Houston Defender: August 04, 2011

NEWSTALK

DEMOGRAPHICS CHANGING IN BLACK HOUSTON NEIGHBORHOODS P3

Houston’s Leading Black Information Source Volume 80 | Number 40

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ENTERTAINMENT

MARVIN SAPP Performs at Minute Maid Park

WEEK OF AUGUST 4, 2011 | FREE

Terry Grier

One-on-one with HISD Supt.

H PAGE 8

P7 HEALTH BACK TO SCHOOL Getting ready

P10 SPORTS

TEXANS Strike big in free agency

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CHAG’S PLACE

Irie Dotson and Commissioner El Franco Lee @ SPLASHDOWN.....

Harris County Aquatics Program (HCAP)

P16

Harry Belafonte

slams Obama

Entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte has long been involved in the fight for equal rights. Belafonte, 84, recently criticized President Barack Obama for a lack of moral courage and vision. Another civil rights veteran, Rev. Jesse Jackson, had some harsh words for Obama as well, and said the president needs to get tough with the Republican opposition.

H PAGE 4

Juan Williams

speaks out

Noted journalist Juan Williams made news when he was fired from National Public Radio for expressing his feelings about getting on a plane with Muslims. Williams, now a political analyst and columnist for Fox News, talks about the experience in his new book, “Muzzled.” He discusses the message he wants to send, and the hard lessons he has learned.

H PAGE 7

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localbriefs Texans asked to reduce electricity due to record heat

Demographics changing in

I

Black Houston neighborhoods

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

ndependence Heights, the first incorporated African-American settlement in Texas, and other traditionally “Black” Houston neighborhoods are experiencing a metamorphosis in ethnic makeup that is unsettling to some, yet fine by others.

Presently, there are almost as many Latino residents as African Americans in Independence Heights. At the same time, there are fewer African American children there and in other historic Black neighborhoods such as Sunnyside and Third Ward.

Soon, Latinos will comprise more than half of Houston’s population.

“I understand the demographics of the city,” said John Branch, a self-employed contractor who was born and reared in Independence Heights. “We have the history of being the first Black city, but we’re not going to discriminate.”

“We are born, we grow up, we get old,” said Sheri L. Smith, a professor of urban planning at Texas Southern University.

“Communities do the same thing. But if you move out, someone else moves in, and they’re not responsible for your memories.”

Smith acknowledges what many take for granted—that communities like individuals grow and change. Even though the pace of segregation fading from neighborhoods was much slower than the changes seen in public schools and places of business, the historic anchors that kept Houston’s Black communities homogenous for so long are doing so no more.

“There’s a lot of chitter-chatter about what that means,” said Roynell Young, founder of Pro-Vision, a charter school located in the heart of Sunnyside. “What I do know is you take what you have and grow it. It’s the quality of what you produce that is important.”

The number of Houston’s Black children—youth 17 and younger—dropped by more than 15 percent between 2000 and 2010; a direct reslut of aging neighborhoods exasperated by the growing number of African-American young adults and professionals now calling Katy, Pearland, Friendswood and other traditionally white neighborhoods home.

Pearland, located just a few miles south of Sunnyside, saw its African-American population increase from 2,006 to 14,962 between 2000 and 2010.

Though gentrification overtook Freedmen’s Town, another historically Black neighborhood now identified by its apartments and Midtown clubs dominated by young, white professionals, Independence Heights has defied that national trend, despite its proximity to the Heights and Garden Oaks.

Located just north of Loop 610, Independence Heights was settled in 1908 and independently governed until it was annexed by the city of Houston in 1929. The area’s population dropped by almost 1,000 people over the past decade, with the number of African Americans dropping even more, while the number of Latinos grew.

“I have neighbors I haven’t been able to talk to,” said Natasha Johnson, participant in the new Spanish class at Neighborhood Centers this summer which serves as a complement to English classes offered for Spanish-speaking residents. “You have to be able to communicate, and if that means speaking their language, you do that.”

Branch and several of his neighbors are joining Johnson in an effort to learn Spanish and deal with the change in a way that recognizes rather than resists the current demographic change.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT), system operator for the state’s bulk transmission grid, is asking consumers and businesses to reduce their electricity use during peak hours from 3 to 7 p.m. Texans can help by shutting off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances during that time, and delaying laundry and other activities requiring electricity-consuming appliances until later in the evening. Record high temperatures throughout the state are causing increased electricity usage.

If the capacity shortage is not relieved, temporary rotating outages will be conducted. Outages typically last 15-45 minutes before being rotated to a different neighborhood.

Greanias scheduled to return following suspension Metro President and CEO George Greanias is expected to return to work on Aug. 8 after a one-week suspension without pay because of computer porn.

The disciplinary action followed a Metro investigation that concluded Greanias violated company guidelines regarding electronic communications. While on his personal computer, Greanias accessed more than one dozen adult-oriented sites of a sexual nature through the company Internet. In a letter to employees, Greanias said he made a mistake. As for the punishment, he said, “I agree with that judgment, and I accept it willingly.”

Greanias is a former city controller and mayoral candidate.

Mayor Parker announces Hire Houston First program Mayor Annise Parker will ask City Council to approve an initiative called Hire Houston First, which encourages the use of local companies and workers on taxpayer-funded projects. The program will allow the city to consider a vendor’s principle place of business and grant preference to local businesses in awarding certain contracts. “As long as their pricing is competitive, I want to ensure preference is given to local contractors,” Parker said. “In these tough economic times it’s more important than ever for our tax dollars to stay in the community where they can support local businesses and the jobs they provide.” a

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U.S.briefs

Jackson, Belafonte bash Pres. Obama Defender News Services

Two civil rights veterans recently had some harsh words for the country’s first Black president.

Rev. Jesse Jackson said that President Barack Obama should have been “tougher” with Republicans during debt ceiling negotiations. Entertainer and activist Harry Belafonte said Obama lacks moral courage. “[Obama] has a propensity to be trusting, on the side of reconciliation,” Jackson told Politico. “He kind of underestimates

how ideological these guys are and how determined they are to destroy him.”

Jackson criticized the administration for agreeing to take items such as defense spending and taxes on the wealthy off the negotiating table, so that the only option left was cutting programs for needy Americans.

He said as a result, the right wing has been able to drive the debate.

“I think they’ve gotten used to watching him at some level give more ground,” Jackson said. “They feel they can keep pushing and he’ll keep giving. They have not seen a

stiffness.”

Jackson recalled the legendary stubborness of the late President Lyndon B. Johnson.

“The people on the ground need a clearer, stronger, LBJ-type voice,” Jackson said. “He has that voice. It has to be used.”

Belafonte, 84, shared his views during an interview with CNN. He was promoting his upcoming HBO docuContinued on Page 5

Harry Belafonte

Jesse Jackson

SCLC president Howard Creecy dies suddenly at age 57 Rev. Howard Creecy, who became president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in January, died July 28 following an apparent heart attack at his Atlanta home. Creecy, 57, was a well-known civil rights activist and pastor. His death leaves the SCLC without permanent leadership once again.

Isaac Newton Farris, the nephew of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC vice president, will serve as interim president. “We are all shocked and saddened

by Howard’s passing,” former SCLC President Rev. Joseph Lowery said. Lowery, along with King and several others, founded the organization in 1957 following the Montgomery bus boycott.

Michigan Legislature cuts welfare benefits for families Gov. Rick Snyder recent signed legislation capping welfare benefits for Michigan families to 48 months.

The law, which goes into effect on Oct. 1, will impact an estimated 12,600 families receiving benefits. After the 48 months, beneficiaries will be expected to have found employment. Critics of the law say it especially punishes children. “What state leaders said to some 12,000 families was that some of them might be starving or homeless by Christmas,” wrote Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley. “What they told the children in those families is, whether your parents find a job or not, we’re no longer helping,”

Rosa Parks recalled nearly being raped by white man

Black and white wealth gap widens

By GREGORY DALE AFRO Staff Writer

T

he wealth gap between Black families and their white counterparts is now the largest it has ever been, a recent study found.

According to the report, the median wealth of white households was nearly 20 times that of Black households and 18 times that of Hispanic families, data gathered from 1984 to 2009 revealed.

The net wealth of a white household—defined as assets minus debts—was $113,149 in 2009, compared to $6,325 for Hispanic

households and $5,677 for Black households.

The data was compiled from the Pew Center’s Survey of Income and Program Participation, a questionnaire issued periodically to thousands of households across the country by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The report also found that 35 percent of Black and 31 percent of Hispanic households had zero or negative net worth in 2009, versus just 15 percent of white households.

“The reason for the wealth gaps are numerous, but one of them is a history of structural discrimination—that’s outright labor mar-

ket discrimination and less access to education in communities of color,” Dr. Christian Weller, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told the AFRO. “Those kind of things, over time, have accumulated and held back communities of color and contributed to less wealth.

“Also, one of the biggest problems is the fact that Latinos, African Americans and Asian Americans tend to be substantially less likely than whites to have benefits from an employer. They do not have the same level of benefits in terms of pensions and healthcare.”

The late Rosa Parks, often called the “mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” wrote a frightening account of nearly being raped by a white neighbor who employed her as a housekeeper in 1931. The handwritten essay is among personal items being kept in a Manhattan warehouse and auction house until an institution can be found to buy and preserve the complete archive. She wrote: “He offered me a drink of whiskey, which I promptly and vehemently refused. He moved nearer to me and put his hand on my waist. I was very frightened by now…I was ready to die but give my consent…Never, never.”

VOLUME 80 • NUMBER • 40 WEEK OF AUGUST 3, 2011

Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Editor Von Jiles Associate Editors Reshonda Billingsley Marilyn Marshall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila

Columnist Yvette Chargois Sport Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison Contributing Writer Aswad Walker Webmaster Corneleon Block

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender 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 2011 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

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Jackson... Continued from page 4 mentary “Sing Your Song,” which chronicles his career and activism.

“There has never been such a void in moral truth as it now exists,” Belafonte said.

“And what the expectation has been for many of us was that Barack Obama would bring to the table a great sense of moral fortitude. I think were he to apply that in the decisions that he would have to make, he would find that his presidency might touch on a level of greatness that he has not yet considered.”

He added that Obama “has only listened to the voices that shout the loudest, and it’s all those reckless right-wing forces. It’s almost criminal.”

Analysis: Stop ‘dissing’ the president

By Neil Foote Special to the AFRO

President Barack Obama is on the hot seat.

He’s finding out that he has to be “executivein-chief” and “negotiator-in-chief.” With that responsibility, he’s also discovered that he is now a target. He is taking shots from the liberals and conservatives, who do not like what they’re hearing.

But the bigger concern here is whether the president is facing more disrespect than any other president has. The Republican leadership is not ready to “lead,” only to try to save face with their ideological rabid Tea Party supporters.

The dueling nationally televised speeches presented by President Obama and Ohio Congressman John Boehner (R) were clear signals that both sides dug in their heels, and quite honestly, it’s ugly.

This routine legislative procedure – raising the debt limit – has turned into an ideological, personal battle that is sending the wrong message to this country, and the rest of the world.

Would these conservatives have done this with President George W. Bush? His father? Not to mention President Reagan? Would they have walked out of a meeting or not returned a call from the president of the United States?

Boehner, McConnell and their Tea Party compatriot House Majority Leader Eric Cantor are blinded by their own rhetoric that making deep cuts in the federal budget will make them look like heroes. They’ve taking the same, latent mean-spirited mentality of the Tea Party, and injecting it into the manner in which they’re working with the president of the United States.

That’s the same mentality that’s led to rallies around the country where these same “GodBless-America-Flag-Waving-Americans” are carrying signs integrating images of President Obama with monkeys and Hitler. Is this the tone of civility in America that Boehner, McConnell and Cantor represent?

Let’s put it out there: The uncivil, uncompromising tone of the Republican leadership is focused on embarrassing the president to weaken the re-election of a president who actually is – and has – always taken leadership seriously. He’s setting an example for all Americans – not embarrassing us with rude, inappropriate behavior.

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

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entertainment

what’sup H Mo’Nique’s show on indefinite

hiatus; does that mean it’s cancelled?

The status of “The Mo’Nique Show” on BET is up in the air. According to a network representative, the show, hosted by the comedian and Oscar-winning actress, will be on production hiatus beginning in the fall. However, show sidekick Rodney Perry reportedly said in a text, “I was told indefinite hiatus.” He went on to say that his experience of working on the show has been enjoyable. “We did some good work.

And I think the show is significant. There hasn’t been an outlet for people of color late night since ‘Arsenio.’ ” Perry isn’t sure why the show was put on hiatus but thinks it might have been a financial decision. “They haven’t had this type of investment ever,” he said. “We did 300 shows over two seasons. That’s a huge investment.”

H Arsenio Hall says he would like

the chance to host another talk show

He hosted a late-night talk show from 1989 to 1994.

Now, Arsenio Hall wouldn’t mind a second chance.

During the Television Critics Association press tour, Hall indicated that he would be willing to return to TV. “I’d have to change my name to Nick Cannon and live with Mariah [Carey],” he joked. “But I think it’s a perfect time for that, personally. Give me a microphone. My son’s 11 and he can drive himself to school. I’m ready to host.” Hall’s show became known for the audience’s alternative to applause – chanting “Roo, Roo, Roo!” and pumping their fists. He said these days, “It’s pretty crowded out there. I’m not sure if it’s too crowded for a 55-year-old guy to reemerge, but if they give me a little daylight I’m gonna slide into it.”

H Lauryn Hill returns to stage one week after birth of her sixth child

For singer Lauryn Hill, the show must go on. Hill gave birth to her sixth child, a son, on July 23, and performed at the L.A. Rising Festival one week later.

Hill hasn’t released the baby’s name or the father’s identity. She posted a message on her website saying that she and Rohan Marley have five children together, seemingly ruling Marley out as the dad of her new baby. “Mr. Marley and I have a long and complex history about which MANY inaccuracies have been reported since the beginning,” Hill wrote.

“To speculate without the facts can only cause people to form WRONG conclusions.” She added that Marley did not abandon her while she was carrying his child, “contrary to the numerous reports” that he left her for a Brazilian model.

7

Juan Williams

Journalist remains ‘unmuzzled’

By Kam Williams Juan Williams was born in Panama on April 10, 1954, but raised in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn by his mother Alma, a seamstress, and his father, Roger, a boxing trainer. After graduating from Haverford College, Juan went on to become one of America’s leading journalists.

He is presently a political analyst for Fox News, a regular panelist on the public-affairs program “Fox News Sunday,” and a columnist for both FoxNews.com and The Hill. He has also hosted National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation” and anchored Fox News Channel’s weekend news coverage.

A former senior correspondent and political analyst for NPR, he is the author of the best-selling book “Enough,” the critically-acclaimed biography “Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary,” and the national bestseller “Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954–1965,” the companion volume to the Emmy-winning PBS television series.

During his 21-year career at the Washington Post, Williams served as an editorial writer, an op-ed columnist and a White House reporter.

Here, he talks about his new book, “Muzzled,” a memoir generally bemoaning

the pressure nowadays to speak in sanitized, politically-correct sound bites and specifically reflecting upon his being fired by NPR for honestly expressing his feelings about getting on a plane with Muslims.

KW: What is the biggest lesson you learned from the experience of being fired by NPR? JW: I think the bottom-line takeaway lesson for me was that there’s intolerance on the left that I had not fully appreciated. Growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, I had come to think that it was the Archie Bunker crowd on the right that was rigid and inflexible, which they certainly were guilty of back then in terms of the civil rights era.

In this instance, I discovered that people on the left react out of anger if you vary at all from their orthodoxy. And it resulted in my firing. But in general, they might ostracize you and say you’re not a good Democrat. It’s unbelievable. Or if the conversation is about race, they’ll say you’re not a good brother or even call you a bigot or an Uncle Tom. KW: Or your boss might suggest you need to see a shrink. How did you take that?

JW: Being fired was bad enough, but then having the president of the company say publicly Continued on Page 12

Houston Astros present ‘Praise in the Park’ For the second consecutive year, the Houston Astros will bring the spirit of gospel music to Minute Maid Park as the club hosts “Praise in the Park” following the Saturday, Aug. 6, 6:05 p.m. game against the Brewers.

The event will feature gospel artist Marvin Sapp, comedian Marcus D. Wiley and a personal testimony from former Astros player Jimmy Wynn.

Platinum artist Sapp was introduced to the gospel

community as a solo artist with his self-titled debut album in 1996. Recently, his release “Thirsty,” featuring the mega-selling “Never Would Have Made It” single, held the No. 1 gospel radio slot for almost a year and topped the gospel charts for 27 weeks.

Comedian Marcus D. Wiley received rapid acclaim after joining the nationally syndicated “Yolanda Adams’ Morning Show” airing in 38 of the country’s most popular cities including Houston.

“Praise in the Park” tickets start as low as $7. Admission to the concert is included with a valid game ticket to the Astros-Brewers game.

Fans purchasing tickets for the game must sit in their ticketed seats until the end of the game, but may then move into any available seat on the first base side of the ballpark for the concert.

For information visit www.astros.com. For groups of 20 or more tickets call 713-259-8314.

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Terry Grier

One-on-one with HISD Supt.

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY Defender

For two years, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier has been faced with a seemingly insurmountable task – putting the nation’s seventh largest school district on the path to financial and academic prosperity.

It’s a task that the former San Diego Unified Schools superintendent has faced head on, and he said his greatest challenge has been the complexity of the organization.

Grier described HISD as a “big” school system with 204,000 students and nearly 30,000 employees in almost 300 schools. He said he has come in from the outside and tried to get “his arms around everything that is going on.”

He said that includes, “trying to establish data points, benchmarks, where we are not only in terms of student academic performance but in terms of business practices; how we do things and how effective and efficient we are, for example, in spending taxpayer dollars.

“Houston is so big and has so many different factions inside the organization,” Grier said.

“That comes from different political and ethnic groups that are pushing and pulling. You have different parts of the community, and it’s just such a big dynamic organization that makes for an interesting job.”

The Defender recently sat down and talked with Grier about where the district has been and where it’s headed in the new school year.

Defender: How would you assess the job you’ve done so far?

Grier: I don’t think that’s for me to decide.

I think that’s for the board, but I can tell you I’m very proud of some of the progress we’ve made. In 2007, our dropout rate for AfricanAmerican students was almost 27 percent. In 2010, that had decreased to almost 14 percent.

That’s a huge amount of progress.

Our graduate rates for African-American students have gone from 68 percent in 2007 up to 74 percent in 2010, so we are making a lot of progress in dropout rates, graduation rates.

We have it going in the right direction. In 2009, about 10,000 HISD students ate breakfast in the morning. This past year, that went up to 20,000.

About Dr. Terry Grier Experience:

San Diego Unified Schools, 18 months Guilford County Schools, North Carolina, eight years

Education:

East Carolina University, BA and MA Vanderbilt University, PhD.

Awards:

• North Carolina Association of School Administrators & North Carolina School Boards Association’s 2008 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year Award • American Association of School Administrators’ Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award • North Carolina Association of Supervision & Curriculum Development’s Distinguished Educator Award • Congressional Black Caucus’s ET3 Tech Champion Award We’re serving every elementary and middle school student in HISD free breakfast every day and we’re only one of a handful of districts in the country that do that and we’re very proud of it. You look at students scoring on TAKS, African-American and Hispanic students’ scores have gone up. Also, children taking advancement placement courses in the district – that has improved significantly.

Defender: What do you attribute the increases to?

Grier: I think we’ve done a very good job putting quality teachers in each of our schools and getting good principals to lead our schools.

Now, we aren’t there yet, but we’ve made a lot

of progress and there’s some pain associated with that progress because when we have introduced this new level of accountability, that’s not made everyone happy and there’ve been teachers that are no longer with the organization that may have been longstanding members of the organization.

I’ve always said that education – particularly urban education – cannot be about a jobs program for adults. It has to be about our children. Since I’ve been in the district, we’ve had a 69 percent increase in the number of AfricanAmericans students taking advance placement courses.

When I got here, I was surprised that there

were high schools in ou ing 22-24 advance place tional baccalaureate deg to historical Black high that only offered one to courses. We changed th Every high school i advanced placement cou has been a struggle beca say these children aren’ pass these courses and y negative impact on their going to quit school.

They might not be r have access to that rigor preparing them, starting way to high school, they to say that we’re not go the kids aren’t smart eno don’t agree with that at I believe education ment. It’s something all quality education.

Defender: You fired

defendernetwork.com • Serving th

9

ur district that were offerement course and internagrees, yet I can take you school after high school, three advance placement hat. in Houston will offer 15 urses next year. Now, that ause there are those who ’t up to the task. They can’t you’re going to have a r self worth and they’re

ready, but we’ve got to r and if we do our job of g at pre-k and going all the y’re gonna get there. But oing to offer them because ough to do the work, I just all. is a civil rights issue. It’s not an entitlel children have a constitutional right to – a

d teachers, then turned around and hired

more. Many people question the logic behind that.

Grier: We will end up with 500 fewer teachers than we had last year. We’re going to start the school year with 96 million dollars less because the state didn’t adequately fund our schools.

We cut at central office first. My two years here, we’ve eliminated

he Houston area for over 80 years

almost 700 central office positions.

We’re a 30,000-employee organization, but we had to cut 700. Our principals had to make cuts in our schools. They got less money and had to figure out what to cut. They may cut teachers that were certified to teach certain things.

In the meantime, we had a science teacher retire. Well, those teachers we let go are not certified to teach math or science. So now, we’re hiring people to come in and fill those vacancies.

Defender: What will you do differently this year?

Grier: We will certainly have to do more with less. We certainly can’t let up on our efforts to make sure that we’re taking steps to make sure they’re getting a good education. We have to learn to work smarter. We have a lot of training going on. We have to address an aging technology infrastructure.

We also have to ensure that we’re offering vocational courses that prepare students for jobs in the twenty-first century. It’s not that some of these other courses are not important like auto me-

Continued on Page 12

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

health

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A Defender & Texas Children’s Hospital Alliance

Teen inspires others to donate organs

T

yler Nelson has spent 17 years battling cystic fibrosis and is in need of a life-saving lung and liver transplant.

His wait for organs has been long, yet he answers the pain with a smile on his face and an outlook that remains positive. Tyler and his family are working to spread the word about organ donation in hopes of improving his odds for survival.

“The number of organ donors

Tyler Nelson

minorities to act on their decisions to become organ and tissue donors and to recognize those individuals who gave the gift of life.

Research shows that the topic of organ and tissue donation is simply not on the “radar screen” for many minorities. There is a lack of awareness within the multicultural communities about the dire need for donations. This is why education is so important.

On average, patients wait 81 days for transplants, but Tyler’s wait has been longer since he needs two organs.

“God is going to bless me with a lung and liver pretty soon,” said Tyler. “And as long as I continue to pray and have support, I know that I will be ok.”

So as they wait for Tyler’s turn, his family tries to educate as many people as they can while Tyler remains positive.

His gift of life could come from anyone of any race. But he hopes that with more willing donors of every ethnicity, his odds for that gift will improve.

Visit www.donatelifetexas. org or www.lifegift.org for more information on how to register as an organ and tissue donor in the official state registry.

One organ donor has the ability to save up to eight lives. from the African American and Latin communities is very low and does not keep pace with the number needing transplants,” said Cynthia Nevels, Tyler’s mom. “We believe that if more African Americans registered, it would help Tyler.”

Aug. 1 marked National Minority Donor Awareness Day, a nationwide observance to educate minorities about the urgent need for donation and transplantation within the multicultural community. Generally, people are genetically more similar to people of their own ethnicity or race. Approximately 55 percent of those on the U.S. waiting list for organ transplants are minorities, posing a substantial need to increase the numbers of multicultural organs on the registry.

The designation is a day to encourage more

healthnotes Breakthrough in epilepsy treatment Texas Children’s Hospital is the first hospital in the world to use real-time MRI-guided thermal imaging and laser technology to destroy lesions in the brain that cause epilepsy and uncontrollable seizures.

The new surgical approach offers a safer and significantly less invasive alternative to craniotomy, currently the most common surgical treatment for epilepsy. For high-risk patients with deep brain lesions, this new treatment can be life-changing because the MRI-guided laser probe uses a much smaller pathway through the brain to reach a deep lesion.

More than three This reduces the risk of patient complications million people related to contact with in the U.S. are surrounding brain tissue because the MRI-guided affected by laser probe is inserted epilepsy, including through a hole in the skull that is only 3.2 mm about 300,000 (about the diameter of a children under 14. pen) versus the removal of a large area of skull bone Seizures can affect for a craniotomy. The less a child’s memory, invasive procedure reduces patient recovery time. concentration, The first surgeries were performed

by Dr. Daniel motor skills, school Curry, Texas Children’s performance and director of pediatric surgical epilepsy and quality of life. functional neurosurgery, with Dr. Angus Wilfong, director of Texas Children’s comprehensive epilepsy program.

“Based on our experience, we believe the use of MRIguided laser surgery will change the face of epilepsy treatment and provide a life-changing option for many epilepsy surgery candidates – both children and adults,” Wilfong said.

Five surgeries using the MRI-guided laser procedure have been successfully performed at Texas Children’s Hospital on pediatric epilepsy patients ranging in age from five to 15 years old, with various types of brain lesions. In all cases, patients have been seizure-free since surgery and most were released within one to five days.

“We believe the use of MRI-guided laser surgery will change the face of epilepsy treatment and provide a life-changing option for many epilepsy surgery candidates – both children and adults,” said Wilfong.

Visit www.texaschildrens.org/CareCenters/Neuro/ Neurosurgery for more information.

Early mornings are coming your way The start of school is right around the corner, and kids will soon have to say goodbye to their late summer nights and start waking up bright and early. Without preparation, transitioning from summer to school sleep schedules can be a rough adjustment for children, parents and everyone involved.

“It is so important to help your child get the sleep they need so they can be awake and alert in the classroom,” said Dr. Tyeshia Babineaux from Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates – Corinthian Pointe. “Sleep-deficient children have a much harder time at school because their lack of proper sleep can lead to poor school performance, attention

problems, mood changes or changes in their behavior.”

Children ages 5 to 12 need approximately 10 hours of sleep per night while older, high school aged children need about 9 hours.

Babineaux recommends that children need to begin their regular school-year sleep schedule at least two weeks before school starts. It takes time for children to adjust to earlier bedtimes and wake-up times, and it is important to get them acclimated early to prevent tiredness, tantrums and behavioral problems.

To help transition from summer and settle into a new schedule, try these tips:

• Begin encouraging an earlier sleep schedule two weeks before school • Give child a warm bath one to two hours before bedtime to promote sleep • Calm child with a quiet activity before bedtime, such as reading a story • Maintain a regular bedtime routine each night • Refrain from serving chocolate, tea or sodas containing caffeine past the afternoon Visit the Texas Children’s Sleep Center at www.texaschildrens.org for more information and tips on sleep.

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

Dr. Tyeshia Babineaux

defendernetwork.com DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

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Texas Children’s Health Plan covers children from newborns to teenagers. We even cover adults and pregnant moms through STAR Medicaid. Families with children who qualify for CHIP pay $50 or less a year. Those who qualify for Medicaid pay nothing. CHIP and STAR Medicaid offer a wide range of benefits including checkups and shots, dental services, medications, and more.

With Texas Children’s Health Plan you also get: ■

Over 2,100 doctors.

■

A 24-hour nurse hotline.

■

Free transportation to doctor visits.

■

Pregnancy support program and classes.

■

Help losing weight through the Keep Fit Program.

■

Learn how to play soccer from the Houston Dynamo coaches.

■

Fun, free member events!

For more information, to receive an application, or to find an event in your

MK-1208-007

area, visit us online or call today.

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

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Juan Williams... Continued from page 7 that my comments should be kept between me and my psychiatrist, and that all you get out of me were words from publicists, was further upsetting because it suggested that I was infantile and incapable of speaking for myself. I found it incredible. I realized that they will lower the hammer on you, if they feel you are not following their path.

KW: What message do you want people to take away from “Muzzled?”

JW: To resist the temptation in the current media landscape to listen only to people you agree with. In order to have a good sense of what’s re-

ally going on in this country you also need to read those publications and to watch those TV programs and to listen to those radio shows featuring opposing views. You have to talk to people who disagree with you while showing mutual respect, all in service of better ideas and better solutions for the country’s problems.

KW: There has been a lot of debate recently about the federal funding for NPR. Where do you come down on this issue today?

JW: I initially stayed away from commenting on it, because I felt that

One-On- One... Continued from page 9 chanics, brick masonery, but we also have to understand that Houston is the energy capital, so we need to look at green jobs, etc.

Defender: A lot of people are concerned about the closure of North Forest. What do you say?

Grier: This is not our doing. Our board doesn’t even get to vote whether to accept the students or not.

But we will do our best to educate those students because all children in Houston deserve a quality education. The parents of that community deserve nothing less.

Defender: How have/ will you address the allegations of cheating?

Grier: That has been a long time problem with HISD. We have implemented secure areas to store the state tests in. When the tests are shipped from Austin, they are immediately taken to a secure room. We now have monitors to walk around the schools. We have installed a cheating hotline.

We also have decided that if there is an allegation of cheating, we send an investigator from our staff , then turn it over to an independent third-party team. If we catch you cheating, we will not tolerate it. Some people want to blame the cheating on the bonuses, but we’ve got thousands of teachers who don’t get bonuses and they don’t

cheat.

Defender: When you look at all that you’ve accomplished, how does it make you feel?

Grier: It excites me.

We have a lot of potential here in Houston. I really feel good about the direction we’re going in. I think we were struggling with getting our message out to the African-American and Hispanic community. We’re so large, yet we are making good process.

People have no idea the amount of scholarship money in the African-American community was 74 million the year before I came here.

It’s over 129 million today.

That’s money going straight into the pockets of our children. You think about it, we’re only eight percent Anglo.

anything I said could be misinterpreted as sour grapes. Upon my firing, the issue instantly became politicized, with Republicans calling for the withdrawal of all public funding of NPR. So, I stayed away from the issue until the man who runs the Democratic Congressional Caucus sent out a letter saying, “We have to protect NPR’s funding because it’s the answer to Rush Limbaugh.”

I said to myself, “Wait a minute!” because that sounds like NPR is indebted to the Democrats for its funding. That is not a good working

situation for honest journalism. So, I think it’s now time to end the charade and just have NPR rely on its listeners and on advertisers who ought to be eager to have access to its affluent, highly-educated audience.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

JW: Well, besides peace and happiness throughout the world, I pray for my family. I pray for their safety, their well-being, that they find God’s purpose for them, and that they are willing to fulfill it.

Students get help with school uniforms Defender News Services

The HISD Foundation has partnered with United Way of Greater Houston to help purchase uniforms for the incoming classes of sixth and ninth grade students at the new Young Women’s and Young Men’s College Preparatory Academies.

The girls’ school will be located in Third Ward, and the boys’ school in Fifth Ward. Both academies will be focused on science, technology, engineering and math, and prepare students for college through a rigorous advanced placement program.

The college-success culture at the academies requires that students wear a uniform to class each day. However, some students come from low-income families unable to pay for uniforms.

“The HISD Foundation is pleased to

support this important district priority with a gift of $25,000 from its 2011 golf tournament proceeds,” said Tina Medlin, president of the foundation.

United Way of Greater Houston contributed an additional $20,000 bringing the total gift amount to $45,000.

Anna Babin, president and CEO of the Houston United Way, said the organization is pleased to partner with the foundation.

“Developing children and youth to their full potential is one of our key focus areas, and this investment is one of the ways we can support the academic success of our children,” Babin said.

Both academies are still accepting applications. For more information, call the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy at 713-942-1441 or the Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy at 713-226-2668.

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

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Budget cuts force TSU to reduce staff Defender News Services

Though Texas Southern University took multiple measures to avoid implementing staff reductions in response to a sharply reduced university budget, the school recently released 56 staff members.

The total general revenue reduction for TSU of approximately $10 million for fiscal year 2012 proved too big a hurdle to overcome.

“The Legislature worked very hard to protect state universities as much as possible from the very serious cuts originally projected,” said John Rudley, TSU’s president.

“We are appreciative of their efforts and support. However, the university still faces a serious reduction and has had to take a number of steps, including a reduction in force, to meet the bud-

get limits for the coming year.”

Approximately half of the $10 million reduction suffered by TSU is being realized through cutting operating and utility costs and limited tuition and fee increases.

However, school officials say it still proved necessary to eliminate a number of positions to reach a

balanced budget for the coming year.

“The eliminated positions come from across the campus in both administrative and academic units,” said Brian Dickens, TSU’s executive director of human resources.

“A thorough staffing analysis

was conducted with assistance from an outside consultant prior to finalizing the list of eliminated positions to ensure the long term sustainability of all university operations and that students would be affected as little as possible.”

The 56 employees were notified that their positions have been eliminated for FY 2012. In addition, 36 vacant positions were eliminated and 14 adjunct faculty positions will be left unfilled.

This reduction amounts to approximately 4.5 percent of the total employees at TSU. “This was not an easy decision and we are mindful of the personal impact this has on our employees, both those leaving and those who remain at the university,” Rudley said. “Even though it is happening at every state and local agency and across the private sector, we regret the difficulties this causes for all affected.”

Smart DeciSion HCCfacultyfacts.org

At HCC, our faculty knows the theory yet applies the practice of real-world experience in the very same classroom.

We are preparing students to be the next generation of thinkers and doers.

Dept. Chair for Health Information Distinguished Author

&

Dr. Carla Tyson-Howard

hccs.edu

Defender Summer 2011c ad.indd 1

6/1/11 3:06 PM

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

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sports Trading Pence and Bourn

Astros accelerate rebuilding process

By MAX EDISON Defender

A

few weeks ago, in the wake of the MLB All-Star game, I wrote that it would be a tough remainder of the season for Astros fans.

The team was 30 games under .500, with the worst record in baseball, on pace to lose 100 games. Obviously with a new owner waiting in the wings and an unofficial mandate to cut pay, the time was right to have a fire-sale.

Well let the sale begin as GM Ed Wade wasted no time trading off his best two players: All-Star right fielder Hunter Pence and Gold Glove Centerfielder Michael Bourn.

Hunter was traded along with cash to Philadelphia in exchange for righthanded pitchers Jarred Cosart and Josh Zeid, outfielder Jonathan Singleton and a player to be named later. Pence, 27, was hitting .309 (123x398) with 11 homers and 62 RBI in 99 games for the Astros. He was a two time All-Star.

For Wade, the goal is complicated. The quest for long-term gain is shortterm pain.

“The goal remains the same,” Wade said.

“It’s to get good and stay good, and in order for us to do that it may entail some short-term sacrifices here.”

For Pence, joining the Phillys, the team with the best record in baseball, puts him smack in the middle of every major leaguers dream.

“I think every competitor at the highest level wants to be in a pennant race, wants to be in a World Series,” Pence said. “I’m pretty lucky now I get to jump on board with one of the best teams, and hopefully have an opportunity to do that.”

While our head

was still spinning from trying to evaluate the Pence deal, Wade pulled the trigger again. He traded hometown hero centerfielder Michael Bourn to Atlanta in exchange for outfielder Jordan Schafer, right-handed pitchers Juan Abreu and Paul Clemens and left-handed pitcher Brett Oberholtzer.

Bourn, a true profes-

Hometown star Michael Bourn heads to Atlanta

sional, understood the move was business, not personal and was grateful for the opportunity to play in his hometown.

“It’s definitely tough leaving Houston, my hometown. But I understand the trade. I have the chance to be in a pennant race, so I’m happy about that. I want to say thanks to the Houston fans for their support. It was special to me to play in my hometown. And, I want to thank the Astros organization for the opportunity they gave me. I wish them all the best.”

“They’re trying to rebuild and reload,” Bourn continued. “There are no hard feelings involved.

I knew what was going on.

I told everyone else when I saw Hunter go, ‘There might be a possibility I’m going, too.’ That’s a part of what happens sometimes.”

After a weekend of wheeling and dealing, Wade felt the need to once again clarify the team’s position on the trades.

“I can understand the level of concern and disbelief maybe that exists out there,” Wade said. “It’s clearly understood, and these are not things that we do easily, but we’ve got to do the things that point us in the direction where we’re not going through the types of seasons that we’re going through right now – and a little bit of what we’ve gone through in the past.”

All-Star Hunter Pence is off to Philadelphia, MLB’s top team

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

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A

By MAX EDISON Defender

15

Texans strike big in free agency

fter almost five months of labor strife, the NFL is back in business. The flurry of personnel decisions since the lockout ended has made this a “Christmas in July” for football fans.

Count our own Houston Texans as major players in the effort to sign free agent players that put the team in a position to contend for a playoff spot in 2011.

General Manager Rick Smith began with resigning some familiar faces. Houston re-signed exclusive rights free agent RB Arian Foster, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2011; restricted free agent G Mike Brisiel; unrestricted free agents T Rashad Butler, QB Matt Leinart, DT Damione Lewis, G Kasey Studdard, DE Tim Bulman and WR Jacoby Jones.

Smith then wasted little time addressing the festering sore that remained undressed from 2010’s horrific defense, the secondary.

The Texans signed unrestricted free agents Johnathan Joseph, Cincinnati Bengal cornerback and Danieal Manning, Chicago Bear safety. Now there is quality and experience in the “back end,” two keys that were blatantly noticeable in 2010.

In a bumper crop of free agents Joseph was considered the second best secondary prospect behind Oakland superstar cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. A first-round draft pick (24th overall) out of South Carolina in 2006, Joseph (5’11” 193 lbs.) and former teammate Leon Hall were regarded by many NFL experts as the No. 1 cornerback tandem in the league.

Playing in a small market city like Cincinnati may have kept Jo-

seph under the radar in terms of national publicity, but those in the know around the NFL consider him a first rate talent.

Joseph believes his experience in the NFL will be a key factor in making the Texan defense better.

“I think I bring a proven veteran player to this team,” Joseph said. “They have a lot of young talent back in the back end and on defense as well, and I think with the addition, you can never have enough talent.

I think by the addition of us, proven veteran players, as [Manning] said, he had played into the Super Bowl and I’ve had a chance to play into the playoffs (2009) as well. Bringing that experience along for the rest of these guys, and just helping everyone else get to the next level, which is the ultimate goal, I think is a plus for this Houston Texans organization.”

For Danieal Manning (5’11” 202 lbs.), the move to become a Texan was a homecoming of sorts. Manning, a second-round pick by the Bears (42nd overall) from Abilene Christian, is a native of Corsicana.

A versatile athlete, Manning can play either safety position and also excels as a kickoff return man. He played with the Bears in Super Bowl of 2007 against the Colts and was a starter in the 2011 NFC Championship game against eventual champions the Green Bay Packers.

Manning agrees with Joseph that his experience and versatility will be paramount to the defense’s success.

“For myself, I feel like experience is number one. I played in several big games, including the Super Bowl, we played there,” Manning recalled. “You guys around here know a lot about Peyton Manning. I have my experience with him in the Super Bowl and things like that.

“Number two would be my versatility; what I can bring as a safety and as far as covering guys, my range that I have and tackling ability. In special teams, being a returner. I feel like I can bring a spark to the team and give us great field position there.

Like I said earlier, getting us into the playoffs.”

The Texans have come out of the “lockout gate” aggressively, with moves that should improve the team.

sportsbriefs Vince Young signs one-year contract with Philadelphia Former Madison and University of Texas superstar QB Vince Young has signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. The deal could be worth up to $5.5 million. VY, a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback and a former first-round pick of Tennessee, will serve as the backup to Michael Vick.

“I’m looking forward to working with him,” Vick said. “I think Vince will mature as a player. Get him in here and make him a better player. And if we ever need him, he’s there for us.” Over a five-year career as a Titan, Young has won 30 of 47 starts.

Talks between NBA players, owners accomplish little

#38 Corsicana native Danieal Manning is a major upgrade at safety

#22 Johnathan Joseph is regarded as one of the NFL’s top young cornerbacks

Representatives for the NBA owners and the Players Association met for the first time in a month recently in an effort to end their lockout. Unfortunately for NBA fans the talks yielded little results and there doesn’t appear to be any reason to think we’ll see NBA basketball anytime in the near future. A major obstacle to a deal continues to be the share of revenues each side will receive in the next collective bargaining agreement. “I don’t feel optimistic about the players’ willingness to engage in a serious way,” Commissioner David Stern said. “We’re still very, very far apart,” concluded union president Derek Fisher. “Right now we haven’t seen any movement.

There’s still a very wide gap between us.”

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16

DEFENDER | WEEK OF AUGUST 4 | 2011

For Event Coverage...visit

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Pat Faubion, Irvin Ashford, Jr., Rev. Leslie Smith and Jim Garavaglia

Alex Toledo, Atiyya Menifee and Eli Lajan

Barbara Hudson, Brianna Polley, Deloyd Parker and Derrick Stoner

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chag’splace

Previn Jones, Vanessa Reed and Andrew Wimbush

Yolanda Green, Kae Shakir, Jim Garavaglia, Tamara Cubit and Jo Carolyn Goode

Irie Dotson and Commissioner El Franco Lee

Rev. Lamon Atkins, Angelee Rhyne, Lionel Feazell and Deloyd Parker.

CHANGE IS HAPPENING…….Change Happens! external affairs with Comerica Bank and many others (formerly FUUSA), along with Comerica Bank, opened for making this much-needed resource center a reality. the doors of a new Community Resource Center, Continued success!......... SPLASHDOWN…….The housed in Change Happens!

Harris County Aquatics Program (HCAP) headquarters located at 3353 founded by Commissioner El Franco Join Yvette Chargois Elgin Street in the heart of Lee, held its “2011 Splashdown” at the Events of the Week Third Ward. The center has Harris County Aquatics Center located More photos on defendernetwork.com computer labs and a library on El Camino Street. The program See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroads collection featuring financial seeks to develop discipline, leadership with Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m. literacy materials geared and teamwork through the sport of toward both children and swimming. About 200 youth participated adults. The resource center this year and many of them will go is open to the public, free of charge during normal on to become part of the program’s award winning business hours. We salute Rev. Leslie Smith, executive team, the Mighty Dolphins, which has successfully director of Change Happens!, Pat Faubion, Texas competed in numerous local and national swim market president with Comerica Bank, Irvin Ashford, meets across the USA. Kudos to director and swim senior vice president of community development and coach, Johnnie Means, program coordinator, John

Michael Bevil, Jarrell Comeaux and Wilson Harrison

Sylvania Paul, Stephanie Collins, Livia Atkins and Sue Feazell

Beaudion, and many others for their dedication to this program. Congrats!.........EDUCATIONAL DREAM A REALITY…The Douglas L. Williams Scholarship & Charitable Foundation hosted a reception at SHAPE Community Center and presented several scholarships to students attending Grambling State University.

The scholarship recipients included Brianna Polley, Lakeshia Dorsey and Derrick Stoner. These students were very grateful and each expressed their appreciation for the financial assistance. Attendees included board members Barbara Hudson, Ronald Jackson, Rev. Lamon and Livia Atkins, Lionel and Sue Feazell, Angelee Rhyne, Deloyd Parker, Sylvania Paul, Stephanie Collins, Katrina Chargois, Pat Chargois and George Rhyne, to name a few. The best of luck to all of you!....... From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

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