Baton Rouge Weekly Press Week of 07-05-12

BATON

THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012

Former LA Legislator Risley ‘Pappy’ Triche Die

Risley Claiborne Charles “Pappy� Triche

NAPOLEONVILLE, LA - Risley Claiborne Charles “Pappy� Triche died last night according to his daughter.

Triche graduated from LSU Law School and worked as an attorney most of his life.

Governor Earl K. Long first appointed the Napoleonville native to the state House of Representatives in 1955. He served 21 years. Triche served his last term as a floor leader for then newly elected Governor Edwin Edwards. “He was an effective floor leader for me. He handled most of the legislation during my first term as my floor leader. I can’t tell you anything else except he was a wonderful lawyer, great friend, great legislator and very courageous man,� said former Governor Edwin Edwards.

Pappy Triche was 84 years old. He was buried in Napoleonville on Thursday.

President Obama To Open National Urban League 2012 Annual Conference In New Orleans NEW YORK -- President Barack Obama will deliver the opening address at the National Urban League’s 2012 Conference.

The President will address the Conference on Wednesday, July 25, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “We’re thrilled and proud to welcome the President to our Annual Conference for the third time,� said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “It has become a tradition for Presidents and major-party candidates to address the conference, not only to share their agenda for the nation, but See OBAMA, on page 3

ROUGE,

LOUISIANA

A PEOPLE’S PUBLICATION

Supreme Court Hands Obama a Huge Healthcare Victory

Supporters of U.S. President Barack Obama’s health-care law celebrate outside the Supreme Court after the court’s ruling was announced.

BY GEORGE E. CURRY Editor-in-Chief NNPA News Service WASHINGTON (NNPA) – With conservative Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. providing a surprise supporting vote, the United States Supreme Court gave President Barack Obama a major victory Thursday by upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Health Care Act. In the most watched Supreme Court case since Bush v. Gore in 2000, the justices upheld the landmark healthcare law that requires all Americans except those objecting on religious grounds or facing financial hardship to obtain health insurance by 2014 or pay a financial penalty. The vote was 5-4, with Roberts joining the court’s four liberals – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia

Chief Justice Clarence Thomas

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.

Sotomayor, Stephen G. Breyer and Elena Kagan. Anthony M. Kennedy, usually the court’s lone swing vote, sided with fellow conservatives Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.

The ruling grew out of

three cases challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act that were appealed to the Supreme Court – a suit by the National Federation of Independent Business against See HEALTHCARE, on page 2

SU Ag Center Scientist Presents at International Conference

70- t /0 t FREE

Backlash Mounts as the La. Supreme Court Prepares to Seat First Black Chief Justice NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, who has served as an Associate Justice on the Louisiana Supreme Court for nearly two decades, is poised to assume the office of Chief Justice in February 1, 2013, upon the retirement of the current chief justice.

She follows in an unjustly short line of African American jurists to serve on the state’s highest court: Justice Jesse Stone was appointed to briefly serve in 1979. Justice Revius Ortique was elected to a seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1992.

First elected to the state’s highest court in 1994, Justice Johnson is the second longest serving judge currently on the bench. In accordance with the Louisiana constitution, Justice Johnson is the justice next in line for the office of Chief Justice upon the retirement of the current Chief. Though the state constitution is clear, a controversy is being hatched where none should exist.

Catherine D. Kimball, the retiring Chief Justice, has called for a hearing to determine who will succeed her. She has also issued an order recusing Justice Johnson from sitting on the panel that will determine how the matter will be settled. “I’m at a loss as to the basis of Justice Kimball’s order,� said Ron Wilson, one of the lawyers who successfully sued the state of Louisiana in 1986 for Voting Rights Act violations related to the state’s method of selecting Supreme Court justices. “The constitution says who the chief justice will be, not the state Supreme Court.� “Any effort to deny Justice Johnson the right to serve as Chief Justice is clearly an affront to the Voting Rights Act,� said Marc H. Morial, executive director of the National Urban

Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson

League and a plaintiff in the original lawsuit.

This issue has its roots in a consent decree that the state of Louisiana signed after losing Chisom v. Roemer in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991. In that case, Ronald Chisom and other plaintiffs successfully argued that Louisiana’s system of electing Supreme Court judges effectively ensured that black voters would never be able to elect a black justice to the court.

Five of the state’s seven Supreme Court justices were elected from single-member districts. But New Orleans was combined with several surrounding parishes from which the two remaining justices were elected. Based on data from the 1980 census, expert demographer Cedric Floyd concluded that the population of New Orleans was large enough to justify that the city elect its own justice.

Yet, by gerrymandering a large two-member district, the state diluted black voter strength and all but insured that the voters of New Orleans, a large majority of whom were black, would never be able to elect a state Supreme Court justice of their choosing.

BY BRIDGET UDOH BATON ROUGE, LA - Dr. Daniel Collins, professor, and Jason Preuett, PhD, Urban Forestry, made an oral presentation at the Fifth Sudden Oak Death Science Symposium in Petaluma, CA, June 19 - 22, 2012. The presentation entitled: “Screening Gulf Coast Forest Species for Susceptibility to Phytophthora ramorum� was a webcast recorded June 21 at 1:09 pm and available at: http://www.ustream.tv/ recorded/23467423.

P. ramorum, the causal agent of sudden oak death in California oak woodlands, poses a threat to woody plants in the rest of the U.S. including the Gulf Coast area, which is regarded as a high threat location. Several plant species native to the Gulf Coast forest were tested for reaction to P. ramorum.

This research was conducted in collaboration with Drs. Tim Widmer and Douglas

YMCA URGES CHILDREN, FAMILIES TO BE SMART

Red Stick Ready Storm Information

Drs. Collins and Preuett Posters at Fifth Sudden Oak Death Science Symposium.

Luster, USDA/ARS Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit, Fort Detrick, MD. The SU Ag Center team also presented two posters entitled: “The Effects of Salinity on Phytophtora ramorum Viability� and “Infectivity Stream Baiting in South Louisiana for Phytophthora ramorum�. Dr. Collins served as Preuett’s faculty advisor and mentor while Preuett was a student

STATE & LOCAL NEWS

at Southern University.

USDA/NIFA1890 Capacity Building Grant Program and the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program supported this research.

The Fifth Sudden Oak Death Science Symposium brought together scientific and management communities from throughout the world working on Phytophthora ramorum and Sudden Oak Death.

BUSINESS NEWS

Our community has felt the effects either directly or indirectly from a storm system.

The potential exists for a storm system to form out in the Gulf of Mexico over the next few days. Let’s take this time to review all the precautionary measures taken to address personal preparedness. “Sit down with your family and review your emergency plans and let’s not forget to include your pets,� said Mayor-President Melvin “Kip� Holden. Each Family Disaster Kit should contain enough supplies for at least 4 days. Just a few of the items you can include are flashlights, water, batteries, medications and any type of specific items you may need for your family.

Please visit www.redstickready. com for additional tips and information.

The Mayor is urging

RELIGION NEWS

all citizens to tune into your local television and radio stations for the most up to date information. These systems can develop pretty quickly so for the most timely information, continue to monitor the weather situation as we move into the weekend.

Please remember the “Buddy System�, use this as a chance to talk to your neighbors and check on the elderly about how you can work together to ensure everyone is Red Stick Ready. The Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (MOHSEP) will continue to coordinate with local and state officials.

Should you need any further information about what you can do this Hurricane Season, please contact MOHSEP at 225-389-2100 or email MOHSEP@brgov.com.

HEALTH NEWS

Elizabeth Alonso, MD, has joined Baton Rouge General Physicians. Specializing in pediatric gastroenterology, Dr. Alonso brings more than 20 years of experience to Baton Rouge General Physicians...See Page 7

INDEX

J. K. HAYNES GETS TENTH CHARTER With the summer swim season upon us in Baton Rouge, having confidence in the water is very important. Approximately ten people drown everyday in the U.S. and more than one in five drowning victims are children younger than 14.

YMCA swimming lessons are designed to give every participant the chance to develop strong water skills that could prevent from being a victim in the water this summer...See Page 2

The J. K. Haynes Elementary Charter School one of the first three schools to receive charter in 1997 and has received ten charters for ten years...

See Page 3

FIRST AFRICANAMERICAN LEADER

The nation’s largest union of government workers chose a new leader on Thursday as its members grapple with efforts around the country to weaken labor rights or cut public employee pensions and benefits...

See Page 5

MARVIN L. WINANS TALKS NEW LP

Boasting a career spanning more than three decades, Pastor Marvin L. Winans is releasing a new album today, Marvin L. Winans Presents: The Praise & Worship Experience...

See Page 6

Local & State ...........................2 Business...................................5 Religion ...................................6 Health ......................................7 Other News .............................8

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STATE & LOCAL YMCA Urges Children and Families to be Smart in the Water this Summer

MARGE'S

BATON ROUGE – With the summer swim season upon us in Baton Rouge, having confidence in the water is very important.

Approximately ten people drown everyday in the U.S. and more than one in five drowning victims are children younger than 14. YMCA swimming lessons are designed to give every participant the chance to develop strong water skills that could prevent from being a victim in the water this summer.

Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children aged one to four years. Because of this, the Y has been teaching children, youth, See YMCA, on page 3

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From left: Isaiah Doucette and Kaiden King

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CHIT CHAT

THOUGHT FOR you.

THE WEEK: Let freeStep 3: Family dom ring. Martin LuFun ther King * The holiday is HAPPY BIRTHalso a fine time for a DAY AMERICA! romantic dinner with It’s time for hot your significant other. dogs, barbecue, paFinding an intimate rades, family gatherrestaurant shouldn’t ings, bands, and fun, be too much of a chalMarge fun fun! lenge, given the outIntroduction door activities that Lawrence * The 4th of July dominate the weekend provides a chance to rekindle schedule. your patriotic spirit and, of * If you have children, course, to enjoy a day off from chances are their out-of-school work or a long weekend. While days coincide with your own traditional celebrations like time off. Take advantage of your fireworks displays and cook- leisure time together! The 4th of outs are always fun, there are July weekend usually marks the ways to celebrate the birth of release of at least one blockbuster America. If you’re looking for movie, and there are always ways to celebrate the holiday, plenty of kid-friendly movies this article will give you plenty in summer release. A weekday of options. trip to an air-conditioned theater Step 1: Travel could be just what the doctor * Many workplaces give ordered. their workers a three- or fourStep 4: Stick to Tradition day weekend in honor of the 4th * If your weekend is too of July holiday, which affords short for traveling, you can plenty of travel opportunities. always stay in your home city Whether you’re going to visit and enjoy these typical annual your extended family or just activities: going sightseeing, it’s good to 1. Cookouts. Fire up the get out of town. If you’re inter- grill and throw on some burgers, ested in a more authentic Inde- hot dogs and chicken. pendence Day experience, check 2. Fireworks. If you live out these points of interest: in a major city, there are likely 1. Boston. The city of tea a great number of fireworks parties and legendary battles displays to attend. But most hosts a number of parties, in- municipalities also have some cluding the Boston Harborfest, kind of show, so even if you can’t which starts in late June and con- make a big-city extravaganza, tinues through the holiday. there’s always the option of a 2.

Chicago. Here you lower-key celebration. Just make can catch three nights of fire- sure you check the date of the works from the Navy Pier, see show, as they often take place free performances by a number before the holiday. of local bands and pay a visit to 3. Take a trip to the beach.

Millenium Park.

Early July is a prime time for 3.

Mount Rushmore. beach adventures, from sunbathThis tribute to great American ing to scuba diving to fishing presidents is a can’t-miss sight- off the pier. seeing venture.

4. If you live in a condo or 4.

Philadelphia. The an apartment in a big city, and home of the Founding Fathers have a rooftop, go to the rooftop and the Liberty Bell, Philly of- and watch the fireworks from fers fireworks over the Delaware the sky view.

River, gospel concerts and a slew Step 5: Stay Safe with Fireof performances in front of In- works and Drinking dependence Hall.

It’s important that you stay 5. Washington, D.C. The safe and don’t let a holiday such nation’s capital is the site of nu- as the 4th of July cause you to merous celebrations, parades do things that you wouldn’t do and the Smithsonian Folklife any other day.

Festival.

Here are some safety tips 6.

New York City. Visit for fireworks: the Statue of Liberty and watch 1. Stay a good distance fireworks over the water. away from the fireworks.

Step 2: Honor the Nation 2. Read the packaging on * In between all the parties the fireworks, and be careful of and pageantry, it’s important to any warnings. remember the spirit of the holi3. Have a water bucket day. There are several ways to or hose nearby in the unlikely accomplish this, including: event you need to extinguish 1. Visit a local cemetery. a fire.

Pay tribute to fallen American 4. Aim fireworks away soldiers by placing a wreath on from people, cars, buildings, or a military gravesite. any physical items that catch 2. Donate to a military on fire, and launch them in an cause. There are plenty of outlets open area. to helping active or wounded 5. Light fireworks one at a soldiers. Contact a local mili- time. Never twist multiple fuses tary base and ask how you can to create a larger explosion or help. set off the whole box at once.

3. Write to an active-duty This is very dangerous and it serviceman. Take a few minutes could cause injury. and pen a letter of appreciation 6. Only blast fireworks to a soldier in the field. Any mili- off outside. tary office will be able to assist LOVE, MARGE

HEALTHCARE

from page 1

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and two cases involving HHS and the state of Florida.

The legislation was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. Most of its provisions will be phased in over the next two years.

Among other things, the law prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition, allows children to remain on their parents’ insurance plan until age 26, expands access to insurance to 30 million Americans, eliminates annual and lifetime coverage caps, creates insurance exchanges at the state level for individuals and small businesses, expands

eligibility for Medicaid and requires insurance companies to cover certain preventive services without co-pays or deductibles.

In a televised speech from the White House, Obama said, “The highest court in the land has now spoken. We will continue to implement this law.

And we’ll work together to improve on it where we can.

But what we won’t do, what the country can’t afford to do, is refight the political battles of two years ago or go back to the way things were. With today’s announcement, it’s time for us to move forward.�

Even though the ruling See HEALTHCARE, on page 3

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LIBRARY NEWS Building A Strong Financial Future: Strategies For Age 45-Retirement Are you confused or anxious about planning for retirement?

If so, this program is for you!

Pat Talamo, a Gulf Coast Bank Retirement Advisor with 13 years of experience, will cover planning for retirement, managing multiple financial goals and estate planning essentials at the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road, on Tuesday, July 10, at 6 p.m.

Registration is required.

For more information or to register, call (225) 274-4440.

GED Prep Classes For Adults Do you need to improve your scores on the GED? Is there one area of the test that is troubling you?

Come to the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road, and get some helpful tips and pointers on how to take the GED on Saturday, July 14, at 3 p.m.

Doris Grimes, a certified adult educator, will be at the library on the second Saturday of every month to assist adults with preparation for the GED. She will also give a practice GED at these sessions.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (225) 274-4440.

HEALTHCARE

from page 2

represents a clear victory for President Obama as he faces re-election in less than five months, Republicans immediately vowed to repeal the measure in Congress. However, that appears unlikely for now. Although Republicans hold a majority in the House, Democrats hold an edge in the Senate.

YMCA

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said, “Today’s decision makes one thing clear: Congress must act to repeal this misguided law. Obamacare has not only limited choices and increased health care costs for American families, it has made it harder for American businesses to hire.�

from page 2

and adults the importance of swimming safety in and around water for more than one hundred years. As a pioneer in the promotion of swimming as a healthy activity and learning to swim as a key to water safety, the Y has helped millions of people learn how to swim.

In addition, through funding from the USA Swimming Foundation, the YMCA of the Capital Area has greatly expanded its reach when it comes to water safety in Baton Rouge by being able to provide programs to swimmers of all ages. The USA Swimming Foundation Provided the Y with a $4,150 grant to provide free swim lessons to kids in the Baton Rouge area. “It’s very important for children to learn how to swim, especially at an early age, because if there is an emergency situation in the water, they’ll know what to do at any age,� said Aidan Marshall, Aquatics Director at the A.C. Lewis YMCA. “Most cases of accidents in the water occur when a friend is helping a friend. Because of this, the Y teaches safety skills such as helping someone out of a pool without actually getting into the water. The whole point is to have swimmers not stress out in an emergency situation in the water.� Isaiah Doucette and Kaiden King, who are attending Summer Day Camp at the A.C Lewis YMCA, said that they’ve both taken swimming lessons at the Y and now they can swim with other campers at Summer Day Camp. “I like that I know

how to swim now, said Isaiah Doucette.

The YMCA of the Capital Area offers swimming lessons for swimmers starting at 6 months to adults. Lessons are available both mornings and evenings and are designed to give every participant the chance to develop strong water skills.

For more information about the camp please contact Kristen Hogan, Marketing Director of the YMCA of the Capital Area at 225-923-0653 or khogan@ymcabatonrouge.

Bryant A. Clark Moving and Shaking with Sony On-Line Entertainment Special to The Weekly Press Bryant A. Clark, a high school graduate of Scotlandville Magnet High School as a student in the Honors Engineering Program in 1995, later attended The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts via kicking a soccer ball, received a four year academic scholarship majoring in Mathematics and a minor concentrating in Computer Science graduate in 1999.

Now, Bryant has embarked on another endeavor accomplishing and completing graduate studies at Baylor University. On Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, he received and was awarded the Executive Masters of Business Administration from the Hankamer

OBAMA

from page 1

also to hear ours.�

National Urban League Annual Conference occupies a singular echelon in America’s cultural and political discourse, Morial said. The nation’s largest civil rights and social justice conference attracts thousands of the nation’s most influential community leaders, together with top policy-makers, academicians, business leaders and artists for three days of dynamic dialogue, intellectual exchange and community service.

The Conference has been the only event of its kind to feature both major-party presidential nominees during each of the last several elections and attracted a majority of primary contenders in 2008, including Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Mike Huckabee. In 2004, both George H. W. Bush and John Kerry addressed the Conference. Additionally, leading elected officials and cabinet secretaries have chosen to break major announcements at the conference. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, for example, unveiled the administration’s Equity Agenda during the 2010 Conference.

School of Business Graduate School.

Bryant graduated with honors and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor’s Society. He ranked in the top twenty percent in his class.

The Executive Masters of Business Administration Hooding Ceremony was held on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 10:00 am and the Commencement Exercises were held at 2:30 pm at the Ferrell Center on the campus.

Presently, Bryant is employed with Sony On-Line Entertainment for six years as

a Senior Systems Administrator. He has had the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, Las Vegas, New York, Germany and London. Bryant will maintain his employment with Sony.

In May 2011, his class traveled to Washington, D.C. and completed several studies on Capital Hill concentrating on the combination and intersection of business/government sectors on national/international level(s). The entire class had an opportunity to visit the Ben Fernake Federal Reserve Bank. This was an experience that Bryant says was a challenge and will serve as an asset in the

business area. In April 2012, his class journeyed to India, Singapore, and Hong Kong for their Global Strategic and Management class, which was another rewarding experience and a major accomplishment.

Bryant is the son of Mada McDonald and Wayne Clark.

Family and friends celebrated this memorable occasion and are very proud of his achievements.

Please contact Candace J Semien the Director of Outreach at (225) 926-5693 ext 103 or by e-mail at www.jozefsyndicate. wordpress.com for more information.

J. K. Haynes Received its Tenth Charter to Operate in East Baton Rouge Parish

BATON ROUGE, LA - The J. K. Haynes Elementary Charter School one of the first three schools to receive charter in 1997 and has received ten charters for ten years.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted 10 -0 to renew the J. K. Haynes charter school.

Charter schools are public schools run privately. J.K. Haynes Elementary School is one of the first schools to receive a charter.

J. K. Haynes Elementary School has 259 students with economic and racial diversity in the school.

Diane Haynes is the director of J. K. Haynes Elementary Charter School addresses graduation program.

Photo By James Terry III, Photojournalist

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“YOUR PASSPORT TO CITY-BROOKS COMMUNITY PARK�

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City-Brooks Community Park 1515 Dalrymple Dr.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 225-272-9200 OR VISIT BREC.ORG.

COMMENTARY 7KXUVGD\ -XO\ ‡ The Weekly Press ‡ 3DJH

THE WAY I SEE IT

Too Bad City Parish

BY WILLIAM JONES

office shows some sign of hope to recoup the It has been said funds. The thing is that our City Parish that we are not going government will not to getting the funds in be reimbursed for ala timely fashion. most $95,000.00 dollars Now, I do not in Homeland Security know high much of the expenditures because money if any of it will City Parish failed to go to Homeland NeighWilliam follow state and federal borhood Security.

Jones guidelines. It has been In that being the stated that the expendicase by permission tures are to be rejected because some of the money maybe used they were not in compliance with to counteract the acute problems the rules of government spend- of crime in East Baton Rouge Paring of Homeland Security grant ish. However, one good step has money. been initiated dealing with crime The City Parish officials in one district at a time – Zone initiated and obligated funding Five. In the 70805 zip code is for some projects prematurely where this new program is because they failed to submit being setup. If you do not watch a properly completed applica- those hoodlums will setup in the tion for Homeland Security grant neighboring communities. For funds. example, Scotlandville is a comWell, the good news is that munity where this program needs the team of officials in the Mayor- to come to next.

President Melvin “Kip� Holden’s That is the Way I see it.

Education Is Key to Restoring Middle Class Prosperity

BY A. BARRY RAND Last year, I called a meeting of the Howard University Board of Trustees to discuss a serious problem. More than 80 seniors at Howard had indicated they were going to have to drop out of school and would not be able to earn their degrees. The reasons were all economic. Some were overburdened by student loan debt. Others were told by their families that they could no longer afford to help them pay for college. And, yet others felt the need to find a job so they could help their families who were struggling to make ends meet because of the recession.

The problem we faced at Howard is a microcosm of what is happening today as Congress debates whether or not to extend the 3.4 percent interest rate of federal student loans, or to let it double to 6.8 percent on July 1. This decision affects approximately 7.4 million students who are estimated to take out these loans in the upcoming year.

At AARP, we see the student loan debt problem through a different lens, but it stems from the same circumstances. More and more older adults are still saddled with the burden of paying off student loans, either their own or those of their children, and in some cases, their grandchildren.

According to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans 60 and older still owe roughly $36 billion in student loans, and more than 10 percent of those are delinquent.

And, increasingly, older adults are postponing retirement in order to pay off student loan debt accumulated by their children or grandchildren.

The reason we were so concerned at Howard and at AARPand why all Americans should be concerned today-is because higher education is not only the gateway to the American Dream, it is the key to restoring prosperity to the middle class. The facts are clear.

The median weekly income for high school graduates last year was $638 compared with $1,053 for college graduates. Furthermore, the unemployment rate for workers with just a high school diploma is 9.2 percent, more than double the rate for those with college degrees.

Being able to attain an affordable education also concerns us at AARP because we know that being able to live the life you want at 50, or 60 or 80 depends largely on whether or not you get a good start in life and have access to an affordable, quality education.

That’s why we have joined forces to create AARP Experience Corps, a program that recruits older volunteers to volunteer in schools to make sure that students are reading at grade level by third grade.

If they’re not, their chances for success in life diminish greatly.

We also see more and more people who reach a point where they want to do something different in their lives or they are forced to go into a different field because they can’t find a job. So, they go back to school, maybe to become a teacher, or to get a Master’s degree, or to pursue a field of study that has always interested them. Often, they rely on student loans to help finance their life reinvention dreams.

I get angry when I hear people question whether a college degree is really worth the investment. Of course it is. It’s true; many people with college degrees have lost their jobs and are deep in debt. But this is an even more harsh reality for those without college degrees. They struggle even more.

I also understand that when people question the value of a college education, what they are really concerned about is the cost. They compare the cost of a college education with the current economy and question whether they can ever earn enough to justify the investment. But this speaks more to the downturn in the economy and the erosion of the middle class than it does to the value of a college education. The reality is that more and more of the jobs in the future will require a college degree at a minimum.

The undeniable truth is that over the past generation, more and more of the middle class have fallen off the cliff into povertypulled down by a lack of job opportunities, rising health care costs, inadequate savings, declining home values, a lack of consumer protections and stagnant wages that have not kept pace with the costs of meeting basic human needs. Working adults now comprise a record share of the poor in this country-nearly 57 percent according to the most recent census data.

Moreover, a majority of middle-class Americans today believes that the next generation of adults will be worse off than their parents. If that happens, it will be the first time in our history.

We cannot allow that to happen.

And the first step in preventing it is to ensure access to affordable, quality higher education.

As we engage in this debate over student loan interest rates, we must remember that it was the GI Bill, passed following World War II, that opened the door to affordable higher education for so many, which in turn helped people achieve a higher standard of living and fueled the prosperity that built up the American middle class. It was access to education that helped boomers and others acquire the knowledge and skills to create the digital world we live in today.

Clarence Thomas Worse than a Member of the KKK

BY GEORGE E. CURRY NNPA Columnist As the nation eagerly awaited the Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, all eyes were focused on Anthony M. Kennedy, a staunch conservative who occasionally supplies the lone swing vote that tilts the court’s narrow 5-4 rulings in one direction or the other.

But this time, to the surprise of arch-conservatives who had championed his cause, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. sided with the liberal bloc on the Supreme Court, giving President Obama an unexpected clear victory in his signature legislative accomplishment.

What was not surprising was that Clarence Thomas would not step into the role filled by Roberts. He is widely regarded as the most conservative member of a conservativedominated Supreme Court.

Thomas is far more conservative that Hugo Black, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan who served on the court from 1937-1971.

Black, a former U.S. Senator from Alabama (he once filibustered an anti-lynching bill) joined the KKK in the early 1920s. In fact, during the 1926 election, he gave speeches at KKK meetings throughout

the state. Black later it and resented it – all acknowledged that the way to the top.� joining the Klan was To characterize a mistake and became Thomas’ behavior as one of the most libresentment is an uneral members of derstatement. the Supreme Court, The late U.S. Apstrongly backing the peals Court Judge principle of “one Leon Higginbotham man, one vote� and observed, “I have often George using the equal propondered how is it that E. Curry tection clause of the Justice Thomas, an Af14th Amendment to rican-American, could forbid racial discrimination. be so insensitive to the plight No such luck with Clarence of the powerless. Why is he no Thomas. different, or probably worse, In every major case involv- than many of the most consering affirmative action – includ- vative Supreme Court justices ing Texas v. Hopwood, Adarand of the century? I can only think v. Pena and Grutter v. Bollinger of one Supreme Court justice – Thomas voted against the in- during the century who was terests of African Americans. worse than Justice Clarence What makes that so strange is Thomas: James McReynolds, a that Thomas has benefited from white supremacist who referred affirmative action throughout to blacks as ‘niggers.’� his adult life.

Though arguably the In their excellent book, worst, Thomas is by no means Supreme Discomfort: The Di- the only African American who vided Soul of Clarence Thomas, votes against the interests of Kevin Merida and Michael A. his community.

Fletcher, two colleagues at the Alabama Congressman Washington Post, write: “Every Artur Davis was soundly deThomas employer, from [For- feated two years ago in his bid mer Missouri Sen. John] Dan- to win statewide office. Under forth, who gave him his first the delusion that he could bejob, to President George H.W. come the first Black governor Bush, who nominated him of Alabama, Davis fervently atto the Supreme Court, chose tacked local Black leaders and Thomas at least partly because was the only member of the he is black. Race is a central Congressional Black Caucus fact of his meteoric rise, and to vote against the Affordable Thomas has alternately denied Care Act.

Longtime Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders challenged Davis tactics. “Some Whites use race to consolidate White voters during election and some Blacks use race to consolidate Black voters,� Sanders wrote in his newsletter, Senate Sketches. “But this time, there is a new context: a technically well qualified Black person is running for Governor of Alabama in the Democratic Primary against a technically well qualified White. There is also a new twist: a Black person is attempting to use the race of other Blacks to consolidate Whites behind him. It’s a new context with new twists in an age old saga.�

The saga did not end well for Davis, who has since joined the Republican Party. In his primary contest against Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks, who is White, Davis lost 10 of the 12 counties that made up his congressional district, some by as much as 70 percent. He even lost his own polling place in Birmingham.

And let’s not forget Edolphus Towns, the Democratic Congressman from Brooklyn.

Though Towns did not vote for a civil contempt citation against Attorney General Eric Holder, he took a more cowardly approach by voting present. We See KKK on page 5

Affordable Care Act Still Needs to be Sold

BY WILMER J. LEON III NNPA Columnist The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the cornerstone piece of legislation of the Obama administration.

The court found the Obama administration and Congress were constitutionally within their rights but for the wrong reason.

The Obama administrations primary argument in supporting health care reform legislation was that Congress had the power to enact the ACA based upon Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3, the Commerce Clause stating Congress has the power “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States‌â€? The Court held that the ACA was unconstitutional based upon the Commerce Clause but is constitutional based upon Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1, that states “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties‌â€?

Politically, the Obama administration argued that the individual mandate of the ACA – requiring everyone to obtain insurance or face a fine – was a penalty, not a tax. They

downplayed the tax aspect of the law, even downplaying the word “tax� in the legislation itself. The administration did not want to fall into the conservative trap of being labeled a tax-and-spend liberal administration.

This court’s decision provides an interesting conundrum for the administration and the opposition. The administration won in the Supreme Court, but can it now win in court of public opinion? Can the administration construct a narrative that explains to the American people that the ACA is a positive piece of legislation?

According to the Washington Post “A majority of Americans view‌ the changes enacted in President Obama’s health care bill in an unfavorable light‌in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 52 percent regard the ‘federal law making changes in the health care system’ in a negative light.â€? If they don’t construct a better narrative they could win the battle and lose the war.

Mitt Ronmey and his conservative cohorts have contributed to this public perception by basing their argument that the ACA was unconstitutional and an overreach by the admin-

istration. They argued that this is an intrusion by the government into the lives of average American citizens. They even engaged in the politics of deceit to bolster their arguments.

For example, according to Fact Check.org House Republicans have sought â€œâ€Ś to repeal what they call “Obamacare: A budgetbusting, job-killing health care law.â€? * Independent, nonpartisan experts project only a “smallâ€? or “minimalâ€? impact on jobs, even before taking likely job gains in the health care and insurance industries into account. * The House Republican leadership, in a report issued Jan. 6, badly misrepresents what the Congressional Budget Office has said about the law. In fact, CBO is among those saying the effect “will probably be small.â€?

This is a great victory for the Obama administration and the American people. Republican State Attorney Generals and Republican governors colluded with GOP members of Congress and other conservatives to challenge the Obama administration in the highest court in the land.

It was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts,

nominated by Republican President George W. Bush, who sided with more liberal justices and handed the administration the victory. President Obama went up against the entire Republican and conservative onslaught – and won.

It is imperative that the American people connect the dots. Sen. Minority Leader McConnell (R-Kentucky) said more than two years ago that his primary objective was to see to it that Barack Obama is a oneterm president. The Republicans refusal to work with the administration on “the people’s business� has done this country a great disservice.

People need to ask themselves, “Where would this country be if Republicans had worked with President Obama by finding common ground instead of holding their ground for the sake of bigoted obstructionist political ideology?�

The administration won the health care battle in the court of law. Can they win in the court of public opinion?

Wilmer Leon is the producer/ host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio See SOLD, on page 5

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

7KXUVGD\ -XO\ ‡ The Weekly Press ‡ 3DJH

Largest Public Worker Union Elects First African-American Leader The nation’s largest union of government workers chose a new leader on Thursday as its members grapple with efforts around the country to weaken labor rights or cut public employee pensions and benefits.

Lee Saunders was elected president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He had been the union’s No. 2 official and becomes its first AfricanAmerican president.

Saunders takes over from Gerald McEntee, the legendary leader who over 31 years built the union into a political powerhouse that regularly spends more than any other to help Democrats win office.

Saunders’ victory over rival Danny Donohue with 54 percent of the vote is likely good news for Democrats who hope the union keeps up its massive political program. Donohue, leader of the union’s largest local in New York, ran as a reform candidate promising to cut back the largesse devoted to national politics and spend more resources on building up local offices.

KKK

from page 4

should not be surprised. This is the same person who supported Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in 2008. Before that, he backed Republican Rudy Giuliani for mayor over Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messenger. Fortunately, Towns is not seeking re-election.

When I look at Clarence Thomas, Artur Davis, Edolphus Towns and others we should hold in contempt, I think back to what Thurgood Marshall said about Clarence Thomas: “There’s no difference between a white snake and a black snake. They’ll both bite.�

George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA) and editorial director of Heart & Soul magazine.

He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter. com/currygeorge.

SOLD

from page 4

program “Inside the Issues with Wilmer Leon,� and a Teaching Associate in the Department of Political Science at Howard University. Go to his Prescription @ Face Book.com He can be reached at www.wilmerleon.com or by email: wjl3us@yahoo.com. www. twitter.com/drwleon

Economist: Interpret & evaluate agency policies, strategic & operational plans, & progress reviews to determine impact on budget forecasting; collect, compute & interpret economic statistics; provide socioeconomic information for state & federal agencies. Master’s, Economics or closely related field, from a nationally or regionally accredited institution; expertise or in-depth knowledge of the following: econometric models, economic forecasting, analytical & statistical skills, policy analysis & research. Job location is Baton Rouge, LA. To apply mail resume & credentials to Bhaskar Toodi, LA Dept. of Health & Hospitals, 628 N. 4th St., P.O. Box 629, Bin 34, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4489. Must apply w/ in 30 days of publication and refer to Job #12059 to be considered.

Lee Saunders

The contentious race was largely a referendum on which candidate was better positioned to lead the union through difficult times for public workers.

State and local governments have laid off thousands of workers to save money, pushed measures that curb bargaining rights or banned the automatic deduction of union dues in paychecks.

The election at the Los Angeles Convention Center took place just two weeks after unions suffered a major setback in Wisconsin when they failed to recall Republican Gov. Scott Walker. The governor has won plaudits in other states where some GOP officials want to make a similar push against unions.

The union has about 1.3 million active members, including nurses, snowplow drivers, sanitation workers and correction officers. But it See LEADER, on page 7

BUSINESS

FEMA Dollars Continue To Support Crucial Health Care Services In Southeast Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS -The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced $289,150 in Katrina-related recovery aid to the Metropolitan Human Services District, the lead Louisiana state agency charged with providing addiction, behavioral health and developmental disability service to citizens of Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

Pre-Katrina, the MHSD operated out of a facility owned by

the Louisiana Office of Facility Planning and Control-the New Orleans Mental Health Center, located at 3100 General DeGaulle Drive in New Orleans.

In addition to FEMA’s recent funding for MHSD, FEMA previously obligated $1.3 million directly to FP&C for work necessary to restore the actual New Orleans Mental Health Center facility, which was damaged significantly during Katrina. As a result, MHSD had to move its

service-oriented operation to temporary facilities in order to continue providing services. “Our recent funding to the Metropolitan Human Services District reimburses the agency for costs associated with using temporary facilities, including trailer rentals and land leases, following Katrina,� said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “Our assistance is significant because, through supporting Louisi-

ATLANTA — The Human Capital Initiative (HCI), an Atlanta-based HR services and leadership consulting and executive coaching firm, has been acquired

by The Human Capital Group (HCG). HCG, based in Brentwood, TN, specializes in retained executive search and leadership consulting. Ed Chaffin, founder and president of HCI, had been looking to expand the firm that he launched in 2009 when he and Steve Hayes, founder and senior partner of HCG, met and realized the potential of working together. “Steve and I discovered that we shared a common bond in our values and our faith. What he and his team have built over the past 11 years is very impressive,�

says Ed Chaffin. “The fact that he would see value in HCI and what we had created was flattering. The services that HCG provides and the manner they provide them in is something that I will be proud to represent.� Ed Chaffin will join The Human Capital Group as a Senior Consultant and will open a Baton Rouge, Louisiana office. He will add HCG’s retained executive search to his portfolio as well as continue to provide leadership consulting and executive coaching. “I initially reached out in early 2012 to Ed Chaffin, and we discovered similar journeys in our lives and with our companies,� says Steve Hayes. “We are very excited about adding someone with Ed’s extensive corporate

track record and entrepreneurial spirit to our team.� According to Hayes, “We are humbled and excited to unite two equally yoked firms committed to serving our diverse and growing base of clients. We will leverage The Human Capital Initiative name, capabilities, and trademarks to enhance our current Leadership Consulting, Speaking, and Executive Coaching offerings, as well as to serve and develop companies and organizations in the everchanging global marketplace.�

The Human Capital Group: Established in 2000, The Human Capital Group, Inc., is a retained executive search and leadership consulting firm with offices in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and affiliate offices in 30

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The Human Capital Initiative Announces Acquisition by The Human Capital Group - Opens Baton Rouge, LA Office

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ana’s overall recovery, we are also supporting state efforts to offer vital public services, including mental health services, throughout Southeast Louisiana.�

The building of the new, post-Katrina New Orleans Mental Health Center is scheduled for completion at the end of this summer; and once it’s completed, MHSD plans to then move back into the facility at the same loca-

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countries worldwide. Serving many high-profile companies from Vanderbilt University to Nissan with an impressive retained executive search model built on a foundation of Speed, Quality, and Value, HCG has an unprecedented track record of providing finalists for their clients in 20 working days, and at an average speed-to-hire of 51 days. It uniquely provides its services at a percentage of annual income that is significantly lower than most retained search firms. http:// www.humancapitalgroupinc. com.

For more information, please contact Ed Chaffin at 225.366.9424 or by e-mail at ed@humancapitalgroupinc. com.

Page ‡ The

Weekly Press ‡ 7KXUVGD\ -XO\

RELIGION

EMF Q&A: Pastor Marvin L. Winans Talks New LP & A New Detroit

BY HILLARY CROSLEY

Boasting a career spanning more than three decades, Pastor Marvin L. Winans is releasing a new album today, Marvin L. Winans Presents: The Praise & Worship Experience. The pastor is also joining us for the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience All Star Gospel Salute to Mary Mary and Fred Hammond on July 8 in New Orleans. Delivering the Sunday sermon, Winans might even sing a note or three as he relishes the communion of fellow saints during the day’s events.

Recently Winans was in the news after thieves stole his car, but the pastor assured us that he’s doing just fine and continuing his work in the community.

Pastor Winans took a few moments with ESSENCE.com to chat about his one of his first songs, why Detroit may not be a black city anymore and saving America’s students one charter Pastor Marvin L. Winans school at a time.

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ESSENCE.com: Tell us about your new album, Marvin L. Winans Presents: The Praise & Worship Experience, hitting shelves today, June 26.

PASTOR MARVIN L. WINANS: It will be an explosion in your musical taste buds. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not eclectic but it is diverse. It has a central theme but like a good meal, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a circus in your mouth.

ESSENCE.com: You wrote your first single â&#x20AC;&#x153;Draw Me Closeâ&#x20AC;? as a kid?

WINANS: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Draw Me Closeâ&#x20AC;? is a praise and worship song that I fell in love with. It is a little different from what the Winans have done in the past, yet it draws you in because â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thy Will Be Doneâ&#x20AC;? is a song I wrote as a teenager.

To marry that with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Draw Me Closeâ&#x20AC;? gives the composition a soulful twist, like sweet tea with a mint leaf.

ESSENCE.com: What do you think is the future of your embattled hometown of Detroit?

ON

Gospel Choir set for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Finaleâ&#x20AC;? Concert INTERDENOMINATIONAL THEOLOGICAL CENTER (ITC) SCHOOL OF MINISTRY

WINANS: America cannot afford to let Detroit fail. The players are going to change; it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a black city but it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fail.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too important to America, considering its location and international border.

ESSENCE.com: I hear youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expanding your charter school legacy in Detroit, which began with the Winans Academy of Performing Arts.

WINANS: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been so successful that the Detroit Public Schools system has asked us to take over a school and turn it around. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also working on another Winans Academy of Performing Arts (W.A.P.A.) in St. Louis to open in 2013. Education is central to the development of this generation, when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re building more prisons than schools.

ESSENCE.com: Finally, what can people expect from your sermon at the ESSENCE See WINANS, on page 7

Conference to Reinforce Positive Self-Worth this reason that I am teaming up with a fellow Christian author, Dr. Aimee (pronounced I-may) Colbert, to host the Christian Couples Conference in Haltom City on Saturday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose of the conference is to help each individual, married or not, to increase his or her emotional intelligence and self-awareness,â&#x20AC;? says Colbert, an evangelist, faith-based counselor and author of the upcoming book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reality Check: Relationshipsâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that attendees come to a better understanding

of themselves, get answers and go forward with a passion to change and a new perspective on love.â&#x20AC;?

The conference will be at Grace Church, 4740 Western Center Blvd., in Haltom City. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be two sessions, one from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the other from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only for couples.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for couples and anyone seeking to be married some day, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free,â&#x20AC;? Colbert says of the conference.

The idea is to reinforce the

need for individuals to understand themselves, to have a healthy appreciation of their own self-worth and discern whether someone else has the wholesome spirit that is needed to best complement them.

Strong relationships are built on wisdom and humility. And they thrive when those entering into them have genuine, sincere hearts rooted in the spirit of giving.

When someone approaches a relationship with the mindset of seeing what they can add to See CONFERENCE, on page 7

tions Launch Adonai Video Ministries

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LEADER

from page 5

has struggled in recent years, losing about 10 percent of its ranks since 2009.

Donohue said he wanted to focus more resources on mobilizing members and less on

FEMA

national Democratic elections.

He blamed McEntee for creating a culture of â&#x20AC;&#x153;checkbook unionismâ&#x20AC;? that too often bankrolled candidates without tending to the unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s base.

from page 5

tion as it was before Katrina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These FEMA funds help ensure that residents of New Orleansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; West Bank can have their needs met in an appropriate setting. The opening of this facility also contributes significantly to MHSDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to establish the first true continuum of care model for the communities we serve,â&#x20AC;? said Judge Calvin Johnson (ret.), Metropolitan Human Services District executive director.

To date, FEMA has obligated approximately $11.5 billion in public assistance funding for Katrina and Rita related recovery work throughout Louisiana.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

WINANS

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

FEMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/latro. Follow FEMA online at www.twitter. com/femalro, blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.

from page 6

Empowerment Experience?

WINANS: The first time I preached there, I told them, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll come in here for music and the poor preacher that has to get up behind all that stuff?â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to break that, when people are up dancing and jumping. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try to be brief. What I preached last time was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Same City, Differ-

CONFERENCE

ent Street.â&#x20AC;? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll preach yet [this year], but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be praying that the Lord will give me something just for the audience. Let the church say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amen Read more: http://www. essence.com/2012/06/25/emfq-and-a-pastor-marvin-l-winans-talks-new-lp-and-a-newdetroit/#ixzz1zUUBUXmi

from page 6

that relationship to help make the other personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life easier, better, that produces a powerful connection, one that reflects the attributes of God. But when someone enters into relationships with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;gimmeâ&#x20AC;? attitude, always seeking to make withdrawals from the other personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart and rarely (if ever) making deposits, then that not only strains the relationship, but it gradually tears down the other person.

So, we want to stress that people have a healthy attitude toward themselves. A person canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be sufficiently good to someone else if he (or she) has a negative view of himself (or herself).

Topics Colbert and I will cover at the conference include: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Twenty Questions You Must Ask Your Mate Before You Get Marriedâ&#x20AC;?; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Twenty Signs That He/She is Not the Oneâ&#x20AC;?; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are You Addicted to Bad Relationships?â&#x20AC;?; and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Evaluating Your Expectations in Your Relationship,â&#x20AC;? just to name a few.

The conference will be recorded on CD and some video.

The content will be available following the conference. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The conference will be very eye-opening,â&#x20AC;? Colbert says.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Couples and singles should come prepared to learn. They should invite as many people as they possibly can, as we will be sharing information that they will probably never hear anywhere else. This will be a lifechanging event in their lives.â&#x20AC;?

For more information about the free conference, including registration, visit http://www.christiancouplesconference.com. Donald Lee is founder-pastor of Kingdom Living Christian Center in Dallas and co-author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Married to Commitment,â&#x20AC;? the powerful Xulon Press-published book on relationships. To order â&#x20AC;&#x153;Married to Commitmentâ&#x20AC;? online, visit http://www.xulonpress.com.

Follow Lee on Twitter at @donaldj_lee. Dr. Aimee Colbert also is on Twitter at @aimeetweets4u.

The first chapter of Dr. Colbertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reality Check,â&#x20AC;? already is available for download off of the conferenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Web site.

Also, call in to their Blogtalk radio show at 1 p.m. (Central Standard Time) every Saturday by calling (646) 652-4405. Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Colbertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s e-mail addresses are pastordonjlee@yahoo.com and aimee_colbert@yahoo.com, respectively. For directions to the conference, visit http://www. mapquest.com.

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HEALTH

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HEALT

Elizabeth Alonso, MD, New Consumer Assistance Grants Will Joins Baton Rouge Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Good For Your Heart Is Give States More Resources To Help General Physicians Consumers Get And Keep Health Coverage 1$360 $ VXUYH\ FRPPLVVLRQHG E\ WZR OHDGLQJ KHDOWK RUJDQL]DWLRQV IRXQG WKDW DOWKRXJK WZR RXW RI WKUHH $IULFDQ $PHULFDQV SHUFHQW H[ SUHVVHG FRQFHUQ DERXW GHYHORSLQJ KHDUW GLVHDVH DQG WZR RXW RI ILYH SHUFHQW H[SUHVVHG FRQFHUQ DERXW erating in state agencies or as GHYHORSLQJ $O]KHLPHU¡V RQO\ DERXW local non-profits, can continue RQH LQ DUH DZDUH WKDW KHDUW KHDOWK to strengthen and enhance onLV OLQNHG WR EUDLQ KHDOWK goingTKH $O]KHLPHU¡V $VVRFLDWLRQ LV efforts in the states and local communities to protect MRLQLQJ IRUFHV ZLWK WKH $PHULFDQ consumers.

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QRW SDUW RI QRUPDO DJLQJ DJH LV WKH gov/law/features/rights/conJUHDWHVW ULVN IDFWRU IRU $O]KHLPHU¡V sumer-assistance-program/ GLVHDVH 6R LW LV LPSRUWDQW WKDW $I For the report on CAP ULFDQ $PHULFDQV WDNH VWHSV QRZ WR grantee progress, visit: http:// GHFUHDVH WKHLU ULVN RI KHDUW GLVHDVH cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/ ZKLFK UHVHDUFK KDV VKRZQ FRXOG index.html#capg DOVR GHFUHDVH WKH ULVN RI FRJQLWLYH For the new Funding GHFOLQH ¾ Announcement, Opportunity visit: http://www.grants.gov , and search for CFDA number 93.519.

Affordable Care Act grants have saved consumers millions

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BATON ROUGE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Elizabeth Alonso, MD, has joined Baton Rouge General Physicians.

Specializing in pediatric gastroenterology, Dr. Alonso brings more than 20 years of experience to Baton Rouge General Physicians.

She received her medical degree from Universidad Libre in Cali, Colombia and completed her Pediatric residency at Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia. Dr. Alonso also completed her residency in Pediatrics at Tulane University Research shows a link between heart and brain heal School of Medicine in Or- brain functio heart function could leadNew to impaired leans, Louisiana. She completed a fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Tulane University and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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Otis O. Stewart was Honored Recently for Serving in the United State Marine Corp WASHINGTON, DC - Otis O. Stewart of Baton Rouge, La. was honored with over 400 other African-American Marines in Washington.

Otis O. Stewart was stationed at Camp Montford Point.

Montford Point was the place where the first black Marines to serve in the Marine Corps were recruited and trained.

Otis O. Stewart was conferred the United States Congressional Gold Medal the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest civilian honor, at a ceremony in Washington D. C., Wednesday June 27, 2012.

He was among more than 400 African-American marines who were honored. These men served the United States at a segregated boot camp between 1942 and 1949, called Monrford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina. They were the first black marines to serve in the United States Marines. Members of Congress addressed the Marines during the ceremony at the U. S. Capitol building.

In addition the Commandant of Marine Corps at a military parade and ceremony honored the Montford Point Marines on June 28 at the Marine Barracks, Washington. These ceremonies celebrated the legacy and sacrifice of all Marines who served with honor, courage and commitment at the Montford Camp.

The U.S. Marine Corps paid tribute to its first black Marines, awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor for a civilian. Otis Stewart was one of those pioneers, men called Montford Point Marines after the crude, segregated camp where they trained. One great wish: That these two days could have

happened long ago. The 400 honorees able to attend. There are 420 surviving Montford Point Marines, most of them in their 80s. On yesterday, under a scorching sun on the lawn of the Marine Barracks, each of the Montford The aging pioneers rode buses escorted by U.S. Capital police cars. Young Marines in dress blues greeted them. The United States Marine Corps Band, \ streaked the skies, most of the black Marines were often assigned duties that generally meant taking care of white officers or providing support tasks such as cooking because they were thought to be too inept to fight, though they soon proved the white officers wrong.

The Marine Corps was the last branch of the service to integrate.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Fair Employment Practices Commission in 1941, forcing the Corps to open to black recruits.

But resistance from the leadership meant black men did not enter the Marine Corps until 1942. Some 20,000 black men entered the Corps when the doors opened, training at muddy, segregated, inferior construction at Montford Point, which was adjacent to the well-built Camp Lejeune, where whites trained. Instead of staying in barracks, the black Marines stayed in what they described as cardboard huts barely heated by a single stove. Black men couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even visit Camp Lejeune without a white escort. Under such conditions, it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surprising that most of the black men fulfilled their initial service agreement and then left the Marine Corps. Only about 1,500 men made the Marine Corps a career.

Otis O. Stewart of Baton Rouge, La. was honored with over 400 other AfricanAmerican Marines in Washington.

Are Dropped Charges A Problem In Domestic Violence Cases?

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BATON ROUGE,â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x153;I felt like he would get away with it. He would get rid of me and nobody would ever look into it.â&#x20AC;? Words from a domestic violence survivor that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll call Ellen.

She tells 9 News the East Baton Rouge District Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office was instrumental in helping her get out of a dangerous situation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Put his hands around my neck, you know, and kind of threatened and I looked in his eyes and realized that he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sorry for what he did yesterday.

He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sorry for what he did last week. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gonna change. It was only going to get worse,â&#x20AC;? she explained.

19th Judicial Assistant District Attorney Melanie Fields says domestic violence cases make up 95 percent of all dropped case requests. She says there are a number of reasons why people drop cases. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some are coerced. Some are threatened and make the request at the behest of the defendant or defendantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family,â&#x20AC;? said Fields. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of these are financially dependent on the defendant or his family may have the defendantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family taking care of their kids. â&#x20AC;&#x153; In each and every case, the victim has an interview and the case is reviewed by District Attorney Hillar Moore. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every solitary case the victim has a one on one interview because we want to assess whether or not sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s frightened or scared or threatened to make that request,â&#x20AC;? said Fields.

Meanwhile, Ellen says she waited two years too long to get out of her situation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2009, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when I should have gotten the cops to help get him away because I felt like I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get rid of him and at that time I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ready to do that. I needed to do to get rid of him,â&#x20AC;? said Ellen In East Baton Rouge Parish, it costs $100 to file a drop case request.

Harley-Davidson to Host Fundraiser for Local Spay, Neuter Non-Profit

BATON ROUGE, LA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Harley-Davidson of Baton Rouge, located at 5853 Siegen Lane, will be hosting a dog fashion show to benefit local non-profit Spay Baton Rouge.

Dubbed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harleywood K-9 Fashion Eventâ&#x20AC;? it will be held Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 11am-1pm and will include Hollywood flair. Registration will be from 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; noon and the fashion show will run noon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm.

Open to the public, dog owners are invited to enter their dressed up pet and accompany them down the red carpet.

Contestants will have the opportunity to win a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pawscarâ&#x20AC;? in three categories and have their picture taken by the â&#x20AC;&#x153;puparazzi.â&#x20AC;? Celebrity judges will be Murphy, Sam and Jodi of 96.1 the River, and host Michael Hackettâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;owner of Petz Plazaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; will serve as emcee. Attendees will be treated to food provided

by Izzoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Illegal Burrito and all dogs will leave with a swag bag of treats. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are thankful for Harley-Davidson hosting the dog fashion show, as well as Murphy, Sam and Jodi, and Michael Hackett giving of their time,â&#x20AC;? says Executive Director Sandra DiTusa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The event, designed for people and their dogs to have fun, will also allow us to raise awareness of what we are about.â&#x20AC;?

Spay Baton Rouge is dedicated to reducing the pet euthanasia rate in East Baton Rouge Parish. Since 2006, they and their partners have spayed

and neutered over 10,500 cats and dogs by offering low-cost spay and neuter services to people otherwise unable to afford the procedure for their pets.

DiTusa says despite the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success, funding is a continuous challenge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pet homelessness is a serious problem in our community.

Nearly 60% of all animals impounded yearly in East Baton Rouge Parish are euthanized.

If we continue to euthanize as a method to control the pet population, we will continually be playing catch up with animals that produce an average of 10 offspring per year.â&#x20AC;?

Proceeds from the fundraiser will allow Spay Baton Rouge to continue providing spay and neuter services, effectively stopping the problem at its source and offering a humane alternative to euthanasia.

Spay Baton Rouge thanks its event sponsors: HarleyDavidson of Baton Rouge, Izzoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Illegal Burrito, Petz Plaza, Crawford Photography, Coca-Cola, Celtic Media, Silver Screen Rentals, la Madeleine, Marsh Dog, Flemingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Oh Baby, Jeanne Schoeffler and Vanishing Forests Digital Media.

For tickets and dog registration information visit www. spaybatonrouge.org.

For additional information call Noelle Harper at (225) 326-8749 or email Noelle at noelle.harper@spaybatonrouge. org.

Zachary Voted One of the Top Towns in the U.S. Zachary is one of the 10 Best Towns for Families in the U.S. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s according to Family Circle magazine which announced the results of its exclusive survey to identify the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual list. The communities featured in the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual roundup of perfect places to call home combine affordable housing, good neighbors, green spaces, strong public school systems and giving spirits. The results of the comprehensive survey appear in Family Circleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s August issue which is on newsstands now.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 Best Towns for Families are: Â&#x2021; %D\ 9LOODJH 2KLR Â&#x2021; /DNH 2VZHJR 2UHJRQ Â&#x2021; 9DLO $UL]RQD Â&#x2021; )LVKHUV ,QGLDQD Â&#x2021; %DOOZLQ 0LVVRXUL Â&#x2021; /RXLVYLOOH &RORUDGR Â&#x2021; /RQJPHDGRZ Massachusetts Â&#x2021; )RUW 0LOO 6RXWK Carolina Â&#x2021; =DFKDU\ /RXLVLDQD Â&#x2021; 2DN 3DUN ,OOLQRLV â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are thrilled to be included in Family Circleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Towns and Citiesâ&#x20AC;? List and be ranked as one of the top ten cities in the country!â&#x20AC;? said Zachary Mayor David Amrhein. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now everyone will know what we have known all alongâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that Zachary is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise your family. The strength of any com-

munity is found in the hearts and minds of the people. The Zachary community is marked by a tangible spirit of caring and service. We pride ourselves on maintaining a safe, affordable community, with a top performing school district, providing a high quality of life.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Zachary Community School District is proud to play a role in making this community a great place for families to live and learn. Our teachers and staff work hard to provide a first-rate education for all of our students,â&#x20AC;? said Zachary Community School District Superintendent Warren Drake.

The publication contacted the city of Zachary, Zachary Community Schools and Zachary Chamber of Commerce as part of the selection process.

The article features an interview with local couple Nick and Jennifer Carr who grew up in the area and currently have three children in Zachary Schools. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These communities have it all, making them perfect places to call home,â&#x20AC;? the magazine boasts.

Family Circle has released the list annually in the August issue of the publication since 2007, highlighting places that families want to call home.

The Best List Towns for Families can also be found on Family Circleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web site: http://www.familycircle.com/ family-fun/travel/best-townsfor-families-2012/