Houston Defender: September 9, 2010

September 9 – 15, 2010 | FREE

Volume 79 Number 46

www.defendernetwork.com

NAACP working for One Nation DEFENDER NEWS SERVICE

The NAACP is hoping a national campaign will help “Put America Back to Work and Pull America Back Together.” Aimed at addressing the needs of underserved communities throughout the country, the NAACP says the national campaign is in response to the floundering economy, new assaults on civil and human rights, and declining public school systems.

“The past two years have been marked

One Nation Working Together March Washington, DC | 10-2-10 www.onenationworkingtogether.org 202-263-4568 by major progress despite massive challenges, and a worrying resurgence of farright activity, urging massive resistance to our momentum. We must keep pushing for-

ward. We have come too far to let ourselves be turned back now,” says Ben Jealous, president of the NAACP. Tens of thousands of Americans from all backgrounds and states are expected to rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on October 2 in support of the One Nation Working Together movement.

One Nation Working Together is a coali★ONE NATION, Page 7

Waters fights for Blacks

By Joseph Wright

Former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, officiated the July wedding of rapper T.I.

SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM OUR WEEKLY NEWS

(NNPA) Congresswoman Maxine Waters was the keynote speaker at a recent forum designed to help Black and other non-white businesses, as well as those run by women, gain greater access to major banks and brokers to help sustain and establish their corporations.

“Since the recession really took hold in December 2007,” the congresswoman explained, “about 2.3 million homes have been repossessed by banks.

Currently, about one in 10 Maxine American houseWaters holds, with a mortgage, is at risk of foreclosure.”

According to Waters, the nonwhite communities across the United States suffered the most in this economic downturn because AfricanAmerican and Latino families represent more than half of all California foreclosures. This data came from the Center for Responsible Lending, which also notes that AfricanAmerican and Latino foreclosure rates, respectively, are more than double those of white borrowers in

THE CHANGING ROLES OF

Grandparents Working, parenting replaces retirement GRANDPARENT CAREGIVER SERVICE EXPO ■

Sept. 10 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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any people look forward to their golden years – to retirement, travel, and enjoying time with family.

But with a failing economy, a looming threat against Social Security and an uncertain future, more and more seniors are having to chart a new course for the rest of their life.

“More of our grandparents may be working a cashier’s line, waiting tables or preparing lessons for the first day of school,” said Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, which is working for the rights of grandparents. “Remember those happy TV commercials of seniors having the time of their lives, retiring in comfort and dignity after a lifetime of work? They’re a dying dream for most older Americans. And that’s something we can’t let happen. We have to find a way to make sure older Americans are honored as grandfather and grandmother of the year, rather than employee of the month.”

The diminishing retiring dream With the average retirement age at 65 and increasing, Americans are already working longer than their counter★GRANDPARENTS, Page 8

★T.I. CASE, Page 7

HOUSTON DEFENDER

M

INTERVIEW

Corinne puts her record on

By Kam Williams

Corinne Jacqueline Bailey was born in Leeds, England on February 26, 1979, the eldest of three girls to bless the union of her British mother and Caribbean father from St. Kitts. As a child, she studied classical violin at school, and only sang in the church choir, until she formed an all-female rock band at the age of 15.

Corinne went on to major in English at the University of Leeds, and after graduating in 2000, took a job as a hat check girl at a local jazz club. It was there, while sitting in with various bands, that she developed the sultry, soulful vocal style, which would become her trademark. It was also at the pub that she met saxophonist Jason Rae, the love whose last name she would take when they married the very next year.

In 2006, she released her self-titled debut CD containing such hits as “Like a Star” and “Put Your Records On” to

SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

(NNPA) – Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young has weighed in on the arrest of T.I., claiming the rapper may have been stopped for “DWB Driving While Black.”

T.I. and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Cottle were arrested after they were stopped in the rapper’s Maybach on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, for allegedly making an illegal U-turn.

Police allegedly smelled the odor of marijuana, searched the vehicle and uncovered a small amount of ecstasy and what is reported to be meth-amphetamines.

Young questioned the police’s initial intent when they stopped the chart-topping rapper/actor, who recently starred in the #1 hit

By ReShonda Tate Billingsley

★WATERS, Page 7

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Andy Young talks about T.I. case

rave reviews, earning Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year (“Put Your Records On”) and Best New Artist. Sadly, tragedy struck a couple years later, when her husband passed away unexpectedly..

A period of withdrawal from the public eye to grieve ended when Corinne reemerged in 2010 upon the release of her second album, “The Sea,” a relatively-sober CD in comparison to the light and breezy collection of melodies on her initial offering. Recently, she reflected with me about her life and her career, in ce0lebration of her PBS special, “Live from the Artists Den,” a concert recorded at the Hiro Ballroom in New York City.

Kam Williams: Thanks so much for the time, Corinne. I’m honored to be speaking with you.

Corinne Bailey Rae: Thank you.

KW: Did you have fun shooting the “Live from the Artists Den” concert in New York? ★CORINNE, Page 2

Click on Defendernetwork.com Weekend

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Eight Weeks to God

2

Corinne

continued from page 1 CBR: I really enjoyed recording it, yeah. I had great time in front of a really appreciative audience. The way that it was recorded was really unobtrusive, so we really kind of got lost in the moment. So, yeah, I loved it.

KW: Do you have a special affinity for New York?

CBR: Yes, New York was definitely one of the first gigs we did in America. And that was also my first chance to get to New York. So, the first time I ever saw it I was playing there.

It’s all tied up for me, playing in America for the first time, being in New York, experiencing this different culture, and finding this cool place to hang out. So, I always love coming back to New York.

Photo:Nicole Nodland KW: Who were your musical influences?” Let Corinne Bailey is bouncing back from the tragic death of her husband with her latest album, "The Sea." me guess, Billie Holiday and Al Green? You remind me of a combination of them. we worked on it a lot, did a lot of the playing ting a filter on them. That was really an imporCBR: Wow! I definitely love Al Green’s ourselves, did a lot of layering, and we called tant part of the process. singing, how vulnerable and delicate it is, and in a lot of favors. For instance, we’d ask a KW: That’s funny, because the first album how there’s a lot of texture to his voice. And friend to come over and play bass on a few sounded so effortless, while the new one has similarly, Billie Holiday has a great deal of tex- songs. And we couldn’t afford drummers, so so much emotional depth, I would have ture in his voice. She was an amazing find for we began trolling for different drums sounds, guessed that the second was the result of a me at 11 or 12 when me mum started playing and we kind of intricately pieced them together. more work-intensive process. her records for me. I remember being a little So, it was really time consuming, but in a way CBR: Yeah, when you write breezy melodies, annoyed that I hadn’t discovered her voice it was good because you had a great deal of you really have to think about it. I love melodic before, because I always had so much texture control over what was happening in all the difmusic, but it’s definitely more of an effort for in my voice, and always loved singing, but ferent sections. Yeah, if you have the time to me. It’s a skill I’d like to develop further, never really considered myself a singer because make a record like that, I think it’s a good way maybe for my next record. of that croakiness, which I’d never heard in to work.

KW: What age were you when you studied another singer. So, I was always trying to get KW: By contrast, I found it interesting to hear violin? rid of that croakiness. Then, Billie Holiday you on stage say that you sort of just found CBR: I started when I was about six, and I arrived like a real lightning bolt letting me yourself singing the songs that you put on your studied it until I was 16. I played in youth know that there was a place for me. In fact, new album, “The Sea,” that that’s how they orchestras. there’d been a place for me all along. And later came to you, rather than by composing them in KW: Were you good at it?

I appreciated singers like Bjork, who was really a conventional manner.

CBR: Maybe the first five years or so I was special to me, and Macy Gray and Erykah CBR: Yeah, it was weird. I felt with this really good for my age, and stood out. But then Badu. They were all influences in the sense that record I wanted to work on my own. I was sort it started to catch up with me, and I started to they give you more confidence in your abilities. of making it up as I went along. I wasn’t trying struggle, because I never could afford private I also love Sly and the Family Stone and Jimi so hard. When I was playing the chords, I was lessons.

Hendrix. Jimi singing’s so casual, and his just kind of singing things out, sometimes KW: Do you think the music industry suffered phrases amaze me. And when I was a teenager, recording it, but sometimes not, and just an irreparable period from Napster and other I loved Nirvana’s kind of homemade music, singing along. And it’s the stuff that stuck that I online downloading sites, and from the music and Belly and the female indie scene. It was felt the song was meant to be. Other times, I’d industry’s obsession with appearance over subamazing to me how their songs could be dainty be walking around the house singing something stance, or do you think there’s hope for hearing and small, yet still have value. new, and say to myself, “Now, what was that?” more and more creative musicians like yourKW: When you say “homemade” music, it And it eventually ended up on the album. I self? makes me think of your Grammy-nominated think because other people weren’t involved, it CBR: I think the industry really suffered from debut album, a masterpiece which you manwas a much less conscious process. It was just music being available online because it made aged to make on a shoestring budget. How did me in a room playing my guitar, and with all young people feel, “why should you pay for you achieve that? this stuff coming out… trying to sing words music, if it’s so readily available for free?”

CBR: Wow! Thank you very much. I guess without thinking about what they meant or putKW: Do you prefer performing in a large sta-

SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

dium or in front of a small audience?

CBR: I guess I’ve played a few massive gigs, and they’re a thrill if they go well. But I mostly prefer to play more intimate venues where you can see everyone and everyone can see you. I recently did a concert in Switzerland, where they actually had a couple of huge screens on either side of the stage. It was strange, because when you look out into the audience, no one’s looking at you. Everyone’s looking to the far left or to the far right. I found it quite disconcerting. So, I much prefer when everyone can see me and vice-versa, up to 3,000 or 4,000 people. After that, it gets too big.

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

CBR: I always think it’s weird when you see yourself in mirrors. I try not to look in mirrors.

I think people can overanalyze how they look.

When I do look in the mirror, I feel like I didn’t think I looked like that. I don’t like looking at myself so much. I’m not one of those people who poses in front of the mirror.

KW: You’re from Leeds. Also from your hometown is Mel B of the Spice Girls. Have you ever met her?

CBR: I’ve never met her. But I have met her sister, Danielle a few times, because she attended the same acting school as my sister, Rhea Bailey, who is also an actress.

KW: What music are you listening to?

CBR: I’m listening to Erykah Badu’s new record. I really like that. We went to a listening party for that, and I just love it. I’ve got it on vinyl, which is a real pain, because we’re sort of in and out of airports, and I have to pack it in my suitcase.

I also listen Fresh, the Young Natives, and to an American singer named John Grant, KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

CBR: I like to cook stews and things, dishes where the heat does all the work. So, it’s just like chopping and flaving. Veggie chili would be my favorite thing to cook because it’s really great but not much work.

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

CBR: For increased tolerance of individuality among people. It’s all of our world.

KW: What do you want your legacy to be?

CBR: Professionally, writing good songs.

Personally, I’m not sure yet.

KW: Corinne, thanks again for the interview, and best of luck with the album and the tour.

CBR: Oh, thank you very much.

SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

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SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

Max Edison

on Sports

Panthers Classic Win Memo to self: Never, ever play poker with PV Panther head coach Henry Frazier.

Nobody looks down the barrel of the gun and never flinches like the DC nativeturned-gangster Coach of the Year. Knowing full well his team’s best player, AllAmerican quarterback KJ Black would not play in the Labor Day Classic; Frazier never said a mumbling word.

Through all of the luncheons, press conferences and radio shows leading up to the game, Frazier’s lips were sealed. Then, when the Panthers offense hits the field at Reliant, BAM, out trots #18, back-up QB Jonathan Troast. The amazing thing is Troast’s (a JUCO transfer) name doesn’t even appear in the 2010 Panther prospectus!

Honestly, some in the press box that don’t regularly cover the Panthers did not know that he was not KJ. Ironically enough, since KJ is Black and Troast is white.

Now, of course yours truly was familiar with Troast, because Coach Frazier had hipped me to him, but I didn’t have any idea he would play, let alone start. ★EDISON, Page 6

Darrell Ardison

on H.S. Sports With the bi-annual realignment of Texas public high schools moving longtime Class 5A Houston area football powerhouses Humble and Galveston Ball into 4A, it becomes more increasingly difficult to rank the later division.

Yet the Defender has never been a publication to back away from a good challenge.

No. 1 – Friendswood flattened Angleton 49-28 on the road in week zero before journeying to Deer Park’s Clyde Abshier Stadium to take on Class 3A powerhouse West Orange-Stark and defeating the Mustangs 35-34.

Quarterback Peter Maetzold passed for two touchdowns and supplied the game-winner with a oneyard TD run with 30 left in the fourth quarter.

No. 2 – Angleton rebounded from a tough home loss to Friendswood by holding off 5A power Brazoswood 27-24 to even its record at 1-1.

Quandre Diggs scampered into the end zone from six yards out with 51 seconds left in the game to give the Wildcats’ the victory. Diggs finished with 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns and added 74 passing yards. ★ARDISON, Page 6

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Quin and Jackson Young Guns in the Texans Secondary

By Max Edison DEFENDER

The Texans begin the 2010 regular season this weekend against their arch-nemesis and divisional rival, the Indianapolis Colts. The mantra around the Texan camp this offseason is “playoffs or bust.” Coming off their first winning campaign in franchise history, the team seeks to take the next step toward the playoffs. The first step to that end is to improve their record in their own division.

Last year, they were a dismal 1-5 in AFC South competition.

A major factor in determining just how good the 2010 Texans will become is the play of their talented, yet youthful cornerback tandem. Coming into his second season in the NFL, former New Mexico standout Glover “GQ” Quin (6’ 203 lbs.) has emerged as a starter and will be paired with this year’s top draft pick (20th overall) Kareem Jackson (5’10” 197 lbs.). This pair will be the youngest starting tandem in the league. Will they be the next Hayes and Haynes (Raiders) or Lott and Wright (49ers)? We’ll find out soon enough when Dr. Peyton Manning makes a house call to Reliant Stadium.

For Glover Quin, an unheralded 4th round pick (112th overall) in 2009, a year has made a tremendous difference. Quin was part of the elite group of players who were casual observers for the pre-season finale against Tampa Bay. This year was a far cry from last year when he was vying for a roster spot.

“It definitely feels a lot different not having to go home and sit around the house stressing, thinking about what’s going to happen tomorrow (cut down day),” he recalled. “I’m glad that I had a chance to be in this situation this year. To keep things in perspective, we have situations where one year, guys are fighting for a job and the next year, they’ve got a roster spot made, and the following year they’re fighting to make it once again. ★YOUNG GUNS, Page 6

Photo: Houston Texans

#29 Glover Quin is expected to make plays in the Texan secondary.

Defender H.S. football rankings

By Darrell K. Ardison DEFENDER

When opponents take an early lead on top-ranked Katy, little do they know that the Tigers have them right where they want them.

Katy scored the final 44 points in a season-opening 44-6 rout of perennial powerhouse North Shore. The Tigers trailed Alief Taylor 20-7 in the second quarter before reeling off 38 unanswered points to secure a 45-20 victory over the Lions the following week.

An ability to answer the bell is just one of the reasons why Katy is the Houston Defender’s No. 1ranked high school football team going into the third week of the regular season.

Other reasons include a rugged defense that adjusts nicely at halftime and has let to allow any second-half points through two games. Another is a veteran offensive line that bludgeons opposing defenses and yielded two 100yard-plus rushers against Taylor.

Donovonn Young ran for 134 yards and scored four touchdowns, two in each half, as Katy systematically tore apart another quality opponent.

“They were coming strong off the edges and the inside was wide open,” Young said. “Once my fullback (Joey Chapman) got through the line, I just followed him. He

improve to 2-0 on the season.

The Highlanders defeated a school from Mexico (Monterrey Tech) to open the season, but faced a whole different challenge from the Fort Bend ISD member. The Woodlands led 32-24 with one minute, 14 seconds left in regulation.

Yet Hightower quarterback Bralon Addison converted two fourth-and-four opportunities before finding a wide-open Cameron Bolton for a 59-yard The Defender announces the top ten high school football teams touchdown pass on a busted play with 13 seconds left in the fourth for the 2010 season. quarter. Addison added the twomade things happen for me.” down in the first half. point conversion to send the game Good things also happened for However, Katy limited Taylor into overtime.

Katy sophomore running back to a mere 21 net yards in the secHighlanders’ quarterback Adam Taylor, who gained 146 ond half as Are completed only Joseph Schneider had a big game yards on just 10 carries in his sec- one pass in the third and forth of his own and completed a 29ond varsity game. Taylor romped quarters. yard TD pass to Jackson LaPlant in 66 yards for a touchdown late in “Taylor converted eight-of- the first OT to counter a 14-yard the third quarter to give the Tigers nine third-down opportunities in run by Hightower running back a 31-20 advantage going into the the first half,” said Katy head John Parrham. final 12 minutes. coach Gary Joseph. “Everything Schneider finished off a 214 “I was a little hesitant to hit the they were throwing up there they yard, four-touchdown game when hole against North Shore because I were converting even though we he escaped a possible sack on had a good case of the jitters,” were right there with them. Our third-and-goal from the nine-yard Taylor said. “But this week I was kids had to keep their composure.” line and fired a strike to Max Ward going full speed at all the holes.”

Katy goes on the road for a key in the back right corner of the end The Katy defense had trouble early-season encounter at highly- zone. corralling Taylor quarterback ranked Beaumont West Brook on The Highlanders travel to Jordan Are’ in the first half as he Sept. 18.

Strake Jesuit on Sept. 10. directed the Lions to scores on No. 2 – The Woodlands had to No. 3 – Cinco Ranch running their first three offensive posses- go two overtimes before finally back K.C. Niemchi opened the sions. Are’ completed 7-of-12 subduing Hightower 46-39 at passes for 71 yards and a touch- Woodforest Bank Stadium to ★RANKINGS, Page 6

SPORTS

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SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

Young Guns

continued from page 5 There’s a lot of work still to be done, so you can’t get complacent or think, ‘I’m big time’.”

So how does one go from 4th round selection to NFL starter in just one year? For Quin, it was simple, hard work and preparation.

“I just work and study,” # 29 explained.

“If you put in the work and you’ve studied the game to know what you do and how to do it and you have the work ethic to back it up whenever your number is called and you never know when it is, then you’ll be ready to perform. A lot of situations happen to where people’s numbers are called and they’re not ready and they miss their one opportunity. With this league you never know when an opportunity is going to come and if you miss it, you don’t know when or if it’s going to come again. You need to be ready whenever you get a chance. You have to prepare like a starter, because everybody in this league knows you’re just one play away.”

That level of preparation is something that has impressed defensive coordinator Frank Bush.

“He’s a tough, smart young man, who has a knack of always being well prepared mentally to play the game,” Bush observed.

“There are a lot of talented guys in this league, but in order to really perform consistently you must prepare yourself. GQ has done that and as a result he’s a starter for us.”

Defensive back coach David Gibbs goes a step further in his praise of Quin.

“Glover plays like a 10 year veteran, so to me, he’s not a one-year guy,” Gibbs said. “I think he’s such a great role model for those young guys. I tell them all the time:

Photo: Houston Texans

#25 Kareem Jackson returns an interception against the Cowboys.

Whatever he does, I would do. Whatever he eats, I would eat. He’s done a remarkable job.”

Of course, Glover is glad to have the endorsement of his coaches.

“It’s a great feeling to know the coaches trust you,” Quin shared. “I think that comes from every day in practice and in meetings you’re working hard. In practice, you’re working, even if the play is coming at you or not. When they turn on the film, they see you doing the right thing. In the meeting room you’re taking notes. When they ask a question, you know the right answer. All that stuff pays off when you get in the game. They (coaches) trust you because they’ve seen you do things over and over and it’s pretty much second nature. They develop a trust level when they see it all the time. When they see

it today and then don’t see it again for two months, they might say he’s got the ability, he just don’t do it every day.”

For Kareem Jackson, this time last year he was preparing for his Junior season at the University of Alabama, a season that would ultimately see Jackson and friends win a national championship. Now in the span of about seven months he’s starting on a playoff contending team in the NFL, mind boggling to say the least.

“It’s definitely a dream come true. As a kid, from junior high school to high school and all the way through college, this is what I worked for. This was always my goal and it’s the ultimate goal as an athlete. To be able to live this dream is a great experience for me and my family.

Make no mistake about it, Bush thinks

Ardison

Edison

No. 3 – Brenham pummeled Lamar Consolidated 28-3 as running back Troy Green rushed for 137 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns. The 2-0 Cubs overcame a sluggish start and a 3-0 second-quarter deficit to score the final 28 points of the contest.

No. 4 – Humble opened the season with a 14-12 victory over Channelview.

No. 5 – Montgomery/Yates/La Marque – Montgomery improved to 2-0 with a 35-19 victory over 5A power Spring. Yates fell to Bay City (31-28) after owning a 21-10 edge at halftime. The Lions are now 1-1 on the season. La Marque improved to 2-0 after demolishing Wheatley 48-7.

ETC. The Woodlands running back Daniel Lasco missed his team’s double overtime victory over Hightower with an ankle sprain.

Lasco, who has committed to the University of California, isn’t expected to miss much time and may play against Strake Jesuit this week. Lasco was injured in the first quarter of the season opener against Monterrey Tech.

Now imagine going into a critical conference game with a back-up quarterback who has never taken a snap in purple and gold and expecting to win against the SWAC’s #1 defense (TSU, 2009). Well, that’s exactly what the Panthers did.

Even though Texas Southern more than doubled the Panthers in total offense (373 yards to 148 yards) the Panthers still found a way to win the game 16-14. In the words of former Rocket coach Rudy Tomjanovich, “never underestimate the heart of a champion.”

“We knew KJ wasn’t going to play back in May, but it was not for anyone else to know,” Frazier revealed in post game remarks. “That’s why we were able to sign Jonathan Troast in June. He’s a good football player and played well for us tonight. We expect KJ back by Alabama State (9/18). I’ve got to take my hat off to my football team. TSU played hard.

continued from page 5

continued from page 5

CLASSIFIED VOLUME 79 • NUMBER 46 SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Editor Von Jiles Associate Editor ReShonda Billingsley

LEGAL NOTICE

Neighborhood Centers Inc. (NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS INC.), a non-profit human services organization, announces a Request for Proposal (RFP) #10-16 for Cost Reduction Services. The “optional” Vendors Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:00 a.m. (CST).

The deadline for submitting a proposal is Thursday, October 14, 2010 by 12:00 p.m. (CST). To receive RFP #10-16 e-mail Kaamilya McCullough, Supply Management Coordinator, at kmccullough@neighborhood-centers.org.

NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS INC. ENCOURAGES SMALL, HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES TO APPLY.

Art Director Cale Carter

PUBLIC NOTICE

Columnist Yvette Chargois

Record of Decision for United States Highway 290

Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison Contributing Writers Aswad Walker Webmaster Corneleon Block The Houston Defender Newspaper published

by The Houston Defender Inc. Company (713) 663-6996. 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).

A Record of Decision (ROD) has been issued for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for United States Highway 290 (US 290) from Farm to Market 2920 (FM 2920) to Interstate Highway 610 (IH 610) Harris County, Texas. US 290, as proposed, is three to five main lanes in each direction through Harris County from FM 2920 to IH 610, a distance of approximately 38 miles. The improvements include twoor three-lane frontage roads, a four-lane, two-way, managed lane facility and an Advanced High-Capacity Transit reserve along the Hempstead Road Corridor from IH 610 to near the future Grand Parkway/State Highway 99, and bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

The ROD is available for viewing or copying at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) website: www.txdot.gov; at the US 290 Program Office website: www.my290.com, at the Texas Department of Transportation’s Houston District Office located at 7600 Washington Avenue, Houston, Texas; at the US 290 Program Office, 2950 North Loop West Suite 1150, Houston, Texas.

For further information, please contact Larry Blackburn, P.E. at (713) 354-0871 or Pat Henry, P.E. at (713) 802-5241.

Rankings

continued from page 5 scoring with a 54-yard TD romp as the Cougars improved to 2-0 on the season with a 27-15 victory over Cypress Ridge.

No. 4 – Beaumont West Brook clobbered Beaumont Central (55-7) in the 2010 season opener (week zero) before closing out Beaumont Ozen 28-6 in week one.

Dylan Harvey (12 carries for 72 yards) and Percy Johnson (15 carries for 111 yards) rushed for two touchdowns apiece to lead the Bruins.

A big home date against top-ranked Katy awaits on Sept. 18.

No. 5 – Clear Springs has become one of Region III-5A top programs in less than five years after advancing to the regional

Jackson has the skill set to be a very productive NFL player.

“Kareem is a very talented young guy that comes from a background at Alabama where he’s been very well coached,” Bush explained. “He played on the big stage and performed very well. He’s a confident guy, which is what you need to play on this level.

We’ve been very pleased with his progress.”

Veteran strong safety Bernard Pollard is confident that the team can reach their goals with the tandem of Quin and Jackson.

“Glover has done a great job. He has shown up and practiced his butt off. He acts like a veteran,” Pollard opined. “Kareem has done a great job preparing himself, so he knows exactly what’s going on.

Communication will be the key to our success in the secondary. Eugene (Wilson, FS) and I will make sure we stay share our years of experience with them throughout the game, so I think we’ll be fine.”

Kareem has been able to measure his progress from OTA’s to the end of training camp and feel good about how far he’s come.

“Now that I know the defense, I notice things before they happen. Now I can just react instead of being out there thinking,” #25 said.

“I want to earn the trust of my coaches and teammates by showing I’m capable of doing the things that need to be done on the football field from week to week. I want to be able to take any game plan and apply it on the field.”

Of course, with such limited tenure in the league, Jackson realizes that there will be a bull’s eye on their backs, but he has a remedy for that.

“We can stop a lot of that with our play. If we come out and play hard, be real physical and just show that, hey, you might not want to throw over here.”

They’re (TSU) a good football team with a great defense that really kicked our tail. All in all, this team showed the heart of a champion. That’s what, 9-10 SWAC wins in a row.”

Of course Frazier was all smiles about the play of his “bend but don’t break” defense, coordinated by Coach Heishma Northern.

“If you think about it, for the last four to five years our defense has led the conference in points allowed,” Frazier continued. “We may give up yards, but that’s the way we play defense. I don’t really care about yardage, I care about points.

If you can’t score, you can’t beat us.”

The Panthers went a long way toward showing why so many experts believe they are the team to beat in the SWAC. Winning a rough, tough, bare knuckles contest under adverse circumstances is what provides the motivation that can guide a team throughout a difficult season. Remember if you’re at the poker table and Frazier sits down, get up and simply walk away!

final against Katy last season.

The Chargers improved to 2-0 with a 44-37 victory over Bryan last week.

No. 6 – Pearland has introduced the Houston area to a long list of quality running backs over the past decade.

Dustin Garrison is the latest and the 5foot-8, 161-pound senior weaved his way through the Kempner defense for 212 rushing yards and four touchdowns to lead the Oilers to a 41-27 victory at Mercer Stadium.

Garrison turned in scoring runs of one, 61, one and 16 yards. His first TD run was set up by a 46-yard run sprint, while he had three other runs of 30 or more yards.

No. 7 – Westfield’s Kreigan Bridges returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and then was called on as a backup quarterback late in the game and guided the Mustangs to two key first

downs to secure a 27-17 victory over Memorial.

No. 8 – Lamar quarterback Bram Kohlhausen tossed a game-winning nineyard touchdown pass to Carrington Thomas with four seconds remaining in regulation as the Redskins held off Elkins 26-22 at Delmar Stadium.

No. 9 – North Shore waylayed Eisenhower 68-20 to even its record at 1-1 after being demolished by Katy in the season opener.

No. 10 – Hightower/Klein – The Hurricanes lost a heartbreaker in double overtime to The Woodlands. Klein toppled Katy Taylor 28-7 as senior defensive back Eric Rowe pilfered a pair of interceptions and returned the first one 96 yards for a touchdown.

7

SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

One Nation

continued from page 1 tion of more than 170 human and civil rights organizations, labor unions, and environmental, ethnic, peace, youth and student, and faith-based organizations. Their objective is to refocus the national priorities and secure greater investments in the well being of all Americans.

“One Nation Working Together happens at a historic moment in this country,” says Jealous. “We have sparked a coalition that is truly representative and united – conservatives and progressives, immigrants and native born people, college students and senior citizens, veterans and peace activists, believers and nonbelievers, unemployed and CEOs. Together with our allies in the civil and human rights community, the NAACP and our allies have advanced an agenda that has successfully increased rights for women at work, expanded healthcare coverage to tens of millions of Americans, cut the sentencing disparity between crack and powder by more than 80 percent, saved more that 150,000 teacher’s jobs, and created more than 3 million more jobs throughout the economy.”

Jealous points to the fact that eight million American jobs have been lost and not replaced, more than 2.5 million Americans have lost their homes and five million are at high risk of losing their homes, schools are closing at unprecedented rates, and Americans continue to be imprisoned at an alarming rate.

“In each case, people of color are generally worse off, and black Americans are bearing an especially high portion of the burden,” he said.

“Simultaneously, far-right extremists have found their way back into the nation’s political discourse and helped reenergize a retrograde agenda that includes attacks on every pillar of our civil rights protections from the Voting Rights Act to the Civil Rights

T.I. case

continued from page 1 movie, “Takers.”

“There’s another culture in L.A. that I don’t understand,” Young told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Most people in Los Angeles would wonder why he was stopped. I don’t know why they should have been stopped ... When a Black man is stopped and not speeding … you call that driving while Black.”

Young, who officiated T.I.’s

Act to the 14th Amendment itself.

Now is the time to get everyone off the sidelines and back on to the battlefield.”

Joining in the battle will be the Houston Branch of the NAACP, which, as part of the movement, recently held a job fair consisting of local companies that have current job openings and are sensitive to the needs of underserved communities.

Some of the 20 employers include Fedex, Adecco, FBI, CVS, HydroChem, HISD, WorkForce Solutions, Comcast and VITEL Communications.

“With nearly 10 percent of U.S. workers unemployed and an economic recession that drags on, the time for Americans to stand up for us is now.

We will get all the changes we were promised” says Carolyn Scantlebury, President NAACP Houston.

The NAACP staff provided residents with assistance in completing online job applications, interviewing tips, and resume preparation for those who need assistance.

Jealous says the local efforts now will hopefully lead way to national efforts later.

“This mobilization on October 2, 2010, will wake up our communities; make visible our unity, resolve, and majority; re-energize every activist who joins us; and change the national discourse in ways that will remind our neighbors that the 2010 election matters,” he said. “This mobilization will set the stage for turning out our neighbors on November 2, 2010. It will pay dividends in expanding and empowering our base of volunteers for voter mobilization. This mobilization will make real progress possible beyond 2010. It will ensure our agenda is empowered in the next Congress (as it was in this one) by allies who came together and made their demands known BEFORE the election.”

wedding to Tiny in July, also counseled T.I. after the rapper pleaded guilty to federal drug charges.

T.I. immediately notified his probation officer of the arrest, as required by theterms of his probation. At press time, T.I. is heading back to Atlanta. He will most likely have to appear in court where Judge Charles Pannell Jr. could revoke his probation and send the rapper to jail.

“T.I. is going to be back on his way to Atlanta in the next

Waters

continued from page 1 California.

On the business side, the Black community has been impacted by the disproportionate distribution of foreclosed properties given to brokers from outside of Black areas for resale. Many Blackowned real estate offices have been forced to close down their businesses because of the disparities. “These are a couple of (the) reasons why I have worked so hard to help to offer more solutions to the problems facing our community,” Waters told those in attendance.

“We all reached out to [Rep. Waters],” Inglewood Century 21 owner Denise Woods said. “Some of us reached out individually to her as real estate professionals; African-American real estate professionals. Then we decided we would come together as a group for the whole organization . . .

“We told her what we were dealing with as far as the financial institutions were concerned in the distribution of their resale (and) their foreclosure properties, because we [African-American real estate brokers] were being excluded. . . . the banks were using agents from outside of [the Black community].”

Within President Barack Obama’s Wall Street Reform bill were provisions authored by Waters that establishes a $1 billion program with The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide low-interest loans to unemployed homeowners in danger of losing their homes.

CEO Mark Alston of Alston and Associates Mortgage Company applauded the efforts of the congresswoman. “I am proud to say that I am the friend of someone who will stand up for those in our community,” Alston said. “I started looking at the numbers and the data (regarding Black businesses and Black foreclosure rates). After I saw the data, I got (angry). The economy and the recession has got me in a corner, I thought. I’m tired of working hard and not being able to go to the dentist. That is why this meeting is important.”

Alston emphasized that the Black community and its businesses need to understand what steps are necessary to remedy the problem of foreclosures. In addition, he pointed out the need to understand what policies and laws are in place to help those businesses and homeowners who face troubling situations due to lack of finances.

Alston said, “You need to understand that you as a homeowner or business owner are not in the fight alone. You have people in government like [Waters] fighting for you.”

The corporations and businesses attending the summit included Citibank, Chase Bank, members of the Consolidated Board of Realists, and representatives from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

COMMENTARY

Why we are marching on October 2nd

By Benjamin Todd Jealous NAACP NATIONAL PRESIDENT

Hundreds of unemployed people and their supporters attend a Sept rally in New York to demand that city, state and federal govt. representatives make getting people back to work their number one priority.

The past two years have been marked by major immigration activists, small business leaders, and labor progress despite massive challenges, and a worrying activists behind a common agenda for increasing opporresurgence of far-right activity, urging massive resist- tunity in America, by: ance to our momentum. We must keep pushing forward. ■ Increasing job creation We have come too far to let ourselves be turned back ■ Defending and enforcing civil rights protections, now including ending racial profiling We must be bold and aggressive ■ Increasing support for pubin turning this situation around and One Nation. One Dream. One lic education from pre-K to post-college we cannot remain quiet in the face Nation Working Together ■ Increasing access to credit of such clear and imminent danger.

For All Americans. for small businesses and bankruptcy Our faith tradition teaches us to run protection for homeowners and not get weary, walk and not For information on how to get on ■ Ensuring every worker has faint.

We have made great the bus with us go to NAACP.org a voice on the job progress and many strides, but we or onenationworkingtogether.org ■ And fixing our nation’s must press forward because our broken immigration system. work is not simply for us-but for Fighting for educational equality, equal protection the future of our children and their children. under the law, good jobs, economic empowerment The history of the NAACP and our allies has always and labor rights all are central core values of our called on us, in the face of disparity, injustice, and rising work in the past, present, and will continue to be the hate to build big diverse coalitions that dream bold cornerstone surely in the future. Bringing attention dreams and win big victories. Mobilization is our core to disparities is a key mandate of our constitution. value. Building big coalitions to fundamentally push This why we must mobilize. This is why we must America forward has always been our guiding principle. hold on to victories and press forward with hope This One Nation effort is unifying the civil and human rights community, student activists, faith communities,

24 hours,” Don Samuel, one of T.I.’s lawyers, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“It’s almost certain he’ll end

up appearing before the court here. But without knowing all the facts, it’s premature to speculate what the court is

likely to do.”

According to the terms of T.I.’s probation, the rapper cannot possess or use any nar-

cotic, or frequent any place drugs are sold, used or administered.

8

SEPTEMBER 9 – 15, 2010 | DEFENDER

Grandparents continued from page 1

parts in other developed countries. Over a third of workers now plan to retire later than age 65, compared with just 12 percent in 1995.

For decades, millions of workers were able to achieve retirement security through a combination of Social Security benefits, employer-provided pensions and personal savings. Over the past 30 years, corporate and public policies have stunted personal savings by driving down wages, and the Wall Street binge shrunk retirement accounts virtually overnight. Thirty-six percent of American workers have less than $10,000 in retirement savings. With the continuing jobs crisis, experts predict those disturbing statistics will not change anytime soon.

As a result, 76 million baby boomers face waning prospects for a secure retirement, and even young Americans express concerns about retirement security.

“In this insecure environment, it’s no surprise that many people wonder if Social Security will be there when they retire,” said Trumka. “One thing is clear: Americans don’t want to see Social Security cut - and they can’t afford it.”

Then, there are those seniors who are being forced to take early Social Security because of the economy. After more than two years without full-time work, Leo Crayton filed for Social Security benefits this spring before reaching full retirement age.

“I didn’t have a choice,” said Crayton, a Missouri City resident, who just turned 62. “I filled out hundreds of applications. There’s absolutely nothing out there.”

Crayton joins the growing ranks of Americans who are forced to seek early Social Security benefits because of high unemployment and the weak economy. More than 72 percent of the 2.74 million people who filed for Social Security benefits in 2009 opted in before reaching full retirement age, according to the Social Security Administration. The jump in new filers occurred as the full Social Security retirement age increased last year from 65 to 66.

Crayton was laid off from his job in February 2008, and he had exhausted his unemployment benefits before turning to Social Security. He collects $809 a month in benefits, which is $229 less than he would have been eligible for if he waited until age 66 to apply. Social Security benefits permanently run about 25 percent less for people who file early.

People in Crayton’s age range have a harder time finding work after a layoff than the overall population, according to AARP, an advocacy group for senior citizens. About 53 percent of jobless people age 55 and older have been unemployed for more than six months, compared to about 45 percent off all workers, AARP reported.

“Is it better to be semiretired than unemployed,” Crayton said, “especially if you’re not even sure how much longer Social Security will even be around.”

Parents again Another challenge many grandparents are facing – parenting the second time around.

In 1980, four percent of children under 18 were living in a grandparent(s)’ home. By 1996, six percent were living in that situation.

Over one-third of these children, or 1.4 million, were being raised solely by their grandparents, without the presence of either parent.

According to the 2008 Census, 6.2 million grandparents live with their grandchildren, up from the 5.8 million who did so during the previous Census count. After native Hawaiians, Blacks have the highest proportion—eight percent—of adults living with their grandchildren.

In Texas, the statistics are even greater.

There are 448,439 children living with grandparents in Texas, making the state second in the nation (behind California) for the highest number of children in grandparent-headed households, said a spokeswoman for the AARP. In Harris County, there are 43,000 children living in a house headed by grandparents, according to the City of Houston. These grandparents are raising their grandchildren either because their own sons or daughters are incarcerated, abusing drugs or alcohol or both, have a mental illness, have left a spouse because of domestic violence, lost their jobs, or have gone through a divorce.

“This is a far cry from just spending a summer with grandma,” said Naomi Weathers with BlackGrandparents, a support group for grandparents raising grandchildren. “Nearly half of Black grandparents who take on the care-giving duties keep their charge for five years or longer.”

Although Hispanics in Harris County lead the pack with the number of grandparents caring for their grandchildren (45 percent), grandparents parenting their grandchildren transcend all socioeconomic groups, geographic areas and ethnicities. As more grandparents are finding out, raising their children’s children is a job that comes with its fair share of challenges. Among them: poverty, delaying retirement or quitting work early, inadequate housing, inadequate transportation, and poor health, Lena Bean, education and training coordinator for the Texas Southern University Center on Aging and Intergeneration Wellness, said

HARRIS COUNTY GRANDPARENTS RAISING CHILDREN 28% African American 45% Hispanic 24% White 3%

Other Source: Harris County Dept. of Health and Human Services

There are approximately 43,000 grandparent caregivers in Harris County (based on U.S. Census figures). grandparents may assume a parenting role for a variety of reasons, most of which revolve around problems related to the child’s parent.

Increasing numbers of grandparents are providing permanent care to their grandchildren as a result of divorce, substance abuse, child abuse and/or neglect, abandonment, teenage pregnancy, death, HIV/AIDS, unemployment, incarceration and mental health problems. The reasons why grandparents raise their grandchildren are varied, but all result in a great deal of responsibility for the grandparent who takes on the task, Bean said.

“You’re looking at retirement at age 65.

You’ve worked hard all your life. You love your grandchildren and you don’t want them on the street. Grandparents often find themselves saying, `just bring them over and I’ll keep them,’ not considering the cost and health issues,” Bean said.

Often, grandparents are not given legal custody of their grandchildren and consequently encounter a host of difficulties, including enrolling the children in school, making medical decisions, receiving government assistance, and legal issues.

A legal nightmare The legal issues that grandparents raising their grandchildren must cope with depend on the type of care they are providing — specifically, whether they are ‘custodial,’ ‘living with,’ or ‘day care’ grandparents. Custodial grandparents either seek or are forced to enter into a legally recognized relationship with their grandchild. This is a serious step for the grandparent; it means that he or she will have both physical and legal rights and responsibilities for the child.

Ronald Esposito, a staff attorney for Lone Star Legal Aid, which advises grandparents in custody cases, says that before a lawsuit can be filed seeking permanent custody, grandparents have to establish finding.

“One of the first things that we have to deal with in representing grandparents,” Esposito said, “is asking questions like ‘are the children living with you now?’ or ‘have the children lived with you in the past?’ The courts limit the grandparents’ ability to interfere in the lives of their children’s children unless they’ve had some sort of standing in that they’ve had the grandchildren for a period of time.”

Esposito said that once a case goes to court, the judge would decide if the grandparents are what’s best for the child.

“Are the grandparents healthy enough? Do they realize what they are getting into? That they’re taking on the role as a parent and they’re going to have to everything they did to raise their children. And at their age, are they able to do it? Can they do it? Can they financially afford it? Of course the courts are going to order child support from both parents but they have to deal with that issue as well.”

Esposito says that grandparents, even when they have custody of their grandchildren, do not qualify for a lot of federal assistance if their household income is above the poverty line.

And the only financial assistance many of them can depend on is child support, which they most often don’t get.

Weathers said grandparents can face some personal issues as well.

“There can be some confusion about their role with their grandchildren. Do they take the stern, firm parental role, or the loving, carefree grandparent role? Some grandparents feel bad about losing the role of the traditional grandparent. There’s also a loss of personal freedom and the normal challenges of raising grandchildren..

Raising kids at any time of life can be very stressful. Raising kids a second time around when you are elderly, not in good health, and not expecting it can be overwhelming.

Common tasks such as getting grandkids ready for school or helping them with homework become stressful. Dealing with grandkids who are failing classes, skipping school, or receiving detentions or suspensions adds even more stress.”

Amid these challenges, millions of grandparents continue to raise their grandchildren.

“These grandparents are heroes, providing

love and care to children who would have otherwise been cared for by strangers in foster care. Through giving care, grandparent caregivers can gain a purpose for living, love and companionship, feelings of appreciation, hope for the future, and satisfaction of blessing a life of a child,” Weathers added.

Help in trying times Recognizing the need to provide seniors with assistance in these trying times, The Houston Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with the Harris County Area Agency on Aging, along with Texas AgriLife Extension is sponsoring a free expo targeting grandparent raising children. The 2nd Annual Grandparent Caregiver Service Expo is set for Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Depelchin Children’s Center, 4950 Memorial Drive.

The expo will provide information about health care options, child and older adult mental health and living healthy on a budget. Onsite assistance will be provided to help grandparents seeking health coverage and other services for themselves and their grandchiåldren.

“Grandparent and other relative caregivers assume an awesome role, both rewarding and challenging. They are unsung heroes and heroines committed to keeping children connected

to their families. As many of these caregivers are not connected to child welfare or social service systems, this Expo provides information and assistance they may not have known about or had access to,” said Dr. Clemelia Richardson with the Harris County Department of Health and Human Services.

The event will also offer participants legal assistance including information and counseling about wills, advance directives and conservatorships. Grandparents raising their grandchildren will share their stories of trials and triumphs. Healthy food demonstrations and panel discussions on the relationship between diet and chronic disease are also scheduled.

“A unique component of this Expo is that caregivers may receive on-site service assistance regarding health benefits, legal matters, and even recreation for their grandchildren.

There is a committed group of partners assisting with the Expo,” Richardson said.

Participants will receive continental breakfast, lunch and door prizes. Registration is limited to the first 200 people. For more information or to register, call 281-855-5600.