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NEWSTALK REP. SENFRONIA THOMPSON speaks out during session

P2 ENTERTAINMENT MICHAEL B. JORDAN lands breakout role

Assault on voting rights

P5 CHAG’S PLACE OPINION

H Page 6

UT case sent back The case of Fisher vs. the University of Texas has been closely watched because of its threat to minority college admissions. Instead of making a decision, the Supreme Court sent the case back to a lower court. Discover all the details. And hear what justice Clarence Thomas has to say about it. H Page 3

Ashley Robinson named PV AD

Author Crystal Washington and C.J. Martin at booksigning

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Prairie View A&M University has named Ashley Robinson as its new athletic director, and he’s no stranger to the campus. Find out about his previous position with the Panthers. Learn about his mission and what he has to say about success, studentathletes and social media. H Page 10

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Special session ends in drama Defender News Services

Candidates for District D speak at a town hall meeting. From left are Georgia Provost, Travis McGee, Assata-Nicole Richards, Dwight Boykins and Keith Caldwell. Photo by Tiffany L. Williams

District D Council race underway Defender News Services

The race is on to replace outgoing City Councilmember Wanda Adams, who is leaving office due to term limits. Adams represents District D, which includes Third Ward, Midtown, the Medical Center, Astrodome area, South Park and Sunnyside. Candidates have already lined up for the election, which takes place Nov. 5.

Recently, five candidates participated in a town hall meeting sponsored by Houston Educational Support Personnel. Attending were Dwight Boykins, Keith Caldwell, Travis McGee, Assata-Nicole Richards and Georgia Provost. Issues in the race listed by the candidates include business and economic development, employment, housing and infrastructure, crime prevention, education and senior citizen services.

Daniels leads retired teachers Dr. Davetta Mills Daniels has been elected president of the Houston-Harris County Retired Teachers Association (H-HCRTA) for 2013-2014. The purpose of the association is to support state and national legislative efforts for the improvement of life for retirees, to support young people in the

community and to continue the process of learning. A major victory championed by H-HCRTA was the passage of SB1458 into law, which provided a 3 percent cost of living increase for over 195,000 Texas teachers whose retirement dated Aug. 31, 2004 or before.

The special session of the Texas Legislature came to a dramatic and chaotic end as a Republican-backed bill to restrict abortions in the state failed. With the nation watching online, hundreds of jeering protesters in the Austin capitol building helped stop lawmakers from passing the measure, and forced them to miss a midnight deadline to pass the bill. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called the protesters an “unruly mob,” and hinted that Gov. Rick Perry might call another special session. State Sen. Wendy Davis, a Fort Worth Democrat, gained national attention by filibustering 11 hours in an attempt to block the abortion bill. She was not allowed to sit down, lean, go off topic or take a restroom break. The controversial bill would have banned abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and imposed standards that would have closed 37 of the state’s 42 abortion clinics. Earlier, Houston State Rep. Senfronia Thompson waved a coat hanger on the House floor, warning that the bill would result in do-it-yourself abortions. Thompson said a war on women is being waged. “This issue could have been debated and fully vetted during the regular session. To see this issue fast-tracked through a special session is an all-out assault on women,” Thompson said. “We will not tolerate the constant chipping away of our rights, we will not be shut down or silenced,” she added. Also during the session, both chambers passed measures to approve three interim redistricting maps drawn by a federal district court.

localbriefs THE HISD BOARD APPROVED a $1.62 billion budget for the 2013-2014 academic year that includes $16 million to provide additional support to students at struggling schools and 2 percent pay raises for all HISD employees. The budget will also provide longer school days and tutoring to students at the original Apollo 20 turnaround schools, plus Furr, Waltrip, Wheatley, and Worthing high schools and Deady and Holland middle schools. The budget includes $14 million to help students who did not meet the requirements on the state-mandated STAAR exams……..HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL passed an amendment to raise the property tax homestead exemption for senior citizens. It will provide tax

relief to seniors who own homes in the city, many of whom have seen their home valuations increase, and have been impacted by the increased water rate and drainage fee. The amendment was sponsored by Councilmembers Helena Brown, C. O. Bradford and Andrew Burks…….. THE MICKEY LELAND CENTER for Environment, Justice and Sustainability at Texas Southern University was awarded a $150,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support the planning of a Climate Education Community University Partnership. It is comprised of an 11-state consortium of public and private HBCUs and vulnerable communities located on the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic

Region of the United States. The Leland Center is part of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at TSU. Among other things, the initiative will support the development of a multi-university partnership focused on educating community leaders about the environment and consequences of climate change……..HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S North Forest campus located at Forest Brook Middle School will relocate to a newly renovated space at 6010 Little York Road this fall. The new space increases HCC’s capacity to grow in the area and will provide more career program offerings, services and community activities.

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UT affirmative action case sent to lower court By GEORGE E. CURRY NNPA Editor-in-Chief

he United States Supreme Court sidestepped making a decision on whether a University of Texas admissions plan that allows the limited consideration of race is unconstitutional by remanding the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit for further review. On June 24, the court voted 7-1 to send the case back to the 5th Circuit in New Orleans. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy said the lower court did not subject the University of Texas to the highest standard of judicial scrutiny. “…Strict scrutiny imposes on the university the ultimate burden of demonstrating, before turning to racial classifications, that available, workable, race-neutral alternatives do not suffice,” Kennedy wrote. “Rather than perform this searching examination, however, the Court of Appeals held petitioner could challenge only ‘whether [the University’s] decision to reintroduce race as a factor in admissions was made in good faith.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who wanted to uphold the lower court’s decision supporting the University of Texas, was the lone dissenter. Clarence Thomas was the only justice who went on record saying he would have

voted to overturn the court’s 2003 decision in Grutter, permitting the narrowly tailored use of race in college admissions. In his concurring opinion, Thomas said, “I write separately to explain that I would overrule Grutter v. Bollinger and hold that a State’s use of race in higher education admissions decisions is categorically prohibited by the Equal Protection Clause.” Justice Elena Kagan, a former Solicitor General, rescued herself, presumably because she had worked on the case earlier. UT President Bill Powers said in a statement, “We’re encouraged by the Supreme Court’s ruling in this case. We will continue to defend the University’s admission policy on remand in the lower court under the strict standards that the Court first articulated in the Bakke case, reaffirmed in the Grutter case, and laid out again today. We believe the University’s policy fully satisfies those standards.” The case grew out of a decision by Abigail Fisher, a white Texas resident, to file suit against UT after she was turned down for admission for the 2008 term. Fisher, who later graduated from Louisiana State University, claimed the university had violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it allowed the consideration of race in evaluating applicants to the university. Both the district and federal appeals Continued on Page 8

VOLUME 82 • NUMBER 35 JUNE 27, 2013 Publisher Print Editor Marilyn Marshall Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Art Director Advertising/Client Relations Tony Fernandez-Davila Selma Dodson Tyler People Editor Strategic Alliance Manager Yvette Chargois Clyde Jiles Sports Editors Multimedia Manager Max Edison Tiffany Williams Darrell K. Ardison Online Editor Contributing Writer ReShonda Billingsley Aswad Walker The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

Supreme Court expands gay rights Defender News Services

The Supreme Court ruled that married gay couples are eligible for federal benefits and paved the way for same-sex marriage in California. The vote was 5-4 in both instances. Following the ruling, a crowd outside the high court building chanted “DOMA is dead” and couples embraced. The justices struck down a federal law – the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – which bars the recognition of same-sex marriage. In dismissing the challenge to California’s gay marriage ban, the justices ruled that supporters did not have the legal right to appeal a lower court’s decision striking down Proposition 8. President Obama praised the DOMA ruling.

“I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. This was discrimination enshrined in law. It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people,” he said. A group of Black pastors, however, condemned both rulings. “We are devastated that the Supreme Court succumbed to political pressure by voting to weaken the sacred institution [of marriage],” said Rev. William Owens, president of the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP). They neglected our most precious children who need a mother and a father united in marriage for healthy development.”

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entertainment Michael B. Jordan winning acclaim for role

By Kam Williams Special to the Defender

orn in Santa Ana, Calif. in 1987 and reared in Newark, Michael B. Jordan is one of Hollywood’s brightest young actors. In 2012, he starred in 20th Century Fox’s box office hit “Chronicle,” a supernatural thriller. He also had a supporting role in George Lucas “Red Tails.” He received critical acclaim for his portrayal of the hard-shelled, soft-hearted, young urbanite Wallace in the HBO hit dramatic series “The Wire.” He then went on to star as quarterback Vince Howard on the NBC’s Emmywinning “Friday Night Lights.” He began acting early in life and was cast in the recurring role of Michael on “Cosby” in 1999. Almost simultaneously, he appeared on the HBO series “The Sopranos.” He later became the youngest African-American actor on ABC’s daytime drama “All My Children” where he played the adopted son of Susan Lucci’s character. He has received several NAACP Image Award nominations for acting. Here, he talks about starring as the late Oscar Grant in “Fruitvale Station,” a critically-acclaimed picture which has wowed audiences at both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals earlier this year. The movie recounts the 2009 shooting of the 22-year-old Grant in the back by a transit police officer in Oakland on New Year’s Day. KW: What interested you in Fruitvale Station? MBJ: I remember hearing about the inci-

dent when it happened, and feeling very angry, upset and frustrated about not being able to do anything about it. I felt very helpless. I was coming off a project at the time, and I really wanted to do an independent film that was more of an intimate, character-driven piece…All of the pieces seemed to fall right into place. KW: Did you identify with this character at all? MBJ: Yeah, I’m from Newark, New Jersey, so I’ve been in that sort of situation before. I could relate, since I used to catch the train back and forth between Newark and Manhattan all the time. You’d see transit cops interacting with intoxicated passengers during the holiday season in response to distress calls. It could just as easily have been me, or somebody else with a group of friends going to the city who might have gotten a little rowdy. Oscar was a product of his community. The problem is that people from outside of that community can be quick to judge us based on the way we look, talk and dress. KW: What was it like acting opposite Octavia Spencer? MBJ: Not too shabby. I learned a lot from her. She’s one of the most giving actresses I know in terms of getting you there. Whatever you need, she’s very selfless, no ego, and I think it shows. KW: What excites you? MBJ: Being around like-minded creative people. Watching a really good movie excites me, because it makes we want to get up off the couch and go shoot something and act in a scene. And music excites me because it puts me in a mind state, whatever that may be. KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? MBJ: A man trying to figure it all out.

what’sup Legendary singer BOBBY “BLUE” BLAND died June 23 after a lengthy illness. He was 83. Bland recorded more than 30 albums and remains one of the top 25 best-selling R&B artists of modern times. Bland was born in 1930 in Rosemark, Tenn. He first made a name for himself in the ‘50s with a sound that mixed gospel, blues and R&B. His first hit was “It’s My Life, Baby,” released in 1955. Two years later, his single “Farther up the Road” reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. His other hits included “I Pity the Fool,” “Turn on Your Love Light” and “Ain’t Nothing You Can Do.” Bland was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and presented a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997……..The late TUPAC SHAKUR is receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year. The

rapper and actor, who was shot to death in 1996, has sold more than 75 million albums. Other members of the 2014 Walk of Fame class include JENNIFER LOPEZ.…….. PAT & GINA NEELY, stars of the Food Network show “Down Home with the Neelys,” are speaking out about the PAULA DEEN scandal. TV cook Deen is being sued by a former employee who claims she endured a hostile work environment replete with racial slurs. Other former employees have said they also encountered discrimination while working in Deen’s restaurants. “We were shocked and saddened to learn of the comments from Paula Deen,” said the Neelys. “Racism of any kind from anyone is simply unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. In our own relationship, Paula has shown us kindness and generosity. We trust that Paula’s apologies are sincere

and hope there is a positive lesson to be learned from this situation.” Deen, who has been dropped by the Food Network and at least one major sponsor, begged for forgiveness……...GABRIELLE UNION stars in the new BET movie “Being Mary Jane” on Tuesday, July 2 at 9 p.m. Union portrays single, successful talk show host Mary Jane Paul. The movie will serve as a teaser for the series scheduled to air in 2014……..WHOOPI GOLDBERG will headline and executive-produce the Lifetime movie “A Day Late and a Dollar Short,” based on the bestseller by TERRY MCMILLAN. The project, which premieres next year, reunites McMillan with Goldberg, who co-starred opposite ANGELA BASSET in the movie adaptation of McMillan’s novel “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.”

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Supreme Court strikes down key provision By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief

sharply divided Supreme Court upheld the legality of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, but said it can’t be enforced until Congress updates the way it determines which jurisdictions are covered under Section 5, the provision that requires preclearance by the Justice Department or a federal court before changes to local voting laws can be implemented. The 5-4 decision by the conservative majority effectively guts the strongest section of the Voting Rights Act until Congress passes new legislation to meet the objections raised in the latest ruling, which grew out of a challenge filed by Shelby County, Ala. “In 1965, the states could be divided into two groups: those with a recent history of voting tests and low voter registration and turnout, and those without those characteristics,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. “Congress based its coverage formula on that distinction. Today the nation is no longer divided along those lines, yet the Voting Rights Act continues to treat it as if it were.” Joining Roberts in the majority were conservatives Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. Dissenting were the court’s four liberals: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer along with Obama appointees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Thomas, just as he had in the University of Texas affirmative action decision handed down a day earlier, expressed the most extreme position on the court, saying he was willing to nullify the entire Voting Rights Act. “I join the Court’s opinion in full but write separately to explain that I would find Section 5 of

the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional as well. The Court’s opinion sets forth the reasons,” Thomas wrote.

Dagger into the heart

Rep. John Lewis [D.-Ga.], who was savagely beaten on “Bloody Sunday” during the Selma to Montgomery March in Alabama in 1965, was livid after the ruling. “Today, the Supreme Court stuck a dagger into the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most effective pieces of legislation Congress has passed in the last 50 years,” he said. “These men never stood in unmovable lines. They were never denied the right to participate in the democratic process. They were never beaten, jailed, run off their farms or fired from their jobs. No one they knew died simply trying to register to vote. They are not the victims of gerrymandering or contemporary unjust schemes to maneuver them out of their constitutional rights.” Lewis, one of the leaders of the Alabama march that led to passage of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, questioned whether Congress has the will to pass legislation needed to repair the damage done by the Supreme Court. The Voting Rights Act expired after five years, but was extended by Congress in 1970, 1975, 1982 and for another 25 years in 2006 with bipartisan support. The last time, it passed the House 390-3 and the Senate 98-0. President George W. Bush signed the last measure in a Rose Garden ceremony witnessed by members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The case heard by the court began with a challenge from Shelby County, near Birmingham, Ala. Shelby County sued Attorney General Eric Holder after the Justice Department rejected a redistricting plan that evidently played a role in the defeat of

Assau voting Ernest Montgomery, the lone Black member of the Calera, Ala. city council. Montgomery was first elected to the city council from a district that was 71 percent Black. Two years later, the district was redrawn to reduce its Black population to 23 percent. When Montgomery ran for reelection from the redrawn district in 2008, he was defeated by a white challenger.

Hearing the case

The Justice Department invalidated the election because it had not been precleared and Shelby County sued in federal court, seeking a permanent restraining order. Two lower courts sided with the Justice Department before the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. In his majority opinion, Roberts stated, “Shortly before enactment of the Voting Rights Act, only 19.4 percent of AfricanAmericans of voting age were registered to vote in Alabamaa, only 31.8 percent in Louisiana, and only 6.4 percent in Mississippi. Those figures were roughly 50 percentage points or more below the figures for whites.” He said that has changed dramatically.

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“There is no denying, however, that the conditions that originally justified these measures no longer characterize voting in the covered jurisdictions. By 2009, ‘the racial gap in voter registration and turnout [was] lower in the States originally covered by Section 5 than it was nationwide…African-American turnout has come to exceed white voter turnout in five of the six States originally covered by Section 5, with a gap in the sixth State of less than one half of one percent.” In her dissent, Ginsburg said, “In the Court’s view, the very success of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act demands its dormancy.” She said, “True, conditions in the South have impressively improved since the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Congress noted this improvement and found that the VRA was the driving force behind it.” She said more than 15,000 pages of congressional testimony presented countless “examples of flagrant discrimination” and “intentional racial discrimination in voting remains so serious and widespread in covered jurisdictions that section 5 preclearance is still needed.”

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Supporters outline next steps Defender News Services

ult on g rights

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Supporters of the Voting Rights Act offered their prescription for fixing the provision dismantled by the Supreme Court: Houston State Sen. Rodney Ellis – “I hope that the U.S. Congress State Sen. Rodney Ellis will immediately revamp the Voting Rights Act to create a formula which takes into account current and historical discrimination and bias while meeting the requirements the Supreme Court has set out. Congress must act now to protect the voting rights of millions Roslyn Brock of Americans.” Dallas State Sen. Royce West – “It is my hope that Congress will defy recent trends and work in bipartisan fashion to craft a new coverage formula with which to protect voting rights in jurisdictions where vestiges and new forms of discrimination yet remain to this day.” Roslyn M. Brock, chair, NAACP national

board of directors – “This decision has the potential to set voting rights back more than 50 years. It is especially unsettling in a year when we commemorate Medgar Evers, a man who gave his life to expand and protect the right to vote. But in the State Sen. Royce West spirit of Medgar, who said ‘You can kill a man but you can’t kill an idea,’ we will stand our ground and bring this debate to Congress.” Marc Morial, National Urban League president and CEO – “We will remain as diligent as ever in deMarc Morial fending and protecting the rights that were so hard fought and died for during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. We will push Congress to abandon party lines and partisanship and act immediately in the best interest of our nation and our democracy by enacting a new and responsible formula for Section 4.

Obama pledges to fight for restoration President Barack Obama has pledged that his administration will do “everything in its power” to repair the damage done by the United States Supreme Court when it struck down a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. “I am deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision today,” he said in a statement. “For nearly 50 years, the Voting Rights Act – enacted and repeatedly renewed by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress – has helped secure the right to vote for millions of Americans. “Today’s decision invalidating one of its core provisions upsets decades of wellestablished practices that help make sure voting is fair,

especially in places where voting discrimination has been historically prevalent.” The president continued, “As a nation, we’ve made a great deal of progress towards guaranteeing every American the right to vote. But, as the Supreme Court recognized, voting discrimination still exists. And while today’s decision is a setback, it doesn’t represent the end of our efforts to end voting discrimination. “I am calling on Congress to pass legislation to ensure every American has equal access to the polls. My administration will continue to do everything in its power to ensure a fair and equal voting process.”

President Barack Obama

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UT case ...Continued from page 3 brief, UT said Fisher would not have been accepted into the university even if it had never considered the race of any applicant. After subtracting the admission places for those automatically accepted under the Top 10 Percent Plan, the University of Texas said, Fisher was one of approximately 16,000 students competing for 1,216 fall admission slots available for students who did not finish in the top 10 percent of their class. “The acceptance rate for those applicants was only 7.6% – lower than Harvard’s undergraduate acceptance rate for fall 2008,” the university stated. The percentage plans adopted by Texas, Washington and Florida have proven to be a poor substitute for affirmative action, according to a study by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. In a 2002 report titled, “Beyond Percentage Plans: The Challenge of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education,” the commission observed: “Can percentage plans achieve the goal of equal education opportunity? Based on the analysis performed here, the answer unfortunately is no.”

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courts had dismissed Fisher’s claim before the Supreme Court agreed to take the case. Until 1996, the University of Texas had taken a student’s race into account in admissions. However, in Hopwood v. Texas, the same federal appeals court that will now rehear Fisher, ruled the practice unconstitutional, a ruling that would be later superseded by the Supreme Court’s Grutter ruling permitting the use of race when narrowly tailored. After the Hopwood decision, the university added a Personal Achievement Index (PAI) to go along with its Academic Index. The PAI was part of a holistic review of applicants, looking at such factors as leadership, extracurricular activities, work experience, socio-economic status, whether there was only one parent in the home, language spoken in the home and race. The PAI was “partially designed to increase minority enrollment,” the university said. However, it said, “Race, by itself, is not given any numerical value.” Approximately 75 percent of UT’s admissions are filled through the Top 10 Percent Plan. In its Supreme Court

Abigail Fisher, the Sugar Land native who challenged UT’s affirmative action policy, said she’s happy with the ruling to send her case back to a lower court.

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Shopping report:

Consumer choices matter e-commerce is growing, representing 5.4 percent of retail sales in the last quarter of 2012, consumers still spend most of their money at brick and mortar locations. The report also reveals that affluent suburban families are more than twice as likely to shop online as the average American household, spending about $200 online a year and that e-commerce will continue to grow over the next five years. Although e-commerce can be a double-edged sword for retailers, it’s projected that it is going to work particularly well for those establishments that take advantage of promotions both online and in their stores. Look at what we’ve done. Again, our consumer preferences have re-shaped another entire industry. That’s why our consumer choices and behaviors are so important. That kind of power is heady stuff.

By CHERYL PEARSON-McNEIL Nielsen

have a black belt in retail therapy, so I was thrilled when I first saw Nielsen’s new in-depth report, Brick by Brick: the State of the Shopping Center, because it confirms two very important things: our economy is growing stronger because jobs are being created and money is being spent; and as consumers, we are stronger than ever. You’ve probably heard the line, “If you build it, they will come,” from the movie “Field of Dreams.” Well, that is happening all around us, no matter where you live. We consumers don’t just shop. We want a multifaceted experience to play, eat, be entertained and engaged – and that’s what’s available to us. No matter where you live in the country, shopping centers – be they sprawling outdoor malls and shopping plazas, enclosed complexes, super centers, lifestyle centers, mega entertainment centers, value retail centers (outlet malls) or intimate neighborhood centers – are expanding or shrinking according to what the consumers they serve need and want. Businesses want our hard-earned dollars, the competition is always on to do it better; to give us what we want; to meet our every need. Nielsen’s shopping center study reports that the number of large shopping centers has jumped 65 percent over the last five years. This translates well for employment. Labor Department figures show the industry has bounced back from its recessionary low in December 2009, recovering more than half a million jobs since that time. Between April of last year and April of this year, 213,000 of those jobs were filled. Additionally, the restaurants and bars that are part of the shopping centers generated another 38,000 new jobs. According to the Nielsen Restaurant Growth Index (RGI) that tracks restaurant openings and sales, there were 47,161 new restaurant openings in 2012. Many of those restaurants are located in lifestyle shopping centers. More jobs mean there’s more money to spend. There’s good news, too, for the smaller guys – those neighborhood centers or community centers that we all love, where we do our quick grocery store runs, dry cleaning or grab our morning coffee. Their numbers have remained constant. Small shopping centers that are anchored by a convenience store are growing because convenience stores are increasing even faster than the overall market. The picture is not so rosy for everyone, however. We all had our favorite specialty stores that either no longer exist or have closed locations as a result of the past recession and changing consumer tastes.

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By the numbers • The U.S. shopping center retail sector added 33,000 jobs in April, accounting for one fifth of the total jobs added that month. • Retail now employs 12.5 million people, which makes up 9.3 percent of all payroll employment. • Total shopping center sales for 2012 were more than $2.4 trillion, an increase of 2.8 percent over 2011. • Convenience stores are increasing, and are up 4.9 percent over the last year compared to 3.7 percent for the overall market. An example is the Disney Store, which has closed one-third of its stores since 2008. Borders bookstore also closed its doors and I openly wept because it was a place that no matter how old he got, my son and I could still agree that Borders was one of our favorite places, (and one of the rare places during his early teen years where he was not embarrassed to be seen with me). Sometimes, we let our fingers and plastic do the walking and shop on our computers, tablets or phones instead of heading out to the physical stores. Nielsen’s shopping report shows that although

Neighborhood Centers Inc. (AGENCY), a non-profit human services organization, announces a Request for Proposal (RFP) #13-08 for Appreciative Inquiry Consulting Services. Interested Vendors can submit a proposal for Appreciative Inquiry Consulting Services. The deadline for submitting a proposal is July 22, 2013 by 12:00 PM (CST)*. To receive RFP #13-08, e-mail Ashia Brown, Supply Chain Manager, at abrown@neighborhood-centers.org. NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS INC. ENCOURAGES SMALL AND HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES TO APPLY.

Invitation for Bids Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. is soliciting bids for subcontractors and vendors for construction of the following project no. C 523-10-34, ETC. on FM 1488 from West of Millcreek Rd to East of Community Rd, bid date is July 9, 2013. Quotations may be mailed to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., 1701 Directors Blvd, Suite 1010, Austin, Texas 78744 or faxed to (512) 707-0798 or emailed to bbiisw@bbiius.com. DBE/HUB contractors are encouraged to submit bids. Plans and specifications are available to be reviewed at TxDOT Plans On-line: www.txdot.gov/business/letting-bids/plans-online.html E.O.E. For information contact Brian Ficzeri at (512) 707-0797.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS The OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority (“Authority”), intends to utilize the Competitive Sealed Proposal process as authorized in Subchapter H of Chapter 271 of the Local Government Code for this procurement. The Contractor will be selected in a two-step process. In step one, the Proposer’s SOQ will be ranked based on the criteria specified in Document 202–Submittal Organization and Selection Criteria. The Authority may short-list the Proposers that will participate in step two. The Authority will notify the short-listed Proposers and require they submit a proposal in accordance with the Request For Competitive Sealed Proposals (RFCSP). SOQs will be received at 5445 Almeda Rd, #545, Houston, TX 77004, until 10:00 am on Thursday, July 18th, 2013 and publicly read out loud at 10:05 am for the Emancipation Park Improvements located at 3018 Dowling Street, Houston, TX, 77004. SOQ DOCUMENTS may be examined at the following locations: (1) Amtek Plan Rm, 4001 Sherwood Ln, Houston, TX.; (2) ABC/Virtual Builders Exchange, 3910 Kirby, #131, Houston, TX; and (3) AGC, 3825 Dacoma, Houston, TX. The right is reserved, as the interest of the Authority may require, to reject any and all SOQs, and to waive any informality in SOQs received. Plans, specifications and SOQ documents on compact discs may be obtained at the offices of ESPA CORP, 7120 Grand Blvd, Suite #100, Houston, TX 77054 (713-680-0080, at no cost. The pre-SOQ meeting will be held at OST/Almeda Conference Room, 5445 Almeda Rd, #502, Houston, TX on Tuesday, July 9th, 2013 at 10:00 am. It is requested, but not mandatory, that each proposer be represented at the pre-SOQ conference.

DEFENDER | JUNE 27 | 2013 defendernetwork.com

sports

PV selects Robinson as athletic director

By MAX EDISON Defender

fter an exhaustive nationwide search Prairie View A&M University has named Ashley Robinson its new athletic director. Robinson comes to “the Hill” after serving in the same capacity at SWAC rival Mississippi Valley State. He is no stranger to PV athletics, and served as assistant vice president of athletic compliance and academic advising from 2010-2012. Robinson takes the baton from outgoing AD Fred Washington who will remain with the university as VP of auxiliary services. “I’m very excited and honored about being named athletic director at Prairie View,” Robinson said. “In 2010 I was working in the conference (SWAC) office. PV was having some academic issues and I wound up getting hired to help them resolve them. “I was able to come in and help correct those issues and now they are one of the top athletic departments in the whole conference, both on the field and in the classroom. I think that speaks volumes to the university’s commitment to athletics and I’m proud to return and be a part of that.” Robinson inherits an athletic program that is one of the best in the conference. PV has won back-to back Commissioners Cups, indicative of overall sports excellence. In addition, the university achieved the same level of success in the classroom with its student athletes. Robinson is elated to resume his work at PV, albeit in a more comprehensive capacity. “My mission is to continue to advance the pride of PV athletics. I’ve been there in the trenches when things were not so good with compliance and academics. Now we don’t have any of those problems. We just need to continue to organize, structure and advance the mission of the athletic department.” The Robinson era begins in mid-July and he is prepared to hit the ground running. “My number one priority will be to engage the community and the alumni base,” he said. “I think that’s going to be big as we seek to market and expand the Prairie View brand. “We want to improve the face time with the alumni and community so that they feel in step with what we’re trying to do as an athletic department. We want to use email and different forms of social media, as well as going to community and alumni events to achieve that. “Next I want to be supportive of my coaches and staff,” he continued. “I’m a firm believer that you can’t hold coaches and staff accountable for winning and doing various things if you haven’t given them the things they need to be successful.” “The third thing is to continue to move posi-

Robinson is joined by PV coaches and other athletic department staff members.

Ashley Robinson returns to Prairie View A&M University, this time as athletic director.

tively in the areas of academics and compliance,” Robinson said. “The staff we have in place are the people I hired when I was here in 2010. We want to make sure we are abiding by all of the NCAA rules and bylaws.” The obvious question that begs to be addressed when talking about PV athletics is the lack of quality athletic facilities, and Robinson does not skirt the issue. “You look at our facilities now and they are obviously in need of upgrade,” he said. “I want to upgrade all of our facilities within the next three to five years [including] the Baby Dome for basketball and volleyball. Of course everybody is excited about the football complex, and on the university side we’re about to break ground on the new recreation center.” With a background steeped in athletics as well as academia, Robinson believes the two are synonymous when it comes to continuing a winning tradition a Prairie View. “I’m a firm believer that what you do off the field affects what you do on the field. Creating a winning environment, a championship mindset starts off the field,” he said. “A prime example of that is back in 2010 the baseball team faced reduced scholarships and practice time because of poor academic performance. I came in, set up a program with coach [Waskyla] Cullivan, brought in some student athletes and a semester later, that group had one of the highest academic ratings and later went on to win a championship. “Winning tradition starts with how you run your program and what I instill in our coaches on how to work with our student-athletes.”

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HISD enjoys banner year Dambrino has worked with HISD for 27 years and was promoted to athletic director in 2010. She recently won her first t started off with a state championship as AD bang, and then it got when the Wheatley High better. The 2012School girls’ track and 2013 school year field team made history by that ended earlier this tying Lancaster for a state month represents the best co-championship. of times for the HISD Wheatley’s Daye athletic department. Shon Roberson won a gold There had been a medal in the 400-meter 20-year gap since an dash, a silver medal in the HISD banner flew durCoach Greg Wise and forward J.C. Washington of Yates advanced to state. long jump and ran on two ing a state championmedal-winning relay squads three tries, Lamar defeated North ship high school football Shore (28-7) to advance to the state to lead the way for the Lady Wildgame. Yates lost to Temple in the cats. Roberson will be attending semifinals. 1992 Class 5A title game. The the University of Oklahoma next Nolen was selected Coach of drought ended last December when fall on a track scholarship. the Year by the Houston TouchLamar High School marched into Both Wheatley and Lancaster down Club after guiding the RedCowboys Stadium in Arlington to finished with 58 points in the comskins to a 15-1 campaign. face Allen for the 5A Division I petition. As football season entered championship. Bellaire point guard A.J. Alix its final stages, the announcement The score was tied 21-21 with finished off her outstanding prep came that HISD AD Marmion two minutes, four seconds remaincareer with a 41-point performance Dambrino was chosen as the ing in the third quarter. Allen as the Lady Cardinals fell to Clear Region V 2012 Athletic Direcscored the final 14 points of the Springs 80-65 in the Class 5A tor of the Year by the Texas High contest and emerged as champions regional semifinals. Alix will play School Athletic Directors Associawith a 35-21 victory. collegiately at Texas Christian tion. Dambrino was selected by “We’re not happy with the University. the THSADA membership which outcome but we proved that you “We knew that A.J. was gobetter not overlook us,” said Lamar represents 56 school districts. ing to get her points,” said Clear “To be selected from a group defensive lineman Zelt Minor, who Springs coach Pamela Crawford. of my peers who are truly talented, registered six tackles, including “We just had to make sure nobody exemplary and committed to their three for losses and a quarterback else had a big day.” school districts, student athletes sack in the contest. “I’m proud of Other HISD sports highlights and coaches is truly an honor,” every last one of my teammates.” for the past school year included Dambrino said. Lamar head coach Tom Nolen the Yates boys advancing to the said the 2012 season was Class 3A state championship the varsity football basketball game before sucteam’s greatest since cumbing to Dallas Madison the Redskins won a 85-72. state title in 1953. The Wheatley boys lost a In the past 60 years playoff heartbreaker to evenonly one other HISD tual Class 4A state champion school has won a Rosenberg Terry in basketstate football chamball. pionship and that Bellaire’s girls’ was Yates in softball team advanced 1985. to the regional “Final The RedFour” before falling skins defeated to Brazoswood in a an old nemesis best-two-of-three in the regional series. final. For the first time in

By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender

A.J. Alix

Tomball’s Banks overcomes For three consecutive years, Nick Banks had dealt with a slew of injuries. First, it was a stress fracture in the back as a sophomore. His junior year, he couldn’t play in the outfield because of a high ankle sprain. This season, Banks didn’t pitch until the playoffs while nursing soreness in his throwing arm. Despite all the adversity, Banks had a banner senior season and led Tomball to its first state baseball championship. At the plate, Banks enjoyed the best year of his high school career. The right fielder hit .581 with nine home runs, 43 runs scored, 39 RBIs and only 12 strikeouts in 136 plate appearances to earn Class 4A first-team all-state honors. When he returned to pitching once the playoffs began, Banks picked up wins in the regional finals and state tournament semifinals to get the Cougars into the 4A state title game.

McClure helps end drought It had been 20 years since Kingwood last qualified for the state high school softball tournament and Cassie McClure helped end the drought. The right-handed pitcher and Texas Tech signee threw all nine innings of the game-two victory over The Woodlands in the regional final. At the state tournament, McClure went 4-for-6 at the plate and connected for her 10th home run of the season. For the season, McClure was 25-3 in the circle and was named the District 13-5A Most Valuable Player and Texas Girls Coaches Association Softball Player of the Year.

TSU extends Davis’ contract The Texas Southern University Board of Regents approved a two-year contract extension for head men’s basketball coach Mike Davis. The extension runs through the 2018 season. This past season in his first year at the helm, Davis led the Tigers basketball team to a SWAC regular season championship as TSU dominated league play with a 16-2 overall conference record. TSU finished the season on a 12-game winning streak. Davis was named 2013 SWAC Co-Coach of the Year and one of 20 finalists for the 2013 Ben Jobe Award. The Jobe award is presented annually to the top minority coach in Division I men’s basketball.

Rose transfers to UH Former Baylor guard L.J. Rose recently decided to transfer to the University of Houston. Rose was one of the nation’s top prep players out of Westbury Christian. He competed at Baylor during the 2012-2013 season. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard played in 33 games for a team that won the NIT championship. As a high school senior in 2011-2012, he led the Wildcats to the TAPPS 4A state championship game, scoring 17 points on the way to All-Tournament honors. “We are really excited that L.J. is joining our program,” said head coach James Dickey. “He is a skilled guard who passes the ball extremely well, can score and is a very unselfish player with great leadership qualities. Rose and Houston officials will work together on a waiver from the NCAA asking for his immediate eligibility.

Daye Shon Roberson

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director Constance Fitzpatrick Smith, national president WESTERN AREA CONFERENCE…..The Galleria Margot James Copeland, conference chair Lorna will never be the same again. More than 800 members Hankins, members Sharon Owens, Roxann Chargois, of The Links, Inc., with delegates from Alaska to Texas, Josie Daniels and Sharon Murphy, and the conference 10 states in all, attended the organization’s 41st Western host chapters consisting of Houston, Area Conference. The four-day Golden Triangle, Missouri City, Port agenda included a major donation of Join Yvette Chargois City/Texas Spring Cypress, Gulf $30,000 to the Young Women’s College Events of the Week Coast Apollo and Fort Bend County Preparatory Academy; recognition of More photos on defendernetwork.com chapters. Continued Success!..... Houston living legends Rev. William See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroads CHAG’S BOOKSHELF….. Lawson, Lauren Anderson, Dr. with Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m. Marketing strategist and international Edith Irby Jones, Dr. Mae Jemison speaker Crystal Washington dispels and Regina Rogers; and a workshop myths and common misconceptions surrounding the on bullying presented by Congresswoman Sheila use of social media for business in her new book “The Jackson Lee. The Links celebrates more than 65 years Social Media WHY.” She recently signed copies at the as a women’s volunteer service organization committed Microsoft Store in the Galleria and the event was very well to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the cultural and economic survival of African-American and other persons attended. It’s a quick read and gives readers the tools they of African ancestry. The conference ended with the can quickly put into place to join millions of others in the Supernova White Rose banquet and the installation of strategic use of social media. Great book!.....HONORING officers for the coming year. We salute Western Area OUR FATHERS….. The Houston Metropolitan

Lorna Hankins, Constance Fitzpatrick Smith and Margot James Copeland

Roxann Chargois, Constance Fitzpatrick Smith, Josie Daniels and Sharon Murphy

Kevin Comer, Crystal Washington and Katharine Washington

Marc Newsome and Monie Henderson

Laura Mullins and honoree Dr. Harold Mullins

Solomon Ajai, Malaki Sims and Alston Johnson

Chapter of the Morehouse College National Alumni Association presented the winners of its annual Father’s Day Brunch, honoring Houston-area men who have made a significant contribution in the areas of mentorship, service and leadership. The honorees included Rev. Dr. Marcus Cosby, senior pastor at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Alvin Wardlaw Mentorship Award; State Sen. Rodney Ellis, Texas Senate, District 13, Albert Price Sr. Community Service Award; Gerald Smith, chairman and CEO of Smith, Graham & Co., Investment Advisors, L.P., Dezra White Leadership Award, and Dr. Harold Mullins Sr., Distinguished Alumni Award. The Maroon Tiger “Father of the Year” Award was presented to Danny Dunn, a father who struggles with diabetes and suffered multiple heart attacks and strokes, yet despite it all, still says “God is good.” The scholarship recipients are Alston Johnson and Solomon Ajai and both will attend Morehouse in the fall. Kudos to chapter president Malaki Sims and all chapter members for an outstanding brunch. Congrats!....From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Chapter presidents Angela Joubert, Janice Hall and Irene OakleyJohnson

Author Crystal Washington and C. J. Martin

Adam White and Father of the Year Danny Dunn

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