W E E K E N D E R
L.A. Watts Times Vol. XXX, No. 1278
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Thursday, April 5, 2012
HOROSCOPES 2
RIES ~ Look forward to excellent financial news based on something you’re likely to do this week. Wow! It’s about time. This week might be an excellent week to window shop for a dream vacation or luxury purchase. You can even window shop in your imagination for the best possible dream vacation location! Soul affirmation: Smooth communications is the key to my success this week. AURUS ~ You’ll have a busy week, as the energy around you seems supercharged. With everyone rushing about, you’ll wonder how you’ll get anything done, much less the things you feel you must get done. Not to worry. Stay calm and flexible and a way will be found. Soul affirmation: Slow and steady is an enjoyable way to go. EMINI ~ Stand up and get ready. Be a public speaker this week. Any subject you choose is ripe for your “rap.” Spin the tale. Tell the story. People will be fascinated by the way you see things. They’ll be impressed. Watch out for a jealous friend when attention is on you! Soul affirmation: I make the first step and the universe will come to my aid. ANCER ~ Be as sharp as you can be this week. Make being alert a personal challenge. Watch carefully for details that might otherwise escape your notice as you search for the best way to get things done at work. Be steadfast in your determination and don’t be pulled into conflict with coworkers. Soul affirmation: There are other fish in the sea waiting for me. EO ~ You may feel a bit crabby about your health this early this week. If you feel you need a physical checkup, make the appointment this week. If you want to feel and look better this week, skip lunch and take a walk instead. Soul affirmation: Truth is revealed in the smallest grain of sand. IRGO ~ Like-mindedness is going to be hard to achieve among your coworkers, but there are likely to be a few who see things as you do. Choose carefully and find someone to walk with you on this week’s journey. Some words of encouragement might be needed to enlist the person you choose. Soul affirmation: My needs will be met if I just ask.
IBRA ~ Where are you going in such a hurry? What you want you already have. Stop looking around yourself trying to find out what’s missing. Nothing is missing. The best kind of discovery this week is self-discovery. Soul affirmation: I get because I give. CORPIO ~ Get out and enjoy the sunshine this week. Remember that the sun is always shining somewhere in our big island home, so use your imagination if the weather isn’t perfect where you are. You can still enjoy your week, and the sun that is shining whether you see it or not! Soul affirmation: I enjoy the love that others have for me. AGITTARIUS ~ Look for an increase in your personal prosperity this week. You’ll either be receiving a long-overdue debt, an unexpected bonus, a lucky lottery ticket, or you may just find cash lying at your feet as you are out for a stroll. Lucky! You love feathering your nest and this week the Universe is helping you. Soul affirmation: Hope is future’s way of shining on me this week. APRICORN ~ Dive into it! Don’t be intimated by the unknown. Your adventurous spirit can take you to a new place of celebration this week. If you can, bring someone along who can celebrate in the same manner with you. Harmony and peace is the motto that you should chant when you accomplish what you want to do! Soul affirmation: Communication is a skeleton key that fits many doors. QUARIUS ~ You may find that discussions at home have taken a sudden, spiritual orientation. Give everyone room to express their personal beliefs without trying to preach your point of view. Your openmindedness helps you with deep learning this week. Soul affirmation: I open up to the universe. The universe opens up to me. ISCES ~ Feeling bold, are we? Well, go with the flow of your feelings! No other sign can call on inner courage as easily as you. Whether at home, at work or out on the town, let your personal statements be stylish and bold! Soul affirmation: I give love and love gives to me.
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Obama: Easter story helps him in troubled times
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L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER
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A bridge over troubled waters: President Barack Obama bows his head in prayer during the Easter Prayer Breakfast in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says the Easter story of Christ’s agony and resurrection has helped him get through the tough moments of an embattled presidency. The president got “Amens” from religious leaders at a White House prayer breakfast in the East Room as he recounted Jesus saying, “In this world, you will have trouble.” Obama says he’s among those who sometimes question God’s plan for him. But he says that's precisely when he recalls the “triumph” of the Easter story and of Jesus overcoming his doubts and fears before the crucifixion. This is the third year Obama has convened a pre-Easter breakfast meeting. Obama says he hoped for “a little calm before the storm” on Monday when the White House opens its gates to thousands of children for the Easter Egg Roll!
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5 ex-cops sentenced in Katrina killings case Thursday, April 5, 2012
BY CAIN BURDEAU | ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge sentenced five former police officers to years in prison for the deadly shootings on a New Orleans bridge in the chaotic days following Hurricane Katrina but not before lashing out at prosecutors for allowing others involved to serve lighter penalties for their crimes. The case that wrapped up Wednesday was the centerpiece of a Justice Department push to clean up New Orleans’ police department that has long been tainted with corruption. U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt expressed frustration that he was bound by mandatory minimum sentencing laws to imprison former Sgts. Kenneth Bowen and Robert Gisevius and former officers Anthony Villavaso and Robert Faulcon for decades when other officers who engaged in similar conduct on the Danziger Bridge — but cut deals with prosecutors — are serving no more than eight years behind bars. “These through-the-looking-glass plea deals that tied the hands of this court ... are an affront to the court and a disservice to the community,” he said. Police gunned down 17-year-old James Brissette and 40-year-old Ronald Madison, who were both unarmed, and wounded four others on Sept. 4, 2005, less than a week after the storm devastated New Orleans. To cover it up, the officers planted a gun, fabricated witnesses and falsified reports. Defense attorneys have indicated they will appeal. Engelhardt also criticized prosecutors for the different ways they charged those who didn’t cooperate with a Justice Department civil rights investigation and those who did. The charges were filed in such a way that they left judges with little discretion in handing out sentences in each set of cases, Engelhardt said. Faulcon received the stiffest sentence of 65 years. Bowen and Gisevius each got 40 years while Villavaso was sentenced to 38. All four were convicted of federal firearms charges that carried mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 35 to 60 years in prison. Faulcon was convicted in both deadly shootings. “The court imposes them purely as a matter of statutory mandate,” Engelhardt said. Retired Sgt. Arthur “Archie” Kaufman, who was assigned to investigate the shootings, received six years in prison — a sentence below the federal guidelines. Kaufman wasn’t charged in the shootings but was convicted of helping orchestrate the cover-up. During a scathing lecture that lasted roughly two hours, Engelhardt questioned the credibility of officers who cut deals and testified against the defendants during last year’s trial. “Citing witnesses for perjury at this trial would be like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500,” Engelhardt said. Justice Department attorney Bobbi Bernstein defended prosecutors' tactics, saying the officers who cooperated with the probe gave them the
breakthrough they needed to reveal the cover-up. “Those deals are the reason that the whole world now knows what happened on the Danziger Bridge,” she said. The sentences were significantly lower than what prosecutors had recommended. They had asked the judge to sentence the four shooters to prison terms ranging from nearly 60 years for Villavaso to 87 years for Faulcon. Engelhardt questioned why prosecutors sought a 20-year prison sentence for Kaufman when Michael Lohman, who was the highest-ranking officer at the scene of the shooting and assigned Kaufman to investigate, got just four years after pleading guilty to participating in the cover-up. Engelhardt said Lohman had the authority to quash the cover-up and didn’t. “The buck started and stopped with him,” the judge said. He also questioned why prosecutors allowed a former detective, Jeffrey Lehrmann, to receive a sentence of three years in prison when his role in the conspiracy was similar to Kaufman’s. “These sentences are, in the court’s opinion, blind,” Engelhardt said. Steve London, one of Kaufman’s attorneys, said his client was pleased that the judge gave him a sentence below the guidelines, which had called for a sentence ranging from a little over eight years to a little over 10. “This judge recognized that the government put liars on the stand to testify and convict other people,” London said. Lindsay Larson, one of Faulcon's attorneys, said the judge “laid out the blueprint” for how defense attorneys will challenge the firearms convictions and sentences. “We have only just begun to fight,” he said. Tom Perez, head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said federal investigators transformed a cold case into the “most significant police case since Rodney King.” “We didn’t have a case in 2008 when we inherited this. We had nothing. And hindsight is 20/20. It is easy to look back in hindsight and say why did you do this, why did you do that,” he said. “You don’t go to the witness store to pick out your witnesses. You take what is dealt.” Engelhardt heard hours of arguments and testimony earlier Wednesday from prosecutors, defense attorneys, relatives of shooting victims and the officers. “This has been a long and painful six-and-a-half years,” said Lance Madison, whose mentally disabled brother, Ronald, was killed. “The people of New Orleans and my family are ready for justice.” He addressed each defendant individually, including Faulcon, who shot his brother: “When I look at you, my pain becomes unbearable. You took the life of an angel and basically ripped my heart out.” Madison also said he was horrified by Kaufman’s actions and role in the cover-up: “You tried to frame me, a man you knew was innocent, and See KATRINA KILLINGS, page 12
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AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
Edna Glover, second left, leaves federal court holding her son’s photo, this after the sentencing of two former New Orleans police officers in the shooting death and burning of her son’s body in New Orleans.
Feds in LA seize 16 upscale cars bound for Asia
Students angry over pricey courses pepper-sprayed
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BY JOHN MONE | ASSOCIATED PRESS
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — There were no sexy models or thumping music, but the customs building in Southern California looked a lot more like a car show than an evidence warehouse.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer Paulo Zanetti, right, checks the interior of gas tanks, next to a 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia “supercar,” one of 20 high-end stolen vehicles that were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on their way to Honk Kong and Vietnam, at an evidence warehouse in Carson on Tuesday. Instead of the usual bags of meth,
AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
California Highway Patrol officers Lt. Glenda Brents, left, and Sgt. Mike Stefanoff, check the VIN number of an intercepted 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 “supercar,” that was being illegally exported with a lesser declared value, being held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, next to other 20 high-end stolen vehicles that were intercepted on their way to Honk Kong and Vietnam, in Carson on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
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caches of guns or knockoff Gucci purses, customs officials on Tuesday showed off Ferraris, Mercedes and Audis that were intercepted as they were bound for Asia from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Most of the stolen luxury vehicles were seized after they had left the docks labeled as used exercise equipment, authorities said. The 16 vehicles on display, along with four more seized after they’d reached Vietnam, were worth an estimated total of $1.5 million, said Carlos Martel, director of field operations in Los Angeles for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They include BMW and Mercedes SUVs, an Audi Quattro and a black, 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia valued at $280,000. The ring of thieves might have gotten away with it had they not gotten greedy and gone for the Ferrari. They had used fake identities to either lease or agree to buy the new vehicles in the Los Angeles area, defrauding dealers, lenders and insurance companies in the process, Martel said. The Ferrari dealer used a GPS installed in the elite car to track it to an area near the ports and tipped off customs agents in February, Martel said. The tip led to an investigation of the ring by CBP and the California Highway Patrol, and the seizure of a few vehicles. Then last week, a suspicious ship was ordered to return to the port shortly after departure. “They were all the way out to sea, on their way to Hong Kong and Vietnam,” Martel said. Inside containers that had been declared on the manifest as “used exercise equipment” they found a dozen vehicles. Other than the Ferrari, the Audi and a Toyota Tundra pickup, most of the seizures were of luxury SUVs, including several from the BMW 5 series along with others made by Lexus, Mercedes and Infiniti. As pricey as the vehicles are, they would have pulled in far more in Vietnam and Hong Kong. “They’re worth anywhere from two to three times the value of what they’re worth in the United States,” Martel said. U.S. customs is working with officials in Vietnam to return the four vehicles that made it there, Martel said. The investigation remains in its early stages, and no one has been arrested, Martel said. He would not comment on when arrests may occur or on the size or reach of the operation. Associated Press writer Andrew Dalton contributed to this report from Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Courtesy David Steinman
In this photo provided by David Steinman, who is a congressional candidate for the 33rd district, his campaign manager, Nnaemeka Alozie, reacts with milk on his face after being pepper- sprayed by Santa Monica College police. BY SHAYA TAYEFE MOHAJER | ASSOCIATED PRESS
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Police at a California college pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators after students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said. “Let us in, let us in,” protesters shouted on video posted online Tuesday. “No cuts, no fees, education should be free.” Santa Monica College students were angry because only a handful were allowed into the meeting and, when their request to move the meeting to a larger venue was denied, they began to enter the room, said David Steinman, an environmental advocate. Two officers were apparently backed up against a wall and began using force to keep the students out
of the room. Steinman said both officers used pepper spray. “People were gasping and choking,” he said. Marioly Gomez said she was standing in a hallway outside the meeting with several hundred other students who wanted to get into the meeting. “I got pepper-sprayed without warning,” she said. “It was the judgment of police that the crowd was getting out of hand and it was a safety issue,” college spokesman Bruce Smith said. He said he believed it was the first time pepper spray had been used to subdue students on campus. The new plan involves the formation of a nonprofit foundation that would offer core courses for about $600 each, or about $200 per unit — about four times the current price. The extra courses at the higher rate would help students who
See STUDENTS PEPPER-SPRAYED, page 12
AP Photo/Courtesy David Steinman
In this photo, David Steinman, a 33rd district congressional candidate, reacts to being pepper-sprayed during a protest Tuesday at Santa Monica College.
Trayvon Martin US attorney general says and the “blue line” courts have ‘final say’ in Amerikkka Thursday, April 5, 2012
BY THANDISIZWE CHIMURENGA | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Once again another young Black man has been shot and killed under highly questionable circumstances, by a representative of law enforcement. Also once again, African Americans and our allies fear that justice will not be served on the perpetrator. Unfortunately, this fear is neither imagined nor an overreaction; it is grounded in concrete reality. That reality is known as the “blue line”: the protection and support that members of law enforcement extend to one another automatically, regardless of facts, truths and, ultimately, outcomes. Even more upsetting is the fact that this line exists when clear and irrefutable evidence of racial antagonism and hostility are also present. Let’s examine how the blue line is working in the Trayvon Martin case to shield law enforcement personnel from heinous crimes. 1. Slow response to arrest the perpetrator George Zimmerman has not been arrested, charged or indicted for any crime in connection with Trayvon Martin’s death four weeks after the incident. An announcement has now been made that a grand jury to investigate the shooting will convene in April, now that numerous virtual and real-world protests have taken place demanding that Zimmerman be arrested. 2. The perpetrator is not deemed a threat to the (Black) public’s safety. George Zimmerman was known to authorities to be “fixated on crime and Black males” and carried a pistol on his person, yet he had a violent past that included an arrest for assault on a police officer and several incidents of domestic violence. 3. Legal statute shields the perpetrator before he is ever charged with a crime. Immediately after shooting Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman told police who responded to the scene that he shot Martin in selfdefense. Under such a claim, the Castle Doctrine, or “Stand Your Ground Law,” states that deadly force is justified if a person is gravely threatened whether they are in their own home or any place else they have a right to be. Further investigation into the incident may reveal that Zimmerman cannot claim Florida’s ‘Stand your Ground” law as a defense; however, it was suitable enough to halt the police department from even beginning any investigation of Zimmerman. Interestingly, in California, the Peace Officer’s Bill of Rights Act (POBRA), in conjunction with different parts of the state’s penal code (‘the law of the land’), blocks citizens from gaining access to the personnel files of police officers. Citing the officer’s right to privacy, we are unable to know if an officer has a history of shootings (warranted or not) and brutality complaints.
Photo by CyberGround Railroad
Trayvon Martin
4. Legal requirements are either loosened, flouted or thrown out altogether for the perpetrator. The “Offenses Section“ of the police report filed on the Zimmerman shooting states that it was “an unnecessary killing to prevent an ulawful act.” It also references negligent homicide and manslaughter, but he still was not arrested. In spite of the Zimmerman police report listing the incident as a “needless killing,” Zimmerman was not arrested because his alibi was automatically excepted. 5. The victim may have had an unsavory background Conservative groups have begun to insinuate that Trayvon Martin, who was under a 5-day suspension “due to tardiness and not misbehavior” at the time he was killed, may have been suspended for more serious infractions. 6. The victim was not a victim but an aggressor. Trayvon Martin was said to have been on top of George Zimmerman punching him, which is why Zimmerman was observed with wet, grass-stained clothing and a bloody nose, after chasing and confronting Martin. 7. Because the victim was an aggressor, it was his own fault. Trayvon Martin has been criticized for not answering Zimmerman’s questions demanding to know his identify, etc., once Zimmerman exited his vehicle and confronted Martin. One commentator on a conservative website even stated that the nowubiquitous photo of a sweatshirthooded Martin, looking into a computer camera, was “menancing.” 8. “Questionable conduct” as “fellow officer sympathy and support” A woman who came forward as a witness to some of what occurred in the Trayvon Martin killing says that, when she told her story to an investigating officer that she heard Martin calling for help, she was corrected by the officer and told it was Zimmerman who had been calling for help. 9. ”Benefit of the doubt” gets See TRAYVON MARTIN, page 15
CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says the Justice Department will respond “appropriately” to a federal appellate judge in Texas who demanded a letter recognizing the authority of the federal courts to strike down laws passed by Congress. Holder made his remarks at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday, a day after 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jerry Smith questioned President Barack Obama’s remarks earlier in the week about an “unelected” court possibly striking down his health care overhaul. Smith asked the Justice Department for a three-page, single-spaced letter affirming the federal court's authority. Holder defended the president’s remarks and acknowledged the courts have “the final say.” Holder says he’s confident that the Supreme Court will find the Affordable Care Act constitutional.
Attorney General Eric Holder.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
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Thursday, April 5, 2012
Sights & Scenes| TRAYVON MARTIN TOWN HALL
Rev. Logan
Town Hall key speakers
Tony Muhammad
YoYo
Connie Rice and YoYo Rizza Islam
A Muslim sister
John Mack
Molly Bell
Connie Rice and YoYo
Wrapping it up
Photos by CoverUp Photos
Sports, art, SoCal: $30 million in streetlights: incentives available for energy-efficiency projects A new life in Thursday, April 5, 2012
Local businesses recognized for their achievements Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced today that more than $30 million in rebates and incentives are available this year to business customers for qualifying energy-efficiency projects. The announcement was made at SoCalGas’ annual Business Expo in Pomona, where over 300 business representatives learned how they could save energy and money through the utility’s programs and latest green technologies. Six local businesses also were recognized by SoCalGas for their outstanding efforts in energy efficiency and conservation. Because of their efforts, these businesses have reduced emissions and saved more than 2,531,588 therms of natural gas, the equivalent of taking 3,500 cars off the road. “These businesses have proven that using natural gas efficiently means getting more for less,” said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. “We make every effort to help our customers plan for a sustainable future by providing services and incentives that can positively affect their bottom line.” Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. in Carson was one of the six to receive an Energy-Efficiency Excellence Award at the Expo. The award recognized Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for installing a waste heat recovery system at their facility, saving the company an estimated 1,117,955 therms per year in energy. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. qualified for SoCalGas’ Energy Efficiency Calculated Incentive Program and received an incentive for $543,432 for their energy- efficiency efforts. “The incentives we obtained from SoCalGas went a long way to help us improve our productivity,” said Chris McWilliams, area manager for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. “We encourage other businesses to do the same and take advantage of the many programs and rebates that are available.” Another Energy-Efficiency Excellence Award went to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena for their pursuit of advancing energy efficiency solutions in their daily operations. For some time now, Huntington Memorial Hospital has been achieving a reduction in energy costs by operating steam powered absorption chillers as part of their cooling equipment. To achieve further reduction in their energy costs, the hospital upgraded to
direct digital controls, installed pipe insulation and added new heat exchanger controls to improve their facility’s operating efficiency. “These new energy efficiency improvements are saving us over 578,000 therms per year in energy,” said Thomas Romeyn, director of plant services at Huntington Memorial Hospital. “SoCalGas was critical in helping us achieve our clean energy goals. Because of our energy-efficiency upgrades, we qualified to receive an incentive check for $315,266 from the utility.” Other award recipients included the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Califia Farms LP in Bakersfield, Cate School in Carpenteria, and Archer Daniels Midland in Colton. SoCalGas’ incentives cover many types of natural gas equipment as well as energy-saving projects. The incentive payouts are based on the amount of natural gas saved, and they often reach several thousands of dollars per project. In addition to the announcement of Energy-Efficiency Excellence Award recipients, the Expo featured workshops for local business owners who want to save money by using green technologies and strategies. Participants learned how to identify, evaluate and select the technologies that best fit their financial goals while reducing waste and improving energy efficiency. Case studies and details were provided on photovoltaic systems, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction/recycling. There were also exhibitors and vendors showcasing the latest energy-saving tools for those in attendance. Business owners and representatives had an opportunity to learn about SoCalGas’ On-Bill Financing program, which provides qualified energy-efficiency projects with interest-free loans for up to $100,000. They also learned how the utility can identify process improvements that can help save energy, lower operating costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the variety of assessment tools to help business customers identify convenient energy efficiency improvements, rebates are available for more than 100 pieces of qualifying energyefficient equipment, such as steam traps, insulation, boilers, water heaters and a variety of food service equipment. For more information, business owners and representatives can visit SoCalGas’ website at socalgas.com/energyefficiency.
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Mogadishu
BY ABDI GULED | ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The crowd — both men and women — cheered wildly as two Mogadishu basketball teams entered an old stadium that once bore the bloodstains of war. See MOGADISHU, page 15
AP Photos/Farah Abdi Warsameh
The grim days are over: The seaside capital of Mogadishu, Somalia, is full of life for the first time in 20 years after African Union and Somali troops pushed Islamist militants out of the city last year.
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Thursday, April 5, 2012
F E AT U R E
L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER
Lawsuit alleges wrongful death in police shooting By Raquel Maria Dillon | Associated Press PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The parents of a college student who was shot and killed by Pasadena police alleged in a federal lawsuit that their son’s death was part of a pattern of abuse by the department and that the investigation “reeks” of a cover up. Kenneth McDade and Anya Slaughter alleged in the wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit filed Tuesday that the department tried to cover up its wrongdoing in the shooting death of their 19-year-old son Kendrec McDade on March 24. Police blamed McDade’s fatal shooting on a man’s 911 call claiming he had been robbed at gunpoint by two men. Police said the phone call by Oscar Carrillo led oƥcers to believe McDade was armed when they spotted him in an alley and opened fire after he allegedly made a motion at his waist-
band. McDade did not have a weapon. Carrillo later admitted to police that he lied about the gun. The federal lawsuit alleges McDade’s death was part of a pattern of abuse and killings of black people in Pasadena at the hands of police, including the shooting death of Leroy Barnes Jr. who was shot 11 times in 2009 by the department’s oƥcers. The lawsuit said Oƥcer Jeơrey Newlen shot McDade several times after pursuing the teen on foot, while Oƥcer Mathew Griƥn fired several shots from his police cruiser. The suit said McDade was never ordered to stop and police reports do not mention the teen defying police orders. Oƥcers have said they fired when McDade reached for his waistband. Grief still evident in her red eyes and tired stare, Slaughter told The Associated Press that Pasadena police took “her baby.” Slaughter gave birth to her third child at Huntington Memorial Hospital. A week later she returned to the same hospital because her first-born, Kendrec, died there. “I want the world to know that he’s not what the Pasadena police has portrayed him to be. He was one
of those kids who stayed in school,” she said. “I don’t believe he did anything wrong. I think he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.” Kendrec’s father, Kenneth McDade, said Slaughter calls her son’s cellphone just to hear his voice, and put a pair of shorts he wore just before he died underneath her pillow. “The hardest thing was to call Kendrec’s mother and tell her that we lost our son,” he said as tears rolled down his cheeks. “He doesn’t get to watch his little brother grow up. The only thing that was kind of a blessing is that he did get a chance to see his little brother, to hold him and enjoy him for one week.” He’s furious at the oƥcers who shot his son, and at the police oƥcials who he believes are trying to smear his son and cover up their failure by arresting Carrillo. “How can I put my trust in a system that doesn’t ever work for us?” he said. He’s also angry at Carrillo, because McDade believes that without the erroneous information that Carrillo gave 911 dispatchers, his son wouldn’t have been killed. But at the same time, he pointed out that the two oƥcers decided to pull the triggers, not Carrillo. The lawsuit names Pasadena police Chief Phillip Sanchez, Griƥn, Newlen and detective Keith Gomez as defendants. It seeks unspecified damages. The city attorney hasn’t seen the lawsuit and couldn’t comment, Pasadena city spokesman Tim McGillivray said Tuesday.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
www.lawattstimes.com
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PHOTOS BY: AP PHOTO/DAMIAN DOVARGANES
Family members mourn Kendrec McDade, a 19-year-old Citrus College student at a memorial in Pasadena, Calif.
Family members mourn Kendrec McDade, a 19-year-old Citrus College student, seen in family photo collage at a memorial in Pasadena, Calif.
A photo released by the McDade family shows Kendrec McDade kissing his baby brother Keion in March 2012. Kendrec McDade was shot and killed by Pasadena police March 24, 2012 who believed the 19-year-old college student to be a robbery suspect. AP Photo/McDade Family
Kendrec McDade’s cousin, Kaysa McDade, left, gets a kiss from her niece, Ryan McDade, 5, as the family mourns Kendrec McDade, a 19-year-old Citrus College student at a memorial in Pasadena, Calif. on March 29, 2012.
Asuza High School student Maressa Loera, 17, second from right, prays with family members as mourning her friend, Kendrec McDade, a 19-year-old Citrus College student at a memorial in Pasadena, Calif. McDade was shot by police after being chased and making a move, reaching into his waistband, according to police. The police were chasing McDade, believing him to be one of two thiefs who had just robbed Oscar Carrillo, who had told police that McDade was armed.
New NCAA rule forces Stern still hopes for change to draft age rule players’ NBA decisions sooner 10
Thursday, April 5, 2012
AP Photo/Chris Steppig/NCAA Photos, Pool
Should the NBA’s eligibility age be changed? Kentucky forward Anthony Davis (23), here seen driving to the basket during the second half of the NCAA Final Four college basketball tournament championship game Monday, is a sure bet to be drafted first.
BY BRIAN MAHONEY | ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — David Stern would love a system in which Anthony Davis and the rest of Kentucky’s freshmen stars were required to try to repeat. Instead, the NBA commissioner could end up calling Davis’ name in June as the first pick in the draft. The league wasn’t able to change its draft eligibility rules during collective bargaining last year. The rules require an American player to be 19 years old and a year out of high school. “We would love to add a year, but that’s not something that the players’ association has been willing to agree to,” Stern said Tuesday. The union would agree only to form a committee to discuss changes, and Stern knows the players are unlikely to consent to an increase without some concession from owners. “They would probably say ‘What would you give us?’ ” he said. Stern spoke at a Sprint Nextel Corp. store to announce the opening of the NBA’s “Green Week.” The wireless company is the presenting partner of the week, during which time the league tries to generate awareness and funding to protect the environment. Players will wear shooting shirts made of 100 percent organic cotton, along with green headbands and wrist bands during games through April 11. Stern watched some of Kentucky’s 67-59 victory over Kansas in the NCAA championship game Monday, when the Wildcats’ group of future NBA players raced to an 18-point lead in the first half. “I think it was over a little early,” Stern said. So were most of the Wildcats’ college careers. Davis, the player of the year and Final Four’s most outstanding player,
would likely be the No. 1 pick if he comes out, and fellow freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could be right behind him. Players must declare this month if they are making themselves eligible for the draft. The age limit was instituted in 2005, and Stern has often spoken since of his desire to increase it. But any realistic hope of pushing too hard during the lockout was scrapped when the league focused instead on the financial changes it sought. If Davis is the top pick, he would be the fifth freshman in six years to go No. 1, following Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, John Wall and Kyrie Irving. Stern said the league’s draft requirement is often misreported as forcing players to spend a year in college. “That's not our rule,” he said. “Our rule is that they won’t be eligible for the draft until they’re 19. They can play in Europe, they can play in the DLeague, they can go to college. This is a not a social program: This is a business rule for us. The NFL has a rule which requires three years of college. So the focus is often on ours. But it’s really not what we require in college. It's that we say we would like a year to look at them, and I think it’s been interesting to see how the players do against first-class competition in the NCAAs and then teams have the ability to judge and make judgments, because high-ranking draft picks are very, very valuable.” The committee is just starting, so far having only staff discussions, i.e., that haven’t yet included players and owners. Stern said he expects the NCAA to join as well. For now, he’s pleased with the impact the draft rule has had. “We’re very happy to have improved from having our scouts all over the high school gymnasium,” he said. “That was an important policy part of what we did as well, so we’ll see what we can do. They have some ideas, we have some ideas, I’m sure the NCAA has some ideas.”
Testing the NBA waters seemingly has become a thing of the past for college players. These days, they’re likely either in or out. The reason: Players have less time to make a decision. A new NCAA rule says players who entered the NBA draft early but want to return to school only have until next week to withdraw. That April 10 deadline is about a month earlier than before and 19 days before the NBA requires players to say they’re entering early. Not surprisingly, the NCAA and NBA are not on the same page. The NCAA says the change keeps players focused on academics and gives coaches a measure of certainty for their rosters as they prepare for the next year. NBA Commissioner David Stern isn’t buying it. His league says underclassmen have until April 29 to enter the draft and may withdraw from it by June 18 — more than two months later than the NCAA allows. “I believe it makes it harder for the player, but that’s a can that I don’t want to open up other than to say that we would like to make it as easy for the players as possible,” Stern said. “And if the NCAA would spend a little less time talking about whether players should stay in school for one year or two years and enforce their rules equally so that hockey players can talk to agents but basketball players can’t? “I think, to me, the most important thing is to get kids in college the most informed advice they can get without losing their eligibility,” Stern added. “That’s what they should be focusing on, and hopefully they’ll get around to it because it seems fair and just.” Villanova coach Jay Wright says he's taking a wait-and-see approach this first year, pointing to former guard Kyle Lowry as an example of someone who benefited from the old system. Lowry entered the 2006 draft pool early but didn’t immediately hire an agent, didn’t decide to stay in until nearly the last minute — and wound up being picked in the first round by Memphis. “He was able to go through workouts, and by the end of the workouts, we were able to see he was going to be a first-round pick,” Wright said. “Now, you’ve kind of just got to make your decision. You’ve got to base it based on what agents tell you and what kind of information we can get. But you don’t really get to work yourself into a spot in the workouts. It’s different. I don’t know yet. “I’m going to reserve judgment and see how it goes this year.” The rule, adopted last April and put into effect Aug. 1, is crafted so the deadline falls on the day before the start of the spring signing period. In theory, that gives coaches who lose a player a chance to find a quality replacement.
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall (5) is pegged to be the top point guard in the draft. Here, he drives to the basket as Duke’s Austin Rivers defends during the first half of last month’s in Chapel Hill, N.C. In reality, many recruits talented enough to replace them already have settled on their schools by then. Only seven of the top 50 players rated by Rivals.com for 2012 have yet to sign their letters of intent. The rule’s impact might be strongest on the borderline players who in previous years could benefit from feedback from NBA teams before making decisions. The past two years, the NCAA allowed early entrants until the second week in May to decide to return to school. That still gave them some time to explore their options: They could work out for pro teams, find out where they must improve and then come back to college. Pittsburgh guard Tray Woodall says that’s something he might have tried this spring, after a disappointing junior year in which he averaged 11.5 points but missed 11 games with a groin and abdominal injury while his team struggled. Because the rule change essentially removes that option, he says he’s definitely returning to the Panthers next year. “Since the time period has been shortened, I’m not able to get the evaluation to see what I could possibly work on,” Woodall said. “Especially playing in a tournament like (the CBI) because it ends so late and guys in the Final Four, they probably only got a couple days now. It’s tough. You’ve just got to know if you’re going or not now.” For those determined to enter the draft, the new rule isn’t that big of a deal, Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “I think for people coming out early, I mean, if you’re not sure where you’re going to go, why are you coming out?” Drew said. “Our philosophy is, when we know you’re going to be a first-rounder and you have an idea where you’re going to go, that’s much different than somebody hoping to be a firstround pick.” North Carolina’s Kendall
Marshall is pegged as the top point guard in the draft. His father, Dennis Marshall, said his son knew he had to be “100 percent sure” of his choice. “If you want to go to the NBA, I See NCAA RULE, page 12
NFL unveils new uniforms for all 32 teams Thursday, April 5, 2012
BY RALPH D. RUSSO | ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — For fans worried that Nike was going to give their favorite NFL team’s uniform an
Sights & Scenes|
Lisa Leslie Academy
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forms, with non-traditional colors and patterns, are all the rage these days. Oregon, the alma mater of Nike founder Phil Knight, has made the cutting-edge — some would say over-the-edge — look its calling
Planting the seeds of stardom.
Photos by CoverUp Photos
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Gridiron-styled fashion: NFL players model their new uniforms during a presentation in New York on Tuesday. The league and Nike showed off the new look in grand style at a Brooklyn film studio.
extreme makeover, full-blown Oregon style, no need to fret. Ben Roethlisberger still looked very much like a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nobody would have mistaken Jermichael Finley for anything but a Green Bay Packer. And the Browns’ jersey worn by Joe Haden was still brown. Going for a slightly sleeker but very familiar look, the NFL unveiled its new uniforms Tuesday. Nike, the league’s latest apparel maker, stayed away from the wildly experimental designs it uses with the University of Oregon, get-ups that sometimes make it hard to identify the Ducks. “You look good, you play good,” said Finley, Green Bay’s star tight end. “Hopefully that kicks into effect this season.” Nike put on a gridiron-themed fashion show at a Brooklyn film studio, with a player from each of the 32 franchises modeling his team’s new threads. No, Big Ben, Ndamukong Suh and Brian Urlacher didn’t walk the runway. Instead, after a handful of Nike bigwigs worked their way through half-hour presentation that could have been dubbed “The Making of the Uniforms,” the players walked out onto an artificial turf-covered mini-field, suited up from shoes to shoulder pads and lined up in four rows. After the house lights went up, their helmets went on. There were no surprises. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the goal of the redesign was to combine “tradition with innovation.” “Some teams will lean more toward the traditions,” Goodell said. “But you can see here you can put innovation into the uniform without changing the look, necessarily, about it.” In college football, flashy uni-
card. Nike outfits dozens of major college football teams and, while few have gone all-in the way Oregon does, many are at least dabbling in funky gear. Those gloves that create a school’s logo when a player hold his hands together, palms out, and which have popped up on campuses from Alabama to Notre Dame, will now be on display at every NFL game. And, of course, available in stores — along with all kinds of new team gear from jackets to hoodies to T-shirts. But only the Seattle Seahawks, who took the unveiling of the uniform as an opportunity to start a rebranding campaign for the franchise, made significant alterations to their uniforms, adding some neongreen trim down the sides of the pants and numbers. “I like the fact that there are teams that are pretty much staying more in line with where they’ve been, and there’s other teams that are starting to push a little bit more,” said Nike CEO and President Mark Parker. “We see that happen at the college level perhaps even more aggressively, but I think you’ll see the NFL evolving and Nike being an exciting partner in actually helping make that happen.” The Seattle uniforms, modeled by defensive back Kam Chancellor, were definitely a winner among the other players. “Seattle has the hottest uniform right now,” Saints running back Pierre Thomas said. “So I’m a little jealous. But I still love my all black. I think it looks nice.” Aside from a sharp look, Todd Van Horne, Nike’s creative director for football and baseball, said the players wanted the uniforms to be as light as possible. “They don’t want anything See NFL UNIFORMS, page 15
May May Ali and Lynn Alvarez support Leslie’s kids.
Two stellar athletes: Laila Ali and Lisa Leslie.
Leslie receives honors from Councilperson Jan Perry ... and from Michelle Chambers.
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NCAA RULE Continued from page 10
think you have to know that and have to be confident in that,” Dennis Marshall said. “I don’t like the idea of ‘testing the waters’ or guys taking a month to figure it out. I think it’s something, if you’re going to do it, you have to know. You have to be confident, believe you can be good enough and handle it mentally.” And there’s possible workaround for the undecided: There’s nothing to stop someone from saying next week that he’s coming back to school — and then going pro two weeks later. That’s one reason Kentucky coach John Calipari — who won
his first national championship with a roster full of early-entry candidates — says he’s paying attention to only one of the deadlines. “We’re not going to worry about the (NCAA) date. Our guys will tell me when they want to tell me,” Calipari said. “They have until ... whenever the date is, to make a decision by the NBA standards. That’s the only one we're going to think about. “So if they want to wait to make a decision by the 27th when they have to by the NBA, that’s when they’ll make it. We’re not even — I don’t even know the other date, nor do I care.”
KATRINA KILLINGS Continued from page 3
send me to prison for the rest of my life.” Lance Madison was arrested on attempted murder charges after police falsely accused him of shooting at the officers on the bridge. He was jailed for three weeks before a judge freed him. The Rev. Robert Faulcon Sr. told the judge his son “didn’t go looking for trouble.” “He was on duty and he was called to do a job, and that’s what he did to the best of his ability,” the elder Faulcon said. Twenty current or former New Orleans police officers have been charged in a series of Justice Department probes, most of which center on actions during the aftermath of Katrina. Eleven of those officers were charged in the Danziger Bridge case, which stunned a city with a long history of police corruption. Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005, leading to the collapse of levees and flooding an estimated 80 percent of the city. New Orleans was plunged into chaos as residents who hadn’t evacuated were driven from their homes to whatever high places they could find.
Officers who worked in the city at the time but were not charged in the bridge case on Wednesday told Engelhardt of the lawlessness that followed the flood, and that they feared for their lives. On the morning of Sept. 4, one group of residents was crossing the Danziger Bridge in the city’s Gentilly area to what they perceived as safety when police arrived. The officers had received calls that shots were being fired. Gunfire reports were common after Katrina. Faulcon was convicted of fatally shooting Madison, but the jury decided the killing didn't amount to murder. He, Gisevius, Bowen and Villavaso were convicted in Brissette’s killing, but jurors didn't hold any of them individually responsible for causing his death. All five were convicted of participating in a cover-up. Wednesday’s sentencing isn’t the final chapter in the case. The convicted officers are expected to appeal, and Gerard Dugue, a retired sergeant, is scheduled to be retried in May on charges stemming from his alleged role in the cover-up.
STUDENTS PEPPER-SPRAYED Continued from page 4
were not able to get into in-demand classes that filled up quickly. The program is designed to cope with rising student demand as state funds dwindle. The move has raised questions about whether it would create two tiers of students in a system designed to make education accessible to everyone. Lawyers for the college researched the issue and concluded that it passed legal muster, school officials say. Trustee Louise Jaffe said during the meeting that she doesn’t believe the students want to listen. “We spoke for four hours and we weren't understood,” she said. Trustee David Finkel called on campus officials to look into Tuesday evening’s events. “I think it gave the college a black eye, which I know it didn’t deserve and certainly didn’t need,” he said. Video of a similar incident at
University of California, Davis, in November drew worldwide attention. In that footage, an officer doused a row of student protesters with pepper spray as they sat passively. It became a rallying point for the Occupy Wall Street movement. Firefighters were called to the Santa Monica campus around 7:20 p.m. Five people were evaluated at the scene and two were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not known, but the injuries were not believed to be serious, fire officials said. Community colleges statewide have lost $809 million in state funding over the past three years, causing schools to turn away about 200,000 students and drastically cut the number of classes offered. Associated Press writer Whitney Phillips in Phoenix contributed to this report.
Meagan Good is about to marry a preacher man
Thursday, April 5, 2012
BY EURWEB.COM
You’ll never believe it. Meagan Good is engaged; but not to any man. She’s getting married to 7th Day Adventist preacher (and movie producer) DeVon Franklin. [Sorry EUR family member TesticAl, but now your chances of fulfilling your fantasies with Meagan have just diminished to less than zero. If it helps any, we feel your pain.] Although she’s a sassy sex kitten on screen, don’t doubt she doesn’t know how to put her career on the shelf to be a good woman. In fact, she’s known to be a pretty pious woman. According to TMZ, the 30-yearold actress is ready to tie the knot. Good’s reps say that the man is a strict believer in the Bible and doesn’t compromise. Despite what anyone else thinks of the woman, he’s perfect for her. He proposed last month in Los Angeles; the two have known each
AP Photo/Katy Winn
A Good Franklin wedding: Meagan Good, at left, and Devon Franklin, a 7th Day Adventist minister just got engaged. other for a few years. Good and Franklin actually met on the set of TD Jakes’ 2011 film, “Jumping The Broom,” which he executive-produced. In the meantime, she’s somewhat
changing her character image on screen with a slightly different kind of role for her in new film, “Think Like A Man.” There’s no date for the wedding yet.
Oprah Winfrey still bullish on her cable network
NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey says she still has faith in her troubled cable network. Appearing Monday on “CBS This Morning,” Winfrey told the show's co-host — and her best friend — Gayle King that she believes the Oprah Winfrey Network will fulfill its mission of transforming viewers’ lives. But if viewers don't respond, Winfrey says: “I will move on to the next thing.” OWN has struggled to build an audience since its launch in January 2011. Says Winfrey: “I’ll always be OK.” Meanwhile, her longtime boyfriend, Stedman Graham, was on NBC’s “Today” show promoting his new book, “Identity: Your Passport to Success.” Noting the couple’s clashing TV appearances, host Matt Lauer asked Graham if they share a competitive streak. He replied that he only wants the best for her.
AP Photo/CBS, Heather Wines
Oprah Winfrey appeared on “CBS This Morning” in New York on Monday, telling Charlie Rose and best friend Gayle King she still believes in OWN.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Autopsy: White residue on spoon in Houston’s room
AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file
An autopsy report shows that cocaine was found in Houston's system and that investigators recovered whitish powdery substances from her hotel room. Houston died Feb. 11 in Beverly Hills at the age of 48.
BY ANTHONY MCCARTNEY | ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Whitney Houston was found facedown in a bathtub with cocaine in her system and drug paraphernalia on the bathroom counter nearby, investigators revealed in the singer’s final autopsy report released Wednesday. The report delivered a grim accounting of Houston’s final hours nearly three months ago. The singer complained of a sore throat before an assistant suggested she take a bath before the start of a pre-Grammy Awards gala. By the time the assistant returned, Houston had drowned and was lying face down in the tub. Investigators who scoured the room later found in the bathroom a “spoon with a white crystal like substance in it,” and a white powdery substance in a drawer and on a mirror, according the report. The report does not specifically identify the substances as cocaine, although toxicology tests discovered the drug in Houston’s heart and extremities. The report provides a sad footnote to Houston’s life, revealing the toll the singer’s drug use took on her body. When coroner’s officials said two weeks ago that Houston died from accidental drowning, they also revealed that cocaine had played a role in her death. The office has said there were signs of both chronic and recent use. An investigator noted a hole in the singer’s nose, listed under “history of substance abuse.” Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said he could not discuss how recently Houston may have used cocaine or other details of the final report. Beverly Hills police Lt. Mark Rosen said the investigation is still open, and he could not comment on the findings. The department has said there did not appear to be signs of foul play.
On her final day alive, Houston complained she had a sore throat for several days, and an assistant suggested she take a bath, according to the report. By the time her assistant returned, Houston had been submerged for at least an hour, the report estimates. Water soaked the floor, seeping into the bedroom area. Investigators initially expected drugs or alcohol played a role in Houston’s death, but no alcohol was found in her system. They eventually ruled her death an accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use cited as contributing factors. Houston’s death came just hours before a pre-Grammy gala thrown by her mentor Clive Davis. She was attempting another comeback by starring in a remake of the film “Sparkle,” in which she plays the mother of three girls who form a singing group and struggle with fame and drug addiction. A trailer released Monday featured Houston prominently, including a snippet of her performance of the classic gospel song “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” Toxicology results also showed Houston had marijuana, Xanax, the muscle relaxant Flexeril, and the allergy medication Benadryl in her system. None of those drugs were considered factors in her death. The singer also had buildup of plaque in her arteries that can restrict blood flow. Winter has said the condition is common in drug users. The report indicated a 60 percent blockage in the singer’s right coronary artery. The singer had battled addiction for years, but friends and family have said she appeared committed to making a comeback in the months before her death. “The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy,” Houston told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 television interview with then-husband Bobby Brown by her side.
Burger King ad with Blige stirs criticism 13
BY NEKESA MUMBI MOODY | ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — A Burger King commercial featuring Mary J. Blige singing about chicken has been pulled. But the fast-food chain is blaming music licensing issues for the decision — not criticism of the ad. The spot debuted this week. In it, Blige sings soulfully about chicken snack wraps. But as the video went viral, some in the Black community criticized the ad as stereotypical. The Black women-oriented website Madame Noire likened it to "buffoonery." Burger King said Tuesday the commercial was pulled because of a licensing concern. The company said it hopes to have the Blige "ads back on the air soon," though a spokeswoman would not comment on whether they ads would be the same. The spokeswoman also noted that other celebrities, including Salma Hayek and Jay Leno, also are advertising the snack wraps. A rep for Blige did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file
Have you seen it? A criticized Burger King commercial featuring Mary J. Blige passionately singing about the ingredients in chicken snack wraps has been pulled.
UNIVERSALPICTURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATIONWITH RELATIVITYMEDIA A PRACTICALPICTURES/ZIDEPICTURES PRODUCTION “AMERICAN REUNIMUSION”C JASONBIGGS ALYSON HANNIGAN CHRIS KLEIN THOMAS IANNICHOLAS TARA REID SEANN WILLIAM SCOTTPRODUCEDMENA SUVARI EDDIE KAYETHOMAS JENNIFER COOLIDGE EXECUTIVE AND EUGENE LEVY BY LYLE WORKMAN PRODUCERS LOUIS G. FRIEDMAN PAULWEIBASEDTONZ CHARACTERS CHRIS WEITZ SEANN WIWRILLTTENIAMANDSCOTT JASON BIGGS BY CRAIG PERRY WARRENZIDE CHRIS MOORE ADAM HERZ AUNIVERSALPICTURE CREATED BY ADAM HERZ DIRECTEDBY JON HURWITZ & HAYDEN SCHLOSSBERG SOUNDTRACK ON RELATIVITY MUSIC GROUP
© 2011 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
STARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 6
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES
MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes – Text REUNION with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)! No charge from 43KIX, std. rates may apply. Text HELP for info.
e v e n t LISTINGS calendar
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4 / 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
L.A. Watts Times Calendar, Compiled by Brandon I. Brooks, Co-Managing Editor
4-5-12
Community: The people of Compton, Watts, and Carson have the opportunity to elect their new member of congress for the first time in the new 44th Congressional District after redistricting. Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP), the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, and the Compton/Watts Interfaith Collaborative are convening a children and family forum to give the citizens of the community an opportunity to meet the leading candidates and see who will be the best advocate for children and families in our nation’s capitol. Candidates for the 44th Congressional District/Featured speakers: Congresswoman Janice Hahn & Congresswoman Laura Richardson. Date: Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Where: YWCA Empowerment Center1600 East Compton Boulevard Compton, CA 90221 RSVP: (310) 763-9117
Town Hall Meeting: LAPD Deputy Chief Pat Gannon, LA SD, Inglewood Police Dept. and concerned community members. Discussing the 20th anniversary of the Rodney King Riots, recent law enforcement shootings, the Trayvon Martin protest and rally's and also the local shootings and homicides in south LA and Inglewood. The Abundant Life Church 3500 S. Normandie Ave LA 90007. For more info please call (310) 916-1902 4-6-12
Easter for Homeless: Foot washing,
which has both spiritual and practical applications for the homeless, will be provided by the Los Angeles Christian Health Centers. The organization partners with the Mission to use this opportunity to address the foot problems suffered by many on the streets of Skid Row. Over 2,000 pairs of new shoes will be distributed. etnies, the world’s leading Action Sports footwear and apparel manufacturer, is donating the shoes, and will have staff on hand to ensure a proper fit for everyone. Friday, April 6, 2012 (Good Friday) Street event from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM.
Baldwin Hills Conservancy Public Meeting:
The public is invited to attend the meeting of the Baldwin Hills Conservancy to discuss issues concerning the conservancy and the community. Individuals wishing to speak on agenda items will be allowed three minutes. The next scheduled meeting will be held Friday, April 6 from 10AM to noon, inside the Community Center at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, 4100 So. LaCienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90056. For more information about the meeting, please contact Gloria Dangerfield at (323) 2905720 or visit the website at www.bhc.ca.gov.
4-7-12
Hybrid Romance: In the Project Room gallery, Hybrid Romance by Los Angeles artist Lawrence T. Yun presents his latest watercolor series. His work delivers a natural, yet imaginative oddity beneath the surface of his meticulously orchestrated floral compositions. Discussion begins at 2:00. Gallery hours: Thursday – Sunday, 12 – 5 PM. Free Admission. Located at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Barnsdall Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. For more information call 323 644 6269 or visit lamag.org
Concerned Black Men of Los Angeles: A
Non-profit mentoring organization, offers a powerful series of youth mentoring workshops through its signature Welcome-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. Our next workshop “Relationships & Fatherhood: Examining the Role of a Man to a Woman “is scheduled for April 7th at 10 AM to 12 noon at the Baldwin Hills Branch Library 2906 South La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles. Please call 213-359-3378 for more information.
Ongoing
Travels Through Blackness: International
Movie Poster Designs From the 1920s to 1970s” exhibit located at the Los Angeles’ Museum of African American Art in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. This exhibit celebrates the
history of African Americans in film through these rare movie posters spanning a fifty year period. Travels Through Blackness shows how movies starring African Americans were historically marketed to Black and general audiences. Museum Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12 noon to 5:00 pm. Admission and parking is free. For more information about the Museum of African American Art, visit www.maaala.org or call 323.294.7071. The exhibition is on view through April 22, 2012.
Cultivate/Create: Examines ending violence against women with “I Can: Requiem for I Can’t” which runs through April 22. The event is being presented by A Window Between Worlds (AWBW) at Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), 685 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA (Old Venice Police Station). All events are free. For more information, go to www.awbw.org.
Youth Media Bootcamp: The Mission of The Duke Media Foundation is to train gifted high school students in the disciplines of media, financial literacy & the science of branding and entrepreneurship in preparation for careers in the new digital media age. Limited enrollment! Fax Completed Application to (213) 487-2310 or email: aechols@educatingyoungminds.org or Mail to: Educating Young Minds, 3325 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90010. For more information call 213 8429267. Program runs through May 2.
Tyler Perry Production: Madea is coming to Los Angeles in April at Nokia Theatre Live stage like never before in Tyler Perry’s “Madea Gets a Job”. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Nokia Theatre Live box office, all Ticketmaster locations and Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets by phone, call (800) 7453000. Event Times: Friday, April 20th – April 21st. Get your tickets today! For more information visit Tylerperry.com.
TO MAKE A CALENDAR SUBMISSION: include event name, date(s), time, location, contact/RSVP information and admission price, if any. Use BRIEF paragraph format (no lists, line breaks, or all-caps). All calendar submissions are space permitting and may be edited for brevity. Send submissions, along with any images, to brandon@lasentinel.net with the subject heading “LAWT Community Events.” Please include text in the body of your email, not in an attachment.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
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MOGADISHU Continued from page 7
During the recent reign of Islamist militants, playing basketball in Somalia’s seaside capital was punishable by torture or death. Today, Somalia’s blue flag has reclaimed its place over the battered Lujino Stadium, replacing the black banner of al-Shabab, the militant Islamist group that until a few months ago held sway over much of Mogadishu. This seaside capital is full of life for the first time in 20 years. Since African Union and Somali troops pushed Islamist militants out of the city last year, schools, shops and markets have reopened. The city government has repaired potholed streets and installed streetlights. Turkish Airlines last month began weekly flights, advertised on billboards, marking the first time in decades that a reputable international carrier has regular flights to Mogadishu. Western-style restaurants are opening, including near Mogadishu’s beachfront, where men and women swim together without fear of punishment from militants. People dance at weddings. It's too early to say that the chaos, violence and hunger that have often gripped Mogadishu since 1991, when dictator Siad Barre was overthrown by warlords who then turned on each other, are gone for good. But a tectonic shift has occurred in the life of this city since al-Shabab’s withdrawal last August. The group at one point had controlled all but a few blocks of the capital. “I see so much difference as a longtime resident in Mogadishu,” Abdiaziz Nur, a 31-year-old Mogadishu resident, said at a cafe where he was smoking a hookah. “I had never dreamed that I would either walk through Mogadishu’s streets or drive my car at night, but now we feel glorified and proud.” The war is still sometimes felt in the capital, with a mortar round or car bomb exploding every few days. Unexploded munitions are also a danger — an old bomb embedded in ground being used as a soccer field exploded last month as a team jumped up and down in celebration of a goal, killing two players and wounding three. But the violence is nowhere near the scale previously seen, and alShabab's strict social rules are no longer enforced in a capital whose population is believed to be between 1.5 million and 3 million. No one knows how many people live in Mogadishu, because until now it has been too dangerous to conduct a census. Changes are coming with stunning speed. A Somali-American entrepreneur is investing millions of dollars to open the first international bank here in more than two decades. The First Somali Bank, protected by 10 guards, plans to offer mortgage loans and international banking services. “The city is returning to normal now. Thanks to Allah, we can do business here again,” said Liban Abdi Igal, the bank’s chairman, who was recently living in Maryland. “I have returned here with optimism after seeing progress and revival.” After getting a facelift, the national theater reopened for the first time in 20 years. The opening concert on March 19 featured musicians playing guitars and drums. The performance
CITY OF LOS ANGELES $50,000 REWARD NOTICE The City of Los Angeles offers a reward payable at the discretion of the City Council to one or more persons in the sum or sums up to an aggregate maximum total sum of $50,000 for information leading to the identification and apprehension of the person or persons responsible for the act of murder against, JASON PERVIS RANDLE, in the City of Los Angeles. On Saturday, August 7, 2010, at approximately 10:30 p.m., 21-year old Jason Pervis Randle was confronted by unknown suspects as he entered the parking lot of his apartment complex at 7000-7014 South Hoover Street, in Los Angeles. One of the suspects produced a firearm, fatally shot Randle, and then fled the scene. LAPD is still searching for the suspect(s) and encourages witnesses to come forward, even anonymously, to assist them in their investigation. The person or persons responsible for this crime represent an ongoing threat to the safety of the people of Los Angeles. Unless withdrawn or paid by City Council action, this offer of reward shall terminate on, and have no effect after, OCTOBER 2, 2012. The provisions of payment and all other considerations shall be governed by Chapter 12 of Division 19 of the LAAC Code, as amended by Ordinance Nos. 158157 and 166666. This offer shall be given upon the condition that all claimants provide continued cooperation within the criminal justice system relative to this case and is not available to public officers or employees of the City, their families, persons in law enforcement or persons whose misconduct prompted this reward. If you have any information regarding this case, please call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAWFULL, 24 hours. C. F. No. 11-0010-s38 4/5/12 CNS-2289086# WATTS TIMES
Mary Thornton House Judge of the Superior Court 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12/12 CNS-2281658# WATTS TIMES
GOVERNMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP 7560, RFP 7562 AND RFP 7561 The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles invites proposals from qualified agencies interested in the following opportunities: RFP 7560 Project Based Voucher (PBV) (Issue 3-26-2012; Due 4-24-2012) To provide Permanent Supportive Housing under the Project Based Voucher Program. RFP 7562 Section 8 Tenant Based Supportive Housing (Issue 3-26-2012; Due 4-24-2012) To provide Section 8 Tenant Based Supportive Housing Program services. RFP 7561 Interpretation & Translation Language Service (Issue 4-9-2012; Due 5-10-2012) To provide translation and interpretation services. Copies of the RFP’s may be obtained via www.hacla.org/ps or call (213) 252-5405 or 2521832. 3/29, 4/5/12 CNS-2284398# WATTS TIMES LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO)
CIVIL
was broadcast live on TV. Beauty salons and gyms are again flourishing in Mogadishu. Women have started driving cars, and Somalis play music on radios without fear. Despite the advances, poverty is still prevalent in much of the city. Thousands of refugees displaced by famine last year sleep on dusty lots. Unemployment is widespread. Women with children on their laps sit on street corners, hoping for a handout. Nowhere is Mogadishu’s transformation more clearly observed than on its many sports fields. Just a year ago, al-Shabab used Mogadishu’s stadium as a launching pad for attacks against the nearby presidential palace. Mortars fired by pro-government forces sometimes landed inside the stadium. Blood stained the walls and the stone bleacher seats, even the goal posts. After alShabab left, residents washed the blood away. The coach of Somalia's national basketball team, Daud Diriye, never thought he'd see the day when sports came back to the city. His team is even traveling to Uganda to play in a tournament. “Having endured the strict rule of the Islamists for so much time, I thought my training days were over,” the 53-year-old potbellied coach said.
NFL UNIFORMS Continued from page 11
weighing them down. They want to be faster,” he said. The second-most important quality was fit. “They want it to stretch and move with them,” he said. The verdict? “It clings to your body so nobody can hold you,” Finley said. “It’s a real nice advantage … because you get a lot of grabbing on the field.” Browns defensive back and former Florida Gator Haden said: “They feel like a little better edition of my
On a recent day, Shukri Saeed was next to a male basketball fan at a game and excitedly spoke of the city’s changes. “Sports are witnessing a revival nowadays, and everyone is in charge of his own destiny,” she said. Hundreds of men and women were joking, chewing gum and enjoying simple pleasures together at the game. Al-Shabab had banned males and females from sitting together in public as a violation of Sharia law. Violators faced public whipping or imprisonment. Across the war-scarred capital, dozens of soccer fields are filled with players. The revival of sports has not only brought ordinary Somalis outside, it has also pulled young militants away from the hold of insurgent groups. “I have three al-Shabab defectors who want a new, entertaining life,” Daud said, glancing at two men struggling to catch a bouncing ball. Mogadishu residents are even going out at night to watch sports competitions — a normal activity most anywhere else in the world but a forgotten pleasure here. Mohamed Hashi, a 64-year-old former basketball player, watched a crowd arriving at the stadium with tears in his eyes. “The grim days are over,” he said.
Florida jersey. More ventilation in them to keep you cooler.” But they still look like the uniforms Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar used to wear for Cleveland back in the 1980s and ’90s. “The Browns — it’s all about traditions,” Haden said. “A lot of the Browns fans they didn't want us to change up. They wanted us to feel better in the uniforms and to fit better and all that, but about the look, they really didn’t want you to change it up at all.”
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. GS014012 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles Petition of: Ping Zhao for Change of Name TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Ping Zhao filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Allison Yen Vu to Allison Zhao The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: Date: 04/26/12, Time: 8:30 AM, Dept.: A The address of the court is 300 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Los Angeles Watts Times Date: Mar 13, 2012
INVITATION FOR BIDS Metro will receive bids for IFB NO. 1013 MRL/MOL North Hollywood Station West Entrance (Design/ Build) for the final design and construction of an approximately 150-foot underground pedestrian passage (under Lankershim Boulevard) from the west mezzanine level of the existing Metro Red Line North Hollywood subway station at Lankershim Boulevard to the platform of the existing Orange Line BRT station west of Lankershim Boulevard 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 May 25, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.Pacific Time, 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. C1013. A Pre-Bid conference will be held on April 11, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. in William Mulholland Conference Room located on the 15th floor at the address above. You may obtain bid specifications, or further information, by emailing Aielyn Dumaua at dumauaa@metro.net 3/29, 4/5/12 CNS-2284229# WATTS TIMES
TRAYVON MARTIN Continued from page 5
taken to an entirely new level. A lay or regular person who used a firearm to shoot and kill someone would have been automatically detained and arrested and the case turned over to a district attorney, who would then make the final decision of whether to file charges or drop the case against the perpetrator. George Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense was sufficient enough to send him home for the night. 10. The ‘triers of facts’ also toe the line George Zimmerman has yet to go through the justice system; therefore, we have not yet seen what the “blue line” will do. However, based on history, we have a pretty good idea given that his father, Robert, is a retired magistrate judge, and his mother, Gladys, was an interpreter at the Prince William County courthouse in Virginia. 11. Support remains regardless of the level of callousness and inhumanity George Zimmerman used foul language and a racial slur in reference to Trayvon Martin; before shooting him to death, the 17-year-old Martin can be heard on the 911 tapes “wailing” for help.
A White Supremacist Boys’ Club George Zimmerman was initially identified in the media as being White. We have since learned that his mother is Peruvian and to many people he appears physically to be a Latino. His father, in an effort to defend him, wrote to the press that his son was “a Spanish-speaking minority” … “more like the boy he killed than people thought.” Being a person of color in the United States does not make one immune to White supremacist ideology or acting on its behalf. Amerikkka has a long history of the thin “blue line” of law enforcement being completely erased when it comes to White terrorist violence against Black people. Although reports have begun indicating that Zimmerman was not a part of an “official” neighborhood watch and that he had designated himself as “captain,” he was still allowed to operate freely — in spite of complaints by his neighbors that he took his job “too zealously” — obviously given clearance because he was seen as being “one of the boys.” Both history and current reality continue to prove that boys will be boys.
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Thursday, April 5, 2012