LAWT 09-27-2012 by LA WATTSTIMES

W E E K E N D E R

Vol. XXX, No. 1303

www.lawattstimes.com Thursday, September 27, 2012

Thursday, September 27, 2012

HOROSCOPES Sept. 27 - Oct. 3 A

RIES ~ Stay focused on the tasks before you this week and find a way to do your work with love. The pace will pick up soon enough, and the vibrations will be more to your liking. Enjoy a sociable week. Soul Affirmation: I let imagination light up my work. AURUS ~ After last week’s energy, you might want to play things a bit more low-key this week. You’ll do yourself a favor if you stick close to home and relax. Your energy could use a little refreshment. Meditation, listening to music, even doing some household chores, will recharge your batteries. Soul Affirmation: Before goodness can come I must expect goodness. EMINI ~ Change your routine this week. Even a minor change in the way you approach your week will enable you to feel happier and more adventurous. Try something new, and you’ll be happy with the outcome. Soul Affirmation: I know that my life is full of good things. I enjoy! ANCER ~ Create a map in your mind to chart a course through unfamiliar waters. You’ll be as happy as you make up your mind to be. Because you are so wise, you’ll be at peace with all outcomes. Soul Affirmation: I give thanks for who I am this week. EO ~ It’s a good week to reflect on your personal network of friends and co-workers. You are surrounded by supportive vibrations, and you’ll be counting your blessings by the end of this busy week! Soul Affirmation: It’s bad only if I see it that way. IRGO ~ Find a way to love the work you do this week. Use your creativity and wonderful sense of humor and you’ll be finished with chores early enough to relax. Use your energy wisely. Soul Affirmation: I let worry fly away. IBRA ~ A romantic partner returns and wants to pick up the past and start over.

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Friends are good to have, but this particular friend will be best kept as just that . . . a friend! Enjoy your ability to choose what’s best for you. Soul Affirmation: My spirit gives me limitless possibilities. CORPIO ~ Some quiet time could fill the bill nicely for you this afternoon. You need some space to let your creativity spread out, so keep enjoy the moments of solitude and make your necessary phone calls later. Relax! Soul Affirmation: I let myself be the cheerful me. AGITTARIUS ~ Take a positive and sensible stance this week where coworkers are involved. Situations could be tricky, but you’ll do fine if you don’t commit yourself to anything that you really don’t want to do. Soul Affirmation: The earthiness of my being reflects the sunshine of my soul. APRICORN ~ A positive, alert attitude will draw opportunities to you this week. You’ll see more of the big picture if you take a mental step backward. You’ll hear exactly what you need to hear if you take the time to listen. Soul Affirmation: Jewelry reflects the beauty of my feelings about myself. QUARIUS ~ Guard your words this week, and let peace and harmony rule where they may. It’s not the time to point out the character flaws of a higher-up. You can make this a very productive week if you apply your industrious spirit to your work. Soul Affirmation: Facing down challenges makes me feel good about myself. ISCES ~ You can help out a friend this week if you plan your schedule so that you’ve got time for kindness built in! Embrace your generous side while getting your own work finished. You are excellent at multi-tasking! Soul Affirmation: Old love? New love? The most important thing is true love!

Inside This Edition

Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP), along with 15 counties throughout the state of California, will receive millions of dollars in funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) award. The federal grant will help pave the way for LAUP and the other grantees to collaborate, develop, and implement quality rating systems to better serve children between the ages of zero and five. “This is a groundbreaking opportunity for LAUP, and the $5.1 million dollars our organization will receive from this $52 million dollar grant will greatly assist us as we all work to increase the quality of early education programs,” said Celia C. Ayala, LAUP’s chief executive officer. “Bringing together so many groups with the same goal in mind is unprecedented, and we look forward to working with our new partners. We are confident that the results of this program will have a positive and lasting impact on the children of California.” The grant will be given out over a four-year period. LAUP’s role in this collaboration is to help provide specialized coaching and training, technical assistance, incentives and assessments to Los Angeles County early education providers, with the intention of greatly improving the quality of their current program.

L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER Published Weekly – Updates 3800 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 Administration – Sales – Graphics – Editorial 323.299.3800 - office 323.291.6804 - fax

Beverly Cook – Publisher, Managing Editor 1976 – 1993 Charles Cook – Publisher 1976 – 1998 Melanie Polk – Publisher 1998 – 2010 WWW.LAWATTSTIMES.COM Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. ............Executive Publisher & Executive Editor Brenda Marsh Mitchell ..................................Executive Vice President Tracey Mitchell ......................................................................Controller Brandon I. Brooks ..................................................Co-Managing Editor Yussuf J. Simmonds ..............................................Co-Managing Editor Jennifer Bihm................................................................Assistant Editor Bernard Lloyd ....................................................Director of Advertising Benjamin Samuels ....................................................Graphic Designer Kim McGill ............................................................Production Designer EMAIL: wattsweekender@yahoo.com Circulation ..................................................................................30,000 The opinions expressed by contributing writers are not necessarily those of the L.A. Watts Times. The L.A. Watts Times is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, CDs or tapes. CIRCULATION AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL

Los Angeles Universal Preschool to receive $5.1 million from Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge

BlackFacts.com

September 27, 1950 Ralph J. Bunche, director of the UN Trusteeship division and former professor of political science at Howard University, awarded the Nobel Peace prize for successful mediation of the Palestine conflict. He was the first Black to receive a Nobel citation.

Emphasis will be placed on those who serve English Language Learners (ELL), at-risk children and children with special needs. “Research shows us the significant impact highly educated teachers and quality learning environments have on children. This funding will go a long way to help meet the needs of thousands of young children who need it the most,” continued Ayala. California is one of only nine states to receive this kind of federal funding to improve the state's early childhood education programs. Key components of LAUP’s 5-Star Quality Rating and Improvement System, used throughout the nonprofit’s network of preschool sites, will be implemented in the new rating systems. For more information on RTT-ELC and the other grantees, visit www2.ed.gov/programs/ racetothetopearlylearningchallenge/index. html.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Final landing

PHOTOS BY BRANDON I. BROOKS

Jeffrey N. Rudolph President and CEO California Science Center; President California Science Center Foundation Its a huge educational opportunity for our community and for the whole

region and state. For us its an incredible moment a dream come true. We have been thinking about 20 years to get a space shuttle here and its really happening now. As we build our Samuel Ocean Air & Space Center, were going to have a facility in South L.A. that will serve and inspire generations of children to become scientists, engineers and explorers.

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COMPILED BY BRANDON I. BROOKS CO-MANAGING EDITOR

can create an incredibly compelling exhibits to go with this. William T. Harris Senior Vice President, Development & Marketing; California Science Center Foundation This is the culmination of a 20 year process for the California Science Center. And our vision is we always imagined having an orbiter as part of our program about exciting the public about space exploration. We have three flown capsules already, Mercury- Redstone 2, Gemini 11 and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. So we are very excited about this day, its very historic. We actually will have the only Science Center in the world with a flown orbiter on exhibit.

Ken Phillips Curator for Aerospace Program The children of this community particularly South Central Los Angeles, but children all over have been given a gift unlike anything they can imagine. This is going to be an incredible teaching tool. No matter who you are, somebody that looks like you flew on one of those

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Ken Phillips orbiters and that’s because it was an international program where astronauts from other countries were invited to fly as guest of NASA, working with NASA doing meaningful work. And Endeavour was one of the orbiters that built the international space station. That’s all about collaboration among people, 15 member nations belong to that. Its an icon for what the best can be in humans. How they work together and collaborate. When kids see it fly over L.A. they will recognize I hope, that this is a priceless thing they’re seeing. And then they can go see that very thing that just flew over their home or their school at the California Science Center. I came to the California Science Center 22 years ago and 20 years ago we decided we wanted a space shuttle orbiter for all the reasons I mentioned, its so iconic. Its been a wish list of ours. President Bush announced the retirement of the fleet in 2004. In 2008 NASA put a proposal out and a request for information was called. We responded with a proposal we wanted to show. Showed us as thoughtful. Showed us as emphasizing education for the children. Showed us as an institution that is free of charge, that is accessible to all people and that therefore removes barriers to access. That was the argument we made and we felt that we could, and I still believe this, we feel we

William T. Harris The street transport actually happens on October 12 and 13 and then it will actually open to the public on October 30. We invite everyone to come out because we are doing a 6-day space festival that will run from October 30 through November 4. Remember the Science Center is free we do not charge general admission. Because we expect huge demands we are going to offer a reservation for a minor convenience fee for your spot to see the Endeavour. Lori B. Garver Deputy Administrator for NASA Its a great day for NASA, for the American public, especially if you live See FINAL LANDING, page 5

Thursday, September 27, 2012

5 space, it’s the last of the shuttle series, it’s part of the thing that binds generations. The fact that this will on display here in southern California forever, will bind people that aren’t living yet with people that are here now. Garrett Reisman American Engineer (SpaceX) Former NASA Astronaut In 2008 I flew my first mission and it was on Endeavour. Since then I flew for 95 days on the Space Station, came home on Discovery and had another mission on Atlantis. But Endeavour was first so she is the one that is most special. John Mack President Police Commission

Nichelle Nichols, Lori B. Garver and Jeffrey N. Rudolph

Sgt Keith Arnold Airport Police I enjoyed the day. It [was] busy and we wanted be able to see as much as [we could] but we were focused on security. Brian Cummings Fire Chief Los Angeles City Fire Department Historically so much of the Aerospace industry has been located here in the Los Angeles area, so to have this as the final resting place for the Space Shuttle is phenomenal! Steven Bradford Assemblymember Representing 51 District Well it’s coming through my district

so I am excited to see it and its going through the City of Inglewood when it finally gets to the science center, its final resting place where its going to be on exhibit for all of California and the world to see. This is kind of like the end of an era when you talk about space shuttles and this was its last mission. And a lot of folks have never seen this even though it was built just up the road in Palmdale, a lot of folks have not had an opportunity to be up close and personal and touch it and see it. I would only wish there were more kids out here. The future is science, technology and math and you cant do anything of this, what we are going to experience today with out those disciplines.

FINAL LANDING Continued from page 4 here in Southern California. The space shuttle has been critical to our space program and to NASA over the last 30 years and the fact that the last ferry flight on a 747 [was able to be seen] all over the L.A. area and will ultimately [end up] at the California Science Center, is a wonderful thing to give back to the American public. Mike Fincke NASA Astronaut I was on the last crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. We landed June

John Mack

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Mike Fincke 2011 and we’re very happy that Endeavour our beautiful space shuttle is coming here to Los Angeles. Its going to inspire the next generation of explorers and bring the power of imagination to a city that thrives on imagination so its a

perfect match. Marguerite LaMotte Board Member - Representing Board District 1 I’m excited because it’s coming to district 1. All of my schools are involved. We are doing a poster contest and an essay contest. It’s exciting! Mayor James Butts Mayor of Inglewood My involvement actually starts as a child, my father was an engineer that worked on a lot of aerospace projects, so I have always been fascinated by science and aviation. But this represents another part of the victory lap of this monument to man’s mastery of technology as we get it to its final destination. It’s historic. It’s the first vehicle to transport an African American female into outer

I am particularly excited about the educational component it will provide for our youth, for African American youth, for Latino youth, the youth who are in the neighborhood. And it’s free, you can give a donation but its open to the community. I have a lot of respect for Jeff Rudolph and the leadership of the Science Center. James Medley Inspector with the Los Angeles City Fire Department This is exciting! It’s probably a once in a lifetime thing and I’m glad to be part of it. [I was there] to make sure we had public safety. Curren D. Price U.S. Senator, 26th District For the city of Los Angeles it’s an exciting resource to have one of the shuttles designated here, it is truly monumental. The fact that it’s going to be in Exposition Park at the California Science Center in our community is even a more of a plus. Its means that young people, of all ages will be able to come up close and really be inspired to learn more to understand the unique role that space travel and space exploration has played and will play. So I am excited about having a living laboratory here...

Metro Briefs What is Measure J? In June 2012, the Metro Board of Directors authorized placing Measure J before voters in Los Angeles County. If approved, Measure J will extend for 30 additional years the existing one-half cent sales tax that was approved in 2008 and is currently set to expire in 2039 (Measure R). The additional funds will be used to secure bonds, which will allow Metro to accelerate construction of traªc relieving projects and advance the creation of 250,000 new local jobs. To view the expenditure plan and the full text of Measure J, please visit metro.net/measurej.

“Carmageddon II” Set For Sept. 29-30 Plan ahead, avoid the area, or eat, shop and play locally is the message from public safety oªcials for the second weekend closure of the I-405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass – between the I-10 and US-101 – scheduled for September 29-30. Contractors will demolish the remaining side of the Mulholland Bridge as part of the freeway improvements project. For latest updates visit metro.net/405.

ExpressLanes Coming – Get Your Transponder Now More than 5,000 motorists have opened accounts to get through traªc faster on the I-110 Freeway when the Metro ExpressLanes open November 10. Join them now! These special lanes are available toll-free to eligible carpools, vanpools and motorcycles, and for a toll to solo drivers – all you need is a FasTrak ® account and transponder. To get yours, visit metro.net/expresslanes.

Drop, Cover and Hold On Oct. 18 Metro will be participating in the Great California ShakeOut on Thursday, October 18 with a series of events at Union Station in Downtown LA. The annual ShakeOut is an opportunity to practice “Drop, Cover and Hold On” to protect ourselves during an earthquake. For more information, go to shakeout.org.

Join In Rideshare Week Oct. 1-5

If you’d like to know more, visit metro.net.

Nate Holden, Danny J. Bakewell Sr., Edna Anderson, Mayor James Butts, Jeffrey Rudolph, Maguerite LaMotte, Assemblymember Steve Bradford, Fabian Wesson and Senator Curren Price.

Make a pledge and carpool, vanpool or use public transit to get to work at least one day during Rideshare Week, October 1-5, and be eligible to win valuable prizes. The program is open to employers and employees alike. Visit metro.net/rideshare for details.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Judge exonerates Congresswoman Richardson announces grant award to CSU Dominguez Hills former LA gang member of murder LAWT WIRE SERVICES

BY LINDA DEUTSCH ASSOCIATED PRESS A courtroom erupted in applause, cheers and shouts of “We love you” as a former gang member imprisoned for 19 years for a murder he didn’t commit was exonerated and set free September 24. John Edward Smith, who was still in jail clothing when he appeared in court, smiled broadly, acknowledging his excited family and friends. Adding to the Hollywood-style courtroom drama, those applauding for Smith included pop star Chris Brown, who was in the same AP Photo/Deirdre O’Connor courtroom for his probation hearing This undated image provided by Deirdre O’Connor involving the 2009 shows John Edward Smith posing with his grandbeating of his then- mother, Laura Neal. girlfriend Rihanna. Outside court, Smith’s lawyer Neal told reporters after court. “I’m Deirdre O’Connor said Brown shook happy and sad. But the part of me that was in there with him — I’m her hand and congratulated her. “Thank you for your enthusi- free now too.” She said it was difficult to wait asm,” Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told the crowd as she vacat- through the weekend after Smith’s ed Smith's convictions for murder hearing was delayed on Friday and attempted murder in a gang- September 21. “It was hell,” Neal said. “Friday related drive-by shooting. Prosecutors told her they were convinced was a big disappointment.” Smith’s lawyer, O’Connor, that the lone eyewitness to the 1993 incident had lied at Smith’s trial, explained, “The closer you get to naming him as the shooter. Smith freedom, the harder it is to wait always maintained he was at his another day.” The 37-year-old Smith was 18 grandmother’s house when the shooting occurred several blocks when he went to prison. He maintained he was at his grandmother’s away. “Thank you for the opportunity house with family when the shooting to do justice,” the judge told lawyers took place Sept. 9, 1993, in a gangfor both sides after she announced infested area. He said he knew nothing about her ruling. Smith, wearing glasses and a tan the crime until his mother called to striped polo shirt, was released from tell him about it. The only eyewitness — a victim a Los Angeles County jail at about 8:30 p.m. He was greeted by a host who was shot and survived — said police pressured him to identify of TV cameras. “I had good days and bad days, I Smith as the shooter. Prosecutors told the judge they stayed hopeful and that’s all I could do,” he told the media gathered out- now believe he lied, and Schnegg side the downtown jail. “I’m not bit- found the conviction was based on ter at all, because that ain’t going to perjured testimony. Smith’s exoneration was pursued get me nowhere. I’ve got to move by Innocence Matters, a public interon.” He said he was looking forward est law firm in Torrance. The eyewitness, Landu to “going home and seeing my grandmother,” who raised him. Mvuemba, met with Innocence Family members drove him to her Matters representatives in 2010 and house, which she had mortgaged to immediately blurted out that he had pay for his initial defense, O’Connor lied at the trial, said O’Connor, who heads the group. said. “Within the first two minutes of The grandmother, 79-year-old Laura Neal, used a walker to attend the interview, Mvuemba recanted,” the hearing earlier in the day, and O’Connor said. Mvuemba was 16 at wept when Schnegg announced her the time of the shooting. He told representatives of decision. “I always knew he didn’t do it,” See EXONERATED, page 14

Congresswoman Laura Richardson announced recently that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has awarded California State University Dominguez Hills (CSU) a grant in the amount of $180,000 to support the Nuclear Safety Applications of Autonomous Robots program. “This grant will provide vital funding to CSU- Dominguez Hills to continue its successful efforts in providing minority students with the needed support to establish successful careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields,” Richardson said. “As a member of Congress I have supported grant programs that [help] minority and disadvantaged students gain the educational skills and training needed to realize their dreams. CSUDominguez Hills has been a leader in educating minorities in the STEM fields, and the Nuclear Safety Applications of Autonomous Robots program continues in that tradition. The program provides students the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills relevant to nuclear safety, security, and environmental protection, which are critical to the NRC’s mission.” “I will continue to support legisla-

Kris Brannon for KBGraphflixx

Congresswoman Laura Richardson in the city of Carson with L.A.’s top Democrat Bobbi Jean Anderson. tion that gives students the opportunity to have successful college careers, and am proud to have supported the authorization of the programs that made the funding of this grant possi-

ble,” she added. “I applaud CSU- Dominguez Hills’ efforts to educate minority students in STEM fields that are underrepresented…”

F E AT U R E

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L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

7LWOH BY KENNETH MILLER LA Watts Times Staơ Writer

Candace Parker, arguably the WNBA’s most popular star, is on a unique journey, which will undoubtedly take her to the basketball Hall of Fame. But as the organization’s post season tips on Thursday Sept. 27 she is still in search of her first WNBA crown with the Los Angeles Sparks. Parker is the darling of women’s basketball filling the sneakers left behind by Lisa Leslie and Cheryl Miller, but as the Sparks ready for the San Antonio Silver Stars at the Galen Center at 7p.m. she will be reaching down deep to propel the Sparks to their first championship in 10 years. Championships and becoming the first woman to dunk in an NCAA women’s tournament and the WNBA are the ingredients that have spiced Parker to the level of being the league’s savior. While at Tennessee for three years she led the Lady Vols to consecutive NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008, earning back-to-back Most Outstanding Player awards in the process. While in college she was not only the first woman to dunk in the tourney, but the first to do it twice in a college. Parker is only the second woman behind Leslie to dunk in a WNBA game. A five-tool star, she played guard, forward and center. For basketball novices those are all of the positions on a basketball court. Parker didn’t just excel on the hardwood, she maintained a 3.35 grade point average in the classroom and was a University Division Academic All American. She shares the distinction of being one of only three National Gatorade Players of the Year with Brandon Knight and LeBron James while prepping in Illinois where she was both WBCA All American and McDon-

COVER IMAGE CANDACE PARKER: AP PHOTO/LORI SHEPLER CANDY BAG: AP PHOTO/KRAFT FOODS INC.

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

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aalds All American. Twice she was named USA Today Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004 and the Naismith Player of the Year. You u ge get the th idea that Canandace d ce Parker wass da pretty sspecial. p Imagine what she would have accomplished had she not tore her ACL while a junior. She still managed to become a three-time Illinois Player of the Year where she established school records in points and rebounds with 2,768 and 1,592, respectively. Born and raised near Chicago she grew up adoring the Michaell Jordan led Bulls, but ut her favorite player wass Ron Harper. It was her father who taught her how to play, but it didn’t hurt that her brother Anthony Parker was a standout player in his own right and is currently playing in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. aliers. However, it is Parker who right now is the shinning g jewel of the family and for the most part, the Los Angeles sports scene with both the Angels and Dodgers on the outside of the playoơs looking in. There could not be a better model and purposeful example for the city and particularly African Americans in a sport that has had its popularity shortchanged by the monopolized NFL, the oơ season acquisition of Dwight Howard, Magic Johnson’s purchasing of the Dodgers and their multiple acquisitions and a presidential election of the highest stakes. Meanwhile, the Sparks have been quietly e going about their business being combu usi siness of b munity oriented and putting g a winning product on the court,, aand nd of course with Parker as the th ccenterpiece they have ﬁnalarrived at their ly arriv pinnacle.

Finishing second in the Western Conference to the Minnesota Lynx, the Sparks won 24 games against just 14 defeats and are 6-4 over their last 10 games aiming for that elusive crown that has been gone for a decade when many thought they would own the league. The drafting of Parker with the first fi pick in ’08 came with the loftyy expectations that p rominen nce c w prominence would be immedi iate. diate. Since tthen hen he ead coach head Mic chael Coo oper lef f to take Michael Cooper left the same po osition with USC, position Kob be’s dad cam Kobe’s came in a year ago and the tteam flickered on b rilliance boredom and brilliance, medi iocre. mediocre. B ut during that span, But Parke er missed nine games Parker when n she was giving birth to h her daughter Lailaa William liams and in 2010 m missed the entire season with a shoulder injury. The shadow of Leslie stood even taller than ever and many wondered if the prospects of grandeur were mere illusions. A healthy Parker could change all of that and the emergence of her Olympic teammates, which captured gold in London, has put the Sparks in a position they are familiar with. She will need the help of Tina Thompson among the greatest players in the world; Delisha Milton Jones and former Narbonne star Ebony Hoơman coming oơ the bench if it is to work. A champion with her team in Russia, an Olympic gold medal, two NCAA titles, and all of the accolades are enough to satisfy anyone, but for Parker it’s a WNBA title on her resume that will make the candy taste sweetest at this time of the year.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Rapper T.I. feels his rap presence is still strong BY JONATHAN LANDRUM JR. ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP Photo

T.I.

Even though T.I. hasn’t produced any major hits lately, the Grammywinning rapper believes he can still sell a considerable amount of albums based on his track record. T.I.’s credentials include 10 Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits and five platinum albums. But he has yet to make a big splash musically since he was released from jail following an 11-month term at an Arkansas prison on a probation violation. His last album, 2010’s “No Mercy,” reached gold status, but it didn’t produce any No. 1 hits. But he says that hasn’t affected him and his future success. “I’m going to always rise above the doubt that may exist about me,” he said in a recent interview. “I have a core audience of fans that are going to buy (my albums) whether I have a single out. I ain’t got to have a video out. ... When you hear my name and an album, it’s going to be the complete body of work. It’s going to be above standard.” T.I. said he sets himself apart from most of the current “it” rappers because of his success as an entrepreneur. He’s See RAPPER T.I., page 15

Judge seeks more review of Chris Brown’s probation

AP Photo

Chris Brown BY ANTHONY MCCARTNEY ASSOCIATED PRESS A judge has ordered a further review of Chris Brown’s community

service and travel to determine whether the R&B singer has violated the terms of his probation for the 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown appeared in court Monday

September 24 for the first time in more than a year, and Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg tried to sort through Brown’s probation record and the impact of a positive marijuana result during a random drug screening. Schnegg said community service logs from Brown’s home state of Virginia were “somewhat cryptic” and additional review was needed to determine whether he had complied with his probation. A spreadsheet sent by the Richmond, Va., police chief indicated Brown had completed 1,402 hours of community service, ranging from trash pickup, to washing cars, painting and tending to stables. Brown spoke briefly during the hearing, telling Schnegg that he wasn’t required to sign in when performing his service. His lawyer, Mark Geragos, welcomed the inquiry and said he expected to show that Brown had complied with all his probation terms. The judge said Brown produced a medicinal marijuana prescription from California and that she had never ordered him not to use drugs, so the positive drug test may not have a major impact on his probation. She warned Brown that while his marijuana use may have been legal, he needed to be mindful of his public image and his sway with young fans. “You are not an average person who can sit in their living room and See CHRIS BROWN, page 15

Texas judge orders DNA tests in Hemsley death

Sherman Hemsley ASSOCIATED PRESS A Texas judge has ordered DNA testing on a man who claims to be the brother of the late “The Jeffersons” star Sherman Hemsley. Richard Thornton is challenging the validity of Hemsley’s will, which names the actor’s longtime manager, Flora Enchinton of El Paso, as sole beneficiary. Hemsley died of lung cancer July 24.

Judge Patricia Chew rescheduled the El Paso trial on Hemsley’s estate to begin Oct. 31. Thornton, of Philadelphia, sought the DNA testing and must provide results by Oct. 15. Hemsley was born in Philadelphia but had lived in El Paso for the past 20 years. Court documents indicate Hemsley’s estate is worth more than $50,000.

2 plead no contest to extorting Stevie Wonder

AP Photo

Stevie Wonder Two people charged with trying to extort millions of dollars from Stevie Wonder pleaded no contest on Monday September 24 and were released after being sentenced to

time-served in jail. Alpha Lorenzo Walker and Tamara Diaz were sentenced to serve 292 days in jail and three years of See STEVIE WONDER, page 14

Thursday, September 27, 2012

e v e n t LISTINGS

9-10 / 2012

L.A. Watts Times Calendar, Compiled by Brandon I. Brooks, Co-Managing Editor 9/27 FREE MEDICAL, DENTAL & VISION CARE: FREE SERVICES – DENTAL: Cleanings, fillings, extractions and other procedures. Vision: Eye exams, prescriptions and eyeglasses. Medical: Exams and screening, women’s health, immunizations, others services and procedures. Hundreds of doctors, dentists, optometrists and other professionals will be on site to serve you. WHERE: Los Angeles Sports Arena. WHEN: September 27 – 30. You must have a wristband to enter. Patients may pick up a free wristband on Monday September 24 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena – 3939 South Figueroa Street. Distribution begins at 1:00 p.m. Gates open at 7: a.m. First come, first served until all wristbands are given out. One wristband per person. For more information, visit www.careharbor.org or email us at info@careharbor.com.

9/28 FILM

SCREENING AND BOOK DISCUSSION:

See the film, “To Form a More Perfect Union: Milestones of the Civil Rights Movement” and discuss your understanding of the Constitution with Richard Beeman’s book, “The Penguin Guide to the United States Constitution.” WHEN: 2:00 p.m. WHERE: Willowbrook Senior Center, 12915 Jarvis Ave., Los Angeles 90061, (310) 217-5650. You may sign-up for this event beginning September 13th at 11:00 a.m. This is a California Reads program. Free and open to the public.

9/29 31ST ANNUAL WATTS TOWERS DAY OF THE DRUM FESTIVAL: An all-star line-up of world class musicians, singers, and dancers will come together once again at the 31st Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival and the 36th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival. WHEN: Saturday, September 29, and Sunday, September 30, to celebrate Watts Towers Arts Center: The First 51 Years, 19612012 - Where Truth & Art Connect. The festivals run both days from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The festivals’ activities and programs also include the arts exhibition BAILA con Duende; guided tours of the Watts Towers; supervised children's activities; and food along with arts and crafts for sale. WHERE: Both festivals take place at DCA’s Watts Towers Arts Center Campus at: 1727 East 107th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90002. For more information, please call 213.847.4646 or visit www.wattstowers.org. Self-parking and valet parking are free.

Valley Metro Melissa White as well as Patty Dominic and Maureen Ford from Life Moments for Women. The events luncheon will be hosted by NBC Universal Correspondent and Community Activist Beverly White. For more information or to RSVP for the conference contact Forgiving for Living by email at forgivng4living@aol.com The Millennium Panthers: Fighting on the front line of our civil and constitutional rights. The Millennium Panthers present Black Umbrella of Unity for the unjust killing of our brothers and sisters. WHERE: Cecil King Memorial located on the cord of Crenshaw & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. WHEN: 11:00 a.m. We march at high noon September 29. For Americans of African Descent.

renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. A silent auction will be held prior to the awards program followed by a post-event bash with live entertainment and dancing. All proceeds from An Artful Evening at CAAM will benefit the Young Docent Internship Program (YD), a skill building and workforce development program for high school youth to receive hands-on, paid, marketable work experience. For An Artful Evening at CAAM sponsorship opportunities and packages information, the museum may be reached at (213) 744-2060 or by e-mail at gala2012@caamuseum.org. Details about the event and CAAM’s community outreach initiatives can be found at www.caammuseum.org.

10/6

YOUTH AND THE LAW: Professional Attorney’s that are members of the 100 Black Men of Los Angeles (100BMLA), will conduct a briefing called “Youth and the Law”. This is where our young men can participate in the practice of being an attorney. There will be role playing and eventually a mock trial where all of the participants will be young people in a courtroom setting. This is an activity of the “See Your Future Mentoring Program” sponsored by the 100 BMLA. Age group 11 to 17 (Young men & women). WHEN: 10 a.m. WHERE: Initial Orientation at 3701 Stocker

BLACK AMERICAN POLITICAL ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA: 34th Annual Convention and Political & Religious Hall of Fame Banquet. WHEN: “The Power is in our Hands,” October 5 – 7. WHERE: Beverly Hills Ballroom. Honorees: Bishops Carolyn Tyler Guidry. Reverend Al Sharpton and Founder of The Rev. Al Sharpton Educating Young Minds Angeles Echols – Brown. Keynote speaker Diane Finestein. Tickets are on sale. All Access Pass: $150/person – Tables are not eligible. Leadership Luncheon $50 /person or $500/table (seats 10). Banquet Dinner $100/person or $1000 (seats 10). Prayer Breakfast $50/Person – Free Seating. Purchase tickets online to receive printable ticket or by mail and pick up at will-call. For more information visit www.bapacstateoffice.org or (310) 479-4727. Email: bapacstateoffice@gmail.com BAPAC State Office P.O. Box 25474 Los Angeles, CA 90025. SIDNEY POITIER & JOHN OUTTERBRIDGE HONORED: Friends, the Foundation of the California African American Museum (Friends) will honor legendary actor Sidney Poitier and acclaimed artist John

YOUNG LADIES HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE CONFERENCE: Forgiving for Living, a community based non-profit organization founded by philanthropist, businesswoman and community activist Wendy Gladney will host its 1st Annual Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Conference. WHEN: Saturday. WHEN: The Double Tree Hotel at 6161 West Cantilena Avenue in Los Angeles. The conference which is sponsored by The California Endowment, Wells Fargo Bank, NBC Universal and Southern California Edison is designed to empower young women and educate them on the importance of living a better life through better health, better personal wisdom, financial literacy and personal growth. The conference is free to women and young ladies and will consist of a number of workshops and speakers including Forgiving for Living Founder Wendy Gladney, Verizon Communications Director of Government and External Affairs, Julia Cooksey, Wells Fargo Bank’s VP of South

John Outterbridge

Outterbridge with Lifetime Achievement awards at the foundation’s seventh annual blackSidney tie fundraiser, An Artful Evening at Poitier CAAM. Emmy®award nominated actress CCH Pounder will host the event with catering provided by world-

10/13

Suite 309A Los Angeles, CA 90008. For more questions, please send email to: info@100bmla.org with “Youth and the Law” in the subject line. For more information visit, www.100bmla.org and www.youngblackscholars.com.

ON GOING MEDITATION - EIGHT STEPS TO HAPPINESS: Based on eight beautiful verses from the book Eight Steps to Happiness. This short poem shows how we can transform all life's difficulties into valuable spiritual insights. WHEN: Sept 30, Oct 7, 14, 21, 28. Sundays 10:30-11:30am at Crenshaw Yoga and Dance, 5426 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles. Please visit MeditateInLA.org or call Kadampa Meditation Center California (323) 223-0610. $10 /class.

TO MAKE A CALENDAR SUBMISSION: Include event name, date(s), time, location, contact/RSVP information and admission price, if any. Use BRIEF paragraph format (no lists, line breaks, or all caps). All calendar submissions are space-permitting and may be edited for brevity. Send submissions, along with any images, to brandon@lasentinel.net with the subject heading “LAWT Community Events.” Please include text in the body of your email, not in an attachment.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Phoenix Mercury Warriors coach has wins No. 1 pick in WNBA draft lottery high expectations,

not promises

Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson applauds his players during an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, in Cleveland. AP Photo/Mark Duncan

BY ANTONIO GONZALEZ AP SPORTS WRITER

AP Photo/Stacy Bengs

Phoenix Mercury head coach Corey Gaines talks with his team during a time out against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half of Game 1 of the WNBA Western Conference Finals basketball series on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, in Minneapolis. BY DOUG FEINBERG AP BASKETBALL WRITER Phoenix Mercury coach Corey Gaines looked at his phone and a one-word text from star Diana Taurasi said it all — “Wow.” Gaines was still in shock after his team won the WNBA draft lottery Wednesday night and earned the No. 1 pick next year and the rights to take Brittney Griner. Even though the Mercury (7-27) had the second worst record in the league and a 28 percent chance of getting the No. 1 choice, Gaines didn’t expect it. “I could see where I was sitting each time she (Laurel J. Richie) opened the envelope, and the first one I saw was Washington,” Gaines said. “My first instinct was that I felt sorry because they really needed that pick, Then that went away and I saw the next one, and I saw the order they were going in, and then all of a sudden I realized it — we just got the No. 1 pick. It’s just got to be lucky.” Chicago will pick second and Tulsa third. Washington, which had the worst record in the league will pick fourth. The Mystics (5-29) had a 44 percent chance to win the top pick. Only four times in the 11 previous lotteries has the team with the worst record secured the top pick. Neither Gaines nor Mercury President Amber Cox would commit after the lottery results were

announced to taking Griner with the No. 1 pick. “Griner has a unique skill set,” Cox said. “We’ll look at the class and it’s our job over the next few months to figure out what’s the best fit for us.” Griner though is a once in a lifetime talent. The 6-foot-8 Baylor star is an unbelievable shot blocker and also can play above the rim. She helped guide Baylor to a national championship last year and the first 40-0 season in college basketball history. The reigning Associated Press player of the year will try to lead the Lady Bears to a second straight championship when the season starts next month. “We like to fast break and you need to rebound and play defense to get out and run,” said Gaines, smiling. “Obviously she can block shots and rebound the ball well.” Griner headlines a talented class. Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne led the nation in scoring last season and is a versatile 6-foot-5 guard who can score from almost anywhere on the court. Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins has guided the Irish to the past two national championship games and is one of the most followed female athletes on Twitter. “They all are very different players and can do different things for us,” Cox said. Phoenix was plagued by injuries most of the season. Taurasi only See PHOENIX, page 13

Mark Jackson isn’t making any playoff promises for the Golden State Warriors this season. Maybe it’s a lesson learned for the point guard, preacher and boisterous broadcaster turned NBA head coach. Or maybe he’s tempering expectations entering his second season considering, well, there actually are expectations with a reshaped roster built around rehabilitating center Andrew Bogut and point guard Stephen Curry. “I’m not going to say it,” Jackson said this week, “not because I don’t believe it. But ultimately it comes to a point where, enough of the talking, go out and do it.” That time is almost here. With training camp beginning next week, Jackson still made it clear that not making the postseason would be a major disappointment. He also recognizes the season outlook — and perhaps his own future — hinges largely on the surgically repaired ankles of Bogut and Curry, who have had repeated problems staying on the court throughout their young careers. Asked how confident he is both will return to form and stay healthy this season, Jackson quipped: “I hope so. My family certainly hopes so.” Same goes for Warriors fans who have long waited for a winner. For a franchise that has made the playoffs once in the last 18 years, talking about the postseason at any time might seem strange, let alone before any exhibitions have been played. Looking at the roster — on paper, anyway — it’s easy to see why the Warriors don’t find that goal so silly. The Bogut-Curry combo, if healthy, would be teamed with power forward David Lee, second-year shooting guard Klay Thompson and either Brandon Rush or seventh overall pick Harrison Barnes of North Carolina at small forward. Golden State is deeper than in recent years, too, with Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry and Richard Jefferson complementing rookies Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli, who both impressed enough during summer league and off season workouts to be considered rotation players.

Jackson also has had more time to prepare this season than last, when the labor lockout eliminated most of the offseason and training camp — not to mention limiting practice time during the crammed 66-game schedule. Injuries also decimated the roster, which has been quickly reconstructed under new general manager Bob Myers, and that has Jackson more optimistic than anything after going

23-43 last season. “What makes us better is not the timetable,” Jackson said. “It’s the talent.” Bogut, the 2005 No. 1 overall pick and best center the franchise has had in at least a decade, fractured his left ankle Jan. 25 with Milwaukee and sat out the rest of the season when he was acquired in a trade for guard Monta See MARK JACKSON, page 13

Edwin Moses voted USADA board chair

AP Photo

Edwin Moses ASSOCIATED PRESS Former track great Edwin Moses has been voted chair of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s board of directors. USADA said Wednesday that Moses was selected to fill the chair position at the Sept. 13 board meeting. Moses succeeds founding

board member Dr. Richard Cohen, who is rotating off the board because of terms limits. Founding board member Dr. Jean Fourcroy and former swimmer Annette Salmeen also are leaving the board because of term limits. Dr. Cheri Blauwet, Robert Raskopf and Dr. Ken Wright are joining the board.

opinion

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Islam, Israel and the first amendment Beware of mortgage

the definition of anti-Semitism to virtually any criticism of Israel. It includes in the list of criticisms that should be silenced, suggestions that Israel is a racist and apartheid state. Let us be clear: This is a tremendous expansion of any legitimate definition of anti-Semitism. This would be the equivalent of suggesting that a criticism of the government of the People’s Republic of China is automatically anti-Chinese, or that a criticism of Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe is automatically anti-Black. Anti-Semitism has a long, ignominious history, particularly in Europe. It has been associated with the persecution and murder of millions of Jews over time. It has been associated with identifying Jews, as a people, with the execution of Jesus Christ. It has been associated with the myth that

all Jews are wealthy. It has been associated with the notion that there is some sort of global Jewish conspiracy to dominate the world. That is antiSemitism. That is the sort of irrational, racist thinking and behavior that must be fought. But to link the struggle against anti-Semitism with the question of Israel is nothing short of duplicity. It completely ignores the manner in which Israel was formed (over the objections of the people who were living there); Israel’s constant violations of United Nations resolutions; the establishment of the apartheid wall that destroys entire Palestinian communities; as well as Israel’s pre-1994 collaboration with apartheid South Africa in the creation of weapons of mass destruction. As such, speaking out on Israel is political criticism and should not be confused with antiSemitism. The U.S.A. needs to have one standard. If it is going to claim that a hideous mocking of the Prophet Muhammad is protected by freedom of speech it cannot, at nearly the same moment, suggest that those who criticize the racist and expansionist policies of Israel are anti-Semitic and not subject to the protections contained in the U.S. Constitution. Doing so is not only duplicity, but it also helps to explain why the motives of the U.S.A. are so often questioned around the world. Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, and the author of two books on labor unions, “Solidarity Divided” (with Dr. Fernando Gapasin) and “They’re Bankrupting Us – And Twenty Other Myths about Unions.” He can be reached at papaq54@hotmail.com.

center every opportunity during training camp, although he won’t discount the effort made by others who showed up voluntarily. “I think you make a statement by being here,” Jackson said. One thing Jackson is not concerned about is his image. An ordained minister who spends his Sundays preaching at the church he and his wife own in Southern California, Jackson and his family were the targets of an extortion attempt related to an extramarital affair he had in six years ago, which became public in June. Jackson said “the process is still going forward”

with the investigation. He said he never addressed the situation with his players, and didn't feel the need to, saying his moral authority as a minister or coach has not been weakened. “You show who you really are in the face of adversity,” Jackson said. “You own it, and you move forward. This is something (six) years ago. I’ve been who I am before the (six) years. And one owned mishap won't define me. And anybody who wants to define me by that, I’m fine with it. But I’m going to keep it moving, and I’m going to keep on being who God called me to be.”

BY BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

The response in the Muslim World to the display of the anti-Muslim video mocking the Prophet Muhammad stunned many people in the U.S.A. The brutal murders of Ambassador Chris Stevens and his staff in Libya, blamed on the anger over the display of the video, now appears to have been a premeditated murder by terrorists. That said, the antipathy toward the U.S.A., illustrated by widespread demonstrations after the release of the video, for its long-standing treatment and demonization of the Muslim world should not be downplayed. In addressing both the video and the response, representatives of the Obama administration, as well as other members of the political establishment, condemned the violence but also distanced themselves from the video. At the same time, they offered the view that as abhorrent as is the video, in the U.S.A. there is the First Amendment that guarantees freedom of speech. The message, and one that the Republican Party screamed as loud as they could, was that in the U.S.A. one can say whatever one wants and that this is guaranteed by the Constitution. Except when it comes to the matter of Israel. A recent resolution of the California State Assembly, introduced on August 6, that covered antiSemitism (specifically in post-secondary educational institutions in California), has sent chills up the spines of many people who actually believe in freedom of speech. Claiming to be encouraging a clamping down on anti-Semitic activities, this very strange resolution expands

MARK JACKSON Continued from page 12 Ellis. He isn’t expected to be ready at the start of training camp Tuesday, but Jackson is hopeful Bogut will be in the starting lineup for the regular-season opener at Phoenix on Oct. 31. Curry, who was medically cleared to resume all basketball-related activities last week, repeatedly sprained his surgically repaired right ankle last season while playing only 26 games. The team said his most recent operation on April 25 was an “exploratory procedure” that “revealed a stable ankle with no structural damage and consisted of cleaning out loose debris and scar tissue.” Injuries aside, Jackson has been pleased with the progress his team made over the summer. He said the reason he made the bold playoff prediction when he was hired last year was to “change the culture” of a losing franchise that, despite all its failures, is consistently among the NBA’s top-10 in attendance and whose fans are among the most vocal in the sports saturated Bay Area. An example of those changes Jackson points to is the noise he hears in the gym, weight room and video room at all hours. Since Labor Day, he said every player has been at Golden State's facility except beleaguered backup center Andris Biedrins, who is owed $9 million this season and has a $9 million player option for 2013-14. Jackson said he will still give the

Bill Fletcher, Jr.

PHOENIX Continued from page 12 played in eight games and Penny Taylor missed the entire year while recovering from an ACL injury. Candice Dupree also missed 21 games because of a left knee injury. “This was a difficult season with all the injuries we had,” Gaines said. “The players this year tried so hard and now the texts are coming in from them. They are ready to come back and excited.” The Mercury have had the first pick in the draft two other times, including 2004 when they drafted Taurasi. This was the first time that the lottery was shown on television. In the past the lottery had been held later in the calendar year behind closed

doors at a league meeting. But with the WNBA playoffs starting on Thursday and the incredibly talented senior class, the league moved up the lottery. “This is what you love about sports. To have our lottery televised live on ESPN with all the drama of the envelopes coming out. I think it went great,” WNBA President Laurel Richie said. “We’re trending on Twitter.” In a similar fashion to the NBA draft lottery, the actual lottery was held two hours before it was revealed on TV in a separate room. Each team had representatives in that room and they were sequestered until the results were shown.

scams — before it’s too late Homeowners looking for help to avoid foreclosure are primary targets BY MARIE DAY, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE DEFAULT SERVICING AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EXECUTIVE, WELLS FARGO The economy has had a detrimental effect on homeownership. Unemployment and underemployment have made it tough for many homeowners to maintain current mortgage payments. In attempts to get assistance and avoid foreclosure, vulnerable homeowners become prime targets for scam artists who are taking advantage of people through a wide array of mortgage scams. For homeowners in need of assistance, now is the time to be more vigilant than ever. Through December 31, 2011, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had more than 2,500 pending investigations into mortgage fraud around the country. Although the scope of losses for homeowners, legitimate businesses and to the economy caused by mortgage fraud are difficult to calculate, CoreLogic, a research and analytics company, has estimated that losses due to mortgage fraud in 2011 were $7.4 billion. SCAMS FROM ALL SIDES There are many variations of mortgage scams, but the goal is the same: take money and even property from unaware homeowners. Some scammers guarantee that they can negotiate a loan modification with your lender for an up-front fee. Others claim they are affiliated with government agencies and the new loan modification programs. Some fraudsters say they can conduct forensic loan audits to determine whether loans were made in accordance with federal and state mortgage lending laws. Other schemers convince homeowners to surrender the title or deed to their homes in exchange for a new “rescue” loan, or as part of a deal that would let the homeowners rent the home for a few years and then have the ability to repurchase the home in the future. Still others may claim that they could help expedite short sales. Some swindlers have even used direct mail with prominent use of the lender’s name to gain the trust of customers and trick them into believing an offer for assistance is from their lender. Since homeowner names, addresses, lender names and original mortgage loan amounts are available to anyone through public real estate records, con artists use this information to create direct mail pieces that confuse potential victims into thinking that they are dealing with their

Marie Day lender. PROTECT YOURSELF AND GET ASSISTANCE

In order to protect yourself from scammers, always be on the look-out for key warning signs. Fraudsters might: • Request payment or charge fees in advance. • Guarantee results. • Direct homeowners to stop making mortgage payments and instead make a payment to a thirdparty organization. • Tell homeowners that they cannot deal with their lender directly. • Request that a homeowner sign over the deed or other papers. • Ask for personal information over the phone or email. • Pressure the customer to perform a specific action. If you are having difficulty paying your mortgage, you should contact your lender and a housing counselor approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUDapproved counselors can provide assistance free of charge, or for a nominal fee. A list of counseling agencies near you can be found at www.hud.gov. If you have doubts whether direct mail that claims to be from your lender is legitimate, call your lender directly and confirm it. And finally, if you think you have been scammed, you should file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online at www.ftc.gov/complaint or call them at 877-FTC-HELP. Scammers are working hard to take advantage of people in distress. It’s imperative that you get informed and take precautions to not become their next victim.

EXONERATED Continued from page 7 Innocence Matters, “The police told me they knew who did it,” a defense motion stated. O’Connor said Smith wept when she called him with the news about Mvuemba. “He said, ‘Why did he do it? Why did he lie?’” O’Connor recalled. Mvuemba said police pointed to Smith, whom he had known in elementary school, and told him other witnesses had identified Smith as the shooter. Mvuemba said he also was shown a photo of his friend DeAnthony Williams, who died in the shooting. “I felt a lot of pressure to go along with it,” Mvuemba said. The two victims had been on the street examining the scene of another shooting the night before when a car pulled up and someone opened fire. Mvuemba said he tried three times to tell authorities that he didn’t see enough to testify, but his pleas were ignored. “Mvuemba knew it was wrong to identify Mr. Smith as the man who shot him,” according to the defense motion. “But when he saw his deceased friend’s crying mother in the courtroom, he felt as if he had no other choice.” Mvuemba is currently imprisoned on a rape conviction. Judge Schnegg said she held many meetings with the defense and prosecution in the year since the recanting was disclosed. She told Smith in court: “You had a very committed attorney, and you had a prosecution team that did the right thing.” Schnegg also said they lacked sufficient information to declare Smith factually innocent, but she vacated his convictions for murder and attempted murder, and ordered him released. O’Connor said Smith’s trial was undermined by ineffective assistance of attorneys who failed to investigate the case properly at trial and on appeal. She said lawyers and police often take “shortcuts” in gang cases. “Mr. Smith was not the shooter,” the motion said. “He was not at the scene of the crime.” Smith’s sister, Tiana Goodman, 25, said he would be meeting nieces and nephews who were born while he was in prison. “This is a big day for our family,” she said, tears running down her cheeks. “He kept his faith and never gave up.”

STEVIE WONDER Continued from page 10 probation for attempting to sell a video that purportedly portrayed Wonder in a negative light. Jail credits made the pair eligible for release Monday. The pair was arrested in May after the Grammy-winner’s attorney arranged a sting and claimed Walker had sought up to $5 million for the video. Walker’s attorney, Ian Wallach, said the deal was reached after prosecutors encountered trouble proving the extortion case and that the charges were eligible to be reduced to misdemeanors and expunged later if the pair comply with the terms of their release. A judge ordered the pair to stand trial in July after a preliminary hearing

Thursday, September 27, 2012

NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Long Beach, California, acting by and through the City’s Board of Harbor Commissioners (“City”) will receive, before the Bid Deadline established below, sealed Bids for the following Work: Port of Long Beach Demolition of NRG Intake Forebay Structure In Back Channel AT LONG BEACH GENERATION, LLC (KNOWN AS THE LONG BEACH GENERATING STATION) 2665 PIER S LANE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA AS DESCRIBED IN SPECIFICATION NO. HD-S2426 Bid Deadline:

Prior to 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. Bid packages will be time/date stamped on the 4th floor or in the Lobby and shall be submitted prior to 10 a.m.

Place for Submission of Bids: 1. By Delivery Any Calendar Day Before the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building 4th Floor, Plans and Specifications/Program Management Office 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 2. By Delivery on the Same Calendar Day as the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building Ground Floor Lobby 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Bid Opening: As soon as practical after the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building 6th Floor Board Room 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Contract Documents Available: Date/Time: Beginning Thursday September 27, 2012 Monday –Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Harbor Department Administration Building 4th Floor, Plans and Specifications 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: Date/Time: October 9, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. Location: 6th Floor Board Room Project Contact Person: Victor Sagredo, P.E. Victor.Sagredo@polb.com (562) 283-7352 Fax NIB -1 Contract Documents. Copies of Contract Documents in DVD format may be obtained, at no cost, at the Plans and Specifications Office, 4th floor, Harbor Department Administration Building, 925 Harbor Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90802 during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To arrange to receive a DVD of the Contract Documents by courier at the expense of the Bidder, call (562)283-7353. For information on this Project and other upcoming Port projects, you may view the Port website at http://www.polb.com/economics/contractors/out_for_bid.asp. Copies of all Port insurance endorsement forms, SBE/VSBE Program forms, Harbor Development Permit Applications and other Port forms are available at http://www.polb.com/economics/contractors/forms_permits/default.asp. NIB -2 Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting. The engineering staff of the City’s Harbor department will conduct a mandatory pre-bid meeting at 10:00 a.m., on October 9, 2012, in the Board Room, 6th floor, of the Harbor Department Administration Building. Attendance is mandatory. Note that attendance at the pre-bid meeting can be used to satisfy a portion of a Bidder’s good faith efforts to meet the SBE/VSBE participation goals listed below. EACH BIDDER MUST ATTEND THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING. FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING SHALL DISQUALIFY YOUR BID. NIB -3 Summary Description of the Work. The Work required by this Contract includes, but is not limited to, the following: removal of reinforced concrete walls, beams, counterforts, columns, slabs, footings, stairs and walkways comprising the Intake Structure, and the adjacent Submerged Intake Structure, grating and screens, navigational lights and associated conduits, walkways and handrail, fencing, firewater lines and miscellaneous metal as well other miscellaneous items in accordance with the Plans and Specifications, and hauling to an acceptable disposal site. Dredging of accumulated sediment within the Intake Structure and adjacent Submerged Intake Structure to the depths shown, transport and off-hauling to Pier S Support Site, bedding, drying and stockpiling of dredge material, and loading the dredge material into trucks and transporting and disposing of the material at an acceptable disposal site. As well as installation of a new chain link fence to restore the perimeter security at the Project Site. NIB -4

Contract Time and Liquidated Damages. The Work shall be completed with-

in which a police detective described the video as an 80-minute rant against Wonder. Portions of it were filmed in the former home of the singer’s late mother, which is now dilapidated, and it also shows Wonder's son, whom the musician is protective of. Wallach had maintained his client was innocent and that he had a consti-

tutional right to make and market the video. Diaz is Walker’s girlfriend and was present during a police sting that involved Wonder’s attorney and led to the pair’s arrest. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said both were ordered to stay away from Wonder and his associates while on probation.

in 274 calendar days as provided in Paragraph SC - 6.1 of the Special Conditions, from a date specified in a written “Notice to Proceed” issued by the City and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Conditions. FAILURE OF THE CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE WORK WITHIN THE CONTRACT TIME AND OTHER MILESTONES WILL RESULT IN ASSESSMENT OF LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN THE AMOUNTS ESTABLISHED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS. NIB -5 Contractor’s License. Each Bidder shall hold a current and valid Class “A”, General Engineering Contractor, California Contractor’s License to bid this Project. NIB -6 Contractor Performed Work. The Contractor shall perform, with its own employees, Contract Work amounting to at least 50% of the Contract Price, except that any designated “Specialty Items” may be performed by subcontract and the amount of any such “Specialty Items” so performed may be deducted from the Contract Price before computing the amount required to be performed by the Contractor with its own employees. “Specialty Items” will be identified by the City in the Schedule of Bid Items. NIB -7 SBE/VSBE. This project is subject to the Port of Long Beach (POLB) Small Business Enterprises (SBE)/Very Small Business Enterprises (VSBE) Program. The combined SBE/VSBE participation goal for this project is twenty percent (20%), of which a minimum of three percent (3%) must be allocated to VSBEs. POLB expects all Bidders to achieve the combined SBE/VSBE participation goal. Award of the Contract will be conditioned on the Bidder submitting an SBE-2C Commitment Plan demonstrating the Bidder’s intent to meet the combined SBE/VSBE participation goal. If the Bidder’s Commitment Plan does not demonstrate intent to meet the combined goal, the Bidder shall demonstrate that it made an adequate good faith effort to do so, as specified in the Instructions to Bidders (ITB 18). The Port’s SBE Program staff is available to provide information on the program requirements, including SBE certification assistance. Please contact the SBE Office at (562) 283-7598 or sbeprogram@polb.com. You may also view the Port’s SBE program requirements at www.polb.com/sbe. NIB -8 Prevailing Wage Rates and Employment of Apprentices. This Project is a public work as defined in Labor Code Section 1720. The Contractor receiving award of the Contract and Subcontractors of any tier shall pay not less than the prevailing wage rates to all workers employed in execution of the Contract. The Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California has determined the general prevailing rates of wages in the locality in which the Work is to be performed. The rate schedules are available on the internet at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlsr/DPreWageDetermination.htm. Bidders are directed to Article 15 of the General Conditions for requirements concerning payment of prevailing wages, payroll records, hours of work and employment of apprentices. NIB -9 Trade Names and Substitution of Equals. With the exception of any sole source determination that may be identified in this paragraph, Bidders wishing to obtain City’s authorization for substitution of equivalent material, product, or equipment, are required to submit a written request for an Or Equal Substitution using the form included in Appendix A together with data substantiating Bidder’s representation that the nonspecified item is of equal quality to the item specified, thirty five (35) calendar days after Bid Opening. Authorization of a substitution is solely within the discretion of the City. NIB -10

NOT USED.

NIB -11 Bid Security, Signed Contract, Insurance and Bonds. Each Bid shall be accompanied by a satisfactory Bidder’s Bond or other acceptable Bid Security in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the Base Bid as a guarantee that the Bidder will, if Conditionally Awarded a Contract by the Board, within thirty (30) calendar days after the Contract is conditionally awarded to the Contractor by the City, execute and deliver such Contract to the Chief Harbor Engineer together with all required documents including insurance forms, a Payment Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, and a Performance Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price. All Bonds shall be on forms provided by the City. NIB -12 Conditional Award of Contract and Reservation of Rights. The Board, acting through the Executive Director, reserves the right at any time before the execution of the Contract by the City, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informality or irregularity. The Conditional Award of the Contract, if any, will be to the responsible Bidder submitting the lowest responsive and responsible Bid. If the lowest responsive responsible Bidder fails to submit the required documents including insurance forms, bonds and signed Contract within thirty (30) calendar days after Conditional Award of Contract, the Board reserves the right to rescind the Conditional Award and Conditionally Award the Contract to the next lowest responsive and responsible Bidder. NIB -13 Period of Bid Irrevocability. Bids shall remain open and valid and Bidder’s Bonds shall be guaranteed for ninety (90) calendar days after the Bid Deadline or until the Executive Director executes a Contract, whichever occurs first. NIB -14 Substitution of Securities. Substitution of Securities for retainage is permitted in accordance with Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code. Issued at Long Beach, California, this 17th day of September, 2012. J. Christopher Lytle Executive Director of the Harbor Department, City of Long Beach, California

BlackFacts.com October 2, 1935 Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., was born. He became an astronaut and pilot. He was the first African American selected for space travel. Lawrence was killed in a conspiracy-filled training accident in December of 1967. In 1989, a memorial foundation was erected in honor of those astronauts who gave their lives for the space program. Lawrence’s name was not included, until after much advocacy by historian, James Oberg, in February of 1997.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

GOVERNMENT LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Metro will receive proposals for RFP PS-85103001, Supplemental Engineering Services for Rail Systems Engineering, per the RFP Documents issued by the Metro Office of Procurement & Material Mgmt., One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (9th Floor). All Proposals must be received on or before 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time), Monday, November 5, 2012 at the address listed above, sent to the attention of 9th Floor Receptionist and clearly marked RFP No. PS-8510-3001. Proposals received later than the above date and time may be rejected and returned to the proposer unopened. A Pre-Proposal conference will be held on Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 1:30 p.m., Union Station Conference Room, 3rd Floor, located at the address above. The RFP can be downloaded beginning September 24, 2012 at http://www.metro.net/EBB/bids1.asp . For further information contact Susan Santoro at santoros@metro.net. 9/27/12 CNS-2383239# WATTS TIMES

RAPPER T.I. Continued from page 10 in the Starz drama series “Boss” and the upcoming comedy “Identity Theft” alongside Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy; he’s got his own Vh1 reality show “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle”; he has the clothing line Akoo; and recently, he released his second novel with author David Ritz called “Trouble & Triumph: A Novel of Power & Beauty.” “There’s a difference between being hot for the moment, and being huge,” he said. “Whether I’m hot or not, I’m still huge in a lot of different areas. ... It’s certain things I’ll do that (other rappers) will never be able to do. I’m aware of that, and I believe they are, too. It’s just sometimes people get caught up with what’s hot.” T.I. might have made strides outside of rap, but the 31-year-old said he is still passionate about recording music. His eighth album, “Trouble Man,” will “tentatively” be out in December. His new single, “Ball,” features Lil Wayne. “I have to give them the new me,” he said. “I just have to show that I remember the methods, the practices of the old me. It’s like a guy who you know that has lived a certain lifestyle and you know he’s validated to speak on it.”

BlackFacts.com September 27, 1876 Edward Mitchell Bannister wins a bronze medal for his painting Under the Oaks at the American Centennial Exposition, in Philadelphia. The award will cause controversy among whites who think African Americans incapable of artistic excellence.

NOTICE INVITING BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Long Beach, California, acting by and through the City’s Board of Harbor Commissioners (“City”) will receive, before the Bid Deadline established below, sealed Bids for the following Work: INTERIM FIREBOAT STATION NO. 20 AT PIER D, BERTH D34 LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA AS DESCRIBED IN SPECIFICATION NO. HD-S2455 Bid Deadline:

Prior to 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 Bid packages will be time/date stamped on the 4th floor or in the Lobby and shall be submitted prior to 10 a.m.

Place for Submission of Bids: 1. By Delivery Any Calendar Day Before the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building 4th Floor, Plans and Specifications/Program Management Office 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 2. By Delivery on the Same Calendar Day as the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building Ground Floor Lobby 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Bid Opening: As soon as practical after the Bid Deadline Harbor Department Administration Building 6th Floor Board Room 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Contract Documents Available: Date/Time: Beginning Thursday, September 27, 2012 Monday –Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Harbor Department Administration Building 4th Floor, Plans and Specifications 925 Harbor Plaza Long Beach, CA 90802 Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: Date/Time: Tuesday, October 9, 2012, 11am-noon Location: 6th Floor Board Room Harbor Dept. Administration Building Project Contact Person: Ann Tobin, Fax: 562-283-7352, email: tobin@polb.com NIB -1 Contract Documents. Copies of Contract Documents in DVD format may be obtained, at no cost, at the Plans and Specifications Office, 4th floor, Harbor Department Administration Building, 925 Harbor Plaza, Long Beach, CA 90802 during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To arrange to receive a DVD of the Contract Documents by courier at the expense of the Bidder, call (562) 283-7353. For information on this Project and other upcoming Port projects, you may view the Port website at http://www.polb.com/economics/contractors/out_for_bid.asp. Copies of all Port insurance endorsement forms, SBE/VSBE Program forms, Harbor Development Permit Applications and other Port forms are available at http://www.polb.com/economics/contractors/forms_permits/default.asp. NIB -2 Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting. The engineering staff of the City’s Harbor department will conduct a pre-bid meeting at 11:00 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 in the Board Room, 6th floor, of the Harbor Department Administration Building. Attendance is not mandatory, but highly recommended. Should a Bidder elect not to attend the pre-bid meeting, the Bidder shall not be relieved of its sole responsibility to inform itself of all conditions at the Project Site and the content of the Contract Documents. NIB -3 Summary Description of the Work. The Work required by this Contract includes, but is not limited to, the following: Removing and relocating existing floating dock from Berth D37 to Berth D34 and removing and relocating the existing Pier T floating dock from its current location at Berth T128 to Berth D34, including supply and installation of concrete piles and dolphins pile caps to reinstall both these floating docks at Berth D34; removing and relocating the existing gangways at Berths D37 and T128 to Berth D34, including supply and installation of concrete landing platforms to access their corresponding floating dock. The Work will also include supplying and installing the tent canopy structure; necessary foundations; containers; fencing; manual gates; automatic gate; site utilities (water, sewer, electrical power, communications and security) serving the floating docks, tent canopy structure, and containers; site lighting; guard posts; signage; re-surfacing of the existing paved area and striping of new pavement. In addition, the Work includes removal of the existing generator at Berth D37 and relocation and installation of this existing generator to Berth D34 (including connection to the new gas meter and automatic transfer switch). The Work also includes removal and disposal of the existing piles at Berths D37 and T128. This Work also includes connection of the utilities (water, sewer, electrical power, and communications) to the modular portable building, which will be supplied and installed under a separate contract. In addition, Contractor shall obtain all permits required for construction and occupancy of this project, which shall be fully compliant with the drawings and specifications of the bid documents.

NIB -4 Contract Time and Liquidated Damages. The Work shall be completed within 200 calendar days as provided in Paragraph SC - 6.1 of the Special Conditions, from a date specified in a written “Notice to Proceed” issued by the City and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Conditions. FAILURE OF THE CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE WORK WITHIN THE CONTRACT TIME AND OTHER MILESTONES WILL RESULT IN ASSESSMENT OF LIQUIDATED DAMAGES IN THE AMOUNTS ESTABLISHED IN THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS. NIB -5 Contractor’s License. Each Bidder shall hold a current and valid Class ”A” California Contractor’s License to bid this Project. NIB -6 Contractor Performed Work. The Contractor shall perform, with its own employees, Contract Work amounting to at least 40% of the Contract Price, except that any designated “Specialty Items” may be performed by subcontract and the amount of any such “Specialty Items” so performed may be deducted from the Contract Price before computing the amount required to be performed by the Contractor with its own employees. “Specialty Items” will be identified by the City in the Schedule of Bid Items. NIB -7 SBE/VSBE. The Port has established a Small Business Enterprises (SBE)/Very Small Business Enterprises (VSBE) Program to encourage small business participation on construction contracts. Although an SBE/VSBE participation goal was not assigned to this contract, the Port strongly encourages all bidders to include such participation wherever possible, by utilizing small and very small business subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers. The Port also strongly encourages SBE/VSBE firms to respond to this solicitation as prime contractors. The Port’s SBE Program staff is available to provide information on the program requirements, including SBE certification assistance. Please contact the SBE Office at (562) 283-7598 or sbeprogram@polb.com You may also view the Port’s SBE Program requirements at www.polb.com/sbe. NIB -8 Prevailing Wage Rates and Employment of Apprentices. This Project is a public work as defined in Labor Code Section 1720. The Contractor receiving award of the Contract and Subcontractors of any tier shall pay not less than the prevailing wage rates to all workers employed in execution of the Contract. The Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California has determined the general prevailing rates of wages in the locality in which the Work is to be performed. The rate schedules are available on the internet at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlsr/DPreWageDetermination.htm. Bidders are directed to Article 15 of the General Conditions for requirements concerning payment of prevailing wages, payroll records, hours of work and employment of apprentices. NIB -9 Trade Names and Substitution of Equals. With the exception of any sole source determination that may be identified in this paragraph, Bidders wishing to obtain City’s authorization for substitution of equivalent material, product, or equipment, are required to submit a written request for an Or Equal Substitution using the form included in Appendix A together with data substantiating Bidder’s representation that the nonspecified item is of equal quality to the item specified, thirty five (35) calendar days after Bid Opening. Authorization of a substitution is solely within the discretion of the City. NIB -10

NOT USED.

NIB -11 Bid Security, Signed Contract, Insurance and Bonds. Each Bid shall be accompanied by a satisfactory Bidder’s Bond or other acceptable Bid Security in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the Base Bid as a guarantee that the Bidder will, if Conditionally Awarded a Contract by the Board, within thirty (30) calendar days after the Contract is conditionally awarded to the Contractor by the City, execute and deliver such Contract to the Chief Harbor Engineer together with all required documents including insurance forms, a Payment Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price, and a Performance Bond for one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Price. All Bonds shall be on forms provided by the City. NIB -12 Conditional Award of Contract and Reservation of Rights. The Board, acting through the Executive Director, reserves the right at any time before the execution of the Contract by the City, to reject any or all Bids, and to waive any informality or irregularity. The Conditional Award of the Contract, if any, will be to the responsible Bidder submitting the lowest responsive and responsible Bid. If the lowest responsive responsible Bidder fails to submit the required documents including insurance forms, bonds and signed Contract within thirty (30) calendar days after Conditional Award of Contract, the Board reserves the right to rescind the Conditional Award and Conditionally Award the Contract to the next lowest responsive and responsible Bidder. NIB -13 Period of Bid Irrevocability. Bids shall remain open and valid and Bidder’s Bonds shall be guaranteed for ninety (90) calendar days after the Bid Deadline or until the Executive Director executes a Contract, whichever occurs first. NIB -14 Substitution of Securities. Substitution of Securities for retainage is permitted in accordance with Section 22300 of the Public Contract Code. Issued at Long Beach, California, this 18th day of June, 2012. J. Christopher Lytle Executive Director of the Harbor Department, City of Long Beach, California

CHRIS BROWN Continued from page 10 do what you want to do,” Schnegg said, noting that Brown’s mother was sitting in the audience of the courtroom. “You are not only in the public eye, but you are on probation.” Brown has had several high-profile incidents that have drawn negative attention, including a bottle-throwing

New York City nightclub brawl involving his entourage and a group accompanying Drake. Brown received a cut on his chin, and neither entertainer was ever charged. A woman in Miami has also accused Brown of taking her cell phone away after she tried to take pictures of him outside a South

Beach nightclub, but the singer has not been charged in that incident. Schnegg urged him to be careful going forward. “You should be mindful of obeying all rules of the courts,” Schnegg said. “A lot of people look up to you — a lot of kids. What you do and what

you say impacts other people.” Brown was sentenced to five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to felony assault for his February 2009 attack on Rihanna. Before Monday, he had received positive reports from probation officials and praise from Schnegg. The judge

ordered Brown to return to court Nov. 1 for another update. Virginia officials also reported that Brown may have traveled to Paris without permission, but Schnegg said she has approved most of the singer’s travel and would have to review that claim further.

Thursday, September 27, 2012