W E E K E N D E R
Vol. XXX, No. 1273
www.lawattstimes.com
Thursday, March 1, 2012
L.A. Watts Times
SEE PAGES
6-7
2
Thursday, March 1, 2012
HOROSCOPES
March 1 - 7
A
L
T
S
G C L
V
ibra ~ Expect the unexpected this month when it comes to love and your partner or ex. What happens now can’t be predicted. If you’re surrounding yourself with lovely people, it should be good news. However, if you have joined forces with someone you know is unreliable, you could be reminded about why that’s obviously a bad idea. Remember to learn the lesson. corpio ~ There could be changes for you at work this month and they could be very positive, and perhaps even good for your bank account. If you didn’t like what happened in February, now would be a good time to think about how you can change your daily routines so that you are more able to have the life you want. agittarius ~ You should feel as though your life is healing on about ten different levels this month as your ruler Jupiter connects with the wounded healer Chiron. Think about where you have been hurt in the past and if you are now ready to let those hurts go. Holding on to pain from the past is a natural human reflex but it’s rarely helpful. apricorn ~ There could be big changes regarding your home life, your actual home or family this month — if so, go with them rather than trying to fight things. When it comes to your private life, you are in a long cycle whereby the more flexible you are about doing things differently, the happier you are going to be. It’s that simple. quarius ~ It’s very much time for you to throw away your old ideas from childhood about who you are and what others think about you. If anyone ever said anything to hurt you, see those unkind words as though they’re written in sand on the shore and let the tide wash them away. Visualize it. This is the month for you to heal your selfesteem. The coming year and the rest of your life will be better once you do this. It’s your birthday gift from the heavens, so lap it up! isces ~ Expect the unexpected regarding love or money this month, and you shouldn’t be too far off in your expectations! Don’t worry; what happens now could be fabulous as long as you still really and truly believe in yourself. Overall, this is a month for you to let go of past fears and to remember that we re-create our lives every day.
5
S
C
A special tribute to veterans, hosted by President Barack Obama.
A
6
P
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
8
Circulation ..................................................................................50,000 The opinions expressed by contributing writers are not necessarily those of the L.A. Watts Times. The L.A. Watts Times is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, CDs or tapes. CIRCULATION AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL
WASHINGTON (AP) — Richard Nixon threw a huge gala for former Vietnam POWs. Harry Truman cheered at multiple parades honoring World War II veterans. Andrew Johnson presided over a two-day review of Union troops at end of the Civil War. President Barack Obama honored the more than 1 million American troops who served in Iraq by welcoming a small cross-section to a formal dinner — about 78 — at
HOUSTON (AP) — A former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman has sued the NFL, alleging concussions have affected his short-term memory and caused migraine headaches and other health problems. Michael Myers’ lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Houston. It accuses the NFL of negligence, fraud and conspiracy in its handling of head injuries. The Cowboys drafted Myers was drafted by the Cowboys in 1998
WWW.LAWATTSTIMES.COM
EMAIL: wattsweekender@yahoo.com
BY NANCY BENAC | ASSOCIATED PRESS
the White House on Wednesday. The dinner for 200 people included service members from all 50 states and from U.S. territories and from all branches of the military. Some of them were in their 20s, some in their 50s. One served just months in Iraq; one deployed six times. Some left the military with life-altering wounds; most still serve. One African American major, Eldridge R. Singleton, is from Chula Vista, Calif. A widow represented the families of the nearly 4,500 Americans who died.
Former Cowboys lineman sues NFL over concussions
Beverly Cook – Publisher, Managing Editor 1976 – 1993 Charles Cook – Publisher 1976 – 1998 Melanie Polk – Publisher 1998 – 2010 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
With dinner for a few, Obama honors all Iraq vets
10 MOMBASA SQUARE ANSWERS FROM 2-23-12
POLL RESULTS
ries ~ The planet of love and abundance enters your sign this month, giving you your annual chance to improve your love life and your finances. If you’re feeling jealous or anxious about love/money, face your fears. You could heal yourself … deeply. Facing fears often makes bad things go away. Love-wise, this is the time to restructure and rebuild. Don’t rush anything. aurus ~ This is a potentially amazing month for you, as you have a chance to heal from upsets in your past. Focus on happiness and joy rather than on any of the negative things which have happened to you. At work, you have an excellent chance to change things around so that you feel more secure about your career path/ambitions. emini ~ The plus side this month is that you could be feeling totally inspired by your career. And if you think “That’s not going to happen” — watch out! We create our reality with our thoughts! Having said that, if you’re feeling confused about your career direction, your best bet by far is to go with your instincts rather than being “practical.” ancer ~ There could be a wonderful surprise at work this month. If things seem out of control, just “go with the flow.” It’s definitely the way to handle any unexpected curve balls. When it comes to dealing with others, don’t let tensions around Valentine’s Day upset you too much. Everything could be sorted out nicely. Top overall tip: Communicate! eo ~ There could be a surprise from interstate or overseas this month, connected to love or money. For Leos who are trying to improve their working life, this is the time for you to talk things through with someone who can help. If you’re really lost, talking to an actual career counselor could be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself professionally. irgo ~ You will be pushing water uphill this month if you try too hard to get too much done. In other words, take five and relax a little. There is a reason for things being delayed. Take time to heal any issues you have with one of the most important people in your life — it’ll work! Financially, there's a surprise ahead.
Inside This Edition
and played six seasons for Dallas before finishing a 10-year career with the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals. An NFL spokesman said Tuesday the league hadn’t seen Myers’ suit, but added that any allegation it intentionally sought to mislead players has “no merit.” The complaint is the latest in a series of suits by former NFL players alleging they’ve been impaired by concussions.
Do you believe in sex before marriage? 59.9%
Yes
40.1%
No
Visit www.lasentinel.net to vote for Weekender polls.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
3
State legislators investigate how to help young men of color thrive BY DANNY J. BAKEWELL JR. CONTRIBUTING WRITER
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the State Department's national security and foreign policy priorities in the fiscal 2013 international affairs budget.
Clinton says U.S. moving on Iran sanctions BY DONNA CASSATA | ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton insists the Obama administration is moving swiftly to impose tough new sanctions on Iran amid concerns in Congress that the White House won't be aggressive enough in cracking down on financial institutions that do business with Tehran’s Central Bank. “What we are intending to do is to ratchet up these sanctions as hard and fast as we can, follow what’s going on inside Iran, which seems to be a lot of economic pressures that we think does have an impact on decision-making,” Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. The first round of penalties under the far-reaching defense bill that President Barack Obama signed into law on Dec. 31 went into effect Wednesday, and lawmakers expected an announcement from the administration on the steps it plans to take to thwart Iran’s disputed nuclear program. The United States, the European Union and others have slapped a rapid series of sanctions on Tehran; Congress added to the penalties late last year. The law says that 60 days after enactment, the president must impose sanctions on any privately owned foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct or facilitate any significant financial transaction with the Central Bank of Iran for any purpose other than the purchase of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. In a fact sheet issued this week, the Treasury Department said the regulations “contain various time-based triggers for the imposition of sanctions, beginning Feb. 29, subject to certain exceptions authorized by the statute.” Clinton said the administration and Congress were on the same page regarding Iran and sanctions. “The administration has been unequivocal about its policy toward Iran. With your good work and our efforts, we have passed the MenendezKirk sanctions. We are implementing those sanctions. There has never been
anything like them that the world has ever agreed upon,” she told the committee. “We are diligently reaching out around the world to get agreements from countries for whom it’s quite difficult to comply with our sanctions. But they are doing the best they can. ... We are focused on the toughest form of diplomacy and economic pressure to try to convince Iran to change course, and we have kept every option on the table.” Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., pushed for the sanctions in the defense bill, and in a rare unanimous vote, the Senate backed them 100-0. During Clinton’s testimony, Menendez pressed her on the administration’s enforcement of the new sanctions. Menendez raised concerns about the criteria the administration was using to determine whether a country had achieved significant reductions in the purchase of petroleum. The Energy Information Administration was scheduled to issue both a classified and unclassified report Wednesday on the availability and supply of non-Iranian-produced oil, reflecting the current production rate and the total reserve. The report will be the basis for whether the administration proceeds with the next round of sanctions. “Can I presume that in the absence of a national security waiver under the law, that all countries will be required to actually make significant reductions in their purchases during each of the 180-day period?” Menendez asked. Clinton said the administration expects to see significant reductions. “We’ve been aggressively reaching out to and working with countries to assist them in being able to make such significant reductions,” she said. Clinton said the administration has had “very intense and very blunt” conversations with India, China and Turkey. “Both on their government side and on their business side, they are taking actions that go further and deeper than perhaps their public statements might lead you to believe, and we’re See CLINTON, page 9
FACT: Research shows that young men of color have the lowest life expectancy rates, highest unemployment rates and lowest graduation rates of any population in Los Angeles. To improve outcomes for young men of color, local leaders, experts and youth shared Los Angeles’ innovative health, education and juvenile justice models for possible statewide expansion. LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 2, 2012) — Today, California state legislators gathered in Los Angeles for a third hearing investigating ways to improve the lives of young men of color in the state. Expert testimony focused on multiple areas, including establishing common-sense school discipline and law enforcement policies. “Los Angeles needs its young men. All of them. But today, boys and young men of color face unique and significant barriers to their well-being,” said Kafi D. Blumenfield, president and CEO of the Liberty Hill Foundation. “That’s why community leaders in Los Angeles are pioneering approaches to help young men overcome those barriers to lead successful lives.” See YOUNG MEN OF COLOR, page 10
Young men of color enjoying a day at Venice Beach. Insets: Speaker J. Perez (l) and Assemblyman S. Swanson (r).
4
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Autism not diagnosed as Judge: Mich. hit early in minority children man’s confession Matthew Lemon, center, shown here with his brother Joshua and sister Victoria in Randallstown, Md., was diagnosed with autism at age 2. His mother says he was lucky to have begun treatment for developmental delays as early as he began. AP Photo/Lemon Family
BY LAURAN NEERGAARD | ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — Early diagnosis is considered key for autism, but minority children tend to be diagnosed later than White children. Some new work is beginning to try to uncover why — and to raise awareness of the warning signs so
more parents know they can seek help even for a toddler. “The biggest thing I want parents to know is we can do something about it to help your child,” says Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimore’s Kennedy Krieger Institute, who is exploring the barriers that different populations face in getting that help.
Her preliminary research suggests even when diagnosed in toddlerhood, minority youngsters have more severe developmental delays than their White counterparts. She says cultural differences in how parents view developmental milestones, and how they interact with doctors, may play a role. Consider: Tots tend to point before See AUTISM, page 11
won’t clear teen BY ED WHITE | ASSOCIATED PRESS DETROIT (AP) — A judge refused Tuesday to throw out a teenager’s guilty plea to four slayings in a Detroit drug den, despite the confession of a hit man in prison for other murders who said he never used the one-eyed, learning-disabled boy as an accomplice. The decision was a major setback for Davontae Sanford, who at age 14 took responsibility for the killings in his neighborhood and at age AP Photo/Michigan Dept. Corrections 15 pleaded guilty to sec- FILE - Davontae Sanford was just 14 when ond-degree murder. His he told police that he killed four people in a attorney has been trying to drug den, drawing their bodies like stick figwithdraw the plea for ures to show where the victims had died. more than three years, Sanford now insists his confession was a lie. especially after Vincent Smothers, an admitted hit man Sanford had no role. But the judge routinely hired by drug dealers, ruled that Smothers had earlier told police he was the gunman on opportunities to speak. Sanford’s appellate lawyer, Runyon Street. Wayne County Judge Brian Kim McGinnis, has said Sanford Sullivan noted in his ruling that a has a low IQ and was trying to gun directly linked to the killings please police when he walked up was found at a home used by a to investigators immediately after Smothers ally and said some por- the killings. The teen’s confession was recorded, and tions of Smothers’ statement “do never reflect a detailed depiction of the McGinnis claims police fed scene of the crime and a plausible Sanford details about the crime scene. version of what happened.” The prosecutor’s office has Nonetheless, the judge said, “Smothers’ statement does not consistently fought to uphold the automatically exonerate” Sanford, conviction, although it concedes Smothers probably had a role. He who is now 19. Smothers, who is serving a 52- never has been charged. “There was insufficient eviyear prison sentence for eight other murders, recently told The dence to support the withdrawal of Associated Press that he’s willing Sanford’s guilty plea that took to go to court to explain that place while the trial was in progress. We are very pleased with Judge Sullivan’s decision denying his motion,” spokeswoman Maria Miller said Tuesday. McGinnis said an appeal is planned. “It’s a shame that an innocent kid has to stay in prison longer,” she said. “It’s a shame that Judge Sullivan would not permit testimony from the true perpetrator, who wants to exonerate an innocent person.” The judge cited other issues in his 30-page decision. He said a retired Detroit homicide investigator's insistence that he was with Sanford at the AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File time of the killings was FILE - Vincent Smothers, seen here, said he’s false, based on cellphone willing to testify that Davontae Sanford, then records. William Rice 14, had nothing to do with the fatal shootings See HIT MAN of four people. CONFESSION, page 10
Thursday, March 1, 2012
5
For Blacks, mix of ‘Help’ emotions on Oscar night BY JESSE WASHINGTON | ASSOCIATED PRESS
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Octavia Spencer, in accepting the Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for “The Help,” is congratulated by Viola Davis, left, during the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012. Help,’ I wanted to hug the first Black woman that I saw, which from Beverly Hills is a 45-minute drive.” Presenting an animation award, Chris Rock said the voice genre allowed fat women to play skinny or a wimp to play a gladiator. “And if you’re a Black man, you can play a donkey or a zebra. You can’t play White, oh my God!” Rock’s observation resonated with Monika Brooks, a diversity consultant and self-described “movie dork.” “The problem is not that Davis played a maid,” she said. “The problem is there’s not more Black people in real-
UNICEF: Millions of kids live in urban squalor BY OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ | ASSOCIATED PRESS MEXICO CITY (AP) — Millions of children are growing up in squalid urban areas and denied basic services despite living close to them, the United Nations Children’s Fund said Tuesday. UNICEF said children living in slums and shantytowns often lack water, electricity and health care, and it urged policy makers to ensure urban planning meets the needs of children. The agency said it is common for statistics to show that, on average, children growing up in cities are better off than those in rural areas, which often leads to missing the plight of poor, urban children. “This conceals the fact that the greatest inequities are found within towns and cities,” it said. “In most urban areas, great opportunity and great deprivation exist side by side.”
UNICEF said more than onethird of children in urban areas don’t ever get birth certificates, which means they are invisible to authorities and can’t get into social programs. This rises to half of all children in parts of Africa and Asia, two of the world's regions seeing the fastest migration from rural to urban areas. More than half of the world’s population lives in cities and towns, including a billion children. By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s people are expected to live in urban areas, UNICEF said. Many poor children in urban areas don’t go to school and instead are forced to work to help their families, often in dangerous jobs. Tens of millions of children live or work on the streets and “the number is rising with global population growth, migration and increasing urbanization,” the report said. Children are also vulnerable to
people traffickers. UNICEF said nearly 2.5 million people are in forced labor as a result of trafficking, and a quarter to half of them are children. Nearly 8 million children died in 2010 before reaching the age of 5, about a third of them from hunger, the agency said. The rest died of pneumonia, diarrhea or birth complications. In urban areas, poor sanitation and overcrowding drive up child mortality, UNICEF said. “When we think of poverty, the image that traditionally comes to mind is that of a child in a rural village,” UNICEF director Anthony Lake said in a statement. “But today, an increasing number of children living in slums and shantytowns are among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in the world, deprived of the most basic services and denied the right to thrive.”
ly good roles.” Few, if any, Black Hollywood executives have the power to “green-light” a film for production. Of the 5,765 people who vote on the Oscars, nearly 94 percent are white and 77 percent are male, according to a new Los Angeles Times study. The median voter age is 62. That’s why Brooks was not sur-
prised by “The Help” being made or crestfallen when Davis didn’t win: “Whoever writes the checks writes the rules.” As the Oscars approached, “The Help” was lambasted in some quarters of the Black community. Many perceived it as another instance of Black See OSCAR NIGHT, page 11
HAVE YOU BEEN DENIED YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS? Let me assist you. There is NO Fee until we win. Jacquelyn Brown, Disability Appeals Rep.
(323) 756-3755
business card bulletin board
Despite torrents of debate among African-Americans over the merits of the segregation-era movie “The Help,” most still hoped that Viola Davis, who plays a maid, would become just the second Black winner of the best actress Oscar. And so there was widespread disappointment when Davis lost the Academy Award to Meryl Streep on Sunday night. Still, ambivalence tinged the reaction: Besides regret that the ranks of Black Oscar winners remained small, many felt relief that a role viewed as stereotypical was not honored. “Oohhhhhhhnnnnnnooooooooooo oooo,” wailed Robinne Lee on Twitter. Lee, a Black actress who has appeared in films such as “Seven Pounds” and “Hotel for Dogs,” said in an interview that Streep embodies excellence and deserved to win. “But Viola had so much hype this year, and there was so much excitement, and it conjured up so much controversy in the Black community about this role. So (the loss) was disappointing.” Yet Lee felt a mix of emotions, since she is eager to see more diverse movie casts in a wider variety of roles. Adding to the conundrum was the best supporting actress victory of Octavia Spencer, who played another maid in “The Help.” Prior to Sunday, only 13 Black
actors had won Hollywood’s highest honor in the Oscars’ 84-year history. Only Halle Berry had been chosen best actress, for playing a wounded soul who finds solace in the arms of a White man in “Monster’s Ball.” In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Oscar, for a supporting role as a maid called Mammy in the Dixie-glorifying “Gone With the Wind.” Since then, a high percentage of Black Oscar nominees and winners have played characters such as slaves, African despots, welfare recipients, dysfunctional mothers, drug-addicted musicians or drugdealing cops. With Spencer’s award, maid roles are responsible for two of the six Oscars won by Black actresses. Streep, meanwhile, earned the third Oscar of her transcendent career for playing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Which made Lee wonder: “How inspiring would it be if we could be nominated in roles where we are playing kings, queens, politicians, writers, artists, dancers. We could soar.” The debate over “The Help” made Hollywood’s racial issues a recurring theme of Oscar night. During a skit about what actors were thinking, host Billy Crystal imagined this for Davis: “I want to thank my writer and director for creating the role of a strong Black woman that wasn’t played by Tyler Perry.” He also quipped: “When I came out of ‘The
6
F E AT U R E
Thursday, March 1, 2012
L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER
African American Radio Journalists Demand KFI 640 AM and Clear Channel Be Held Accountable
Group says diversity at Clear Channel across the country and KFI in particular are the problem with top news talk stations
KFI has 14 shows, and 13 of them are hosted by white males, there are no African Americans in the newsroom. ~ Jasmyne Cannick
ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID G . BROWN
BY DANNY J. BAKEWELL, JR. LAWT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Mon., Feb. 27, a coalition of Blacks in radio broadcasting, media and business met with KFI 640 AM’s management and show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou of the “John and Ken Show” to confront them about calling Whitney Houston a “crack ho” just three days after the singer’s death . (Editor’s note: Toxicology reports have not been released, so no oƥcial cause of death — including any drug-related cause — had been determined at press time.) The group, which consisted of some of Black radio’s biggest local leaders, joined forces to decry the co-hosts’ comment, which at the very least was racially insensitive or, more to the point, downright racist. There was Lee Bailey, 30-year radio broadcasting pioneer and founder and CEO of the Electronic Urban Report (EURweb); talk radio veteran, community leader and host Dominique DiPrima of “The Front Page” on KJLH 102.3; Kevin Ross, a former KABC and KFI host and current host of the syndicated television program “America’s Court with Kevin Ross”; L.C. “Chris” Strudwick-Turner, vice president of marketing and communications for the Los Angeles Urban League; Isidra Person-Lynn, former talk radio host, producer and public aơairs director at KJLH and journalist; and communications strategist Jasmyne Cannick. “KFI has 14 shows, and 13 of them are hosted by White males. … There are no African Americans in the newsroom,” observed Jasmyne Cannick. “This fosters an environment where negative comments can happen. … Clear Channel, the parent company of KFI, is not living up to its parent company’s commitment to diversity,” she added. Coalition members said the station’s lack of diversity has led to an insensitivity toward minorities that has resulted in caustic comments by John and Ken as well as by other personalities, such as Bill Handel and Tim Conway Jr. After identifying four specific goals they felt needed to be met, KFI management promised to get back to them within 72 hours with a plan to address the coalition’s concerns: 1. The hiring of more African Americans as on-air talent — in full-time, weekend and fill-in host capacities. 2. Similar to cable outlets, the station should feature paid KFI contributing commentators who can discuss issues with the on-air personalities from diverse perspectives. 3. Clear Channel must employ more African
www.lawattstimes.com
Thursday, March 1, 2012
7
When you don’t have workplace diversity, it becomes okay to call a Black Woman a crack ho. ~ Black Media Coalition
Americans behind the scenes, such as producers, engineers, sales representatives, professionals in marketing and promotions as well as college interns of color. Of course, this commitment should not be limited to KFI. 4. Specifically, KFI needs to collaborate with online news and entertainment sites owned by African Americans and broaden its listening audience through community outreach events and public aơairs. Following the 90-minute meeting, the coalition released a statement that in part read: “Given Clear Channel’s stated view on the value they place on diversity, it is our belief that leadership on the importance of diversity must start at the top. KFI AM 640 is Clear Channel’s #1 AM radio station in the country in the news/talk category and the most listened-to station in Southern California, according to the Los Angeles Arbitron Portable People meter ratings between January 6 and February 2, 2012. “John and Ken’s unfortunate and insensitive comments regarding Whitney Houston unmasked a deeper problem that continues to go unchecked. Simply put, when you don’t have workplace diversity, it becomes okay to call a Black woman a ‘crack ho.’ ” It should be noted that Clear Channel, which is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a privately held entity of Bain Capital; this company is based out of Boston, Mass. One of the founders of Bain Capital is Republican nominee and presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. “Systemic change has to happen,” said StrudwickTurner. “They have to come back to us with a solid plan to improve the situation.” Rev. Eric Lee, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California — who was not part of the coalition but who applauded the coalition for their eơorts — had this to say: “I applaud the coalition for addressing this issue and for taking the initiative to hold both KFI and Clear Channel accountable. While both KFI and Clear Channel are privately held companies, the public airwaves are just that — PUBLIC — and belong to everyone. I trust Clear Channel will do the right thing and honor their commitment to the coalition. But, if they don’t, I, along with a number of other community organizations, am prepared to join with the coalition and begin pressuring advertisers to boycott KFI and all of Clear Channel’s other businesses, including their billboard advertising, as well as ask both the state legislature and the FCC to take a hard look and conduct hearings regarding their policies and procedures and hold them accountable.” Stay tuned for further developments.
Journalist and communications strategist Jasmyne Cannick discusses the “crack ho” incident with KFI’s Ken Chiampou and John Kobylt of the “John and Ken Show” (Credit: Isidra Person-Lynn)
KFI’s program director Robin Bertolucci expressing her willingness to address the issues of access and employment at KFI of AfricanAmericans. (Credit: Gregory Everett)
8
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Griffin believes he was even faster at combine BY STEPHEN HAWKINS | ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ANTONIO GONZALEZ | ASSOCIATED PRESS
WACO, Texas (AP) — Robert Griffin was able to impress teams and scouts without throwing a pass at the NFL combine. There was his official time of 4.41 seconds in the 40yard dash, fastest among quarterbacks, and the Heisman Trophy winner believes he ran even faster. And there were interviews with at least eight teams, including the Indianapolis Colts, who have the No. 1 draft pick. “I think I was able to go out there and affirm to the scouts how athletic I am, or impress them even more,” Griffin said Monday. “I was able to show people that I am as advertised. I’m a good guy. I like to make people laugh. I can’t remember a meeting I didn’t go in and we weren’t laughing. “You go there and do what you’re supposed to do, AP Photo/Dave Martin create a buzz for yourself,” he Will he go to the Indianapolis Colts?: said. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Maybe Griffin gave the Neither Griffin or Luck threw Colts more to consider amid consistent speculation that they will use the top over the weekend. They will wait until pick April 26 on Stanford’s Andrew their pro days later this month. As for his already-impressive 40Luck, the Heisman runner-up. If nothing else, RG3 likely created yard dash, Griffin said he was given a even more of a premium for the No. 2 better time when he had finished runpick held by St. Louis. The Rams ning. He said his representatives are already have a young quarterback in checking into that. “I was told on the field that it was Sam Bradford and could be willing to deal the pick. See GRIFFIN, page 11
Bryant has concussion to go with broken nose
AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
Western Conference’s Kobe Bryant (24), of the Los Angeles Lakers, reacts after Dwyane Wade’s hard smack to his nose, during the second half of the NBA All-Star basketball game on Sunday in Orlando, Fla. A bloodied Bryant scored 27 points.
Sacramento, Kings and NBA reach tentative arena deal
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — In moving past Michael Jordan as the career scoring leader in Sunday’s AllStar game, Kobe Bryant also sustained a concussion and a broken nose. The Los Angeles Lakers say Bryant saw a neurologist on Tuesday and he diagnosed the concussion. The All-Star guard will see Dr. Vern Williams again on Wednesday, and his status for that night’s home game against Minnesota is day-to-day. Bryant was first examined Tuesday by an ear, nose and throat specialist, who confirmed his broken nose and referred him to Williams. Bryant was injured during Sunday night’s game in Orlando, Fla. He was struck by Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, who said Tuesday that he has apologized to Bryant for breaking his nose.
Building a new arena for the Sacramento Kings has never been closer to reality. The city, the Sacramento Kings and the NBA announced a tentative deal Monday to finance a new arena that would keep the team in California’s capital for the long haul. The City Council will vote on the plan March 6. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, NBA Commissioner David Stern and the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, emerged from three days of talks in Orlando, Fla., — where they had been negotiating during All-Star weekend — to announce that the framework of a deal had been reached, giving fans some 3,000 miles away in the Central Valley reason to cheer for a comeback story that fittingly came straight out of Fantasyland. “I think when we left Sacramento and came to Orlando, you guys asked me how close were we. I thought it was a free throw — and you need to make two free throws,” Johnson told reporters at a news conference at the Waldorf Astoria at Walt Disney World. “I think the city made the first free throw, and the Maloof family made the second free throw. “It’s game over.” Well, almost . . . Under the proposed terms of the deal, the city will contribute $200$250 million to the estimated $387 million arena, mostly by leasing out parking garages around the facility, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the full financing plan will not be made public until at least Thursday, said Sacramento also will create revenue through a ticket surcharge. The Maloofs have agreed to contribute $75 million in upfront cash, which includes the sale of land around the team's current suburban arena, along with paying off a current $67 million loan to the city and contributing more over the course of the deal. Arena operator AEG also agreed to pay almost $60 million. “I think it’s great for our community,” a tearful Gavin Maloof said. “I’m glad it’s finally coming to an end after 13 years. It's been a long road.” The Kings almost moved to Anaheim, Calif., a year ago before Johnson and city leaders convinced the league to give Sacramento one last chance to help finance an arena. At one point, Johnson — a former NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns — even called the process a “slow death” and likened the city’s efforts to a “Hail Mary.” Johnson made a desperate pitch to the NBA Board of Governors last April to give the city a final chance to come up with an arena plan. He also bought time by presenting more than $10 million in commitments for new advertising, ticket purchases and other financial support from regional businesses for this season. The NBA’s relocation committee, headed by Oklahoma City owner Clay Bennett, who moved the team now known as the Thunder from Seattle in 2008, recommended that the league give
AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, file
FILE - Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announces that the city of Sacramento, the NBA basketball and the Kings have a tentative deal to finance a new arena that would keep the team in California’s capital. the city a shot to follow through — and handed down a March 1 deadline to come up with a plan to help finance an arena. In the end, the deal was strong enough to convince the Maloofs to stay — pending the City Council’s approval. “This is a great day for Sacramento, a great day for the Maloof family, a great day for the NBA,” Joe Maloof said. “I’d like to thank the mayor for all of his hard work and efforts throughout the years and, of course, the commissioner for all of his support and everything he’s done for the NBA. Our family is just so excited that we have the framework for a deal. We’ve always said we wanted to stay in Sacramento and now here’s our opportunity.” Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait, whose city nearly landed the Kings last year and remains the most likely option to lure the team if the deal crumbles, congratulated Sacramento while also reminding the league that Anaheim is a viable option in the future. “Anaheim remains NBA-ready, and I look forward to the day we will have our own NBA team, but today I offer my best wishes to Sacramento. Well done,” Tait said. Despite attempts by Anaheim and Seattle to swoop in and lure the Kings, the fate of the franchise is in the hands of the Sacramento City Council — which has approved every arena measure to date under the current project. The arena, which would open for the 2015-16 season in the downtown Sacramento rail yards, is a vote away from breaking ground. “I’ve had the great pleasure . . . of opening up two arenas and I’m looking forward to opening up a third in Sacramento,” Stern said. “I want the Maloof family to get back to Sacramento fast because I’ve asked them to get those renewals out for next season.”
Thursday, March 1, 2012
9
50 Cent reflects on trip to Africa
Erykah Badu sad but not angry over Malaysian ban BY SEAN YOONG | AP
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, and rapper 50 Cent sit courtside during the NBA All-Star Shooting Stars basketball competition in Orlando, Fla., this past Saturday. BY STACY A. ANDERSON | ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — When 50 Cent announced that part of the proceeds from his new energy drink would be used to help fight hunger in Africa, some questioned whether his motives were genuine. But the rapper says he’s making a difference, and since a visit to the continent earlier this month, he’s a changed man. “It enlightened me in different ways,” 50 Cent said. “To actually see people under the circumstances that I saw was a totally different experience. I don’t think you can prepare yourself for that, no matter how many times you’ve seen the images.” The rapper-turned-humanitarian flew to Kenya and Somalia with the World Food Program earlier this month to witness the effects of hunger firsthand. He has a goal to provide one billion meals to hungry children over the next five years. Every purchase of Street King, an energy drink the rapper promotes and launched last fall, will provide a meal for a person in need through the United Nations’ program. So far, the rapper says he’s provided more than 3.5 million meals. 50 Cent said he was touched by the children he visited in Nairobi, the capitol of Kenya. He said the children were oblivious to their living
CLINTON Continued from page 3 going to continue to keep an absolute foot on the pedal in terms of our accelerated aggressive outreach to them. And they, you know, they are looking for ways to make up the lost revenues, the lost crude oil,” Clinton said. An outside sanctions expert who has advised the administration said there were plenty of examples of foreign companies engaging in transactions that would be subject to sanctions beginning Wednesday.
situation and showed the same optimistic energy you would see from American kids on the playground. “They have one meal a day, the same meal every day,” he said. “There’s nothing there — within their eyes and the way that they interacted with each other — that would indicate that they feel deprived in any way. They are the exact kids that you would see here, and that was so confusing. It made you want to pick them up and take them home with you, but you can’t. ... So you have to do something that makes a difference.” The rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, hopes to influence his peers in the entertainment industry and other young entrepreneurs to create a similar business model that gives back a percentage to charities. But while art often imitates life, don’t look for a softer side to his rap, which has depicted gritty street life. 50 Cent said he will always follow his grandmother's advice: “Just don’t forget why they liked you to begin with.” Still, the trip did inspire him to return to the studio to record new material. “I’ve put portions of my experience there in the actual songs, but it’s so small that they’ll have to listen to get it,” he said. “I wanted to keep the record, creatively, in a space where when people listen to it, they just enjoy it before they can really understand what it was I’m saying; there’s things on it that have double meanings.” If the administration takes no public action against those companies now, it would be a lost opportunity to show resolve ahead of next week’s meeting between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the nonprofit Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “They should do something,” Dubowitz said. “There is ample authority, and you have a target-rich environment.” AP National Security Writer Anne Gearan contributed to this report.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Soul singer Erykah Badu said Wednesday she holds no grudge against Malaysia’s government for barring her from performing after a photograph of her body art offended some Muslims. More than 1,500 people had bought tickets to watch the Grammy-winning American singer at a Kuala Lumpur auditorium Wednesday, but Malaysia's information minister announced on the eve of the concert that it could not proceed because a promotional photo of Badu with the Arabic word for Allah painted on her bare shoulders was “an insult to Islam.” “It’s sad, because we traveled a long way,” Badu told a news conference. “But I’m totally understanding of (the minister’s) protection of the laws and its people. He doesn’t want anything to happen. I’m good with that.” The photograph ignited criticism from some politicians and religious groups in Muslim-majority Malaysia after a newspaper published it Monday in a feature to promote Badu’s show. The daily has since apologized for what it called an “oversight” that led to the photo’s publication.
Badu, 41, said the photo was inspired by images from “The Holy Mountain,” a 1973 surrealist movie by Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. “I think art is often misunderstood in the realm of religion, and it’s OK,” she said. “In America, it’s a lot different. Art is also misunderstood but it is not such a harsh gesture to promote the names of God. I am AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin learning and understanding about Islam in other coun- U.S. singer Erykah Badu speaks during a press tries more as we travel.” conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Information Minister Wednesday. Muslim-majority Malaysia on Rais Yatim said Malaysia’s Tuesday banned a planned concert by Badu after Cabinet endorsed the ban a photograph appeared showing the GrammyWednesday. Police feared winning singer with the Arabic word for Allah that if the concert went written on her body. ahead, it could cause “various situations that may lead to social praised authorities for being firm about excitement, and quarrels may break out defending religious principles. Badu said she would “absolutely” due to religious sensitivities,” the national news agency, Bernama, quoted the welcome another chance to perform in Malaysia someday. She is scheduled to minister as saying. Public reaction to the concert ban sing at a jazz festival this weekend in has been divided. On Twitter, many Jakarta, the capital of neighboring Malaysians, including Muslims, accused Indonesia, the world's most populous the government of intolerance, but others Muslim nation.
STARTS FRIDAY MARCH 2 ,
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES
MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes – Text LORAX with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)! No charge from 43KIX, std. rates may apply. Text HELP for info.
10
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Alfre Woodard toasts women in film
Hudson on the witness list for upcoming murder trial
Casey Rodgers/AP Images
A rainbow coalition of African American movie stars.
Y
ear after year, Alfre Woodard brings together top Hollywood’s African American actresses for an evening of French cuisine, cocktails and intimate conversation. This exclusive dinner, held at a private home in Los Angeles, brought out the likes of Gabourey Sidibe, Aisha Tyler, Kerry Washington, Anika Noni Rose, Nia Long, Regina King, Chandra Wilson and Loretta Devine to toast 2012 Academy Award nominees Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer and honor Nicole Beharie, Adepero Oduye and Kim Wayans.
Octavia Spencer was the first to arrive at the party, waiting outside for friend and “The Help” co-star Viola Davis to arrive moments later. The two ladies walked in together and were greeted by hostess Alfre Woodard. Not long after, all of the guests had arrived, and the women were treated to a lovely cocktail hour with specialty Grey Goose cocktails. Following the cocktail hour, guests sat down to an intimate dinner prepared by Chef Jeanette Holley.
YOUNG MEN OF COLOR Continued from page 3 The California Assembly’s Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color, which was formed by Speaker John Perez at the request of the committee chair, Assemblymember Sandra Swanson, seeks to harness the promise and lessons from the front lines of Los Angeles’ most successful and innovative policies and programs. Research conducted by the RAND Corporation, PolicyLink and Drexel University found that African American and Latino boys and young men are much more likely to experience poor health outcomes than white boys and young men. Most of these differences in health are directly related to the communities where they grow up. “The future of California is tied to the future of boys and young men of color,” said Dr. Robert Ross, president and CEO of The California Endowment. “We know that health happens in our neighborhoods and in our schools; therefore we must work together to ensure every one of these boys and young men has the resources to live a long, healthy and productive life.” Investing in young men of color can reap huge dividends for California. According to a 2007 study by the California Dropout Research Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara, African American and Latino
men graduating high school generated $681,130 and $451,360 more per person in additional dollars for the state than those who do not graduate high school. This is because of increased tax revenues and economic productivity as well as decreased costs associated with poor health or incarceration. “As underscored in the two previous hearings, the role that place and race play in the long-term health and well-being of boys and men of color in California — and across the nation — cannot be underestimated,” said PolicyLink Deputy Director Mary Lee. “Community and system leaders participating in these hearings are unanimous in their efforts to transform California and make the investments needed for this vulnerable population of youth to truly thrive and succeed.” Promising approaches in L.A. have helped inform statewide policy priorities to eliminate obstacles for boys and young men of color. In the last few weeks, empowered high school students exposed a little-known policy of pushing students out of school by giving them $250 tickets for being a few minutes late to school. The City Council just voted to change the policy. Young people have also organized to increase access to college prep courses in all L.A. high schools and have created hundreds of school-based Gay
Straight Alliances that have reduced harassment and violence faced by young gay men. “The good news is we know what works. We've led successful campaigns to improve health and education outcomes for boys and young men of color throughout Los Angeles,” said Marqueece Harris-Dawson, president and CEO of Community Coalition. “Now we need state policymakers to scale up existing successful programs while identifying and investing in new approaches.” Many organizations who have worked on the issues facing young men of color for years expressed support for the committee and its ability to elevate these issues, including Brotherhood Crusade, Californians for Justice, Community Coalition, East L.A. YMCA, Gay Straight Alliance, InnerCity Struggle, Khmer Girls and Guys in Action, Labor Community Strategy Center, PolicyLink, Movement Strategy Center, Jemmott Rollins Group and Ideate California. The hearing in Los Angeles is the third in a year-long series of hearings conducted by the California Assembly’s Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color. Additional hearings are planned for Fresno, Coachella Valley and Sacramento.
AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File
In this 2011 file photo, singer and actress Jennifer Hudson speaks in Chicago. Hudson is on the witness list for the upcoming trial of William Balfour, who is accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in Chicago in 2008. CHICAGO (AP) — Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is on the witness list for the upcoming Chicago trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in 2008, according to court documents. But prosecutors haven’t yet disclosed whether Hudson will actually testify at the April 9 trial of William Balfour, who was the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia. Hudson told investigators that she talked to her mother in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood every day and knew something was wrong when she hadn’t heard from her by late in the morning of Oct. 24, 2008, according to The Chicago Tribune. Several hours later, Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and brother, Jason Hudson, 29, were found shot to death in the family’s home. The body of her nephew
Julian King, who was Julia Hudson’s child from a previous relationship, was found days later in a vehicle several miles away. Police recovered a gun from bushes near the vehicle and have linked it to the shootings. Hudson told investigators she’d known Balfour since childhood and had advised her sister against marrying him. She said the family didn’t find out about their 2006 marriage until months after it happened. Prosecutors have argued that Balfour killed the family because he was angry that Julia Hudson was dating another man. Jennifer Hudson, 30, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in “Dreamgirls,” was in Chicago with her family about five days before the killings. She said she'd last been at the family home about two months earlier.
HIT MAN CONFESSION Continued from page 4 knew the boy because he was in a relationship with Sanford’s aunt. “Taken as a whole, such discrepancies do not lead to a conclusion that the defendant is innocent, under the clear and convincing evidence standard,” Sullivan said. Sanford is not eligible for parole until 2046. He’s housed in a maximum-security prison in Ionia County after logging more than 100 misconducts since 2008, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Smothers, 30, is housed at another prison. He was arrested in
2008 and quickly confessed to a series of murders, including the execution-style shooting of a Detroit officer’s estranged wife for $50. He says he was paid $60,000 as a hit man over a two-year period. He eventually pleaded guilty to eight killings. “I understand what prison life is like; it’s miserable. To be here and be innocent — I don’t know what it’s like,” Smothers recently told the AP, referring to Sanford. “He’s a kid, and I hate for him to do the kind of time they’re giving him.”
Thursday, March 1, 2012
GRIFFIN Continued from page 8 4.35 officially. They told me it was faster than what the screen had posted,” Griffin said. “If that happens to be the right time, that’s nothing to be mad about: 4.41 is a great time. But you want to make sure the right time is put up there.” Griffin’s pro day will be on the Baylor campus March 21, the day before Luck has his. Among the familiar receivers Griffin will get to throw to is Bears teammate Kendall Wright, an NFL prospect himself. “This is easy now. ... The stress is over,” Griffin said. “If you’re out there stressing on your pro day, then you’re not going to perform well, so I plan on having a little fun. Play a little music while we’re out there throwing the football, have everybody tapping their toes and bobbing their head and just go out there and make the most of the experience.” Baylor’s first Heisman Trophy winner was back on campus to do a photo shoot for EA Sports’ NCAA Football 13 game. The game will be released July 10 with RG3 sharing the cover with one of eight former Heisman winners that will be determined by a fan vote. When asked if he wanted to be posed as a thrower or a runner, Griffin smiled and quickly responded, “Thrower. I’m a quarterback, not a running back.” While he’s still plenty fast, the former track star has proven he can throw the football. Griffin is the school’s career passing leader, with 10,366 yards, 78 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions. His 2,254 yards and 33 TDs rushing are records for a Bears quarterback. Those
OSCAR NIGHT Continued from page 5 characters being “saved” by whites, or of serving only as vehicles to improve and enlighten white lives. “Think of Will Smith in ‘The Legend of Bagger Vance,’ Michael Clarke Duncan in ‘The Green Mile,’ Anthony Mackie in ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ and Sir Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus in ‘The Matrix,’ ” said Touré, the cultural commentator who uses just one name, writing in Time. Wrote the screenwriter and author James McBride: “It’s the same old story: Nothing in this world happens unless White folks says it happens.” Watching “The Help” was torture for Touré. But as a Black man, he was disappointed that Davis lost. “I hated the film but respect Viola’s immense talent,” he said in an interview. “I wanted her to get recognition for her talent and to get the power that comes with winning.” The Oakland activist and journalist Davey D said it seemed like a contradiction for critics to slam the film but support Davis and Spencer. “Y’all should be happy the maid flick didn’t win,” he tweeted. It was nominated for best picture but lost to “The Artist.” “The fear was Viola winning or ‘The Help’ winning would’ve validated keeping alive an image that many Black folks found stereotypical, inaccurate and overall problematic,” he said in an interview. “A win was seen as a setback.” Not for Barbara Young, who has worked for 17 years as a domestic worker and is an organizer for the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
11
are among 54 records he broke or tied in 41 games at Baylor, which matched a school record with 10 wins last season. Before he had played his first football game at Baylor, Griffin was already a Big 12 champion in the 400-meter hurdles, then finished third in the NCAA meet and participated in the U.S. Olympic trials in that event. He was a 17-year-old freshman after graduating high school early. Griffin worked extensively with quarterback consultant Terry Shea to prepare for the combine. The dualthreat quarterback will return to Arizona to keep tuning up for his more scripted pro day in three weeks. The interviews at the combine gave Griffin his long-awaited chance to tell NFL teams about Baylor’s potent spread-formation offense, which he felt people misunderstood because of his impressive video game-like numbers. “I was able to show them that we don’t run a simple spread offense, that we do have pro aspect tied within our offense,” he said. “And my football IQ is high.” Among the teams he interviewed with were Miami, Washington, Minnesota and Kansas City. He said all went well, including his talk with Indianapolis executives trying to decide what to do with franchise quarterback Peyton Manning and that top pick. “I had them laughing in there as well,” he said. “I was excited to go in there. You would think that meeting would be a little bit more stressful because of the weight that’s held behind it, but it wasn’t stressful at all. You just go in there and be yourself. “If they like you, they like you,” he said. “If they don’t and decide to go a different way, that’s just the nature of the game.” Watching the film, Young cried when Davis’ character was separated from a White child — she had endured several such partings in real life. Young traveled from New York to Los Angeles for an Oscar viewing party organized by the National Domestic Workers Alliance. When Streep’s name was called instead of Davis’, the room of 50 people let out a huge groan. “It was a very sad situation in that room,” said Young, an immigrant from Barbados. “I was disappointed, but I was very grateful to the producers of the movie for bringing domestic work to the forefront.” She saw a simple reason for the criticism of the maid role: “It’s not recognized as real work.” Davis certainly knows that it’s real work — her mother and grandmother both toiled as maids. During Oscar season, Davis consistently advocated for a wider range of Black roles. “I’ve played a lot of drug addicts,” she said in an interview with Terry Gross of NPR. And she told Tavis Smiley that Black people who are ambivalent about “The Help” have a mind-set that is “absolutely destroying the Black artist,” because it forces Black actors to water down their performances — to avoid character flaws that might offend oversensitive Black audiences. “The Black artist cannot live in the place — in a revisionist place,” Davis told Smiley. “The Black artist can only tell the truth about humanity, and humanity is messy.” Jesse Washington covers race and ethnicity for The Associated Press. He is reachable at www.twitter.com/jessewashington or jwashington@ap.org.
GOVERNMENT LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO) INVITATION FOR BIDS Metro will receive bids for IFB OP83802788R for the Installation of an Automated Public Toilet at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center per specifications on file at the Office of Procurement & Material Mgmt, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (9th Floor). All Bids must be submitted on forms furnished by Metro, and must be filed at the reception desk of the Office of Material on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, March 16, 2012, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read. Bids received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the bidder unopened. Each bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. OP83802788R. A Pre-Bid conference will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 8, 2012 in the Wilshire Conference Room located at the address above. You may obtain bid specifications, or further information, by emailing Wayne Okubo at okubow@metro.net. 3/1/12 CNS-2267893# WATTS TIMES LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORATION AUTHORITY (METRO) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will receive proposals for RFP No. PS 7010-2894, Professional Services for Regional Rideshare Grant & Interagency Agreement Management as outlined in the Statement of Work on file at the LACMTA Office of Procurement, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (9th Floor). Metro is seeking an independent contractor to assist in managing these interagency agreements, MOU’s and several related work products, to manage several rideshare-related grants and to perform technical staff work in support of Metro’s participation on the RRIC and the MSRC TAC.
AUTISM Continued from page 4 they talk, but pointing is rude in some cultures and may not be missed by a new parent, Landa says. Or maybe mom’s worried that her son isn’t talking yet but the family matriarch, her grandmother, says don’t worry — Cousin Harry spoke late, too, and he’s fine. Or maybe the pediatrician dismissed the parents’ concern, and they were taught not to question doctors. It’s possible to detect autism as early as 14 months of age, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that youngsters be screened for it starting at 18 months. While there’s no cure, behavioral and other therapies are thought to work best when started very young. Yet on average, U.S. children aren’t diagnosed until they’re about 41/2 years old, according to government statistics. And troubling studies show that White kids may be diagnosed with autism as much as a year and a half earlier than Black and other minority children, says University of Pennsylvania autism expert David Mandell, who led much of that work. Socioeconomics can play a role, if minority families have less access to health care or less education. But Mandell says the full story is more complex. One of his own studies, for example, found that Black children with autism were more likely than Whites to get the wrong diagnosis during their first visit with a specialist. At Kennedy Krieger, Landa leads a well-known toddler treatment program and decided to look more closely at those youngsters to begin examining the racial and ethnic disparity. She found something startling: Even when autism was detected early, minority children had more severe symptoms than their White counterparts. By one measure of language
development, the minority patients lagged four months behind the White autistic kids, Landa reported in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. It was a small study, with 84 participants, just 19 of whom were Black, Asian or Hispanic. But the enrolled families all were middle class, Landa said, meaning socioeconomics couldn’t explain the difference. One of the study’s participants, Marlo Lemon, ignored family and friends who told her not to worry that her son Matthew, then 14 months, wasn’t babbling. Boys are slower to talk than girls, they said. “I just knew something was wrong,” recalls Lemon, of Randallstown, Md. Her pediatrician listened and knew to send the family to a government “early intervention” program that, like in most states, provides free testing and treatment for young children’s developmental delays. Matthew was enrolled in developmental therapy by age 18 months, and was formally diagnosed with autism when he turned 2, and Lemon enrolled him in Kennedy Krieger’s toddler program as well. In many of his therapy classes, Lemon says, Matthew was the only African-American. Now 7, Matthew still doesn't speak but Lemon says he is making huge strides, learning letters by tracing them in shaving cream to tap his sensory side, for example, and using a computer-like tablet that “speaks” when he pushes the right buttons. But Lemon quit working full-time so she could shuttle Matthew from therapy to therapy every day. “I want other minority families to get involved early, be relentless,” says Lemon, who now works part-time counseling families about how to find services early. For a campaign called “Why wait
All proposals must be received on or before 2: 00 P.M. Wednesday, MARCH 14th, 2012 at the address listed above, sent to the attention of BARBARA A. GATEWOOD, Senior Contract Administrator. Proposals received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the proposer unopened. A Pre-Proposal conference will be held at 1:30 P.M. on THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012, GATEWOOD PLAZA CONFERENCE ROOM, 3rdFloor located at the address above. Copies of the RFP will be available as of February 24th, 2012 via the website at www.metro.net. You may also obtain a copy of the RFP, or further information by calling PROCUREMENT RECEPTIONIST DESK (9th Floor) at (213) 922-1037, or via Fax at (213) 922-1004. 3/1/12 CNS-2267815# WATTS TIMES BIDDERS WANTED SPECIFICATION NO. 2743 MARINE IMPROVEMENTS 2012-2014 Demolition of Wharves/Waterfront, Diving for Construction, Diving Other, Dredging, Earthwork/Excavation, Epoxy, Fender System Supplier, Mechanical/Plumber Contractor, Paving, Paving Repair, Pile Driving, Pile Wrapping, Waterproofing, Wharf Construction/ Repair ENG. EST.: $18,000,000 - $20,000,000 PRE-BID DATE: MARCH 8, 2012, 9:00 A.M. BID DATE: MARCH 29, 2012, 2:45 P.M. NON-REFUNDABLE FEE: $0.00 Class A California Contractor’s License for work is required at time of award. CITY OF LOS ANGELES HARBOR DEPARTMENT (310) 732-3522 FAX: (310) 831-5389 3/1/12 CNS-2267687# WATTS TIMES
To place a Classified Ad Call (323) 299-3800 and see?” Landa is developing videos that show typical and atypical behaviors and plans to ask Maryland pediatricians to show them to parents. Among early warning signs: —Not responding to their name by 12 months, or pointing to show interest by 14 months. —Avoiding eye contact, wanting to play alone, not smiling when smiled at. —Saying few words. Landa says between 18 and 26 months, kids should make short phrases like “my shoe” or “where’s mommy,” and should be adding to their vocabulary weekly. —Not following simple multi-step commands. —Not playing pretend. —Behavioral problems such as flapping their hands or spinning in circles.
12
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Blackstage at the 84th Academy Awards BY JOY CHILDS SENTINEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER In last week’s Sentinel, Rev. Jesse Jackson stated that “Academy Award voters need diversity in script.” His statement amply supported by the numbers — spoke volumes
Blackstage When working the press room, one of the perks is a beautiful official program titled “The 84th Academy Awards.” Flipping through its 56 pages and looking at the pictures of all the nominees in the 24 Academy Awards categories handed out Sunday night, you could count on one-and-a-half hands the number of roles — films and film-related — in which African Americans figured prominently. First, a look at film. A whopping ... six: • “The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement.” (For more information, see last week’s review.) It did not win for best documentary short subject. • Nor did Siedah Garrett — who wrote the lyrics for “Real in Rio” from the animated film “Rio” — win for best original song. (Brazil’s Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown wrote the music.) • R. Christopher White, another African American, was a part of a four-man team nominated for best achievement in visual effects for “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” His team didn’t win either. • But — and maybe you missed this one — best
Viola Davis
about Oscar Sunday, both on the red carpet and elsewhere. As Jackson noted in his article, a recent media investigation revealed that, of the 5,765 voting members of the Academy, 94 percent are White and 77 percent, male. Only 2 percent are African American, and less than 2 percent are Latino. Let’s look at how those numbers compared with what was seen on Oscar Sunday. Blacks on the red carpet. To be sure, there were splashes of couples of color on the red carpet, most notably, the three major Oscar contenders: a radiant Octavia Spencer in a pale goldbeaded Tadashi Shoji gown; a stunningly gorgeous Viola Davis in Vera Wang, her hair au naturel (with her beaming husband, Julius Tennon); and a chic Siedah Garrett (and her steady). And comedienne Sherri Shepherd — her handsome and dapper prince Lamar Sally close behind — dazzled in her electric blue chiffon evening dress. Louis Gossett Jr. looked as regal as ever, accompanied by a gorgeous lady who should have been on everyone’s best-dressed list, as should ABC “Good Morning America’s” co-host Robin Roberts for her sparkling off-white dress. Esperanza Spalding looked like the reigning jazz princess that she is; and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and Pharrell Williams definitely represented on the carpet. But while there were other African Americans, they were few and far in between.
other nominees, he said, “They have inspired us in so many ways. They should be up here with us. Actually, that would be [expletive deleted]!” Oh well ... It’s probably fair to say that there were only two awards that most Black movie watchers really cared about. They finally got the answers to the long-awaited questions of whether Octavia Spencer would win for best supporting actress and Viola Davis would win for best/leading actress. The answers: Yes and no. With her Oscar, Octavia Spencer this year achieved the trifecta of the season’s acting awards as Minny, the free-speaking maid in “The Help,” since she also nabbed the Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild award for outstanding performance by a female in a supporting role. In her acceptance speech, with Oscar in hand, she thanked her “families” — in her home state of Alabama, in L.A., and in “The Help.” She got a standing O. Now, it’s a well-known fact to movie fanatics that, by the time the Oscars roll around, it’s obvious who the favored-to-win are. So this group has long known that this race was always a toss-up between Viola Davis and Meryl Streep, especially when you consider that Davis won the SAG Award for outstanding performance by a female in a leading role as Aibileen Clark in “The Help,” while Streep won a Golden Globe award as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.” When you consider that both the SAG award and the Golden Globe can be predictors of the Oscar winner, Davis had a 50-50 chance. Many felt Davis had more momentum going into the Awards. Other folks in the house The first face seen was that of Morgan Freeman, who kicked things off by introducing MC Billy Crystal. A definite high point of the telecast was Esperanza Spalding. Along with the multi-ethnic Southern California Children’s Chorus, she sang a glorious “What a Wonderful
Maya Rudolph
documentary feature honors went to TJ Martin for “Undefeated,” Martin becoming the first Black to win an Oscar for directing a full-length film, whether feature or documentary. The film is about a long-suffering high school football team in poverty-stricken North Memphis, Tenn. who, you come to learn, goes undefeated — though not in the way you think. You may remember Martin: He’s the one who dropped the F-bomb when, in acknowledging the
And the winner is... Octavia Spencer
Sherri Shepherd
World” tribute to movie stars who’ve passed away in the last year during the “in memoriam segment.” The only African American featured: Whitney Houston. There was Pharrell Williams (on drums, no less), along with Sheila E. on timbales, playing in a balcony between James sets. Williams was Earl listed as a “music Jones consultant” in the Oscar program. Photos by CoverUp Photos Of the 31 or so presenters, there was a very debonair-looking Chris Rock, who showed off his longer “good hair” when he presented the best animated film for “Rango.” And Maya Rudolph looked elegant in her Johanna Johnson gown. [Though confirmed as a presenter, Halle Berry was a no-show because of an injury.] Meryl Streep announced the Academy’s honorary awards, two of three of which given last November, went to Oscar attendees James E. Jones and Oprah Winfrey. So where are we now? As of 2012, in the four major acting award categories, you can add Octavia Spencer's Minny Jackson in “The Help” to this esteemed list of African American Oscar winners: 1939: Hattie McDaniel for “Gone with the Wind” 1963: Sidney Poitier in “Lilies of the Field” 1982: Louis Gossett Jr. in “An Officer and a Gentleman” 1989: Denzel Washington in “Glory” 1990: Whoopi Goldberg for “Ghost” 1996: Cuba Gooding Jr. for “Jerry Maguire” 2001: Halle Berry for “Monster’s Ball” 2001: Denzel Washington in “Training Day” 2004: Jamie Foxx in “Ray” 2006: Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland” 2006: Jennifer Hudson for “Dreamgirls” 2009: Mo’Nique for “Precious” 2012: Octavia Spencer for “The Help” Is that enough diversity for ya? Nah. Can we say we’ve come a long way — from 1939 to the present? Yeah. But — you know what comes next: We’ve still got a long, long way to go. Academy Award voters need waaay more diversity in script, in membership — in every way. Hmmm ... Wonder if the outcomes would have been any different had Eddie (Murphy) been the MC ... Nah.