was the Pepper Commission, which was created more than 20 years ago. This Congress created the Long Term Care Commission in January as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8), the bill package that avoided the fiscal cliff. The President and both Democratic and Republican Congressional leadership will

appoint members to the commission. Commission members are selected to represent a variety of health care stakeholders, including recipients, providers, caregivers, insurance and state Medicaid programs.

Greenstein has extensive professional experience in the health care field, in both the public and private sectors. He previously served in the federal Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush Administration, where he oversaw states’ Medicaid programs and led the federal government’s Medicaid state reform efforts. Prior to becoming DHH Secretary in 2010, he was Microsoft Corp’s managing director of worldwide health.

Greenstein will not receive any compensation for his service on the commission, but will be reimbursed for necessary travel to participate in meetings, hearings and other commission activities.

Two state and congressional leaders focused on health care issues praised the appointment. “As a physician and member of Congress, I recognize that there is perhaps no greater issue in health care policy than securing the future of our nation’s aging population,� said U.S. Congressman Bill Cassidy, LA-06. “I’ve been impressed by Bruce’s tenure as Louisiana’s health secretary, and his willingness to tackle tough issues which have no easy solutions and his See CARE, on page 8

BATON ROUGE, LA – On Saturday, February 23, 2013 The Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church will be hosting Kidney Health Screening from 8:30 am to 12:30 p.m. Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church is located at 9700 Scenic Highway and is pastored by Reverend Jesse B. Bilberry, Jr. Calling 1-800-462-3694 or 1-504-861-4500 for more information requires pre-registration.

Walk-ins are welcome, but do not guarantee an appointment. All must be 18 years or older to be examined. They will also screening/checking for Diabetes and high Blood Pressure.

The National Kidney Foundation sponsors this event.

The sponsors of this event are Amgen, Genentech, GM FOUNDATION, Nephroceuticals, Pifer, Siemens, LIFESCAN, and Abbott.

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Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church

Care

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Weekly Press ‡ 7KXUVGD\ )HEUXDU\

SPORTS

Clippers not Looking to Make any Trades as Deadline Looms WR Allen Passes on Workouts;

Woman Kicker Aims for History

Eric Bledsoe, who scored 27 points in the Clippers’ 86-76 victory over the Orlando Magic on Feb. 6, has been mentioned in rumors of a possible trade between the Clippers and the Boston Celtics.

BY BRODERICK TURNER All indications are that the Clippers will not be making any trades before the NBA’s deadline at noon PST on Thursday.

Even Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said after practice on Wednesday that the team not looking to make any moves because he and his staff like the current team.

The most talked-about rumor had backup point guard Eric Bledsoe and center DeAndre

Jordan going to the Boston Celtics for center Kevin Garnett.

Because Bledsoe (23) and Jordan (25) are such young players, Del Negro was asked if he needed to talk with them about the trade rumors. “No, because if I felt it was necessary, I would do that,�

Del Negro said. “But there are a bunch of needs out there. Like you said, they are young players that teams covet and that’s a good thing. That’s a good thing for us.

That’s a good thing for them.

“But we feel good with our team right now. Nothing has changed from that aspect.

Nothing has been presented to any of us that makes sense for us to do anything different right now. But we’re always available, always looking to make our team as strong as possible. But right now, we feel comfortable with our team.�

The Clippers have a 39-17 record, third best in the Western Conference behind the San Antonio Spurs (43-12), who play

the Clippers at Staples Center on Thursday night.

Del Negro said he had talked with Gary Sacks, the Clippers’ vice president of basketball operations, about ways to improve the team and about how good the team is now. “There is nothing that Gary has brought to me that he feels and I feel is something that we would feel comfortable doing at all,� Del Negro said. “There really hasn’t been any.�

Deng Leads Bulls Over Hornets 96-87 NEW ORLEANS — Luol Deng scored 20 points and the Chicago Bulls snapped a twogame skid with a 96-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday night.

The Bulls took the lead for good late in the first quarter, but didn’t put the Hornets away until Deng’s clutch jumper from the top of the key with 44.8 seconds left put Chicago up 94-87 after the Hornets had pulled within five points on Eric Gordon’s 3-pointer.

Carlos Boozer added 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Joakim Noah had 15 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, which out rebounded New Orleans 47-39 and had 15 second-chance points.

Gordon finished with 20 and Anthony Davis had 15 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped after committing nine of its 15 turnovers in the final quarter. Greivis Vasquez had 11 points and 10 assists for the Hornets.

McRae Leads Tennessee to 82-72 Victory KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Jordan McRae scored a career-high 34 points and led Tennessee’s torrid 3-point attack Tuesday night as the Volunteers defeated LSU 82-72 for their fourth consecutive victory.

McRae made all six of his 3-point attempts and shot 13 of 18 overall. Tennessee (15-10, 7-6 Southeastern Conference) shot 10 of 15 from 3-point range against an LSU team that entered the night with the SEC’s best 3-point percentage defense (.290).

Tennessee has made 75 percent (15 of 20) of its 3-point attempts over its last two games.

The Vols had shot just 28.6 percent (102 of 357) from 3-point range through their first 23 games.

Johnny O’Bryant had 24 points and eight rebounds for LSU (15-9, 6-7) before fouling out. Anthony Hickey had 14 points and Malik Morgan added 12 points.

A potential first-round pick will skip the NFL Scouting Combine, while a woman is attempting to earn the scouts’ attention.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen will pass on workouts this week in Indianapolis, according to reports. Meanwhile, Lauren Silberman of New York will become the first woman to participate in an NFL regional scouting combine when she tees it up in New Jersey as a kicker early next month.

Allen, projected by NFLDraftScout.com as the No. 1 receiver in the NFL Draft and a potential first-round pick in April, is reported to have experienced swelling in his left knee during his training for the combine, his agent, J.T. Johnson, confirmed to CBSSports.com on Wednesday. The former Cal standout injured the posterior cruciate ligament last season and missed three games.

After the swelling occurred, Allen visited noted orthopedist James Andrews, who diagnosed Allen’s injury as a Grade 2 strain but said it should not require surgery, CBSSports.com reported. A followup exam with Andrews is set for March 11.

Allen will attend the combine to participate in medical exams but will not work out, ESPN.com reported. Johnson said Allen plans to run routes only at Cal’s pro day on March 14 and then hold his own workout for scouts the first week of April to run the 40-yard dash and participate in other physical tests.

Allen is Cal’s career receptions leader with 205 catches.

In three seasons, he racked up 2,570 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

Silberman is a long shot to advance to a super regional in Dallas but a pioneer of sorts in pro football.

The former club soccer player at Wisconsin is the first female registrant in the three years since the regional combines were launched.

SUPERFEST

Southern Beats Stillman College 10-3 In Sloppy Opener BATON ROUGE, LA - It may not have been the prettiest of games, but the Southern Jaguars open up the season with a 10-3 win over Stillman College.

The two teams combined to have nine errors in Friday night’s game with six of those coming from Stillman. The Jaguars opened up the game with a three run first inning, where Still-

man committed four errors.

The Jaguars blew the game open in the fourth inning with a run four run frame. Four Southern racked up at least two hits.

Kevin Williams, Derrick Hopkins, and Caleb Hatcher all went 2-4, while Tyler Kirksey went 2-3. All together the Jags had 12 hits,, with the Stillman

pitching staff gave up a only four earned runs.

Southern pitcher Jessie “Doc� Holiday went five strong innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs (1ER), 1 walk, and struck out three batters.

Southern returns to action Saturday at 1:00p.m. to take on Stillman College in game two of the series.

Sports Events This Week ‡ 0%$ 68 6& ‡ 0%$ 68 6& ‡ 0%% 68 $/67 ‡ :%% 68 $/67 Tigers handle Terrapins in game 2 Sun, 17 Feb, 2013 01:00 AM PST BATON ROUGE - � The LSU Tigers baseball team strung together four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Maryland (0-2) by a score of 5-1 in the second game of the three game series at Alex Box Stadium.

LSU rolls past Mississippi State, 80-68

Sun, 17 Feb, 2013 06:23 AM PST BATON ROUGE, LA. - � Charles Carmouche hit five 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 21 points, and the Tigers won for the fifth time in six games while handing Mississippi State its 10th straight loss, 80-68, on Saturday.

LSU tops Maryland, starts season 2-0 Sun, 17 Feb, 2013 06:38 AM PST BATON ROUGE, LA. — LSU (2-0) strung together four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Maryland (0-2) by a score of 5-1 in the second game of the three game series at Alex Box Stadium.

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH

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Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, Atlanta, GA 30337 on Saturday, March DW 30 'RRUV ZLOO RSHQ DW 30 7LFNHWV IRU WKH event are on sale now at www. ticketweb.com or by calling 866468-7619. More information on The Allstate Gospel Superfest is also available at www.gospelsuperfest.com About The Allstate Gospel Superfest The Allstate Gospel Superfest is one of the nation’s largHVW 79 UHFRUGLQJV LQ WKH ÀHOG of urban-targeted- inspirational music and entertainment.

Founded in 1998, the show has maintained a consistent presence in broadcast syndication for thirteen consecutive years

CARE

“I was actually hoping that the 2012 historical milestone rule, to allow women to play, would prompt more women to attend tryouts this year,� Silberman told NFL.com.

Silberman, 28, has not followed the traditional path of most aspiring kickers. She went to graduate school at MIT and wrote a master’s thesis on athletes using video games to improve performance. That research led to her starting a consulting company, Double Play, that provides athletes with assistance in using video games for virtual training.

--Former Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney is moving on after 11 seasons with the Colts and his next stop could be with a high-profile former teammate.

The free agent said that Denver quarterback Peyton Manning has urged him to play for the Broncos. “He sent me a text and he just said, ‘Hey, man, don’t worry, come play with me in Denver,� Freeney told Pro Football Talk Live. “I don’t know how serious it was, but, you know, it’s good to hear some of your former teammates still follow you, they care and they want to see you succeed.�

Freeney doesn’t feel that way about the Colts. He said he was snubbed after the season, telling PFT Live that the Colts never made him an offer to stay in Indianapolis. The 33-yearold had five sacks in 14 games last year.

--The New York Jets are in full salary-dump mode having earlier this week released Bart Scott and Calvin Pace among others. And now, according to CBSSports.com, new Jets general manager John Idzik is going to shop Tim Tebow during the NFL combine.

The Jets can’t trade Tebow until March 12, but it does not appear there is a market for Tebow who saw limited action last year as quarterback and a member of the Jets’ special teams.

since the year 2000. Releasing ÀYH RQH KRXU VSHFLDOV D \HDU The Allstate Gospel Superfest is carried by major TV network DIÀOLDWHG VWDWLRQV LQFOXGLQJ $%& &%6 1%& )2; &: MYTV. The Allstate Gospel Superfest is known for its elaborate staging, trend setting production and Hollywood style approach to gospel music television. Allstate Gospel Superfest TV programming reaches millions of TV viewers annually via domestic syndication and cable. The show is also carried on major cable and Christian networks including The TrinLW\ %URDGFDVWLQJ 1HWZRUN 7KH :RUG 1HWZRUN *0& IRUPHUO\ Gospel Music Channel) and the newly launched Bounce and $VSLUH 79 1HWZRUNV

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resume of experience will be key assets as this commission tackles this complex issue.� “As a practicing optometrist and Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, I understand how important it is for Louisiana to be part of the vision in charting the course for our country’s long-term health care system,� said Sen. David Heitmeier. “With the high number of Baby Boomers in our state who will soon need many of these services, it is important that we make decisions now about how to best provide care to seniors and other people who need long-term supports. I am pleased Bruce will be a voice at the table on the national level to demonstrate Louisiana’s health care leadership.�

The director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), where Greenstein currently serves as a member of the executive committee,

also commended his appointment to the commission. “States are at the forefront of providing needed long-term care services for America’s elders and people with disabilities,� said Alan Weil, executive director of NASHP. “I am thrilled that Secretary Greenstein will have a seat the table for these very important discussions.�

Contact at DHH Media & Communications; (225) 3421532 for more information.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www. dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-todate health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH’s blog, Twitter account and Facebook.