Houston Defender: January 23, 2020

BLACK GIRLS SILENT DILEMMA

GROWING THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE

SPORTS

CARL LEWIS

The Olympic Icon reflects on his Houston roots.

Volume 89, issue 13 January 23, 2020

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FEATURE

AYANNA PRESSLEY Congresswoman reveals her battle with alopecia.

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DN On the web

FIT & FINE Crystal Hadnott, MS, CNS, PhD Age: 41

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Message from the Publisher The struggle to be healthy is hard for some edition. In no way was Lane’s leave of absence like myself. But healthy does not mean sixrelated to the purchase of presidential housing pack abs or a perfect body. It does mean eating by the foundation. We stand corrected. right and exercising. The statistics show that FEATURE Black folks are oftentimes obese and we need Hair loss among Black women is at an to do something about it. In previous health all-time high and Massachusetts U.S. Rep. editions, the Defender has focused on the preAyanna Pressley talks about her struggles vention, causes, symptoms, and treatments of with the disease alopecia. Also, learn about diseases that often are caused by our bad eating Sonny Messiah Jiles the CROWN Movement addressing discrimhabits which are after the fact. Some say it’s ination in the workplace associated with natjust our genes or we inherited the bodies we have. To some ural hairstyles. degree, this is true but are you doing what it takes to stay INFOCUS healthy? Many of us admire those who are disciplined and Speaking of discrimination, this centerfold delves into active in their pursuit of good health and their bodies reflect the “Black Girls’ Silent Dilemma” that is often overlooked their hard work. but is impacting a whole generation of young Black girls.

FIT & FINE Defender People Editor Aswad Walker shares the disWith the Defender weekly series FIT & FINE, we want turbing statistics and how the TSU project Black Girls to showcase those in our community who are physically Initiative is confronting the issue. in shape. Beyond the look, they empower us with their ENTERTAINMENT exercise and food routine and encourage the importance On the entertainment scene, Managing Editor of the mental and spiritual balance in life. If you are inter- ReShonda Billingsley tells of a new documentary about ested in being considered for the FIT & FINE segment, Houston’s own DJ Screw, the late hip-hop legend. Check send us an email and photo to: fitnfine@defendernet- out the trailer on Defendernetwork.com. work.com. There are no promises.

SPORTS In this week’s Defender...

The Defender sports team is on the case, as Terrance NEWS Harris puts the spotlight on Carl Lewis’ induction into The Texas Southern University investigation is still the Houston Hall of Fame while Jodie B. Jiles puts girls’ pending. Although a new statement was issued by the basketball standouts Wheatley’s Bobi Hill and Shadow Board of Regents, expectations are that President Austin Creek’s Bre’yon White on centerstage.

Lane may not return which is a loss for the institution.

Enjoy this week’s Defender. If you don’t have time to The Defender needs to make a point of clarification pick up a copy, just go online, subscribe and get the elecregarding the TSU Foundation mentioned in last week’s tronic version in your email.

Read more on Friday about Crystal on defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine email: fitnfine@ defendernetwork.com

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January 23, 2020 |

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DN News $5 MIL NIKE DONATION

DID YOU KNOW:

Obama Presidential Center in Chicago received a $5 million Nike donation for athletic space promoting physical fitness and basketball.

Houston Independent School District now has the first all-female board in district history.

TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY UPDATE

BY Defender News Services

The waiting game continues for Texas Southern University President Austin Lane, as alumni and the community look for answers.

Meanwhile, University officials have turned information about admissions improprieties at the institution over to local authorities, and the board has launched a comprehensive review.

The Board of Regents did issue a statement saying Lane was interviewed about previously disclosed “improprieties in the admission process” in recent months. They did not directly tie Lane to alleged admissions improprieties — for which one employee has already been fired — nor did the statement clearly state why Lane was placed on leave.

But the statement says regents confirmed admissions-related improprieties, and the auditor, an investigator and legal counsel interviewed Lane and other university executives. Lane was questioned a second time by the auditor and a special Austin Lane, President board employment counsel.

Regents also met with the auditor, independent counsel and third-party investigators for about seven hours before placing Lane on leave Jan. 10.

Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Huewitt has served as acting president since Jan. 10.

There are passionate supporters on both sides. Some applauded the fact that there was finally a board in place that’s ready to protect the integrity of the university and do what needs to be done.

While others say the university, under Lane’s administration, was better than it has been in years, raising more money and growing enrollment and this is nothing more than a “witch hunt” aimed at getting rid of Lane and his executive staff for personal reasons.

CLARIFICATION:

“The TSU Foundation is a separate, private, 501c3 which has a mission of supporting Texas Southern University as the fundraising board. Most of the Foundation Trustees are TSU alumni and consistent financial supporters through annual board commitments and fundraising. The property purchased by the TSU Foundation is for the intended use by the Texas Southern University family which includes students, faculty, alumni, and staff. Our foundation activities are consistent with those of other private foundations that support universities in Texas.”

C-STEM TEAMS WITH VERIZON C-STEM, a locally-based national non-profit, recently announced a new Feeder Pattern Partnership with Verizon. Through this partnership C-STEM’s 18 years of experience will provide students and teachers with formal and informal learning experiences in STEM. Communications/literacy (the “C” in C-STEM) will be made available to two feeder patterns—i.e. six schools: two elementary, middle and high schools.

C-STEM’s focus on the under-represented populations in the STEM fields attracted Verizon to increase its support of C-STEM founder Dr. Reagan Flowers and the organization to $100,000.

“Verizon has great concern about social mobility, and STEM is a passion,” said Flowers. “We’re partnering to put back into place a Feeder Pattern Partnership that can really strengthen our

community schools.”

“One of the things I recognized from C-STEM and Dr. Flowers is the passion and focus on Black and Brown kids, and most importantly, our girls, recognizing that women are not as seen in that science environment, but they have those passions,” said Verizon’s Krystal Palmer, a C-STEM executive board member.

Greater Houston area schools, whether ISDs or charters, can apply to the program at C-STEM’s website, www. cstem.org.

Flowers envisions that the initiative will impact thousands of students via the program’s eight modules: robotics, mural painting, sculpture, film, photography, debate, innovation and computer programming.

C-STEM FACTS: Founded: 2002 Programs: Teacher training Pre-K-12th grade STEM program College student internship Phone: 713-443-4521 Email: info@cstem.org Address: 3226 Alabama Houston, Texas 77004

By Aswad Walker

NEWSBRIEFS I-45 PROJECT DECLARED ONE OF THE NATION’S ‘MOST WASTEFUL PROJECTS’ The North Houston Highway Improvement Project calls for I-45 to be lifted from its current route to follow U.S. 59. TxDOT and Houston city officials say the plan gets people out of single cars, will improve quality of life, and even decrease freeway crashes by 30%.The U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the Frontier Group disagree.

In their annual highway “boondoggle” report, they state the project would “harm communities, displace residents and destroy businesses.”

U.S. REP JACKSON LEE APPLAUDS NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL ACT The Houston Congresswoman applauded the historic passage of the Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act by the United States Senate. The historic act designates The Emancipation National Historic Trail Act as a 51-mile national historic trail, which extends from the historic Osterman Building and Reedy Chapel in Galveston to Freedmen’s Town, Independence Heights and Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. Currently, the National Parks Service has only one other National Historic Trail.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES The Texas Health and Human Services Commission and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services are helping more children and youth receive mental health residential treatment services and remain in the custody of their parents or guardians through an increase in the availability of residential treatment center beds. With an additional $2.5 million from the 86th Texas Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott, HHSC is increasing the number of beds at residential treatment centers for children and youth with severe emotional disturbance.

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DN News 9 IN 10 BLACKS DISLIKE TRUMP

By Defender News Services

In less than 10 months, Americans will decide if they want four more years of President Donald J. Trump or elect a Democratic nominee to take his place. On Election Day, Black voters are likely to choose option B as a new Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 9 out of 10 polled disapprove of his job performance.

Even before taking office, Trump touted his ties to the Black community and suggested that he would be a champion for Black America, but the poll reveals that the majority of Black Americans believe that a Trump presidency has made their lives worse.

Blacks believe:

58%

Trump is “very bad”

73%

Obama was “very good” or “somewhat good”

8 in 10

Trump is a racist, made racism a bigger problem

2 in 3

Bad time to be Black in America

Investigate Mississippi Parchman

By Defender News Services

Rappers and politicians are requesting an investigation into the deplorable conditions at the Mississippi Parchman prison.

Death and violence are rampant, many inmates are without beds, and electricity, plumbing and fundamental human rights are absent. At the same time, roaches, mosquitoes and rodents far outnumber the more than 5,000 inmates.

“I will be requesting that the U.S. Attorney General launch an investigation into the ongoing failures in safety, security, health, and environmental standards within the Mississippi Department of Corrections,” said U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).

“This is unacceptable,” Thompson wrote on Twitter.

Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z sued the head of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the warden on behalf of 29 prisoners who have complained that officials have done nothing to

PRISON FACTS

• 60% Black • 5 inmates killed in January attempting escape • Former plantation with hundreds of slaves Source: 2019 The Marshall Project report

NEWSBRIEFS COP APPEALS CONVICTIONS FOR RAPES

Daniel Holtzclaw, the disgraced Oklahoma City police officer convicted of raping several women in 2016, is taking his case to the Supreme Court. He’s seeking a “review of the unjust and unconstitutional ruling against him in his convictions of rape and sexual battery involving eight Black women. His victims ranged from a 17-year-old girl raped on her front porch to a 57-year-old grandmother of 12. Holtzclaw has maintained his innocence in the case and in 2016 said he was confident he would be granted a new trial.

stop another problem at Parchman, violence.

“These deaths are a direct result of Mississippi’s utter disregard for the people it has incarcerated and their constitutional rights,” the mogul said in the court filing.

Earlier this month, hip-hop stars T.I. and Yo Gotti called on the governor to close the prison or to address the issues adequately.

“This is unacceptable,” T.I. wrote on his Instagram page.

“The conditions in the prisons operated by the Mississippi Department of Corrections are absolutely inhumane and unconstitutional,” Yo Gotti wrote in a letter to Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican.

“To see this happen so close to my hometown of Memphis is truly devastating. That’s why we’re calling on Mississippi state leaders to take immediate action and rectify this issue.” Gotti said.

BLACK EXECS SUE MCDONALD’S FOR DISCRIMINATION

Two Black McDonald’s executives filed a lawsuit against the fast food giant alleging racial discrimination and a hostile work environment.

Vicki Guster-Hines and Domineca Neal, who are both senior executives at the company in Dallas, said McDonald’s did “a ruthless purge” of highranking Black executives after new leadership came on board in 2015. According to the lawsuit, between 2014 and 2019 McDonald’s terminated 30 Black officers and demoted five. The number of Black officers decreased from 42 to seven during that period. McDonald’s said it disagrees with the characterizations in the lawsuit and.

Congressman Bennie Thompson

Jay-Z

T.I. Yo Gotti

VOLUMN 89 - NUMBER 13 - JANUARY 23, 2020 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah Jiles

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler

Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall

Strategic Alliance Clyde Jiles

People Editor Aswad Walker

Creative Director Michael Grant

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison

Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright.

(No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288

January 23, 2020 |

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DN Feature REP. AYANNA PRESSLEY REVEALS ALOPECIA U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, whose hair twists have been an inspiration to young girls and part of her personal identity and political brand, said that she has gone bald due to the autoimmune condition alopecia.

The freshman Massachusetts Democrat revealed her bald head and said she felt compelled to go public due to the impact her Senegalese twists had on supporters.

Senegalese twists, also known as rope twists, are a hairstyle worn by Black women, much like braided hairstyles.

Pressley called her hair story “both personal and political” as she embraced her twists, but noticed back in the fall that her hair was falling out. The hair loss progressed in chunks until the night before the Dec. 18 House vote on impeachment articles against President Donald Trump, when she said she lost the last of it.

“I didn’t have the luxury of mourning what felt like the loss of a limb,” Pressley said. “It was a moment of transformation not of my choosing.”

She donned a wig, explained her vote from

ALOPECIA-AREATA is a common autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body.

Source: National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

CROWN Movement Acronym: Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Co-founders: Dove, National Urban League, Color of Change and Western Center on Law and Poverty Mission: Push state-level anti-hair discrimination laws State legislation pending: California, New Jersey

the podium on the House floor, then fled to a bathroom stall.

“I felt naked, exposed, vulnerable. I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I felt betrayed,” Pressley said. “And then I also felt that I was participating in a cultural betrayal because of all the little girls who write me letters, come up to me, take selfies with me. Hashtag twist nation.”

Pressley kept her hair loss a secret, revealing her condition only to close friends and family, but she knew she would go public when she felt ready.

“I felt like I owed all those little girls an explanation,” she said. “My husband says I don’t, that everything isn’t political. The reality is I’m Black, I’m a Black woman, and I’m a Black woman in politics, and everything I do is political.”

“I am making peace with alopecia,” she said. “I have not arrived there...but I’m making progress every day.”

If I could do one thing, I’d tell the world she counts.

Communities are as rich and diverse as their needs. That’s why completing the 2020 Census matters. It’s a safe and confidential step toward having an impact on how public funds flow through our communities. That could mean more resources in your area for special needs.

It’s within your control.

Learn more at:

2020CENSUS.GOV Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau.

2019_Census_Braile_Newspaper_HalfPage_SizeA_9_75x6.indd 1

1/15/20 4:11 PM

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DN InFocus

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BLACK GIRLS S SILENT DILEMMA

By Aswad Walker

ociety has been focusing on Black girls, but not in a good way. A report from the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality titled “Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood, argues that Black girls experience “adultification;” being viewed as less innocent than their white peers. This potentially explains the harsher treatment they routinely receive via school discipline and law enforcement encounters.

“Black girls are suspended from school and arrested at incidents greater than their white peers. Black girls are more likely to be disciplined for minor violations, disobedience, disruptive behavior, fighting and bullying than their white peers,” states Sarah Guidry, director of the Earl Carl Institute (ECI) based at Texas Southern University. “In fact, the incidence of punishment for Black girls is even greater than the disparity between Black and white boys.”

ECI has launched a signature project called the Black Girls Initiative focused on the disparities Black girls face in school discipline, education, criminal justice, homelessness, human trafficking, LGBTQ discrimination, child welfare and more.

The project is divided into three phases: awareness, support and change. BGI’s awareness phase includes educating the community through a written series BGI’s State of the Black Girl Report, while the support phase includes BGI’s Project MISS (Mentoring Initiative for Successful Sisters). Phase three is the change they hope to inspire via pro-Black girl policy recommendations and more.

One of the partners of BGI, Sherea McKenzie, director of special projects for Commissioner Precinct 1, recognized the importance of the initiative.

“As a member of a number of women’s organizations and a mother of a daughter and two sons, I have seen firsthand the challenges in raising African American children,” said McKenzie. “I led the (BCI) discussion on what is human trafficking.

It’s not just something happening in a corner, but stuff that happens right in our community. It’s not limited to Black females, but impacted them tremendously.”

GROWING THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE …when a white child acts inappropriately, it is often considered because of their age.

But when a Black child does the same act, it is more likely to be considered criminal and treated much more harshly.”

Our goal is to eliminate the disparate treatment of Black girls with a three-phase approach: awareness, support and change.”

LUCINDA DANIELS Earl Carl Institute Associate Director

THE BLACK GIRLS INITIATIVE Q:

A:

HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT STATS

60%

Suspended are Black girls

SHEREA MCKENZIE Director of Special Projects for Commissioner Precinct 1

SARAH GUIDRY Earl Carl Institute Director

What is “adultification”?

23%

Female student population is Black

88%

Black Girls H.S. Graduation (lowest of all female ethnicities)

...while we spend a considerable amount of time and resources focusing on the challenges of Black male youth, we tend to not have such targeted strategies related to our female youth.”

■ Earl Carl Institute Signature Project ■ Based at Texas Southern University ■ Funded by the Simmons Foundation ■ Address disparities Black girls face in school discipline, education and the criminal justice system.

■ Seeks new laws and policies

The phenomenon of society seeing Black girls as several years older than they actually are, thus assuming they are more mature, more sexually aware, and ultimately less childlike and less deserving of the leniency so often afforded white children their same age.

45%

Female juvenile referrals – Black girls

1 out of 2

Absences among female students – Black girls

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DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Entertainment

DID YOU KNOW...

Oprah has dropped out of a documentary about sexual misconduct allegations against Russell Simmons.

DID YOU KNOW...

Houston gospel icon Yolanda Adams will headline the Super Bowl Pre-Show.

HOUSTON’S DJ SCREW TV SERIES PENDING One of the most influential tales in hip-hop is the life story of Houston’s legendary Robert Earl Davis Jr., aka DJ Screw, who died in 2000. He is known as the innovator of the “chopped and screwed” style birthed in the ‘90s, which slows down the speed of hip-hop jams to that of a crawl, and lyrics drawl out and the beats stretch.

The new episodic series titled “All Screwed Up” is directed by producer/filmmaker Isaac “Chill” Yowman and is based on the life of DJ Screw and the happenings of his Screwed Up Click label. A recently released trailer shows the many dramatic points in the young Davis’ journey to recognition. From dealing with crosstown rivals to police harassment, to building a music empire around talented gangstas, the situations he pushed through created the sound that proved to live on beyond his life.

Watch the trailer at www.DefenderNetwork.com

This year marks 20 years since DJ Screw died from what was labeled a codeine overdose in his studio. There are still street stories about what happened to Screw and all the possibilities, but his contributions to hip-hop culture can’t be denied. His handprint is all over the slowed-down and chopped-up productions of many top-charting artists, including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Future and Travis Scott, to name a few.

No word yet on what network will carry the series.

D.J. Screw

‘A Fall From Grace’ gives star first big break in 40 years Love it or hate it?

“A Fall from Grace” is drawing passionate responses from both sides. Tell us what you thought of the movie on our social media page.

Crystal Fox

Some fans may think that “The Have and Have Nots” actress Crystal Fox is relatively new to the acting game, but she has been in the game for 40 years and is just now getting her first starring role – compliments of Tyler Perry.

The 56-year-old says her role in Perry’s new Netflix thriller “A Fall From Grace” is a dream come true.

“It has taken 40 years to get to this point and I’m just trying to stay in the moment and absorb it all,” Fox said. “It’s one of the best moments of my life as an actress. The thing I love most is that I started out in theater, I love theater. It’s my first love and it’s like a dual gift to have a billboard in Times Square near Broadway. I’m on Broadway, but in a film! I love that so very much. There’s

nothing like a full circle moment!”

Given Perry’s growing movie and television empire, he could have had his pick of lead actresses for “A Fall From Grace.” In the past, he’s enlisted talents such as Taraji P. Henson, Tiffany Haddish and Janet Jackson to play lead characters, but it was time for Fox to shine.

Perry said Fox is an actress “I would put in any scene with Denzel [Washington], Viola Davis, Meryl Streep. She is that good to stand side-by-side with all of them,” he said.

Fox’s first film role was a supporting one in 1989’s “Driving Miss Daisy” starring Morgan Freeman. She has appeared in shows like “Big Little Lies” and “Law and Order” over the years.

January 23, 2020 |

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DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports ROCKETS HIT A TOUGH STRETCH

By Terrance Harris

Don’t look now, but the Rockets appear to be going through something – again!

With the explosive counterpart to James Harden on board in Russell Westbrook, this is supposed to be the year that the Rockets finally break through to the NBA Finals.

Yet, they find themselves in 6th place in the Western Conference and riding a four-game losing streak.

“We’re going through a tough time obviously,” Rockets guard James Harden said following Saturday’s 124-115 meltdown to LeBron James and the Lakers. “It happens to I think every team throughout the course of the year, but tough times don’t last long, especially for teams that are built for it.”

But the question is are the Rockets built for success even with the explosive backcourt of Westbrook and Harden? At best it seems questionable when you consider that Harden and Westbrook finished with 35 points and 34 points, respectively, yet it didn’t matter in a third quarter when the Lakers breezed past a 6-point halftime deficit to stomp the Rockets.

Here is one telling stat that has to make you question how built to win now are the Rockets really. In a league where the 3-ball currently rules, the Rockets limited the Lakers to just 33 percent 3-point shooting and still suffered a double-digit loss. Another

It happens to I think every team throughout the course of the year, but tough times don’t last long, especially for teams that are built for it.”

James Harden

telling stat is that the considerably longer Lakers managed 24 second-chance points compared to just 4 second-chance points by the Rockets.

Sure, this was just one game but the Lakers are now officially the team to go through in order to win the Western Conference this year.

But the Rockets are preaching patience as the season hits the midway point and time is about to start running real short.

“It’s like anytime else where you go through a little bad spell and it’s hard to see the other side,” said forward P.J. Tucker. “But with how the West is going right now, we just got to keep playing. You know, it doesn’t get easier.”

CLASSIFIED

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) bumps Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) as he drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Houston. -AP Photo/ Michael Wyke

2019-20 SEASON Inspired by the words and action of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Operations and Maintenance Services RFP Houston First Corporation requests proposals from experienced contractors able to provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services throughout its facilities. Services are to be provided 24/7 on an as-needed basis. Please visit https://www.houstonfirst.com/do-business for complete details.

IPR South Central, LLC- ITB Minority Sub Quotes

Bids – January 30TH, 2020 Quotes Returned – January 29TH - Noon SCOPES: • Landscaping - Tree Removal of 4” – 36” within and outside the street R.OW. Tree planting 4” – 8” diam.

• CCTV/Cleaning – Storm sewer 18” – 72” and great. Box culverts all depths and sizes • Traffic Control – Flaggers and lane closures with cones and signs (Emergency operations), low profile traffic barrier

• Hauling – Transportation and disposal of Groundwater, Type 1 soil and Type 2 soil from PPCA • Clearing and Grubbing – Within and outside street R.O.W. • Erosion control – Sandbag and straw barriers, filter fabric etc.

• Open Cut – Inlet installation Type C and E up to 72” diam sewers.

SUNDAY

FEB 9 4:00 PM CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

• Open Cut – Point repairs 15” to 72” that are 10’ in length.

• Open Cut – Fire hydrant installation, remove and dispose 4”, 6”, 8” and 12” water lines. Cut and plug 2” – 12” water line.

• Open Cut – install 3” – 16” water lines by open cut or augering and by trenchless construction. Copper service connection ¾” – 2”.

• Open Cut – multiple sizes of Tapping sleeves installed.

• Slip lining – 48” to 102 diameter storm sewer.

SPECS/INFORMATION – Sherrie Sommerville 832-948-4541

WE SHALL OVERCOME A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. with Music Director and Composer Damien Sneed

SPAHOUSTON.ORG • 713.227.4772 SEASON SPONSORS

10 | January 23, 2020 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports TSU Tigers QUESTION OF THE WEEK Weigh in on twitter

Q:

The TSU men’s basketball team is serious when it comes to home sweet home.

The Tigers are 97-24 at H&PE Arena since 2008.

HELP, the Home team out.

How do the Houston Rockets overcome the slump?

DID YOU KNOW...

Russell Westbrook’s third signature sneaker the Jordan Why Not Zer0.3 hit stores. Retails for $130.

DID YOU KNOW...

The Rockets are 21-6 this season when James Harden scores 34-plus points.

NEWS BRIEFS

CARL LEWIS LOCAL HALL OF FAMER

King leaving UH Cougs After initially saying his intent was to remain at UH, quarterback D’Eriq King announced on his Twitter D’ERIQ account that he has KING indeed entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

“I’ve entered the portal [sic] I think it is best for me and my family,” King wrote.

But now where will the graduating senior land to play his final year of eligibility? Over the weekend it seemed the Miami Hurricanes were the winners, but King issued a statement that he hasn’t made any decisions yet.

By Terrance Harris

Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis has been around so long and accomplished so much that he feels like he belongs to Houston. It was finally official when he was recently inducted as a member of the 2020 Houston Sports Hall of Fame class, presented by the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority.

BY THE “It just feels like this [induction] kind of completes NUMBERS everything about me being a pure and total Olympic Houstonian,” said Lewis. “To me it just completes Games Lewis the transformation of me being a total Houstonian.” participated in Lewis, a New Jersey native, first came to Houston as a freshman standout under University of Houston Medals won Cougars coach Tom Tellez in 1979. That was the at first Olympics beginning of building a career that has been one in 1984. for the record books. Lewis burst onto the world Olympic gold stage during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los medals in 1984, Angeles when he tied Jesse Owens by taking home 1988, 1992 and four Olympic gold medals. He went on to win five 1996 Olympic more gold medals during the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Games combined.

Olympics.

Dubbed the Olympian of the Century by Sports Illustrated, Lewis is one of three athletes to win gold in the same event four straight Olympics, winning the long jump in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996.

These days, the 58-year-old grandfather works as an assistant track and field coach at UH and traveling the world as a revered Olympian.

4 4

9

Everything I did after high school really was here. I moved here, went to college here, I bought my first car here, had my first apartment here and then my whole Olympic career was here and now I’m back coaching here…this is kind of the completion of me being a Houstonian.”

Carl Lewis

LEWIS GOAL 60th birthday bench press 300 lbs

Crennel out as Texans DC Romeo Crennel will not return next season as the Texans defensive coordinator.

Crennel, 72, is expected to retire ROMEO CRENNEL from coaching.

He has been on Bill O’Brien’s staff since 2014.

Defensive line coach Anthony Weaver has been promoted to defensive coordinator.

The Texans defense struggled mightily this ANTHONY WEAVER season, allowing an average of 388.3 yards per game this season.

Westbrook is on fire Rockets guard Russell Westbrook scored 34-plus points in four straight games, making him the first Rocket not named RUSSELL James Harden to WESTBROOK do so since Tracy McGrady had a six-game 34-plus points run from 12/12/06 to 1/08/07.

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DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports Six Houston Area Players nominated for 2020 All American Games: Nate Clover, Memorial High School, Port Arthur; LJ Cryer, Morton Ranch High School, Katy; Foluwaso Fashoro, Ridge Point High School, Missouri City; Kenneth Lofton, Memorial High School, Port Arthur; Tramon Mark, Dickinson High School, Dickinson; Luke Thorburn, Strake Jesuit College Prep, Houston.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

‘BOBI’ HILL

About Bre’yon White Twitter: @BreMode7 Favorite Music Artist: Roddy Rich and Youngboy NBA

A WHEATLEY HOOPER

Favorite Food: Chipotle and Italian Favorite Subject: Anatomy

By Jodie B. Jiles

On the court, Bobiana “Bobi” Hill’s vision and ball-handling About Bobiana Hill skills are on full display when she creates buckets for herself as well Twitter: @htdbobi as additional opportunities for her teammates when the defense Current AAU Team: collapses down on her.

The road ahead will not be easy with the Lady Panthers fighting Texas Phenoms for only a few musical chair playoff spots in 4A Region 3 District 23. Players You Study: The Defender spoke with Bobiana after Wheatley’s tough loss Kennedy Carter and to Yates to discuss the lessons learned from the loss against Yates Kyrie Irving Hobbies: and keys to pushing Wheatley Playing Fortnite and into the playoffs come Listening to Music seasons end.

Favorite Musician: Style of play on J. Cole and DaBaby the court: Hill: “I am a Shoutouts: streetball player that My momma. I love you and I do this for likes to push and you. score.”

Vision on the court: Hill: “I basically like to go at one lane so that everyone has to focus on me. Then once they focus on me I just dish the ball.”

Team leadership role: Hill: “I like to motivate my teammates to keep going, keep your head up, stay strong and be humble.”

Lessons learned: Hill: “Next time we play them we are going to stop the shooters at the beginning of the game and keep it that way. We will also push them into getting turnover that will turn our defense into offense.”

Keys to success: Hill: “We have been getting our recent wins because we have stayed on each other, we love one another. It didn’t matter if we were down we just kept Hill scans the defense in search each other up.” of the next play to be made.

Shoutouts: Family, Coaches and Teammates that helped me get here.

BRE’YON WHITE A SHADOW CREEK BALLER

By Jodie B. Jiles

Pearland-Shadow Creek junior small forward Bre’yon White is a standout in more ways than one. The 6-foottall player is a “double-double” waiting to happen on the court. White is currently anchoring her first-place district team with a 22-4 record in arguably one of the toughest girls’ basketball districts in town. Six of the nine teams in Shadow Creek’s district have winning records.

Shadow Creek and Hightower will most likely face off for the regular season district title game in the final game of the regular season Feb. 11 at Shadow Creek. Talk about drama.

For Game and Crowd Here is the Photos of Shadow Creek Defender One-onvs. Hightower 2 Visit IG: One with White: @DefenderHighSchoolSports Defender: How would you describe your team leadership?

White: “I am the person who leads by example. I am not one to say a lot, but when I do it is meaningful. I just try to give everyone an encouraging word because it helps them out because I believe that is the way you are supposed to play.”

Defender: Your team seems to feed off your energy.

How do you spread energy to your teammates?

White: “I just love to play with emotion. It’s like I just have to let it out because it is not good to keep it in. And my teammates love when I yell, scream and beat my chest.

It helps keep them going when we are getting that rhythm and flow.”

Defender: What made the difference in the second game against Hightower?

White: “This time we knew who we were. We knew that we were the Shadow Creek Sharks and that we were able to beat them. We were definitely a better team now.”

Defender: What advice do you have for the younger generation of female ballers?

White: “Keep God first and hard work. #G1HW.”

12 | January 23, 2020 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Faces @ Events

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4 32nd ANNUAL MLK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP BREAKFAST The Greater Houston Frontiers Club, Inc. held its 32nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship Breakfast where Dr. Joseph Gathe Jr. was the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award recipient. Proceeds from the event benefit the GHFC scholarship program. In attendance were Lorenza Butler, D’Artagnan Bebel (honorary chair), Congressman Al Green, Mayor Sylvester Turner, councilmembers Dr. Letitia Plummer and Edward Pollard, Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Carol Guess, Kim Topps, State Senator Royce West, MC Len Cannon, Winell and Doug Herron and a host of others. Photos: 1) Shar-day Campbell, Tammie Lang Campbell, Donnell Cooper (GHFC President), Cydonii Miles, 2) Alan Watkins, Dr. George Fraser (keynote speaker), Ollie Harris, 3) Pastor Rudy Rasmus, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. LYFE CLASS: THE MONEY MOVES EDITION L.Y.F.E Class: The Money Moves Edition, organized by QueenLyfe, Inc., was a financial experts-led conversation on healthy credit, maximizing tax refunds through tax strategies and building wealth through investment tools. Participants were encouraged to set 2020 intentions to apply the knowledge gained

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during the workshop to enhance their overall quality of life.

Attendees included Roberto Coello, Heather Hennigh, Tiffany Martin, Danielle Bowman, Jennifer Hights, Lakitia Woodard, Eutearia Hubbard, Jasmine Neely, Fallon Hamilton and many more. Photos: 4) Anjail Abdullah, Candace Strother, Ashanti Abdullah 5) Michelle Johnson, Byron Lundy 6) Mia Bradford, Keira Miller.

ZETA PHI BETA CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. celebrated its centennial with several events including the Empowering Women’s Voices Summit and the 2020 Centennial Scholarship Gala. Both events were held at the Hilton Houston Post Oak, and both were first-class affairs.

Attendees included Denese Wolff-Hilliard, Joyce Carter, Algenita Scott Davis, DiAnn Robinson, Dr. Polly Turner, Councilmember Martha Castex-Tatum, Angela & James Holland, Keda Cunningham, Shatonja Kendall, Ron Lockett, Danyale Williams, Raymond Ardoin, Rauchelle Jones, Erica Harris, Sharon & James Key and countless others. Photos: 7) Amber Davis, Kyndall Davis, Kim Moye, Tasha Harden, 8) Kathy Allen, Raymond Ardoin, 9) Britne Broadnax, Warren Broadnax.

By Aswad Walker

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