Houston Defender: March 28, 2010

March 28 – April 3, 2010 | FREE

Volume 79 Number 22

www.defendernetwork.com

HEALTH CARE BILL

PASSES!

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – It finally passed. The health care bill for which President Barack Obama has vehemently fought almost since Day One at the White House has finally passed both houses of Congress and been signed into law.

As Congressional Black Caucus Members celebrated the 219-212 vote, the President put the historic moment in perspective: “Tonight, after nearly 100 years of talk and frustration, after decades of trying, and a year of sustained effort and debate, the United States Congress finally declared that America’s workers and America’s families and America’s small businesses deserve the secu-

rity of knowing that here, in this country, neither illness nor accident should endanger the dreams they’ve worked a lifetime to achieve.”

He explained, “If you have health insurance, this reform just gave you more control by reining in the worst excesses and abuses of the insurance industry with some of the toughest consumer protections this country has ever known - so that you are actually getting what you pay for.

“If you don’t have insurance, this reform gives you a chance to be a part of a big purchasing pool that will give you choice and competition and cheaper prices for insurance. And it includes the largest health care tax cut for working families and small businesses in

Photo: Jim Young

★HEALTH CARE , Page 5

U.S. President Barack Obama signs the health insurance reform bill as Marcelas Owens looks on in the East Room at the White House in Washington.

Local lawmakers speak out

By ReShonda Tate Billingsley DEFENDER

Sheila Jackson Lee

Al Green

The historic bill to expand health insurance coverage to 32 million Americans is now law, and Houston’s two African-American Congressional representatives say it’s a win-win situation for the Lone Star State.

The Defender spoke with both

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green for their feedback on what this historic legislation means for Houstonians.

Why vote yes?

Sheila Jackson Lee: There are 180,500 of my constituents in the 18th Congressional District who are uninsured. I voted in favor of this bill to save lives. About 45,000 people across the nation die annually because they

lack health insurance. That’s about equal to the population of Texas A&M University. Unfortunately, Texas leads the nation in the percentage of people uninsured — one out of four Texans is uninsured, or about six million people.

This bill gives us an opportunity to provide health insurance to all people and break the cycle of helplessness and ★LAWMAKERS, Page 5

Ed. Secretary Duncan proposes NCAA ban SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS

WASHINGTON (NNPA) - This year’s NCAA Tournament might have been played without popular schools including Maryland, Kentucky, Louisville or Tennessee under a plan advanced by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan aimed at increasing the current player graduation rates of each of those programs.

Duncan announced a proposal on March 17 to restrict men’s college basketball teams from participating in the “Big Dance” or any postseason play if they do not graduate at least 40 percent of their players.

If his idea was in effect this year, at least 12 programs wouldn’t be tournament eligible, according to a study from the Institute for

Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of 65 teams in this year’s NCAA tournament field, Central Florida.

45 teams graduated 70 percent or more of their The Associated Press reported that White players, 12 more teams than last the ineligible schools would include year. Yet only 20 teams graduated 70 perNo. 1 seed Kentucky, one of the cent of their Black players, the same numteams President Obama recently preber as in 2008. dicted would reach the Finals.

Maryland is one of two teams that Kentucky graduated only 31 percent graduated no Black players that enrolled of its players last year. from 1999 to 2002.

“Frankly, that’s a low bar, and not NCAA spokesman Bob Williams told many teams would be ineligible,” the AP that the association is also consaid Duncan, who played college cerned about low graduation rates, but Arne Duncan basketball at Harvard University. said he believes restrictions based on “Over time, we should set a higher graduation rates wrongly punish some bar. But it’s a minimum, a bright line, which current student-athletes as well as schools with every program should meet to vie for postseason players who transfer or decide to play professionally. honors.”

“What we want to do at the end of the day is According to the AP, Duncan said that, of the

change behavior so that when people come to college, they have to be prepared to do the work and institutions are prepared to support them academically,” Williams said. “We shouldn’t measure success by how many teams receive a ban.”

Georgetown University coach John Thompson III, whose school has high graduation rates, agreed with Williams, calling Duncan’s proposal “harsh.”

“That’s just my initial thought,” Thompson said, one of four African-American coaches to reach the tournament this year. “When you say graduate, what time frame are we talking about?

What are the other factors that fall into place?

Are we talking about a four-year window, fiveyear window, 10-year window? Our responsibility is to help young men grow up.”

INTERVIEW

Let Lenny rule

By Kam Williams CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Leonard Albert Kravitz was born in New York City on May 26, 1964 to actress Roxie Roker, and Sy Kravitz, a news producer at NBC-TV. An only child, Lenny was raised on the Upper East Side of Manhattan until the family moved to Los Angeles when his late mother landed the role of Helen on the television sitcom “The Jefferson’s.”

He developed a love of music at an early age, playing both drums and guitar by the time he was five. After dropping out of Beverly Hills High School at the age of 15, Lenny straightened his hair and donned blue contact lenses to create a new persona, Romeo Blue. But he only hit it big after going natural and back to his real name and irises for the release of his debut album, “Let Love Rule.” A four-time Grammy-winner, Lenny’s hits include

“Let Love Rule,” “Fly Away” and “American Woman,” to name a few. He and his ex-wife, Cosby kid Lisa Bonet, have one daughter, Zoe, an aspiring actress whose next flick, “Twelve,” will be released in the Fall. Here, Lenny talks about making his acting debut in “Precious,” where he played John, an empathetic nurse who befriends the beleaguered title character.

Kam Williams: Hey, Lenny, thanks for the time. What interested you in playing John?

Lenny Kravitz: Well, first of all, I thought it was a great story.

Then the fact that Lee’s a great director and I’m a fan of his movies.

He makes dynamic films. And the script was great. I also liked Nurse John, who was really the only positive male character in the film, concerning Precious. Even though it’s only a short visit they have together, she sort of starts to come alive at that point.

KW: Did you enjoy making the film?

Click on Defendernetwork.com Weekend

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Monday

Ron Walters

In Houston

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Pioneering Women in Ministry

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★KRAVITZ, Page 2

2

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2010 | DEFENDER

Kravitz

continued from page 1 LK: It was a great experience. Obviously, it was my first film, but you never know when you read a script, what it’s going to be like, even if you know who’s been cast. And I can say that it’s the same for making music videos or doing other projects.

KW: What did you think of the finished product?

LK: It came out so amazing! It was far more than I had imagined.

KW: How was it working with such a talented cast, Mo’Nique, Gabby Sidibe, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton, Sherri Shepherd, etcetera?

LK: Well, my scenes were primarily with Gabby and the young girls, so I really didn’t see anybody else. But working with Gabby, I realized immediately that she was amazingly talented. I could tell just by the way she’d get into the role. We’d be sitting around talking and laughing, but when Lee would say, “Okay, it’s time to get ready to shoot the scene,” she would transform at the snap of a finger as soon as Lee said, “Action!” She’d suddenly be in agony, or crying or in some deep, emotional state.” And I’d be thinking, “Wow! This girl is really incredible.”

You never know where you’re going to find a great actor. Just yesterday, I was watching an interview with Martin Scorcese concerning “Raging Bull,” which is one of my favorite films, and he was talking about how he’d worked with a lot of guys who weren’t quoteunquote “actors,” like Joe Pesce and Frank Vincent. Scorcese was very smart in the way that he cast, because you don’t know where you’re going to find the right person who can carry a role and summon that emotion you’re looking for.

KW: Would you describe Lee as a hands-on director?

LK: Extremely! And I enjoyed that, because when I’m making my music, I’m writing it, I’m producing it, I’m playing all the instruments, I’m performing. It’s my own world where I do what I feel, and nobody tells me anything. So, I found it a really refreshing change of pace to suddenly be completely directed. It was a type of collaboration that I don’t normally have. He told me how to walk, how to do this, how to do that. Yet, at the same time, he’ll give you room to breathe, once he’s established what he wants from you.

For instance, take the scene in the hospital where I’m initially sitting with Precious, smacking my

Photo credit: Anne Marie Fox

Nurse John (Lenny Kravitz) and Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) in the movie PRECIOUS. lips while I’m eating that fruit salad, and her girlfriends are all talking trash. That whole scene was improvised. At first, we followed our dialogue, but we weren’t feeling it. Lee came into the room, and ripped those pages out of the script. He said, “This is what I want. I need for you to take me from A to B to C, but just make it up. Now, just go!” We did, and he loved it. But then the seven of us had to remember what we’d just made up in order to repeat it four or five more times from different camera angles. For me, it was a lot of fun. It still was like making music, the way I interpreted it. It’s all rhythm, it’s all musical, so it was intense, but really great working with Lee. KW: You’re slated to make a movie with Ash Baron-Cohen [cousin of Sacha] called “Novella.”

LK: I don’t know what’s going on with that, actually. But the next film I’ll be doing is another one with Lee called “Selma,” in which I’ll be playing Andrew Young.

KW: Do you intend to pursue more acting roles, or will you just be playing it by ear?

LK: I’m playing it by ear although it’s a good time for me to pursue acting, I suppose since I’m enjoying having another medium in which to express myself. I’ve been getting a great response to my work. I’m sure great scripts are hard to find, but I’m definitely open, and waiting to see what comes my way.

KW: What musical heights do you still want to reach? What motivates the music you create and governs it development?

LK: What motivates it is life. Life is everything. Life influences my music and brings it forth. Life is always changing, so I’m always

hearing new music. It’s the way I document my life. I feel like my best work is in front of me.

I’m in the studio now, and I’m having an amazing time making this new album. It’s something I can’t help.

KW: The new album is called “Negrophilia.” Is there some sort of theme running through all the songs?

LK: It’s not written as a concept album, and the whole album isn’t finished yet, but I’m sure there will be some kind of thread, because it just works out that way. I liked the title and what the word means. I was living in Paris last year, where there’s a great appreciation of many different aspects of African culture and of Black culture. The music… the art… whatever… And I kind of went with that.

KW: This wasn’t your first time living in Paris, though.

LK: No, I went to Paris in 1989 when the Americans didn’t quite know what to do with me at first. Now, all those years later, it’s kind of the same story. Not the same scenario, but kind of the same story.

KW: Would you ever do a movie about Romeo Blue. Is there any chance of that happening?

LK: Hmmm… That’s interesting, you know. I haven’t thought about that, but it’s interesting, because it was a different persona, a different person, as far as I’m concerned. I haven’t thought about making a music film, but if I did, that would be a very interesting idea.

KW: Romeo Blue was an important phase you went through in getting you back to yourself.

LK: Yes, I was being somebody else. It was a part of me. I had an emotional attachment to this

character, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t know whether being this half-Black, half-white guy named Lenny Kravitz could work. That may sound really strange, but in essence, that’s how I felt. But then I woke up one day, and realized Romeo Blue wasn’t me. It was a part of me, but it wasn’t me. At that point, I accepted myself, my name and my background for who I am, and then everything began to flow.

KW: Do you ever feel pressure to identify yourself as Black or white, or Jewish or Christian?

LK: No, my mother always told me to embrace both sides of my background. And she also taught me one very useful thing when I was going to first grade. She said, “You’re Bahamian and African-American on one side, and RussianJewish on the other. You’re no more one than the other, and it’s beautiful that you have all this. It makes your life all the more rich. But society will see you only as Black.” I can’t remember how I felt at the time that she told me that, but later on in life I was like, “Wow!” because that’s exactly how it was. They don’t care that you’re mixed. They see you as one color.

KW: And although you understood that the world saw you that way, you didn’t allow yourself to be pigeonholed and marginalized.

LK: I’ve lived my life dealing with everybody. And that’s how it’s always been for me.

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

LK: Oh, wow… Wow! Honestly, today, I saw my mother.

KW: I know you’re related to Al Roker. We grew up in the same neighborhood and went to the same grammar school.

LK: Oh, you grew up in St. Albans? I used to go there almost every weekend. In fact, after I was born at St. John’s hospital in Bed-Stuy, I went straight to my godmother’s house in St. Albans. Yeah man, I know St. Albans real well.

KW: What’s your favorite dish to cook?

LK: I have a lot of them I guess right now it’s lamb chops. I’ve been eating a little meat lately.

KW: What is your earliest childhood memory?

LK: Me being in my grandmother’s yard in Brooklyn. I must have been about three. I had this red balloon. I let go of it, and it went up into the sky and just kept going and going. I completely flipped out, because I didn’t understand why.

KW: Thanks again for the interview, Lenny, and best of luck with the new album and the acting career.

LK: Thank you.

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2010 | DEFENDER

Max Edison

on Sports

Bobby Reid Update For the benefit of those inquiring minds, former TSU and Northshore High School All-American quarterback Bobby Reid has resurfaced recently in Baton Rouge at the LSU Pro-Day on March 8th.

Reid participated in the full array of drills on and off the field and according to my sources, who witnessed the workout, had the NFL scouts and personnel executives in attendance drooling at what they saw.

Reid measured out at 6’3” and weighed in at a trim 242 pounds. He ran the forty in 4.6 seconds and benchpressed 225 lbs. 19 times.

According to one unnamed NFL scout.

“The only quarterbacks I’ve seen throw the ball better this spring were named Bradford (Sam, Oklahoma) and Clausen (Jimmy, Notre Dame). His arm was strong and very sharp.”

So now the question you’re probably dying to ask, ‘how did Reid end up in Baton Rouge?’ I’ll let Bobby explain.

“Coach Miles (LSU’s Les) recruited me to Oklahoma State out of high school,” Reid recalled. “Even after he left to go to LSU, we still maintained a good relationship. Last year coming off my knee surgery, I wasn’t at a 100 percent to work out for the scouts. This year, my good friend, LSU Sr. receiver, Brandon LaFell (Lamar HS), told me they didn’t have a Sr. quarterback to throw at the LSU’s Pro-Day. My agent, Brian Overstreet convinced me to call Coach Miles. I asked him for a ★EDISON, Page 4

SPORTS

3

NCAA

Regional Basketball Tourney Comes to Reliant Stadium

By Max Edison DEFENDER

I Photo: Purdue Athletics

E'Twaun Moore leads Purdue in scoring.

Photo: St. Mary’s Athletics

n what promises to be a dress rehearsal for entertaining next year’s Final Four, Houston and Reliant Stadium host the NCAA South Regional this weekend. The field is typical of what we come to expect from the “Big Dance,” a little something for everybody. Duke, the perennial power, St. Mary’s (California), this year’s Cinderella, Purdue, a Big 10 fixture and Baylor, a regional favorite.

Put them all together and you get the very embodiment of what the NCAA Tournament has come to symbolize - outstanding college basketball!

Duke, the very name suggests excellence in college basketball. Duke, the fourth-winningest men’s college basketball program of all time. Duke, with three national championships and 14 Final Four appearances. Duke is coached by five-time National Coach of the Year, the legendary Mike Krzyzewski. Duke, the team you love to hate. Yes, that Duke, the Blue Devils, the number-one seed team in the South region will be in Houston.

The Blue Devils bring to H-Town a record of 31-5 and once again, they won the always-tough Atlantic Coast Conference regular season with a 13-3 record and then finished the job by winning the ACC Post-Season Tourney.

Duke arrived in Houston after defeating SWAC Tournament Champion Arkansas Pine Bluff (73-44) and Pac 10 power California (68-53).

They boast three first team All-Conference performers in Nolan Smith (Jr. guard, 6’2”), Jon Scheyer (Sr. guard, 6’5”) and conference MVP Kyle Singler (Sr. forward, 6’8”). This trio account for the lions-share of the Blue Devils scoring. Scheyer averaged 18.4 ppg. Singler 17.7 ppg. and Smith 17.1 ppg.

St. Mary’s finished second in the Western Coast Conference to Gonzaga and then won the WCC Tournament. They were 28-5 overall, 11-3 in conference play. They defeated Richmond 80-71 in the opening round of NCAA competition, then upset #2 seed Villanova 75-68

St. Mary's All-American center Omar Samhan steals the ball.

★NCAA, Page 4

Photo: Baylor Athletics

Baylor's big man Ekpe Udoh rules the paint.

Photo: Duke Athletics

Duke is led by ACC MVP Kyle Singler.

Darrell Ardison

on H.S. Sports Westbury sprinter Christy Udoh delivered the most exciting performance at the rain-shortened 59th annual Texas Southern University Relays at the Alexander Durley Sports Complex.

Running the anchor leg in the sprint relay (4X100 meters), Udoh accepted the baton on a wet track in a light rain against a strong head wind. If matters couldn’t be any worse, she was five to 10 meters behind the field.

Undeterred by the situation, Udoh powered past the competition and turned on the after-burners as she crossed the finish line in a winning time of 48.19 seconds.

Udoh said she adopted a stay-positive attitude and started utilizing the fundamentals she’s taught each day at practice to close on the field and run through the tape.

Before the weather took a turn for the worse with temperatures dropping more than 20 degrees, Udoh impressed the crowd earlier in the meet with a first-place time of 24.45 seconds in the 200-meter dash. The clocking was nearly a full second faster than her runner-up finish on the same track a year ago.

Other notable performances included Alief Hastings sprinter Ali Ahmed in the 200-meter dash as he over★ARDISON, Page 4

Houston’s best H. S. hoops season ever?

By Darrell K. Ardison DEFENDER

AUSTIN – It was quite an encore performance for the Houston area’s leading high school basketball teams.

On the first two weekends in March 2010, Houston schools brought home three state championship trophies in the University Interscholastic League’s two largest classifications.

Cy-Fair won its second Class 5A girls title in three years. Yates repeated as boys Class 4A state champions and Fort Bend Bush secured the school’s first-ever state team championship with the boys claiming the 5A state trophy.

Not since 2004 when the Milby (5A) and Jones (4A) boys won state crowns along with the Spring Westfield girls (5A), had the Houston area thrived as much in high school basketball.

The Cy-Fair girls started the hardware march (March 6) with a 65-41 victory over Fort Bend Hightower in the Class 5A title game.

In a first-ever matchup of Houston area schools in the 5A championship game, Cy-Fair senior post Chiney Ogwumike was the game’s premier player with a 31point, 18-rebound, four steals and three blocked shots performance in 30 minutes of action.

Ogwumike was unanimously selected the title game’s Most Valuable Player and a crowd of 5,198 at the Frank Erwin Center gave her a standing ovation when she exited the game with two minutes remaining.

“It said a lot about Chiney when the Hightower crowd stood up and

Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair post, 5A MVP applauded for her,” said Cy-Fair coach Ann Roubique. “Obviously, her own team and fans are going to give her the credit she deserves.

But when a classy group of fans from Hightower showed the respect and appreciation they had for her as a basketball player, that was a supreme compliment.”

Cy-Fair’s six playoff victories came over Round Rock Stony Point (67-30), Spring Dekaney (70-48), Cypress Creek (70-51), Dallas Skyline (54-39), Bryan (5450), Cedar Hill (54-50) and Fort Bend Hightower (65-41). The

Lady Bobcats finished 36-1.

The awards for Ogwumike continued recently when she was selected the 2010 Naismith National High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Qgwumike and three other awards winners were honored recently at the Tipoff Club’s Naismith Awards Banquet held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta.

“This award shows how much determination it takes to maintain the level of play that Chiney has

done over the last four years,” Roubique said.

Ogwumike will join her older sister Nneka at Stanford University this fall.

The pair combined to lead CyFair to its first state championship in 2008 with a title-game victory over DeSoto. Nneka was named the Class 5A championship game MVP in 2008.

Nneka was recently named the Pac-10 women’s player of the year and Pac-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player for her efforts during her sophomore season at No. 2-nationally ranked Stanford.

She led the Pac-10 in scoring (18.3) and field-goal percentage (65.3) while finishing second in rebounding (9.4) heading into last weekend’s NCAA women’s tournament.

Can you imagine the reunion of the Ogwumike sisters on the collegiate level next fall? Watch out UConn!

Cy-Fair earned a berth in the 5A state high school basketball tournament all four years that Chiney played at the school.

“This has been a dream season for me and my teammates,” Ogwumike said. “It hasn’t all set in yet. Maybe it will later this week when I’m sitting in class.”

Travis Courtney was only seven years old when he watched his father Ronnie Courtney guide Willowridge to back-to-back state championships during the 20002001 seasons.

When the junior point guard transferred from Channelview and joined his father at Fort Bend Bush prior to the beginning of the 2009★HIGH SCHOOL, Page 4

SPORTS

4

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2010 | DEFENDER

NCAA

continued from page 3 to punch their ticket to Houston.

The Gaels are led by All-American, candidate, center Omar Samhan (Sr. 6’11” 260 lbs.). Samhan, a self-proclaimed “throwback” post man, averages 21.5 ppg. and 10.9 rpg. He takes great pride in his old-school approach.

“I hate those guys who run around shooting threes,” Samhan said. “You’re 6-11, so get your butt in there and take pride in being a big man with your back to the basket. I think it’s a lost art.”

Samhan also bristles at the fact that St. Mary’s is a Cinderella story.

“March is such a special time,” Samhan opined. “We’re not really a Cinderella story because that implies luck.”

The Gaels feature a balanced scoring attack. Mickey McConnell (Jr. guard, 14 ppg.), Matthew Dellavedova (Fr. guard, 12.3 ppg.), Wayne Hunter (Sr. guard,11 ppg.) and Ben Allen (Sr. forward, 10.5 ppg.) all make opponents pay when they sag in on Samhan.

How good is the St. Mary’s squad and can they make it to the Final Four? Their oncourt leader responds.

“Why not?” Samhan said. “There are 16 teams left. Four of them make the Final Four.

Why can’t Saint Mary’s be one of the four?”

The Purdue Boilermakers finished the season with a record of 29-5 overall, 14-4 in conference play. That conference record left the Boilermakers in a three-way tie for the top spot in the Big Ten with Ohio State and Michigan State.

They defeated Siena 72-64 and outlasted Texas A and M in overtime 63-61, to earn a berth in the South Regional.

Purdue has found a way to continue their winning ways despite losing their leading scorer and All-American candidate, Robbie Hummel, to a season-ending knee injury on February 24th.

Taking up the slack in the absence of Hummel has been E’Twaun Moore (Jr. guard, 16.4 ppg.) and JaJuan Johnson (Jr. center, 15.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg.).

Photo: Baylor Athletics

Baylor point guard Tweety Carter controls the tempo.

Despite losing their best player late in the season, point guard Lewis Jackson reminds fans to not overlook the Boilermakers.

“Guys don’t want people to feel sorry for us,” Jackson continued. “We want to prove that we still have a lot of talent and can make a big run in the tournament. I think that was the biggest thing for me.”

The Baylor Bears finished tied for second with Kansas State in the Big 12 with a record of 27-7, 11-5 in conference, their best conference finish since 1988. Under head Coach

High School

continued from page 3 2010 school year, the younger Courtney just wanted to fit in and help the Broncos realize their dreams of a state title.

“The guys accepted me right away and my dad just told me to feel my way along and do whatever I could to help them,” Travis Courtney said. “I had the advantage of riding home with him everyday so that helped as well.”

Courtney played 27 minutes in the 5A title game (March 13) and finished with two points, five rebounds and two assists.

In navigating its way to the school’s first outright boys district basketball title (12-1) in the eight-year history of the school, the elder Courtney guided his team to six district wins of six points or less.

The younger Courtney made perhaps his biggest contribution of the season in a 55-53 overtime victory over top-ranked Bellaire in the Region III-5A championship game at the Campbell Center.

With 1.3 seconds left in the first overtime period, Courtney fed an inbounds pass to backup swingman Chibuike Chidomere for an uncontested layup as time expired to earn a trip to the state basketball tournament in Austin.

“It’s a play my dad has used for years and he told me the key was for me to exe-

Travis Courtney, Bush point guard

cute patience and let everything develop before throwing the ball inbounds,” Travis said. “It opened up just like he designed it on the blackboard.

The Broncos’ playoff processional included victories over League City Clear Springs (62-58), Deer Park (7966), Fort Bend Dulles (72-59), Strake Jesuit (61-47), Bellaire (55-53), Flower Mound Marcus (45-43) and Garland Lakeview Centennial (65-58). Bush finished 35-4 for the season.

While Bush counted on execution to secure victories on the 5A level, Jack Yates relied on superior conditioning to reel in victory after victory en route to a perfect 34-0 campaign.

On the same day (March 13), it took every bit of that physical conditioning to hold off a game bunch of Lancaster Tigers in the Class 4A title game.

Trailing by as many as six points in the third quarter and with one starter out with foul problems and another with an

continued from page 3 came a crowded field of competitors in the backstretch to win in a time of 22.17 seconds.

A day earlier, Asia Wright of Grambling State took firstplace honors in the women’s collegiate long jump with a leap of 5.52 meters. Britney Harris of TSU placed third with 5.36.

In the men’s collegiate division, Malcolm Pennix of Kansas City Community College took first place in the long jump by covering 7.32 meters.

All field events were canceled on the final day of compe-

continued from page 3 favor and he said yes.”

For Reid who had been diligently working out for the last two months, the chance to once again be at center stage was a true blessing.

“It was really good to be out there on the field again,” Reid conceded.

“There was a “game type” atmosphere to the entire workout. I felt really strong and confident performing through all the drills and I was really

injury, Yates coach Greg Wise was searching for answers. He found them in a resourceful squad that provided answers all season long.

Marshall Lange, a starter last season, came off the bench to supply 19 energetic minutes that produced six steals to surge the Lions’ come-from-behind victory. The 5-foot-11 senior guard was so drained that he had to be helped up to accept his second consecutive gold medal.

Center Alex Davis was another unsung Yates hero. In 30 minutes of action, Davis registered six points, nine rebounds, three steals and five blocked shots.

“The great thing is we gave it all we had,” said the senior, who along with 12 other seniors, played their final game for Yates.

“I had given up on basketball four years ago and I was just in the streets getting in trouble,” Davis said. “Now I’m in this situation – a state champion. It’s because of coach Wise and my teammates.”

On the way to winning its second state title in a row, Yates claimed playoff victories over Houston Sterling (126-61), Friendswood (104-48), Houston Jones (114-80), Huntsville (103-74), La Marque (101-83), The Colony (106-76) and Lancaster (92-73).

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HP 2010(403) ES. The project is on IH 10 at SH 99. Bid date for this project is April 6, 2010. 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. E.O.E For information contact Brian Ficzeri at (512) 707-0797

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Interested offerors may obtain the Request for Proposals package by contacting:

ANNA SIMOTAS PURCHASING OFFICER HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY 2640 FOUNTAINVIEW, SUITE 408 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77057 (713) 260-0554 FAX: (713) 260-0556 Email: asimotas@housingforhouston.com The Request for Proposals will be available on the Internet at www.housingforhouston.com on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.

The proposals must reach the Houston Housing Authority no later than 4:00 P.M. (CDT) on April 20, 2010. Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected unless the conditions allowed for late submittals exist for consideration as specified in the RFP. A Fair Housing and Equal Employment Opportunity Agency. For assistance: Individuals with disabilities may contact the 504/ADA Administrator at 713-260-0528, TTY 713-260-0547 or 504_ADA@housingforhouston.com.

Ardison

Edison

Yates coach Greg Wise

Scott Drew (7th season) the Bears ascent to the top of the Big 12 has been nothing short of amazing. Drew has successfully rebuilt a program that had been rocked by tragedy and scandal.

Baylor defeated a tough Sam Houston team (68-59) in the first round for their first NCAA tournament win since 1950. They then defeated Old Dominion 76-68, to secure the school’s first-ever spot in the “Sweet16,” just hours from their home campus in

Waco.

The Bears scoring comes from their Big Three: LaceDarius Dunn (Jr. guard, 19.4 ppg) Tweety Carter (Sr. guard, 15.1 ppg, 7 apg) and Ekpe Udoh (Jr. forward/center, 13.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg).

Coach Drew believes balance has been a major key to the Bears success.

“You always want to have as many talented players as possible but I think that credit goes to the teammates’ unselfishness,” Drew shared. “It starts with Tweety Carter up top who leads the Big 12 in assists, and when you have a point guard who gets everybody involved, he can score yes, but at the same time he gets the ball to the open person. And Ekpe Udoh does such a great job; normally your big guys are not great assist guys. He is different in that. So those two being so unselfish really helps spread the ball around.”

The Bears leading scorer LaceDarius Dunn reflects on the program’s success and their first-ever trip to the “Sweet 16”.

“To come from what it was to now, Sweet 16, we have accomplished a lot of great things,” Dunn explained. “It has really been fun. It has been a fun journey and we still have a little ways to go. Just where we are right now is very important to the whole Baylor program. To have everybody excited right now and in the moment right now but like I said we have just got to stay focused.”

Point guard Tweety Carter reiterates the significance of the team’s accomplishments.

“It means a lot. That’s the reason why I came here to be a part of something special.

You know, all through the season we were doubted. As a team, as a family, we found a way to win. We found a way to win big games. We found a way to come out here and compete.”

Baylor takes on St. Mary’s in the first game beginning at 6:30 CST Friday. Duke meets Purdue in the twinbill at approximately 9 pm CST. The winners face off on Sunday afternoon for a trip to the Final Four.

tition due to inclement weather. All collegiate events were also scrapped.

There were several weather delays as track officials tried to salvage as many events as possible while not trying to put athletes in harm’s way. Some athletes opted to drop out of events instead of risking injury.

ETC. Katy High School quarterback Michael Stojkovic was named the Most Valuable Player at the Space City Classic high school football all-star game held recently at Delmar Stadium. Stojkovic scored two rushing touchdowns for the White team in a 23-21 victory over the Red team.

happy with the way I threw the ball.”

Reid, a free agent, would love to sign with a team before the draft in late April. His phone has been ringing constantly since the workout. At press time he is scheduled to visit Green Bay for a private workout to compete for the back-up job behind Pro-Bowl QB Aaron Rodgers.

Wait a minute! Texan back-up QB Rex Grossman, left the Texans and signed with the Redskins. That leaves Dan Orlovsky, the guy Grossman beat out last year, as the only back-up to

REQUEST FOR OFFERS RFP NO. 10-10

SALE OF SCATTERED SITE HOMES The Houston Housing Authority hereby will accept sealed offers from the general public interested in purchasing lots of single-family homes as specified in RFO No. 10-10. Homes will be sold in minimum lot sizes of 3 homes each. Homes will be sold in “AS IS” condition without occupancy or resale restrictions.

Interested bidders may obtain the Request for Offers package by contacting:

ANNA SIMOTAS PURCHASING OFFICER HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY 2640 FOUNTAINVIEW, SUITE 408 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77057 (713) 260-0554 FAX: (713) 260-0556 The Request for Offers will be available on the Internet at www.housingforhouston.com on March 16, 2010.

Bobby Reid

Dan Orlovsky

Matt Schaub. Perhaps the Texans should invest in their future and give Bobby a chance. After all, we missed out on Vince!

Written offers in sealed envelopes must be delivered to the Houston Housing Authority on April 17, 2010 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Houston Housing Authority, 2640 Fountain View Drive, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77057.

A Fair Housing and Equal Employment Opportunity Agency. For assistance: Individuals with disabilities may contact the 504/ADA Administrator at 713-260-0528, TTY 713-260-0547 or 504_ADA@housingforhouston.com.

5

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2010 | DEFENDER

Health Care

continued from page 1 history - so that if you lose your job and you change jobs, start that new business, you’ll finally be able to purchase quality, affordable care and the security and peace of mind that comes with it.

President Obama has fought long for the bill, escalating the battle after the death of his friend and former colleague Sen. Ted Kennedy last year.

Kennedy was considered the Senate’s champion for health care. The bill passed the Senate on Christmas Eve. Still, many will now wonder what it all means for African-Americans who suffer the most from low quality health care and health disparities.

Members of the CBC say they believe the bill will make significant impact in the Black community.

“We cast our votes for all those people who deserve health care but simply can’t afford it. We cast our votes for our senior citizens who will see their prescription drug costs go down.

We cast our votes for our children and grandchildren, so that they can live

longer, fuller and healthier lives. We cast our votes in the memory of those people who didn’t have preventive care and died prematurely,” said a statement from Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), applauding the passage. “We were vocal advocates for provisions in the bill to combat health disparities, illnesses and diseases that disproportionately affect our community. To those who suffer from those health disparities, our vote tonight carries significance similar to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in that it fulfills a dream that has been elusive for far too long and for far too many Americans.”

According to a CBC document, other key provisions in the legislation that CBC members fought to have included are: • Expanded support for community health centers, which play a vital role in expanding access to preventive and other care in our nation’s most vulnerable communities.

• Greater support for programs that will increase the racial and ethnic diversity in the nation’s health work-

Lawmakers

continued from page 1 hopelessness.

Al Green: It has taken our nation many years to finally complete this much needed reform of our health system. However, this is not a final step, but rather a good next step that in the years to come we’ll be proud we took.

Millions of Americans who were uninsured will have medical coverage because of the reform. Americans spend nearly $2.5 trillion each year on health care now and nearly twothirds of the bill is paid for by reducing health care costs.

Benefits to the Black community Jackson Lee: This legislation calls for the investment of $11 billion dollars in Community Health Centers, including 20 in my district to provide better health care in poor and medically underserved communities where it is needed most. Racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive health care. This legislation is a critical first step in helping to reduce disparate treatment of minorities in our health care system. We made significant success in saving physician-owned hospitals in Texas that are crucial in providing health care in poor and underserved communities. Most people have these clinics in the community and really pass them by and don’t really know what they are. They’re not the public or City of Houston health clinics, they’re not the Harris County health clinics. They’re called the federally quality community health clinics.

Frankly, Texas was really on the lower end of the ladder in terms of the number of clinics that we have. Riverside Hospital is part of a community qualifying health clinic. If you go and visit the one on Ennis, it’s like a combination of doctors with specialties in primary care, something that we advocated in this health bill, nurse practitioners, pediatricians, and geriatric medicine. That means if you don’t have insurance, you can pay a small amount to be seen by a doctor, if you don’t have a doctor you can pay a small amount to be seen in your own neighborhood.

Green: Currently, there are six million people uninsured in the state of Texas, and 1.4 million of them are children. As for the Houston area, the number of uninsured individuals is approximately 1.1 million. These are overwhelming figures that fortunately will begin to change for the better. The system we have currently is not sustainable. Right now, we’re spending $3.5 trillion per year on health care and that’s nearly 50 percent than any other country in the world, which makes ours one of the most expensive sickness care systems that we have. Minority people will also particularly benefit from the pre-existing conditions change, whereby they can no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing condi-

Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Columnist Yvette Chargois

Editor Von Jiles

Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison

Art Director Cale Carter

• 45,000 people die annually because of no health insurance.

Source: Congressional Black Caucus

force, as well as improved data collection so that we can better measure health inequities and develop solutions to end all health disparities.

• Strengthening the existing Office of Minority Health at HHS, creating new Offices of Minority Health across HHS agencies, and establishes the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities at NIH an Institute.

• Inclusion of coverage for resident

tions.

Preventative care Jackson Lee: A couple of months ago, Dr. Oz and another group came to Houston and opened up a medical shop in Reliant, and in doing so, the thousands that poured out and who had no health insurance or physicians, many of them had to be taken off to the hospital immediately but were suffering from ailments that would have been less devastating if they had had preventative care and this bill emphasizes preventative car Green: Our country now has the opportunity to make steady progress toward an emphasis on preventive care through an $11 billion investment in community health centers.

Health care coverage will no longer be inaccessible due to pre-existing conditions. Many who die from lack of health care will now live.

This bill emphasizes preventative care and works to encourage minorities in particular to go see a doctor and that makes a difference because we’ve been used to emergency room care. If anything comes out of the passage of this bill, it’s to get minority citizens out of the second class mindset of receiving access to health care in America. I think we have suffered enough in second class status.

Green: The preventative care will include several things that are a benefit to any people who are minority because again, they don’t get as much health care as others. This will help with immunizations, diabetes, screening for cancer, osteoporosis, all of these things come under preventative care and there won’t be an additional cost. The $11 billion for the communities will allow people to get health care right there in the community.

The Medicare myth Jackson Lee: Seniors will get help to pay for their prescription drugs. It closes the doughnut hole and it will make Medicare stronger. Each year, 5,300 Medicare beneficiaries in my district are forced to pay the full costs of their prescription drugs under the so-called doughnut hole. Under this bill, these seniors will receive a $250 rebate in 2010, a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs beginning in 2011, and closure of the doughnut hole within a decade. A typical senior will see savings of more than $700 in 2011 and more than $3,000 by 2020.

Green: By strengthening Medicare and closing the “donut hole” on prescription drug costs, the new legislation will benefit seniors.

We will expand Medicaid so that if you are at 133 percent of the federal poverty level you can get Medicaid, which allows more people to get insurance who

VOLUME 79 • NUMBER 21 MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2010

Associate Editor ReShonda Billingsley

CBC Chair, Barbara Lee

Contributing Writers Aswad Walker Webmaster Corneleon Block

The Houston Defender Newspaper published by The Houston Defender Inc. Company (713) 6636996. The Defender audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscriptions, send $60.00 — 1 year, to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston, TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All materials covered by 2009 copyright... (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

of the U.S. territories, including a significant infusion of new Medicaid dollars, as well as access to the Exchange so that Americans in the territories will have access to affordable, high-quality health insurance plans.

• Guarantees transparency on rates and enables state insurance commissioners to recommend to the National Insurance Commissioner whether a particular insurer should participate in the Health Insurance Exchange, taking into account excessive or unjustified premium increases in making that determination. This will hold private insurers accountable, ensure affordability and help provide quality coverage for American families.

In addition to significant health care provisions, the CBC also fought for the inclusion of many very important education provisions including: • Invests $35 billion over 10 years to increase the maximum annual Pell Grant to $5,550 in 2010 and to $5,975 by 2017.

• Invests $2.55 billion in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving

can’t afford insurance. Medicaid is not something that is somehow associated with the mindset that you’re going to somehow be with all the people who can’t afford insurance when you go to a facility.

Dealing with the hate Jackson Lee: The divisiveness is something I’ve never seen. The tone was set first by the leadership of the Republican party, now it’s dominated by talk show hosts who are not policy makers, who are there to sell radio and TV time to their advertisers. They are trying to build ratings and ratings are not built on kind words. They’re built on divisiveness and ugliness. The experiences that any of us had with those who were shouting and storming the capital was disappointing. The negative responses, the inability or the lack of desire to listen. Even as we speak, the conservative media is shredding the good that we have done

Institution • Invests $2 billion in a competitive grant program for community colleges to develop and improve educational or career training programs.

• Saves taxpayers $61 billion over by switching to the less expensive Direct Loan program.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) also applauded the longawaited passage. “Despite deafening protests from the other side, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the reforms included in this bill will reduce our deficit by $143 billion in the first 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years. This bill will also create jobs, 400,000 good-paying jobs, reliable jobs, for every year and for small businesses. Small businesses will get a tax break on their health care premiums that will free up money for them to hire 80,000 more employees,” he said in his floor speech. “Mr. Speaker, we have debated this issue for several generations.

The time has come to act. This is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century.

Tonight, we will take a significant step to move our country forward.”

but we’re not going to allow that to happen.

We’re going to get out and tell the story.

Green: When I went across to carry my vote, people said some ugly things. They were not racial slurs, but they made ugly statements to me about what would happen if I voted for the bill. I had some people say, ‘you probably ought to use the tunnel system and not walk out through that crowd of people.’ My response was very simply this, “If Rosa Parks could, by herself, take that seat in the segregated south and in so doing, sparked the Civil Rights movement, surely I could walk past those people in the broad open daylight.” They have their freedom of speech and I had my freedom to cast my vote and I voted for many of them who think that it’s not going to benefit them but it was to their benefit that I voted the way that I did and I am proud of the vote that I cast.

6

COUGAR PRIDE……The University of Houston Black Alumni Association held their 21st Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala at the Hilton Americas Hotel. The pride could be seen on the faces of Vonda Mays, President of UHBAA and the Honorary Chairs of the event James Campbell, Senior Vice President of Fleishman-Hillard and Jarvis Hollingsworth, UH-System Board of Regents and Partner with Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP. On the heels of a successful football season, the Cougars have a lot more to be proud of and the organization is committed to further advancing the university’s new brand and tagline – You Are the Pride – a brand image that emphasizes their strengths of diversity, entrepreneurialism, connection to the City of Houston and accessibility. In addition to awarding several scholarships, they honored Sallie Creuzot, Co-Founder, Frenchy’s Creole Chicken, Earl M. Cummings, CEO, BTS Team, Inc., Dr. Bernard H. Harris, Jr., Former NASA Astronaut and CEO/Managing Partner, Vesalius Ventures, Inc., Dr. John A. Matt, Senior Vice President, Gas & Power Health Safety Security & Environmental, Shell Oil Company, Ricky A. Raven, UH Alumni Association Board of Directors and Partner, Thompson & Knight, LLP and Dr. Frazier Wilson, Vice President, Shell Oil Company Foundation and Manager, Social Investments, Shell Oil Company. Sharron Melton, Co-Anchor, ABC 13 served as Mistress of Ceremony and did a splendid job. Continued Success!........ TRANSFORMING LIVES, MAKING A DIFFERENCE……..A group of folks came together recently to celebrate the 2nd Annual Executive Tea for Broken Chains Outreach Ministry. This ministry exists for the purpose of encouraging, mentoring and educating women who are incarcerated, women who reside in the North and Northeast areas of Houston and young girls by developing relative programs that will help them live a life of maximum productivity. Dr. Adrain Johnson, Superintendent of North Forest ISD was the guest speaker and enlightened everyone about the positive things going on in the district. The event was held at The Greenspoint Club and was attended by Katishia Cosley, News Anchor/Reporter with Channel 39 who served as Mistress of Ceremony, Georgetta Carvin, Founder/President of the organization, Kimberly Minter, Evelyn Banks, Juanita Butler, Theresa Marshall, Ann Harris, Sandra Whitaker, Hope CarterJones, Elaine Jackson-Williams and Loverous Whitaker, to name a few. Oh, a fabulous fashion show was conducted

by Georgia Robinson. Everyone had a great time!....... A NEW CENTER IN TOWN…….The Ella Robey Holliday Center located at 2921 Southmore Blvd. was recently blessed by Fr. Borgia Aubespin in the midst of a very proud community. The home was purchased by Mrs. Holliday’s daughter Gertrude and her husband Dr. John S. Stone and given to St. Mary of the Purification Catholic Church to be a beacon for the enrichment and enhancement of the educational and cultural development of citizens. The Center will be a resource in Houston’s Third Ward where Mrs. Holliday was an educator for many years. Attendees included J. Stone, Yolanda Eugere, Jeannette Malveaux, Dorothy Lewis, Mary Hinton-Williams, Candy Fontenot, Rosalyn Boyd, Betty Enard, Consuela and Edmond Broussard, Freida Malone and others. What a blessing!........ KUDOS……Dr. Thomas F. Freeman celebrated his 59th ministerial anniversary at Mr. Horem Baptist Church during their worship services recently. He’s like the energizing bunny, he just keeps on going and going. God Bless!........Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church hosted their Annual Women’s Prayer Breakfast and Women’s Day Program. Vanessa Wilson Hendrickson with Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church was this year’s guest speaker. God bless all of you also!.......Have a great week and remember to watch CROSSROADS on Channel 13 Sunday morning with Melanie Lawson for your event covered

by Ms. Chag. Also check out our website at defendernetwork.com to view the “Event of the Week.”…..From Chag’s Place to your place, Ciao Darling!

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2010 | DEFENDER

Dr. Margaret Allen, Honoree Earl Cummings and Vonda Mays

Honorees Dr. Bernard Harris and Dr. Frazier Wilson

Carolyn and James Campbell

Jarvis and Andrea Hollingsworth

Felicia and Tim Davison

Sharron Melton and Vonda Mays

Katishia Cosley, Dr. Adrian Johnson and Georgetta Carvin

Sandra Whitaker, Anne Harris, Hope Carter-Jones and Elaine Jackson-Williams

Honoree Sallie Creuzot and Percy Creuzot

Honoree Ricky Raven and Janet Pruitt

Evelyn Banks, Theresa Marshall, Juanita Butler

Kimberly Minter, Jennifer Holmes and Georgetta Carvin

Gertrude and Dr. John S. Stone

Mary Hinton-Williams, Fr. Borgia Aubespin and J. Stone

Rosalyn Boyd, Betty Enard and Candy Fontenot

Yolanda Eugere, Jeannette Malveaux and Dorothy Lewis