LAWT 08-04-2011 by LA WATTSTIMES

W E E K E N D E R

L.A. Watts Times Vol. XXX, No. 1243

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see pages 10 - 11

Thursday, August 4, 2011

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

HOROSCOPES

AUG. 4 - 10

RIES ~ Your agreement with co-workers should improve as you take steps to strengthen emotional connections. Keeping things to yourself will not pay off for you this week. Love waits for you if you ask. A message from a distant source contains a clue. AURUS ~ Dealing with smaller issues is the order of the week. Your soul vibrations will not attune easily to lofty subjects, longranged plans and the other aspects of the bigger picture. Attention to details will, however, give a sense of accomplishment. EMINI ~ Matters relating to health need attention. Prevention is more valuable than cure. Rest and eat well this week. Your stress will be lower by knowing that you do not have to fix a relationship that has gone sour. Feel your independence and ability to travel alone. ANCER ~ Use better judgment with regard to financial matters. Stop rationalizing. Money is important. Do something about the fact that you might find yourself broke more often than you wish. Continuing to deny it will delay doing something about it. EO ~ Move slowly concerning relationships this week. People are a little edgy and they don’t know exactly where you’re coming from. Make full explanations. Don’t assume that they know what’s on your mind. Most of all, stay positive no matter what. IRGO ~ You can’t be right all of time. Instead of always trying to be right, try to find the logic in other’s viewpoint whether you happen to agree or not. Endear yourself to a loved one real soon, by really listening to what they have to say. Don’t be so stubborn that you deny yourself what you really want.

IBRA ~ This week is a good week to dump any extra baggage that has been pulling you down. You have too much potential to throw away and waste your time on issues that will amount to nothing. Stay focused on your goals. Meet and spend time with people who will be able to help you reach them. CORPIO ~ Your spiritual vibes will give you insight on a situation that’s been on your mind. Share your thoughts with someone close to you. Spend time with friends and family that will provide support and guidance when you make an important decision. AGITTARIUS ~ Your careless ways with money are going to be apparent this week. Financial mistakes you’ve made in the past will be especially painful. Don’t conceal the pain from yourself. It is a warning that you should take steps to prevent future financial crisis. APRICORN ~ Take advantage of the great weather and spend time outdoors enjoying and relaxing with Mother Nature. Learn a new sport, and spend time with family and friends. Don’t take travel matters into your own hands. Seek a professional who will be able to plan a wonderful vacation for you without breaking your bank. Cook up some goodies for your loved ones. QUARIUS ~ Stay positive; don’t let negative people get inside your head. You know that things will work out well. Ease rapidly away from anyone who is a naysayer. During the week, things may seem hard at times but soon life will be filled with fun. Enjoy! ISCES ~ The bond that you established with your spiritual side works well in your relationship with a special person. Speak of the reality of the intangible qualities of life. Your lover will understand. Keep attention on the financial matters you’ve been dealing with.

Calif. death, 76 illnesses linked to ground turkey BY LINDSEY TANNER & MARY CLARE JALONICK ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is scrambling to find the source of a salmonella outbreak likely linked to ground turkey that has killed one and sickened dozens more. Finding the source of an outbreak hasn’t been easy; the government has been chasing the illnesses for months. The Agriculture Department, which

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Map shows cases of Salmonella Heidelberg since March 1. oversees meat safety, said it is still investigating who produced the meat, and the department hasn’t initiated a recall. California state health officials said Tuesday that the one death was in Sacramento County. Seventy-six people in 26 states have been made sick from the same strain of the disease. The illnesses date back to March, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that cultures of ground turkey from four retail locations between March 7 and June 27 showed contamination with the same strain of salmonella, though those samples were not specifically linked to the illnesses. The agency said preliminary information showed that three of those samples have been linked to the same production establishment but it did not name the retailers or the manu-

facturers. Though the government would not comment, a spokesman for the Minnesota-based meat company Cargill said Tuesday that it had been contacted by the Agriculture Department as part of the investigation. “We have been contacted by FSIS for information about ground turkey processing, which we have provided for their ongoing investigation into Salmonella illnesses,” said Michael Martin, referring to the department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. A spokesman for another large, Minnesota-based producer of ground turkey, Hormel, said Tuesday that the company had not been contacted by USDA about the current investigation. The silence so far from government officials may be attributed to

See SALMONELLA, page 18

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

NAACP and UFCW March in Solidarity Potential key deck: UFCW member: “We just want a fair contract so that we can support ourselves and our families and work with dignity.” BY MICHAEL BROWN L.A. WATTS TIMES CONTRIBUTOR

which have hit an impasse. Since March, more than 60,000 UFCW-represented employees of Delegates from the NAACP’s major supermarket chains, Ralphs, 102nd annual convention joined forces Vons and Albertsons, have worked with members of the United Food and without a contract. During the rally held July 27, Commercial Workers (UFCW) and various community organizations and cler- NAACP leaders, union representatives gy for a march in downtown L.A. last and rank-and-file members took turns week, amid labor negotiations between addressing the crowd of several hungrocery workers and their employers, dred. Local and national NAACP leaders addressed the audience, advocating on behalf of collective bargaining rights and worker solidarity. “If you want power, you take it through courage. You take it through action,” said President of the California NAACP Alice Huffman. John Perez, speaker of the California state assembly, said, “Social and economic justice are inextricably linked.” He went on to cite several recent stories in the media and statistics that highlight the widening wealth gap between employees and employers. He later added, “We need to protect middle class jobs now more than ever.” At the center of the dispute between the UFCW and the supermarkets are employee health benefits. UFCW officials insist that the three supermarket chains collectively took in $5 billion in profits last year, and are asking employees to concede to a 50 percent reduction in wages to maintain health benefits. Representatives for the three grocery chains didn’t respond to requests from the Slobodan Dimitrov/L.A. Federation of Labor L.A. Watts Times for comment Ben Jealous, NAACP President and CEO at press time, however, Ralphs

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(L to r): The Rev. Eric Lee, President/CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles; Councilman Herb Wesson, 10 District. has posted a flyer at some of its stores. A part of the flyer reads: “Our current health care proposal asks the employees to pay either a $9 a week for individual coverage or $23 a week for full family coverage. The national aver-

age is $76 a week.” The statement continues: “The company would increase its contribution to the health care fund from $234 million from the last three years to $365 million over the next three years.”

UFCW Local 770 member David Colbert said he works at Vons in Redondo Beach and has been employed by the company for 30 years. Colbert told the Watts Times, “The

See MARCH, page 7

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Budget battle moves on to supercommittee BY ANDREW TAYLOR ASSOCIATED PRESS

balances tax revenues with spending cuts. Republicans promise that taxes are off the table. That in itself is a recipe for continued gridlock. Cynics predict the committee will deadlock just as similar panels have done previously. But underneath the partisanship that has consumed Washington recently is bipartisan spadework undertaken by Obama’s deficit panel and the Senate’s “Gang of Six.” And unlike the deficit commission, which required approval by a supermajority of 14 of the 18 members, the congressional supercommittee needs just a majority vote. “The joint committee is not going to gridlock, in my opinion,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said. “The joint committee is designed to function

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The budget battle is not over. Many of the most nettlesome questions have been left for a new bipartisan supercommittee of 12 lawmakers whose task will be to find at least $1.2 trillion more in deficit cuts to be spread over the next decade. The six Democratic and six Republican lawmakers — equally divided between the House and Senate and to be chosen in the next two weeks — are sure to experience the same ideological divisions over tax increases and cuts to programs like Medicare that bedeviled efforts involving top lawmakers and the White House this year. But there’s a real price to be paid if the committee deadlocks or if either the House or the Senate rejects

the panel’s recommendations: the threat of deep, across-the-board spending cuts that would strike GOP priorities like defense and programs for the poor that are priorities for Democrats. The cuts wouldn’t hit until January 2013, but their potential impact would have affected interest groups like defense contractors and farmers. “The answer’s pretty obvious. Hanging over the head of the joint committee is this trigger that is pretty drastic,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., a driving force behind the supercommittee concept contained in the debt ceiling legislation President Barack Obama signed Tuesday. The panel’s target is to find $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion in budget cuts over the coming decade, including interest savings. Democrats insist it will have to take an approach that

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

and to tackle some of the very difficult problems that we have been unwilling or unable to deal with.” The debt and budget measure enacted Tuesday already contains more than $900 billion in cuts over the coming decade to the annual operating budgets of Cabinet agencies responsible for thousands of programs funded by Congress each AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster year in appropriaPresident Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader tions bills. That means Mitch McConnell of Kentucky deliver statements followto find the addi- ing the Senate’s passage of the debt ceiling agreement. tional savings the new committee will scour the so- and cuts to Medicare providers like called mandatory side of the budget skilled nursing facilities and home — programs whose spending levels health care providers. Another savings option would basically run on autopilot because they’re set by funding formulas and be to use a smaller inflation adjusteligibility criteria. These include ment when calculating Social Medicare, the Medicaid health plan Security cost-of-living adjustments for the poor and disabled, Social and federal retirement benefits. This Security and veterans’ retirement also would raise revenue by easing taxpayers into higher tax brackets benefits, among others. The first place to start looking more quickly. The new debt and budget pact for savings is the work of a group led by Vice President Joe Biden that also should jump-start Capitol Hill’s tried to find savings for the debt ceil- moribund appropriations process, ing bill. That group broke apart over which has been hung up — especialDemocratic demands on taxes but ly in the Senate — because until now had made decent headway in devel- there hasn’t been agreement on how oping a consensus package of cuts to much to cut agency budgets. For the tea party-driven House, programs like farm subsidies, federal pensions and military health benefits, See BUDGET BATTLE, page 9

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Manufacturing growth hits lowest level in 2 years BY DANIEL WAGNER AP BUSINESS WRITER WASHINGTON (AP) — Manufacturers had their weakest growth in two years in July, a sign that the economy could weaken this summer. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity fell to 50.9 percent in July from 55.3 percent in June. The reading was the lowest since July 2009 — one month after the recession officially ended. Any level above 50 indicates growth. The manufacturing sector has expanded for 23 straight months. Still, new orders shrank for the first time since the recession ended.

Companies slashed their inventories after building them up in June. Output, employment and prices paid by manufacturers all grew more slowly in July. The disappointing report on manufacturing is the first major reading on how the economy performed in July. It suggests the dismal economic growth in the first half of the year could extend into the JulySeptember quarter. “The ISM manufacturing report for July is a shocker and strongly suggests that the disappointing performance of the economy in the first half of the year was not just temporary,” said Paul Dales, a senior U.S. economist for Capital Economics. The news of weak factory growth in July also cooled what

looked to be a strong day on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average had risen nearly 140 points in the first half-hour of trading, after President Barack Obama and lawmakers announced a deal to raise the nation’s borrowing limit. But the Dow erased all of those gains after the manufacturing report was released, and then fell another 145 points. It later AP Photo/Paul Sancya pared most of the day’s A private trade group says manufacturing activity barely grew in July, falling to the losses to close 11 points weakest level since just after the recession ended. down. In a separate report, Construction spending rose 0.2 ects in June, pushing construction the Commerce Department said spending higher for a third straight percent in June, to a seasonally builders began work on more proj- month. See GROWTH, page 12

Let ’s keep moving. The more active they are now, the less chance they’ll develop serious health problems, like obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Southern Christian Leadership Conference President Creecy Dies at 57 SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS The Rev. Dr. Howard Creecy, Jr., who led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as president for just seven months, died July 28 of an apparent heart attack. He was 57. Creecy, a longtime civil rights activist and father of two, died in the early morning hours at his home in Atlanta. While the cause of his death was not immediately clear, his family suspected he suffered a heart attack. An autopsy has been commissioned, the SCLC said in a statement. “We thank the community for the outpouring of compassion and condolences during this difficult time,” Creecy’s wife, Yolanda Grier Creecy and his family said in a statement. According to The New York Times, Creecy was elected president of the civil rights group in January after

Bernice King, daughter of the organization’s founder Dr. Martin Luther King, declined the position. He had previously served as interim president of the conference, which was founded in 1957. Isaac Newton Farris Jr., the nephew of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will now assume the role of interim president. “We are shocked,” Farris stated. “As far as I knew, Howard was in great health. He has been my lifelong friend; this news hits me at my core. Howard has been a prophetic leader who deeply inspired me along with countless others across this great nation and world. From his inspired leadership, which revitalized the SCLC, we will work to continue on the path that he and leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. lay before us.”

SCLC president passes away: Even though he served just seven months, Dr. Howard Creecy, Jr. is credited with revitalizing the organization founded by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.

AP Photo/Lou Krasky

A Southern legal icon passes: U.S. District Court Judge Cameron Currie said of the late Judge Matthew Perry’s practice of the law: “This is his life. This is his hobby, and it’s his love.”

Civil rights lawyer, federal judge Perry dies BY JEFFREY COLLINS ASSOCIATED PRESS

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Matthew Perry, a civil rights lawyer who went from sitting in the courtroom balcony waiting for his cases to be heard because he was Black to having the federal courthouse in Columbia named in his honor, has died. He was 89. Perry died on Sunday, according to Leevy’s Funeral Home, which is handling arrangements. He first made a name for himself in South Carolina in civil rights cases. That included successfully representing Harvey Gant, who became the first Black student to attend classes at Clemson University. In 1975, Perry became the first Black judge in the state named to the federal bench at the U.S. Court of Military Appeals. Four years later, he became a U.S. district court judge. Throughout it all, friends said Perry kept the same warm spirit that endeared him to many and defused his critics. Both his friends and his adversaries say it was that kindness that helped South Carolina integrate with less violence than nearly every other Southern state. “He is the only militant civil rights figure I know of who seems to be loved and respected by both racial groups while still engaged in the struggle,” wrote Robert Carter, a U.S. district judge in New York in the book “Matthew J. Perry: The Man, His Times, And His Legacy.” Perry was born in Columbia on Aug. 3, 1921. He was raised by his mother and grandfather after his tailor father died when he was 12. After high school, Perry enrolled at South Carolina State University. But World War II interrupted his schooling and led him to dedicate his life to civil rights. While on leave, Perry stopped at a restaurant in Alabama. He had

to order his sandwich from a window outside the kitchen while Italian prisoners-of-war were served inside. “You have no idea the feeling of insult I experienced. As I say, that one reverberates,” Perry had said about it. After the war, Perry enrolled at South Carolina State’s new law school and became its first graduate to pass the bar. At the urging of his colleagues, Perry moved to Spartanburg to practice law because the area had no Black attorneys. He quickly became known for his thorough preparation and willingness to take any case. But judges and other lawyers never let him forget he was a Black man in the South in the 1950s. Perry sometimes had to sit in the balcony with other Blacks until his case was called. If he couldn’t stay at the home of his client, he had to drive back home no matter how far because most motels wouldn’t allow Black guests. Perry kept fighting. His civil rights wins were renowned. Along with integrating Clemson, colleagues estimate he got convictions reversed for hundreds if not thousands of people arrested for civil disobedience during the fight to end segregation. Some of them could only pay with baskets of homegrown produce or homemade cakes and pies, offered after Perry had already waived his fee. “Matthew personified the Black lawyer of the 1950s and 1960s — courageous, articulate and persuasive,” said former state Chief Justice Ernest Finney, who graduated from South Carolina State’s law school three years after Perry. In one of his last cases as an attorney, Perry opened the door of the statehouse to Blacks, forcing South Carolina to adopt singlemember House districts. In the next See PERRY, page 18

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Obama turns 50 amid debate over debt BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) — Looks like President Barack Obama may get his 50th birthday bash after all. Obama turns 50 on Thursday, two days after the deadline for the White House and Congress to agree on a plan to keep paying the nation’s bills or risk a potentially calamitous financial default. “What I really want right now is to, to get a debt-ceiling deal for my birthday,” Obama told NPR. The months long debate over government borrowing — Obama said it’s been “taking up all the oxygen in the room” — threatened to force him to skip his own party. But an early birthday present arrived Sunday when he and the leaders of the House and Senate signed off on a long-sought deal. Assuming it clears Congress and Obama signs the deal before Tuesday’s deadline, the president planned a quick trip home to Chicago for a pair of birthday fundraisers the following evening, including a concert with Chicago natives Herbie Hancock and Jennifer Hudson and the local group OK Go. “I feel real good about 5-0,” he said. “I’ve gotten a little grayer since I took this job, but otherwise, I feel pretty good.” Obama added that his wife, Michelle, has told him that she still thinks “I’m cute.” “And I guess that’s, that’s all that matters, isn’t?” he said. Now comes the AARP card Born on Aug. 4, 1961, near the end of the baby boom years of 19461964, Obama is joining more than 4.5 million other boomers who are turning 50 this year, according to AARP, citing U.S. Census figures. “Now I’m gray,” he says at campaign fundraisers. “I’ve got dings and dents,” an apparent reference to the

MARCH

Continued from page 3 offer these companies have put on the table is disrespectful. They didn’t make $5 billion by themselves. (Employees) were a part of that.” He continued, “They’re telling us we have to make these concessions because stores like Walmart are cutting into their profits, but they’re still making plenty of profits.” Colbert said he’s not as optimistic about the current dispute being resolved as he was in 2003, when negotiations fell apart and the workers were locked out throughout Southern California by the three chains. “There’s a lot of uncertainty for many of my co-workers,” he said. “We’ve been working without a contract for months. Our spirits were raised when we came out and saw the NAACP. It reminded me of Dr. King in Memphis when he spoke up for the sanitation workers.” One of the prevailing themes of the march uttered by union members was: “We don’t want to strike, but we will if we have to.” During the last dispute between the UFCW and the three chains in 2003-04, the work stoppage lasted 141 days, affecting more than 200 grocery stores throughout L.A. County. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a

bruising policy disputes he’s had with a politically divided Congress, including over borrowing the money the government needs to keep paying its bills. He told reporters at a White House news conference in mid-July that he was turning 50 in a week; his birthday actually was still three weeks away. “So I’m starting to think a little bit more about Medicare eligibility,” Obama said. “I’m going to get my AARP card soon — and the discounts.” Not that he needs them. He has made millions from a best-selling memoir and earns $400,000 a year for running the country. After meeting last week with four African presidents whose countries have marked 50 years of independence, Obama joked that “I’m also celebrating my 50th of at least existence.” No discernable weight gain— despite a penchant for greasy spoons The gray hair sprouting from Obama’s temples is about the only obvious sign of aging. The 6-foot-1 president is as lanky as he was when he took office. He’s gained no noticeable amount of weight despite a level of job stress that would send most people to the refrigerator for relief on a nightly basis. He has stuck to a regimen of near daily exercise that includes treadmill runs, weight lifting and weekend games of pickup basketball, golf or substitute coaching daughter Sasha’s basketball team. “Many of you knew me before I had gray hair,” Obama jokes at campaign fundraisers. He halted most travel in July, including fundraising trips, due to the tense and intense negotiations with Congress. Of the gray hair, he says: “Malia and Sasha say it makes me look distinguished. Michelle says it makes me look old.” The first lady also talks about seeing the “worry creasing his face.” Obama is due for another medical checkup soon. After his first exam in

unit of the U.S. Department of Labor, indicated on its website that the stoppage was the longest in U.S. supermarket history. Timothy Sillekens, a UFCW member employed at Albertsons in Carson, recalled his struggles during the stoppage. “I’m a single parent and I maxed out all of my credit cards just to survive,” he said. Marching with the NAACP and meeting members of several unions who have pledged solidarity with the grocery workers has impressed Sillekens. “When we receive support from other unions who are adopting our stores and telling the managers that they won’t cross picket lines that shows that there’s power in numbers,” he said. “The NAACP was great,” he later added. “They hosted a luncheon for us and showed genuine support.” The UFCW rank-and-file have authorized the call for a strike if the three chains fail to make a better contract offer. A strike date hasn’t been set, but the possibility looms. Sillekens said, “We’re not asking for anything more than what we have. We just want a fair contract so that we can support ourselves and our families and work with dignity.”

early 2010, doctors declared him in excellent health and noted a borderline high cholesterol level of 209 that suggested room for improvement in his diet. The president has a habit of sampling local greasy-spoon delicacies — whether it’s burgers, chili dogs, pastries or all of them — on trips outside of Washington. He once said he and the first lady would have to figure out how to resist ordering the White House pastry chef’s pie every night “because whatever pie you like, he will make it and it will be the best pie you have ever eaten.” He also finally quit smoking, the first lady said. How he’ll celebrate Obama is the third U.S. president who belongs to the post-World War II baby boom generation, a population of more than 76 million. Bill Clinton was the first, followed by George W. Bush. Obama was expected to spend his actual birthday, Thursday, in Washington. But other than a work day full of meetings, the White House hasn’t said how he and his family plan to celebrate. Besides the birthday fundraisers at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, Obama’s re-election campaign is planning hundreds of house parties around the country. It also has asked supporters to each recruit 50 new supporters for the president’s birthday. Darlene Superville can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap.

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Is he really 50? “I feel real good about 5-0,” President Barack Obama said. “I’ve gotten a little grayer since I took this job but otherwise, I feel pretty good.” Obama added that Michelle told him that she still thinks “I’m cute.”

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Ex-Detroit mayor freed after 14 months in prison BY JEFF KAROUB ASSOCIATED PRESS JACKSON, Mich. (AP) — Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick walked out of prison early Tuesday, offering big smiles and a bear hug for a relative there to greet him. He’s free on parole but facing a federal corruption trial that could send him back behind bars. Kilpatrick, 41, left the Southern Michigan Prison facility in Jackson after serving more than a year for violating probation in a 2008 criminal case. He did not address reporters, who were kept back about 100 yards behind police tape, and drove off toward the Detroit area under police escort. In a statement issued ahead of his release, Kilpatrick thanked all those who prayed for him and said he would speak openly about his time behind bars after he has reunited with his family. He planned to rejoin his wife and three sons near Dallas, where his parole will be overseen by Texas authorities. “Detroit, I will return to speak frankly with you about this experience because it has affected all of us,” he said in the statement. “I am beginning anew. I am looking forward. I have new dreams and aspirations. I have a new hope. My greatest desire is that my testi-

mony will give anyone who will listen permission to dream of greatness and to push toward it even in the midst of failure.” Before leaving the prison, Kilpatrick changed into his own clothing: jeans and a peach-colored shirt, state Corrections Department spokesman John Cordell said. Cordell said Kilpatrick also cashed out his prison bank account, which contained 28 cents. Kilpatrick heartily hugged his brother-in-law, Daniel Ferguson, who greeted him and carried his bag of personal items to a sport utility vehicle waiting outside the facility. An attorney accompanied the pair, and a videographer recorded the proceedings, Cordell said. Cordell said Kilpatrick told them: “It’s good to be out. I’m on my way.” Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and resigned from office as part of a plea deal in 2008. A judge found he had lied at a civil trial to cover up an extramarital affair with his chief of staff — in a lawsuit that cost Detroit $8.4 million. The former mayor was imprisoned in May 2010 for failing to disclose assets and surrender sufficient funds that could have reduced his $1 million restitution to the city. Kilpatrick still owes Detroit more than $800,000 and a judge recently ordered that all profits from his upcoming book be placed in escrow

to help pay off the debt. The Wayne County prosecutor’s office opposed Kilpatrick’s release. Hours later, TV stations tracked him to the Detroit home of his mother, former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, for a private reunion with relatives and friends. His federal trial on fraud, tax crimes and a racketeering conspiracy is scheduled to start in September 2012. In an 89-page indictment filed in December, the government described a pay-to-play scheme in which Kilpatrick and his father, Bernard, took kickbacks and bribes to steer city business to certain contractors. Both men have pleaded not guilty. Bernard Kilpatrick is not in custody. People charged with felonies typically aren’t granted parole but the U.S. attorney’s office did not object to Kilpatrick’s release. The Democrat served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1996 to 2001 and was minority floor leader from 1998 to 2000. He was elected mayor of his hometown in 2001 and served from 2002 through his September 2008 resignation. Kilpatrick spent 99 days in the Wayne County Jail and in early 2009 joined his family in a Dallas suburb where he worked as a salesman for Covisint, a subsidiary of Detroit-based software company Compuware Corp.

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

A free man: Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had served just over a year for a probation violation stemming from a 2008 criminal case.

Government wants to keep secrets in FBI lawsuit BY THOMAS WATKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS

their activities solely because of their religion. In a legal declaration filed late LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. Monday, Holder made a rare assertion Attorney General Eric Holder has of the state secrets privilege, arguing invoked state secrets rules to prevent that it could cause significant harm to information from being released in a national security if the government is lawsuit filed by Southern California forced to reveal the subjects of a Muslims who claim the FBI monitored mosque-surveillance operation in 2006 and describe how the monitoring was carried out. A judge must weigh the request, which comes after many details from the investigation, dubbed Operation Flex, have already been made public. The key informant in the case, Craig Monteilh, turned against the FBI and described how his agency handlers taught him to ingratiate himself into the Orange County Muslim community, then secretly gather cellphone numbers, email addresses and record conversations. Monteilh claims the FBI even told him to talk openly about jihad in an attempt to solicit terrorist sentiments from community members. But instead of responding to his violent rhetoric, mosquegoers called the FBI to say they were worried about his statements. Holder’s declaration came in a motion to dismiss AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin the bulk of a lawsuit filed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder fears that against the FBI in February by the release of surveillance information in a the ACLU of Southern California and the Los Angeles

lawsuit might ultimately lead to counter-surveillance that could “place federal agents at higher risk.”

See FBI LAWSUIT, page 16

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Prosecutors to seek death in ‘Grim Sleeper’ trial BY THOMAS WATKINS ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors said Monday they will seek the death penalty against a man accused of the ‘Grim Sleeper’ serial killings of prostitutes and other women who were shot, strangled or both over several decades in Los Angeles. The announcement came as capital punishment is coming under increasing fire in California for lengthy delays in executions and for the expenses involved in winning cases, fighting appeals and keeping inmates on death row. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman told a court her office will ask a jury for the state’s harshest sentence if 58-year-old Lonnie Franklin Jr. is convicted. Franklin has pleaded not guilty to the murders of 10 women and one count of attempted murder. Most of the victims linked to the ‘Grim Sleeper’ were found in alleyways within a few miles of Franklin’s home south of downtown Los Angeles. Those victims were killed after some kind of sexual contact. The killings got their name because of an apparent long gap between some of the deaths, which began in the 1980s and extended into the 2000s. Franklin, a mechanic, was arrested in July 2010. Police have also been investigating him in connection with other murders and now theorize there never was a break in the killings. Franklin’s attorney Louisa Pensanti said she continued to pore over tens of thousands of pages of evidence in the case. “The steps have been taken to see if the charges are true,” she said. During a hearing Monday, prosecutors were granted the right to take a voice sample from Franklin. Outside court, they said they want to compare it to the voice heard on two 911 calls they believe Franklin made. “Sometimes (killers) want to stand back and watch the chaos ensue,” police Detective Paul Coulter said in explaining why someone might call police after carrying out a killing. Detectives fear at least three women whose photos and IDs were found in a refrigerator in Franklin’s garage suffered the same fate as Janecia Peters, whom Franklin is charged with killing and whose picture was in the same stash. They also are seeking to identify women in 51 other photographs found at his house. Outside court, Detective Dennis Kilcoyne spoke to a group of relatives of victims and said the death penalty is “almost a non-issue” in California because it takes so long for convicts to

More underserved kids taking advanced placement exams BY CHRIS LEVISTER SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM BLACKVOICENEWS.COM

AP Photo/Nick Ut

Death penalty “almost a nonissue”: That’s the view of one detective, because it takes so long for convicts to be executed in California. be executed. “In 20 to 25 years, when it comes up, many of us won’t be on this planet anymore,” he said. Franklin, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, did not speak during the brief hearing. Keevin Limbrick, whose sister Alicia Monique Alexander was among those killed, said he chose to not look at Franklin in court but would watch his execution if it ever happens. “I just want to see that day,” Limbrick said. “Then I’ll look.” Last month, a state Senate bill that seeks to abolish California’s death penalty advanced after its first legislative hearing in the Assembly. Now awaiting action in a committee, the bill would put the question before voters in 2012 if it is passed. A recent study by a federal appellate judge and a university law professor found California taxpayers spend $184 million annually to try death penalty cases, defend the state through appeals and incarcerate condemned inmates. Most of the 714 condemned inmates on the nation’s most populous death row are more likely to die of old age than lethal injection, the study found. The researchers calculated that capital punishment has cost California $4 billion since it was reinstated 34 years ago, yet just 13 inmates have been executed — none in the past five years.

BUDGET BATTLE Continued from page 4 the cuts in the debt bill — which are measured against an inflation-adjusted “baseline” estimate of future spending — actually provide $24 billion more for this year’s appropriations bills than permitted under the budget passed by the House in April. The overall total for the 12 spending bills is $1.043 trillion, a $7 billion cut from current levels.

Civil Rights report shines light on education disparities

Democrats will press to restore cuts planned by Republicans to education, environmental programs, housing subsidies and foreign aid, among others. That will be made easier by the fact that the debt ceiling agreement also requires Republicans to pare back a $17 billion, 3 percent increase for the Pentagon that passed the House last month.

If algebra is the ‘gatekeeper’ course that determines whether students will have access to higher education, then thousands of African American and other underserved high school students are facing a locked gate with no key. U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights data show schools serving mostly African American students are twice as likely to have inexperienced teachers as are schools serving mostly whites in the same district. That’s the conclusion of the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) Office for Civil Rights 2009-2010 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). The first of a two-part series, the survey includes responses from approximately 7,000 school districts and more than 72,000 schools. These data provide policymakers, educators and parents with critical information that will aid them in identifying inequities and targeting

Schools that serve mostly African American students are twice as likely to have inexperienced teachers as are those predominantly White schools in the same district. solutions to close the persistent educational achievement gap in America. For example, in 3,000 high schools serving 500,000 students, math classes don’t go higher than Algebra I, and 7,300 schools serving two million students had no access to calculus classes. Schools serving mostly African American students are

twice as likely to have inexperienced teachers as are schools serving mostly Whites in the same district. Only two percent of students with disabilities are taking at least one advanced placement class. “These data show that far too many students are still not getting See EDUCATION, page 19

Thursday, August 4, 2011

L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

F E AT U R E

Harry E. Johnson, Sr.

The Man Behind the King Monument

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. played a signiﬁcant role in moving America, and indeed the world, towards the equality of all men, and in memorializing the man and his work, Harry Johnson has played an equally signiﬁcant role in producing the by Brandon I. Brooks | Co-Managing Editor King monument in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream for America and we are living it today. No greater demonstration of this “Dream” is that today we have a Black President in the White House. We still have a long way to go as far as social justice in this country but make no mistake America walks with a certain level of consciousness that was influenced by Dr. King’s prophetic words and sacrificial life. On Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 11 a.m., there will be a historic unveiling of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memorial in Washington D.C. at the National Mall. The MLK unveiling will mark the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington where Dr. King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The event will be televised nationally on networks such as CNN, TV One and B.E.T., and other major networks will cut, in and out, throughout the day. Harry E. Johnson, Sr., president and CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. has led this historic mission since 2002, and he will lead the unveiling, of what is arguably, the most famous and talked about memorial America and the world has ever seen. “Here we are 48 years after the March on Washington, Dr. King’s magnificent words and others, we now dedicate for the first time in our history a memorial to a man of peace, a non-president, and a person of color,” said Johnson. The President of the United States and the U.S. Congress charged the MLK Foundation with the challenge of erecting a memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Under Johnson’s leadership, the MLK Memorial Foundation has raised $112 million of the $120 million needed to complete the memorial. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity played a pivotal role in the idea and origin of Dr. King’s legacy being honored through a Washington memorial. From 2001 to 2004, Johnson served as National President of Alpha Phi Alpha, Incorporated, the fraternity to which Dr. King belonged. While serving in this position, Johnson oversaw over 700 chapters located throughout the United States and abroad. “Alpha Phi Alpha got involved because of five visionaries, Harold Navy, Al Bailey, George Sealy, Oscar Little and Eddie Madison, who sat around a table and thought that people of color were not visiting the mall in great numbers and how do you get

them to understand our great history?” said Johnson. “They obviously said, ‘hey, well what if there were some memorials or statues of people of color, then people of color would come’. And they came up and said for whom should this memorial be, and who would do one? And they threw all the names, and that they came up with, and ended up with Dr. King’s name.” Johnson is a career lawyer and also a Partner at the Law Oƥce of Glenn and Johnson. He served as City Attorney for Kendelton, Texas, from 1996 - 1999, and taught at Texas Southern University in the Thurgood Marshall School of Law and School of Public Aơairs. Johnson is a small business owner who has dedicated his life and time to community groups, and issues such as voter registration, blood donations, HIV/AIDS, Boy Scouts of America and Big Brothers. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Southern University where he was a member of the Thurgood Marshall Student Bar Association. He completed Post Baccalaureate work in Public Administration at St. Louis University and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Xavier University in Louisiana. The MLK Memorial Foundation anticipates 4,000,000 will visit, learn and pay tribute to Dr. King and others in the struggle for a better America annually. This is supposed to be the mostvisited memorial in the near future for people to come and visit. The President of the United States has been invited but there is no confirmation on whether he will speak or actually attend. “We know that the Secretary of Interior (Ken Salazar) will be there”, said Johnson. “Several past icons of the civil rights movement will be there. We also know that Aretha Franklin will be on program, BeBe Winans, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Maya Angelou, Herbie Hancock, Mary Mary, Naturally 7, and a few others. We are expecting 250,000 people.” “One of the things we want people worldwide, and especially young children in this country, is for them to see that with this memorial on the mall, for the first time in our history, the mall will be diversified,” said Johnson. “Never before has there been a memorial to a

Never before has there been a memorial to a person of color of this magnitude.

person of color of this magnitude. There may be a statue of Mary McCleod Bethune Cookman somewhere, but there is certainly not anything of this magnitude. And to say that Dr. King is situated between the Lincoln and the Jeơerson memorials, and to their left is the Washington memorial. It’s a great piece of real estate to be associated with.” It’s important to note that for a memorial of this magnitude to be built and completed, in just 25 years of conception, is remarkable, and illustrates the dynamic job done by the MLK Memorial Foundation and its leader, Harry E. Johnson, Sr. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s memorial took 45 years from concept to completion and they had a staơ of 44 and a budget of $170 million. With a staơ of only 11 people, Johnson is proud to say that the MLK memorial is one of the only memorials to raise funds from private resources. Many people speculate about what Dr. King might say about the memorial if he were alive today, so the Sentinel asked Johnson to weigh in on the debate, considering he understands King’s legacy, as well as any other person in the world. “Well from what I’ve been told, Dr. King would want to know what is all the fuss about. But in my honest opinion, we don’t build memorials to men, we build them from ideals of which they have,” said Johnson. “That being said, we built this memorial because of the ideals Dr. King stood for.” Just as the Lincoln or the Jeơerson memorial was not built to men, but were built to celebrate the ideals of the men they honor. The ideals of democracy, or Lincoln’s ideals of having this as one country, as opposed to north versus south, is what these memorials celebrate. Dr. King had the same ideals. That this country was not Black versus White, not rich versus poor, but this is one country, which is the United States of America. Ultimately, he died because he felt this world should be a world of peace, and he was willing to risk, and give his life for this unprecedented faith. That we should not have senseless wars, people should not be starving, people deserved to be clothed, so he died for a much greater cause. And that’s why we built this memorial for Dr. King.” “What visitors will encounter when they walk into the memorial site from Independence Avenue is, they will walk into a plaza area that’s very open and inviting,” said Johnson. “And then they will walk towards what is called the “Mountain of Despair,” a huge bolder of granite that looks like a mountain that has been cut in two.”

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As you walk through the “Mountain of Despair,” you go from the huge open plaza to a narrower 12-foot wide opening between the two mountains. This will not only signify the struggle going through the civil rights movement, but it will also signify the “Stone of Hope” that was carved out of the “Mountain of Despair.” And so from his speech it says, ‘Out of a Mountain of despair, hew a stone of hope.’ So once on the other side of the “Mountain of Despair,” there is a 700-foot wall of quotations from Dr. King’s speeches on that wall. But you still haven’t seen Dr. King until you walked out towards the water looking at Jeơerson, and there on another 30 foot stone, it looks like it was carved directly out of the mountain, there is Dr. King sculpted on the other side, looking at Jeơerson.” Johnson talked in depth with the Sentinel about his experience through the rigorous process and how he managed to deal with the memorial project on a day-to-day basis. “With God on your side, you can make the impossible possible, number 1,” shared Johnson. “Number 2, God is not going to put more on you than what you can beareth. So even though you have some sleepless nights, some restless nights and some headaches, you know that God is going to see you through it, if you are doing the right thing. So me personally, I thank those that prayed for me, and the foundation and kept a hedge of protection around us so we could get to the end goal. And so now I am proud to say that I have had a part in this because as I always like to say, you don’t ever know where God is going to place, put, or send you. I am thankful He placed put and sent me here.” For more information on the MLK Memorial Foundation, and to experience a virtual tour, please visit www.mlkmemorial.org. For more information on the actual dedication ceremony, please visit www.dedicatethedream.org.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

King

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

GROWTH

Continued from page 5 adjusted annual rate of $772.3 billion, the government said. But even with the gains, spending remains slightly above an 11-year low hit in March and is just half of the $1.5 trillion pace considered healthy by most economists. The economy expanded at a dismal 1.3 percent annual rate in the April-June period after an even worse 0.4 percent increase in the first three months of the year, the government said Friday. The factory sector has expanded in every month but one since the recession ended in June 2009. The ISM's index topped 60 for four straight months at the start of the year. But manufacturing has stumbled in recent months. A parts shortage stemming from Japan’s March 11 earthquake disrupted automakers’ supply chains, cutting into the output of new cars. And high gas prices left Americans with less money to spend on discretionary items, such as vacations, furniture and appliances. The index fell in May to 53.5 from April’s reading of 60.4. That was the sharpest one-month drop since 1984. Employers have responded by pulling back on hiring. The economy added just 18,000 net jobs in

June, the fewest in nine months, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent. Hiring by manufacturers was nearly flat in the April-June period. The government issues its July employment report on Friday. Several regional manufacturing surveys for the month of July have been mixed. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank said its manufacturing index rose to 3.2, signaling that the sector is growing again in that region. It had contracted in June for the first time in nine months. And a private survey in Chicago showed that manufacturing expanded in July, but at a slower pace than in June. Meanwhile, a survey by the New York Federal Reserve Bank found regional manufacturing activity shrank in July. Manufacturing represents only about 11 percent of U.S. economic activity and can contribute only so much to the broader economic recovery. For unemployment to fall significantly, consumer income and spending also must pick up. The ISM, a trade group of purchasing executives based in Tempe, Ariz., compiles its manufacturing index by surveying about 300 purchasing executives across the country.

From homelessness to hero: Recording artist Kem has experienced both the mountains and the valleys of success. BY GREGORY DALE SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS With a pair of gold albums and a list of Grammy nominations under his belt, it’s surely safe to say that R&B crooner Kem has found success. Kemistry, his debut album on

UNIVERSAL PICTURES/DREAMWORKS PICTURES/RELIANCE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIA AN IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT/K/O PAPER PRODUCTS/ FAVREAU FILM DANIEL CRAIG HARRISON FORD “COWBOYS & ALIENS” OLIVIA WILDE SAM ROCKWELL ADAM BEACH FAIRVIEW ENTERTAINMENT/PLATINUM STUDIOS PRODUCTION A JONEXECUTIVE STEVEN SPIELBERG JON FAVREAU DENIS L. STEWART BOBBY COHEN RANDY GREENBERG RYAN KAVANAUGH PAULPRODUCED DANO NOAH RINGER MUSICBY HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS PRODUCERS BASED ON PLATINUM STUDIOS’ “COWBOYS AND ALIENS” BY SCOTT MITCHELL ROSENBERG BY BRIAN GRAZER RON HOWARD ALEX KURTZMAN ROBERTO ORCI SCOTT MITCHELL ROSENBERG SCREEN STORY SCREENPLAY BY MARK FERGUS & HAWK OSTBY AND STEVE OEDEKERK BY ROBERTO ORCI & ALEX KURTZMAN & DAMON LINDELOF AND MARK FERGUS & HAWK OSTBY DIRECTED BY JON FAVREAU A UNIVERSAL PICTURE VISUAL EFFECTS AND ANIMATION BY INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC SOUNDTRACK ON BACK LOT MUSIC AND VARÈSE SARABANDE

THIS FILM CONTAINS DEPICTIONS OF TOBACCO CONSUMPTION

and past struggles with addiction

Singer Kem ‘Shares His Life’

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Motown Records, earned tremendous praise with its single “Love Calls.” His sophomore effort, Album II, sold over 500,000 copies nationwide and hit the top of Billboard’s R&B charts in 2005. In 2010, Kem released “Intimacy: Album III.” After selling 74,000 copies in its first week in the United States, it debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts. But prior to his ascent, the Detroit native’s life was plagued by hardships. In addition to being homeless, he also faced drug and alcohol addiction. Fortunately, he made an escape. Kem shared his story at the opening ceremony of the 17th annual National Association of Drug Courts Professionals’ training conference in July at the Gaylord National Harbor Hotel, located in a suburb of Washington, D.C. Drug courts are alternatives to the traditional court system. Eligible persons are sent there and are provided with intensive treatment and other services that help them stay clean and sober. Throughout the country, 75 percent of drug court graduates remain arrest-free for at least two years after leaving the program, and drug courts are six times more likely to keep offenders in treatment long enough for them to recover. The AFRO spoke to Kem following his speech at the opening ceremony and discussed with him his thoughts on drug courts, his personal struggles and his career. AFRO: You shared a lot about your hardships prior to your breakout in the music industry. When did you finally get a breakthrough? Kem: My last drink and drug was July 23, 1990. I was sleeping outside on the streets of Detroit, and I was trying to get back into a treatment center that had discharged me for using while I was in their program previously. As we say in recovery circles, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was in my early 20s, and I could no longer continue the life I was living. Then, I surrendered. I

gave up on my ideas on how to change my life and that made me open to allowing someone else to come in and show me how to live. AFRO: You know about the struggles that people with drug addiction experience. Why do you believe the drug court system is vital in this country? Kem: Drug courts are important because they give an addict an option. It gives them support — and not just support to stay out of jail, but support to live. It restores them and gives them life. It helps them build lives for themselves and their kids as opposed to going to jail where the chances are greater for them to continue to repeat the same thing that planted them in jail in the first place. I think it’s a good alternative and it costs less money. You’ve got to love that! [Laughs]. AFRO: Explain how you try to convey your messages of encouragement to your audiences and fans. Kem: My faith is my foundation. The principles that I’ve used to maintain my recovery are principles that anybody can use to overcome anything that they are dealing with in their lives. So, if you listen to my records, you hear that in my music. When I’m on stage, I talk about it. Myself and everyone who works on my behalf looks at [our job] as a ministry. We want to uplift people — we don’t just want to entertain you. Now, we want you to be entertained—but we want to add something of value to your lives. It’s very important that we do that and I try to do that in everything I do. AFRO: Your last album was quite a success. What’s up next for you? Kem: We’re out on the road doing shows. We’re just keeping it pushing and being creative. I’m trying to be a good steward in all that God has given me. Hopefully he’s pleased with what we’re doing—at least some of the things. [Laughs]. For more information on Kem, visit: Musicbykem.com. For more information on the NADCP, visit: NADCP.org.

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones to receive Oscars LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones and makeup artist Dick Smith have been picked to receive honorary Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says the three will be honored with Oscar statuettes at the Governors Awards in November. The academy’s Board of Governors voted Tuesday to recognize the entertainment industry veterans.

AP Photo/Marvel Comics

In the fourth and final issue of “Ultimate Fallout,” the mantle of the wallcrawling hero has been taken on by Miles Morales, a young bi-racial man— Black and Hispanic—a role possibly to be played by actor Donald Glover of NBC’s “Community.”

There’s a new Spider-Man in town It looks like the new Spider-Man’s going to be from the other side of town. BY BRIAN W. CARTER, SENTINEL STAFF WRITER In a bold move by Marvel comics, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli, Spider-Man is going to be Black! Before you jump too far in either direction, let me explain. First of all, the character is actually Black and Hispanic and is named Miles Morales. Second, the character is set to take over the mantle of Spider-Man in September following the death of Peter Parker. And last, all of this will take place in an alternate Marvel universe known as the Ultimate Universe. Under the Ultimate Marvel imprint, the character of Ultimate Spider-Man character was first reimagined by veteran artist Mark Bagley and Bendis in 2000. In mid2009, the Ultimate Marvel imprint changed into Ultimate Comics. Marvel will also be launching a new cartoon series—“Ultimate Spider-Man—which is set to air on Disney XD in sometime in 2012. Spider-Man has remained one of the most beloved comics characters of all time, spawning numerous cartoons, live-action television shows and movies. Ultimate Marvel’s Spider-Man has also garnered a large following with a more modern and a younger take on the character, which has drawn in old and new fans. The shocking death of Peter Parker/Spider-Man took place recently in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man in the story arc “Death of Spider-Man.” In April, Marvel released pictures of a new Spider-Man costume and let the cat out of the bag that it wouldn’t be Peter Parker behind the mask. Then recently, Marvel alluded to the new Spider-Man in an issue of the current miniseries, Ultimate Fallout #4. It has recently revealed the iden-

tity of Afro-Hispanic Miles Morales as the new Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe. The result: a huge, mixed bag of reactions. Most, unfortunately, aren’t too happy about Spidey’s new tan. Many fans and online posters have been blazing comic book message boards calling ‘foul’ on the revelation. Many of the complaints are no more than racist remarks under the veil of fans calling the new character a politically correct ploy. A similar reaction arose last year when news of a new Spider-Man movie franchise would be taking place. Sony’s new franchise would see a reboot from the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man films to one closer to the Ultimate Marvel’s version. Online posters suggest a young African-American actor, Donald Glover, of the NBC TV series “Community” as a possible contender for the rebooted Spider-Man movie. Glover began to rally for support once he found out. His actions angered many who loathed the idea of SpiderMan being Black, to say the least. Andrew Garfield was ultimately cast in the Sony reboot as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in “The Amazing Spider-Man” due in theaters in July 2012. It was Glover’s bid that sparked Bendis’ plans about where to go next with Spider-Man in the Ultimate Marvel Universe. “He looked fantastic,” Bendis said to USA Today when Glover appeared briefly in SpiderMan pajamas in an episode of “Community.” Said Bendis, “I would like to read that book.” Glover’s reaction has been one of surprise. He’s tweeted that the announcement is “so fly!” and thanked Bendis for doing something “cool and interesting!” Marvel Editor in Chief Axel

See SPIDER-MAN, page 14

James Earl Jones

Winfrey will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which honors philanthropic and humanitarian contributions. The 57-year-old media mogul, who was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for 1985’s “The Color Purple,” supports various charitable and educational causes, including her own namesake foundations and Academy for Girls in South Africa. Jones and Smith will receive honorary Oscars for their outstandAP Photo/Evan Agostini ing careers. Oprah Winfrey Jones has appeared in more than 50 films. The was nominated again in 1989 for “Dad.” 80-year-old actor — who is the Known as the “godfather of makeup,” voice of Darth Vader — was nom- he also worked on “The Godfather,” inated for an Academy Award in ‘‘The Exorcist” and “Taxi Driver.” 1971 for “The Great White Smith also helped train many of today’s Hope.” His other credits include top movie makeup artists. Smith, Jones and Winfrey will “Field of Dreams,” ‘‘Patriot Games” and “The Hunt for Red receive their statuettes on Nov. 12 at the 3rd annual Governors Awards dinner at October.” Smith was NBC’s first make- the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & up man when he started his career Highland Center, just above the Kodak in 1945. He won an Oscar in 1984 Theatre, where the Academy Awards for his work on “Amadeus” and are presented.

UNIVERSALPICTURES PRESENTS INASSOCIATIONWITH RELATIVITY MEDIA AN ORIGINALFILM/BIGKIDPICTURES PRODUCTION A DAVID DOBKIN FILM RYANREYNOLDS JASONBATEMAN “THECHANGE-UP” LESLIEMANN OLIVIA WILDE AND ALANARKIN MUSICBY JOHN DEBNEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

PRODUCED JOE CARACCIOLO, JR. ORI MARMURWRITTEN JEFF KLEEMAN JONATHON KOMACK MARTIN BY DAVID DOBKIN NEALH.MORITZ DIRECTED BY JON LUCAS & SCOTT MOORE BY DAVID DOBKIN A UNIVERSALPICTURE © 2011 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

STARTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 5

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

EVENT 8-4-11 Big Sam’s Funky Nation at Pasadena’s Summer Soundzz Party on the Plaza: a hot urban funk band led by Big Sam Williams, formerly the trombonist of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Byron Miller, respected R&B and jazz musician, will be opening the show on Pasadena’s Civic Plaza (In front of the Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green Street, Pasadena). Concert starts at 7:30, gates open at 6:30. Tickets $2075, call (626) 304-0333 or see ticketmaster.com/summersoundzz.

LISTINGS

and have the chance to meet Dodger Manager Don Mattingly. Register by 3pm on August 5th to participate at www.dodgers.com/ThinkClue. Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir in Big!World!Fun! at the Ford: the Grammy-nominated ensemble is coming to the Ford

8-6-11 A Discussion with Your Congresswoman, Rep. Maxine Waters: due to an outpouring of interest at the July 23rd meeting, Congresswoman Waters is holding another town hall on current issues. 10am-12pm at the Faith Central Bible Church Living Room (400 W. Florence Ave., Inglewood). Dodgers Think Clue Scavenger Hunt: fans will have the chance to

search for five items hidden throughout the city. The first five fans to complete the scavenger hunt will win two field-level tickets to the six Dodgers home games, August 8-14, watch batting practice,

SPIDER-MAN Continued from page 13

Alonso told USA Today, “What you have is a Spider-Man for the 21st century who’s reflective of our culture and diversity. We think that readers will fall in love with Miles Morales the same way they fell in love with Peter Parker.” It seems that regardless of how people feel, Spider-Man is getting a little flavor this fall— and in spite of the pissed-off ones, there are those who are willing to see if Miles Morales can accept that “with great power there must also come great responsibility!”

Amphitheater to present a fun performance aimed at families with children ages 4-10. Children are free, adults $5, parking $1. Performance begins at 10am with fun pre-show activities beginning at 9. Call (323) 461-3673 ro see www.fordtheatres.org to reserve tickets. Los Angeles Detroiters and Michiganders 34th Annual Picnic: bring your own picnic gear, games, and photo albums for a free celebration! 11am-7pm at 2551 Motor Ave, Los Angeles (West of the swimming pool). 3rd Annual Ultimate Jazz Festival: see artists such as Nick Colionne, Cameo, Tony Toni Ton’e and more at Guasti Regional Park (in Ontario) from noon-9pm. Tickets $45/day, $70 2-day pass, $10 parking. See www.theultimatejazzfestival.com for more info and VIP pass details.

8-7-11 Cool Your Heels in the Shade, the California African American Museum’s Target Sundays Annual Summer Party: a free outdoor concert event, featuring everything from old school R&B and gospel to jazz and rap. 1-4pm at the CAAM (museum opens at 11am at 600 State Dr. in Exposition Park). Parking $10 at 39th and Figueroa. For more information visit www.caamuseum.org or call (213) 744-7432.

08/11

happening this month

Sundays in the Park with SAM Concert Series: free, all-ages music from local musicians, presented as part of downtown Long Beach’s Summer and Music series. This week, featuring John Kray, Lightmusic, Jameson, and The New Fidelity, along with discounts at local eateries. 3-7pm in downtown Long Beach’s Promenade Square (1st St. and the Promenade, accessible via the Metro Blue Line’s 1st St. Station). Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market 17th Annual Chili Cook-off: for a $35 entry fee you can enter your own recipe, or you can come to enjoy the fun and free chili samples up for grabs after judging! 9 am to 1 pm at the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market (9300 Civic Center Drive; 2 hours free parking at Civic Center, 450 N. Rexford Dr.). See www.beverlyhills.org for more details. Continuation of the 3rd Annual Ultimate Jazz Festival: see artists such as Euge Groove, Keith Sweat and Jeff Gulob at Guasti Regional Park (in Ontario) from noon-7pm. Tickets $45/day, $70 2-day pass, $10 parking. See www. theultimatejazzfestival. com for more info and VIP pass details.

8-10-11 Regional Transportation Plan workshop, presented by the Southern California Association of Governments: an opportunity for public comment on the Regional Transportation Plan, which is developed every four years to address citizens’ mobility needs. 4:30-7:30pm at the Orange County Transportation Authority’s Conference Rm 103/104 (600 South Main St., Orange). See www.scag.ca.gov for more details.

8-11-11 Regional Transportation Plan workshop, presented by the Southern California Association of Governments: an opportunity for public comment on the Regional Transportation Plan, which is developed every four years to address citizens’ mobility needs. 14pm at the City of West Covina Community Rm (1444 West Garvey Ave, West Covina). See www.scag.ca.gov for more details.

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Thursday, August 4, 2011 Ongoing Free meals from the California Dept. of Education Nutrition Services Division: provided to children 18 years old and younger, weekdays July 5 - Aug. 26, 7-8 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. at First New Christian Fellowship Baptist Church (1555 West 108th St., Los Angeles, CA). For more info call 323-7562541. Free concerts at Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park: 7p.m. ThursdaysSundays and additional children’s concerts 4pm Sundays, every weekend July 3 thru September 4. See Ana Tijoux (a Latin hip-hop artist who

Debo

sits at #4 on LA Weekly’s “Top 10 Under-The-Radar Grammy Artists You Should Know”) and Zuzuka Ponderosa (half Brazilian half Indonesian funk artist) this Thursday, or Boston-based Ethiopian funk group Debo on Friday. Visit http://www.levittla.org/ for more info! Concerts at the Leimert Park Divine Design Music Venue and Art Gallery: Sundays at 9 p.m. For info call 310-218-9656 or email ysselassie@yahoo.com. 8th Annual Free Wine, Jazz & Moonlight Summer Concert Series: Tuesdays June 7 - Aug. 30, 7 -9 p.m. at the Hollywood & Highland Center. Free entertainment with wine tasting/sampler boxes for $10, benefitting Project Angel Food. Call 323-467-6412 or visit www.hollywoodandhighland.com or www.kjazz.org for more info.

Nuriya

15th Annual Sunset Concert series at the Skirball Cultural Center: Thursdays July 21 - Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. Featuring an eclectic lineup of artists from across the globe. This week’s

performer, Nuriya, blends Spanish vocals with Afro-Cuban drumming, Arabic melodies and more. Free admission, $10 cash-only parking (or take Metro Rapid 761).

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 wattsweekender@yahoo.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. 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 EMAIL??? with the subject heading “LAWT Community Events.” Please include text in the body of your email, not in an attachment.

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Former NFL star turned actor Bubba Smith dies LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former NFL star Bubba Smith, who went from feared defensive end on the field to endearing giant in his successful second career as an actor, died Wednesday. He was 66. Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter said Smith was found dead at his Baldwin Hills home. Winter said he didn’t know the circumstances or cause of death. Police spokesman Richard French added the death does not appear to be suspicious. The top overall pick in the 1967 draft after a sensational career at Michigan State, the 6-foot-7 Smith spent five seasons with the Baltimore Colts and two seasons each with Oakland and Houston. He won the 1971 Super Bowl with the Colts. “I’m saddened by it. I remember my first training camp in 1972 in Golden, Colo. I spent a lot of time with him there. He was a great guy. He was a giant, the biggest player on the field,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said. One of the best pass rushers in the game, Smith often drew two blockers, yet he was effective enough to make two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team. His best work,

though, came in college, and Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988. “He was simply a good guy,” former Michigan State teammate Robert Viney said in a statement released through the university. “His size made him an intimidating figure, but he was a real gentleman. He was a helluva player.” As an actor, his most memorable role was playing Moses Hightower, the softspoken officer in the “Police Academy” series. He also appeared in such television series as “Good Times,” ‘‘Charlie’s Angels,” and “Half AP Photo Nelson,” and was a regular in the ground- Whether he was tackling Baltimore Colts’ oppobreaking Miller Lite nents or acting in comedies like “Police Academy commercials featuring 3: Back in Training,” at 6-foot-7, Charles Aaron “Bubba” Smith was a force to be reckoned with retired players. Born Charles though in truth, he was a gentle giant. Aaron Smith, he played At Michigan State, he played in high school for his father, Willie Ray Smith, in Beaumont, Texas, on some of the school’s greatest before heading to Michigan State, teams under coach Duffy Daugherty where he was an All-American in and was one of its best players. Fans in East Lansing, Mich., would 1966. “ ‘Bubba’ Smith was a great chant, “Kill, Bubba, Kill” during Spartan,” Michigan State athletic games, and his No. 95 jersey was director Mark Hollis said in a state- retired in 2006. “I will shed some tears tonight ment. “As both a football player and later as an actor, ‘Bubba’ was a great because I’ve lost a great friend,” ambassador for the university. It’s Viney said. “He never sought the only fitting that beginning this fall spotlight. He was a humble man. As the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of I remember him, I recall the chants the Year Award bears his name.” See BUBBA SMITH, page 17

FBI LAWSUIT Continued from page 8

office of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations. Many of the allegations were based on Monteilh’s claims. The FBI has said it does not initiate counterterrorism operations based solely on a group’s religion. In its filing, the agency said a range of details Monteilh provided for Operation Flex remain properly protected counterterrorism investigative information. “This includes ... precisely what that investigation entailed and why it was undertaken, the identity of particular subjects and the reasons they were investigated,” the document states. Holder goes on to argue that if individuals knew they were under surveillance, they could “anticipate the actions of law enforcement and intelligence officers, possibly leading to counter-surveillance that could place federal agents at higher risk.” The Department of Justice said in a statement Tuesday it conducted a thorough review “to provide greater accountability for the use of privilege” by invoking it only in seeking dismissal of Monteilh’s claims of ille-

gal electronic surveillance. “Officials specifically looked for a way to allow this case to proceed while carving out national security information, and concluded that some information about the allegations could be made available without compromising sensitive national security information,” the statement said. ACLU attorney Peter Bibring said it was extremely unusual for the government to invoke the state secrets privilege, especially in a domestic case being investigated by a domestic law enforcement agency. The secrecy rules are usually only requested in extraordinary matters overseas, such as the targeted killing by drones or extraordinary rendition. “The government’s position here is the FBI’s conduct should be beyond the review of the courts, which would render the protections of the constitution meaningless,” Bibring said. “Following the government’s argument, any domestic law enforcement operation deemed to effect national security would be beyond review.” Bibring said the ACLU would oppose the government’s motion.

Joakim Noah set to join up with France team PARIS (AP) — Injured Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah should be ready to join his France teammates later this week, the French Basketball Federation said. Noah has been having treatment in Los Angeles on his right ankle. The French team’s osteopath and the Bulls’ physiotherapist are said to be happy that Noah’s injury has responded well to treatment. “After seeing the conclusions from the two specialists, the franchise (Chicago Bulls) doctor should give his accord for Joakim Noah to return to the France team, without having to go to Chicago,” the FFBB said Monday on its website. France is training in Pau this week ahead of the European championship. France will play Latvia on Aug. 31. “There’s been good progress, and Joakim seems to have recovered well from the little problem he had,” France team director Patrick Beesley said. “I am optimistic that he will be in Pau by the end of the week.” France will play Spain in a friendly match on Monday. Noah, who sprained his right ankle playing for the Bulls in March, was also limited by a thumb injury last season. He averaged 11.7 points and 10.4 rebounds in 48 games AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee while helping the Bulls Joakim Noah is well enough to rejoin his France to an NBA-best 62 teammates without having to go to Chicago first. wins.

Muhammad Ali writes letter to people of Norway Muhammad Ali expressed his sadness about the bombing and massacre in Norway, saying he is heartbroken by the senseless deaths and the reasoning of the man behind them. In a letter to the people of Norway written under his name, the boxing great says his “heart goes out to each of you as you deal with the unimaginable grief of your loss.” Ali wrote that the richness of diversity is something that makes the world a better place and that no one should fear multiculturalism. People, he said, Muhammad Ali: Still “the greatest.” have the same ideals no matter what religion or race they are. with our fellow beings than those “I see the same wishes for our aspects that set us apart.” children to have happy, healthy He went on to say that the best lives; I see the same concerns for way to honor the victims in others less fortunate than our- Norway is to reach out and selves; I see the same desire for embrace others in a celebration of peace and dignity,” Ali said. common human values and aspiraThe man who confessed to tions. carrying out the massacre, Anders “The collective power of such Behring Breivik, has said the individual proactive acts can have a attacks were part of a plan to start a tremendous aggregate impact and cultural revolution and purge provide a lasting honor to those Europe of Muslims while also pun- who are no longer able to take such ishing politicians who have action themselves,” Ali wrote. embraced multiculturalism. Ali’s spokesman, Craig Ali, a Muslim, said those who Bankey, said the former heavycommit unspeakable acts in the weight champion, who suffers from name of race and religion “fail to Parkinson’s, communicated his understand that we share far more thoughts in the letter to his wife.

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

SPORTS BEAT

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Randy Moss is calling it a career after 13 seasons in the NFL as one of the most dynamic and polarizing players the league has ever seen.

BY BRAD PYE JR. Notes, quotes, and things picked up on the run from coast to coast and all the stops in between and beyond. How long will Randy Moss’ retirement last? Until the New England Patriots make a deal for him with another Super Bowl contender. Or will Moss really retire and hope to make the Hall of Fame the first year he’s eligible? If Moss really retires, which I doubt, he will end as the second most productive receiver behind Hall of Famer Jerry Rice of the San Francisco ‘49ers and Oakland Raiders Super Bowl fame. Moss surprised the football world when he announced on Aug. 1 he was retiring. The Patriots traded Moss during last season and now he is announcing he will retire. Yes. Men and women tennis players earn the same amount of those pretty little green ones in major tennis events—including the Grand Slam events: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open. In 2007 a campaign by some of tennis’ biggest stars made it happen. And the beat continues. Coach Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, Kobe’s dad, and his L.A. Sparks need all the support they can get when they return to the Staples Center on Sunday, Aug. 7. The Sparks will host a post-game Gospel Concert, featuring Tye Tribbett. This should really be a soulful event. The Sparks’ Tina Thompson is the only player to play in all 15 seasons of the WNBA. The 36year old Thompson from Morningside High can still play the game. She was on the Houston Comets’ four straight WNBA championship teams. The Pac-12 will have two African American head football coaches in the 2011 season. They are Stanford’s second-year man, David Shaw, and Colorado’s first-year man, Jon Embree. The old Pac-10 had a couple of Black head coaches—Stanford’s Tyrone Willingham, Dennis Green (also the first at Stanford) and Shaw, who is in his second season at Stanford. Embree, a former UCLA and Washington Redskins assistant coach, is the fourth Black coach in the histories of the Pac-10 and the PAC-12. Dennis Green was the first at Stanford (1989-91); he was followed by Tyrone Willingham at Stanford (19952001); and then former Colorado assistant Karl Dorrell was the conference’s next Black head coach at UCLA (20032007). Embree is the 24th full-time head coach at Colorado. Colorado’s media guide points out Embree is the fifth African American head coach in the 65 BCS schools and 15th minority overall at the 120 Football Bowl subdivision programs. Incidentally, the son of Colorado coach Jon Embree, Taylor Embree, is a top wide receiver at UCLA. Serena Williams is back in business in a big way after winning the West Classic at Palo Alto. After this tournament Serena is scheduled to play in tournaments in Cincinnati and in Toronto before the U.S. Open. Serena put on a clinic in capturing her first tournament on American soil since her victory at Wimbledon. The NBA owners and players were scheduled to meet Aug. 1. The NBA regular season isn’t scheduled to open until Nov.1. Roland Hemond, my ex-col-

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

league with Gene Autry’s original L.A. Angels of the American League, was the recipient of the Buck O’Neil award at the Hall of Fame Introductions. Hemond was an executive with Gene Autry’s original Angels when I was a member of the team’s PR Staff headed by the late Irv Kaze. Boxing promoter, Butch Lewis, who died at 65 a few days ago, wasn’t as flamboyant as Don (“Only in America”) King, but he was a classy dresser. Butch was involved in the promtions of some of the biggest bouts in history—including fights with Muhammad Ali, “Smokin” Joe Frazier and the Spinks brothers— Michael and Leon. And the beat continues. Three of the ladies who headed the WNBA’s top 15 list of players of all-time are former local prep stars— L.A. Sparks’ Lisa Leslie (Morningside High), L.A. Sparks and Houston Comets’ Tina Thompson (Morningside High) and Houston Comets’ Cynthia Cooper (Locke High). Will ex-UCLA all-American Maurice Jones-Drew be ready to rock and roll for the Jacksonville Jaguars? Some say yea, others say no because of an off-season knee operation? Brett Favre’s backup at Minnesota, Tarvaris Jackson, has hooked on with Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks. And Carroll says Jackson will be his opening day starter. More than a dozen Black quarterbacks will be vying for jobs in the NFL in 2011 headed by rookie Cam Newton, the No. 1 over all pick by the Carolina Panthers; the Minnesota Vikings’ Donovan McNabb; and maybe Vince Young with his new team as Tampa Bay’s starter. The new NFL agreement will cost Newton a whole lot of those pretty little green ones. Sam Bradford, the 2010 pick, reportedly signed a six-year contract for $78-million. Newton is expected to earn only $36.33 for five

years. Female boxer Patricia Manuel, 25, of Long Beach will be shooting for gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Manuel told the L.A. Times’ Kevin Baxter: “There is no higher sports achievement than the Olympics. And it means a lot to me.” Manuel is a former national champion. She fights at the 132 class level. It’s final. USC graduate Allyson Felix says she will run a double (200 & 400 meters) in the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, this summer. Felix announced her decision on her Twitter account: “Will be very difficult, but first step to accomplishing greatness is trying. Decided to go for the double (200-400) at WC’s.” And the beat continues. Doug Williams’ legendary Grambling coach Eddie Robinson, commenting on Doug’s Super Bowl

See SPORTS BEAT, page 19

Boxing promoter Butch Lewis dies at 65 Butch Lewis, the colorful boxing promoter who worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Michael and Leon Spinks, has died. He was 65. Funeral home owner Sammy Congo of Congo Funeral Home in Wilmington, Del., says he received notification of Lewis' death on Saturday morning. He was expected to meet family members on Sunday. He did not have information about how Lewis died. Lewis was best known in the ring for sporting tuxedos with no shirt and being involved in some of the sport's biggest fights. He promoted the Michael Spinks-Mike Tyson fight in 1988 that ended with a first round knockout of Spinks, who earned more than $13 million for the fight. He began his career in boxing in the 1970s, but later branched into Butch Lewis: Gone but not forgotten. music and entertainment. Before the Zab Judah-Amir Khan fight in Las Vegas on this past Saturday, Lewis was honored by ring announcer Michael Buffer and given a 10-bell count.

BUBBA SMITH Continued from page 16

of “Kill, Bubba, Kill” from the crowd in Spartan Stadium. He will be missed.” Smith was part of two of the most famous football games ever played. In 1966, he was at Michigan State when the Spartans and Notre Dame, both undefeated, played to a 10-10 tie. Michigan State finished second behind the top-ranked Fighting Irish that season. In 1965 and ‘66, Smith helped Michigan State go 19-1-1 and win consecutive Big Ten titles. “Bubba was definitely a game changer as a defensive end,” former Michigan State teammate Gene Washington said. “You simply didn’t see guys with his size and quickness coming off the defensive line. His ability spoke for itself. He was a great teammate and a great leader.

Bubba never had to say much because he led by example.” In 1969, Smith played for the Colts against the New York Jets in the Super Bowl. Led by Joe Namath, the Jets of the AFL upset the NFL champion Colts 16-7 in Miami.

Black Facts August 4, 1964 The bodies of three civil rights workers are discovered near Philadelphia, Mississippi. The FBI says they were murdered on the night of their disappearance by segregationists. Eighteen Whites, including several police officers, are charged with conspiracy to deprive the victims of their civil rights. Source: blackfacts.com

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Thursday, August 4, 2011

NAACP President focuses on “How I Spent (Am Spending) My Summer” digital empowerment The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People congregated in Los Angeles where over 5,000 attendees participated in the civil rights organization’s 102nd Annual Convention. During his keynote address, NAACP President Ben Jealous provided a state of the union address as he laid out a plan the organization hopes will help to further close the racial equality divide across America. The NAACP’s goal is to create a program that will help lift the issues facing African American men, through a series of high level events, mass public meetings and hearings around the country. The immediate goal – next eight months – is to influence the dialogue in the upcoming presidential debates and encourage African American men to the polls. Long-term, the NAACP plans to integrate the work around African American men and boys as part of its core programming addressing such key issues as over incarceration, employment, leadership development. He echoed the comments of many political and civil leaders, including President Obama, in stating that the key to rebuilding

America is through high-speed wireless Internet and applauded those who continue to pursue universal broadband coverage and reaffirmed the support of the NAACP in their ongoing efforts. Broadband is revolutionizing the way that African American students learn both inside and outside of the classroom. In some cases, mobile broadband-enabled learning has replaced the traditional classroom entirely, allowing students to participate in classes and degree programs online. These opportunities enable students of all ages to receive quality education (despite location or income), while engaging them more fully in the educational experience. Jealous also reflected on the

importance of wireless broadband and need more a greater focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in schools. He had special praise for a film directed by Robert Townsend that was screened for convention attendees on Sunday evening, “In The Hive.” The film focuses on a school in rural North Carolina that specializes in technology and offers troubled teenage boys a second chance – a chance too few boys get according to Jealous. “We cannot afford to be numb to the fact that 45 percent of Black males between 18 and 24 are on a path right now to being chronically unemployed, incarcerated or dead,” stated Jealous. “Nor can we continue to be numb to the fact that there are currently more Black males in the prison system than the university system.” Jealous called upon those who are willing to go to battle now as generations have done in the past to join him in his efforts to put an end to injustice and shine a light on the current education crisis. “Let us rise up, like Gideon, to defeat the educational disparities and re-segregation of our schools,” he urged.

health. That’s their first and primary value — not industry, not any other goal. They have to warn as quickly as they think there’s reasonable evidence for concern,” Caplan said. He said uncertainty about the outbreak’s source might explain the long silence, but he added, “The moral duty is to really get the word out as soon as you have evidence of a problem.” The illnesses are spread all over the country. The states with the highest number sickened were Michigan and Ohio, 10 illnesses each, while nine illnesses were reported in Texas. Illinois had seven, California six and Pennsylvania five. The remaining states have between one and three reported illnesses linked to the outbreak, according to the CDC: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin. A chart on the CDC’s website shows cases have occurred every month since early March, with spikes in May and early June. The latest reported cases were in mid-July, although the CDC said some recent cases may not have been reported yet. CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said Tuesday it can take three to four weeks to confirm a single case. Identifying an outbreak can take considerably longer than that when cases of foodborne illness occur sporadically, in several states, as has happened in the current outbreak, she said.

Dr. Mark Dworkin, a public health expert at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said it’s not surprising that the government alert came months after the first cases were identified. Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses where “everybody came together at a church supper and ate the same food” are easier to identify than those involving people in many states, he said. “The problem we have is our food is contaminated too often. It’s not acceptable that such a large percentage of ground turkey has got such a potentially deadly pathogen.” Ground turkey is considered safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees during cooking. For turkey patties or burgers, internal temperatures on each side should be measured. The government also advises refrigerating meat promptly and washing hands for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat or poultry. The CDC estimates that 50 million Americans each year get sick from food poisoning, including about 3,000 who die. Salmonella causes most of these cases, and federal health officials say they’ve made virtually no progress against it. The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight hours to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. It can be life-threatening to some with weakened immune systems. Tanner reported from Chicago. Associated Press writer Shaya Tayefe Mohajer in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

NAACP President Ben Jealous

SALMONELLA Continued from page 2

USDA rules that make it harder to investigate and recall salmonella-tainted poultry. Because salmonella is common in poultry, it is not illegal for meat to be tainted with the pathogen. Officials must directly link the salmonella illnesses with a certain producer or establishment, which is difficult to do because people don’t always remember what they ate or where they bought it. In this case, it appears that officials haven’t been able to prove the link between the samples of salmonella they found — even though they are the same strain — and the 77 people who were sickened. The Food Safety and Inspection Service sent out an alert about the illnesses late last week telling consumers to properly cook their turkey, which can decrease the chances of salmonella poisoning. But the department has not given consumers any further warnings about the source of the tainted meat. “Despite an extensive investigation by FSIS and CDC to date, there is little epidemiological information available at this time that conclusively links these illnesses to any specific product or establishment,” FSIS spokesman Neil Gaffney said Tuesday. “Without specific enough data, it would not be appropriate to issue a recall notice.” Gaffney said the agency was committed to finding the source of the outbreak and then take action to protect public health. Art Caplan, a bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania, said the government’s handling of the outbreak raises ethical questions about why the public wasn’t warned sooner. “You’ve got to protect the public

BY CHERYL PEARSON-MCNEIL NNPA COLUMNIST

Remember back in the day when we had to chronicle our “How I Spent My Summer” adventures at the start of every fresh new school year? Well, this week’s column is kind of a version of that as I share with you how I'm spending my summer with Nielsen. It's pretty much how I've spent the last seven summers: traveling with my Nielsen colleagues across the country spreading the word about why you should care about research and the impact it can have on your lives. Long before this column first appeared in your paper we were in your cities talking with many of you face to face. Sharing how Nielsen measures and analyzes consumer purchases and online, mobile and media use in this country and around the world. We are here because here's the thing – If it weren’t for people like you participating in Nielsen's measurements, surveys and panels to provide that data – there would be no data. So, my summer work schedule is two-fold: First, I get to meet as many of you as I can (which is always fun), always trying to empower “us” with the knowledge that we are so powerful as consumers. With our $967 billion dollars of annual spending power, how and where we choose to spend our hard-earned dollars counts big time. That number is projected to be $1.2 trillion by 2012. Second, I am proud that Nielsen is a very active part of the communities in which we do business. A few weeks ago, Nielsen was a proud sponsor of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) meeting in Chicago. I had the pleasure of speaking to the group and announcing Nielsen’s alliance with the NNPA, which makes it possible for me to “speak” with you right now. This week, I am In Los Angeles, as part of Nielsen’s sponsorship of the annual NAACP convention. We are hosting the Roy Wilkins youth luncheon because nothing is more important than educating and empowering our young people! (As the mother of a teenaged son, I know this firsthand.) Right on the heels of the NAACP is the annual National Urban League convention in Boston, where again I, along with some of my colleagues will have direct interaction with other African Americans to help us understand and appreciate our power and influence. Now, if any of you listen to the Steve Harvey Morning Show or the Tom Joyner Morning Show (I’m a huge fan of both), then you know that Nielsen works with both to help in their respective community outreach efforts. This is our second year sponsoring Steve Harvey’s Hoodie Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada in August. I love the whole concept of the Hoodies, which is to celebrate those “unsung heroes” in our neighborhoods; the “real stars of the community.” Nielsen’s role as a sponsor is to host an Interactive Expo. SHMS listeners also had the opportunity to win one of Nielsen’s 10 allexpense paid trips to the weekend-long event, which culminates in the highlyanticipated awards show. Then, we partner with the Tom Joyner Morning Show as a sponsor of

Cheryl Pearson-McNeil the annual Tom Joyner Black Family Reunion in Orlando, Florida in September. Listeners of the TJMS have the opportunity to enter to win an allexpense paid trip for four. Nielsen will be featured at the Reunion with a booth, which is another fun opportunity to again engage us – the African American consumer. Also in September, Nielsen is again a sponsor of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. In addition to a booth where we can meet all of you, Nielsen has sponsored workshops and braintrusts addressing issues critical to the African American community. Other national sponsorships include 100 Black Men of America and the American Black Film Festival. I am proud of what Nielsen does and it is my honor to share with you in these columns all of the various Nielsen insights into our consumer behavior that I am privy to. Embrace your power, family! Hope I get to meet you this summer. Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is senior vice president of public affairs and government relations for Nielsen. For more information and studies go to www.nielsenwire.com.

PERRY

Continued from page 6 election, nearly a dozen Black lawmakers were sent to Columbia. He retired from full-time work in 1995, but kept hearing cases. In 2004, the new federal courthouse in Columbia was named in his honor, his name etched high above the columns of the $40 million building. A statue of Perry sits in the courtyard. His only complaint about the building was his office didn’t have enough shelves for his massive personal law library. The star of South Carolina’s civil rights movement occasionally wondered if he could have been a show business sensation. But those who know Perry say he was put here to be an attorney and a judge. “He just loves the law,” fellow U.S. District Court Cameron Currie said in 2004. “This is his life. This is his hobby, and it’s his love.”

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Thursday, August 4, 2011 REQUEST FOR SUB-BIDS FROM QUALIFIED MBE/WBE/OBE SUBCONTRACTOR/VENDORS FOR: Construction of the Owens Lake Dust Mitigation Project - Phase 8 Specification Number 7328 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Bid Date: August 16, 2011 2:00 PM PST Subcontracting opportunities include, but are not limited to the following: Aggregates, Chemical Toilets, Equipment Rental, Erosion Control, Fencing, Fuel (Supply), HDPE Pipe (Supply), Modular Office, Trucking, Valve (Supply) For information on the availability of plans and specification and the bidder’s policy concerning assistance to subcontractors in obtaining bonds, lines of credit, and/or insurance please contact our office. KIEWIT INFRASTRUCTURE WEST CO. 12700 Stowe Drive, Suite 180, Poway, CA 92064 Phone: (858) 486-3410 Fax: (858) 486-3941 Attn: Nicole Empizo – nicole.empizo@kiewit.com Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer Bond in full amount required unless specifically waived at Prime Contractor’s option. Kiewit intends to conduct itself in good faith with all business enterprises regarding participation on this project.

Trustee Sale No. CA09000270-10-1 APN 5116-020-023 Title Order No. 100073634-CA-GTI NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED January 15, 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 PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On August 15, 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 January 27, 2009, as Instrument No. 20090106200, of official records in the Office of the Recorder of Los Angeles County, California, executed by OLGA M. RODRIGUEZ, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, as Trustor(s), in favor of HSBC MORTGAGE CORPORATION (USA) 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 IN 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: 4311 HONDURAS STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90011 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 thereon, 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 $397,731.83 (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: July 14, 2011 TRUSTEE CORPS TS No. CA09000270-10-1 17100 Gillette Ave Irvine, CA 92614 949-252-8300 Rowena Paz, Authorized Signatory 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 #14089 2011-07-21 2011-07-28 2011-08-04

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record-setting performance declared: “I’ve seen him do what he did today all the time at Grambling. The only difference is, today he had a much bigger audience.” You go, Coach Rob! Randy Gross had this to say about the clutch play of his teammate Jerry Rice in Super Bowl XXIII: “Jerry Rice, he’s not a normal human being.” The man Magic Johnson on his greatest play: “When you have the ball, you get to create things. You’re the man… And I love to be the man.” Here is what New York Yankees’

Qualified “B” licensed General Building Contractors are invited to submit a sealed bid on Project E11-12, Module 12.10 to the BurbankGlendale-Pasadena Airport Authority by 2:05 PM, September 7, 2011. The Work includes, but is not limited to, the following: Installation of new doors, new windows, air conditioning, insulation and correction of some code deficiencies for: Thirty (30) Single Family Residences. Bidders may obtain construction documents from the Bob Hope Airport Web Site at bobhopeairport.com under Business Opportunities and are encouraged to do so prior to the mandatory pre-bid conference. All Bidders shall register with the Airport Engineering Department either via web site or in person. Bids submitted by firms who have not registered with Airport Engineering will be considered non-responsive. A mandatory Pre-bid conference has been scheduled for August 17, 2011, at 10:00 A.M. at the Bob Hope Airport Engineering Offices, 2800 N. Clybourn Ave., Burbank, California.

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, CESAR GARCIA, in the City of Los Angeles. On Monday, August 10, 2009, at approximately 5:50 p.m., Cesar Garcia, a 25-year old male, was riding his bike in front of 606 West 81st Street when he was approached by an unknown Hispanic male. The unknown male shot and killed Garcia, 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, JANUARY 29, 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. 10-0010-s6 8/4/11 CNS-2145532# WATTS TIMES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMES FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2011058295 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Scholastic Tennis Academy, 1753 Preuss Rd., LA, CA 90035, County of L.A. P.O. Box 35735, L.A, Calif. 90035. Registered owner(s): Larry Smith, 1753 Preuss Rd., LA, CA 90035. This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed

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Food Service Worker Employment with Sodexo Serving at Locke Charter High School Los Angeles, CA Contact Gracie Lopez at 760-949-2214 gracie.lopez@sodexo.com

access to the kinds of classes, resources and opportunities they need to be successful,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The data includes information on access to the rigorous sequence of college and career-ready math and science courses; the number of firstand second-year teachers in schools, the number of high school counselors in schools, the availability of pre-k and kindergarten programs, districts operating under desegregation orders or plans, and whether districts have written policies prohibiting harassment and bullying on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or disability. “To meet President Obama’s goal to lead the world in college graduates by 2020, we need efficient, practical and accessible information like this to help guide our path,” said

Reggie Jackson said after his historic play in the 1977 World Series: “ Love me or hate me—you can’t ignore me.” Prep Report: As of Sunday Jordan High hadn’t hired a football coach and practice was slated to start Aug. 1. West Adams Prep, led by running back Michael Wimberly, is expected to be a contender for the Coliseum League crown. And the beat continues. Now if Matt Kemp’s Dodgers teammates could come close to matching his MVP-type season, the locals wouldn’t have one step above the cellar door. Check this: As of Sunday, Kemp’s 83 RBIs led the NL, and he is the fifth fastest NL player to smack 25

homers and steal 25 bases. Kemp had upped his stolen bases total to 27 as of Sunday. Pat Haden, the former USC AllAmerican and replacement for Mike Garrett (the Trojans first Heisman Trophy winner), is cleaning up things at Troyville after the Reggie Bush scandal. Here’s how the L.A. Times Bill Dwyer described Mike Garrett’ departure: “It was a year ago that Haden ascended, after school president Max Niklas sent Mike away and chose Haden to lead the Trojans.” Bottom line. Mike Garrett was fired. And the beat ends. Brad Pye, Jr. can be reached at Switchreel@aol.com

HELP WANTED

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/ Larry Smith, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on July 6, 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 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4/11 CNS-2135590# WATTS TIMES

GOVERNMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP #7555) 2011 CONTINUUM OF CARE HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles invites proposals from qualified organizations interested in providing supportive services with assisted housing through the Section 8 Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs. Copy of the RFP may be obtained beginning August 1, 2011 via http: //www.hacla.org/ps/ or call (213) 252-5405 or 2521832. Proposals will be accepted at 2600 Wilshire Blvd., #3100, Los Angeles, CA 90057, until 2:00 P.M. August 26, 2011. 8/4, 8/11/11 CNS-2147370# WATTS TIMES INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) 7790 RANGES The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles invites your firm to submit a bid to sell ranges to the Authority. Copies of the IFB may be downloaded at www.hacla.org/ncg. Bids will be accepted at 2600 Wilshire Blvd., #3100 Los Angeles, CA 90057 until

Duncan. For more than a decade now, state education departments have been mandating that all students must pass Algebra 1 in order to graduate from high school. New studies are finally coming out on the effectiveness of this push. “Transparency is the path to reform, and it’s only through shining a bright spotlight on where opportunity gaps exist that we can really make headway on closing the achievement gap,” said Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). More students are taking advanced placement exams. The College Board’s annual AP Report to the Nation shows record numbers of students taking the advanced placement tests, but significant gaps in both test access and preparation remain for some minority students. A decade ago, few minority students were taking PSAT/PLAN tests of AP courses and even fewer were going to college. Studies repeatedly have shown that students who take advanced placement classes have greater chances of attending and succeeding in college. The program offers collegelevel coursework to high school students in 34 areas. Upon completion of the courses, students may choose to take the AP exam in their subject. The tests are graded on a 1?5 scale, and a score of 3 or better indicates that students have achieved collegelevel understanding of the subject. Students who score 3, 4 or 5 on the exams can earn college credit.

1:30 P.M., local time August 26, 2011. INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) 7792 REFRIGERATORS The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles invites your firm to submit a bid to sell refrigerators to the Authority. Copies of the IFB may be downloaded at www.hacla.org/ncg. Bids will be accepted at 2600 Wilshire Blvd., #3100 Los Angeles, CA 90057 until 2:30 P.M., local time August 26, 2011. 8/4, 8/11/11 CNS-2147104# WATTS TIMES INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) No. 1711 THE RE-ROOFING OF SIXTY (60) BUILDINGS AT RANCHO SAN PEDRO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT 275 W. 1ST STREET, SAN PEDRO, CA 90731. The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles invites vendors to submit firm fixed price bids for the re-roofing of sixty (60) buildings for Rancho San Pedro housing development located at 275 W. 1st Street, San Pedro, CA 90731. Copies of the IFB may be downloaded from the internet at www.hacla.org/cgs. Bids will be accepted at 2600 Wilshire Blvd., #3100, Los Angeles, CA 90057 until 2:00 p.m. (local time), August 24, 2011. 8/4, 8/11/11 CNS-2147050# WATTS TIMES LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO) INVITATION FOR BIDS Metro will receive bids for 11-0044, Diesel Fuel, Ultra Low Sulfur 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 Materiel on or before 2:00 p.m. August 31, 2011,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.11-0044. You may obtain bid specifications, or further information, by faxing Juelene Close at (213) 922-1006. 8/4/11 CNS-2144409# WATTS TIMES

Each year, the College Board releases the AP Report to the Nation, which includes demographic statistics on who’s taking the tests and how America’s high school students are performing. The report shows that a record 2.9 million exams were taken last year, and 15.9 percent of the public school graduating class of 2009 scored 3 or higher. These numbers indicate a pattern of steady improvement over the past five years in both access to and preparation for the test for students across the country. The College Board has actively reached out to underserved communities, and 2009 saw an unprecedented number of low-income students taking the exams. They made up 18.9 percent of the total 2009 examinees, and 14.7 percent of the students who received a 3 or better on at least one test. However, the numbers show that significant disparities remain, particularly for African American students. They made up 14.5 percent of the 2009 graduating class, but were only 8.2 percent of the examinee population. Worse yet, Black students made up only 3.7 percent of the number of students who passed the tests. That’s only a slight improvement from 2008, when Black students made up 3.5 percent of those passing the exams. U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights data show schools serving mostly African American students are twice as likely to have inexperienced teachers as are schools serving mostly whites in the same district.

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