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INSIDE ROCHESTER
Housing Council on the Move! T
he Housing Council is one of New York State’s largest HUD-approved comprehensive housing counseling agencies. And that’s good news for residents in Rochester and surrounding Western New York areas. The not-for-profit corporation, founded in 1971 in Rochester, provides landlord education, foreclosure prevention, pre-purchase counseling, emergency housing services and fair housing education at no charge. “All services are free “ said Mary Leo , Director of Foreclosure Prevention Department for The Housing Council “We help clients communicates with lenders, and other bill collectors to help you set up a plan to get out of debt.” The Housing Council, she continued, “has the most comprehensive service in the country...We are a HUD certified preventive program that can be a one stop shopping for assistance in debt reduction. This program is one of the oldest in the country, and continues to serve over 1,000 families per year in Western New York. Wondering whether or not it’s a good idea to use your tax returns to bring your mortgage current? Chris Schello, Senior Counselor with the Housing Council advises against it. “It’s only a band aid. Why not save that money for other emergencies? People often
Housing Coumcil:Leslie R. Harvey, pictured above, is the foreclosure Prevention Outreach Coordinator for the Housing Council.
fall behind on their mortgage due to illness, short term lay off or divorce. They will use tax returns to bring the mortgage current and then find themselves in the same place again a year later! Why not save that money for the unforeseen illness or layoff and get long term relief through our assistance. If they come in and we get them reviewed for a long term workout now the interest rate and payment may be lowered for the duration of the loan. “ He said the plan is perfect for example, a teacher who doesn’t work during the summer and doesn’t receive a pay check. If the mortgage is set at a better rate, payment then in those off months the tax return could be used to keep the mortgage current. “The worst case scenario we get the borrower reviewed for a workout and if they get denied now
they have that tax as a safety net.” “Foreclosure prevention is a strong initiative with City of Rochester, County of Monroe, State and Federal dollars going into the program,” said Sue Boss, interim Director of The Housing Council. “We have the largest staff in the area working on foreclosure prevention (10 employees). The financial market bottomed out in 2009-2011 causing a flood of foreclosures across the country (and) it’s going to be a problem for some time to come. We are trying to catch people early on when they are 30 – 90 days past due on morContinued Page 13
Around Town * “Women for Women” Panel Discussion, awards, workshops, networking, live entertainment, presented by WDKX, Fri. April 12 and Sat. April 13 ;www.acebook. com/WdkxWomenForWomen.
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738 UNIVERSITY AVE. ROCHESTER* 585-563-2145 *African World History Class Tuesdays, 7:30-9:00 pm. Hosted by Kiah Nyame $5 donation requested per session.
*FILM & DIALOGUE The Language You Cry In Screening is Friday, April *FILM & DIALOGUE Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property, Friday, April 19, 7 pm Nat Turner's slave rebellion is a watershed event in America's long and troubled history of slavery and racial conflict. N Discussion follows screening. *COMMUNITY DIALOGUE PROFILED: RACE IN CIVIC CIRCLES Series - Race & Spirituality,Thurs., April 25, 7 pm *Last Friday Heritage Jazz Series. Friday, April 26, 7 pm Hosted by Dr. Carl Carl Atkins, Professor of Music at RIT, Series takes place each month. CURRENT EXHIBIT Magnificent Africa Exhibited through May.
*STAR Inc. 10th Annual Debutante Cotillion: 5 p.m., Sat. April 13, Hyatt Regency Rochester, 125 East Main St; tickets $45; 585-234-0448; sponsored by Sisterst Together Achieving Results Inc. *Grammy Award Winning Vocalist Jessye Norman, to perform benefit concert for Action for a Better Community with special guests The Garth Fagan Dance Company Sunday, April 14 at 5 p.m., Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs Street, Rochester; tickets $25, $50, $75 & $125 @ Eastman Box Office, www.rpo.og or call 585-454-2100; All proceeds to benefit Action for a Better Community Inc. *Mood Makers Books Theatre Project 1, Celebrating National Poetry Month, “Poetry in the Windows” Reception & Reading, Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m., Mood Makers, 274 N. Goodman; 585-2717071. *Mood Makers Theatre 1 Project “6th Annual Sankofa Evening of Theatre & Jazz,” Thursday, Friday & Saturday August 23, 24 & 25 at 7:30 Continued Page 13
Through April 28th at Rochester Museum & Science Center 657 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14607
Don’t miss this thought-provoking exhibit that takes an unprecedented look at Race and Racism in the United States. Now in its final weeks! Learn more at www.FaceRaceRoc.org
Lead sponsor of this exhibit
Organized groups of 10 or more receive a group rate of $5 per person. Call 585.697.1942 to register your group for this special rate.
APRIL 10, 2013
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Challenger Community News •
Canisius To Commemorate MLK Jr’s Letter From Birmingham Jail
WNY AREA BRIEFS
6TH CITYWIDE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM ANNOUNCED: Mayor Byron Brown today announced that his Administration’s sixth “No Questions Asked” Gun BuyBack Program will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at seven drop-off sites across Buffalo. Participants received over $100,000 through pre-paid credit card incentives, distributed at each drop-off location. On Saturday, May 4 the City of Buffalo’s Gun Buy Back will take place at the following locations: True Bethel Baptist Church, 907 E. Ferry; St John Baptist Church, 184 Goodell St.; Church of The Good Shepherd, 96 Jewett Pkwy.; St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 213 Ontario St.; St Thomas Aquinas Church, 450 Abbott Rd.; Prince of Peace Christian Church, 190 Albany St.; and Primera United Methodist Church, 62 Virginia.
Candidates Forum for BFNC’s Spring Donor Breakfast Will JumpBuffalo Board of start The Season Elections Candidates for the Buffalo Board of Education's six district seats will debate the issues and answer questions from journalists and residents in a public forum from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 18, in the Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave. In advance of what could be a pivotal election for the city schools, candidates for the Central, East, Ferry, North, Park and West districts will answer questions posed by journalists, submitted by audience members and submitted via the Internet at www.facebook.com/babjbuffalo. The forum also will be recorded for broadcast on public access TV in advance of the May 7 election. The free event is sponsored by the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists, the Burchfield Penney Art Center and the Buffalo State College Communications Department.
The Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers (BFNC) annual Spring Donor Recognition Breakfastt will be held Tuesday, April 16 at the Moot Senior Center, 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Employees and friends of BFNC who have supported the agency through donations to the United Way will be served a full breakfast, catered by the Moot Caterers. “We like to recognize the people who have supported us over the years, and this breakfast is a fun way to do it,” said Letrice Harwell, executive assistant and organizer of the event. There will be awards for the longest-giving employee, employee who increased giving the most over the past year, and highest-donation. The event will feature entertainment by Pappy Martin and the Supreme Love Trio. For additional information visit BFNC online at www. bfnc.org.##
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Pictured above: Mr. and Mrs. Brown (seated) and Bishop and Mrs. Michael A. Badger. PHOTO PRINCESS PHOTOGRAPHY
Roscoe Brown Receives Nations Highest Civilian Award Roscoe Brown belatedly received the nation’s highest civilian award – the Congressional Gold Medal – last Sunday at Bethesda World Harvest Church in Buffalo hosted by Bishop Michael A. Badger. The medal was presented by Congressman Brian Higgins. Mr. Brown was a member of the Montford Pointe Marines, the first African Americans in the Corps. The Montford Pointe Marines had been assigned to a North Carolina base created to keep AfricanAmericans segregated from White Marines Mr. Brown also received a New York State Proclamation for his service presented by NYS Assemblyman Michael Kearns. Major Carlos Benitez Director of Erie County Veterans Service, was instrumental in bringing the award to Buffalo. Also present Veterans Voices of WNY which Mr. Brown is a member dedicated to Veterans helping Veterans.
Kensington Little League Registration for the 2013 Kensington Little League Baseball season is being held at the concession Stand at McCarthy Park Monday thru Friday from 6 to 7:30 p for ages 5 to17, boys and girls. Players cannot turn 17 prior to May 1 Travel team for ages 13-17.For more information call 491-1253.
Countdown! Some of the members and children from Greater Refuge Temple stand with Brother Herbert at the Fillmore-Best entrance to MLK Park.
Countdown to Completion!
Herbert gets assurance from Commissioner of Public Works and Parks that the Martin Luther King Park Project will be finished before Juneteenth! Samuel A. Herbert has heard it before. But this time he has faith that the completion of the Martin Luther King Park Splash and Skating Rink will be a reality. And the best part – it’s scheduled to happed before Juneteenth. “I’m excited and I want the community to know that we’re just about there,” he said enthusiastically. Right now there is still no water and no public explanation or report from Mayor Brown or Masten Council Demone Smith on the progress of the work. “Mayor Brown agreed to call a public meeting with the Coalition to Save MLK Park in the month of March,” stated Herbert. “ After calling the office of the Mayor and Steve Casey each Monday during the month of March and receiving no return phone calls, on Wednesday morning April 4th I reached out and called the Commissioner of Public Works and Parks.” He said he spoke with the Commissioner Steven Stepniak, and was pleased when he was told “ Sam it will be ready June 1st .” “Then on Saturday morning the Commissioner called me at home and said ‘Sam good news! We will have the project tested up and running in the month of May’ !” He said he reminded the Commissioner of the dead line of the Coalition To Save MLK Park, which is the Juneteenth weekend, that Saturday before Fathers Day Sunday. “I also shared with him about my children on Buffalo’s Eastside, who are as important as his children in South and North Buffalo.” Commissioner Steven Stepniak assured again that it would be ready by May. “I also reminded to him of false past dates shared with the public and that seeing is believing. All that I do is for ALL children from all across the city of Buffalo. Don’t promise children something and don’t come through. Children will never forget and in this case especially, nor will I and many other residents in this community!”
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The Canisius College Andrew L. Bouwhuis, S.J., Library w i l l host a public reading of Dr. Martin Luther K i n g J r. ’s Letter f r o m B i r mingham Jail on Tuesday, April 16 at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Canisius was invited by Archivist Jim Baggett of the Birmingham, AL Public Library to join participants worldwide to mark the 50th Anniversary of the day that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began writing his powerful letter. King’s correspondence, first published in the New York Times Magazine, was in response to a critical statement by eight White Alabama clergymen to Civil Rights demonstrations in Birmingham. Dr. King wrote his letter, also known as “The Negro is Your Brother,” while jailed after his arrest in a non-violent protest organized by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The Canisius library program will begin with a reading of the clergymen statement followed by King’s letter. Participants will be asked to read aloud a few paragraphs from Dr. King’s letter. A conversation about the documents will follow the reading. Administrators, faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend and participate, especially those who are studying the letter in classes. Among those scheduled to read are members of the Canisius community who participated in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, and those individuals whose lives and careers were influenced by Dr. King and his legacy. Limited copies of Letter from Birmingham Jail and Letter from the Eight White Clergymen will be available to share during the reading. For more info contact Kathleen DeLaney, at (716) 8888421 or send an e-mail to delaneyk@canisius.edu.
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National/International NEWS High Stakes Testing Makes Cheating Inevitable
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Over the last four years, standardized test cheating cases have been confirmed “in 37 states and the District of Columbia, and patterns of systemic cheating in about a dozen jurisdictions,” said Bob Schaeffer, of Fair Test. “The only solution is a comprehensive overhaul of No Child Left Behind and the over-testing system that has been mandated.” Schaeffer said evaluation of student progress should be “based on the work students do in the classroom over time.” Mumia on the Real Dr. King Political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, serving a life sentence in a Pennsylvania prison, sent a message to a gathering at New York’s historic Riverside Church on the anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination. “ MLK, who broke with President Lyndon Johnson in a speech at Riverside on April 4, 1967, “was an adversary of the military industrial complex and
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APRIL 10, 2013
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the mammoth business interests that support it. This is why state power marked him, quashed his voice, and gave him up to a violent death,” said Abu Jamal.
Free the Cuban Five
“The U.S. government categorically denies it has political prisoners in its gulags,” said Luis Rosa, a Puerto Rican activist from Chicago who spent 19 years in prison on political charges. Rosa spoke at a Columbia University event demanding freedom for the Cuban Five and all U.S. political prisoners. The U.S. “uses denial to violate our most basic human rights,” said Rosa, “to perpetuate the lie that it is the ultimate defender of freedom, justice, democracy and human rights in the world.” Imani Brown, of Columbia’s Caribbean Students Association, said “American neocolonial systems of power…is the driving force of the prison industrial complex.”
Petition to Take Back Obama’s Peace Prize
Norman Solomon, the former anti-war congressional candidate and co-founder of RootsAction.org, says the state of peace in the world “has gone from bad to worse” in the 40 months since President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. RootsAction.org is circulating a petition, asking the Nobel committee to take back the prize, which was awarded early in Obama’s first term. As one petitioner wrote: “A preemptive peace prize works about as well as pre-emptive war.”
“See No Evil, Hear No Evil” at EPA
“When you consider the level of assaults that the planet is under, if ever in our history we needed a strong voice at the agency for communities and people, it’s now,” said Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, noted whistleblower and a leader in the No Fear Coalition. She said Gina McCarthy, President Obama’s new choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency, is just another representative of the “envirotocracy – green paint on top of a corporate structure” – very much like former EPA chief Lisa Jackson and other predecessors who “hear no evil, see no evil.”
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Six-year-old Charles Kerby hold his 11-month-old sister Mikerlina Dragon inside the Ste Therese camp, set up for people displaced by the 2010 earthquake, in Petion-Ville, Haiti, in June 2012. Kerby had to drop out of school after the 2010 earthquake to help his working mother care for his two brothers and sisters.
What About the People?
Study Says Haiti Aid Largely Went to US Groups
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A new report on American aid to Haiti in the wake of that country’s devastating earthquake finds much of the money went to U.S.-based companies and organizations. The Center for Economic and Policy Research analyzed the $1.15 billion pledged after the January 2010 quake and found that the “vast majority” of the money it could follow went straight to U.S. companies or organizations, more than half in the Washington area alone. Just 1 percent went directly to Haitian companies. The report’s authors said that a lack of transparency makes it hard to track all the money. “It is possible to track who the primary recipients of USAID funds are, yet on what are these NGOs and contractors spending the money?” authors Jake Johnston and Alexander Main wrote. “What percent goes to overhead, to staff, vehicles, housing, etc.? What percent has actually been spent on the ground in Haiti?” USAID did not respond to requests to comment on the report Friday. The group has been a critic of U.S. foreign policy in the past, accusing the U.S. of a top-down approach to aid that does little to alleviate poverty in impoverished Haiti. The report also finds that the biggest recipient of U.S. aid after the earthquake was Chemonics International Inc., a for-profit international development company based in Washington, D.C., that has more than 4,800 employees. Aside from the World Bank and United Nations, Chemonics is the single largest recipient of USAID funds worldwide, having received more than $680 million in fiscal year 2012 alone. In Haiti, Chemonics has received more than the next three largest recipients since 2010, a total of $196 million, or 17 percent of the total amount. In Haiti, Chemonics’ mandate has involved setting up a temporary structure for Parliament, renovation of public plazas and repair of the country’s main courthouse, as well as organizing televised debates for the 2011 presidential election. Typically, major players such as Chemonics subcontract project work to smaller firms, some of them of them local. USAID has awarded $27.8 million of the $1.15 billion to Haitian and Haitian-American firms since the quake, according to the agency’s website. The obstacles blocking Haitian businesses from the contracts are many. They’re often not competitive because they may not be able to get the financing they need from local banks. Smaller firms also lack the resources to prepare costly, time-consuming applications, nor do they have the big companies’ track records in other parts of the world or the kinds of connections that help open the right doors.
APRIL 10, 2013
Challenger Community News • ChallengerCN.com
Healthy CHAMPions Step Out of Their Comfort Zone, Building Strong, Healthy & Informed Communities The Community Health Assets Mapping Partnerships (CHAMP) initiative is a network of individuals and partner organizations dedicated to building healthy and whole communities. Our goal is to build authentic and trusting relationships between faith-based communities, organizations and tackle health concerns that are identified by the people in the community. With the “mapping” training, our participants will be able to find health assets within the areas they live. This mapping process will show people that there are places in their own communities that can help them receive proper health care and live healthier lives. It will also help them identify what resources they are lacking and would like to have in their communities. Twelve faith-based communities and organizations are part of the first CHAMP program. They are: St. Martin de Porres RC Church, Second Chance Ministry, Durham Memorial AME Zion Church, New Beginning COGIC, St. Clare’s Catholic Church, Masjid Nu’Man, Faith Word Fellowship, Catholic Health, Rachael’s Experience, Group Ministries, Hopewell Baptist Church and the Community Health Center of Buffalo. This group has a vision and a goal of good community health that has allowed them to step out of their comfort zone and into the forefront of this project. When faith based community members take the lead in efforts like this, all community members receive the benefits. Mother Teresa said, “In every community there is work to be done.” No matter what you do there is always something that can be changed or improved. Every successful community relies on the standards of the people that are in it. By working together through projects such as the CHAMP project we can raise the standard in the communities. Save the date: April 13, or Saturday April 27, from 9 Noon CHAMP training will be held at Group Ministries 1333 Jefferson Ave. Buffalo. . Our first discussion topic will be “What You Need to Know About the New Health Insurance Marketplace.” Registration for each day is limited to
the first 50 people.
For more information on how to register like our facebook page “The PHAJTH Project” or Contact us at (716) 8359356 or email us at Champwny@gmaiI.com The PHAITH Initiative is funded through a grant by the John R. Oishei Foundation.
Vitamin D May Lower Blood Pressure in Blacks African-Americans have significantly higher rates of hypertension, and lower blood levels of vitamin D, than the rest of the population. Now a randomized trial suggests that vitamin D supplements may help lower blood pressure.
Physician Assistant to Join Staff at Summit Family Medicine Sherria M. Lewis, P.A., has been appointed to the medical staff at Summit Family Medicine. Lewis is a graduate of Daemen College, where she earned a master of science degree in Physician Assistant Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. Her previous experience includes work as both an inpatient and outpatient physician assistant with the Buffalo Medical Group and the Exigence Group. She has been certified in stroke care, critical care and advanced cardiovascular life support and is a member of the Western New York Physician Assistant Association, New York State Society of Physician Assistants and American Academy of Physician Assistants. In her new role, Lewis will provide primary care services to patients at Summit Family Medicine, a service of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, 6934 Williams Road, Niagara Falls.
HEALTH MATTERS
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The Health Benefits of Spices
Curry Powder: The starring role in this blend of herbs and spices belongs to turmeric, which contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory “that’s 50 times more potent than vitamin C or E.” In fact, one study shows that curcumin inhibits the growth of certain breast cancer cells, and other research suggests it may also protect against stomach and colon cancer. Rosemary: While grilling and sautéing require little to no added fat, cooking at high temps produces compounds called heterocyclic amines, which are harmful free radicals that may cause cancer, explains Hannah El-Amin, RD, a dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Luckily, marinating meat in a mixture made with rosemary before firing it up prevents the formation of heterocyclic amines by as much as 84 percent, a study at Kansas State University found. Oregano:. One teaspoon ogegano contains not only six micrograms of bone-building vitamin K but also the same amount of antioxidants as three cups of spinach. And preliminary research indicates that oregano can help fend off stomach flu. Bacteria often hitch a ride on the food we eat, and oregano may keep them from multiplying and making us sick. Cinnamon: A seesawing blood sugar level can drive hunger and cravings; the antioxidant compounds in cinnamon help prevent those spikes and dips by improving the way your cells metabolize glucose. What’s more, research shows that eating half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily reduces risk factors for diabetes and heart disease within six weeks. Ginger: Besides helping to settle an upset stomach, this peppery spice can also lessen workout-induced soreness: P (Gingerol, a chemical in ginger, is thought to reduce inflammation and block nerve pathways that process pain.) And Thai researchers recently found that middle-aged women who took a daily ginger supplement for two months exhibited a greater attention span and scored higher on memory tests than women who took a placebo. Nutmeg: Despite having a hint of sweetness, this spice may help prevent cavities. Your mouth is a hotbed of bacteria, and nutmeg fights the germs with antibacterial compounds. Chief among them is macelignan, which reduces plaque formation by 50 percent and eradicates cavity-producing microbes, according to Italian researchers. Additionally, nutmeg is rich in pro-
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Women’s Empowerment & Fellowship
FAITH BASED
The Excellence For His Majesty (Efhm) Women's Empowerment & Fellowship will be held on Saturday April 13 at 10 a.m. at Global Harvest Ministries - 2177 Union Rd. West Seneca ( in the Applegate Denistry building - side door.)The event is being hosted and coordinated by Dr. Melody Barclay. Call (716) 603-5436 to reserve a seat. Excellence For His Majesty meets every 2nd Saturday of each month.
Worship this week!
APRIL 10, 2013 Challenger Community News •
THE BIBLE
Did you know that... When you carry the Bible, Satan has a headache. When you open it, he collapses. When he sees you reading it, he faints. Let’s read the Bible every day so he keeps on fainting. Maybe one day he’ll have a stroke and never wake up....
APRIL 10, 2013
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Challenger Community News •
Women’s Prayer Breakfast
The Potter’s House Christian Community Church will host their Annual Women’s Prayer Breakfast weekend Friday, April 19 at 7p.m. at the Potter’s House located at 723 7th Street, Niagara Falls. This event is free and open to ALL women. The Prayer Breakfast is on Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. at Antonio’s Restaurant located at 7708 Niagara Falls. Ticket donations are $20 for adults and $15 for youth 12 and under. WOMEN ONLY! The guest speaker is Co-Pastor Celestine Booze of Potter’s House. For more information please contact the church at (716) 285-3445.
The Little Preacher: 7-year-old Samuel M. Green shares message He stands in the pulpit at Birmingham’s Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church, sporting a pin-striped vest and tie. Nearby, a woman weeps and waves her hands. The 5-year-old calls his first sermon “Double For Your Trouble.” It’s about Job, a man who continued to have faith in God despite his trials and eventually was given more than he lost as a reward for his devotion. “Job had nothing,” says Samuel Martholomew Green, speaking confidently to the congregation as their voices reaffirm his message. “He lost his land. He lost his animals. He lost his sons and daughters. But do you know what Job did? Job fell to his knees and began worshiping to God saying, ‘The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ After all these bad things happened to Job, still he praised God.” Now 7, Samuel has since preached at more than 50 churches and community events. The Jackson youngster has his own public access television show on Jackson’s Comcast Channel 18, “Samuel M. Green presents The Simple Truth.” It started
The
PATHWAYS TO CARE PROGRAM is your road to access free medication and health care for people living with HIV/AIDS in Erie and Niagara County. • The Pathways to Care Team provides free and confidential screenings for ADAP, Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, and/or other public and private health insurances. • The Pathways to Care Team conducts confidential screenings at the MOCHA Center located at 1092 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14209 and a variety of other locations. • To schedule a free and confidential health care screening, you can contact… Health Access Specialist at 716 852-1142, ext. 17 or www.mochacenter.org This publication was supported by grant number X07HA00025 from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This grant is funded through Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990, as amended by Part B of The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Health Research, Inc. and do not necessarily represent the official view of the funders.
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Samuel M. Green
airing last fall from 11-11:30 a.m. every Sunday. And he recently began taping six shows called “Tiny Tots for Jesus” for Three Angels Broadcasting Network, a Christian media ministry based in West Frankfort, Ill. Justin Patterson, 24, the youth leader of Bolton’s Brownsville Missionary Baptist Church, first saw the little preacher on YouTube. Then, he decided to go see him in person. “I couldn’t believe someone so small had so much to say and give to the world,” he says. “Samuel” is the middle name of the little preacher’s father, Louis S. Green III. But the boy’s mother, Joann Green, named him after Samuel in the Bible. Joann, 52, a Medicare coor-
dinator, and her husband, a retired surgical assistant, did not expect to have another child. Her eldest son, Cedric Walker, was 21 when Samuel was born. She often said if she had another baby, she would pattern his life after the biblical Samuel. She read Scripture to him when she tucked him in and when he woke. His grandmother began teaching him songs and nursery rhymes at 12 months. By age 3, he could read and, during children’s story time at Berean church, he confidently read a book about the creation. “I am not a public speaker, and my husband is very bashful. He did not grow up around pastors. We are just a very spiritual family,” Joann Green says. “This is very unique, and sometimes, we are just amazed at some of the things Samuel says. We know without a shadow of a doubt that it is strictly from God.” For his part, Samuel remembers reading that creation story. “The real meaning of the creation story is that we should try to be like who we are and not like someone else because God made us, just
like Adam and Eve. He made us exactly the way he wants us to be.”Samuel is a good kid, his mom says, but he isn’t perfect.“He gets in trouble for not following direction as he is told,” Joann says. “He’ll get in trouble for not staying focused at school. He will sort of daydream. And sometimes, he gets in trouble for leaving his toys around, not picking up and putting things away as he should.”
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ENTERTAINMENT
APRIL 10, 2013
Ujima Presents Sista Circle: A Stage Reading Our Stories in Our Own Words The stories of women unfurl through vivid living room conversations in Sista Circle, directed by Shanntina Moore on stage at Ujima Theatre Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Sista Circle gives a view into the world of a group of friends as they discuss their personal experiences, social issues and life building stories during an evening of celebrating sisterhood. What begins as a lighthearted evening of libation and nourishment quickly intensifies as the discussion shifts from love to tainted love. The Sistas continue on this journey as they consider identity issues and social issues that affect women beyond their circle. The drama heightens throughout the play as the Sistas build on the stories of each other, ultimately and continuously healing themselves through poetry, dance and song. This play gives the audience a peek into a sacred space where candid thoughts and ideas are welcomed and the creative process is witnessed. Sista Circle is the complete work of the cast and company of the show. This production serves as an opportunity for artists of various genres to collaborate by creating an atmosphere of
Snoop (left) and Frank Ocean.
Snoop Dogg On Homosexuality In Hip-Hop: “It Probably Won’t Ever Be Accepted” Poetress vonetta t. rhodes is one of the talented young women who will perform in Sista Circle Saturday at Ujma theatre
openness and vulnerability in which they can express and explore art. The environment is one intended to gently tug at the string through which we all connect and bring awareness about the world community. Enter the circle and be moved! The Cast: Saron Ephraim, Dayatra Hassan, Kunjane Lyons-Latimer, Aminata Mitchell, Vonetta T. Rhodes, Zoe Viola Scruggs TheaterLoft is ocated at 545 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo,For Reservations call Box Office 883-0380 ujimacoinc@mac.com • www. ujimatheatre.org
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Rap godfather Snoop Dogg has been one of hip-hop’s biggest supporters when it comes to marriage equality in the country. However, just because he believes all Americans should have the right to marry whomever they choose, he doesn’t think homosexuality will ever be accepted in the world of hip-hop despite Frank Ocean coming out as bisexual. During an interview with U.K.’s “The Guardian,” Snoop Dogg, now snoop Lion, was asked whether Frank Ocean admitting his sexual preference leaned towards men would help make it easier for other hip-hop artists to come out of the closet. Snoop responded, “Frank’s a singer. It’s acceptable in the singing world, but in the rap world I don’t know if it ever will be because rap is so masculine. While plenty of rappers have come out in support of gay marriage, those very same rappers have put anti-homosexual subject matter into their rhymes. While those rappers claim to be in support of gay marriage because it’s the popular cause to take up at the moment, Snoop Dogg really does believe in marriage equality. “Satisfy yourself accordingly. I have no issues with nobody. I live for me and I live my life doing what I do, so you should have the right to do whatever you want to do.”
Challenger Community News • ChallengerCN.com
Urban Professionals Third Thursday to Meet at The Grille 620 There's been a major change of venue for the upcoming Third Thursday's "Mixer" hosted by the Urban Professionals acknowledging the MOCHA Society of Buffalo on Thursday April 18. The Statler's Rendezvous Room is out and the Holiday Inn's "The Grille 620" (formerly "Jonquils") 620 Delaware is the new venue. The Urban Professionals group is made up of professional men and women who understand the importance of networking and getting to know each other in a relaxed and inviting setting for fun, communications and entertainment.
APRIL 10, 2013
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FROM $27
Challenger Community News • ChallengerCN.com
See you at the EVENTS! *The Larry Salter Orchestra rehersals, open to the public every Tuesday @ 7 p.m. at the historic Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway @ Michigan. Admission is free! *Comedy Festival, featuring Sheryl Underwood, Arnez J, Tommy Davidson, Tony Rock and Don D.C. Curry, May 3, Rochester Blue Cross Arena; tickets ticketmaster locations. *Old School / New School Dance Monday Nite Madnes fundraiser with DJ Doc, Saturday, May 25, Ss. ColumbaBrigid RC Church Hall, 75 Hhickory St.; Tickets $15; for info Cheri @ 200-9702 or Roz @ 598-7532.
No Child
*Oscar Alston and his Orchestra presents an Evening of Elegance Musical Tribute to Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Lionel Richie, Memorial Day Weekend , Friday May 24, The Tralf; tickets $25 , $40 VIP @ Doris Records and the Tralf Box Office; 716-222-2939 for info.
Reenah L. Golden in
*Brian Freeman & Friends, talented vocalists Katrina Jamison, Star Worthy, Shalyla Minor and Fred Jamison along with Buffalo’s hottest trumpeter Brian Freeman and band members *Bloody Sunday and Then Dela Torres, Craig MiddleMonday [Plays You Won’t brooks, Emory Parish, DJ Banks, Bobby rETurNiNG ThE Tony 2009 SolD-ouT See Anywhere Else] AFTEr at Buf- Martin, Bonner & Ricardo; @ the falo East 1410-12 Main St. near Utica Sunday, April Tralf, Friday, April 19, 7:30 14 @ 4pm Monday, April pm; tickets $20 @ Doris Re15 @ 7pm Admission: Free cords Our first offering: 16671 (585) 232-4382 | www.GevaTheatre.org by Frank Canino A play for *Royal Comedy Tour feaNational Holocaust Month. turing Don “DC” Curry, Supported in part by Bruce Bruce and 75 Woodbury Blvd. the Arts A Gouvernet young seminarian is sent Sommore, Fund at The Community Michael Colyar, Sheas’ BufRochester, 14607 to Foundation Auschwitz in late 1941. There he discovers the begin- falo, May 4; wwwroyalcomedytour.com ning of the Holocaust, which will test his faith and his very identity. Featuring: Kathleen Betsko Yale, Hugh Davis, Adam Rath, David Hayes, Jon Elston and OtherCfrankvcanino@verizon.net 716-883-0995 [H] 716-432-0238 [C] * “No Child” on stage ay the Geva Theatre, 75 Woodbury Blvd, Rochester, now through April 21; tickets from $27 starring Reenah L Golden; 585-232-4382.
By Nilaja Sun
FROM $27 ruN
ThrouGh April 21
ACTOR WESLEY SNIPES RELEALSED FROM JAIL! Wesley Snipes is a free man – well, almost.The “Blade” star, who was convicted in 2008 on charges that he failed to file income tax returns during a three-year period, was released last Tuesday from a federal prison in Pennsylvania. Snipes, 50, is now under home confinement, which will be overseen by the New York Community Corrections Office, until July 19.The actor served 28 months of his three-year sentence.Snipes entered prison in December 2010 after being convicted of tax evasion. He belonged to a group that challenged the government’s right to collect taxes. Prosecutors say he failed to file returns for at least a decade and owed millions in back taxes. He lost his appeal in an Atlanta court. Snipes has appeared in dozens of films, from “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Demolition Man” in the early 1990s to the “Blade” trilogy. challengercn.com
By Nilaja Sun
No Child
Reenah L. Golden in
rETurNiNG AFTEr ThE 2009 SolD-ouT ruN
ThrouGh April 21
(585) 232-4382 | www.GevaTheatre.org Supported in part by
the Gouvernet Arts Fund at The Community Foundation
75 Woodbury Blvd. Rochester, 14607
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GENERATIONS
APRIL 10, 2013
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“Beyond All Limits” Beautillion Extraordinaire 2013
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n Saturday April 20, 2013 Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated-Buffalo Chapter will sponsor its XIII Biennial Beautillion Extraordinaire – “Beyond All Limits” at The Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin Street, New York at 6:00 PM .
Eleven outstanding young African-American men who are in their junior or senior year of high school will be honored in a formal program and evening dinner dance. The Beautillion initiates participated in a six-month long enrichment program which included the following workshops: Men’s Health, Financial Management, College Preparation, Etiquette and Protocol, African American Males and the Law, Professional and Collegiate Sports. In addition, the young men participated in community service activities, as well as a Father Son Retreat. The initiates will showcase their talents in a precision drill, practiced under the direction of Lt. Shawn D. Muhammad, USMC/Retired. The Master of Ceremonies for the Beautillion Extraordinaire is Clifford Bell, Author, Businessman and Community Activist. L. Nathan Hare, Director of the Community Action Organization is the Speaker. The Buffalo Chapter President is Deidre Roper and Vice President is Ingrid JohnsonJacobs. 2013 Beautillion CoChairs are Janice Kyle and Felecia Hanesworth. Sponsor of 2013 Beautillion is Councilmember Demone Smith, The S.E.N.S.E.S Foundation and University at Buffalo Greek Affairs – Student Life. Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated is a national non-profit, family-centered organization that advocates for children and promotes educational, social, civic, cultural, and legislative awareness. For tickets please contact G.G. Herndon-Hill at 716.984.6880 or Nancy Baker at 716.308.8527. Formal attire is recommended. The Beautillion Initiates for 2013 are: Joseph Arrindell, Canisius High School, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leon J. Arrindell.
New Film Explores Why Angela Davis Matters
Dennis Blakely II, East High School, son Minister D. Douglas and LaVerne Blakely.
Derrick Parker, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, son of Ms. Felicia Parker.
Richard Bobo, Williamsville East High School, son of Mr. Micheal Pryer and Mrs.Lesha Pryer.
Shane Mark Paul II, Grand Island High School, son of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Hanesworth and Shane Paul.
Marlen Fowler, Heath Sciences High School, son of Mr. Vincent Staples and Mrs. Carla Fowler- Staples.
Joshua Ragland, Williamsville South High School, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Ragland.
Barrett Lacey,Williamsville South High School, son of Mr. James C. Lacey and Dr. Brenda W. Lacey
Quinton Smith, Jr., Health Services High School, son of Mr. Quinton Smith and Ms. Marlena Williams
Blake Littles, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, son of Mr. Henry Littles, Jr. and Mrs. Karen Littles.
Jonathan Thomas, Cleveland Hill High School, son of Dr. and Mrs. Edmund Thomas.
A King and His Princess: Father and Daughter Dance Miss Barbara’s School of Dance will host ‘A King and His Princess,’ father and daughter dance on Saturday April 13th 5-9pm at the Metropolitan Entertainment Complex located at 1670 Main St. Fathers, grandfathers, uncles or anyone with a special girl is invited to spend a semi-formal evening of dinner, dancing, hula hoop contest for dads, candy buffet and more! This event is open to all ages. Tickets pricing: $55 (1 dad, 1 daughter), $70 (1 dad, 2 daughters), $85 (1 dad, 3 daughters), $100 (1 dad, 4 daughters), $30 individual. Tickets must be purchased by Saturday April 6th at Miss Barbara’s, 1832 Main St. or by calling 834-1644. How do you (father & daughter) spend time together? Share your story and picture to be displayed at
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In 1972, Angela Davis' struggle as a political prisoner became an example of the Black power movement, the Black Panthers and the political unrest of the time. Even her Afro became a symbol of black people's work against oppression in America. Moreover, her trial and acquittal of suspected involvement in the Soledad brothers' August 1970 abduction and murder of Judge Harold Haley in Marin County, Calif., showed how one person can become a lightning rod for an entire country's struggle with civil rights. A documentary delving into Davis' story, Free Angela and All Political Prisoners, recently opened in select theaters nationwide. In depicting the now-retired professor's life as a fugitive on the F.B.I.'s "Most Wanted" list and the subsequent trial and hard-fought freedom that followed, filmmaker/director Shola Lynch told The Root she wanted her film to answer the question: Who is Angela Davis, outside of her famous hair and photos of her with one fist in the air?” When director Lynch was asked the question “What do you hope that people will take away from Free Angela” she repliled: “I want the audience to be empowered. Angela's story is one that, if I wrote it as a fiction film, I wouldn't be able to sell it, because nobody would believe it. It's unbelievable but true.” Here’s what BlackFilm. com said of the documentary: “Free Angela is a gripping historic account of the events that catapulted a young University of California philosophy professor into a controversial political icon in the turbulent late 1960’s. Angela Davis joins the Communist Party, protests with the Black Panthers, and becomes a principle spokesperson for the burgeoning prison reform movement. As a result, she finds herself Fighting to keep her job, and in the national media spotlight characterized by her many detractors as a dangerous subversive
Scenes from the Game Day, Toy Gun Exchange at the Delavan Grider Center.
Game Day, Toy Gun Exchange Successful The Stop the Violence Coalition, No More Tears, and the FATHER’s Group held holding a game day and toy gun exchange at the Delevan Grider Community Center last Thursday and Friday.In exchange for a toy gun, children received a non-violent toy. Organizers say they are trying to change children’s attitudes about guns at a young age. A statement from the organizations read: “We seem to have forgotten this over the last few generations. Guns are given as toys to children as soon as they can play, and most grow up with more realistic ‘toy’ guns as they get older. Pointing, aiming, shooting and falling dead are part of the play of a child’s life. Children become accustomed to the feeling of power and control that they get when they point a gun at someone, even if its a toy. With a squirt gun, they are armed to intimidate a friend, or defend against someone else’s weapon. There is no value to this kind of play, no lessons to be learned or skills to be developed. Playing with guns encourages children to play with weapons to settle disputes and to think of them as necessary to resolve conflicts.We are all aware of the crisis of Buffalo neighborhoods, and many other cities face with the increase of gun violence. Our community can not stand back or step aside and believe that things will change without taking action. The FATHERS Group, Stop The Violence Coalition and No More Tears have collected over 100 toy guns and exchanged them for non-violent toys such as books, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls and dolls. Also, 6 brand new bikes were raffled off at the Delavan Grider Community Center. Over 150 people attended this two day event.” menace, and by her supporters as a strong leader challenging authority and boldly advocating for ‘Power to All People.’” -In Her Own WordsDavis is a Black historic figure that often doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. It’s great that she is getting the chance to tell her story in her own words and possibly even reach a younger generation in an attempt to show them
they can work to achieve anything they put their mind to. This film shows what history books often leave out when discussing the Civil Rights Movement — the more “radical” figures. The film, which combines new interviews with Davis (now 69), her family, friends, legal team and others with historical footage and photographs, opens in nine cities Friday including Continued Page 13
APRIL 10, 2013
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War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity: The story of U.S. Exceptionalism in Iraq By Ajamu Baraka Part 2 -Conclusion f it is clear that the concern for WMDs was an elaborate hoax and that the attack on Iraq not only violated international law but even violated U.S. law, where is the investigation by the International Criminal Court? Why don’t we see the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and their boss George Bush in the dock at a Special Tribunal on Iraq? And why has there been no accountability even under U.S. law? Why the continued impunity, when the facts indicate that a crime of epic proportions was committed? At a very minimum, there is enough evidence to justify an investigation into the attempts to evade, manipulate and distort U.S. law to further the narrow economic interests of powerful interests in the Bush Administration. Don’t “we, the people” deserve to know the details and role of the National Energy Policy Development Group, chaired by Dick Cheney, that was formed right after the Administration took power? Who pays the price for impunity? The Iraqi Government nationalized its oil sector more than 30 years ago. But Western oil companies are now back. Riding in under the gun of the coalition of the willing, Western companies have now taken over the Iraqi oil sector, with 80 percent of production being exported out of the country while Iraqis struggle to meet basic energy consumption needs. So Western oil is doing fine. Did the U.S. media learn anything from the Iraqi war? It should have been clear that something had gone horribly wrong with a media culture that could allow itself to be reduced to a mouthpiece and propaganda machine for the U.S. Government. Sadly, it does not appear that any lessons were learned. What this episode has revealed is that by the early 2000s, a corporate media culture had emerged in the U.S. that embraced an ideological orthodoxy that framed its perception of the world in terms that did not diverge substantially from the positions and views of the economic and political elites in the country. The result is a mainstream media culture today that is more than willing to parrot the government’s line on the “big questions of war,” almost without question. The latest example if this role is the hysteria being whipped up by the corporate media to push the Obama Administration to attack Syria because of unconfirmed “reports” that it’s military has used chemical weapons in the civil war that the U.S. orchestrated in the country. Here again, we see that the media still passes on information from unnamed governmental sources and when it takes editorial positions that find it on the same side as the government, NATO and A-Qaeda in places like Libya or Syria it is seen as just an odd circumstance of history. So neither government representatives nor associated institutions like the media and corporations pay the price for their role in crimes perpetrated internationally. The lawlessness and impunity of the West is paid for by the people of whichever nation finds itself in the crosshairs of U.S. and Western interests. It is paid for by the families of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed, the working class families of the troops killed or injured, and the troops who returned home suffering from post-traumatic stress. A price has also been exacted from all us who believe in the possibility of cooperative, global human progress What the U.S. war on Iraq demonstrated is that in order to maintain their fantasies of continued global dominance, the U.S. and its colonialist allies will resort to naked piracy. But it is not gold trinkets and slaves that are the contemporary booty – it is whole nations. And while the undermining of the rule of law, the normalization of war to advance national interests and the hollowing out of the human rights idea in order to justify “humanitarian interventions” might seem to be beneficial in the short term, the people of the world who have been slowly liber-
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“We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us.” - John Russwurm, Freedom’s Journal. 1827 America’s 1st Black Newspaper
NEWS & VIEWS
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The Paladino - Brown Alliance: A ‘Slap in the Face’ to Our Community’s School Board Members Dear Editor: In a local newspaper, Sunday, there was a story about Mayor Byron Brown trying to encourage Adrian Harris, candidate for the Park District (almost entirely in South Buffalo) to take a city job, I believe, to get him out of the school board race to allow Carl Paladino an easier shot of winning the seat. Even though the article did not state this, one can surely read between the lines. At this same time, while Artvoice Magazine is running a wonderful story on Mr. Harris’ push to campaign for the Park District School Board seat, Mayor Brown is offering this fine young, African American male, who resides in South Buffalo, a seasonal or temporary job in the city’s parks department. Fortunately, Mr. Haris, a young man of integrity and determination, subsequently declined the job with the city so that he can run his campaign.
It seems rather strange that Harris was contacted now for this particular job, after having applied for the job last year. Also, add this to the fact that Louis Petrucci, the current Park District School Board member, elected not to run for re-election. This move by Mr. Petrucci, who just happens to be the City of Buffalo chief building inspector (promoted to the position by the Brown Administration) is a clear shot to run for the seat unopposed. Well, unopposed that is, until Mr. Harris jumped into the race. Mr. Paladino seemed an unlikely candidate to be supported by the Brown administration simply due to the disrespect he has shown toward African American Women, especially our first Lady, Michele Obama, the four African American Females on the School Board, and of course our new School Superintendent, Dr. Pamela Brown. One has to only replay the tape of
ating themselves from the conceptual myopia of colonization see very clearly the hypocrisy of the West’s supposed commitment to universal human rights, democracy and the rule of law when international crimes like the attack on Iraq go unpunished. The result is that many are not moved by the West’s expressions of concerns for the people of Syria, when the U.S. and the West continue to support the occupation and dehumanization of the Palestinian people, kill innocents with drone strikes, and train and provide weapons to repressive states and terrorists groups. Many understand that if there was a real commitment to the equal application of international law and accountability, U.S. and British officials would be held to account for the crimes committed in Iraq. But we all know that is not going to happen anytime soon. Ajamu Baraka was the founding Director of the US Human Rights Network until June 2011. A long-time human rights activist and veteran of the Black Liberation, anti-war, antiapartheid and central American solidarity Movements in the United States, Baraka has been in the forefront of efforts to develop a radical “People-Centered” perspective on human rights and to apply that framework to social justice struggles in the United States and abroad. He is currently a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he is editing a book on human rights entitled “The Fight Must be for Human Rights: Voices from the Frontline.” The book is due to be published in 2013.
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a school board meeting several months ago, where Mr. Paladino publicly called Dr. Brown a liar! That same tape and others, will show Mr. Paladino berating and disrespecting the African American members on the school board. Referring to these outstanding, professional women as “the sisterhood,” he called them incompetent and ineffective; women such as Dr. Barbara Nevergold; retired school administrators Roslyn Taylor and Mary Ruth Kapsiak; Banking corporate leader Sharon Belton-Cottman and of course, our beloved veteran At- Large School Board member and Buffalo State Adjunct Professor, Florence Johnson. He uses the term ‘Sisterhood’ in the same tone one would use the word Brotherhood to describe the Ku Klux Klan! And who can forget the picture of now President Obama on a tarmac somewhere in America, with an airplane bearing down on him with the caption, “Run, Nigger, Run!” Mr. Paladino thought this picture on the in ternet was so funny that he mailed it to all his friends. Or, how about the email he sent that had Barack Obama dressed like a Pimp in a green leisure suit, gold chains and Platform shoes. Michele Obama was dressed in a Mini Skirt and Halter Top with her breasts spilling out. Mr. Paladino must have found these worth sharing because he emailed these to his friends, as well. I will not even mention the ‘Horse with Lady’ Porn that he sent in the same emails. All of these emails enjoyed and passed along by Mr. Paladino can be found on the Internet Is this who we want representing parents and our children on the board of education? Is this who our esteemed Mayor is supporting? What message is Mayor Brown sending to us when an Continued Page 14
• Published every Wednesday • News Deadline: Friday 5 p.m. • Ad Deadline: Friday 5 p.m. • Classified Deadline: Thursday 5 p.m. We respectfully submit that the opinions expressed on the editorial pages of this newspaper are not necessairly those of Challenger Community News Corporation or its advertisers.
MAKING IT PLAIN... Prime Real Estate After giving away the historic Staler Hotel, the Mayor’s campaign headquarters has found a home on the 1st floor of the same bldg. Mark Crocie received 5 million dollars of taxpayer money. Along with forgiveness for all back taxes on the property. That's a better deal then the "One Sunset" deal.
Sell Out Mark Sommer's Bflo News article clearly shows neither Brown or Carl have any integrity. After years of disagreement, both are willing to put those differences aside for their own self interest. Offering Adrian Harris a job to get him out of the race for the South District seat and thus clearing the way for Carl's election to the school board, is no more than selling out our kids future!! but it seems that Harris has decided not to accept the mayor’s job offer/ bribe and will challenge Paladino. Power to the people! -Jerome McNeil
HUA HU CHING -Thirty OneThe Tao doesn’t come and go it is always present everywhere, just like the sky. If your mind is clouded, you won’t see it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. All misery is created by the activity of the mind. Can you let go of words and ideas, attitudes and expectations? If so, then the Tao will loom into view. Can you be still and look inside? If so, then you will see that the truth is always available, always responsive. ADVERTISING /News/ Information/Inquiries adver tising@thechallengernews.com or alnisa33@yahoo.com
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BUSINESS DIRECTORY LIQUORS & WINES
ATTORNEYS
DOG TRAINING
Pratcher & Associates 1133 Kensington (716) 838-4612
Dogman Joe Dog Trainer 1963 Fillmore * 807-8163
Bellamy’s Liquor Store 405 E. Ferry * 884-4066
AUTOMOTIVE
EATERIES
ONE STOP
Colslton Mobile Auto Repair 720 E. Ferry * 896-3910
The Corner Store Deli & Grill 1733 Genesee * 895-2009
BAIL BONDS A Bail Company Inc. Ken Thomas-716-867-0073 Judy Bunk-716-830-1512 Southtowns-716-570-0849 Rochester-585-749-7879
BARBER SHOPS Klassic Kuts 1471 Kensington 836-3260
Tomatoes 1393 Kensington*835-3663
ELECTRICAL EMPIRE ELECTRIC 716-634-0330
HAIR SALONS
Mandella Market & Citgo Gas 272 E. Ferry cor. Jefferson 716-882-0288
PHONE SERVICE Boost Mobile 1286 E. Delavan * 551-0304 360 Eggert Rd * 939-3900 441 William St. Town Gardens Plaza * 768-3887
PHOTOGRAPHY
Master Touch 1283 E. Delavan 901-5909
Althea/Hair To Go Natural 727 Main St. (716) 563-1734
CAFE’S
Karen’s Salon & Spa 413 Jefferson Ave. 812-9666
PROPERTY INSPECTION
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Miracle Transition 2 3339 Genesee * 481-1321
Majadi Enterprises, Inc. Willie A. Price, CSI (716) 316-7776
EM Tea Coffee Cup * 884-1444 2nd Cup * 840-0048
Cookieland Day Care 24 Barthel Miss Cookie*893-0590 Dean’s Day Care 61 Montana Ave. 716.896-1751 Debbie’s Little Scholars 484 Hickory St. (716)304-6820 First Impressions Day Care 847 Walden Ave. 716-533-8075 Kim’s Building Blocks Day Care 1479 E. Delavan Ave. 895-8693
Home Away From Home 84 Courtland Ave. (716)238-1455
DELI / VARIETY Grant’s Variety Shop 1055 E. Ferry St. 893-0704
DJ’S DJ Kenny Kutz (716) 400-7358
Serenity Hair Boutique 221 Jefferson Ave. (716) 812-0663 Salon Toss 2527 Delaware Ave. 894-8737
Princess Photography (716) 563-0994
TAILORS F&S Tailors 2930 Genesee St. (716) 894-3742 F&S Tailors & Fashions (716) 894-3742 wwwfandsfashions.com
HAIR SUPPLY
Ann Rhod’s Tailoring 3185 Bailey Ave. (716) 838-5633
Main Hair & Beauty Supply 3067 Main St. (716) 862-4247
TAX SERVICE
INSURANCE Able Insurance Jeff Moore/Broker 1798 Main St. * 883-5212 Joseph Burch Insurance 2317 Main St. 551-0006 / 510-4729
L. Sessum Income Tax Service
1650 Fillmore (716) 894-4904
WINDOWS Priced Right Windows USA 710 Kensington Ave. (716)833-2500 * 578-7873
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APRIL 10, 2013 Challenger Community News •
APRIL 10, 2013
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ANGELA DAVIS continued Los Angeles, New York, Oakland and Atlanta. Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith and Jay-Z are among the executive producers. Davis was just in her 20s when she was catapulted into the national consciousness. A lecturer on philosophy at UCLA and an avowed Communist, David protested with the Black Panthers and was a spokesperson for the prison reform movement, taking up the cause of incarcerated Black Panther George Jackson, who was one of three unrelated men known as the Soledad Brothers charged with killing a white prison guard. In 1969, then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan asked the UC Board of Regents to fire Davis because of her political affiliations. A judge later reinstated her. But the board fired her for good in 1970, citing her "inflammatory language" in four different speeches. Lynch's documentary revolves around Davis' entanglement in the kidnapping and murder of a judge by Jackson's teenage brother, Jonathan, in a daylight shootout in 1970 outside the Marin County courthouse. Davis, who had purchased the firearms used in the shootout, claimed she was unaware of any plot to attack the courthouse. Prosecutors focused less on Davis' politics and instead emphasized intimate letters she had written to George Jackson, alleging that she was motivated to help in the attack because she was in love with him. Davis went on the lam and was named to the FBI's Most Wanted List. Eschewing her trademark Afro hairstyle, she managed to elude capture for several months. She was eventually arrested in New York and tried on the charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and murder. She was acquitted in a San Jose courtroom in 1972.
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p.m. Multi-Use Community Cultural Center, 142 Atlantic Ave., Rochester; 585-271-7010 for more info. *High Falls Film Festival, “Celebrating Women in Film,” April 18-21, Rochester, NY, highfallsfilmfestival.com; $12 per film ($10 students & seniors 65+)
Erie Community College currently has the following openings:
*Friends of SOTA Presents A Night of Jazz at Tapas 177 at 177 St. Paul St., Thursday, April 18, from 4-9 p.m. $30 per perso/$50 per coupe; tickets available at www.friendsofsota.org or call 585-880-5977; live music provided by Stephen Keller and Friends and the Jimmie Highsmith Jr. Experience *RACE EXHIBIT, Rochester Museum & Science Center 657 East Ave., now in its final weeks!
HOUSING COUNCIL continued gage payments because it’s a lot easier to work with a household and their lenders to come to an agreement on a reasonable payment options. Its 50-50 on foreclosures in the City of Rochester compared to the suburbs. The Heading Home program is a short term service for renters who are in danger of being evicted can pay your rent or security deposit for you depending on your situation. These programs are in place to keep our households stable in the area. If you have questions call 585 546 3700 or avoidforeclosure@Thehousingcouncil.org Or visit 75 College Ave. 4th Floor Rochester, NY 14607
U.B. Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) Seeks Alumni To Celebrate 40th Anniversary
The University at Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center will be hosting an Alumni Meeting on Thursday, April 11, 2013 in the 6th floor auditorium, 5:30-7:00pm at EOC, 465 Washington Street, Downtown Buffalo. The meeting will provide alumni an opportunity to meet the recently appointed EOC Executive Director, Dr. Julius Gregg Adams, and receive updates about the 40th Anniversary Celebration planned for September. To RSVP or receive more information about the commemoration events planned for the celebration, please contact Sandra Bunkley at (716) 849-6727 ext.164 or via email sbunkley@buffalo.edu
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Chief Accountant Network Administration Specialist Computer Programmer PT Job Developer PT Senior Clerk Typist PT Instructional Support Specialist PT For more information or to apply to the positions above go to: https://jobs.ecc.edu Erie Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, members of minority groups, persons with disabilities, and Veterans are encouraged to apply.
Full-Time Minister of Music needed to administer and implement True Bethel Baptist Church music programs including Children, Youth and Adult Choirs/ Praise Teams. Coordinate music for Bible Study and 4 worship services, special events including weddings/ funerals. Requirements: A degree in music or comparable training/experience as an organist/choirmaster, administrative/organization skills, ability to problem solve a must. Submit your resume to lgamblin@ truebethel.com. Maintenance - Downtown Buffalo apartment complex seeks reliable person with knowledge of Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry. Must have own tools, dependable car and clean driving record. EOE. Resume / References to HR, 215 Broadway, Buffalo, NY 14204 or fax to 854-2981.
EAST SIDE APARTMENTS AVAILABLE
*Two and Three Bedroom Apartments starting at $395 plus security. Apartments Section 8 Ready. Call 836-8686.
bids NFTA Procurement Invitation to Bid
4281 - RAIL BOUND MANGANESE STEEL SWITCH FROGS 4294 - USED OIL RECYCLING Download Bids from www. nfta.com
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APRIL 10, 2013 Challenger Community News •
NEW YORK STATE LOTTERY NUMBERS SUN 3/31
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MID-0886 EVE-3274
7-12-16-19-31
MID- 3914 MID-4927 MID-3465 EVE- 4052 EVE-0167 EVE-8661
10-17-19-27-36
202
648
910
13-15-36-46-47-53#42
666
BUFFALO SOLDIERS: Pictured above is a group photo
of the Black History Month presentation featuring the Pennington –Moye VFW Post 9251 Buffalo Soldiers held on February 2-14-23-30-36 6-7-15-16-19
1-18-20-33-35-46 #14
514
911
400
25 at the Central Downtown Library. Seated from left is Sandi Williams, Russell Guthrie Deborah Ransom, George K. Alexander. Standing from left, Ann Conable, Floyd Bonds, Charles Price, Luther Burnette, Bing Reaves, an unidentified participant, and Danny Wyatt. PHOTO ROBERT BRADLEY
BROWN-PALADINO continued
Zakiyyah’s Run Down 162-321-435-678-023-132-455-791-017-844-679-010-536809-546-896-468-901-084-365-800-103-785-457-960-529186-657-350-954-689-955-467-809-074-657-906-671-978010-743-234-680-468-089-902-425-561-635-278-435-780108-657-562-178-930-354-763-469-012-757-689-208-645-
Billy Bye Bye Sez:
293-320-782-559-011 APRIL Showers Bring May Flower$$$! 782-187-678-890-347-036-778-395 quick money $$$$ 189-809-444 886-980-422 322-522-355 800-592-390 394-833-924 127-909-418 927-313-466 124-550-525 583-269-508
THE NUMBER BOOK
grandma’s APRIL pics
881-883-444-093-563-167-096743-234 “MOMMIE O” 133-202-333648-1993-1947-1928
CHALLENGER HITS MIDDAY
965-Number Book (bx) 947-ZR (bx) 454-ZR (bx) EVENING
078-Number Book & ZR (bx) 243-Lucky Duckie (b) 802-Number Book (St)* 790-ZR (bx) LUCKIE DUCKIE
134-431-143
648*123*104 980-422-809
981-989-970-990-080-800 390-196-102-581-752-319408-378-352-126
189-444-886
322-522-412-432-421-423
3-Way Winning Numbers this Time Last Year
04/17/2012 Midday 04/16/2012 Evening 04/16/2012 Midday 04/15/2012 Evening 04/15/2012 Midday 04/14/2012 Evening 04/14/2012 Midday 04/13/2012 Evening 04/13/2012 Midday 04/12/2012 Evening 04/12/2012 Midday 04/11/2012 Evening 04/11/2012 Midday 04/10/2012 Evening 04/10/2012 Midday
5-6-9 4-9-3 5-3-7 7-0-7 7-7-9 2-2-4 1-4-7 6-6-1 4-6-0 2-7-0 3-4-8 7-2-2 9-4-2 2-3-6 7-3-0
outstanding candidate for the Park District (Adrian Harris) is offered a bribe to leave the school board race for a job that will probably be gone as soon as the city parks close when the snow starts falling. The four African American school board members, with the assistance of board member, Ralph Hernandez, are the five members who voted for Dr. Pamela Brown to be hired last year. they were joined by At Large board member, John Licata. Dr. Brown needs these individuals there to ensure that she has the support from board members to continue the vision she has put in place for the school district and our students. She truly does not need Carl Paladino and those who support him, to be a disruptive influence on the school board. Florence Johnson is the longest serving school board member. She was in elected to the Ferry District seat in 1992 or 1993. Ironically, she was the first Grassroots candidates elected from that political faction. Next to come from Grassroots were Crystal Peoples, Barbara Miller-Williams and Byron Brown. Carl Paladino has publicly berated and chastised Mrs. Johnson. How can Byron Brown even consider supporting such an individual as Carl Paladino? Perhaps clues can be found in the number of African American women he, himself, has disrespected and berated over his tenure. There is discontent in city hall and the workers are afraid to voice their concerns because of a real fear they could be fired on the spot! From Karla Thomas, Karen Stanley Fleming, Michelle Barron, Donna Brown, Tonya Perrin-Johnson, Rita Hubbard-Robinson, Judy Smith to the first African American female Deputy Mayor (who could stomach only three months of Casey and crew) the mayor has clearly shown his disdain for Black Women. It can be said that most of us are proud when an African American politician makes it to the highest echelon of power. Whether that individual is the President of the United States or the Mayor of the city of Buffalo. We are proud and supportive. It shows us and our children that we are as smart and as ingenious as anyone else. However, we should not allow that individual’s color or blackness be all that is needed by us to give our stamp of approval. They must deliver to us no less the quality of service and the level of respect that we demand from all who serve us. His or her color or ethnicity will not, or I say, should not, give them a bye. We must demand respect and service from those who serve us whether that individual is Carl Paladino, Byron Brown or merely the sanitation worker who picks up our garbage. -Mary Johnson
APRIL 10, 2013
EVENTS CALENDAR
Challenger Community News • ChallengerCN.com
WEDNESDAY APRIL 10 Family Fun Bowling Day: Every Wednesday, Kerns Bowling Center, 163 Kerns; 5-8 p.m.; $1 bowling; hosted by Buffalo United Front. Dorie Miller Rifle & Pistol Club Meeting, 6 p.m., Merriweather Library, Jefferson and Utica. Fundraiser to Resist State Repression in Buffalo: 6-8 p.m., First Amendment Club, 93 Bridgeman St. Healthy Hair Care Seminar: 218-0373; 5-7 p.m. Myamazinghair.blogspot.com THURSDAY APRIL 11 EOC Alumni Meeting: 5:307 pm, EOC, 465 Washington St.; 849-6727 National Alliance for the Mentally Ill monthly meeting for families: 7 p.m., St. Paul’s evangelical Lutheran Church, 4007 Main St. SATURDAY APRIL 13 Author of Slave Genealogy to Speak: Frank Merriweather Library, 12;30-3 p.m. Miss Barbara’s School of Dance Father Daughter Dance: 5-9 p.m., Metropolitan Entertainment Complex, 1670 main St. ; semi formal, all ages; 834-1644 for more in of. Community Health Assets Mapping Partnerships Training: GROUP Ministries, 1333 Jefferson Ave., 9 a.m. – noon; to register 835-9356 or like our Facebook page “The PHAITH project” or email Champwny@gmail.com Sista Circle Stage Reading: Ujima Theatre, 7 p.m., 545 Elmwood Ave; free admission; 883-0380 for reservations. Team Ernie Lil’ Kids Fashion Show Cancer Fundraiser: Noon – 2 p.m., Niagara Falls High School; hosted by comedian Black Ernie; $7 presale; $10 @ door MONDAY APRIL 15 Aloma Johnson Fruitbelt Charter School Board of Trustees Open Meeting: 6 p.m., 833 Michigan; 8564390. TUESDAY APRIL 16 Orchestra Rehearsal Open to the Public: Larry Salter or-
chestra, 7 p.m., Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway @ Michigan. Admission is free. Public Reading of Dr. MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail: 2 p.m., Canisius College Library; free and open to public (see pg. 3) BFNC Spring Donor Breakfast: 8:30 -10 a.m. at the Moot Center, www.bfnc.org Letter From Birmingham Jail: A Worldwide Celebration: Hosted by Merriweather Library @ the Jefferson – Utica location. Free and open t WEDNESDAY APRIL 17 Family Fun Bowling Day: Every Wednesday, Kerns Bowling Center, 163 Kerns; 5-8 p.m.; $1 bowling; hosted by Buffalo United Front. HOME Free Training for landlords: 2-4 p.m., 1542 Main St.; 854-1400 ext. 22 to pre register. THUSDAY APRIL 18 Board of Education Candidates Debate: 7-9 pm, Burchfield Penny Art Center, 1300 Elmwood, free and open to public.
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ChallengerCN.com
APRIL 10, 2013 Challenger Community News •
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