LAWT 02-09-2012

W E E K E N D E R

Vol. XXX, No. 1270

www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, February 9, 2012

L.A. Watts Times

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CK Y A R BL O T H IS T H ON M

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

HOROSCOPES A

QUARIUS ~ You may have the sinking sensation that someone or something is standing in your way as the week begins, but don’t just wring your hands in despair.

Take this opportunity to reexamine your current path — why you’re doing what you’re doing and the route you’re taking. From Wednesday through Friday, you can blaze a new trail, inspiring and amazing others while you’re at it.

Stop to affirm connections along the way. When the weekend comes show how long your attention span can be.

Listen carefully instead of chattering. And give yourself some time to recharge, too.

ISCES ~ Make sure you’re getting credit where it’s due as the week begins. There’s a chance that good energy coming your way could be diverted. Call some positive attention to yourself. From Wednesday through Friday, your consciousness is expanding; you’re seeing the connections and possibilities where others can’t. Present your vision eloquently, and they’ll love it. You may want to let someone else take charge of the plan this weekend – choose someone whose mood suits you so you’ll be sure to enjoy the ride.

RIES ~ A big workout or a major house-cleaning is in order on Monday. You’ll not only feel better about yourself and your surroundings, but you’ll be able to clear your head, too. Then, something's urgent around Tuesday and Wednesday; could it be in the love department? Making the first move wouldn’t hurt. While you’ve certainly got your own concerns from Thursday through the weekend, making the world brighter for those around you (your boss, a relative, a friend, even a random stranger) reflects a very lovely cosmic light back on you.

AURUS ~ If you see something (or someone) you want as the week begins, your instinct is to lock onto it and never let go. While your passion’s admirable, hold off on committing so completely. From Wednesday through Friday, a new aspect or a different opportunity – one that affects your worldview, and your hopes and dreams – may well arise. If you share your expansive outlook with someone this weekend, a bond will grow. Learn more about yourself and others, and feel the interconnectedness of life.

EMINI ~ Dig into something that fascinates you as the week begins. The stars augment your powers of observation and understanding now, so whether it’s a work issue or a personal matter, you can expand your knowledge exponentially. From Wednesday through Friday, change and improvement are all around, especially in relationships.

Clear those lines of communication, and open up your heart and mind. A challenge awaits you this weekend. To prepare, do what grounds you, and you’ll be more than equal to it.

ANCER ~ Your softer, sensitive side may be less apparent than you think as the week begins. Let those around you know about your needs and feelings, especially if those feelings are hurt. Then from Wednesday through Friday, be proactive about creating some good energy.

Now’s a great time to find a solution – think about a good trade-off or an inventive compromise – with a certain someone. If you have an action-packed plan for this weekend, well, you might want to scale back. While social engagements and projects beckon, you deserve some rest and relaxation, too.

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EO ~ Give that extroverted side a couple days off as the week begins. That’s when the stars will send you a golden opportunity to delve into things in a quieter yet very productive way. Reach out in family matters, too. Expect more exciting, action-packed times from Wednesday through Friday. Your always-bountiful charisma is even more apparent now, and sharing what's on your mind gets things going in a big way! When the weekend comes, downplay your own angle and inquire into the perspectives of others. You’ll learn some rather interesting stuff this way.

IRGO ~ Keep your natural skepticism at a healthy level as the week begins. Sure, ask questions, but don’t let unfounded (as yet) emotions carry you away before you get some answers. From Wednesday through Friday, you’re probably hearing the call of something bigger and better than what you're currently involved in. This, too, merits some serious investigation. Don’t be afraid to stick your neck out to ascertain the possibilities. You’re definitely catching eyes this weekend – the stars are sending you extra powers of attraction. Whatever will you do with them?

IBRA ~ Whether you’re sharing an opinion or just your sandwich, make a conscious effort to include others at the beginning of the week. The universe will respond to your generosity and thoughtfulness. From Wednesday through Friday, your intellect and your feelings are operating in tandem in a brilliant way. Look at all sides of a situation (work, personal or both), finding the angles and the options you’ve been blind to until now. And aren’t you sentimental this weekend? To process it, send a sweet note (and maybe a photo or poem) to an old friend, or watch a sappy movie with a new one.

CORPIO ~ If people are watching your every move as the week begins, maybe it's just because you’re making whatever you do look so great. Get a certain very important somebody on board with your latest and greatest idea. From Wednesday through Friday, a little change-up in your approach works wonders, but if you get too far out, you'll leave those around you hopelessly behind. Take it easy for their sake. Work and play – one-on-one or group activities – look great this weekend. Bonus: What you say is music to everyone’s ears.

AGITTARIUS ~ Begin the day on Monday and Tuesday with a little meditation, yoga, a workout or just a calm walk.

You have something to process, so be proactive about finding quiet headspace to do it in. From Wednesday through Friday, you're back in your happy-go-lucky stride, and that confidence in your step guides splendid stuff to your path. Those around you can sense you're ready to say yes and see the potential. For a great date or just fun with friends this weekend, find a free outdoor concert, lounge in the park or take a nighttime stroll.

Casual and low budget are perfect now.

APRICORN ~ A friend, a partner or even your boss has a very helpful angle when it comes to making a choice as the week begins. Getting input shows your smarts, not weakness.

From Wednesday through Friday, the stars say to look to the future and get specific about what you want to do and how you'll do it. How’s that savings account? What about that personal goal or that relationship? Find action steps you can take, now and later. Then clear the decks for some hot stuff this weekend. Others – maybe someone in particular – can’t help but pick up on your undeniable energy.

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Inside This Edition School scandal casts

looming shadow on LAUSD In light of accusations against teachers at Miramonte School and the resulting parents’ protests, the school has reshuffled personnel, causing many to ask more questions.

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Photo by SHIRLEY HAWKINS

Crowds of angry parents are now commonplace sights at the school.

BY BRIAN W. CARTER, SENTINEL STAFF WRITER AND SHIRLEY HAWKINS, SENTINEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER The sordid and tense scandal at Miramonte School took a sharp

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turn as all-new personnel replaced current staff earlier this week. The Tuesday announcement came as a shock to many of parents, resulting in their abject disapproval.

From the principal to the janitor, See SCHOOL SCANDAL, page 14

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L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER Published Weekly – Updates 3800 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 Administration – Sales – Graphics – Editorial 323.299.3800 - office 323.291.6804 - fax Beverly Cook – Publisher, Managing Editor 1976 – 1993 Charles Cook – Publisher 1976 – 1998 Melanie Polk – Publisher 1998 – 2010

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WWW.LAWATTSTIMES.COM Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. ............Executive Publisher & Executive Editor Brenda Marsh Mitchell ..................................Executive Vice President Tracey Mitchell ......................................................................Controller Brandon I. Brooks ..................................................Co-Managing Editor Yussuf J. Simmonds ..............................................Co-Managing Editor Joy Childs ....................................................................Assistant Editor Bernard Lloyd ....................................................Director of Advertising Benjamin Samuels ....................................................Graphic Designer Chris Martin ..........................................................Production Designer EMAIL: wattsweekender@yahoo.com Circulation ..................................................................................50,000 The opinions expressed by contributing writers are not necessarily those of the L.A. Watts Times.

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BlackFacts.com February 10, 1972 Attorney Ronald Brown is elected national chairman of the Democratic Party and becomes the first African American to hold the post. Brown is later appointed Secretary of Commerce under the Clinton administration in 1994. He serves in this capacity until he and 34 others die in a plane crash while on a diplomatic mission to Croatia in 1996.

Photo by SHIRLEY HAWKINS

From a student’s point of view: His sign says it all.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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House GOP introduces its insider trading bill

BY LARRY MARGASAK | ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans have introduced their version of a bill to ban insider trading by thousands of federal officials and have added provisions to bar lawmakers convicted of a felony from collecting their government pensions.

In a provision aimed directly at Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, the bill, introduced late Tuesday, would ban lawmakers from using their positions to invest in initial public offerings (known as IPOs) of stock. Pelosi has denied that she did anything like that.

The Republicans wiped out a key provision in the Senate version of the bill that would have required so-called “political intelligence” firms to register and file disclosure reports, as lobbyists must. These

the provisions of the bill.

In addition, Republicans were considering bringing the bill to a vote Thursday under a procedure that would not allow any amendments.

That was especially galling to Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., who has been trying to get an insider trading bill passed for six years and has close to 300 co-sponsors, including nearly 100 Republicans.

Sponsorship of the bill by Slaughter and Rep. Tim Walz, DMinn., soared after a recent CBS “60 Minutes” segment that reported current and former members of Congress used information received during their official duties to invest in the stock market.

The show reported that Pelosi’s husband invested in a large Visa IPO in 2008 around the time the House — then under Democratic control — was considering legisla-

D.C. wax museum adds Harriet Tubman to collection WASHINGTON (AP) — Descendants of famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman have unveiled a wax statue at The President’s Gallery by Madame Tussauds in Washingtonof the woman who led hundreds of slaves to freedom.

Tubman’s great-great-great-grandnephew Charles E.T. Ross and Tubman’s great-great-grand-niece Valery Ross Manokey visited the wax museum Tuesday with eight others, as the statue joins a collection of presidents and historical figures. At 76, Manokey of Cambridge, Md., is Tubman's oldest living descendant on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Students from Washington’s Harriet Tubman Elementary also attended.

Tubman was born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. After escaping in 1849, she led countless slaves out of the South to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Artists from Madame Tussauds spend months creating each new lifelike figure, relying on photographs, historical accounts and paintings.

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

A wax likeness of the renowned abolitionist and conductor of the Underground Railroad Harriet Ross Tubman is unveiled on Tuesday at the Presidents Gallery by Madame Tussauds in Washington in celebration of Black History Month.

metro.net/expo

Watch for trains on Metro Expo Line tracks. tion to lower credit card fees. Pelosi denied any wrongdoing, and said there was no connection between the investment and the legislation.

The bill passed two years later, and Pelosi voted for it. It did not pass in 2008, a Pelosi aide said, because it came to floor at the end of the session — when the House was passing the biggest bailout of financial institutions in the nation's history.

The aide, who was not authorized to be quoted by name to discuss the investment, said Pelosi’s husband made the IPO purchase through his existing broker at Wells Fargo.

The aide pointed out that the Visa IPO was among the largest ever at $17.9 billion.

The “60 Minutes” program also raised questions about stock purchases by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., the current chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Both denied any wrongdoing.

The House is expected to pass the bill overwhelmingly, and it almost certainly will end up in a conference committee to reconcile the differences with the Senate.

Test trains are now running in preparation for the upcoming opening of the Metro Expo Line, the newest extension of the Metro Rail system. Trains will be moving in both directions on the tracks.

Please remember to: > Obey all tra;c signals and warning devices. > Be alert at all times. Watch for a “TRAIN” signal. > Always push the button and wait for a “WALK” signal before entering the crosswalk. Never jaywalk across the tracks. > Never sit or stand on tracks. > Do not go around lowered gates. > Never make a left turn on a red arrow.

This tra;c rule will be enforced by cameras at intersections. > Right turns are allowed while an Expo Line train is passing through, but may be restricted at certain intersections.

For more safety tips, visit metro.net/ridesafely.

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are companies that try to pick up information from lawmakers, then pass it on to investment firms and their clients.

The growing political intelligence industry had lobbied hard to get the Republicans to either modify or eliminate the provision, arguing that the language was too broad.

Majority Leader Eric Cantor, RVa., substituted a congressional study of these firms — essentially taking no action. The reporting requirement was inserted into the Senate’s bill by a Republican, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa.

Under the House bill, new stock transactions would have to be reported either 30 days after a covered individual was notified of a transaction in his or her account or 45 days after the transaction. The bill would apply, according to Cantor, to about 30,000 employees in the executive branch. It would cover the president and vice president, and President Barack Obama has said he would sign the legislation.

While the Senate passed its version of the bill 96-3 last week following bipartisan negotiations, House Democrats were furious that Cantor never consulted them about

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Court: Calif. gay marriage ban unconstitutional

Obama’s inner geek: robots to flying marshmallows

AP Photo/San Francisco Chronicle, Lea Suzuki

Supporters of gay marriage celebrate outside the James R. Browning United States Courthouse on Tuesday in San Francisco. The bitterly contested, voter-approved law is on track for likely consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal appeals court has declared California’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, paving the way for a likely U.S. Supreme Court showdown on the voter-approved law.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled 2-1 Tuesday that a lower court judge interpreted the U.S. Constitution correctly in 2010 when he declared the ban, known as Proposition 8,

to be a violation of the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

The measure, which passed with 52 percent of the vote in 2008, outlawed same-sex unions just five months after they became legal in the state.

Lawyers for Proposition 8 sponsors and for two couples who sued to overturn the ban have said they would appeal to the Supreme Court if they did not receive a favorable ruling from the 9th Circuit.

AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File

FILE – President Barack Obama helps a student launch an “airborne (marshmallow) missile.”

BY JIM KUHNHENN | ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — For a president who promotes technology at every opportunity, Barack Obama often strikes an awed, self-effacing pose in the presence of technicians, scientists and high tech machinery.

“If I’m nodding, you should just assume that everything you said is going completely over my head,” he once told winners of a New York science fair.

Still, he loves the stuff.

At no point has his inner geek been more evident than on Tuesday as he mischievously — “The Secret Service is going to be mad at me about this” — helped fire an eighthgrader’s award-winning high-speed marshmallow air cannon at the drapes of the White House’s elegant State Dining Room.

From factory floors to classrooms, from high-tech centers to the White House residence itself, Obama steeps himself in the innovative, sometimes feigning interest while at others showing genuine delight.

He dons safety goggles to tour manufacturing plants with state-ofthe- art equipment. He steps gingerly around scooting robots built by teenage engineers. And, like many a dad, he helps his daughters with their science projects, even dropping eggs from the White House's Truman Balcony to test the optimal soft landing.

To be sure, touring factories and schools is a staple of presidencies.

But Obama, a Harvard University-

trained lawyer, has placed greater emphasis on technology by making the point that in an era of scarce resources, government still must play a role investing in three key areas: research and development, innovation and education.

On Tuesday, Obama hosted the second White House Science Fair, an exhibit of more than 30 student projects that ranged from a system to detect nuclear threats to a prosthetic hand to portable disaster shelters. For nearly an hour, Obama toured the displays and visited with students, pressing them for details and admiring their work.

At factory or fair, Obama’s reaction can range from bemusement to enchantment.

During a recent trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Obama examined an enormous conveyor screw used to transport foodstuffs. “What do you do to keep it so shiny?” he finally asked.

At an Alcoa plant in Davenport, Iowa, in June, Obama observed machines that milled aerospace parts. He then approached a handful of reporters who had been watching nearby: “Did you know aluminum is not magnetic? I learned something today.”

The incongruity of some such moments is not lost on the president. Aides say he got a kick out of a New York magazine picture essay in 2010 depicting him in various factories, laboratories or workshops. The piece was titled “A History of Obama Feigning Interest in Mundane Things.”

See OBAMA, page 15

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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Coroner rules Don Cornelius’ death a suicide

Shots of the Week

Photo credit: David Starkopf/Office of the Mayor.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Photo credit: David Starkopf/Office of the Mayor.

Walter Mosley, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Dr. Keith Black

pop goes the

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Coroner’s officials on Tuesday ruled Don Cornelius’ death a suicide, nearly a week after the “Soul Train” creator and host killed himself with a gunshot to the head.

The agency made the determination after conducting an autopsy on Cornelius’ body Friday. Investigators are still awaiting the results of toxicology tests before issuing a final report.

Police quickly ruled out foul play after responding to Cornelius’ Mulholland Drive home early Wednesday morning. His son had alerted authorities after receiving a call from his father.

Cornelius, 75, started “Soul Train” in 1970, and it became one of the longest-running syndicated shows in history, introducing audiences to many top music acts and providing a never-before-seen TV platform for Black culture.

The popular host was honored Saturday in Harlem with a lively celebration in tribute to Cornelius and the wide-ranging influence of his show.

His son, Tony Cornelius, released a statement last week asking for privacy and thanking fans.

“We thank all the well-wishers and the fans who have supported the ‘Soul Train’ legacy. Love, Peace and Soul,” the stateAP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File ment read, incorporat- FILE – Don Cornelius, creator of the long-running ing his father’s famous TV dance show “Soul Train,” killed himself with a sign-off at the end of gunshot wound to the head, says the coroner’s the weekly show. office.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Ariz. police begin searching landfill for girl

BY AMANDA LEE MYERS | ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOENIX (AP) — Police have started methodically searching a landfill south of Phoenix for the body of a 5-year-old Arizona girl who has been missing for more than four months and who authorities now believe is dead.

About 20 officers wore protective gear, masks and boots, and used rakelike tools as they began sifting through every single piece of garbage in a 36,000-square-foot area of the Butterfield Landfill in Mobile, south of the Phoenix area. That amounts to about 6,000 tons of trash.

They will search eight hours a day Monday through Friday for up to six weeks or until they find the body of 5year-old Jhessye Shockley of Glendale.

The officers conducting the search all volunteered for the labor-intensive and potentially dangerous work, Glendale police Sgt. Brent Coombs said Monday just after the search began.

“Nobody here believes that little girl should be left in that landfill,” he said. “She shouldn’t be dead, first thing. Secondly, she deserves a proper interment, and certainly recovering her remains is a critical piece to making our case as strong as possible.”

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CNN suspends Martin for ‘offensive’ comments NEW YORK (AP) — CNN is suspending political analyst Roland Martin for tweets during the Super Bowl that the network said were "offensive" and that some critics said were anti-gay.

Martin commented on Twitter about a commercial during the Super Bowl that showed soccer star David Beckham in underwear: "If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him."

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said the remark advocated violence against gays. Martin said he was making a joke about soccer.

CNN said Wednesday that Martin's remarks were "regrettable and offensive" and he will not be on air "for the time being."

AP Photo/Glendale Police Department, File

FILE – On Monday, police began searching a landfill south of Phoenix for the body of Jhessye Shockley, the 5-year-old Arizona girl who has been missing for more than four months and is now believed dead.

Glendale police now believe that Jhessye’s body was dumped in a Tempe trash bin a few days before her mother, Jerice Hunter, reported the little girl missing on Oct. 11.

An intensive search began as police and volunteers combed her neighborhood and found no sign of her or any evidence indicating what might have happened to her.

In the weeks that followed, information about Hunter’s past abuse of her children came to light and the investigation turned to her, and Coombs said Monday that she was still the “No. 1 focus.”

“I can’t really speak about the volume of evidence in hand, but we want to be in the best possible position we can be before making that next step in an arrest,” he said.

“We’re going to let this search effort play out in hopes that we gain the final piece of critical evidence so we can strengthen our case more.”

Hunter’s attorney, Scott Maasen, said Monday that his client is innocent.

“At this point there hasn’t been one piece of evidence that’s been released that shows Jerice Hunter has anything to do with her daughter's disappearance,” he said.

Hunter’s 13-year-old daughter, who had been removed from Hunter’s home with her other siblings Oct. 12, told police in

AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

Roland Martin, wearing an ascot, gestures during a news segment, Friday, May 14, 2010, in Washington.

November that she hadn’t seen Jhessye since September. She told them that a few days before Hunter reported the girl missing, she saw Hunter cleaning her shoes and a closet where she kept Jhessye.

Police said they found a receipt that showed Hunter bought food and a bottle of bleach Oct. 9.

The teen also told police that Hunter deprived Jhessye of food and water while keeping her in the closet, and that she saw the girl with black eyes, bruises and cuts to her face and body. When she last saw Jhessye, the teen said that the girl’s hair had been pulled out, that she didn’t look alive and that the closet where she was kept “looked like a grave and smelled like dead people.”

Maasen said that Hunter’s children have told police varying stories.

“The kids said different things and when someone says different things — a witness in a case — that’s not consistent, that’s not proof, that’s not reliable evidence of anything,” he said.

He also questioned why it has taken police so long to begin searching the landfill. Police have said that they needed to prepare for the search, which includes teams for hazardous materials and heavy equipment, and paramedics.

Maasen said the six-week delay between the beginning of the search on Monday and when police announced that they thought

Jhessye’s body was in the landfill leads him to believe that police must not be sure that she’s there.

Police arrested Hunter in November on suspicion of child abuse related to Jhessye. They released her from jail a day later and dropped the charge against her after prosecutors said they wanted to investigate further and were worried that Hunter would not be eligible for a potential murder charge if she was convicted of abusing Shockley, a situation known as double jeopardy.

Hunter has declined to submit to a lie-detector test by police but has told reporters that she had nothing to do with her daughter’s disappearance. She also has been critical of investigators, who she said were wrongly focused on her instead of looking for Jhessye.

In October 2005, Hunter was arrested with her then-husband, George Shockley, on child abuse charges in California. Hunter pleaded no contest to corporal punishment and served about four years in prison before she was released on parole in May 2010.

Shockley is a convicted sex offender and is still in a California prison.

Hunter’s oldest child, 14 at the time, told police that his mother routinely beat the children. Hunter’s mother, Shirley Johnson, has said that her daughter changed after prison and became a loving mother.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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Egypt’s ruling generals play risky game with U.S.

BY HAMZA HENDAWI | ASSOCIATED PRESS CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s ruling generals are playing a risky game of brinksmanship by cracking down on American nonprofit groups that promote democracy, threatening a relationship with Washington that has brought the military billions of dollars in aid over the past three decades.

The generals may be betting the U.S. cannot afford to cut relations with Egypt — a cornerstone of American Mideast policy. But the ruling military council may also fear it has much more than foreign aid to lose if it fully embraces a democratic transition that could bring civilian oversight of its substantial financial assets and curb its long-standing domination of politics.

Egypt on Sunday referred 19 Americans, including the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and 24 other employees of pro-democracy nonprofit groups to trial before a criminal court on accusations they illegally used foreign funds to foment unrest in the country.

Speaking with reporters in downtown Los Angeles, LaHood said his son is safe.

“I talk to him a couple of times a day,” said LaHood. “I talked to him this morning — I’ll talk to him again this evening. Thank God he is safe.

That’s about all I’m going to say about that.”

The referral came one day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Egypt that failure to resolve the dispute may lead to the loss of American aid.

“I think we have to have every aspect of our relationship with Egypt examined until these people are removed from any indictment and allowed to leave or do whatever they need to do,” Republican Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in Washington.

The depth of the tensions was evident when an Egyptian government delegation abruptly canceled meetings in Washington with U.S. lawmakers set for Monday and Tuesday.

“We understand that we have a

real strategic interest in keeping good relations with the Egyptians.

It’s the biggest country in the Arab world,” said Sen. Joe Lieberman, an Independent from Connecticut. “But on the other hand, we can’t just sit back when Americans get charged and potentially incarcerated for what are trumped-up charges, ridiculous,” said Lieberman who, together with McCain, spoke to reporters after a meeting with the Israeli foreign minister.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts, admonished the Egyptians, calling their referral to trial a “slap in the face to Americans who have supported Egypt for decades and to Egyptian individuals and NGOs who have put their futures on the line for a more democratic Egypt.”

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy said that Cairo ignores at its own peril a provision he authored about U.S. aid to Egypt. The provision requires the Secretary of State to certify to Congress that Egypt is supporting the transition to civilian government by holding fair elections and establishing policies “to protect freedom of expression, association, and religion, and due process of law” before Cairo gets $1.3 billion in military aid this year.

“Unless they’re following what we put in the amendment, there’s no way they should be getting any money. Right now they’re not following what we put in there,” Leahy, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s foreign operations subcommittee, told reporters.

Egypt and the United States have been close allies for more than three decades. But Cairo’s campaign against the pro-democracy groups could seriously damage relations with far-reaching ramifications in a region already shaken by the political realignments arising from Arab Spring revolts.

Republican Rep. Ileana RosLehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, demanded that Egypt return all assets and funds seized in the raids of the NGOs, allow them to reopen their offices and end the investigations and prosecutions.

Reporters locked out of Nigeria’s busiest airport LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — An international watchdog says authorities have shut down a long-standing press center in Nigeria’s busiest airport.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement Tuesday that authorities at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos also held equipment belonging to more than 60 journalists at the center during Saturday’s lockout.

A spokesman for the Federal

Airports Authority of Nigeria said officials of the State Security Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shut out the journalists without saying why it was done.

Aviation correspondent Chris Agabi told the protection group that “not even military regimes shut down” the center that has existed for more than 30 years.

Nigeria came out of a long period of military rule in 1999 and has an unbridled free press, but journalists are often harassed.

“The Egyptian government’s actions cannot be taken lightly and warrant punitive actions against certain Egyptian officials, and consideration of a cutoff of U.S. assistance to Egypt,” she said.

The substantial U.S. military aid to Egypt is linked to its adherence to an American-mediated 1979 peace treaty with Israel, Washington’s closest Middle East ally. The preservation of that cold peace has long been a foundation of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Besides the $1.3 billion in U.S. military aid, Egypt also receives about $250 million in economic aid every year.

In return, Egypt transformed itself since the 1970s from a onetime Soviet ally hostile to the West into an anchor of U.S. policy in the region, fighting Islamic militancy, mediating in the tortuous ArabIsraeli peace process and assuming a key role in the U.S.-led war against terror.

“The ruling military council is playing a game of high-stakes poker, believing that the U.S. cannot afford to cut its relations with Egypt,” said Ziad A. Fahmy, a Middle East expert at Cornell University. “However, even more important than the annual $1.3 billion in U.S. aid is the potential threat of democratic civilian oversight See EGYPT, page 15

AP Photo/Mohammed Assad

Egyptian Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim talks at the Egyptian Parliament in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday. He denied that police had fired birdshots at protesters during deadly clashes between security and demonstrators.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

By Rev. Eric P. Lee | LAWT Contributing Writer The Tuskegee Airmen reflect the ongoing struggle of African Americans to “prove” that we are not only equal, but in many situations superior to any White counterpart in the same field. As African Americans we have been raised to understand that we are judged by a different standard — a higher standard than all others, so we must be twice as good as the next non-Black person in order to be considered equal.

The term Tuskegee Airmen refers to all who were involved in the Army Air Corps program to train African Americans during World War II to fly and maintain combat aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. As an elite group of African-American aviators in the 1940s, the Tuskegee Airman were pioneers in equality and integration of the Armed Forces.

In March of 1942, George Roberts, Benjamin Davis Jr., Charles BeBow Jr., Mac Ross and Lemuel Custis received silver wings as Army Air Force pilots. These men completed the standard Army flight classroom instruction and many hours of flight time. Receiving their silver wings marked a milestone in being the first African Americans to qualify as military pilots in any branch of the armed forces.

The movie “Red Tails” and its 1995 predecessor movie starring Laurence Fishburne are considered by the remaining Tuskegee Airmen living today to be relatively accurate accounts of the challenges and accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen history.

F E AT U R E

Their successful combat records and the oft-requested escorts by White bomber crews did much to quiet those questioning African Americans’ ability, capability and intelligence as aviators.

The men earned the nickname “Red Tail Angels” since the White bomber squadrons considered their escorts “angels,” and the red paint on the propellers and tails of their planes were distinguishing characteristics of the African American fighter squadrons.

But other units continued to harass these airmen.

In 1949, the 332nd Tuskegee Airmen entered

the annual U. S. Continental Gunnery Meet in Las Vegas, Nevada. The competition included shooting aerial targets, shooting targets on the ground and dropping bombs on targets. Flying the long range Republic P-47N Thunderbolts, (built for the long range escort mission in the Pacific theatre of World War II), the 332nd Fighter Wing took first place in the conventional fighter class. The pilots were Capt.

Alva Temple, Lts. Harry Stewart, James Harvey III and Herbert Alexander. Lt. Harvey said, “We had a perfect score. Three missions, two bombs per plane.

We didn’t guess at anything. We were good.”

Even though the Tuskegee Airmen proved their

L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

worth as military pilots, they were still forced to operate in segregated units and did not fight alongside their White countrymen.

Contrary to negative predictions from many White officers and politicians that African American aviators would fail, the personal drive and motivation of those accepted for training produced some of the best pilots and aviator support staff in the entire U.S. military. Nonetheless, the Tuskegee Airmen continued to fight racism.

The segregated flight training for these service members took place at the Division of Aeronautics of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama at Moten Field about 4 miles away from the Tuskegee University, a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

Consequently, the graduates became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Air Corps officials built the segregated facility at Tuskegee Army Air Field to train the pilots. The Tuskegee Airmen not only battled international enemies during wartime but also fought against domestic racism, terrorism and segregation. Racism was status quo in America, particularly during World War II, and many people did not want Blacks to become pilots. They trained in overcrowded classrooms and airstrips and suffered from the racist attitude of some military officials.

Ironically, the worst racism came from civilians and elected officials in the United States rather than military colleagues. Even though the Tuskegee Airmen had earned a measure of respect within the military for their successes, that message was never conveyed to the general public, allowing racism and discrimination to prevail in America’s social fabric.

By the end of the war, 992 African American pilots had graduated from “Negro Air Corps” pilot training at Tuskegee; 450 were sent overseas for combat assignment. During the same period, about 150 lost their lives while in training or on combat flights. These African American airmen managed to destroy or damage over 409 German airplanes, 950 ground units, and sank a battleship destroyer.

www.lawattstimes.com

They ran more than 200 bomber escort missions during World War II. The untold story, however, is that the Tuskegee Airmen consisted of an additional 14,000 African Americans including navigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support staff, instructors and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. According to Master Sergeant Buford Johnson, flight chief responsible for the maintenance and performance of at least seven airplanes, “We worked 24 hours a day” to make sure the pilots were able to accomplish their mission.

President Harry S. Truman ended segregation in the military in 1948 by Executive Order 9981.

The veteran Tuskegee Airmen now found themselves in high demand throughout the newly integrated United States Air Force. Some taught in civilian flight schools, such as the Black-owned Columbia Air Center in Maryland.

The airfield where the African American airmen trained is now the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. On Nov. 6, 1998, President Clinton approved Public Law 105-355, which established the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moten Field in Tuskegee, Ala., to commemorate and interpret the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Both the Army and Air Force have R.O.T.C. programs on campus of Tuskegee University today.

On 29 March 2007, approximately 300 Tuskegee Airmen (or their widows) received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda. The medal is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution. In 2006, California Congressman Adam Schiff and Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay, Jr., led the initiative to create a commemorative postage stamp to honor the Tuskegee Airmen.

On December 9, 2008, the Tuskegee Airmen were invited to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African American elected as president. Retired Lt. William Broadwater, 82, of Upper Marlboro, a Tuskegee Airman, summed up the feeling: “The culmination of our efforts and others’ was this great prize we were given on Nov. 4 [2008.]

“Now we feel like we’ve completed our mission.”

Thursday, February 9, 2012

ABOVE: In this November 1941 photo, members of the 99th Pursuit Squadron mechanics graduating class examine a Bell YFM-1B Airacuda at Chanute Field in Rantoul, Ill. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Chanute Air Museum via The News-Gazette)

RIGHT: In this September 1941 photo, William Cobb, right, directs Cecil Nelson, second from left, and Jack K. Dorsey, fourth from left, along with other members of the 99th Pursuit Squadron Glee Club at Chanute Field. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Chanute Air Museum via The News-Gazette)

BELOW: In this Jan. 23, 1942 file photo, Major James A. Ellison, left, returns the salute of Mac Ross of Dayton, Ohio, as he inspects the cadets at the Basic and Advanced Flying School for black United States Army Air Corps cadets at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Ala. (AP Photo/U.S. Army Signal Corps, File)

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

RB Ricky Williams says he’s retiring from NFL

BY DAVID GINSBURG | ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP Photo/Paul Connors

Before the scandals: San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, left, and Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa, right, share a laugh in the outfield prior to a game back in 2002.

Baseball Hall to begin drug education program

BY BEN WALKER | ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — The Baseball Hall of Fame is starting a drug education program for students and young adults — in the same year Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa will appear on a ballot for the first time after careers tainted by steroid accusations.

While adding PEDs to RBIs and ERAs among its interests, the Hall emphasized Wednesday that its new initiative wasn’t tied to the former stars up for election or the people who will choose them.

“It is not intended to cast a directive to voters about Hall of Fame worthy candidates,” shrine president Jeff Idelson said.

Mark McGwire, 10th on the career home run list, has never come close to election after admitting he used steroids and human growth hormone. Neither has Rafael Palmeiro, who topped 500 homers and 3,000 hits but was suspended for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds, a seven-time NL MVP, and Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, will appear on the ballot mailed to voters around Thanksgiving. So will Sosa, who hit 609 homers.

The Hall makes no attempt to influence members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America when they pick the players for

Cooperstown.

“Hall of Fame voting has been a part of this nation’s fabric since 1936 and has touted the virtues of character, sportsmanship and integrity, along with the contributions to the game, as integral qualifications for earning election,” Idelson said.

Education is part of the mission for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, along with honoring the game’s greats and displaying artifacts.

The Hall plans to promote a healthy lifestyle that is free of PEDs. The program will be called “Be A Superior Example,” or “BASE” for short, and will work with the Taylor Hooton Foundation and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society.

In the next 18 months, the Hall hopes to conduct a nationwide survey, hold a summit in Cooperstown on drugs and begin a national registry for people to pledge commitments to live free of PEDs. “It is through the education programs that we are able to fulfill our mission of providing context to the issues that have faced our game, as a reflection of American history, throughout its history,” Idelson said.

The program is a further way of teaching youth “about American culture, with topics ranging from history and character education to math and science, through the lens of baseball,” he said.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Ricky Williams is retiring from the NFL. Again.

This time, however, it appears to be for good.

The 34-year-old Williams told the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday he won't be back to fulfill the second year of a contract he signed in August. Playing as a backup to Ray Rice this year, Williams ran for 444 yards and scored two touchdowns.

He also became the 26th player in NFL history to reach 10,000 yards rushing, reaching the plateau in the season finale at Cincinnati.

“The NFL has been an amazing page in this chapter of my life,” Williams said. “I pray that all successive adventures offer me the same potential for growth, success and, most importantly, fun. ... As for what’s next, I am excited about all the opportunities ahead — continuing my education, running The Ricky Williams Foundation and whatever other opportunities present themselves.”

Williams retired previously before the 2004 season when facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. He returned in 2005, then left to spend the 2006 season with Toronto of the Canadian Football League.

After an outstanding college career at Texas, where he won the Heisman Trophy, Williams broke into the NFL in 1999 with the New Orleans Saints. Mike Ditka, then coach of the Saints, traded all the team’s drafts and first- and thirdround picks in 2000 to pick Williams fifth overall.

Williams spent only three years with New Orleans, but during over 11 years in the league he had five 1,000yard rushing seasons and finished with 10,009 yards on the ground.

Williams led the NFL in 2002 with 1,853 yards rushing for the Miami Dolphins and received his lone Pro Bowl invitation that season.

He backed that up with 1,372 yards in 2003, giving him what remains the two most productive rushing seasons in Dolphins history.

Although Williams’ last start was in 2009, he enjoyed coming off the bench for the Ravens.

“It’s been interesting,” he said in November. “It’s been an adjustment for me, but I love the organization and I love my teammates so I’m having a good time. I’m enjoying myself.

Anytime you play a team sport, the success of the team really makes everything better. It’s nice.”

Baltimore went 12-4 this season and lost to New England in the AFC championship game.

During that November interview, Williams was asked whether playing as a backup could possibly extend his career.

“At this point, my focus is just to finish my career strong,” he said.

“I’m not even thinking two or three

AP Photo/Harry Cabluck, File

Is he really retiring: Dolphins’ Ricky Williams.

Miami

years down the line. But one positive about not carrying the ball is my body does feel good.”

Williams scored 73 touchdowns over his career, all but eight of them on the ground. His last score came on Dec. 4 against Cleveland.

“I have to thank coach (John) Harbaugh and the Ravens organization for the opportunity they gave me this year,” Williams said. “I had so much fun and really appreciated the chance to finish on such a great note.”

Williams fit in well with the Ravens and made a lasting impression on Rice, who led the NFL this season with 2,068 yards from scrimmage.

“I was a big fan of Ricky before we were teammates, but being around him this year is the best thing that happened to me in my NFL career,” Rice said. “As a young player, you need to be around a guy who knows what he is doing, and Ricky was tremendous to learn from. The way he took care of his body and the way he prepared, he always showed that he is a true professional. This past season with him is a year I will never forget.

“I had the best year with him beside me, and that was no accident.

I believe that Ricky Williams is a Hall of Famer. All that he has done in his career, he deserves that.”

Harbaugh said during his time in Baltimore, Williams “made a valuable and lasting contribution. I especially enjoyed getting to know him as a person, and I have the utmost respect for him.

“He was great to be around and to work with every single day.”

Thursday, February 9, 2012

11

Billups lost for season Shaq OK with torn Achilles tendon with Kobe

Bryant ahead in NBA scoring

BY JOHN CARUCCI | ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP Photo/John Raoux

Los Angeles Clippers’ Chauncey Billups (#1) is helped off the court after he was injured during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic on Monday in Orlando, Fla. The Clippers won 107102 in overtime.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clippers guard Chauncey Billups will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during Los Angeles’ 107102 victory over the Magic in Orlando on Monday night.

The team says an MRI on Tuesday confirmed Billups' injury.

Billups will return to Los Angeles on Thursday for further evaluation. The Clippers say a date for surgery hasn’t been determined.

The five-time All-Star, whom the Clippers claimed off waivers in December, was averaging 14.9 points and 4.0 assists in 30.4 minutes per game this season.

Billups was having a huge night Monday, scoring 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter when he turned to run up the court and buckled to the ground with 5:48 left in the game. He was surrounded by trainers and teammates but needed assistance on both sides to make it off the court.

Billups, who was selected third overall in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics, is playing for his seventh NBA club. One of them was the Denver Nuggets, who dealt him to New York with Carmelo Anthony as part of a three-team, 13-player trade with Minnesota last February.

Fans bet $94M on Super Bowl at Nevada casinos CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Sports fans bet $93.9 million at Nevada casinos on Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, the most wagered in the past decade.

The Gaming Control Board says unaudited tallies show 184 sports books won a little over $5 million on the football action. New England was about a 3-point

favorite, but the Giants won 21-17.

It was a different story for Nevada casinos when the same two teams played in the 2008 Super Bowl. The Patriots opened as 14point favorites four years ago, but Giants backers bet the line down to 12 points and got paid when New York earned a 17-14 win.

Nevada casinos lost the most money ever on the Super Bowl that year — $2.6 million.

NEW YORK (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal says he’s satisfied being the most dominant Los Angeles Lakers player and has no problem with former teammate Kobe Bryant passing him on the NBA’s career scoring list.

“He’s still playing; I’m not playing, so it was good,” O’Neal said of Bryant moving into fifth place in NBA scoring during Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

“I never wanted to be the best Laker,” O’Neal added, “I wanted to be the most dominant. I was that.”

The comments were a follow-up See SHAQ/KOBE, page 12

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

IFILE – Higher on the list: Shaquille O’Neal is OK with former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant having passed him on the NBA career scoring list.

Bryant surpassed O’Neal and moved into fifth place among NBA scorers despite a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Time Warner Cable to honor African American history

The historic Watts Tower Throughout Black History Month Time Warner Cable will air special themed vignettes celebrating African American heroes on SoCal Channel 101 and Video on Demand.

Time Warner Cable today announced the upcoming broadcasts of special programming that will air throughout the month of February in honor of Black History Month. The themed shows and segments will include programs that highlight the lives, culture and trials and tribulations of notable African Americans throughout history.

Each piece will air on a rotating basis throughout the month of February on SoCal Channel 101, an interactive channel exclusively for Time Warner Cable subscribers as well as on the provider’s Video on Demand (VOD).

The cable company will also

air two special half-hour programs; the first is an interesting and informative segment about Leimert Park, one of the prominent cultural hubs for African Americans in Los Angeles. The second is a look at the history of the Watts Towers, including its origins, survival through the turbulent 1960s and its existence today as an emblematic center in Watts.

All programs will air on Channel 101 throughout the month of February and can also be watched for free anytime on VOD. To access this special programming on VOD, subscribers can tune to Channel 1, select “Local,” then “SoCal’s Best,” then “Black History.”

A full programming schedule, including all Black History Month programming,can be found at http://www.socal101tv.com/socal1 01ezschedule.html.

Chris Brown set to return to Grammys, perform

BY MESFIN FEKADU | ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Brown will perform at this year’s Grammy Awards, the event where his career almost ended three years ago.

Brown admitted assaulting thengirlfriend Rihanna at a pre-Grammy party in 2009 and is serving five years of probation.

The Recording Academy announced Tuesday that Brown will take the Grammy stage Sunday.

Brown’s reputation plummeted after the attack, but he has bounced back, releasing multiple mixtapes and the multi-hit album, “F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies).” He is nominated for three Grammys, including best R&B album.

Rihanna will also perform at the Grammys. She’s nominated for four awards, including the top prize — album of the year — for her platinum effort “Loud.”

Carrie Underwood and Tony Bennett were also announced as performers, as were Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt, who will pay tribute to AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File

Singer Chris Brown will perform at this year’s Grammy Awards, the event where his career almost ended three years ago. Brown assaulted then-girlfriend Rihanna at a preGrammy party in 2009 and is serving five years of probation for the felony attack. Rihanna will also perform at the show. She’s up for four awards.

SHAQ/KOBE Continued from page 11 to a message O’Neal sent Monday night congratulating Bryant.

O’Neal offered his congratulations on Twitter: “Congrats to Kobe for being the greatest laker ever thanks for making us the greatest laker one two punch ever and congrats on passin me up 2 [sic].”

The 33-year-old Bryant is the NBA's leading scorer, averaging 29.4 points. He has 28,601 career points and trails Kareem AbdulJabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

“It’s really a great honor for him and his family,” O’Neal said.

O’Neal says playing with Bryant made up “the best eight years of my life,” contrary to their often fiery relationship as teammates.

O’Neal described it as “marketing.”

“You know we pushed each other,” O’Neal said. “A lot of people thought we really had problems, but the problems I created were just for everyone to look at us, to notice us.”

O’Neal said the media often took it further.

“A lot of those guys don’t really have personality and to get people to look at their paper they added onto it a little bit,” he said.

“It was like a non-TV reality show. People are still talking about it, so obviously I did my job as a marketer.”

Later this month, O’Neal will host the second annual Hall of Game Awards. The high-energy, multi-platform experience lets viewers vote for their favorite sports stars and sports moments of the year. It airs Feb. 20 on the Cartoon Network.

AP Photo/Joel Ryan, file

Singer Rihanna will perform at this year’s Grammy Awards, the event where the career of her then-boyfriend Chris Brown almost ended three years ago. He assaulted her at a pre-Grammy party in 2009 and is serving five years of probation for the felony attack. She’s up for four awards.

blues singer Etta James, who died last month.

Brown and Rihanna were supposed to perform at the 2009 Grammys, but that changed after Brown attacked the pop singer in the early morning hours before the show. Since then, Brown hasn’t attended the Grammys, though he was nominated for three awards last year.

A judge eased a restraining order last February after an attorney for Rihanna said she didn’t object to removing the stay-away provisions.

Brown, 22, has been nominated for Grammys in five of the last six years, though he has never picked up the top prize in music. His song “Look at Me Now,” which features Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, is nominated for best rap song and best rap performance.

Rihanna is the owner of four Grammys, three with Jay-Z. She won a Grammy last year for her No. 1 smash, “Only Girl (In the World)” for best dance recording. In addition to album of the year, her fifth CD “Loud” is up for best pop vocal album. Rihanna is also nominated twice for best rap/sung collaboration for another No.1 jam — the Drakeassisted “What’s My Name?” — and for her guest appearance on Kanye West’s “All of the Lights.”

Thursday, February 9, 2012

13

Jay-Z reaches new Mrs. Obama beats Fallon level, performs at in fitness challenge Carnegie Hall

AP Photo/The White House, Chuck Kennedy

First lady Michelle Obama participates in a tug of war with television host Jimmy Fallon in the Blue Room of the White House during a taping of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” for the second anniversary of the “Let’s Move!” initiative on Jan 25, 2012, at the White House in Washington. The segment aired Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama and “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon turned the White House into a playground to promote the first lady’s “Let’s Move!” fitness campaign.

Mrs. Obama and Fallon did pushups and twirled hula hoops.

They competed at dodge ball and

tug-of-war. And the first lady triumphed over the comedian in a climactic potato sack race.

After a defeated Fallon said, “It doesn’t matter if you won or lost,” the first lady replied, “It matters!”

The segment was taped last month and aired early Wednesday on NBC’s “Late Night” TV talk

show program.

Mrs. Obama has been making the talk-show rounds to celebrate the second anniversary of her campaign against childhood obesity. In the past few weeks she has appeared on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Rachael Ray.”

AP Photo/Donald Traill

Rapper Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, performed on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York on Monday. Ticket sales from the Carnegie Hall shows will benefit the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation and the United Way of New York.

BY MESFIN FEKADU | ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — Jay-Z has entered a new level of music superstardom, performing at Carnegie Hall.

The veteran rapper performed more than two dozen hits at the famed venue Monday night, one of two shows for charity planned this week.

He was backed by an orchestra of 30-plus and a band that included Questlove of The Roots.

Jay-Z got a little emotional during the song “Glory,” about his 1-month-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter. After the song, he said: “That was tough.”

Fellow New Yorkers Alicia Keys and Nas joined Jay-Z onstage.

Ticket sales from the Carnegie Hall shows will benefit the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation and the United Way of New York City.

Jay-Z is the second hip-hop act to perform at the venue. Wyclef Jean did so in 2001.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

SCHOOL SCANDAL Continued from page 2 120 staff members were replaced at the elementary school. This move is the latest attempt by the LAUSD to both safeguard the original staff and proceed with further investigations.

The LAUSD deemed these actions necessary in light of its allegations against Miramonte teachers Paul Berndt, 61, and Martin Springer, 49. Both men were arrested in their respective classrooms last week after an investigation by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department revealed that both teachers had allegedly indulged in inappropriate conduct with students as young as six years of age.

Berndt, who had worked at the school for 32 years, was arrested Mon., Jan. 30, on charges of lewd conduct with 23 children. He was charged with committing lewd acts with children ranging in age from six to 10 between 2005 and 2010.

Berndt’s alleged acts included blindfolding the children and feeding them his own semen in what children were allegedly told was a “tasting game.” An investigation was launched after a film processor at a Redondo Beach CVS turned over photos to police showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces.

Springer was arrested on suspicion of fondling two female students in his classroom.

Angry parents rallied in front of the school Monday alleging that the administration failed to protect their children. Hundreds of parents, children and supporters marched to the South Region High School #2 auditorium Monday evening to attend a public hearing held by LAUSD officials.

LAUSD Board President Monica Garcia issued a statement that stated that the district’s outrage about the allegations: “We are appalled, extremely saddened and devastated to learn of the allegations and events involving teachers at Miramonte Elementary School. Such events should never happen, and when they do occur, we all feel the pain.

“The safety of LAUSD’s students is the priority of this board and our district. We thank the parents who are working with us. At difficult moments such as these, we need parents to continue being involved. Our hearts and minds are with the Miramonte School community, and we will direct every available resource to assist those most directly affected by these unspeakable acts.

“The Board is thankful, confident and supportive of how Superintendent John Deasy is handling the situation. The Board has directed Superintendent Deasy to continue to work diligently with the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department, LAUSD Crisis Counseling Intervention Services and other agencies to provide the necessary

support to the parents and students affected.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, angry parents confronted LAUSD officials and said they had questions about the incidents and the investigation. Although a few of the questions were answered, shouting erupted at the meeting as parents demanded more answers.

Parents of several alleged victims said they are already seeking legal action. It has been claimed that some of the victims notified a school counselor about the alleged abuse but weren’t taken seriously and were reportedly told, “It’s not very good to make things up.”

Several parents expressed their opinions that there was a cover-up; they approached attorneys at the meeting to request business cards.

“When I heard about Mr. Berndt being arrested, I was in shock. I knew him. And then when I heard about Mr. Springer, I couldn’t believe it. My daughter was in Mr. Springer’s class in the fourth grade. It is so disgusting what they were giving those kids.

Now the kids have to be tested for syphilis, HIV and gonorrhea. I’m sad, I’m mad and it is just disgusting. They stole our children’s innocence.”

— Nancy Linares, parent at Miramonte Monday morning “We teach the kids to trust their teachers and to do what they say. This teacher was blindfolding the children and putting cookies with semen on it in their mouths. Who are the children going to trust after this tragedy?”

—Pearlie Godbolt “I was a student here from kindergarten to 6th grade. It was one of the best experiences of my life. When I heard about the two teachers who were arrested, I felt sad and disgusted. I think they should start putting cameras in the classroom. Everyone is watching what's happening here (at Miramonte). It is not an isolated incident. It (abuse) is going on all over the nation.

“You have to stay vigilant and when your children come home, ask them questions. Not just about academics, but ask them about new games they never played or a new room they may have been placed in.”

—Weezie Bolden, 56 According to a statement from Sandi Gibbons, director of communications for the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, the L.A. Sheriff's Department investigated alleged incidents against Berndt in September of 1993. In 1994, the district attorney’s office stated there was insufficient evidence to prove anything had occurred.

“Mr. Springer would touch me before it was time for my mom to pick me up from school.”

—Jarelin, age 14, former student at Miramonte, said Monday morning

J. Cole is in a Jay-Z state of mind

BY MESFIN FEKADU | ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — J. Cole has a huge appetite when it comes to his career.

Although he’s got a platinum single, a gold album and a Grammy nomination for best new artist, he wants more.

“I’m grateful for everything that happened, but I’m not satisfied,” J. Cole said. “There (are) still accomplishments that keep happening from the work that I put in last year and from the last two, three years ... but those are just reminders of the work that I did. That’s in the past.

Like, what’s the next move? That’s my mind state.”

Call it the Jay-Z state of mind.

Jay-Z, who signed J. Cole to his Roc Nation imprint three years ago, said the 27-year-old is a true testament to artist development, which he believes is “missing in music.”

“During that time, he was out on the road, perfecting his craft. The guy that's onstage now is not the guy who first walked through the door,” Jay-Z said.

“Cole World: The Sideline Story” — J. Cole’s debut that is mostly self-produced — was released three days before the Grammy deadline. His competition for best new artist at the Grammys, to be presented Sunday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, includes the ubiquitous singer-rapper Nicki Minaj, electronic DJ-producer Skrillex, critical indie darling Bon Iver and country trio The Band Perry.

“Whether they acknowledge him as the best new artist or not, he was. He put that work in,” Jay-Z said. “He already won.”

AP: It’s rare to see two rap acts nominated for best new artist. How does it feel?

J. Cole: My album came out days before the Grammy deadline, and it’s because I knew I had a shot.

I thought my album was that good ... (and it’s) just an honor to be on that list. Nicki is on that list. To have two hip-hop artists on that list tells you, it says a lot about hip-hop right now.

And even Skrillex, who is a DJ, I know it’s more of an electronic style of music, but the art of DJing comes from hip-hop. So that's crazy to look at that list and see how much hiphop (is there).

AP: Lots of artists are selling singles, but cannot sell albums. Why do you think people are buying your record?

J. Cole: I think with my fans it’s really more about they see themselves in me. Like, there are some rappers that you love them because they’re everything that you will never be. Like, I love (Rick) Ross because he’s telling stories. It’s almost like I’m watching a movie when you hear him. I love that. He’s painting a picture. But I feel like

AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

Timing is everything: J. Cole’s debut album, “Cole World: Sideline Story,” was released three days before the Grammy deadline. He is nominated for best new artist, where he’ll compete with Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver, The Band Perry and Skrillex. when they hear me, it’s like they see themselves in me, like they’re rooting for me like they’re rooting for themselves. So when I win, they feel like they win, too.

AP: What have you learned from Jay-Z? J. Cole: Early in my album process he was like, “When you’re first starting out, it’s good to not know everything.” He made the analogy that when you’re first starting it’s almost like you’re trying to get across a room, but the room is pitch-black, and when you finally get to the other side of the room and you flick on the light, you look back and you realize there were snakes over here, there was a hole over there ... but because you were following your heart, you made the right decision.

AP: He says you’re a success because they gave you time to develop instead of rushing your album out when you had some buzz.

J. Cole: One thing I appreciate about Jay-Z is he let me do it my way and let me figure it out. ... He never compromised or interfered with my creative process. There was a never a point when he was like, “I need to come in and play big brother and show you how to do this.” He let me figure it out, and it feels better to win like that. It feels better winning knowing that I figured this thing out on my own and if it wouldn’t have worked, I would have been OK with bumping my head and failing on my own terms, rather than winning on somebody else’s.

AP: Have you always wanted to be a musician?

J. Cole: I was always a kid that, like, whatever dream I had, I thought I could do it. I wanted to be an astronaut. When I was 6, 7, I (told) my mom I wanted to be a painter. I always wanted to play in the NBA, but I didn’t halfway believe these things, I all-the-way believed them until the new thing came along. And then rap was the last new thing (and) I knew, “This is for real. This is what I want to do.”

AP: You graduated from St. John’s University with a communications degree. What would you be doing if you didn’t get a record deal?

J. Cole: I was good in school, but I never one day imagined doing anything other than what I’m doing right now. I always knew, like, I never had a fallback plan. I was never like, “Oh, if this doesn’t work out, I’ll just go get a job over there.”

Like, nah. Never. I couldn’t. I can’t even. Right now I cannot picture doing anything else.

AP: Did you think about skipping college to focus completely on music?

J. Cole: I didn’t honestly.

Nobody in my family went to school, and my mom put such a big emphasis on college. ... (For) me it wasn’t ... music or college. It was both.

AP: How are you getting ready for the Grammys?

J. Cole: I got a suit ready to go.

Suit is fire ... I’m bringing my mom.

My mom got a dress. My girl got a dress. My homeboys got their suits.

You know. We’re ready. I’m trying to take it home.

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OBAMA Continued from page 4 But he can also be impressed.

In October, as he saluted winners of the National Medals of Science and the National Medals of Technology and Innovation, Obama said: “It’s safe to say that this is a group that makes all of us really embarrassed about our old science projects. You know, the volcano with the stuff coming out with the baking soda inside.

Apparently, that was not a cuttingedge achievement even though our parents told us it was really terrific.”

Robots figure prominently in Obama's catalog of impressive technological innovations. Over the past year he has been introduced to robots that perform tasks from simple retrieval to telecommunications. They often have names — Skrappy, Derp, Ned. Ned, a sewer pipe inspection robot, was featured at the National Robotics Engineering Center at Carnegie Mellon University that Obama toured in June. “This is our guy we’re gonna send into the sewer?” he asked. “He’s sending back data as he’s going through?”

“This is pretty cool,” he concluded.

Robots were prominent during Tuesday’s White House Science Fair too.

But nothing captured Obama’s imagination more than Joey Hudy and his “Extreme Marshmallow Cannon.”

“Let’s try it out!” Obama declared, surprising aides and the handful of reporters who had gathered inside the State Dining Room for the tour. “OK, back up guys,” Obama ordered. “This is a little impromptu.”

Hudy, a precocious 14-year-old from Phoenix who confidently explained the apparatus to the president, began compressing air into his cannon with a tire pump. “Need some help?” Obama asked. Hudy stepped aside and let the president prime the

15

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gun. With two hands, he gave a final push. “That good? All right, OK, here we go.”

Hudy explained the trigger mechanism before firing. With a loud air gun whoosh, the marshmallow projectile struck the far upper corner of the room.

“It came out pretty fast!” the president exclaimed. Then, as if to assure everyone, he added: “It was safe.”

Moments later, he complimented a high school junior on her soluble sugar pack invention. “Tell me when I can buy stock,” he told Hayley Hoverter, 16, a student at the Downtown Business Magnet High School in Los Angeles.

Then he lingered over a rocket exhibit by three young Presidio, Texas, girls. Pointing to one lime green rocket painted with a blue bird and cherry blossoms, Obama said: “This is not like a tough-looking rocket.”

The girls, all English-as-a-second-language students, explained that the rockets must be able to reach a height of 800 feet with payload of two raw eggs, fall to earth with a parachute and leave the eggs intact.

Obama brightened, telling the girls that he knows something about egg drops because he helped his daughter Sasha with a science project.

“We practiced by dropping them from the Truman Balcony,” he said.

“And we had a whole bunch of prototypes and she ended up winning.

Cheerios in like a plastic bottle, and the egg survived.”

“So I’m hip to the whole egg thing.”

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EGYPT Continued from page 7 over the Egyptian military budget.”

The U.S.-Egypt dispute began last month with raids by Egyptian security forces on 17 offices of 10 advocacy groups, actions that were denounced by the U.S. and other countries. It also reinforced charges by Egyptian protesters and activists that the military rulers who took over a year ago from President Hosni Mubarak are perpetuating his regime’s oppressive tactics.

“It is clear to all that this campaign ... aims to take revenge on groups that revealed violations by the military council since it took power,” said a statement by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, a prominent Egyptian rights group.

The investigation into the work of the nonprofit groups is closely linked to the political turmoil that has engulfed the nation since Mubarak’s ouster. The generals charge that the groups fund and support anti-government protests. They claim that “foreign hands” are behind the opposition to their rule and frequently charge that the protesters are receiving funds from abroad in a plot to destabilize the country.

BlackFacts.com February 12, 1930 In Tuskegee, Ala., the Rosenwald Fund makes grants to the Alabama State Board of Health to help meet the cost of a study of syphilis in African American men living in rural Georgia and Alabama. Thus would begin a study of syphilis where over 400 men are allowed to carry the disease without medical treatment for nearly 40 years. Several government agencies, including the Federal Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control, participate in the unethical

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study. It is kept a secret until 1972, when a newspaper reporter discloses it.

February 11, 1644 The first Black legal protest in America, pressed by 11 Blacks who petition for their freedom in “New Netherlands” (later New York), is reported. The Council of New Netherlands frees the 11 petitioners because they had “served the Company 17 or 18 years” and they had been “long since promised their freedom on the same footing as other free people in New Netherlands.”

The dispute between the military and the pro-reform groups has sharply polarized Egypt. And it has raised baffling questions about why the military rulers would risk so much just a few months before they plan to hold presidential elections and hand over power to an elected government at the end of a turbulent transition.

Much like their mentor Mubarak, the ruling generals have been deeply distrustful of the prodemocracy and human rights groups, which have energetically campaigned over much of the past year against the military’s torture of detainees and the hauling of at least 12,000 civilians, many of whom were protesters before military tribunals for their perceived reluctance to dismantle the legacy of Mubarak’s 29-year rule.

Some activists say they are preparing legal cases against the generals for the death of at least a 100 protesters since they took power and their human rights abuses. If such cases go to court, the generals could face charges similar to those for which Mubarak is on trial. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Authorities in Egypt have never been comfortable with nonprofit groups promoting rights and democ-

racy operating in the country. That they are bound by law to register with authorities before they can operate and can only receive foreign funds through official channels have been the two main points of contention between the two sides.

London-based Amnesty International called on Egyptian authorities to drop the charges, saying they are based on “repressive” Mubarakera laws that have been criticized by U.N. bodies for years.

“These international associations have become the latest scapegoats as the authorities desperately spin their story of foreign conspiracies,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North African Program.

Amnesty urged the newly elected parliament, dominated by Islamists, to shoot down a newly proposed civil society draft law proposed by the military-appointed government that seeks to tighten the noose around the work of prodemocracy groups and maintains restrictions on foreign funding and political activities of such organizations Associated Press writers Donna Cassata in Washington and Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Grammy week begins ®

Grammy Glam gets the party started, celebrating the empowerment of women in music and glamour

BY JOY CHILDS, SENTINEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER It’s official: The 2012 GRAMMY® week has been kicked off. The Grammys are, in fact, the music industry’s biggest night, with the week before consisting of concerts and educational events.

But this year’s festivities weren’t only about L.A.’s leading art form.

Rather, “Grammy Glam” was a celebration of the intersection of music, glamour and fashion. It also was an acknowledgment of the power of women in those worlds.

The actual Grammy awards shows may be this Sunday but the My House night club in the heart of Hollywood was where it was at on Tuesday night.

Formerly the Garden of Eden, located at La Brea and Hollywood, the club hosted this first-ever showcase for the Recording Academy, which partnered with CoverGirl, Olay and Venus in a setting that provided the beautiful people in attendance a place to see and be seen, to dress to impress and to indulge in their products.

Outside on the red carpet, celebrities from the worlds of music and television graced the red carpet.

Among those people were Meagan Tandy, Miss California 2007, who currently plays Lulu Pope in “Jane by Design,” which airs on Tuesdays on

ABC Family. She’ll also soon be seen in a remake of “Piranha 3DD.” Tandy was especially excited about the empowerment aspect of the kickoff event because she has an organization called Deeper than Diamonds, which is an initiative to inspire and empower women to be financially independent, realize their self-worth, set goals and help them recognize their skills and talents in order to leave their legacy and mark on the world.

Also in attendance were Bay Area diva Goapele, who makes it a point to regularly come down south for these kinds of affairs; up-and-coming recording artist and major fashionista Niré AllDai, best known for her 2011 “Shut Up & Party” video; a dressed-down but snappy Jesse Williams from “Grey’s Anatomy”; actor Dejuan Turrentine (nephew of jazz sax great, Stanley Turrentine) and his sidekick Prince Syc; a svelte and glamorous Carmelita Jeter, today’s fastest woman in the world; and hostesses for the evening AKA The Glam Squad.

Inside, the venue was lined with wall-to-wall knockout women in 5- to 6-inch heels and form-fitting, hip-hugging mini-dresses, and men, in natty sports jackets, sharp sweaters, and highend leather jackets, a few even sporting stingy brims. There were beautythemed rooms designed to spotlight

THE 43rd NAACP IMAGE AWARDS OFFICIAL VIEWERS’ GUIDE is now online

models striking Vogue poses for photographers. There were models in wild costumes and hideous masks — and there was even a room set aside for a female contortionist!

The drinks were flowing and the sushi was rolling all night long. Female fans had the opportunity to showcase their spinning skills by entering the “GRAMMY Glam” room, and one lucky winner was spotlighted during hot new DJ duo The Jane Doze’s opening act.

It was all very hedonistic, to say the least. With DJs like Salt and Pepa’s Spinderella doing their DJ thing, it was also very easy to get lost in the sights, scenes and rhythms of the night.

Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, when asked how this whole thing had come about, replied: “We were looking for something a little different … something we hadn’t done. We asked ourselves, what haven’t we showcased? We’d thought about the intersection of beauty and fashion and music, and thought, What a fun way to kick off the week — by having people who look good, and feel good, and smell good, and sound good … so that’s basically what we got. “ That, they did.

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards airs this Sun., Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. PST on CBS. Kanye West leads all nominees.

DJ Spinderella was looking fierce — and spinning the night away.

Goapele blew the fellas away in black.

http://www.naacpimageawards.net/43/home/

Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy.

9 9 9 9

Featuring: Women in Film Challenging Convention Best Men of Prime Time Your Favorite Celebrities Speak — Uncensored Award Nominees

... & Much More Tune in to the 43rd NAACP Image Awards Friday, February 17, at 8/7C on NBC!

Carmelita Jeter Jesse Williams

Photos by BILL JONES