LAWT-04-28-11

W E E K E N D E R

L.A. Watts Times Vol. XXX, No. 1229

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

FEATURE STORY

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

HOROSCOPES A

RIES ~ A party or gathering with friends from the past gives you the opportunity to strut your stuff a bit. You've made tremendous strides and accomplished much in your life, so be pleased with yourself this week. Pass some of your wisdom along to others.

AURUS ~ Do not throw a wrench in someone’s else plan and undermine their project to get ahead in what you are trying to do this week. Be peaceful and seek harmony in the relationships you have in your personal and professional life. You will go further than you think by helping coworkers and friends.

EMINI ~ This week your fortune will delight you in ways that you’ve never experienced before. Don’t be slow in sharing good fortune with others who helped you achieve what you have. Fill their coffers as yours are being filled. A wonderful gift to have is the ability to give to others.

ANCER ~ This week do not seek the “highest” source of information for your answers. Look towards a humble source for the truth about your vibrations this week. The ability to learn from any of God’s creation will lead to better answers than finite human knowledge will produce.

EO ~ This week your strong fortitude will be able to carry you though hurdles that you once perceived as insurmountable.

Don’t begrudge your situation or begrudge others for what they have. You will become a better person when you overcome any stumbling blocks in your path. You will look back and count it as a milestone.

IRGO ~ One of your greatest talents and gifts is the ability to give freely to others. Exercise it this week with a passion.

You are very timely when others are in need.

Your capacity to be a stronghold for others is remarkable. The power of giving will always supersede the feelings of neediness.

APR. 28 - MAY 4

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IBRA ~ Living in the past has been one of your favorite things, do it this week. Memory will give you clues to the answer to a pressing problem. Ask for help in finishing up the week’s work. Be diplomatic and you’ll get all the help you need.

Pretending to be a little bit helpless can work to your favor.

CORPIO ~ There is a fresh discovery about yourself that you can make this week by taking a poll of friends. They are especially aware of your real self. It shines through on the surface of your life. Ask others what they see and listen well.

Situate yourself so you’ll be ready for it.

AGITTARIUS ~ It is amazing how a restless soul like you can button down when you have to. This week is the kind of week when obligations must be met. The best way to get it done is to think about it with only half your mind. Let the other half roam around restlessly like you like your mind to do.

APRICORN ~ You’ve done a lot of things in life that no one has agreed with at the beginning. Finding agreement this week will be difficult, but it should not deter you from moving forward.

Feeling sorry for your loneliness will discolor what you are doing. Be happy that you are alone.

QUARIUS ~ You should know by now that trying to be in two places at once is very taxing to your nerves! Slow down a bit and trust that you'll get what needs to be done accomplished. Give yourself a head start on all road trips so that you have time to enjoy the view.

ISCES ~ An afterglow surrounds you during the week, and you may not feel like getting immediately into work-mode this week. It’s okay to go with your feelings; the world will wait for a little while.

Treasure happy moments.

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Editorial

Thank you, Mr. Mayor!

Thank you for standing with residents of the Crenshaw Corridor.

With your support, transportation projects of vital importance to the South Los Angeles community and commuters throughout the county are close to becoming a reality.

They are: the placing of a train station in Leimert Park Village as part of the Crenshaw-to-LAX line, and the undergrounding of the train through Park Mesa Heights.

It is inconceivable to our community that the Crenshaw-to-airport line could actually bypass the heart of the Crenshaw community and omit a stop in Leimert Park. As for the line through Park Mesa Heights, the community has consistently opposed having the rail run down the middle of Crenshaw Boulevard instead of underground.

Inside this Edition

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L.A. Watts Times

So this page, which takes note of allies, thanks Michael D. Antonovich.

That’s right, Mayor Antonovich. The fifth district county supervisor is currently serving a term as the “mayor” of Los Angeles County, a title that comes with his chairmanship of the board of supervisors. Mayor Antonovich is also a member of the Metro Board and has stood with Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas in the struggle to make these crucial features of the Crenshaw Corridor a reality.

Antonovich, whose district is bordered by the Kern, San Bernardino and Ventura County lines, provided the necessary second to RidleyThomas’ motion and voted to include a station at Leimert Park Village at Vernon Avenue and under-

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Black Facts

WEEKENDER

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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

CIRCULATION AUDIT BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL

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April 28, 1971 Samuel Lee Gravely Jr. becomes the first Black admiral in the U.S. Navy.

Source: Blackfacts.com

ANSWERS FROM 4-21-11

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April 28, 1983 Two African-American women, Alice Walker and Gloria Naylor, win American Book Awards for fiction.

MOMBASA SQUARE

WWW.LAWATTSTIMES.COM Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. ..........Executive Publisher & Executive Editor Brenda Marsh Mitchell ................................Executive Vice President Tracy Mitchell........................................................................Controller Brandon I. Brooks ............................................Co – Managing Editor Yussuf J. Simmonds..........................................Co – Managing Editor Samuel Richard..........................................................Associate Editor Willa Robinson..................................................Director of Advertising Benjamin Samuels ..............................................Production Designer Chris Martin ........................................................Production Designer EMAIL: lawattsnus@aol.com 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.

ground the light rail line from 48th to 60th near Park Mesa Heights at a recent Metro committee meeting.

The full Metro Board votes today on the matter, and its decision could shape economic development, traffic patterns and safety issues in the Crenshaw Corridor for generations to come.

We hope we will have the opportunity to use this page to publicly thank the mayor of the City of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, after this morning’s Metro Board meeting. After all, the residents of Leimert Park and Park Mesa Heights actually are his constituents and are counting on his support today.

The mayor’s vote — Villaraigosa’s, we mean — along with that of his three appointees, is critical to the success of efforts to build the $1.7 billion Crenshaw-LAX line the right way. Supervisor RidleyThomas has championed this cause, but the fact is he can’t win — we can’t win — without Villaraigosa’s backing.

So Crenshaw corridor voters will be watching what happens closely. We are ready, hoping and waiting to thank both mayors.

Likewise, we hope any Metro board members considering a future run for mayor will appreciate the weight this vote carries in our community — and the weight our community’s votes will carry when we support those who have supported us.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

L.A. Urban League host spring symposium “2011 State of Black Los Angeles Report� reveals that despite progress since 2005, Black equality remains behind other ethnic groups.

A spring symposium titled “Placed-Based Neighborhood Change: Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities� took place April 25 at the California African American Museum.

The event, held by the Los Angeles Urban League, included the release of the “2011 State of Black Los Angeles Report,� an update of the “2005 State of Black Los Angeles Report.�

The 2011 report delivered a clear but sobering picture of the social and economic status of L.A.’s Black residents.

The new report measures tangible progress since 2005 via the Racial Equality Index and introduces a new tool, the Healthy Neighborhood Index. The report shows that Blacks’ outcomes on equality measure only 71 percent of those of Whites. Latino outcomes’

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Blair Taylor, president of L.A. Urban League.

(Left to Right) Chris Strudwick-Turner, vice president of Marketing and Communications, L.A. Urban League; Kevin Johnson, mayor of Sacramento; Pamela Bakewell, chief neighborhood officer, L.A. Urban League; Renita Smith, vice president of Strategy, L.A. Urban League. also trails those of Whites, while Asian outcomes slightly exceed those of Whites.

The report explores the drivers of the inequality and tracks progress.

The report, including the Healthy Neighborhood Index, can be found at www.laul.org.

Blair H. Taylor, president of the

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L.A. Urban League, welcomed hundreds of guests interested in learning more about place-based neighborhood change models.

Three neighborhood reform models were featured: • “LA Best Startâ€? of First 5 LA, led by Dr. Randi Wolfe; • The California Endowment’s “Building Healthy Communities,â€?

led by Beatriz Solis; • And Neighborhoods@Work, presented that morning by Taylor and led by See SYMPOSIUM, Photos by Malcolm Ali page 11 Kevin Johnson, mayor of Sacramento.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

2 shot in broad daylight, suspect on the run A young Black man wounds male and female at Crenshaw and Rodeo. Locals condemn ‘Black-on-Black’ crime.

BY SAMUEL RICHARD ASSOCIATE EDITOR A Black male shot two people near a South L.A. intersection in broad daylight Wednesday, and he was still on the run that evening, police officials said.

The shooting was reported about 2:25 p.m., shortly after a man walked up to a Black male and female in their 20s near the intersection of Crenshaw

Boulevard and Rodeo Road, asked where they were from, and shot them, according to officials.

Karen Rayner, a public information officer with the LAPD, said one was shot in the “back side,” while another was shot in the calf, but the victims had non-life-threatening injuries.

The male and female were taken to a local hospital and were in stable condition, said Rayner, who declined to give the name of the hospital.

Photo by Samuel Richard

Police officers near the intersection of Rodeo Road and Crenshaw Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon. Officers responded to a call about a Black male who shot a Black male and female in their 20s. The suspect was still on the run on Wednesday.

The suspect, who ran off after the shooting, is a Black male in his 20s.

No other details about the suspect were available, according to Rayner.

A man named Rodney told the L.A. Watts Times that he heard five or six gun shots as he was driving and saw a Black female on the southwest corner of Crenshaw and Rodeo with a gun shot wound.

He later realized another person, the male, had been shot.

“It’s sickening and it’s sad, man; that’s the bottom line,” Rodney said.

“It’s sad Black folks is killing each other like dogs. You know, it’s sad, it’s sad.”

A woman, who did not want to give her name, said that someone ran up to her shortly after the shooting took place, and said the confrontation only lasted a couple of minutes.

The person who ran up to her saw everything but eventually ran off, she said.

The woman said she doesn’t usually see these types of shootings go on.

Capt. Vito Palazzolo of the LAPD southwest police station expressed similar sentiments.

“We haven’t had issues like this in this area, so it’s kind of unusual,” he said.

There’s gang activity in the area,

w w w . l a w a t t s t i m e s . c o m

but there haven’t been any recent “noteworthy” things that have taken place, Palazzolo added.

Rodney, however, said it’s not unusual for shootings to take place in the area.

Several police cars and officers were in the area that afternoon, and

officers were looking for the suspect, as well as a helicopter.

Regarding the shooting, one man, who also did not want to reveal his name, said “Black-on-Black crime” needs “to stop.”

“Any of it,” he added, needs “to stop.”

Obama launches Black outreach program in communities nationwide SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS

The Obama administration will reach out to AfricanAmericans in coming months in a campaign to tell Blacks about what Obama is doing for them.

A week after announcing his 2012 c a m p a i g n , Obama sent Black senior White House advisers into African-American communities across the United States to share stories about how the administration is working to enhance their quality of life.

“We’re taking the White House on the road,” Michael Blake, Obama’s director of African-American Outreach, told BlackAmericaWeb. “There are a lot of positive and transformational initiatives to help the AfricanAmerican community that people are not aware of.”

Through the program, the administration looks to reach more than 1 million African Americans and hold 100 events in Black communities across the country throughout the rest of 2011. A new website detailing the president’s outreach to these communities has also been created.

Blake has already appeared at Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University, in Atlanta, and in Black communities in Philadelphia. He also plans to travel to San Jose, Calif., and Chicago.

“We’re crisscrossing the country and taking our stories directly to people about how the African-American community is benefiting from the Obama administration,” Blake told BlackAmericaWeb. “We’re literally going to people’s homes and have direct conversations. We’re getting out of D.C. and approaching our efforts from a community level.”

The outreach comes at a time when unemployment remains high, especially among Blacks, and three

Michael Blake months after the president singled out job creation as a central target of the administration’s domestic policy.

According to a White House news release, the president’s proposed fiscal year 2012 budget would provide a $50 billion investment in infrastructure in an effort to use transportation spending — airport improvement, highway building, and highspeed rail development — to jumpstart job creation.

Also, his budget proposal calls for funds to go to entrepreneurs to start businesses and create jobs in inner cities. The plan would also continue the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit and Renewable Energy Tax Grants, which accelerate growth in the “green” industry and allow employers to hire more workers.

Obama spoke about his plans to stimulate job growth at a recent National Action Network Gala.

“We are going to keep fighting until every family gets a shot at the American Dream,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript. “That’s our North Star. That’s the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night — the hopes and dreams of people who work hard every single day, look after their families, take care of their responsibilities, and just need a little bit of help to make it.”

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

1 in 4 children in U.S. raised by a single parent

BY CHRISTINE ARMARIO ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI — One in four children in the United States is being raised by a single parent — a percentage that has been on the rise and is higher than other developed coun-

tries, according to a report released Wednesday.

Of the 27 industrialized countries studied by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. had 25.8 percent of children being raised by a single parent, compared with an average of

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14.9 percent across the other countries.

Ireland was second (24.3 percent), followed by New Zealand (23.7 percent). Greece, Spain, Italy and Luxemborg had among the lowest percentages of children in single-parent homes.

Experts point to a variety of factors to explain the high U.S. figure, including a cultural shift toward greater acceptance of single-parent child rearing. The U.S. also lacks policies to help support families, including childcare at work and national paid maternity leave, which are commonplace in other countries.

“When our parents married, there was a sense that you were marrying for life,” said Edward Zigler, founder and director of Yale’s Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy.

“That sense is not as prevalent.”

Single parents in the U.S. were more likely to be employed — 35.8 percent compared to a 21.3 percent average — but they also had higher rates of poverty, the report found.

“The in-work poverty is higher in the U.S. than other OECD countries, because at the bottom end of the labor market, earnings are very low,” said Willem Adema, a senior economist in the group’s social policy division. “For parents, the risk is

AP Photo/Naples Daily News, Greg Kahn

Aaron Bolden grips one of his father’s fingers as they sit Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007, in Fort Myers, Fla. Douglas, a single parent and ex-felon, still struggles to make rent, keep his children fed, and find a job. He is looking for a second chance, but is starting to feel like he will never find it. higher because they have to make expenditures on childcare costs.”

The Paris-based organization looked at a broad sector of indicators that affected families and children, including childhood poverty, early education and amount of time spent on parental care.

Across the nations examined,

preschool enrollment has grown from 30 to 50 percent between 1998 and 2007. The average enrollment was 58.2 percent, while in the U.S. it was lower.

The report noted that public spending on child welfare and education is higher in the U.S. than in See SINGLE PARENT, page 11

Nintendo says successor to Wii coming in 2012

BY PETER SVENSSON AP TECHNOLOGY WRITER PETER SVENSSON NEW YORK — The successor to Nintendo’s hit Wii console will arrive next year.

In disclosing its plans Monday, Nintendo Co. didn’t say what the new system will do. The Japanese company plans to show a playable model of the new console at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, which runs June 7-9 in Los Angeles.

Nintendo has dominated sales of video game consoles and sold 86 million Wiis since launching it in 2006. The Wii caused a splash with its innovative motion-sensing controller. Sports-style games such as baseball and boxing let players move their arms to simulate the pitching of a ball or the throwing of a punch. Nintendo also makes a step-board accessory, the Wii Fit, that allows players to try dance steps or yoga.

The Wii setup has been copied and elaborated on by the other major console makers since then.

But the Wii is showing its age.

Even when it launched, it was behind the other consoles of the era, Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360, in not offering a high-definition image.

The modest hardware of the Wii has also meant that while Sony and Microsoft have been able to

AP Photo/Nintendo, Diane Bondareff

In this photo provided by Nintendo, Reggie Fils-Aime, left, President Nintendo of America, sells the first Wii video game system to Isaiah Johnson, of Bronx, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006, at Toys “R” Us Times Square in New York. The innovative system went on sale at midnight ushering in a new way to play video games. update their consoles with new capabilities, the Wii has seen only relatively minor updates, such as addition of the optional Wii Fit and the ability to play Netflix movies.

Microsoft launched its Kinect game-control system last fall. Using a 3-D camera, depth sensors and voice-recognition software, it recognizes your face, voice and gestures as you move around and talk, without requiring you to hold a controller or wear a headset. Sony,

meanwhile, began selling a Move controller that is essentially a higher-tech version of the Wii remote.

Nintendo announced plans for the Wii successor as part of its financial results Monday. Nintendo said its annual earnings dropped for the second straight year as sales declined. It’s expecting sales to increase again in the fiscal year that just started, thanks to its new handheld 3DS device, which launched last month.

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L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Locals voice their opinions about paying money for gas.

The Watts Times provides gas-saving tips.

By Jennifer Bihm Contributing Writer Cleo Reynolds mumbled a few expletives as he watched the numbers on the Shell station gas pump.

Unleaded was $4.15 on a recent Monday in April, and as he watched the price move up rather quickly, it seemed disproportionate to the slower-moving numbers that showed the amount of gas he was getting.

For a brief moment, he seemed taken aback at being asked his feelings about the amount of money he was paying for gas.

Then, leaning against his SUV, arms folded, unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, he began his tirade. It was against paying $10.65 for a little over two gallons in his SUV that particular day and more so about the more than $100 he ends up paying weekly that allows him six days of driving.

The Inglewood resident said he makes a daily trip to Los Angeles, where his wife works.

“At least $500 a month I’m spending on gas; it’s ridiculous,” said Reynolds, 70.

“I drop her oơ, I go back to Inglewood, then I come back. I have to drive my truck because riding the bus for me is no good. It’s too much crime.”

Like Reynolds, others at the gas station had to briefly pause when asked about how much they’re paying and how they felt, as if they had almost quit thinking about it. Some said they cut out extras like eating out. Others significantly cut down on shopping.

While others like L.A. resident Dee, who was reluctant to give her last name, just quit driving.

“I don’t drive right now because my car broke down,” she said. “(But) I’m actually finding that riding the bus has been a lot easier on my wallet and it’s been less stressful.”

All reported paying between $40 and $100 a week to put gas in their tanks.

Samuel Richard/LAWT

William Edwards, Los Angeles veteran, shares his frustration of the nation’s recent gas hike and how it has drastically affected his daily life and weekly routines.

For his part, Reynolds said he frequents the food bank more than the grocery store for savings.

“There is no reason the gas prices should be this high,” he continued with vehemence.

But experts say there are many factors that have an impact on gas prices.

HOW ARE GAS PRICES DETERMINED?

ply outages could spread to other producers in the Mideast and North Africa,” the report says.

“Indeed, Libyan unrest has cut output by almost 80 percent … ” “Supply concerns, and the associated risk premium, were later dampened to some degree by the triple catastrophe in Japan of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear problems, which has led to a persistent disruption in the Japanese energy complex. The overall impact of the tragic events in Japan on oil consumption is far from clear,” OPEC’s report continues.

“While the devastating earthquake caused a sudden decline in the country’s use of oil, this is likely to be broadly oơset by the need to substitute some of its shut-in nuclear power capacity with oil-based generation. Moreover, with the start of reconstruction eơorts — currently estimated at $300 billion — this is expected to require even higher energy use.”

Refining costs, taxes (which can determine gas prices from state to state or even city to city), marketing and distribution, and gas station profits round out the list of gas pricing factors.

“Gas prices will usually peak sometime in May,” this year being no exception, said senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan. “This is because refineries are doing maintenance in late winter and early spring. By the end of May, they’re done and gas production goes full tilt.”

Full-tilt production and a high demand for gasoline in the United States seem to have a major impact on rising gas prices.

Americans make use of about 20 million, 42-gallon barrels worth of crude oil per day, according to the U.S. Department of Energy website. Of each 42 gallons, 19 are used to fill up motorists’ tanks.

Despite having enough oil in its own backyard to be the world’s third largest oil producer, the United States also depends on foreign oil, mainly the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which aơects gasoline costs.

OPEC — which includes Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Nigeria, Qatar and several other countries) — controls almost half of the world’s crude oil supply and can increase or decrease its inventory.

Simply put, increase lowers prices, decrease raises them.

OPEC’s monthly report for April 2011 cited factors like the unrest in Libya and the disasters in Japan as contributions to increased oil prices.

“Prices initially spiked in February with the onset of the supply disruption in Libya and concerns that sup-

Back at the gas station, Jose, another L.A. resident who didn’t want to give his last name, said he wished he could pile more money into his savings account, but the hourlong drive to his school puts a real dent in his wallet.

He said he uses about $60 a week to fill his tank.

For people like Jose, the saving-money-on-gas discussion has become increasingly relevant and replete with all kinds of advice, as people try to find ways to keep more money out of the pumps and in their pock-

AP Photo/Reed Saxon

AP Photo/Reed Saxon

MYTHS AND FACTS

With fuel prices in the $4.00 range in Los Angeles, there are signs that Americans are cutting back on driving. This includes using public transportation, like L.A.’s Metro bus system, and manual modes of transportation, like bicycling and skateboarding.

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Brandon I. Brooks, Los Angeles resident, screams at his gas tank after realizing he pays $20 over his normal limit.

ets. The L.A. Watts Times asked DeHaan to clarify some of the myths and facts.

One myth, he said, is that certain gas stations are better than others.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say there is higher-quality gas, but many diơerent refiners add diơerent blending components and additives, diơerent detergents,” DeHaan explained. “The government mandates that all gasoline has a minimum amount of detergent to make sure your engine stays clean. Some manufacturers argue they have more detergent (therefore) better gasoline. But let’s just say all gas shipped from refiners are tested for quality issues.”

DeHaan also explained that using the air conditioner and not making sure tire pressure is up to par will waste gas. However, he said, premium gas, as opposed to unleaded, is really a non-issue.

“Buying premium instead of unleaded is a complete waste of money,” he said. “There is absolutely no situation where a car needs premium. Now, premium is generally used in higher-horsepower vehicles or if you are towing. It (makes the engine) less prone to knocking.

“So, with heavier loads you want a gasoline that resists pinging a little bit more. Then you can avoid catastrophic engine damage when you’re towing. That’s essentially the only diơerence. But many vehicles don’t require premium and don’t need it, so it’s a waste.”

GASǧSAVING TIPS Driving between 30 to 60 miles per hour, minimizing accelerating, and avoiding idling are a few steps consumers can take to keep gas in their tanks longer.

Also, getting rid of excess weight (unnecessary

Cover/Feature Art Photo Credit: Samuel Richard/LAWT Brandon I. Brooks/LAWT

bulky items, for example) and getting regular vehicle maintenance can make the most of gas mileage.

Finally, CBS consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen said that gas experts recommend buying gas early in the morning when it’s cold and the fuel is denser, getting more gas into the tank.

Other tips include: combining trips, taking advantage of ride sharing, avoiding rush hours, and driving a more fueleƥcient car, if possible.

For more gas saving tips and locations, visit: www.gasbuddy.com www.fueleconomy.gov www.ftc.gov www.californiagasprices.com

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www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Richie set to take over as WNBA president

BY VIN A. CHERWOO AP SPORTS WRITER

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

This April 13, 2011, file photo shows Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson talking to reporters about the Sacramento Kings possible move to Anaheim, before the Kings played the Lakers in an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif. Johnson is increasingly optimistic the Kings will stay for at least another year, a prospect that once seemed improbable.

Sacramento shows NBA the money, awaits decision

BY ANTONIO GONZALEZ AP SPORTS WRITER SACRAMENTO, Calif. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The NBA left town Tuesday.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no guarantee it will be back.

Mayor Kevin Johnson, business leaders and fans have done all they could in the past few months to prevent the Sacramento Kings from relocating to Anaheim.

The final and perhaps most critical step came Tuesday, when the corporate community handed NBA representatives deposits on more than $10 million in sponsorship pledges for the Kings to stay at least another year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today is another historic day in Sacramento,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The NBA had said to Sacramento, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Show me the money.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; And today, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing just that. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making a down payment on the future of the Sacramento Kings and this being their permanent home.â&#x20AC;?

Now the decision is out of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s control.

The NBA relocation committee headed by Clay Bennett â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who moved the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City three years ago as owner â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will issue a final report to Commissioner David Stern later this week. Then Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof will finally decide the franchiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fate.

The Maloofs have until Monday to file a relocation request to the league, which fellow owners would have to approve by a majority vote. The Maloofs remain undecided.

Sacramento has used the two extensions from the original March 1 deadline to rally the business community and convince owners that Sacramento remains a viable NBA city. Johnson, a former NBA AllStar, has been at the center of that effort.

He promised additional revenue for the Kings from area businesses in a desperate pitch to NBA owners earlier this month in New York. The league first sent Bennett

and league counsel Harvey Benjamin to Sacramento on a fact-finding mission last week, and the two dispatched additional representatives to verify the mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claims.

Chris Granger, the NBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive vice president who heads the Team Marketing & Business Operations division, was among those from the league who met with Johnson and some 30 business leaders at Golden 1 Credit Union in Sacramento.

Among the businesses represented were local branches of McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, AT&T, AnheuserBusch, Jiffy Lube and Wells Fargo.

All of those in attendance said the NBA representatives left impressed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Three weeks ago many of us were thinking that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a chance that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to keep the Sacramento Kings here in Sacramento. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to move to Anaheim,â&#x20AC;? said Matt Mahood, president of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But there was just this little crack, this little opening that the mayor saw to take advantage of. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And he called us to rally the business community to demonstrate the kind of corporate support that we have here that it takes to keep the NBA franchise. And we put the call out to the business community, and they answered the call loud and clear. They have put their money where their mouth is.â&#x20AC;?

There are still major details that remain unsettled.

The primary reason the Maloofs have explored relocation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; several failed efforts to build a new arena in Sacramento â&#x20AC;&#x201D; wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be answered by the deadline. A feasibility study for a new arena in Sacramento isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scheduled to be completed until the end of May, and there has always been a divide between Kings fans and the broader public on how to finance a facility.

There were already a halfdozen protesters standing a few feet away while Johnson and business leaders met at the credit union, See SACRAMENTO, page 11

NEW YORK â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Laurel Richie acknowledged she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know a lot about the WNBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. Still, days after being hired as the WNBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third president, she called it a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dream job.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am learning along the way,â&#x20AC;?

Richie said Tuesday on a national conference call with reporters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been, as part of the interviewing process, spending lots of time with many, many people with the NBA and WNBA. I am on that learning curve.â&#x20AC;?

A chance encounter with Seattle Storm CEO Karen Bryant at a luncheon in February led to the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in the veteran marketing executive for the vacancy created by Donna Orenderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s departure nearly two months earlier.

Richie, hired last Thursday to take over the league entering its 15th season, has more than three decades of experience in consumer marketing, corporate branding, public relations and corporate management. She has worked for Ogilvy and Mather, an international advertising company, and served most recently as senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Girl Scouts of the USA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This opportunity for me feels like a culmination of everything Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done at Ogilvy and all of the work at Girl Scouts,â&#x20AC;? Richie said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is an interesting opportunity thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full of challenge, and it is a chance to sort of celebrate and recognize and elevate the great things that women are doing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a dream job.â&#x20AC;?

NBA commissioner David Stern downplayed Richie's lack of basketball background as a negative factor, citing her experience as a synchronized swimmer to show her interest in sports. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We found somebody who was adept with respect to sports ... culturally adept at understanding what impact the game and the players could have on the community, the global community.â&#x20AC;?

Stern then used his personal history as an example. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My own basketball background was ripping up my ACL in a lawyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s league,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential to have played the game at a high level at all.â&#x20AC;?

Richie, who acknowledged sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watched WNBA games on TV but never attended a game, will officially take over on May 16. She intends to immediately visit teams around the country to familiarize herself with the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owners, players and even fans. The WNBA season begins June 3. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I absolutely plan on hitting the road,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I start on the 16th and my bags are already packed. A priority for me is to really get into the market, to get to a game so that I can wipe that off my record, to

really meet with players, meet with owners, meet with fans, meet with sponsors, meet with the media.â&#x20AC;?

Stern denied any notion the NBA was involved in the dayto-day operations of the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s league, saying it would be run by Richie and Renee Brown, the senior vice president of basketball operations for the WNBA. Stern said Richieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job will be to continue the AP Photo/NBA work of her predeThis undated photo provided by the NBA shows Laurel cessors, Orender and Val Acker- J. Richie. Veteran marketing executive Laurel J. Richie man, and that she was hired to lead the WNBA on Thursday, April 21, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any 2011, becoming the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third president as it enters special directives its 15th season. other than â&#x20AC;&#x153;to make all of our teams in the league last day on the job was Dec. 31, and very profitable.â&#x20AC;? Five teams have NBA vice president Chris Granger marquee jersey sponsorships, atten- assumed her duties in the interim. dance at games has risen, and the WNBA is in the midst of an eightyear deal with ESPN. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing OK, making a living,â&#x20AC;? Stern said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our teams are doing better than theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever done. ... Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting to a point where we think this may be the season where it's break-even and better for all of our teams.â&#x20AC;?

Richie hopes one way the league can do better will be to proactively target people like her who viewed games on TV but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t -# +0 '!( '-#" take the next step and buy tickets. +$ #'*% '!( '-#" She said her main reason for not going was â&#x20AC;&#x153;not necessarily being approached.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;So part of what I want to think

METHADONE about is how do we reach out to peo

CLINIC ple and engage them versus assuming or putting the burden on them to come and grab us,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a terrific product to work with, and that

makes the job so much easier. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not without its challenges, but a lot

easier than a tough sale.â&#x20AC;?

7E .OW (AVE1# 7E .OW (AVE # +2 Richieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hiring is historic as she # +2 1# 35"54%8 35"/8/.% becomes the first black woman to be 35"54%8 35"/8/.%

in charge of a professional sports AND .!,42%8/.% AND .!,42%8/.% *" *" league, a distinction she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take lightly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do take the notion of being a role model very seriously, a role model for women, a role model for African Americans,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is, in fact, a big reason of why this opportunity is so interesting and important to me.â&#x20AC;? #ALL OUR HR MESSAGE CENTER ANYTIME #ALL OUR HR MESSAGE CENTER ANYTIME Ackerman was the WNBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

(323) 242-0500 first president, hired in August 1996

"&# # $$ !% # !'% #ENTURY 0ARK %AST 11900 Avalon Blvd. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a year before the league began 3UITE s #ENTURY #ITY

Suite 200-Upstairs play. Orender replaced Ackerman in

!%&#' # $% Los Angeles

April 2005 and announced in the & % !%&#' %' (310) 553-9500 beginning of December she was

.EW ,OCATION ,OS !NGELES stepping down to start a marketing

and media strategy company. Her

1# +0 #/+3#" *" #) ,.#" % '* *" % '* $ + # 1# * )/#-* /'1#

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www.lawattstimes.com 9

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tyler Perry: ‘Spike Lee Phoebe Snow, who sang 1975 hit can go straight to hell’ ‘Poetry Man,’ dies Black movie makers’ war of words over artistic vision of Blacks

AP Photo/Lionsgate, Quantrell D. Colbert

In this film publicity image released by Lionsgate, Tyler Perry portrays Madea in a scene from “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family.”

BY ERICA BUTLER SPECIAL TO THE NNPA Ahead of the national premiere of his latest project, writer and director Tyler Perry said recently he is weary of deflecting criticism that his work lacks substance and is not an authentic and constructive portrayal of Black Americans.

Perry’s latest film, “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” opened across the country April 22. He said during a Beverly Hills news conference, prior to the film’s opening, that he is particularly irritated by criticism from Black filmmaker Spike Lee. “I’m so sick of hearing about damn Spike Lee,” Perry said, according to reports. “Spike can go straight to hell! You can print that. I am sick of him talking about me. I am sick of him saying, ‘This is a coon, this is a buffoon.’ ” Lee has dismissed Perry’s artistic vision as low-brow entertainment, which exploits negative images — among them Perry, a Black man, dressing in drag for his role as Madea — for laughs and box office success.

Perry’s work, built around the audience’s embrace of Madea, has produced a string of hits and generated strong support from AfricanAmerican moviegoers.

“I am sick of him talking about Black people going to see movies,” Perry said of Lee’s criticism. “This is what he said: ‘You vote by what you see,’ as if Black people don’t know what they want to see.”

The feud between the two filmmakers dates back to 2009 when, in an interview with BET reporter Ed Gordon, Lee compared Perry’s portrayal of Blacks in his films to “Amos ’n Andy,” the first Black sit-

uation comedy to be broadcast nationally in the 1950s and which contained stereotypical roles of African Americans. Lee said that he does not expect Perry’s films to reflect Lee’s own vision of Black America, but he insists that “imaging” of the Black community is significant.

“Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery,” Lee said in the interview.

“I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Perry’s “House of Payne” and “Meet the Browns”), and I am scratching my head. We got a Black president, and we going back to (early Black comedians) Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?” Perry defended his work, pointing out that other ethnicities have their own versions of his films.

“I’ve never seen Jewish people attack ‘Seinfeld’ and say ‘this is a stereotype.’ I’ve never seen Italian people attack ‘The Sopranos.’ I’ve never seen Jewish people complaining about ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ or Dustin Hoffman in ‘Tootsie,’ ” he said.

In his online journal at tylerperry.com, Perry wrote that his new movie is just food for the soul, and only his fans will understand his vision.

Critics “don’t get that this is about more than making a movie and telling a funny story,” he wrote on his site. He added that detractors “don’t get that it’s about uplifting and encouraging the soul. They don’t get that most (Perry film fans) have been with me long before they knew who I was, and they don’t get that you have my back.”

MARK KENNEDY ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — Phoebe Snow, a bluesy singer, guitarist and songwriter who had a defining hit of the 1970s with “Poetry Man” but then largely dropped out of the spotlight to care for her disabled daughter, has died.

Snow, who was nominated for best new artist at the 1975 Grammys, died Tuesday morning in Edison, N.J., from complications of a brain hemorrhage she suffered in January 2010, said Rick Miramontez, her longtime friend and public relations representative. She was 60.

Snow’s manager, Sue Cameron, said the singer endured bouts of blood clots, pneumonia and congestive heart failure since her stroke.

“The loss of this unique and untouchable voice is incalculable,” Cameron said. “Phoebe was one of the brightest, funniest and most talented singer-songwriters of all time and, more importantly, a magnificent mother to her late brain-damaged daughter, Valerie, for 31 years.

Phoebe felt that was her greatest accomplishment.”

Known as a folk guitarist who made forays into jazz and blues, Snow put her stamp on soul classics such as “Shakey Ground,” “Love Makes a

w w w . l a w a t t s t i m e s . c o m

Woman” and “Mercy, Mercy Mercy” on over a half dozen albums.

Not long after Snow’s “Poetry Man” reached the Top 5 on the pop singles chart in 1975, her daughter, Valerie Rose, was born with severe brain damage, and Snow decided to care for her at home rather than place her in an institution.

“She was the only thing that was holding me together,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2008. “My life was her, completely about her, from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed at night.”

Valerie, who had been born with hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain cavity that inhibits brain development, was not expected to live more than a few years. She died in 2007 at age 31.

Over the years, Snow found time to sing on Paul Simon's song “Gone at Last” and tour with him, as well as perform at the Woodstock 25th anniversary festival in 1994, as part of a soul act that included Thelma Houston, Mavis Staples and CeCe Peniston.

AP Photo/Martha Graham Dance Company, Stuart Ramson

In this May 14, 2009, file photo from the Martha Graham Dance Company, singer and song writer Phoebe Snow appears at the Martha Graham Dance Company spring season 2009 gala celebration in New York. Snow died Tuesday, April 26, 2011, in Edison, N.J., from complications of a brain hemorrhage she suffered in January 2010, said Rick Miramontez, her longtime friend and public relations repreSee SNOW, page 11 sentative. She was 58.

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www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, April 28, 2011

What bothered me about the Barry Bonds case?

BY BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST I don’t particularly like the attitude of former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds. I don’t care for the way that he treated his fans and supporters. I don’t appreciate his smugness. Yet, at the end of the day, that is not what was at stake in the Barry Bonds court case.

Bonds faces up to 10 years based on his conviction for obstruction of justice. This is not what prosecutors were looking for, and it remains unclear how much jail time he will actually serve, if any. Nevertheless, when I think about the amount of money and attention that has been focused on this case, I cringe. And I ask myself, toward what end?

Don’t get me wrong, I am against performance-enhancing drugs. That said, it is clear today that such drugs were accepted as standard operating procedure in Major League Baseball for years. That does not make it right.

It means that when a line is actually being drawn it cannot be drawn backward. If owners, players, and the media were all involved in this culture of steroid use, then the bottom line is that there needed and needs to be total enforcement, which includes changing the culture of baseball so that it is understood that such drugs are unacceptable. Saying today that what was done in the past was unacceptable

Bill Fletcher Jr. when, in fact, the industry accepted it rings of hypocrisy.

Yet what really bugged me about the Bonds trial is what sportswriter Dave Zirin discussed recently in a column. No one has yet been prosecuted for the circumstances surrounding the financial collapse of 2008. No one has gone to jail, and yet millions of people, yes, quite literally millions of people were affected by the double-dealing and shenanigans of Wall Street, thereby losing their homes, pensions and jobs. A crime the scale of the 2008

financial collapse should have been the subject of thorough investigations followed by a wave of indictments.

Such actions certainly would have changed the culture of Wall Street.

The failure to take prompt and stern legal measures is the equivalent of Major League Baseball having taken a pass on performance-enhancing drugs for so many years. When no steps are taken, then the behavior is understood to be acceptable, if not permitted outright. Instead of such actions, we are treated to the Barry Bonds show-trial, and the resources that were put into it.

So, I don’t know whether Bonds or anyone else will go to jail. His career has been wrecked, in part due to his own arrogance, but certainly due to the steroids scandal itself. Other players are ducking for cover. More than likely this will all fade like an early morning fog. It seems, however, that it is far easier for the powers that be to focus their attention on one baseball player possibly involved in questionable activities rather than on an industry — big Finance — which crushed the lives and futures of so many people who were simply trying to live an honest life.

Go figure?

Bill Fletcher Jr. is a senior scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, and the co-author of “Solidarity Divided.” He can be reached at papaq54@hotmail.com.

w w w . l a w a t t s t i m e s . c o m

Marriage is so 20th century

BY CHERYL PEARSONMCNEIL NNPA COLUMNIST I know I’m a lucky girl because I love my job (not everyone does, you know). It gives me the privilege of keeping my finger on the pulse of consumer trends and purchasing behavior as my company, The Nielsen Co., measures what you watch and what you buy globally. I then have the pleasure of sharing that information with you because I so believe that knowledge is power. Recently, Nielsen released a comprehensive report, “The New Digital American Family,” which highlights that the new family unit is more ethnically diverse than at any point in history. And, while I will certainly be sharing with you all of the eye-opening findings of the study in future columns, today I am focused on the one finding that sent a chill down my spine: “marriage is on the wane.”

Two trends impact the outlook for marriage: age at first marriage and opting out of marriage altogether. The proposed factors delaying marriage are many: an extended period of adolescence, an economy with few available jobs, and the highly publicized single lifestyle modeled by celebrities. But, it is cohabitation before marriage that appears to be the dominant, driving force of the decline in marriage.

Now if you’re a woman, you’ve more than likely been warned by your mama, grandma or auntie that “there’s no point in buying the cow when you can get the milk for free.”

And, while most of us decried being compared to a cow, we certainly understood the message behind the old adage: they didn’t want us shacking up (mmm-hmm, you know that’s what your mama and grandmamma called it) or living together before marriage. I tried living with my then-boyfriend before we got married, and I was so traumatized by the thought of my mother’s disapproval that the live-in situation only lasted for three months (in retrospect, the subsequent marriage didn’t last that much longer, but that’s another column) and that was in the ’90s. In 1980, only 16 percent of adults lived together before marriage. By 2000, those couples choosing to shackup jumped to 41 percent.

Now, new census numbers expect to show that more than half — more than 50 percent — of all couples prefer to share a household without a marriage license. Wow. So much for taking mama and ’dem’s advice. Am I the only one who was raised on pure guilt?! And, for those who do get married, the median age at first marriage for men rose by six years since the middle of the Baby Boomer years.

Cheryl Pearson-McNeil The second trend is to never marry. Almost three-fourths, or 72 percent, of Americans over age 18 were married in 1960, but only 52 percent are today. Young Americans are delaying marriage and the rates are plummeting among all ethnic groups. To further confound the situation, sociologists are proposing a new way of thinking about marriage, summarized by the phrase “alone together.” This reflects more independent spouses who live separate lives with fewer shared activities than their married predecessors.

(Can’t you just hear your grandmother’s uncensored response when you and your “boo” announce your “alone together” status? “Now what kind of nonsense mumble jumble is that?!” But, truth be told, maybe my marriage would have lasted longer had we had such a non-traditional arrangement). Statistically, both non-marriage and delayed marriage are equal opportunity realities encompassing all ethnic groups.

And, statistics show that collegeeducated adults have the highest marriage rates; while those with a high school education or less have the lowest rates.

So whether you thought marriage was in your plans or not, at least you know how you or even your adult children fare compared to the rest of America. I contend there really is something to be said about that “cow-for-free” adage; sometimes mama ain’t always wrong, no matter what the unmarried numbers say. Perhaps if more parents guilted their kids into not living together outside of marriage, we could impact these climbing numbers. You can rest assured that I absolutely plan to use the “guilt method of parenting” on my son for as long as it works for me. Anyone out there willing to join me?

Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is the senior vice president of Public Affairs and Government Relations for The Nielsen Co. For more information and studies, go to www.nielsenwire.com.

www.lawattstimes.com 11

Thursday, April 28, 2011 LOAN: 281148/RICHARDS OTHER: 55017971-55 FILE:10-12-004 NS A.P. NUMBER 5043-008-016 & 5057-004-028 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE UNDER DEED OF TRUST YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED July 21, 2008, UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. NOTICE is hereby given that AZTEC T.D. SERVICE CO., as trustee, or successor trustee, or substituted trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed

by PHILLIP NEAL RICHARDS Recorded on 08/04/2008 as Instrument No. 20081388940 in Book N/A Page N/A of Official records in the office of the County Recorder of LOS ANGELES County, California, and pursuant to the Notice of Default and Election to Sell thereunder recorded 12/30/2010 in Book N/A, Page N/A, as Instrument No. 2010-1938548 of said Official Records, WILL SELL on 05/05/2011 AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE TO THE POMONA SUPERIOR COURTS BUILDING, 350 WEST MISSION BLVD, POMONA, CA at 1:00 P.M. AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH (payable at the time of sale in lawful money of the United States), all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State hereinafter described: As more fully described on said Deed of Trust. APN: 5043-008-016 & 5057-004-028 The property address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 5420 W ADAMS BLVD AND 2532 LUCERNE AVE, LOS ANGELES, CA The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the property address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $269,154.13 In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept a cashier's check drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. In the event tender other than cash is accepted the Trustee may withhold the issuance of the Trustee's Deed until funds become available to the payee or endorsee as a matter of right. Said sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied regarding title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed, advances thereunder, with interest as provided therein, and the unpaid principal balance of the Note secured by said Deed with interest thereon as provided in said Note, fees, charges and expenses of the trustee and the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder's sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the successful bidder at the sale shall be entitled to a return of the monies paid. The successful bidder shall have no further recourse against the Trustee or Beneficiary. We are assisting the Beneficiary in the collection of a debt and any information we obtain will be used for that purpose whether received orally or in writing. Dated: 03/31/2011 AZTEC T.D. SERVICE CO. as said Trustee 2624 W MAGNOLIA BLVD BURBANK, CA 91505 (818) 848-8960 By: CHRISTIAN SPRING VICE PRESIDENT OF FORECLOSURE RESOURCES, INC., AS AGENT FOR AZTEC T.D. SERVICE CO. Ad #11369 2011-04-14 2011-04-21 2011-04-28 Trustee Sale No. CA09000295-10-1 . Title Order No. 100075253CA-GTI Loan No. 1009166370 APN 2646-012-005 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED November 22, 2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On May 18, 2011, at 01:00 PM, At the front entrance of the Pomona Superior Courts Building,350 West Mission Blvd, Pomona CA, MTC FINANCIAL Inc., dba Trustee Corps, as the duly appointed Trustee, under and pursuant to the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust Recorded on December 4, 2006, as Instrument No. 06 2680706 of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Los Angeles County, CA , executed by: RAMON LOPEZ, A MARRIED MAN AS HIS SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY, as Trustor, in favor of SBMC MORTGAGE as Beneficiary, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, in lawful money of the United States, all payable at the time of sale, that certain property situated in said County, California describing the land therein as: As more fully described on said Deed of Trust. The property heretofore described is being sold "as is". The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 13682 CARL STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 91331 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the Note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest theron, as provided in said Note(s), advances if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligations secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of this Notice of Trustee`s Sale is estimated to be $333,651.15 (Estimated), provided, however, prepayment premiums, accrued interest and advances will increase this figure prior to sale.

Beneficiary`s bid at said sale may include all or part of said amount. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept a cashier`s check drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the California Financial Code and authorized to do business in California, or other such funds as may be acceptable to the trustee. In the event tender other than cash is accepted, the Trustee may withhold the issuance of the Trustee`s Deed Upon Sale until funds become available to the payee or endorsee as a matter of right. The property offered for sale excludes all funds held on account by the property receiver, if applicable.

If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder`s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. DATE: April 21, 2011 MTC FINANCIAL INC dba Trustee Corps TS No. CA09000295-10-1 . 17100 Gillette Ave Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300 Clarisa Gastelum, Authorized Signature SALE INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED ON LINE AT www.NoticeSolutions.com AUTOMATED SALES INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 714-786-5351 TRUSTEE CORPS IS A DEBT COLLECTOR. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. Ad #11712 2011-04-21 2011-04-28 2011-05-05 TS# 1011-245 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 6/03/2009 , UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On May 19, 2011 , at 1:00 PM the undersigned, as duly appointed Trustee under and pursuant to: Deed of Trust recorded 6/08/2009 , as Instrument No. 20090850868 in the Official Records of the County Recorder of Los Angeles County, California, and executed by R.E. Corporation of America, a California Corporation. WILL SELL AT

PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER, for cash or cashier's check drawn on a financial institution authorized in Civil Code Section 2924h(b), at: THE FRONT ENTRANCE TO THE POMONA SUPERIOR COURTS BUILDING 350 WEST MISSION BLVD. POMONA, CA all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State as more fully described in said Deed of Trust. The property address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 9110 Miner Street, Los Angeles, CA 90002 APN: 6045-019-001 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the unpaid balance of the note(s), secured by said Deed of Trust, to-wit $ 40,856.41 including as provided in said note(s), advances, if any, under the terms of said Deed of Trust, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trust created by said Deed of Trust. Notice of default and election to sell the described real property under the deed of trust was recorded in the county where the real property is located. FOR TRUSTEE'S SALE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL (714) 786-5351 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder's sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse.

Dated: April 19, 2011 MFTDS, INC. A California Corporation dba MASTER FUNDING CO. By: Stephen Leslie Wheeler, President (951) 694-3903 28636 Old Town Front St., Ste 202, Temecula, CA 92590 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2467, Temecula, CA 92593-2467 Ad #11955 2011-04-28 2011-05-05 2011-05-12

SNOW

Continued from page 9 Snow was also recruited by Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen to participate in the New York Rock and Soul Revue, which took her, Charles Brown, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and others on tour and into New York’s Beacon Theatre to record a rollicking live album in 1991.

“Occasionally I put an album out, but I didn’t like to tour, and they didn’t get a lot of label support,” she told the Chronicle. “But you know what? It didn’t really matter because I got to stay home more with Valerie, and that time was precious.”

She was born Phoebe Ann Laub to white Jewish parents in New York City in 1952, and raised in Teaneck, N.J. Though many assumed she was black, Snow never claimed AfricanAmerican ancestry.

She changed her name after seeing Phoebe Snow, an advertising character for a railroad, emblazoned on trains that passed through her hometown. Snow quit college after two years to perform in amateur nights at Greenwich Village folk clubs.

Her first record, “Phoebe Snow,” came out in 1974, and showed off her songwriting chops on a selection of tunes that spanned blues, jazz and folk. Hit-bound “Poetry Man” took the record to No. 4 on the album charts, but her success was uneasy.

“There are turning points in everyone’s life where you decide if you’re going to sink or swim. My insecurity wasn’t serving me well at all. It was really a stumbling block,” she told The Associated Press in 1989.

Rumors abounded that Jackson Browne was Poetry Man. “No, no. It’s somebody you wouldn’t know. People

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMES FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2011002870 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Travel A Peal Group Getaway, 3870 Crenshaw Blvd., Suie 773, Los Angeles, CA 90008, County of Los Angeles Registered owner(s): E. Denise Peal, 3870 Crenshaw Blvd., Suite 773, Los Angeles, CA 90008 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

S/ E. Denise Peal, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on April 7, 2011 NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except, as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State, or common law (See Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Original 4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5/11 CNS-2081426# WATTS TIMES

just thought Poetry Man was Browne because he was the first act I toured with,” Snow told USA Today in 1989.

After 1976’s gold-selling “Second Childhood,” Snow’s subsequent albums found smaller audiences. Through the 1980s and into the 1990s, Snow sang commercial jingles — for companies including Michelob, Hallmark and AT&T — and performed live here and there.

Inexperienced in the music business, she broke a number of contracts with record companies and others, and found herself embroiled in a number of lawsuits and severe financial problems. Snow’s husband, musician Phil Kearns, left her while Valerie was still a baby.

She sang the theme for NBC’s “A Different World” and the jingle “Celebrate the Moments of Your Life” for General Foods International Coffees. She also sang at radio host Howard Stern’s wedding to Beth Ostrosky in 2008 and for President Bill Clinton, who asked her to perform at Camp David during his presidency.

In 2003, she released the CD “Natural Wonder,” her first album of new, original material in 14 years. Her other albums include 1989’s “Something Real,” and 1981’s “Rock Away.” In 2008, she released a live album titled “Live” and a best-of CD in 2001.

Continued from page 3

health, work-force development, housing, safety and community engagement.

Highlights of the day included greetings from the L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who also introduced Sacramento’s mayor, Kevin Johnson, the keynote luncheon speaker.

Other special guest presenters and panelists included Deputy Mayor Larry Frank and others, including Anna Cabellero, secretary of the state of California’s State and Consumer Services Agency.

Cabellero brought greetings from Gov. Jerry Brown.

HELP WANTED Field Interviewer

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP# 7549)

SYMPOSIUM the league’s chief neighborhood officer, Pamela A. Bakewell.

The symposium also presented solutions underway to address the challenges revealed in the report through the presentation of the three neighborhood reform models.

To learn more about these models, visit the website of each organization or contact them directly.

Sponsors, presenters and guests gathered to share strategies for “place-based” neighborhood transformation and shared best practices, lessons learned, and ideas for improving neighborhood transformation outcomes in education,

GOVERNMENT

FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (“the Authority”) invites proposals from qualified financial consulting/advisory firms to provide financial advisory services related to the development, redevelopment and repositioning of scattered-site public housing, either owned by the Authority, or in which it has an interest, in order to maximize returns on its asset investments. Copies of the RFP may be obtained beginning April 18, 2011 online at www.hacla.org/ps. Proposals will be accepted at 2600 Wilshire Blvd, #3100, Los Angeles, CA 90057 until 2:00 P.M., May 23, 2011.

4/21, 4/28/11 CNS-2083133# WATTS TIMES

To place a classified ad call (323) 299-3800

Part-time employment opportunities are available for candidates in the Los Angeles/Anaheim, CA area to work as Field Interviewers on a social research project. Pay rate for the Los Angeles/Anaheim area is $17.00/hr.

Interviewers are reimbursed for mileage and expenses. An additional $2.00/hr. differential will be given to hires who are verified as certified Spanish speakers.

Higher starting rates for applicants with prior interviewing data collection experience may be available. No college degree required. Interested candidates should apply no later than May 5, 2011.

For a full description of the project and to apply, please visit our website at: https://recruit.isr.umich.edu. The University of Michigan is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

SINGLE PARENT Continued from page 5

other countries — $160,000 per child compared to $149,000.

However, the authors say most of that money is spent after the crucial early childhood years.

“This means early investment — including childcare and support for families around the time of birth — could be strengthened,” the authors wrote in a separate paper examining the United States.

The study pointed out that the U.S. is the only OECD country that does not have a national paid parental leave policy. Some states have started to adopt such policies, but most parents are offered 12 weeks of unpaid leave. This is particularly difficult for unwed mothers, who may not be able to afford to take time off, Zigler said.

“We have not built in the kind of national support systems for families and children that other countries have,” he said.

Childhood poverty rates in the U.S. are also expected to climb — 23.5 percent from 20 percent.

Adema said the rise is a direct result of the financial crisis and higher unemployment rates.

“The financial strain causes all sorts of other strain, so ultimately it might contribute to family dissolution,” Adema said. “At the same time, it might bring some families

together. I suspect that the response differs across families.”

The single parent phenomenon has been occurring over recent decades. The study noted the U.S. and England have higher teenage birthrates than other countries, partially contributing to the higher single-parent numbers, though the proportion of children born outside marriage was not significantly higher than the other countries.

Christina Gibson Davis, a professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Police, said changing gender roles, the rise of contraception, high incarceration rates in some communities and an acceptance of having children out of wedlock have all contributed to the growing number.

Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, added it isn’t being a single parent in itself that raises difficulties.

“Single moms do a brilliant and amazing job raising their children,” said Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women.

“It is also true that single moms in this country are systemically underpaid, and systematically underresourced and systemically unrespected. It’s not the fact they are single moms that makes things difficult.”

SACRAMENTO Continued from page 8

expressing their concern over public time — and dollars — spent on a private sports team. They held signs that read “We need education not recreation” and “If we don’t work, they don’t play.”

“Politicians have more serious things to worry about. We need to invest the kind of time and energy on more important things like education and jobs,” said Keon Johnson, one of those on hand to protest.

Four California lawmakers, including the leader of the state Senate, sent a letter to Stern on Tuesday pledging to work with local leaders over the next year to try to build a sports and performing arts complex to replace the Kings’ arena.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat from

Sacramento, said he would use his clout to make sure his district gets its share of state bond money that could go to build the complex.

Johnson’s efforts have been concentrated on keeping the Kings for at least another year to allow for the time to approve a plan to build a new facility. For now, he waits, only hoping to have another opportunity to approve a plan for a new Kings arena.

“The moment we get word,” the mayor said, “if we’re lucky enough — and this is not to be presumptuous — but if we’re lucky enough to be given another year in Sacramento, then we have to immediately start our new campaign for an entertainment and sports complex.”

Associated Press writer Don Thompson contributed to this report.

12

www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, April 28, 2011

EVENT

LISTINGS

4-29-11

5-1-11

CONFERENCE (OFFICE OF CURREN PRICE) — A Healthy Lifestyles Initiative Conference will be held April 29, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the California Science Center’s Donald P. Loker Conference Room, 700 State Drive, Los Angeles. The event will be convened by state Sen. Curren D. Price Jr., chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), and members of the CLBC, in an effort to reduce health disparities in African-American communities. Health experts will present studies-related information. More information: http://blackcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/events/2 011-04-29-healthy-lifestyles-initiative-conference.

COMMUNITY CONCERT (NINA GORDON PUBLIC RELATIONS) — The Playboy Jazz Festival will launch its annual free community concert series with Justo Almario’s Afro-Colombian Ensemble and Israeli jazz pianist Tamir Hendelman and his trio. The event will be held May 1, 3:30 p.m., at the Beverly Hills Civic Center Plaza. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Two free hours of parking will be available at the Civic Center parking structure, adjacent to the Beverly Hills Public Library. The plaza is at 444 N. Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills. More information: www.playboyjazzfestival.com.

CORNEL AND CARL — “In the Age of Obama ... Police Terror, Incarceration, No Jobs, Mis-education: What Future For Our Youth?” is a dialogue that will take place April 29, 7 p.m., between Cornel West and Carl Dix. The event will take place at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the DeNeve Plaza Lecture Auditorium, 351 Charles Young Drive West. Admission is free, but people who want to attend should probably come early, as seating is limited.

More information: (310) 206-8405.

“I WEAR AFRICAN” (WRB PUBLIC RELATIONS) — Designers from Africa will showcase contemporary African designs at the fifth annual “I Wear African” fashion and award show, presented by African Vibes magazine. The event will take place May 1, starting at 5 p.m., at the Avalon Hollywood, 1735 Vine St., Hollywood. More information: www.africanvibes.com. Ticket prices start as low as $35. For ticket information, visit http://anniversary.AfricanVibes.com, http://avmag2011.eventbrite.com.

4-30-11

THREE JAZZ GENTS — Three Jazz Gents will take place May 1, 3 p.m. The three “gents,” James Vincent, Julian

TECHNOLOGY FAIR, CAR SHOW — The 2011 Urban Technology Fair & Car Show will take place April 30, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Saint Andrews Park, 8701 Saint Andrews Place, Los Angeles. More information: (323) 596-5177, presslineent@gmail.com.

PLAY — “Memories of a Preacher’s Daughter: A Story of Forgiveness,” a play about childhood abuse based on the life of entrepreneur and author Wendy Gladney, will open April 30, 7:30 p.m., at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles. People interested in attending must pay $20 in advance to attend or $25 at the door. There will also be performances on May 7, 14 and 21. Ticket purchases: www.ebonyrep.org. More information: wendygladn@aol.com, (951) 313-4732.

James Vincent

Miranda, and Alistair Tober, perform at Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. People interested in attending must pay $30. More information: (626) 355-4318.

5-14-11

Wendy Gladney

5K RUN/WALK (BRITTICARES INTERNATIONAL) — The 6th Annual Brittiana “Smile For Life” 5k run/walk will take place May 14, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Kenneth Hahn Park, 4100 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles.

Registration will start at 7 a.m. All team participants are asked to raise a minimum of $100 per member and must have 10 or more participants on their team (teams will receive special gifts and prizes).

Registration fees for the competition race for ages 4 to 17 are $15 and $25 for adults.

For the Fun Run, registration fees for ages 4 to 17 are $10 and $20 for adults. Fees go up $5 on May 6. Online registration is at www.bcirunwalk.com.

04/11-05/11

happening these months 5-21-11

5-15-11 TEA WITH THE LADIES — “A Visionary Tea!” — featuring dialogue, finger sandwiches and more — will take place May 15, 12 to 1:30 p.m. A second event will take place the same day from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Seating is limited to 20 people, and ladies who want to attend must RVSP before the event.

Donation: $15. To RSVP and get information about the location of the event, call (310) 621-8487.

WORKSHOP (CONCERNED BLACK MEN) — A workshop titled “College isn’t for everyone” is scheduled to take place May 21, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Hyde Park Miriam Matthews Library, 2205 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles. The Concerned Black Men of Los Angeles, a nonprofit mentoring organization, offers a series of youth mentoring workshops through its Welcome-to-Manhood Program, promoting education, career and life skills guidance, and instructions in the importance of self-mastery and personal achievement. Workshops and youth activities are free. Workshops are designed for youth 11 to 19 years of age.

Call (213) 359-3378 to preregister.

The deadline for receipt of calendar listings is Friday, noon, at least two weeks prior to events.

Fax to: (323) 299-3896, e-mail us at lawattsnus@aol.com or mail to: L.A. Watts Times, 3800 Crenshaw Blvd., L.A., CA 90008.

All calendar items are received from various sources and are subject to being edited.