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Volume 76 – Number 42 Touching Communities. Touching Lives.™ A PUBLICATION OF MGM GRAND DETROIT

June 2013

A Delicious, New Frontier: MGM Grand Detroit’s partnership with Schoolcraft College creates exciting and prosperous life opportunities for local culinary students

By Scott Talley Special to the Michigan Chronicle

“I found my passion at Schoolcraft,” and after making that statement Zenita Daniel goes on to talk about her dream of opening a restaurant in Michigan.

Thanks to Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts program, one of the most respected of its kind in the country, Daniel, 32, has every reason to believe that her dream will become a reality.

“I can say that there is not another program like this—it can’t be,” said Daniel, a former financial-services professional, who has discovered exciting opportunities through the world of food. “The experience has totally changed my life.”

continued on pg. 3

Inside This Issue •MGM Grand Detroit-Schoolcraft College partnership produces scrumptious results •Young scholars and leaders are groomed by Usher’s New Look Foundation •Detroit Lemonade Day: A new twist to a classic pastime •And much more

Inside this edition of Touching Communities, Touching Lives, MGM Grand Detroit partners with Schoolcraft College to create exciting opportunities for local culinary students.

WHAT’S INSIDE

LTU addresses shortage of power engineers with scholarships (Page B-1) Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, Lawrence Technological University (LTU) is offering $10,000 scholarships for two years to community college graduates to complete a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a power engineering concentration.

Why spying scandal is a serious racial justice issue (Page B-4) Given the massive investment in national security after 9/11, recent news that the federal government is spying on millions of people in the U.S. and around the world may not have come as a surprise

Out with the old (Page C-1) The Detroit Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among the DDA, Olympia Development of Michigan (ODM) and Wayne County that describes the proposed public and private financing and location for a new sports and entertainment district.

Mayor Bing announces AAA Michigan support for essential Fire Dept. equipment (Page C-5) Mayor Bing announced that AAA Michigan will donate $23,500 to the Detroit Public Safety Foundation to pay for the inspection of 20 aerial ladders and 4,600 feet of ground ladders used by the Detroit Fire Department.

Mary J. Blige has come a long way (Page D-1) To look at her today and hear her thoughts, one would almost think the Mary J. Blige of today is a completely different person from the one who arrived in 1992.

$1.00

June 26 - July 2, 2013

michiganchronicle.com

Is Detroit Ready For

Lisa Howze?

Will she become Detroit’s first female mayor?

Andre Smith photos

By Bankole Thompson CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR

Despite recent statistics showing that women are the heads of the majority of households in Detroit and that they vote more than any demographic, Detroit has never had a female mayor.

But canBankole didate Lisa Howze be- Thompson lieves one could be in the works if Detroiters give her the transformational opportunity.

Is that a far-fetched dream, in an age where women increasingly are taking on major roles in every dispen-

sation and discipline that were traditionally manned by men?

I don’t think so. But it will take more than a notion for Howze and her team to convince voters in Detroit that after having elected men for ages in the city, it is now time to turn the tide with a female mayor.

It will take a transcending and game changing campaign to make a bold political statement that for the first time in the city’s history, a woman can be the boss on the 11th floor of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building.

So I sat down with Howze for an in-depth interview on Monday about her candidacy and the female factor given that Krystal Crittendon is also a candidate in the race.

She did not mince her words.

“Anyone would tell you, be they a man or woman, that the city needs healing after all that it went through. And quite naturally women are looked upon as healers and nurturers,” Howze said, echoing Diane Mariechild, author of “Mother of Wit” who said, “A woman is the full circle.

Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.”

Howze said, “The goal is as more and more people hear my message, that message will resonate with them that it is time for a woman mayor.

To put it bluntly, the men have messed up.”

Howze’s direct rebuke of

See HOWZE page A-4

“My gender and what I bring to the table will transcend the gender gap.

The question is, are we ready to break that ceiling and let a woman go through?”

– Lisa Howze, Candidate for Mayor

Is affirmative action Black, White or colorblind?

WCCCD to respond to Supreme Court with debate

By Bankole Thompson

rect analysis” because colleges, as Justice Anthony Kennedy CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR wrote in the majority opinion, At a time when the U.S. Census must show “available, workable race-neutral alternaBureau shows a rising tives do not suffice” multiracial majoribefore considering ty, does it bode well race in admissions. for affirmative action He called for a “careful or does it make the judicial inquiry into longstanding comprowhether a university mise on equity and could achieve suffithe need for an intecient diversity without grated education that Dr. Curtis Ivery using racial classificaachieves diversity no tions.” longer necessary?

However, Justice The U.S. Supreme Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Court ruling Monday who dissented, wrote on affirmative action in her opinion that the did not answer that court missed the mark question in Fisher v. entirely.

University of Texas “I have several at Austin, nor did the Henry Payne times explained why court squash the progovernment actors, gram. including state univerInstead, the court sities, need not blind in a 7-1 rule, handed themselves to the still down a tentative delingering, everyday evcision that sends ident effects of centuthe case back to the ries of law-sanctioned 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which Ruth Bader Ginsburg inequality,” Ginsburg said. “Among constiruled against Abigail tutionally permissiFisher who claimed ble options, I remain in 2008 that she was convinced, those that denied admission at candidly disclose UT-Austin because their consideration of she is White and that race are preferable to the university’s race those that conceal or conscious policies obscure what drives Godfrey Dillard undermined her qualthem.” ifications. The high court said the lower court should reopen the case “under a cor-

See WCCCD page A-4

LEADING THE historic march down Woodward Avenue are (from left) Rev. Wendell Anthony, Martin Luther King III, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rosalind Brock, Mayor Dave Bing, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Tony Brown and Rev. C.T. Vivian. See special commemorative page (A-3). — Andre Smith photo

King march in Detroit commemorated

By Patrick Keating

ington for Jobs and Justice.

CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

Martin Luther King III attended the commemoration in Detroit last weekend and was one of the participants.

One Saturday, June 22, a coalition of activists, community groups and civil rights leaders and roughly 30,000 people led

by Rev Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch NAACP, marched down Woodward Avenue to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s June 23 Freedom Walk in Detroit. It was during that event that Dr. King first gave his famous “I Have a Dream.” He later gave it on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Wash-

“Fifty years later, I can say I’m excited, but I can’t say that, nor should any of us say, that we have achieved or realized the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.” King also said that we forget the first portion of his father’s famous speech, where he talks about a “promissory note,” a check sent to the federal trea-

See NAACP page A-4

news

June 26-July 2, 2013 Page A-2

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Regional Roundup Hud awards $40 million in 2013 Michigan Merit exam results housing counseling grants continue to show four-year upward Michigan agencies to receive nearly $601,000 As part of its continuing effort to assist families and individuals with their housing needs and to prevent future foreclosures, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced more than $40 million in housing counseling grants to 334 national, regional and local organizations. As a result of these grants and the additional funding they help leverage, more than 1.6 million households will have a greater opportunity to find housing, make more informed housing choices or keep their current homes. Michigan counseling agencies will receive nearly $601, 000 (see chart).

“Make no mistake: these grants will do a lot of good,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “The HUD-approved counseling agencies this funding supports are crucial in helping families manage their money, navigate the home buying process, and secure their financial futures. The evidence is clear that housing counseling works. These grants are a smart investment to help families and individuals find and keep housing which helps promote neighborhood stability in the long term.”

More than $38 million in grant funds

counseling grant funding to community-based organizations that assist low- and moderate-income families to improve their housing conditions. In addition, these larger organizations help improve the quality of housing counseling services and enhance coordination among counseling providers.

HUD studies show the effectiveness of housing counseling. Last year, HUD released two reports on the impact of HUD-approved housing counseling for families who purchase their first homes and those struggling to prevent foreclosure. In both studies, HUD found housing counseling significantly improved the likelihood homeowners remained in their homes.

Grant recipients utilize funding to address the full range of families’ housing counseling needs. This includes helping homebuyers and homeowners realistically evaluate their readiness for a home purchase, understand their financing and down payment options, and navigate what can be an extremely confusing and difficult process. Grantees also help households find affordable rental housing and offer financial literacy training to individuals and families struggling

Agencies in Michigan receiving funds are: Lansing

Michigan State Housing Development Authority

$400,191.00

Detroit

Abayomi Community Development Corporation

$17,429.00

Fremont

Nccs Center For Nonprofit Housing

$18,167.00

Grand Rapids

Linc Community Revitalization Inc., F/K/A Lighthouse $13,000.00 Communities, Inc

Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids Urban League

$16,690.00

Grand Rapids

Home Repair Services Of Kent County

$17,429.00

Jackson

Community Action Agency

$21,119.00

Lansing

Franklin Street Community Housing Corporation

$20,381.00

Pontiac

Oakland County Housing Counseling

$17,798.00

Pontiac

Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency

$19,643.00

Traverse City

Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Inc

$22,215.00

Ypsilanti

Hope America, Inc. - A/K/A Helping Ordinary People $16,690.00 Excel

MICHIGAN STATE TOTAL $600,752 will directly support the housing counseling services provided by 27 national and regional organizations, 8 multistate organizations, 22 State Housing Finance Agencies (SHFAs) and 277 local housing counseling agencies. In addition, HUD is awarding $2 million to two national organizations to train housing counselors who will receive the instruction and certification necessary to effectively assist families with their housing needs.

Working in consultation with housing counseling industry stakeholders, HUD’s new Office of Housing Counseling substantially streamlined the application process for these grants. A number of procedural improvements were made to the application process and program requirements, which encourage the development of efficient and effective counseling programs and reduce the administrative burden on applicants. HUD awards annual grants under the housing counseling program through a competitive process. Organizations that apply for grants must be HUD-approved and are subject to monitoring and oversight to maintain their HUD-approved status.

National and regional agencies distrib ute much of HUD’s housing

to repair credit problems that restrict their housing options. In addition to providing counseling to homebuyers and renters, these organizations assist homeless persons in finding the transitional housing they need to move toward a permanent place to live. Finally, grantees also assist senior citizens seeking reverse mortgages or Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM).

These agencies provide counseling for the rapidly growing number of elderly homeowners who seek to convert equity in their homes into income that can be used to pay for home improvements, medical costs, and other living expenses.

Housing counseling agencies support fair housing by assisting borrowers in reviewing their loan documentation, to avoid potential mortgage scams, unreasonably high interest rates, inflated appraisals, unaffordable repayment terms, and other conditions that can result in a loss of equity, increased debt, default, and even foreclosure. Likewise, foreclosure prevention counseling helps homeowners facing delinquency or default employ strategies, including expense reduction, negotiation with lenders and loan servicers, and loss mitigation, to avoid foreclosure.

trend in student proficiency

High school assessment results released by the Michigan Department of Education continue to show a fouryear upward trend in student proficiency on both the 2013 Michigan Merit Examination (MME) and ACT college entrance exam; however, MME student proficiency scores declined slightly from last year to this year. The MME is administered annually in the spring to high school juniors.

State Superintendent, Mike Flanagan said, “Over the past four years, more high school students are being taught challenging content and are becoming career-and college-ready. This upward trend is good news for students, educators and our state.”

Looking at four-year trends, the largest gains on the MME occurred in mathematics and writing. Mathematics saw an average increase in percent proficient of just over three percent; writing saw an average increase in percent proficient of nearly six percent.

Science and social studies also showed four-year positive gains, with science increasing an average of 1.5 percent and social studies increasing 1.1 percent statewide. Reading experienced yearly fluctuations, ending with a slight decline over the same four-year period; however, it still has the highest student performance across the five MME subject areas with 53.5 percent of students scoring “proficient” or “advanced.”

During the same four-year period, the average ACT score rose incrementally in all categories. Science scores showed the largest increase from 19.7 to 20.1. English scores rose from 18.4 to 18.8 and both reading and mathematics increased from 19.4 to 19.6.

The overall composite score for Michigan students on the ACT college-entrance exam increased for the fourth consecutive year to reach 19.7.

An additional important measure – one that is included on Governor Rick Snyder’s Education Dashboard – is the percentage of students meeting the ACT college-ready benchmarks in all ACT-tested subjects (English, reading, mathematics, and science). The percentage of students meeting the benchmark in all subjects has continued to rise steadily over the past four years (from 16.2 percent in 2010 to

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that 222,051 Michigan residents will benefit from $18,609,808 in rebates from insurance companies this summer, averaging $138 per family, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Nationwide, 77.8 million consumers saved $3.4 billion up front on their premiums as insurance companies operated more efficiently. Additionally, consumers nationwide will save $500 million in rebates, with 8.5 million enrollees due to receive an average rebate of around $100 per family.

Created under the Affordable Care Act, the Medical Loss Ratio standard (also known as the “80/20 rule”) requires insurers to spend at least 80 cents of every premium dollar on patient care and quality improvement.

If they spend an excessive amount on profits and

red tape, they owe rebates back for the difference no later than August 1, 2013.

“This new standard is increasing transparency and accountability, promoting better business practices and competition among insurance companies, and ensuring

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“While assessment score fluctuations are not unusual when comparing different classes of students, results show the need to continue the state’s strong commitment to high standards,” Flanagan said.

The MME is administered over three days with students taking the ACT Plus Writing® college entrance exam on Day 1, WorkKeys® job skills assessment on Day 2, and the Michigan components of mathematics, science, and social studies on Day 3. The Day 1 administration of the ACT Plus Writing® provides students with the opportunity to receive college-reportable scores needed to apply for college entrance.

While nearly all student population groups are making gains in the percent proficient when using the fouryear trend (in all subjects except reading), the gap in achievement between student groups is remaining static or narrowing just slightly.

A Parent Report outlining individual student achievement on the MME is provided for each student tested. Local schools are directed to distribute the MME Parent Report to parents/guardians as soon as possible after printed hard copy reports are received at the school.

Career- and college-ready cut scores are used to define a student’s performance level (i.e., Advanced, Proficient, Partially Proficient, or Not Proficient).

While the vast majority of high school students in Michigan participate in the MME, it is not appropriate for some Students with Disabilities.

For these students, Michigan’s alternate assessment program, MI-Access, is appropriate.

There are three levels of MI-Access targeted toward students with different degrees of cognitive disability.

They are: Participation, Supported Independence, and Functional Independence. Determining which assessment level is appropriate for an individual student is the responsibility of the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team.

I don’t have a problem.

I can stop at any time.

I’m having some bad luck now, but things will change.

If I can just borrow 20 bucks I’ll be fine.

Michigan families receive an average of $138 in insurance rebates Health care law is saving Michiganians money and bringing transparency to the market.

18.1 percent in 2013).

I can pay it back next week.

How am I going to make my car payment?

What do you mean I’m going to lose my house?

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Now that you’ve recognized you may have a gambling problem, the next step is to call the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-270-7117 to speak with a counselor. It’s free and confidential.

Isn’t it time you started beating a gambling problem?

Rick Snyder, Governor Olga Dazzo, Director

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The Great March 1963-2013

50 years later, Detroit remembers King’s historic March on Woodward

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

NAACP

sury that came backed marked “insufficient funds.”

Howze

some of the men that have governed Detroit for so long naturally is a rallying cry to break the glass ceiling in the citycounty building just as former Senator Hillary Clinton tried to do during her 2008 campaign for the White House.

With former Detroit Medical Center CEO Mike Duggan now out of the race for mayor after being deemed ineligible on questionable residency laws by the Michigan Court of Appeals, conventional wisdom has it that Howze could be a tougher contender for Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon who is widely regarded as the front-runner, according to polls.

The Napoleon campaign told me over the weekend that they are not taking anything for granted, and that their campaign will be as active as it was before Duggan left the race.

Howze said if anyone is questioning the leadership and skill of women to serve at the highest levels of political office, including mayor, they should look at Southfield where Brenda Lawrence is mayor and Atlanta where former mayor Shirley Franklin stood out as a game changer.

“Look at what Brenda Lawrence has done in the city of Southfield in terms of the number of strong businesses that are there. See what happened in Atlanta under Shirley Franklin,” Howze said. “My attitude is if they can do it surely we can do the same.”

The University of Michigan Ross School of Business trained accountant with 18 years experience, former state representative and business owner understands that the odds are against her campaign because “I think people have been used to the status quo.”

She said the timing of her campaign, making the case for a female mayor, is crucial because people are going to ask, “Who is this woman running and what does she bring to the table?” That is something that have been asked of many candidates viewed as underdogs.

“When you look at the Kwame Kilpa­ trick years, we are moving in a new direction,” Howze said. “My accounting profession is a male dominated career so this is not new for me. So we have to talk about the benefits of female leadership.”

Those benefits, she said, include creating opportunities for every Detroit­ er from gainful employment to cutting down on the bureaucratic red tape at city hall that small businesses are subjected to when applying for permits. And entrepreneurship is top on her list because, “I operated a lemonade stand at the age of 10 and for three years sold candy in high school to invest in my first semester at the University of Michigan.”

She said that as mayor she wants to ensure that vendors who mostly are small businesses are paid on time, within 30 days, to prevent some of those businesses from failing.

“To the extent that we are able to leverage what a woman brings to the conversation about the future of Detroit, then we are able to open the doors of opportunity,” Howze said. “My gender and what I bring to the table will transcend the gender gap. The question is, are we ready to break that ceiling and let a woman go through?”

How women find real role models in getting to the top of any profession is key.

When I asked Howze which women are close to home for her that have done so much that their work continues to inspire women like her seeking top political leadership in a major city like Detroit, she started rattling off names.

First she cited Faye Nelson, CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy for what she’s done with the riverfront as an example of what women in strategic leadership roles can do.

Nelson is also special to Howze because this year, the mayoral candidate received the Greater Good Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners, the organization that gave Nelson the same recognition five years ago.

She also cited Comerica Bank senior

From page A-1 vice president Linda Forte whom she said mentored her when she interned at the bank during her formative years before pursuing public accounting, and Trisha Cole, founder of Women’s Informal Network who, like her, is a business owner.

Howze recently honored women she believes have “achieved greatness” by contributing to the city of Detroit, including Judge Lucille Watts, who served on the Wayne County Circuit Court, Ramona Pearson a certified public accountant, Beverly Smith of the Detroit Black Pages and Sabrina Nelson, a Detroit artist.

“What I find about many of these women is that they asked why were they being honored. The things that they did were never to get a pat on the back.

We’ve always been supportive of the political process and leadership. Now we want to lead in those positions,” Howze said.

And to lead in a position as mayor of Detroit, Howze said she was first inspired to look at political leadership during the 2008 campaign of President Barack Obama “When Obama was running it heightened my awareness and interest in politics,” she explained.

“After he was inaugurated I was inspired and wanted to bring change in my own sphere of influence.”

Howze said she began to think about tackling many issues including vacant homes and buildings, young people walking around the neighborhood without any meaningful engagement.

That was her Damascus experience.

“There was something in me saying you’ve got to do something,” she recalled while noting that the police and the community must come together to address public safety because “if other people outside of Detroit can feel comfortable getting gas at a gas station early in the morning, why can’t it be that way in the city?”

If the next chapter of leadership fails to address public safety, Howze said the city will keep “running away those who are educated and gainfully employed because we are not able to meet their needs in the city of Detroit.”

Howze also plans to address the high insurance rates, which she said is a key factor in the exodus from Detroit, as well as a shortage of recreational facilities and library services for families and seniors.

Restoring Detroit precincts and ending the virtual precinct system, she said will be among her public safety reforms so that residents can feel that their issues are being seriously considered when they physically walk into police stations to report crime.

Howze is vigorously defending her candidacy against critics saying, “I attended vigils outside crack houses on Detroit’s east side, stood with small business owners evicted from Cobo Hall, built homes in the Morningside community with Habitat for Humanity.”

Howze said the Kwame Kilpatrick era has taken the city back and that there are mothers who understand that their sons could fall into similar predicaments and the trappings of power.

“The question now is how do we restore the family and raise our children properly? That’s a conversation you don’t hear from the mayor’s office. It’s time for a woman and I’m that breath of fresh air,” Howze posited.

Bankole Thompson is editor of the Michigan Chronicle and the author of the forthcoming book “Rising From the Ashes: Engaging Detroit’s Future With Courage.” His book “Obama and Black Loyalty,” published in 2010, follows his recent book, “Obama and Christian Loyalty” with an epilogue by Bob Weiner, former White House spokesman. Thompson is a political news analyst at WDET-101.9FM (NPR affiliate) and a member of the weekly “Obama Watch” Sunday evening roundtable on WLIB-1190AM New York and simulcast in New Jersey and Connecticut.

E-mail bthompson@michronicle.com or visit his personal page at www.bankolethompson.com.

“That check has not been cashed,” King III said. “But it is up to us to find a way to ensure that the opportunities are available for all Americans.”

In his speech in Washington, Dr. King said, “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’

“But we refuse to be-

June 26 - July 2, 2013 Page A-4

From page A-1 lieve that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

Rev. Cordy “C.T.” Vivian pointed out that labor and the African American community have always come together to change things.

Another participant, Rev. Al Sharpton, spoke outside the Detroit Historical Museum and emphasized that they weren’t on a “nostalgia trip” down Woodward Avenue.

WCCCD Because of the farreaching implications ending affirmative action has on colleges across the nation as well as public institutions that have affirmative action policies, Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) will host a debate in mid-July at its downtown Detroit campus about the future of affirmative action and what the court ruling means for students coming from diverse backgrounds.

WCCCD Chancellor Dr. Curtis Ivery, reacting to the ruling, said it is important for educational institutions to lead the debate on an issue that will define the educational future of the nation as it becomes increasingly diverse, as well as America’s contribution to a diverse global workforce.

“We still have challenges,” he said, going on to compare Gov. Snyder with then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace. He said Snyder has “interposed his will and nullified the voters today.”

Sharpton also encouraged participants to march to “make a better tomorrow.”

He told the Chronicle he had to be in Detroit, “where it started.”

The march concluded with a rally at Hart Plaza that featured an array of speakers including Tony Brown, organizer of the 1963 march, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., activist Dick Gregory and other social and political activists.

From page A-1

With more than 70,000 students, WCCCD is the largest urban community college in Michigan and the debate about affirmative action, according to Ivery, is a debate for everyone who has a stake in equity and diversity.

National studies have shown that Whites are twice as likely to enroll in institutions of higher learning than their Black, Latino and Native American counterparts. Most recently, the Census showed that 65 percent of Blacks and 80 percent of Latinos did not complete post-secondary education compared to 50 percent of Whites.

The debate at Wayne County Community College will feature some of the leading voices on both sides of the issue.

Confirmed speakers al-

ready include attorney Godfrey Dillard, who was a lead attorney in the University of Michigan affirmative action case before the U.S. Supreme Court, and Henry Payne, conservative political columnist at the Detroit News.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’ Conner gave perhaps one of the most definitive and insightful answers on the case for affirmative action in colleges when she wrote almost a decade ago that “classroom discussion is livelier, more spirited, and simply more enlightening and interesting” if students have “the greatest possible variant of backgrounds.”

E-mail bthompson@ michronicle.com.

Obama’s second term agenda: Letting America know

By Bob Weiner and Shona Paige President Obama has dropped some 10 points in recent polls — not surprising given the massive media swirl about supposed scandals.

Even though a strong case can be made that the scandals have little merit and are driven by partisan opponents, the President needs to be clearer about his positive agenda for the American people. It would be wise if he held a White House news conference in the near future laying out his second term agenda. The criticism saying he has none would dissipate. Following is what he could include.

We recently asked in the Chronicle, “What about jobs?” With the unemployment rate in the United States at 7.6% — more than 50% over our post-World War Two average — and at 13.5% among African Americans, and the numbers even higher in Michigan, the major topic Americans and Michigan citizens are still concerned about is jobs. Jobs have become a forgotten issue. The President has been pushing creation of infrastructure jobs but the Congress has been filibustering and opposing the bills.

Implementation of the new national health bill and getting people to use and know the bill are also properly large on Obama’s second term agenda. The Affordable Health Care Act offers preventive care and allows children to remain on parents’ plans until age 26. It stops pre-existing conditions from blocking coverage and gives lifetime care. Most significantly, it covers 30 million previously uninsured Americans. Getting those who do not have insurance to use the law is imperative.

A vital concern on the agenda is the Sequester and its affects. The sequester is causing cuts in food stamps, college scholarships, K-12 education, cancer research and veterans’ benefits among other critical programs, as well as defense. The sequester should be repealed as the legislation of Cong. John Conyers, Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, would do.

High on the agenda is enforcing the Voting Rights Act. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told us recently, the power of the Voting Rights Act is authorized in the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. Yet the Supreme Court’s conservatives have just blocked part of the Act. We should be doing more to fight voter suppression, not less. Congress must pass corrective legislation, immediately.

There is no peace in the Middle East.

There is no good answer in Syria, but it must not become a never-ending American war. The Afghanistan and Iraq wars must proceed on course to end, which includes the 200,000 contractors still in the fight. Contractors make up to five times as much money as soldiers, but have almost no oversight, as NSA leaker Edward Snowden and the CIA contractors who tortured in Abu Ghraib have proved.

We must fight oil price gouging. Have you noticed that gas prices go up and down based on the visibility of the op-

Bob Weiner

Shona Paige

position? Don’t fall for the claim that it is supply and demand.

Social Security should not be privatized to become a Wall Street benefit, nor cut. It is solvent for over twenty years, and only slightly in deficit after that.

China cheating: The U.S. continues to be victimized by a trillion-dollar debt to China. It is vital we do not allow ourselves to be blackmailed into niceness while our economy gets trampled on.

The president supports drones but other liberals oppose them. We must persuade liberals to support them because they keep American soldiers from being killed. They are an important tool against terror.

Nuclear power plants are often built on earthquake fault lines and hurricane centric locations; and in all locations, radioactive cancer-producing waste ultimately oozes out. Safety and waste have not been solved since nuclear power was created. As Joan Konner, Emmy Award winning television documentary producer, has stated, “We are no further along in what we need to do with nuclear waste than we were in the 1960s.”

There must be a more realistic approach to Latin America. The U.S. kneejerk put-down of Chavez’s elections in Venezuela, as well as our refusing to do business with Cuba, showed simplistic opposition and did no good to the U.S. image. Now that Chavez is dead and Castro will be soon, we must accept whom those and other countries select.

To address a true concern, Obama should improve the IRS approval process of non-profits. The flaw happened in 1959 when the Eisenhower administration interpreted a law that said tax exemptions were for “exclusively” social welfare groups and inexplicably made it “primarily”—a gross error in regulation that opened the door to political abuse.

“Exclusive” must be enforced.

We must quit making the fiscal cliff a priority instead of helping American citizens. Trickle-down economics theory states that tax cuts to the wealthy and big businesses will translate to increased economic growth. This has continuously been proven wrong. Productivity is higher from direct support to infrastructure jobs and tax breaks to middle class Americans.

Robert Weiner is a former White House spokesman in the Clinton administration and the House Government Operations Committee, and senior staff for Cong. John Conyers (DMI), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Ed Koch (DNY), Claude Pepper (D-FL), and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Shona Paige is policy and research analyst at Solutions for Change.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page A-5

Her message, her mission mattered

By Elnora Austell and Jackie Berg

mick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill and, later, being ordained as a minister in the United Church of Christ.

Michele Edwards elevated the aspirations of everyone around her.

In January 2013, Rev. Michele Edwards was named associate minister of the Illinois-based University Church, Chicago in Hyde Park, in addition to being named director of communications at her alma mater, McCormick Theological Seminary, by Rev. Dr. Frank Yamata.

Her infinite contributions made a lasting impact on many Detroiters, who will miss her infectious laughter and boundless enthusiasm.

Her life was characterized by a series of remarkable achievements which captured her 35year communications career and logical migration to leadership posts.

Edwards, who was named the National President of Women in Communications in 1991, began her career at PBS Detroit (WTVS). Her talent led to immediate promotions within PBS affiliate stations in Miami and Atlanta, as well as a leadership role in public relations at the University of Miami.

And her superior skills were noticed by some of the nation’s largest corporations — including AT&T, Burger King and the Girl Scouts — who hired Edwards to lead public relations initiatives.

Edwards may have been best known for her highly visible role as press secretary to the

Michele Edwards general superintendent of Detroit Public Schools, which was at the time the eighth largest school district in America, as well as her stint as senior public relations manager for GlobalHue (formerly Don Coleman Advertising).

A devoted daughter, sister and aunt, Edwards founded H.H. Edwards Companies, Inc., in order to remain close to her family, particularly her mother who passed in 2003. Her mother’s death made a profound impact on Edwards, leading to a lifetime commitment to community service supporting the elderly and shut-ins.

One of her proudest achievements was earning a Master of Divinity degree from the McCor-

From her post, Edwards launched a communications strategy credited for the seminary’s global recognition and reach.

This remarkable woman, who touched and improved the lives of so many, will be missed deeply.

Editor’s Note: Michele Yvonne Edwards, the daughter of Harry and Sallianne Edwards and sister Sherry Jo, leaves behind sister Yolanda Edwards and adopted sister Barbara Bailey, as well as nieces, Jolanda and Christie, two grand-nieces, Shanise and Shyanne, and four nephews, Calvert, Calvin, Schamarr and Shakir.

Edwards was a lifetime member of the Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit.

Just an ordinary graduation

By Dr. Chad Audi Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries held its 11th Annual Graduation ceremony for 441 men and women this past week. Their achievement was that they had completed transitional or permanent housing, substance abuse treatment or vocational programs this year.

The banquet hall where the event was held buzzed with all the usual fanfare of a graduation ceremony. Graduates had already busied themselves with getting new outfits and fresh hairdos and were receiving well-deserved compliments for their efforts. Television cameras and photographers studied the scene and recorded memorable moments. Family members ranging from grandmothers to babies came to celebrate and rustled in their seats to see their loved ones. Busses dropped off people who have not yet completed their own programs but look to the day they too will be honored. Dignitaries gave heartfelt encouragement to the graduates. The choir sang. Finally, members of the DRMM graduating class gave commencement addresses or, as they are known in Rescue Mission language, their testimonies.

Just another graduation ceremony.

But it was not just another graduation ceremony.

What kind of achievements were celebrated? As graduates wrote their names on index cards, to be read by the presenter, they also recorded the accomplishments that mattered to them. “14 months sober.” “2 years sober and getting my own place.” “Clean – and staying clean!” “Certified by Marygrove College in Peer Support Counseling.” “Servsafe certification.” “Nominated for an award

by Gateway East.” “Microsoft Office certification.” “CPR certification.” “Culinary Arts.” “Welding at Macomb Community.” “Life Support Training Institute.” “GED.” “Associates degree and just hired.” “DRMM choir member and 90 days sober.” Southwest Solutions Green Works certificate.” “Staff aide.”

“Working for a roofing company.” “Machining Essentials and Technical Training at Focus HOPE.” “On my own again and doing fine.” Dancing down the aisle and dancing for joy.

Does seeing someone celebrate the accomplishments of a heart-felt dream ever get old? I don’t think it does.

As over 600 people gathered for the event knew, there was electricity in the air, a stirring of deep satisfaction as people were publicly recognized for a job well done. I know from my own experience that I don’t have to personally know a person to feel good about what they have achieved. All I need to do is see them hug their counselor or teacher — tears streaming down their faces as they rejoice together over the achievement. All I need is to watch their loved ones, seated quietly but attentively, as they wait to see or snap a photo at the moment a diploma is handed out. All I need to do is see the smiles as graduates pose for photos, holding their diploma and their heads high.

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano came for the eleventh year in a row to give encouragement to the graduates.

“Give yourselves a hand. You have come a long way. But know that no one ever does it alone.” Kandia Milpon, aide to Representative Gary Peters, a first-time speaker, said, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. You began your first steps when you went through Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries’ doors. Don’t stop here. Keep going!” Greg Roberts, the faith-based director for former governor Jennifer

DTE Energy Foundation to fund 600 summer and year-round jobs for youth The DTE Energy Foundation has announced plans to partner with the City of Detroit and other agencies to fund up to 600 summer and yearround jobs for youth. The Foundation’s expanded Youth Employment Initiative includes a $1-million commitment to support city of Detroit recreation centers over the next four years.

The summer and yearround jobs are filled and will begin in early July. “Young talent will drive Michigan’s growth,” said Joyce Hayes Giles, assistant to the chairman and senior vice president of Public Affairs for DTE Energy, and chair of the DTE Energy Foundation.

“We want to make sure that when these young people are ready to enter the work force, they have the experience necessary to get — and keep — a job.” She added that the jobs help tackle the problem of high youth unemployment in Detroit and other struggling communities.

At the announcement Giles was joined by Alicia Minter, director of the Detroit Recreation Department; Dierk Hall,

president and CEO of City Connect Detroit; Pamela Moore, president and CEO of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC); Rebecca Salminen Witt, president of Greening of Detroit; and participating teens and young adults.

The Foundation’s Youth Employment Initiative consists of three components. New this year, the Foundation is partnering with the city of Detroit to provide up to 100 year-round, parttime jobs at city of Detroit recreation centers.

The foundation will provide $250,000 per year, for four years, to the DESC to manage the program. “Our $1 million commitment is part of a public-private partnership to support the city’s recreation centers and the families that they serve,” Giles said. “The program is significant because it provides young people from struggling neighborhoods with jobs as well as mentoring, tutoring and other support services to help them succeed.”

In addition to the recreation center jobs, the foundation will once

again provide $750,000 to fund nearly 500 summer jobs in Detroit and also in Highland Park, Inkster, Muskegon, Pontiac and Ypsilanti. The grant supports the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program run by City Connect Detroit, and also funds a similar program in Muskegon. The foundation worked with about 30 community partners to place teens and young adults in meaningful jobs at their agencies. The summer jobs program runs for six weeks.

The third part of the Youth Employment Initiative is a new partnership with the Greening of Detroit. The Foundation made a smaller grant to the Greening of Detroit to hire 20 young people to plant trees in city neighborhoods. “Summer and part-time jobs also help to deter crime by keeping young people productive and focused during the idle summer months,” Giles said.

For further information about Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program, visit City Connect Detroit at http://www.growdetroitsyoungtalent.org.

Dr. Chad Audi Granholm and a former DRMM program director as well, said, “You are breaking the chains holding you back. Keep breaking those chains. Listen, you can hear those chains fall!” Highland Park’s Mayor DeAndre Windom quoted Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” and said, “Don’t forget the long line of men” ranging from Martin Luther King to our own Greg Mathis to President Obama “who didn’t quit.” Martha Scott, Wayne County commissioner, talked intimately about the God who gives her strength every day and of her father who taught her to always be ready for change. “Make sure for those who come after you that you let them know you stood up for them.”

We want to see people do well. We have a deep-seated need to applaud, encourage and praise when we see them overcome great obstacles that have stood in their paths. We draw strength from seeing people rising again after disasters or tragedies and seeing ordinary people achieve everyday victories.

At the ceremony, the audience heard from a man who had been “hit by two cars, run over by a tractor, and been on fire from head to toe.” He described how he had battled “three months just to hold my hands steady” and how, when he entered our Christian Guidance Center substance abuse treatment program, he found encouragement and professional support. He movingly described how he came to his personal decision to serve Christ and listen to those around him who were trying to help him.

Then the audience heard from a 65-year-old grandmother who proudly introduced her own faithful and supportive 86-year-old grandmother in attendance. Describing a life of 47 years of heroin addiction, heartache, loss and shame, she told how she came to the end of her resources when she took on the responsibility of raising her five grandchildren whose mother (her daughter) had died from a violent murder. After naming classes she took when she came to our programs that ranged from Crime and Consequences, 4th Step, Computer Skills, and Exercise, she said, “Addicts, my heart goes out to you. We are not bad people. We just make mistakes.

But we have to forgive ourselves.” People in the room cried as she spoke.

Some of us know the song, “I love the old, old story of Jesus and His love.” In just that way, telling the old, old story of our graduates at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries fills me with delight and encouragement. It may be an old, old story, but it is never ordinary. It is never less than a taste of heaven.

To those celebrating a graduation in their own lives, I congratulate you.

Loretta V. Davis

National HIV Testing Day is a local health priority

By Loretta V. Davis MSA, President and CEO, Institute for Population Health While every day presents an opportunity to get tested for HIV, on June 27 the Institute for Population Health (IPH) will recognize National HIV Testing Day (NTD). In our mission to maximize positive health conditions in populations and communities of Southeast Michigan, the IPH supports President Obama’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy to reduce new HIV infections, increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment and reduce barriers to HIV prevention and treatment. Recognizing NTD will help us move closer to these goals right here in Detroit. As the largest HIV test site in the state of Michigan, the IPH stands with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and recommends annual testing for anyone ages 13-64 years old.

Although there have been significant gains in HIV testing and treatment over the years, the threat of new infections is still very real, especially in Detroit.

Just within the month of May, the IPH has unfortunately seen 11 positive HIV tests. In the United States there are 1.2 million, in Michigan 19,800 and in Detroit 12,970 people living with HIV. One in five people living with HIV do not even know of their HIV positive status. By getting tested early, those who need treatment can get access sooner.

Unquestionably, early treatment is necessary to preserve the immune system and manage the disease. In fact, those who adhere to medical treatment for HIV have similar life expectancy to those living with diabetes or high blood pres-

sure. But residents have to get tested to get treated. The IPH can help with both.

On June 27, from 10:00 am to 3:00 p.m., the staff of the IPH will be on hand to administer HIV tests, in addition to syphilis, blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol testing. Substance abuse support services will also be on hand. The day will include a lot of fun, of course, with massages, giveaways and snacks provided for those who have been tested. NTD is a day of not only personal responsibility, but celebrating all Detroiters’ health.

With a full day dedicated to HIV testing, we hope to test 125 Detroit residents on our on-site mobile unit. The testing unit contains private, sound-proof counseling rooms. The overall confidential counseling and testing experience takes about 30 minutes.

The IPH tests 5,000 to 8,000 individuals each year. Currently, our HIV testing program is at 90% of its testing goal for the year. The IPH can also help those tested positive for HIV, uninsured, and making less than $45,000 a year receive free HIV treatment and medication – with no waiting lists for access to care.

The IPH has three additional testing sites at our family planning centers and a local juvenile detention center to help make sure residents can get tested without barriers. The IPH regularly provides free HIV and STD testing and treatment Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

On June 27, we’ll meet you on the picnic grounds of Herman Kiefer Health Center at 1151 Taylor to “Take Control, Take the Test” for a healthy Detroit.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page A-6

Another successful ‘Pancakes & Politics’ forum

Marvin W. Beatty

Conrad Mallett Jr.

Janice Cosby Bridges

Nancy Schlicting (left), William F. Pickard, Ph.D., Carol Cain, Tom Canedo, Cindy Pasky and Bud Denker.

Shirley Stancato (left), William F. Pickard and Vivian Pickard.

Nancy Schlicting (left), William F. Pickard, Kelli Bischoff, Tomika Smith, Cindy Pasky, Bud Denker and Bill Sicheneder.

Nancy Schlicting (left), William F. Pickard, Cindy Pasky, Sharima Bulchak, Bud Denker, Robert Ballone and Yvette Anderson.

Play the Summer Away in the Come downtown for fun, food and family events at

Summer in the Park 2013 • More than 150 acts, including Hot Sauce and ‘70s funk stars Average White Band • Weekly food market and monthly artisan market • Events in Campus Martius Park/Cadillac Square, Capitol Park, Grand Circus Park, and Paradise Valley, with an expanded lineup including: • Saturday KidZ shows • Lunchtime musical acts • Movie Night in the D • And more!

Plan your fun at OpportunityDetroitParks.com

D

SECTION B

COMMUNITY Powered by Real Times Media

michiganchronicle.com

LTU addresses shortage of power engineers with scholarships “Electricity generation is one industry you can’t outsource, and there is a shortage of power engineers in this country that could become acute in the next few years as many engineers in this field retire. The job prospects of new power engineers are excellent.”

—P rofessor Phil Olivier,

chair of LTU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

June 26 - July 2, 2013

Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, Lawrence Technological University (LTU) is offering $10,000 scholarships for two years to community college graduates to complete a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a power engineering concentration.

The Scholarship in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program at LTU is open to graduates of an associate degree program in a STEM field. Up to 20 scholarships are available in the first year of the program.

Responding to an impending national shortage of power engineers needed for the nation’s electricity production plants and distribution system, NSF has awarded LTU a five-year grant totaling $598,000 to provide scholarship assistance to students in this field.

Power engineers develop, maintain, and modernize “the Grid,” the vast network of transformers, generators, motors and electronics that supply electrical power.

“Electricity generation is one industry you can’t outsource, and there is a shortage of power engineers in this country that could become acute in the next few years as many engineers in this field retire,” said Professor Phil Olivier, chair of LTU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “The job prospects of new power engineers are excellent.”

LTU’s S-STEM scholarship recipients will gain additional knowledge about the power industry from outside speakers, field trips and participation in professional organizations. Internships and job placement are also part of the scholarship program.

“LTU will leverage its network of local and regional partnerships to aid in the recruitment, retention, and job placement of the S-STEM scholars,” said Hua, the S-STEM advisor in LTU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

One of those partners is DTE Energy, which has a specific need to hire more nuclear engineers for its Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station near Monroe. DTE Energy worked with Monroe County Community College in developing the associate degree in nuclear engineering technology, and graduates of that program are eligible for the scholarship program to continue their studies at LTU. “We have been extremely happy with our partnership with MCCC, which has enabled us to train and hire homegrown talent for technical positions at DTE Energy,” said Vince Dow, vice president of Distribution Engineering and Construction for DTE Energy. “It’s great that graduates of MCCC’s two-year program now will have an opportunity to pursue a four-year degree in a field that has a critical need for new engineers.”

One of the first students to take advantage of the S-STEM program at LTU is Tyler Splan of Monroe who has just graduated from MCCC with an associate degree in nuclear engineering technology. His goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at LTU by 2015 and obtain a job

See ENGINEERS page B-2

Volunteers needed for 7th annual ARISE Detroit!

Neighborhoods Day Aug. 3 event expected to showcase more than 100 activities

ARISE Detroit! is seeking volunteer groups for its seventh annual Neighborhoods Day, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, in neighborhoods throughout Detroit.

Neighborhoods Day is an outstanding demonstration of community pride that attracts thousands of volunteers and generates more than 100 community service and improvement projects, as well as celebratory events in more than 100 neighborhoods. The volunteer groups organize a variety of activities, including cleanup projects, building new housing, back-to-school fairs, garage sales, community art displays, church programs, health fairs, youth concerts, parades, an-

See NEIGHBORHOODS DAY page B-2

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26 - July 2, 2013

Neighborhoods Day ti-crime events, and volunteer recruitment.

“The goal of Neighborhoods Day is to create an opportunity to showcase pride and spirit in Detroit and forge relationships that can help improve the quality of life for residents,” said Luther Keith, executive director of ARISE Detroit!

“This is truly a people’s event. The residents decide what they want to do in their communities and we help them organize and promote their events.”

Quicken Loans is the title sponsor of this year’s Neighborhoods Day and will have more than 1,000 team members volunteering during the event. ARISE Detroit! will also partner again this year with Detroit Public Schools and encourage businesses and organizations to adopt schools for community service projects on Neighborhoods Day. Volunteer groups can register for this year’s event at www.arisedetroit.org or by calling 313-921-1955. For a registration fee of $50, groups will receive a custom-made banner promoting their event, ARISE Detroit! t-shirts, a resource toolkit containing information on community services, and inclusion in the marketing and promotion of Neighborhoods Day. The registration deadline is July 1. All registered events will be posted

Engineers in the power generation industry.

In high school Splan took accelerated math and science courses, and his algebra teacher encouraged him to consider a career in engineering.

“The S-STEM program has been created to help students like Tyler build on their aptitude in STEM subjects to obtain bachelor’s degrees and pursue careers in a field where their talents are in high demand,” Hua said.

The application deadline for the S-STEM scholarship for the fall semester is Aug. 1. Additional scholarships may

also be available to attend LTU. For more information about applying for the S-STEM program, go to www.ltu.edu/s-stem or contact Assistant Professor Kun Hua at khua@ltu. edu or (248) 204-2557.

Lawrence Technological University, www. ltu.edu, is a private university founded in 1932 that offers more than 100 programs through the doctoral level in its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Management. Payscale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 7 percent of universities for return

From page B-1 on undergraduate tuition investment, and highest in the Detroit metropolitan area. Lawrence Tech is also listed in the top tier of Midwestern universities by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review. Students benefit from small class sizes and experienced faculty who provide a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 102acre campus include over 60 student clubs and organizations and a growing roster of NAIA varsity sports.

Page B-2

From page B-1

online at www.arisedetroit.org.

Last year, approximately 200 events were held on ARISE Detroit!’s Neighborhoods Day. The entire city was engaged in activities, stretching from the riverfront to Eight Mile Road.

CURRENT MAJOR SPONSORS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS DAY: Quicken Loans (title sponsor), Comerica Bank, PNC Bank, DMC Sinai Grace, Detroit Media Partnership, the Michigan Chronicle, Radio One, WWJ Radio, The Kresge Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, LISC, Henry Ford Health System, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Comcast, Whole Foods, Dunkin’ Donuts, People Movers and CVS/Caremark.

ABOUT ARISE DETROIT!: Funded by The Kresge Foundation and other supporters, ARISE Detroit! is a coalition of more than 400 non-profits, churches, community groups and organizations. ARISE Detroit! recruits volunteers and promotes events and programs on behalf of local community groups working to improve the quality of life in Detroit. For more information, visit arisedetroit.org.

Community

May - August

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

July 8 - 12

The Detroit Public Library Celebrates the 70th Anniversary Lecture Series.

6 p.m.

Detroit Public Library.

5201 Woodward Ave. The E. Azalia Hackley Collection is part of the Library’s Special Collections Department. This lecture, titled “Don Cornelius: Riding the Soul Train,” will celebrate the contributions this iconic figure and his famous television show had on the music industry. This lecture is free and open to the public.

For more information call (313) 481- 1397

June - September Detroit Rolling on the River Festival and Summer Concert Series, Erma Henderson Park, adjacent to Whittier Park. The festival will highlight local entertainment, some of the city’s best restaurant and community resource information for adults.

This event is free and open to the community.

For more information email detroitrollingontheriver@gmail.com

June 30

July 24 - 27

Vacation Bible School

Karmanos Cancer Institute Celebrates Cancer Survivor Week

6-8:30 p.m.

Second Baptist Church 441 Monroe, in Greektown Second Baptist Church invites the public to Vacation Bible School. There will classes for all members of the family and all ages.

There will also be music and other activities.

Validated parking will be available.

For more information, call (313) 961-0920.

July 9 - 15

Noon – 10 p.m.

This food and music festival is a celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month and it is “as fresh as it sounds.” The cost is $10 per person and $25 per family.

For tickets, call (313) 833-9300. For general information, visit www.detroiteasternmarket.com.

The Karmanos Cancer Institute kicks off Cancer Survivor Week with a lecture from author Teresa Kilpatrick, “So You Survived Cancer.” She will speak about cancer survivorship and what to expect after treatment ends.

For a list of events, visit www.karmanos. org or call (313) 576- 9288. All events are free and open to all cancer survivors and their families.

Summer Learning Program Help change a child’s life by tutoring this summer at The Educational Experience at St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center. Volunteers, who will receive orientation and training, are needed.

For more information, call (313) 535-9200.

July 14- Aug. 11

4th Annual Marriage & Family Walkathon Fundraiser 9:00 am Detroit Riverwalk Enjoy a beautiful day on Detroit’s riverfront for a good cause. Proceeds will help to provide singles and couples with tools and resources for strengthening the most vital institution — the family!

For more information call the Marriage Resource Center at (313) 288- 8076.

8 a.m.

Duramis Outreach Ministries

August 3

This programs is for all 2013 high school graduates, helping them to transition to the next phase of life. Covers campus/social living, managing finances and maintaining your beliefs no matter what is going on around you.

ARISE Detroit! 7th Annual Neighborhoods Day All Day Event ARISE Detroit! invites community organizations throughout the City of Detroit to participate by helping to clean up. Volunteers are needed.

For more information call (313) 270-2191 no later than July 1.

For more information visit www.arisedetroit.org or call (313) 592- 1955.

Scan and Enjoy The Michigan Chronicle

Page B-3

Detroit Main Library Literacy Initiative — Detroit Reads! The literacy program offers literacy skills assessment, one-on-one tutoring, GED preparation, computer skills training, tutor training and certification, learner practice kits and resources for literacy service providers. The program is a dedicated one-to-one tutoring process and periodically offers selective smallgroup instructional sessions in other subjects such as mathematics.

To register or volunteer call (313) 481-1362.

August 8 Golfing For Scholarships

July 27

Transitional Training Program

World Groove at Eastern Market

June 26 - July 2, 2013

Links of Nov Golf Club Proceeds from the 87th annual golf outing will go towards college scholarships benefiting the Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation. More than 200 golfers are expected to participate For more information and tickets, call (586) 393-8800.

August 16 - 18 The 31st African World Festival 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Charles Wright Museum 315 E. Warren Detroit This three day festival will be celebrated once again on the grounds of the Wright Museum with performances, poetry, arts and crafts, African drumming and dance, hundreds of vendors, ethnic foods, and events for all ages, including an expanded Watoto Village for the youngest among us!

For more information visit www.thewright.org

Email Your Upcoming Events to events@michronicle.com

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JACKIE BERG Chief Marketing Officer BANKOLE THOMPSON Senior Editor SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher 1933-2011 JOHN H. SENGSTACKE Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997 LONGWORTH M. QUINN Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989

June 26 - July 2, 2013

Page B-4

Why spying scandal is a serious racial justice issue

By Imara Jones Given the massive investment in national security after 9-11, recent news that the federal government is spying on hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the world may not have come as a surprise. Polls suggest that a majority of Americans are shrugging their shoulders at the revelations of a government espionage effort against them.

But an uncomfortable reality of the once secret scheme is the degree to which people of color are disproportionately caught up in the government’s dragnet. That’s because the routine, legal activities of blacks, Latinos and immigrants — 96 percent of whom are people of color — make them targets for monitoring in a way not true for Whites.

For the over 40 million foreign born immigrants living in America — more than at any point in U.S. history — the basic act of keeping in contact with friends and family abroad is all that’s required to be sucked into the Obama administration’s electronic dragnet. Disturbingly, the fact that much of this historically broad snooping program is conducted by private companies with dubious oversight makes it that much harder for communities of color to figure out exactly what’s going on and how to curb any potential abuses.

Let’s review the key details of what’s known about these clandestine projects.

America’s intelligence services — particularly the National Security Agency, or NSA — are collecting an almost unfathomable amount of information on the phone calls, spending habits, and Internet activities of countless people in the U.S. and around the world. William Binney, a former NSA employee, estimates that the agency has collected over 20 trillion individual pieces of information on millions of people, American citizens and foreigners alike.

The sheer scale of these activities was revealed by 29 year-old Edward Snowden, another former NSA employee

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and broadband Internet access than Blacks and Latinos. People of color have closed this gap by using smartphones aggressively to access the Web. Black Americans are 20 percent more likely to have a smartphone than whites and Latinos are 10 percent more likely. And we’re eagerly engaging the growing communications economy that spawns from those devices.

For immigrant communities, that engagement can be an important part of economic life — finding jobs, connecting to global networks for both business and support, sending over $120 billion a year to relatives abroad. Those annual remittances show just how connected individuals remain to the communities they’ve left behind.

Perhaps even more important is the fact these ties sustained through social media and Web-based communications are vital to maintaining the mental health of people of color in a country where racial discrimination remains a major obstacle. To put a fine point on it, people of color are using social media to ease larger economic, social and emotional challenges of their lives in America. Ironically, their attempt to do so puts them at unique risk for greater government intrusiveness and scrutiny.

But President Obama says that these groups need not worry about Prism. He claims that those inside the U.S. aren’t targeted by the program. Snowden disputes that. “I had the authority to wiretap anyone” including “the president of the United States,” he said.

Even taken at his word, Obama’s assertions are little comfort. It all boils down to the fact that the only major legal limitation on the NSA is it’s banned from eavesdropping on communications between U.S. residents inside the nation’s borders. Communications between those outside the U.S. and people inside the country are fair game.

The Trouble With Going ‘Meta’ Prism’s potential impact on people of color, particularly immigrants, underscores the problem with so-called “metadata” initiatives. Their core defect is that they need to be massive and intrusive to work.

Metadata is not concerned with just one individual, but rather with networks of individuals and their corresponding actions. Without mind boggling amounts of information, metadata initiatives just can’t reveal what the nation’s security services want them to show.

An uncomfortable reality of the once secret scheme is the degree to which people of color are ­disproportionately caught up in the government’s dragnet. That’s because the routine, legal activities of Blacks, Latinos and immigrants — 96 percent of whom are people of color — make them targets for monitoring in a way not true for Whites.”

himself, in documents released to London’s The Guardian newspaper and the Washington Post. Snowden said that he was doing so in order to uncover an “architecture of oppression” at the heart of the U.S. government.

The efforts that Snowden exposed include the scooping up of records on the more than 3 billion daily phone calls made through carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Bell South. the Wall Street Journal reported that major credit card companies, such as Visa and Mastercard, are also turning over huge swaths of information on the purchases that individuals make.

But particularly troubling for people of color is the program called Prism.

With Prism, the NSA works with leading Internet companies to transfer sweeping amounts of user information to the government whenever it wants. Of particular interest are social media sites and sites with social media features. Data on who viewed videos uploaded to Youtube, phone calls made through Skype, IM messages sent through AOL, data saved on Apple’s iCloud, e-mails sent through Microsoft’s Hotmail as well as Google searches must be given up by these companies when the NSA asks for it. The only major Internet company to resist participation is Twitter, according to The New York Times.

We know that social media sites are used more on a proportional basis by people of color than anyone else. According to research by the Pew Research Center, blacks and Latinos in particular use social media more frequently than any other group. That’s not just driven by culture, but economics. The cost advantage, speed and reliability of social media sites — combined with their constant access and ease of use on mobile devices — have helped to close the modern digital divide. Whites are still far more likely to have telephone landlines

This explains why constitutional rights organizations, like the American Civil Liberties Union, are so worried about these secret metadata efforts. They worry that the very nature of these programs is to be the constant, boundless, Orwellian domestic monitoring system that many have feared for decades.

Adding to the difficulty of these initiatives is that many lay in private hands.

Spying on Americans is big business in the wake of 9-11. Having granted itself expanded powers to gather intelligence after the terrorists attacks, the U.S. government found itself short on the arms and legs required to cover new ground.

To fill the gap, it turned to corporations.

According to The Washington Post’s Dana Priest and William Arkin, there are over 4,000 companies in the Washington, D.C., area alone who profit from spying on Americans, 250 of them located in just one “top secret” cluster.

As Priest and Arkin write, this cluster “is the largest of a dozen such clusters across the United States that are the nerve centers of Top Secret America” and its 1.1 million workers.

The challenge with such a sprawling, decentralized surveillance apparatus is that there’s no way to know precisely what it’s up to. Though the Obama administration claims that it has the legal authority under the Patriot Act to enact these programs, there’s no way to test this claim against the reality of what’s actually happening. Why? Because the vast array of data collection was and remains ultra-secret and off the books.

Therefore Obama’s recent call for a “debate” on these programs and their “trade offs” in liberty seems a tad late.

Given the way in which people of color have been targets of expanded police power in the past, historically marginalized communities need the conversation to take place with particular urgency. As a result of Edward Snowden, they might just get it.

Supporting urban food entrepreneurs key to sustainable growth

By Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Terrance Hicks There are a host of well-publicized socioeconomic issues that urban dwellers face every day: from increasing crime to dearth of well-paying, sustainable jobs and lack of options for a good education, good healthcare, etc.

Because of recent changes in our national healthcare system, funding for healthcare programs has increased.

This boost in funding is certainly necessary because in recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has been determined that 31% of Michigan adults are obese and this Rashida Tlaib statistic is rapidly increasing among our children, a situation that mirrors what is happening at the national level: as a nation, we are suffering an obesity epidemic and startling numbers of diet-related health conditions throughout our population, including among our youth.

Funding for programs that increase access to healthcare services is certainly important, but one challenge that a majority of our urban citizens face is often taken for granted: access to affordable, healthy food. For those growing up in a low-income neighborhood, choices are limited to fast food restaurants, gas stations and corner party stores, especially when you don’t have transportation. So-called ‘food deserts’ are a fact of life for many Michigan families – they live where fresh produce and meats are scarce and unreliably available.

While everyone can agree that pro-

cessed, ready-to-eat, and fast foods provide a quick and cost-efficient alternative to home-cooked meals from fresh, wholesome ingredients, the health hazards of a diet that relies on these convenience foods with regularity are simply too great. Yet even as we concede the dangerous effects of overconsumption of such meals, we continue to starve our low-income urban neighborhoods of healthy alternatives.

Fair Food Network (FFN, www.fairfoodnetwork.org) is a national non-profit that works at the intersection of food systems, sustainability, and social equity to grow a healthy, sustainable food system for all. FFN develops innovative policy-oriented initiatives that seek to improve access to affordable and healthy food options for underserved communities. FFN’s Double Up Food Bucks program (www.doubleupfoodbucks. org) provides incentives for low-income consumers to purchase fresh Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets, simultaneously making fresh produce more affordable for consumers and boosting the local economy.

FFN uses the data from program evaluations to inform the debate happening right now as both the US Senate and House of Representatives consider the direction of our nutrition policy in the Farm Bill.

Double Up Food Bucks is just one of FFN’s programs that seek to change food system policy in our great state and in the nation. We look forward to working with state and federal leaders to further our collective efforts toward providing incentives for the purchase of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, supporting local food system efforts, funding food hubs, creating direct transportation routes to and from grocery stores and farmers’ markets for underserved communities, and instituting loan options for urban farmers and food systems entrepreneurs.

Attack on Holder is an attack on civil rights

By Benjamin Jealous The continued political attacks aimed at U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder represent the most insidious kind of political gamesmanship.

Holder is among the finest attorneys general to ever serve this nation. But over the past four-plus years, he has faced one baseless allegation after another. We cannot fully know what motivates his detractors, but many seem to be obsessed by a coarse desire to politically damage the pro-civil-rights priorities set by his Department of Justice and the Obama administration. Efforts to assassinate his character and drive him from office represent more than Ben Jealous a cynical campaign against a dedicated public servant; they are also an indirect attack on the civil and human rights of all Americans.

Holder has an exemplary record of defending our nation’s laws and enforcing civil rights. Under his leadership, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has steadfastly protected the right to vote, investigated abusive police practices, and worked to save our children from the school-to-prison pipeline.

Over the past two years, the DOJ has steadfastly protected the fundamental right to vote while states attempt to encode voter suppression efforts into law. In 2012, under the attorney general’s leadership, the department secured victories in four separate cases under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, including a decision to protect the rights of minority voters in South Carolina. In that state, where more than one-third of registered voters of color do not have a driver’s license, South Carolina’s onerous Voter ID law served as a modern-day poll tax that would have disproportionately burdened the voting rights of African-American voters and other racial and ethnic minorities.

Holder has also stood up to the racial profiling and police misconduct that continues to proliferate in our communities. Every year, hundreds of thousands of innocent bystanders are targeted for physical searches and public humiliation simply because of the color

Eric Holder of their skin. Under Holder’s leadership, the DOJ has initiated a record number of inquiries into the conduct and practice of police departments throughout the country to ensure compliance with our nation’s Constitution.

Finally, at a time when America leads the world in incarceration while falling behind in education, the attorney general is working comprehensively to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline.

School discipline is the most glaring manifestation of the education gap between White and Black students in this country. Holder has partnered with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to develop the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, which will mitigate school policies that force students out of school and into the justice system. Moreover, the department intervened in Meridian, Miss., following an investigation into complaints that the school district unfairly and disproportionately subjected African-American students to suspension, expulsion and school-based arrest.

Holder has demonstrated an appreciation — in both substance and symbol — of the meaning and enormity of his responsibilities as attorney general.

Just this month, he delivered remarks at the Medgar Evers Memorial Commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery.

The attorney general’s very presence was a reaffirmation of the legacy of the civil rights hero. Just as Evers’s actions laid the foundation for so much of the civil rights progress in our nation, Holder is carrying the mantle of civil rights protection forward.

The NAACP is most proud to have his back.

Benjamin Jealous is president and chief executive officer of the (NAACP).

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page B-5

Extended primary care office hours might help Week’s Best Lottery P i c k s keep kids out of the emergency department 251 440 575 110

Few parents know whether their child’s primary care office is open after hours, according to new study from U-M, Johns Hopkins

Children had half as many emergency department visits if their primary care office had evening office hours on five or more days a week, according to new research from child health experts at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Johns Hopkins University.

The new study was published online recently in The Journal of Pediatrics and will be presented at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting.

“These findings are an important step in understanding where primary care practices and medical home programs can be most effective in making changes to enhance access,” says U-M pediatrician Joe Zickafoose, M.D., M.S., formerly a research fellow with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and now a health researcher with Mathematica Policy Research in Ann Arbor. Primary care practices for children around the country are working on ways to make it easier for families to communicate with the practice to get advice and make an appointment. A key goal of these efforts is to help parents avoid the stress and expense of unnecessary emergency department visits, and

extending office hours into the evening might be an effective way to do this, says Zickafoose.

Efforts around the country to improve health care for children have increasingly focused on the “medical home” as a model to make primary care practices more accessible, comprehensive, and focused on quality improvement. A central aspect of the medical home approach is to enhance families’ options for accessing their child’s primary care practice, including 24hour phone advice, email or patient portal communication, same-day sick visits, and evening and weekend office hours.

The investigators found that many parents did not know whether enhanced access services were available in their child’s primary care office. Children whose parents reported that their offices had evening hours most nights of the week had half the number of emergency department visits compared to other children even after adjusting for factors such as health insurance and household income. But only half of parents knew whether their child’s office was open after 5 pm. Recent studies have shown that extended office hours seem to decrease emergency department use and some health care costs in adults, but no large studies have looked at practices for children.

The types of changes practices

need to make to enhance access can be costly and time consuming, so information about the most effective changes could help practices decide where to commit their resources, Zickafoose says.

Data used in the study came from a national survey of parents. In the survey, parents were asked about characteristics of their child’s primary care practice, including 24hour phone advice, email or patient portal communication, same-day sick visits, and evening and weekend office hours. They were also asked how many times they needed to take their child to the emergency department in the 12 months prior to the survey.

In this study, other enhanced access services, such as same-day sick visits, were not associated with the rate of emergency department visits.

“We hope that our study encourages parents and primary care practices to communicate more about when the office is open and when they can call for advice,” says Zickafoose, lead author of the study.

By S. George Kipa MD, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, BCBSM

To a child, fathers often seem as invincible as super heroes. As a father, it’s easy to want to fill that role, to be the tough guy who never gets hurt and rarely gets sick.

Dads don’t go to the doctor, they “shake it off” and keep going. And while this idea of what a father is supposed to be and do may sound heroic, in real life it can lead to serious health issues for men.

Dr. S. George Kipa The pur-

pose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness, among both men and women, of preventable health problems for men and boys and encourage early detection and treatment.

The Significance of Men’s Health Month Men face many unique health challenges, and one of the most dangerous is their reluctance to seek health care.

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among American men, followed by colon and rectal cancer.

Diabetes is also on the rise. In fact, 13 million American men, nearly 12 percent of all men aged 20 years or older, have diabetes.

Historically, men have not been comfortable discussing their health issues. This reason may explain why men are likely to put off routine check- “There is nothing ups and delay seeing a health care provider, brave or masculine even when they might have a symptom or a about a man avoidhealth problem. ing or neglecting

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than six million American men have at least one episode of major depression each year and are nearly four times The outdated no- his own health at more likely to die from tion of the “strong and suicide than womsilent type” doesn’t the expense of his, en. Many men believe equate when it comes depression is a sign and his family’s, futo men’s health. There of weakness, and are is nothing brave or ture happiness.” unlikely to admit to masculine about a having a problem. Depression can man avoiding or neglecting his own be caused by many things and can health at the expense of his, and worsen over time if left untreated. his family’s, future happiness.

Depression can also be masked by substance abuse and lead to Major Risks to Men’s drug or alcohol addiction. A fundaHealth mental step in aiding depression is Heart disease, cancer and dia- to speak up about symptoms. betes are important health care is- The health concerns impacting sues affecting men; and the current men are serious, but most can be epidemic of obesity is most likely detected early, prevented and treatcontributing to all of these prob- ed by regularly visiting a physician. lems. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is Routine Care and Being the leading cause of death in men, Proactive resulting in more than 390,000 deaths each year.

One of the best things men can

Lung cancer, the most common cancer among men, was responsible for close to one-third of the cancer deaths in men last year alone.

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School’s Out! Kids are playing!

Drive Carefully!

June may be known for kicking off the summer each year, but it is also Men’s Health Month.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. Last year in the United States, cancer took the lives of over 300,000 men.

758 572 765 625

The investigators looked at the association between parents’ reports of the “enhanced access services” and the child’s emergency department visits, controlling for other factors that are frequently associated with emergency department use.

Get the most out of Men’s Health Month

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), men are 24 percent less likely than women to have seen a doctor in the past year, despite the fact that they generally lead less healthy lifestyles than women and are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol.

240 325 680 911

not have symptoms.

These diseases will worsen without regular check-ups to diagnose issues early on, before they become a problem.

Some diseases are preventable or treatable when detected early, so medically appropriate screening often improves the chances of detecting problems and addressing health issues.

The most important thing men can do is work with their primary care physician to establish personalized health and wellness goals.

Men should work toward achieving their goals by leading a healthy lifestyle.

Start Living Healthier

Here’s how to get started:

Prior to making any drastic lifestyle change, all men should schedule a check-up to make sure there are no medical issues.

Establish a relationship with a primary care physician and schedule a complete physical exam. The exam should include a family history and a discussion of your occupation and lab work to identify your current health status and risks.

Leave the initial visit with a personalized schedule for future exams and screening tests, based on your age and other risk factors.

do for their health is to learn about the common, preventable illnesses that they may encounter, as well as the importance of early detection and treatment.

If you plan to make a big change in your lifestyle, such as running a marathon, be sure to talk to your doctor first to ensure you are following the ideal plan for your individual health needs.

Men shouldn’t assume that they don’t need to visit the doctor because they think they feel fine. Certain diseases and conditions may

S. George Kipa MD, is deputy chief medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and can be reached at gkipa@bcbsm.com.

praiseconnect.com

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page B-6

Lisa Page Brooks, Grammy nominated gospel vocalist, is ‘ready’

Lisa Page Brooks

You” and “Triumph” (which features a vocal assist from Brooks’ daughter, Tasha, who also did some of the backing vocal arrangements for the set).

Brooks’ son Justin also contributed by co-producing the soul-stirring ballad “Better Than Life,” Brooks’ first ever composition. “My son has his own style but he knows my style and made sure I was comfortable,” she said.

seeks a spiritual revolution on the acoustic “Heal the Land.” There’s a Caribbean vibe on “Empower Me” and a funky soulfulness on “The Wonder.”

She also offers her trademark “church-wrecking theatrics” on the inspiring ballad “Love Somebody Else” and the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”

Brooks was a founding member of the Grammy Award nominated ’80s quartet Witness that created contemporary gospel hits such as “Clap Your Hands” and “Standard.”

She launched a solo career in the late ’90s and has enjoyed radio hits such as “God is Good,” “Waiting” and “I Want to Say Thank You.”

The velvety alto also creates a neo-soul aura on “Going Home” and brings passion to mid-tempo favorites “More,” “I Love

For more information on Lisa Page Brooks visit www.habakkukmusic. com.

Detroit’s own Lisa Page Brooks was in the studio for over a year working on her new CD “Ready,” that was release on June 4. It’s the singer’s first project since her 2009 CD “Strong” that featured her No. 1 smash “I Want to Say Thank You.”

Men’s Day at New Salem The recent Men’s Day services at New Salem Baptist Church, 2222 Illinois, was a memorable occasion. From left are Deacon Harry Weaver, Pastor Kevin H. Johnson, O’Neil D. Swanson, president/CEO of Swanson Funeral Homes Inc. who gave remarks, and Deacon Darryl Griffin.

The 13-song set was produced by Brooks’ longtime producer/husband, Michael Brooks, a founding member of the famed ’80s contemporary gospel group Commissioned, and it takes its title after Brooks’ jazzy remake of one of the group’s 1989 fan favorites. “If you consider the state of our nation as a whole, the question ‘Will you be ready when Jesus comes?’ is so befitting, and thought provoking,” she said.

The new album features several thought provoking moments. Brooks sings about destiny on the finger-snapping radio single “God Thing” and

S

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CHECK OUT the DriveTime pull-out in the paper and win four tickets to the 2007 North American International Auto Show.

JANUARY 2007

VOLUME 70 – Number 17••

January 10-16, 2007

Detroit youth choir sings in Washington, D.C. The Courville Concert Choir, one of Detroit’s stellar youth choirs, were special guests at the 3rd Annual Youth Arts Fair, “Gifted, Talented and Under 21 Showcase,” sponsored by the National Center for Children and Families in Washington, D.C., on Friday, June 7.

The Youth Arts Fair was held at the Silver Spring Civic Center and Veteran’s Plaza from 3 to 8 p.m. in the entertainment district of downtown Silver Springs, Md. The Courville Concert Choir performed from

4:15 to 4:45 p.m.

The highlight of their show was “A Motown Medley.”

the 7:45 a.m. service at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC.

See Briefs page A-4

Michigan Chronicle to increase newsstand price In its 70 years of publication, the Michigan Chronicle has had few price changes. However, due to inflation and the cost of operations, we are forced to increase the price of the paper. Effective Jan. 17, it will be $1. This rate will also apply to the Michigan FRONTPage.

Since the 1960s the Chronicle has only increased its price three times. We have maintained the 50 cent newsstand rate for as long as possible, but economic realities have caught up with us.

For 70 years, we have been “the voice of the community” and will endeavor to remain so for years to come.

Sam Logan Publisher

After the awards ceremony, the choir spent the rest of the day sightseeing great historical landmarks in the nation’s capital.

On Sunday Morning, June 9, just before returning to Detroit, the Courville Concert Choir sang at

It is an eight week enrichment program, five days per week, five hours per day with Fun Fridays.

INSIDE EDITORIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6

SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1 & C-2

Frank Taylor, chairman of the Detroit-based Southern Hospitality Group, is the general chairper-

THE LINCOLN MKR concept vehicle on display at the North American International Auto Show is one of several sedans starring at the show. – AJ Mueller Photography

Detroit auto show revs up with celebrities, but what does it all mean?

By Marcus Amick SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

W

ell, it’s finally here. After all the anticipation, the 2007 North American International Auto Show kicked off this past Saturday in star-studded fashion with the GM Style event.

YES! I want to receive the Michigan Chronicle for 26 weeks for only $28.00

However, I want to take the charge to the Black church, unquestionably one of the most powerful and influential groups in our community.

See SCLC page A-4

Shapiro, registered professional engineer, was president of Consulting Engineering Associates Inc., a Detroitbased firm founded in 1956.

He was born in Detroit, attended Cass Technical High School and Wayne State University.

Grammy award-winning R&B artist John Legend performed at the event and former Detroit Pistons star John Salley was also on hand for the affair.

See Star Power page A-4

He wants the younger generation to study King.

1 Year Senior – $36.00

Final services were held Jan. 7 for Nate Shapiro at the Ira Kaufman Chapel.

He died Jan. 3 at the age of 87.

The gala featured celebrities strolling the runway in some of today’s hottest fashion lines, paired with more COMMENTARY than 15 GM vehicles, including the Camaro convertible concept. Models included Hollywood celebrities such as Carmen Electra, Vivica A. Fox, Nick Marcus Amick Cannon, Cheryl Hines, “Dreamgirls” star Jennifer Hudson, Christian Slater, and Detroit native Kristen Bell, star of the CW television network’s “Veronica Mars. ”

There’d been a lot of buzz about the GM Style event months before the affair among journalists and others hop-

son of this year’s celebration. He has expressed concern Bankole Thompson about how King’s legacy is being honored today.

Nate Shapiro dies

The invite-only affair, emceed by Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC-TV’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” was covered by just about every major network in the city. Dubbed by GM as Detroit’s largest ever gathering of cars and stars, the style show opened with Jay-Z stepping out of a customized “Jay-Z Blue” Yukon Denali.

HOROSCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6

COMMENTARY

CITY ______________________ ZIP________________

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD nominee Jennifer Hudson showcases General Motors’ Escalade. – Monica Morgan photo

Nate Shapiro

He was an executive board member of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP-Golden Heritage member, and in 1955 received Engineer of the Year recognition from the City of Detroit.

1 Year – $50.00 2 Years – $92.00

Public rejects Coleman’s résumé

DR. KING TRIBUTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

Also inside

DPS moves to save superintendent MANY FEMALE consumers like the extra space offered in the Ford Edge.

Automakers breaking ground with women

By Melody Deniece Moore CHRONICLE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Women are being sought after by automakers that are creating special features in the latest cars to appeal to women.

Fifth Third partners with Vista Maria

From the vehicle’s style to its color to extra interior space, certain features are attractive to women and car manufacturers are reaching out more to that market.

See page B-1 Get tax credits you deserve

Courtney Caldwell, founder of Road and Travel magazine, said automakers are doing so without ignoring male consumers.

See page B-1

6 89076 06419 4 www.michronicle.com

“(Automakers) have been trying to make vehicles more appealing, while at the same time not turning off men,” Caldwell said. “The Ford Edge has a huge console that can be

used to put a purse in and it can very easily hide it. It’s just as good as laptop or a lunchbox.”

Caldwell said the Dodge Caliber has features tailored to what women like. For example, the Caliber has a chilled glove compartment, which Caldwell says women can use to keep their child’s milk cold, while men can keep their drinks cold while tailgating.

The buying power of women has grown over the last five years and automakers are capitalizing on it. According to national statistics, women account for 80 percent of vehicle purchases.

Ford Motor Co.’s new crossover utility vehicle (CUV), the Edge, offers features that

See Women & cars page A-4

By Bankole Thompson CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR

The Detroit School Board moved to include Superintendent William Coleman among a list of finalists seeking the district’s top job, despite objections from a 40-member community advisory committee.

Dr. Connie Calloway of Normandy Public School in Missouri and Dr. Doris HopeJackson of Calumet Public School-District 132 in Chicago were the two highly recommended candidates for the position, according to the committee.

Dr. David Snead, former DPS superintendent, came in third with Coleman ranking behind.

However during a Jan. 4 board meeting, board member Tyron Winfrey made a motion for Coleman to be included in the finalist stage.

“The board was trying to nullify some of this controversy to allow him (Coleman) to come before the board and the community,” Winfrey said. He said it

See Coleman page A-4

DR. RACHEL KEITH (left) and her husband, Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith.

Metro Detroit mourns health care advocate Wife of respected judge Cornelius A. Fortune CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

Dr. Rachel Keith, 82, a woman who defied the odds at a time when women had to struggle for respect as doctors, died Jan. 4. The cause of death was not known at press time.

The wife of Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith, Rachel Keith pioneered the way for other African American women to become physicians.

Keith was born in Monrovia, Liberia, on May 30, 1924 to parents who were American medical missionaries. The family

returned to America in 1926, and settled in Richmond, Va. She completed her undergraduate studies at Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y., in 1943, where she was second in her class.

Dr. Keith completed her medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine in 1949 and began her internship at Harlem Hospital in New York. She completed a two-year residency in internal medicine at Detroit Receiving Hospital in 1953 and entered private practice in 1954.

“She was well respected in

See Rachel Keith page A-4

479 Ledyard ■ Detroit, MI 48201 313.963.5522 ■ Fax 313.963.8788 Mastercard and VISA Accepted

Sometimes the people who need to pay their respects the most are the ones who can’t.

Until now.

pastor of Greater Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit. The public is cordially invited. Timothy Baptist Church is located at 18716 Schaefer Hwy. Phone: (313) 341-7530.

this year. Hope Academy received a multimillion dollar grant for the renovation of their new educational facility located at Broadstreet and Elmhurst.

On June 3, Hope Academy celebrated the graduation of its first 8th grade class to graduate from their new facility. Bishop Merritt stated that it feels good to know that Hope Academy is providing an But this year it will have high school levels Kemani Jones and Bishop An- education for some of Debeginning in the fall of troit’s brightest and best.

drew Merritt.

The Rev. Tellis J. Chapman of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church will receive the Pastor of the Year Award. Rev. Charles Adams of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church will keynote the event.

ENTERTAINMENT. . . . . D-1 thru D-3

For additional information, please call (313) 861-5405 or (313) 5859585 or visit www.courvilleconcertchoir.org.

Hope Academy graduation Bishop Andrew Merritt, a prolific, iconic pastor of the Straight Gate Church in Detroit, founded Hope Academy Charter School in 1998.

Hope Academy, former;y known as Winterhater Elementary School, has become one of the most talked about public charter school in the city of Detroit with grades K-3 through K-8.

This will be a gathering of civic and community leaders and Black clergy.

CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

Timothy Baptist Church anniversary The Timothy Baptist Church family is planning to celebrate their church anniversary on June 30. The theme is “Abounding in the work of the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58). The anniversary preacher is the Rev. Dr. Jerry L. Massey,

On Sunday, Jan. 14, all roads will lead to the Mariott Hotel-Renaissance Center where the Michigan Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, under the leadership of its president, Dr. Claud Young, will honor the Jan. 15 birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a ministerial dinner.

HOLLYWOOD BASH

INSPIRATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

ADDRESS ________________________________

By Bankole Thompson CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR

Detroit schools set to close

SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4 & B-5

The Courville Concert Choir Summer Music Camp began on Monday, June 17, at Mason Elementary/Middle School and True Oracles of God Ministries.

Dinner, dialogue, diligence

Ford joined Chrysler Group in 2000 as communications manager of safety programs.

Since that time, she has served in a number of other communications positions, including manager of Safety and Government Angela Ford Affairs, and most recently as communications manager of Diversity and Human Resources.

The Detroit Public Schools plans to close 51 schools, saving the district nearly $19 million a year.

50 Cents

313.963.5522

Angela Spencer Ford has been appointed to Chrysler Group global supplier communications manager. In her new position, she will implement communications initiatives to support the company’s global supply base.

DIRECTORY OF RELIGIOUS

On Saturday morning, June 8, the choir performed as special guests at the JC Nalle Community School closing awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

479 Ledyard • Detroit MI 48201

‘STAR POWER’

News Briefs Ford appointed global supplier communications manager

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Jeff Rubleski

June 26 - July 2, 2013

Out with the old

Detroit Downtown Development Authority approves $650 million framework for downtown events center and entertainment district

BlueCross BlueShield of Michigan

Defined contribution health plans: Are you up to speed on the next big thing?

By Jeff Rubleski In our last article, we noted that Bloomberg Businessweek and Fox Business News have reported that defined contribution health plans will become “The Next Big Thing” in health benefits gradually taking over the health insurance market.

Yet in our recent online survey of benefit decision makers at Michigan companies, more than 40% of respondents whose companies had defined benefit plans were not familiar with how defined contribution plans worked.

To help you better understand this important topic, here’s the second in our two-part primer about some of the basic concepts, benefits and planning considerations for defined contribution plans.

Defined contribution plans have been around awhile – why are they now getting so much attention?

Back in the 1990s, defined contribution plans (along with cafeteria plans) were the next big thing. But their popularity waned, in part because they were too complicated and difficult to manage and administer. The Affordable Care Act, however, has enThe key is hanced the to find a health appeal of tax-deferred care solution that’s defined predictable and contribution plans, sustainable for which give you and appealing employers better cost to employees and control while retirees alike. providing employees with more choices. A Booz & Company survey of employers and consumers found strong interest in private exchanges—70 to 80% of respondents indicated they would prefer a private exchange to a public one due to greater product choices, design flexibility and customer service.

And, thanks to advances in technology and new kinds of defined contribution plans, employers do not have to handle plan administration. A survey of 2,809 employers by benefits consultant Mercer found that 45% were either using or are considering a defined contribution approach.

What are the key factors in determining whether a defined contribution plan is right for us?

The key is to find a health care solution that’s predictable and sustainable for you and appealing to employees and retirees alike. Most importantly, that solution must give your people the support they need to make more informed benefit choices.

What are the most important planning considerations?

According to a report from the Employee Benefits Research Institute, the major considerations are plan design, setting the level of fixed contribution and determining the amount of plan choice. My colleague Ken Dallafior, the Senior Vice President of Group Sales and Corporate Marketing for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, also notes that providing employees with a helpful decision-support tool is essential in a defined contribution model. This provides employees with insightful guidance to help them make optimal decisions regarding the health coverage that is best suited for their individual health needs.

Providing employees with a helpful decision-support tool is essential in a defined contribution model.

When making a decision on how to manage spending and risk, one option for businesses to consider is GlidePath from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network. This tool allows companies to determine their company’s health benefit budget and simplify the administrative work often accompanying health benefit offerings.

For more information, visit www.predictablehealthcosts.com.

Jeff Rubleski serves as Director of Sales Strategy for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and is a certified Healthcare Reform Specialist. Jeff serves as the GlidePath™ go-to-market lead in implementing this defined contribution solution for active and retired members.

T

he Detroit Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among the DDA, Olympia Development of Michigan (ODM) and Wayne County that describes the proposed public and private financing and location for a new sports and entertainment district downtown.

The district would include a $450 million sports and entertainment center and $200 million in new residential, retail and office development in an approximately 45-block area that generally reaches from Grand Circus Park to Charlotte St. between Woodward Ave. and Grand River Ave. The multipurpose event center is anticipated to be an approximately 650,000 sq. ft. facility with 18,000 seats that can accommodate Red Wings hockey games, as well as other sports and entertainment events year-round. It will also include premium seating and amenities of a contemporary first-class professional sports and entertainment complex.

The new district anticipates expanding the boundaries of the DDA several blocks north of I-75 and west of Woodward Ave. to accommodate the center, redeveloping several properties, building new parking decks and mixed-use developments.

DTE Energy chairman, president and CEO Gerry Anderson said, “This is a catalyzing step for the city. This area, much of which is underdeveloped, is now within easy walking distance to three major sports venues, the Theater District and two casinos and it is minutes from the Business District. This area should be incredibly attractive for businesses, retail and residential development.”

DTE Energy, which employs 10,000 people includ-

ing 3,000 at its downtown headquarters, is part of a neighborhood revitalization campaign that is adjacent to where the proposed development is to be located.

DTE Energy recently acquired several properties in the area with a goal of helping to spur the pace of redevelopment in this area. “We’re proud to be a part of downtown Detroit’s redevelopment, and we support public-private initiatives like the one announced today that would accelerate that,” said Anderson.

behalf of the DDA. “A project of this scale requires strong commitments from both private and public partners, and that’s exactly what this agreement represents.”

Other projects that could be part of the $200 million additional development named in the MOU include: • A 140,000 sq. ft. new mixed office and retail development on Woodward at Sproat St.

The new development is anticipated to create approximately 5,500 jobs for the events center alone and approximately 8,300 jobs for the entire residential and commercial mixed-use district. Michigan can anticipate an estimated economic impact of $1.8 billion from the completion of this project.

• A 25,000 sq. ft. office and retail development along Woodward

“We have outlined a deal that will do far more than build new home ice for the Red Wings. When it’s done, it will redefine Detroit’s downtown. We will have incorporated all three of our major league sports venues into an exciting, walkable sports and entertainment district that will rival anything in the world,” said George W. Jackson, Jr., president and CEO of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, which managed negotiations on

• Renovation of the Blenheim Building at 81 W. Columbia St. for 1,833 sq. ft. of retail and 16 residential units

• Several parking structures with a total of 25,000 sq. ft. of retail • Renovation of the Detroit Life Building at 2210 Park Ave. for 3,645 sq. ft. of retail and 35 residential units

• Renovation of the building at 1922 Cass for 70,000 sq. ft. of office space • A new hotel-retail development with a 20,000 sq. ft. ground floor • Parking lots and other amenities The primary public funding mechanism for the $450 million center is a See entertainment

district page C-2

City of Detroit Downtown Development Authority Catalyst Development Area

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Two approaches, one result

By Michael Finney

In all my years in economic development, I’d be hard-pressed to recall a project that generated as much national buzz and media coverage as the recent opening of Whole Foods in Detroit did. And, rightly so — this is gigantic news.

From a business attraction standpoint, Whole Foods represents a huge win for Detroit and points to our ability to draw national and global firms to the state.

The Austin, Texas-based grocery chain is instantly recognizable as the innovation leader in its industry and doesn’t choose the markets it invests in without the careful deliberation and due diligence.

Its presence puts the city in a select group of locations across the country that can attract a company of this stature.

To help secure the new Whole Foods store, the state awarded a $1 million Community Revitalization Program (CRP) performance-based grant to Ellington WF, LLC, the developer of the Whole Foods site in Midtown, to offset costs for site preparation and construction of the new store. The state investment secured

On the move

MEDC is also backing Charter One’s Growing Communities with $50,000 in a collaborative effort to promote food entrepreneurship.

The Local Food System Micro Grant Program will provide funds on a competitive basis to district merchants, vendors and farmers at Eastern Market.

There are basically two approaches to doing economic development: attraction and gardening. Attraction strategies focus on targeted industries and high-priority markets while gardening involves services and tools to help grow existing state businesses and entrepreneurs.

As Whole Foods demonstrates, the two approaches aren’t mutually exclusive.

Page C-2

entrepreneurs. The completed project will serve as a regional hub for local food production, processing, distribution and retailing.

President and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

MEDC aggressively executes both attraction and gardening strategies to grow our economy and create more and better jobs.

June 26 - July 2, 2013

Michael Finney the project’s overall $14.9 million capital investment and 80 new jobs in the city.

We have made great strides in these past two years of reinventing Michigan under Governor Rick Snyder’s wide-ranging business climate improvements to attract national and global firms like Whole Foods to the state. Business taxes are the lowest in decades.

We’re cutting red tape and getting rid of burdensome regulations. We’ve revamped our economic development toolkit to provide businesses with critical support that most certainly factors into their site location decisions.

If you read between the headlines, however, you will see the Whole Foods story is about more than a prominent business locating in Detroit. We have worked equally hard on the gardening side to grow Michigan-based businesses and entrepreneurs by increasing access to capital, support services, commercialization programs, and tools

to help make high-impact connections with suppliers and customers.

The Whole Foods story is as much about complementing MEDC gardening efforts to support those entrepreneurs and small businesses in the growing urban agriculture movement.

One initiative, the MEDC Commercial Kitchen Program, is enabling Whole Foods to tap the talents of local food entrepreneur Ruth Bell. Shoppers there now find Mrs. Bell’s mouth-watering monkey bread regularly available for purchase.

It was the commercial kitchen program that enabled Mrs. Bell to get her Chugga Bakery off to a strong running start.

Mrs. Bell’s is only the first such success story.

We have partnered with Eastern Market through a $1 million CRP grant in a major renovation of the beloved Detroit landmark to provide commercial grade production capabilities for a broadened number of food business

In addition, we have recently launched two similar programs. The Farmers Market Grant Program provides one-time grants between $10,000 and $50,000 to existing farmers markets that have been in operation for at least four years in Michigan. Projects for consideration include unique and innovative design elements, amenities for patrons and vendors, multiuse spaces, multi-modal transportation, marketing and signage.

To expand the mobile cuisine (food truck) industry in Michigan, the Mobile Cuisine Startup Program provides one-time grants of up to $10,000 to new and existing food truck businesses. Applicants must demonstrate easily accessible and unique food options to patrons in public spaces and contribute to the local economy by working with other local businesses and farms.

Whole Foods and its relationship with our growing base of food-related businesses is only one example of how attraction and gardening are symbiotic. We are seeing this connectivity flourish across diverse industries like automotive, manufacturing, energy, biosciences, IT and chemical.

Attraction and gardening is a one-two combination that has given Michigan momentum needed to earn the title of America’s Comeback State.

Eddie L. Washington Jr.

U-M picks former State Police director to lead Division of Public Safety and Security Eddie L. Washington Jr., a former director of the Michigan State Police who has worked as a security consultant for the University of Michigan and Dow Chemical Co., has been selected as the executive director of U-M’s Division of Public Safety and Security.

He will start July 23, pending approval by the Board of Regents at the July 18 meeting and will report directly to President Mary Sue Coleman.

Joe Piersante has filled the executive director’s position on an interim basis since last fall while also serving as U-M police chief.

“We have made tremendous progress since the creation of the Division of Public Safety and Security last fall,” Coleman said. “The appointment of Eddie Washington to this critical position will assure that we continue to make safety and security a top priority on our campus.”

The selection of Washington comes after a national search led by a search advisory committee chaired by Liz Barry, managing director of the U-M Life Sciences Institute. The Spelman & Johnson Group, a search firm with a specialty in higher education, assisted with the search.

Washington had a 27-year career with the Michigan State Police, rising to the rank of colonel and ultimately being appointed director of the agency

by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2010. After leaving the State Police, he worked as a Homeland Security adviser to U-M in 2011. Since then he has worked as a security consultant for Dow Chemical Co. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from William Tyndale College and is a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and the program in Executive Leadership in Homeland Security at the Naval Postgraduate School. He also is a U.S. Army veteran.

“I am thrilled and honored to be selected for this important position. The university has a tremendous team of safety and security professionals and I’m eager to start working with them,” Washington said.

First phase of retail transformation lands at Detroit Metro Airport’s McNamara Terminal

The first phase of a total transformation of the passenger shopping experience in Detroit Metro Airport’s (DTW) McNamara Terminal Concourses A & B is complete with the opening of seven new retail stores. Twenty-nine additional venues will open by next spring.

“Detroit Metro Airport is entirely self-sustaining and does not receive any tax dollars to support airport operations, so our retail program is an important source of revenue that keeps the airport running,” said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Tom Naughton.

“But just as important, a strong retail program helps make our terminals exciting and fun. This is a great start in re-energizing the airport shopping experience for our passengers.”

Opening with the first phase of retail concepts are: • Detroit! – Popular local products and Detroit-themed memorabilia located near Gate A-29

Gate A-36

CNBC Smartshop – Innovative alternative to traditional newsstands, offering a broad range of popular newsstand items located near Gate A-66 Be Relax – Full-service spa and lifestyle center located near Gate A-43 Operating the first phase of retail venues are Bethesda, Md.based World Duty Free Group, Atlanta-based Paradies, and Paris, France-based Be Relax.

“Paradies is proud to continue its successful tradition at Detroit Metro Airport with the opening of these great concepts,” said Gregg Paradies, president and CEO of Paradies.

“As the hottest name in jewelry today, PANDORA, along with CNBC, the recognized world leader in business news, are both ideal complements to the new program at McNamara.”

The Wall Street Journal – Internationally recognized newsstand and travel store located near Gate A-72

T he new McNamara Terminal retail program is expected to generate $7.7 million in revenue for the Wayne County Airport Authority in the first full year of the program and $62 million over the seven year term, all of which will go toward funding airport operations.

The Body Shop – Health/beauty store featuring cosmetics and boutiques located in the Central Link Area of Concourse A

The program is designed to offer passengers a wide range of both nationally known and locally-celebrated brand concepts.

PANDORA – Hand finished modern jewelry store located near

This concludes the first of four phases or retail transformation in

ZoZo – Unique specialty gifts and home décor located near Gate A-43

the Terminal’s Concourses A & B. The entire retail transformation is expected to be complete by next spring, with the transformation of the food and beverage venues beginning about the same time. Request for Proposals for food and beverage concepts will be issued later this summer.

“I think our travelers, visitors and employees will really appreciate the fresh new products, storefronts and services these new concession spaces offer,” said WCAA Director of Concessions and Quality Assurance Greg Hatcher.

The Division of Public Safety and Security was created in October 2012 by the U-M Board of Regents as part of a realignment of all campus safety and security services. Included in the new division are the U-M Police Department, Hospitals and Health Centers Security Services, Housing Security and Safety Services, and University Security Services, consisting of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, Security Systems and Technology Management, U-M Art Museum security, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology security and contract security.

Entertainment District From page C-1 continuation of a projected $12.8 million-per-year property tax capture authorized by the State Legislature last December.

The DDA is also expected to contribute an average of just over $2 million per year. Olympia Development is expected to contribute $11.5 million per year. All three of those commitments would be used to retire 30-year private activity bonds issued through the Michigan Strategic Fund.

“These first round retail openings are a noticeable first step in the much larger redevelopment of our McNamara Terminal concession program, which will better position DTW to serve our travelers Additional private well into the next decade.” sources are expected to All of the new retail contracts fund the remainder of the were competitively solicited and $650 million total investprovided opportunities for two ment anticipated for the prime operators (11 venues each) entire district. Overall, as well as nine direct opportunities approximately 56 percent for individual spaces. The fit-out of of the total development transformed retail spaces will con- costs of the district would tinue to result in a number of new, be privately funded and approximately 44 percent local construction jobs. would come from public All new retail operators have economic development committed to hiring from among funds requiring no new the current airport retail employ- taxes. ees to ensure a seamless transition The DDA would own and minimal job displacement. As a whole, WCAA’s retail and dining the events center and Development concessions program directly em- Olympia would manage it under ploys approximately 3,100 people. a long-term contract.

Before that concession

management agreement (CMA) can be finalized, the City of Detroit has to approve the expansion of the DDA boundaries and other matters related to the development.

Mayor Dave Bing appears to be amenable to the deal and said, “I’m extremely pleased that a framework has been established for the development of a new downtown arena and a commercial, entertainment and residential district that will continue to add momentum to the transformation of our city.”

The Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit has to review and amend plans for the area and transfer property it owns. Wayne County, the State of Michigan Strategic Fund and others also have to approve aspects of the development plan before construction can begin.

Jackson added, “Today’s agreement represents one step among many that all the partners have to take together, but it is a very significant step.”

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page C-3

BCBSM continues providing funding for free clinics For the ninth consecutive year, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will award up to one million dollars in grant funding as part of its Strengthening the Safety Net program, an ongoing effort the Blues have supported to help Michigan’s most vulnerable populations get access to better health care. Applications are available now, and will be accepted through July 8, 2013.

More than one million Michigan residents currently live without health insurance, with many relying on locally operated, nonprofit clinics for proper health care. BCBSM’s Strength-

ening the Safety Net program gives federally qualified health clinics (FQHCs) the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support operations, with additional grant funding of up to $10,000 available to assist in expanding the availability of oral health care or patient advocacy services. Each clinic can apply for a maximum total of $20,000 in grants. The deadline for all grant applications is July 8, 2013.

BCBSM has provided nearly $8 million in grants to free clinics since 2005.

As the national health care reform law changes how people purchase health insurance and

receive health care services, many of Michigan’s free clinics will continue to play a vital role in providing quality health care to uninsured residents across the state. An estimated six to nine percent of the population under age 65 is expected to remain uninsured once the Affordable Care Act is fully enacted.

In 2012, 50 clinics in 26 Michigan counties received a free clinic grant from BCBSM. For more information on the grant program and the application process, please visit www.bcbsm.com/saf etynet.

An inspiring journey “Like father, like son,” is a true and tested phrase that never gets old and aptly describes the business journey of local McDonald’s restaurant owner Jim Thrower.

His father, a mechanic who owned a gas station, and mother, a snack shop owner, taught him at a tender age the requisite knowledge and skills to be a successful and self-made entrepreneur.

Whether it was helping out at his family’s church, pitching in at his father’s gas station or selling goods at his mother’s shop, Thrower has carried these early lessons with him throughout his life.

Thrower, a former Detroit Lions defensive back, held many different roles before arriving at his current destination as a McDonald’s franchisee.

“I worked for organizations like Stroh Brewery and Michigan Consolidated Gas Company and held several other positions in corporate America,” he recalls. “And in the 1980s I proudly served under Dr. Benjamin Hooks for the national office of the

er 22 years ago, Thrower has left an indelible mark on the Detroit-area McDonald’s business community and across the country. He is currently vice chairman of McDonald’s national advertising committee and the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners, proud steward of Oak Grove A.M.E Church and faithful member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, all while operating seven McDonald’s restaurants in metro Detroit with his family.

Jim Thrower

NAACP in New York.”

Though these career stints provided Thrower with years of happiness, he knew a long-held dream would go unfulfilled until he became a business owner like his mother and father before him. It was Michigan McDonald’s owner William Pickard who helped lead Thrower to a career with the quick-service restaurant giant.

Since becoming a McDonald’s restaurant own-

Thrower’s children also work to continue the family’s legacy of entrepreneurship and community service. All of his children have business ties to McDonald’s. Sons Jamar and James are restaurant owners along with Thrower’s wife, Marla. And daughters Joni and Marissa each contribute to the McDonald’s business through the realms of legal advice and store management.

Treating others with respect, being humble and appreciative, and making sure to work harder every day are the guiding principles of Thrower’s life.

Quicken Loans again chosen No. 1 place to work in IT The title of ‘Best Place to Work in IT’ has returned to Detroit as Quicken Loans today announced it has earned the #1 ranking on Computerworld magazine’s 2013 Best Places to Work In IT list. This marks the fourth time Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation’s largest online lender and third largest retail mortgage lender, has been named #1 in the benchmark employee survey, and the ninth-straight year the company has appeared on the prestigious list.

Computerworld’s 100 Best Places to Work in IT list is determined through a comprehensive team member survey focusing on the company’s core culture, including benefits, diversity, career development, training and retention. In addition, Computerworld conducts an employer questionnaire to determine the company’s goals and opinions on its culture. Other technology innovators appearing in the Top 10 of this year’s list include CareerBuilder, Qualcomm, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“We have built a company centered on technology and innovation, so earning the honor as the top place to work in IT is a real testament to our nearly 1,000 technology team members across the country,” said Quicken Loans Chief Executive Officer Bill Emerson. “We are a technology company that is amazingly good at writing mortgages. Our success boils down to great culture and talented team members, it’s that simple.”

The Quicken Loans technology team

helped the company close a record $70 billion in home loan volume in 2012, a 133 percent increase over the previous record of $30 billion set in 2011. This was done by expanding the company’s platform capacity by 200 percent in just 45 days to handle a number of new business channels.

“Quicken Loans invests heavily in training for all of our team members to ensure they have the skills they need to grow personally and professionally,” said Quicken Loans Chief Information Officer Linglong He. “But we also empower our team to both innovate and create the processes and programs that will continue to drive the company’s growth.”

An example of the culture of innovation that is encouraged at Quicken Loans is ‘Bullet Time,’ a weekly fourhour period in which Quicken Loans technology team members can work on any personal project they want, even those outside the core business. ‘Bullet Time’ continues to churn out innovations that significantly help team members and the business itself, including a mobile app called QRide that allows team members to track shuttle routes and arrival times between their office and parking location.

Quicken Loans and its family of companies currently have more than 200 open technology positions. To learn more or apply, please visit www.quickenloanscareers.com.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Shopping ’til we drop

By Cheryl PearsonMcNeil I have a black belt in retail therapy, so I was thrilled when I first saw Nielsen’s new in-depth report, “Brick by Brick: the State of the Shopping Center.” because it confirms two very important things: Our economy is growing stronger because jobs are being created and money is being spent, and as consumers we are stronger than ever.

You’ve probably heard “If you build it, they will come,” from the movie “Field of Dreams.” Well, that is happening all around us. We consumers don’t just shop. We want a multifaceted experience to play, eat, be entertained and engaged — and that’s what’s available.

No matter where you live in the country, shopping centers — be they sprawling outdoor malls and shopping plazas, enclosed complexes, super centers, lifestyle centers, mega entertainment centers, value retail centers (outlet malls) or intimate neighborhood centers — are expanding or shrinking according to what the consumers they serve need and want. Businesses want our hard-earned dollars, the competition is always on to do it better, to give us what we want, to meet our every need.

Nielsen’s shopping center study reports that the number of large shopping centers has jumped 65% over the last five years.

This translates well for employment. According to both the Department of Labor and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the U.S. shopping center retail sector added 33,000 jobs in April. That accounts for one-fifth of the total jobs added that month.

Labor Department figures show the industry has bounced back

from its recessionary low back in December 2009, recovering more than half a million jobs since that McNeil time. Between April of last year and April 2013, 213,000 of those jobs were filled.

This means retail now employs 12.5 million people, which makes up 9.3% of all payroll employment.

Additionally, the restaurants and bars that are part of the shopping centers generated another 38,000 new jobs. According to the Nielsen Restaurant Growth Index (RGI) which tracks restaurant openings and sales, there were 47,161 new restaurant openings in 2012.

Many are located in lifestyle shopping centers.

More jobs mean there’s more money to spend.

Total shopping center sales for 2012 were more than $2.4 trillion, an increase of 2.8% over 2011.

There’s good news, too, for the smaller guys — those neighborhood centers or community centers that we all love, where we do our quick grocery store runs, dry cleaning or grab our morning coffee.

Their numbers have remained constant. However, those small shopping centers that are anchored by a convenience store are growing because convenience stores (c-stores) are increasing even faster than the overall market, up 4.9% over the last year compared to 3.7% for the overall market.

The picture is not so rosy for everyone, however. We all had our favorite specialty stores that either no longer exist or have closed locations as a result of the past recession and changing consumer tastes. An example is the Disney Store, which has closed one-

third of its stores since 2008. Borders Bookstore, also closed its doors and I openly wept because it was a place that no matter how old he got, my son and I could still agree that Borders was one of our favorite places, and one of the rare places during his early teen years where he was not embarrassed to be seen with me.

Sometimes, we let our fingers and plastic do the walking and shop on our computers, tablets or phones instead of heading out to the physical stores. Nielsen’s shopping report shows that although e-commerce is growing, representing 5.4% of retail sales in the last quarter of 2012, consumers still spend most of their money at brick and mortar locations.

Makes sense because as convenient as online shopping can be, we still like to touch, compare, try on and have an “experience” in the actual stores.

The report also reveals that affluent suburban families are more than twice as likely to shop online as the average American household and that e-commerce will continue to grow over the next five years. Although e-commerce can be a double-edged sword for retailers, it’s projected that it is going to work particularly well for those establishments that take advantage of promotions online and in their stores.

Look at what we’ve done. Again, our consumer preferences have reshaped another entire industry. That’s why our consumer choices and behaviors are so important. That kind of power is heady stuff.

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.

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page C-4

Michigan more competitive as a destination for large special events The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has established a new fund to attract national and multi-state events, conventions and conferences – and the out-of-state travelers they bring in – to Michigan. The large special events fund will give Michigan communities an added competitive advantage when competing with other cities nationally to host major events.

“We are joining with our local partners to raise Michigan’s profile as destination for large events, such as national conferences, conventions and sporting events, while addressing the disadvantages they currently face in today’s competitive market,” said Michael A Finney, president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “By bringing in large numbers of out-of-state visitors associated with these events we can help our travel industry grow while showcasing Michigan to a broad audience.”

The MEDC has committed $500,000 for the fund through the end of the current fiscal year, and $1 million in each of the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years. The fund will be administered by the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, however all convention and visitor bureaus (CVBs) in Michigan will have the ability to apply for support in attraction efforts through the fund.

Events must meet certain criteria to be considered for the attraction fund, including they be multi-state or national in scope, have regular attendance of more than 1,500 people, have a duration of at least 2.5 days and that they not have been hosted in Michigan during the previous calendar year. Additionally, at least 50 percent of the dollars expected to be spent in Michigan during the event must come from non-Michigan businesses or residents.

“We applaud the MEDC for supporting this large special events fund and recognizing that major conventions and events are a critical economic engine for Michigan,” said Larry Alexander, president and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Now, the bar has been raised and Michigan is solidly able to compete for large scale hosting opportunities with more of a competitive advantage than in the past.”

A committee is currently being established with representatives from several statewide destination marketing organizations to evaluate and recommend which projects meet the qualifications

Larry Alexander for these funds.

“While incentives have been a part of the bidding process for many groups in the past, it has now become common ground and most large national conventions and special events require some sort of subsidy to be awarded the business,” said Doug Small, president of Experience Grand Rapids. “We are thankful that the MEDC understands the value of visitor expenditures that bring new money into our state, which not only builds the tax base, but increases revenue for small businesses while retaining and creating jobs – pure economic development.”

When considering where to hold a major event or conference, organizers often require a monetary guarantee from potential hosts to demonstrate financial capability and commitment to host such an event. Without access to capital to provide those commitments, Michigan communities are at a disadvantage when competing to land major events or conferences. The large special events fund provides access to that capital through a competitive process.

The Detroit Metro CVB will report to the MEDC at the end of each fiscal year providing a detailed use of the funds for that year, commitments to future events and estimates of return on investment by the state and the region from committed events.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

June 26-July 2, 2013

Page C-5

Mayor Bing announces AAA Michigan support for essential Detroit Fire Department equipment Funding provided for inspection of aerial ladders, ground ladders

Mayor Dave Bing announced that AAA Michigan will donate $23,500 to the Detroit Public Safety Foundation to pay for the inspection of 20 aerial ladders and 4,600 feet of ground ladders used by the Detroit Fire Department (DFD). The gift is the latest in a series of recent corporate donations in support of the City of Detroit’s public safety operations.

“Once again, one of Detroit’s corporate citizens has come forward and generously shown its support for our public safety operations, our first responders and our citizens,” Mayor Bing said. “The proper inspection of our fire department’s aerial ladders and ground ladders was a critical need that AAA Michigan has graciously met. I appreciate the leadership and continued concern for public safety that AAA has demonstrated with this gift.”

“Our history of supporting the community dates back nearly a century,” said AAA Michigan President Steve Wagner. “We are very pleased to present the Detroit Fire Department with this grant which we know will help save lives.”

The ladder inspections are required to keep DFD equipment in compliance with stan-

Auto Club Group (ACG), the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, travel, insurance and financial services to approximately 8.8 million members. AAA Michigan partners with civic and community groups and traffic safety organizations to improve neighborhoods and promote traffic safety through such programs as the AAA School Safety Patrol.

The Detroit Public Safety Foundation was formed in 2011 to support the Detroit police and fire departments. Mayor Bing’s Active and Safe Campaign, launched last fall, has a similar mission of supporting Detroit’s public safety and recreational programs.

dards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an independent organization that establishes fire safety codes and regulations for various industries and the firefighting profession. Detroit Fire Commissioner Donald Austin ordered last February that until a full inspection of the entire ladder fleet is completed, DFD will not engage in manned aerial ladder operations, unless there

is an immediate threat to life.

In cases where a manned ladder must be used, every effort would be made to properly support the ladder. DFD continues to use unmanned aerial ladders as “water towers” to fight large fires.

“We are grateful for AAA’s generous donation,” Commissioner Austin said. “Aerial ladders can place firefighters 100 feet above ground, often with

large amounts of water flowing under high pressure. Because of the tremendous stress placed on ladders, regular testing is needed to find the smallest stress fractures and metal fatigue. Completing the testing of our aerial and ground ladders will go a long way toward ensuring the safety of Detroit’s citizens and firefighters.”

AAA Michigan, with 1.5 million members, is part of ihe

In March, the corporate community pledged $8 million to the public safety component of the Active and Safe Campaign.

The money is being used to acquire 23 new ambulances for the Detroit Fire Department’s EMS unit and 100 new patrol cars for the Detroit Police Department.

To date, a total of $22 million has been raised toward the $60 million goal of the three-year campaign.

Eastern Michigan University has low 3.75 percent tuition increase while focusing on academic programs and key facilities For the fifth consecutive year, Eastern Michigan University’s Board of Regents has maintained its statewide leadership role in restraining higher education costs for Michigan students and their families.

maintained this level of affordability during the most significant shift in state funding for higher education in Michigan’s history, which included a reduction of 15 percent in state support two years ago.

The EMU Board of Regents approved a tuition and mandatory fees increase of 3.75 percent for fall 2013 as part of the 2014 fiscal year budget. The increase matches this year’s state tuition restraint threshold of 3.75 percent, set earlier this spring by the Michigan legislature for the state’s 15 public universities. By setting its tuition at this rate, Eastern Michigan qualifies for additional state performance funding related to tuition restraint.

Yet even during this period of tuition restraint, Eastern Michigan has undergone an unprecedented period of capital reinvestment in its academic and student-centered facilities.

With the recent board vote, Eastern now has the lowest dollar increase in tuition over the last five years of any of the 15 public universities in the state. Eastern’s tuition increases have averaged 3 percent over that time frame.

“At Eastern Michigan we have worked hard to contain costs for our students while continually investing in academic quality, and in improving facilities that contribute to educating and inspiring our students,” said Francine Parker, chair of the EMU Board of Regents. “We recognize higher education is expensive and we have an obligation to try to hold down those costs as much as possible.”

The increase in resident undergraduate tuition amounts to $11.27 per credit hour, or $338 for a student taking the standard full academic load of 30 credits per year. The annual cost for an undergraduate resident student taking a stan-

dard full load of 30 credits a year will be $9,364.

Eastern’s $296.4 million budget for fiscal 2014 reflects a $3.8 million increase in University-sponsored financial aid. Over the last six years, Eastern’s financial aid has grown by more than 80 percent, from $21.4 million in 2007-08 to $39.2 million in 2013-14. The trend further underscores Eastern’s commitment to helping students and their families cope with the costs of attending college.

Revenues in the new budget include $218.4 million in tuition and fees, a $67.6 million state appropriation, comprised of a $66.5 million base appropriation and $1.1 million in one-time, merit-based state funding; plus $10.4 million in other revenues such as investment income, athletics revenue and facility rentals.

“This budget represents our continu-

ing efforts to help students afford college,” said Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin. “Our students graduate in high-demand fields and stay in Michigan. Our focus on students is evident in our dramatic increase in financial aid, in our strategic renovation of key academic facilities and in our rigorous efforts to control costs despite historic cutbacks in state support.”

The budget also reflects $2.2 million in funding for new academic programs and Strategic Plan initiatives, such as support for Eastern’s new Physician Assistant Program, which is planned for launch in May 2014.

For the past four years, Eastern’s tuition and fee increases have been 3.95 percent, 3.8 percent, 0 percent and 3.65 percent. Including this year’s 3.75 percent, Eastern’s five-year increase is only 3 percent, or just $43 more per credit hour than five years ago. Eastern has

Eastern’s $220 million, five-year capital plan included last fall’s completion of Phase II of the $90-million, self-funded Science Complex. The capital improvement program has included academic facility enhancements, such as the renovation of the Pray-Harrold Building; housing and dining renovations, and improvements in campus safety and security, IT infrastructure, classroom technology and athletic facilities.

The regents also approved an auxiliary activities fund operating budget of $44.4 million. The budget includes revenues and expenditures associated with EMU’s dining services, residence halls, apartments and parking.

The auxiliary activities budget also reflects increased housing occupancy for fall 2013. It is expected that the number of students living on campus this fall in residence halls and University-owned apartments will increase by 9 percent to approximately 4,100 students, representing the third consecutive year of increase at Eastern. This fall, 800 more students, an increase of 24 percent, will be living on campus than in the fall of 2010.

Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • June 26 - July 2, 2013

a

Salute to FirSt

Ladies

Award Ceremony

Saturday, September 14, 2013 11:00 a.m.

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center

NOMINATION DEADLINE JULY 19, 2013, 5:00 PM

Call For NomiNatioNs The Michigan Chronicle’s Salute to First Ladies celebrates women who exceed their responsibilities as first ladies and encourages others through their leadership and active participation in the religious community.

For their success as dedicated wives, mothers, and leaders, the Chronicle’s readership is encouraged to submit nominations for this prestigious award.

We honor these women for upholding a tremendous foundation and faithfully supporting our religious leaders. Not only are they gracious supporters, they also lead their congregations with charisma, poise and eminence.

In 100 words or less, please tell us about your First Lady and why you think she should be selected to be honored as one of this year’s Salute to First Ladies.

NOMINATION FORM

Describe the nominee’s community service activity or organizational involvement.

Name of Nominee Title Church Affiliation Years of Service

NOMINEE CONTACT INFORMATION Address

How has the nominee mentored others?

City/State/Zip Day Phone Evening Phone Email

QUESTIONS TO BE COMPLETED Describe the specific accomplishments that demonstrate the nominee’s comittment to her congregation.

NOMINATOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION Name Title Church Affiliation Address City/State/Zip Day Phone Evening Phone Email

Submissions will be accepted until July 19, 2013 at 5 pm.

Submit by mail, visit www.michiganchronicle.com or email c/o Amber Bogins at abogins@michronicle.com.

Michigan Chronicle, 479 Ledyard, Detroit, MI 48201, 313-963-8100.

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SECTION D

June 26 - July 2, 2013

michiganchronicle.com

Reflections

By Steve Holsey

Dangerous possibilities The world is full of ruthless, unpredictable industries, and none more so than the entertainment industry.

It would require a series of books to tell the stories of all of the artists (and others in the business) who have been wiped out, some due, at least in part, to their own attitudes and misdeeds.

Stars don’t come any hotter than Rihanna is right now. In fact, she is currently the most viewed artist on YouTube. But all that media coverage, combined with the array of shady characters any entertainer will encounter, can lead down a destructive path.

Rihanna

Larry Demps from the Dramatics, who dropped out of show business many years ago, said in that business “there's a snake under every rock.”

A bit of an exaggeration, but a point well taken.

“I don’t know Rihanna personally,” said Alicia Keys, “but its such a tricky, crazy business. Whose really loving you and making sure you’re okay? Everybody wants to make sure you’re okay when they can get something from you. But they don’t actually care. I hope Rihanna is surrounded by good people.”

Alicia Keys

It’s nice for an artist to be concerned about another, especially when there are no personal ties.

GOING OVER some of my notes from past conversations, I ran across something that made me chuckle, just as it did then.

It came from Maxine Powell, the famous lady who headed Motown’s finishing school that was part of Motown’s legendary and highly effective grooming department.

Mrs. Powell’s rather biting Maxine Powell comment was made in the mid-1980s, when Lionel Richie had soared to superstardom after leaving the Commodores.

“I didn’t have anyone like Lionel Richie,” she said. (Actually she said “Lionel Rich.”)

“Most of the ones I had were rude, crude and from the projects.”

She loved ’em, though The majority of the artists disliked the classes they were required to attend. Early on, Marvin Gaye complained, “I don’t need no charm school.”

But Diana Ross loved those classes, which comes as no surprise.

DON’T EXPECT Chris Brown and Drake to ever become “hangin’ buddies.” The wounds are still festering from that well-publicized brawl that took place last year in New York, involving Drake, Chris Brown and a bunch of guys who work for them.

From ghetto to glam superstar

By Jason Donovan

F

rom a career — and physical — standpoint, the years have been good to Mary J. Blige. When you look at her today, and tune in to what she has to say, in some respects it is hard to believe that this is the same lady who emerged in 1992 with an album titled “What’s the 411?” produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs.

Blige was from the Bronx, New York, from a background that would hardly be considered upscale. In fact, she was rough, a far cry from the glamorous, refined songstresses who were riding high on the charts during that period, including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Vanessa Williams.

Also, she had not graduated from high school. She always felt bad about that and so subsequently earned a GED in 2010. There had been substance abuse problems as well.

The plan was to capitalize on that raw edge, those hard-core “urban” roots.

In fact, Combs had decided that Blige would be marketed as “the Queen of Ghetto Love.”

But Andre Harrell, Uptown Records president/CEO, decided to compromise with something far less harsh and much more marketable, “the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.”

THE ALBUM was an immediate hit, yielding back-to-back No. 1 singles with “You Remind Me” and “Real Love.”

Early on, Mary J. Blige had an inclination to sing and write songs that were reflections of her feelings, her loves, her heartbreaks, etc.

By wearing her heart on her sleeve, so to speak, Blige formed a strong bond with thousands of women, primarily Black women, who could relate. Her stories were, in a sense, their stories, her tears were their tears, and her triumphs were their triumphs.

that clearly showed a scar on the left side of her face, most likely a reminder of a physical altercation from another time and place.

All of these albums were mega-sellers. However, eventually it got to the point where Blige was tired of the “victim stance,” no matter how many women related to it.

It was time to get her life together and that change of mindset, and the positive changes that followed, were reflected in the music. Hence, “No More Drama” was the perfect title for the next album, followed by “Love & Life.”

IRONICALLY, as Blige’s life

“Only God knows where the story ends for me, but I know where the story begins. It’s up to us to choose whether we win or lose, and I choose to win.” some cases “fan” might not be the appropriate word — wanted her to stay the way she was. Rather than get their own lives together, they preferred to continue to commiserate with “the heartache queen.”

“I’m one of them,” she said at the time. “You don’t know how many times people have told me that they’d been depressed and just wanted to die. But then a special song caught their ear and that helped give them renewed strength.

That’s the power music has.”

But that happen.

was coming together, and she was becoming increasingly glamorous — the public had become very much interested in what she was wearing at all times — some fans were somewhat disgruntled.

While she was getting off the “pity pot,” these fans — and in

Chris Brown

Drake

“I don’t want my name to be synonymous with that guy’s name,” said Drake. “I wish we could sit down and talk it out man to man, but that’s not going to happen.”

Then he added, “I’m not confrontational, but if someone challenges me, I’m not going to back down.”

Hmmm…not exactly an example of extending an olive branch!

JOSEPH JACKSON, patriarch of the Jackson family, is one person I would never have wanted to have business dealings with.

He has had a string of Joseph Jackson bad business ventures, including a soft drink, a brand of scotch and

See Reflections Page D-3

going

to

“The Breakthrough,” Mary J. Blige’s seventh album, was released in late 2005. It immediately rocketed to No. 1 on both the national R&B and Pop charts, selling a whopping 727,000 copies within the first week of its release.

NO SURPRISE, then, that her second album was titled “My Life” and the third, “Share My Life.”

The fourth, “Mary,” continued along those lines but was unique in the sense that, in keeping with her determination to “keep it real,” had a cover

wasn’t

By this time, incidentally, the public had become aware that one of Mary J. Blige’s biggest fans had become none other than Oprah Winfrey, queen in another realm of show business.

THAT ALBUM was followed by “Growing Pains” which came very close to equaling the sales of “Breakthrough.”

There was no turning back: “Stronger With Each Tear” was

See Mary J. Blige Page D-3

lifestyle Editor’s Note

EAT

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE “Won’t you be, won’t you be, my neighbor?” — Mr. Rogers Remember the days when everyone in the community got together to celebrate a special day? Well, I say it’s time to bring those days back.

As the weather warms up and our neighbors emerge from their homes to plant flowers and clean up the yard, I encourage each of you to go beyond the standard wave or nod.

This week make an effort to strike up a conversation or offer to pitch in on their outdoor project. Consider inviting

your neighbors to a potluck dinner, join (or start) a neighborhood association, organize a block party, or begin a book club or discussion group with your neighbors.

Ultimately the more neighbors we know, the more sets of eyes there are to help protect our property. Simply put, knowing your neighbors strengthens our broader community. It only takes a small step to get started, and the potential rewards are tremendous.

PLAY

June 26-July 2, 2013

Just Baked expands sweet offerings with Just Topped ship, Southgate and Troy

by June 24. Other stores, including Ann Arbor, Grosse Pointe, West Bloomfield and Royal Oak, will add Just Topped to its menus later this summer.

The Detroit store will offer $1 one-scoop ice cream cones on June 28 to celebrate the new product line.

All the best,

Rian J. Barnhill

Fun, food and music will highlight World Groove at Eastern Market, June 30

Page D-2

Ice cream is the perfect pairing with cake, so it’s a natural that Just Baked, metro Detroit’s specialty cupcake shop and bakery, would add it to its sweet menu. But Just Topped is all about the toppings.

Just Topped will feature all homemade toppings prepared by Just Baked such as four varieties of warm sauces (milk, dark, caramel and peanut butter) and 15 dry toppings including granola, brownie bits, cookie crumbles, cake pieces, samoa and shortbread.

“Just Topped is something we’ve been working on for a while and what makes it so special is that the ice cream is a vehicle for our yummy homemade toppings,” said Pam Turkin, founder and owner of Just Baked.

“There are endless combinations and customers are going to have a lot of fun creating their sundaes.”

Just Baked has teamed up with Royal Oak-based Ray’s Ice Cream to develop exclusive ice cream flavors for Just Topped such as red velvet, birthday cake and cookies and cream and white chocolate raspberry, as well as traditional vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and butter Since its founding in 2009, Just Baked, a spepecan. cialty cupcake shop and Launching first at Just bakery, has been has been Baked’s Detroit loca- serving up its sweet treats tion (719 Griswold in the exclusively to metro DeChrysler House) on June troit residents and visi17, Just Topped will roll tors at 17 retail locations out to additional locations throughout Southeast in Canton, Macomb Town- Michigan.

SHOP Summer Beauty Essentials

By Amber Bogins The Detroit Eastern Market will host its first World Groove at the Eastern Market Music Festival on Sunday, June 30, beginning at noon and ending at midnight. This event will feature an exciting cultural explosion of Caribbean music, cuisine and festivities as well as visual and performing arts.

A free Caribbean parade will kick off the World Groove at noon, beginning on Russell at I-375 and ending at Wilkins in front of the festival stage.

Parade participants in colorful and striking costumes, representing the various islands of the Caribbean, will be dancing

to the sound of calypso, soca, reggae, African, Haitian, Latin and steelband music.

Entertainment Line-up: • Noon — Caribbean parade • 1:00 p.m. — Gratitude Steel Band • 2:30 p.m. — Ras Kente & The Take No Prisoners Posse • 4:00 p.m. — Bombarica Puerto Rican Dance Troupe • 5:30 p.m. — Akoben • 7:00 p.m. — Dubtonic Kru • 8:30 p.m. — Indika Reggae Band • 10:30 p.m. — Universal

Expression Tickets are $10 per person or $25 per family and can be purchased online at the Detroit Eastern Market website, at the Friends of the Detroit Eastern Market booth in Shed 2 or at the Easter Market administration offices located at 2934 Russell. Individuals can also purchase a World Grove at Eastern Market T-shirt for $20 and receive a free admission ticket to the music festival.

For more information or to purchase a T-shirt or tickets, call 313.833.9300 or visit the Detroit Eastern Market Website at www.detroiteasternmarket.com.

Legendary George Benson perform with DSO at Meadow Brook, June 27 George Benson delivered an album he has literally been preparing for all his life, “Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole.”

At various points along the four-decade continuum of George Benson’s career, he has been heralded as an unparalleled jazz guitarist and a vocalist with great emotional range and sophistication.

However, he regards himself as an entertainer in the broadest sense of the word.

Legendary jazz guitarist and R&B singer George Benson, accompanied by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), has a jazzy evening in store with “Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole.”

The performance, presented by Meadow Brook Music Festival as part of its Belle Tire Concert Series, will take place on Thursday, June 27, at 8 p.m. at Meadow Brook located at 3554 Walton Blvd in Rochester Hills, Michigan. This concert is sponsored by Audi.

Nat King Cole broke barriers and literally changed the face of music.

Two decades later George Benson did the same by redefining the world of

jazz by garnering the first platinum jazz album in 1976. In the universe of masters and mentors, the torch has never been passed as impeccably as from Cole to Benson.

With Cole’s spellbinding voice and his unforgettable catalog of classic songs in the ’50s and ’60s, he paved the way for the level of tremendous international crossover success that dynamic ten-time Grammy winner Benson earned in the ’70s to the present.

The keys were ambition, accessibility, allaround quality and strict attention to the wants and desires of their audience. In honor of this,

“It’s a very simple equation,” the National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master says of the longevity of his career and the ten Grammy Awards that have punctuated it along the way. “In the end, it’s about the songs and the stories.

That’s what keeps the music fresh for me. That’s what keeps me coming back. If you come up with a great melody and put the right lyrics to it, I’m immediately excited.”

Tickets to see George Benson at Meadow Brook Music Festival range from $15 to $45. Tickets may be purchased at Ticketmaster by visiting ticketmaster.com. For group discount information (10 people or more), please contact Chuck Dyer at (313) 576-5130.

Summer is all about staying cool and looking fresh, and we believe maintaining healthy skin and hair is half the battle. Fresh, clean hair and skin is first priority for a beautiful, healthy summer glow.

In this week’s summer beauty guide we walk you through a morning routine with our Top 5 must-have beauty products for the season.

Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie This is a great product for the wash-ngo look. It’s a smoothie so that means it’s creamy but it’s lightweight. It leaves your hair soft and bouncy with defined, frizz-free curls.

Use the smoothie in addition to the Shea Mois- ture Coconut and Hibiscus shampoo for best results. The Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie is only $10 and available at Target stores.

Neutrogena Invigorating Foam Scrub Trust us, there will be no need for coffee because this little blue gel is the best way to energize yourself in the morning.

It has a blend of eye-opening eucalyptus extract and smooth, round micro beads that gently exfoliate your skin so that you can put your freshest face forward.

The Neutrogena Invigorating Foam Scrub is $6.49 and available at CVS stores.

Ambi Even & Clear Daily Moisturizer Now it’s time to get serious. The sun can be very harmful to your skin and it is essential to use an oil-free moisturizer with an SPF 30. Ambi Even & Clear Daily Moisturizer is just the product to meet this need.

Not only will your skin feel soft all day but you can rest easy that you are protected from the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays. The Ambi Even & Clear Daily Moisturizer is $10.49 and available at Target stores.

CoverGirl TruBlend Mineral Bronzer Do you love that sun-kissed glow but have no desire to sit out in the sun all day? Well we found the solution. Cover Girl Bronzer is the perfect way to add a touch of glow when you’re on the go. A light dusting across your forehead, nose and cheekbones and the mineral-based bronzer will catch the sun’s light and add a nice sparkle to your skin. The CoverGirl TrueBlend Mineral Bronzer is $7.99 at CVS stores.

CoverGirl Natureluxe Gloss Balm This softening moisturizer is by far our favorite lip wear. It glides on smoothly and provides a hint of color as well as a little shine. The Cover- Girl Natureluxe Gloss Balm is $6.49 and available at Target stores.

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

MOTOR CITY ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR

BEYONCE, The Palace of Auburn Hills, July 20. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone call 1.800.745.3000.

JUSTIN BIEBER, Joe Louis Arena, July 28. Tickets at Joe Louis box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 800.745.3000.

1.800.745.3000.

LAUGH FESTIVAL, Sound Board at Motor City Casino, Aug. 3, featuring Adele Givens, Tony Roberts, AJ Jamal, Lavelle Crawford and Jo Clair. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations and MotorCityCasino.com. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

CHENE PARK: B-52’s, Go-Gos, June 25; David Sanborn, Bob James, June 26; War, Three Dog Night, June 27; Anthony Hamilton, Fantasia, June 28; Spyro Gyra, Swing Out Sister, July 3; Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson, Howard Hewett, July 6; Ultimate White Party, July 7; Jonathan Butler, Sheila E., Alan Trotman, July 10; Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Anthony Hamilton Rachelle Ferrell, July 13; SOS Band, Rose Royce, July 17; Brian Culbertson, Kimmie Horne, July 24; Tyrese, Ginuwine, Tank, July 28; Rahsaan Patterson, Kindred & the Family Soul, July 31; D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Aug. 4; Will Downing, Maurissa Rose, Aug. 7; Ramsey Lewis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Aug. 14; Toni Braxton, Aug. 17; Sergio Mendes, Aug. 21; Michael McDonald, Toto, Beyoncé Aug. 25. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000. Visit www.cheneparkdetroit.com.

BILL COSBY, Orchestra Hall, Saturday, June 29, two shows, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. For tickets, visit dso.org or call 313.576.5111.

DETROIT PARADISE Valley Jay-Z Music Festival, featuring Ronnie Laws and Tom Browne, Paradise Valley Park (formerly Harmonie Park), July 19-21.

For more information, visit DPVMFestival. com or call 1.800.794.7503.

HERBIE HANCOCK, Sound Board at Motor City Casino, Oct. 10. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations and MotorCityCasino.com. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

JAY-Z, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, Ford Field, Aug. 6. Tickets sold at Ford Field box office and and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone call 1.800.745.3000.

KID ROCK, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Aug. 9-19. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone call

LIL WAYNE, Joe Louis Arena, Aug. 9. Tickets at Joe Louis box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 800.745.3000.

SAM LOGAN MICHIGAN CHRONICLE GOLF TOURNAMENT SATURDAY • JULY 27, 2013 At

Rouge Golf Course

GOLF COURSE

11701 Burt Rd, Detroit, MI 48228 Rob Johnson, Course General Manager

DIANA ROSS, Sound Board at Motor City Casino, Aug. 25.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations and MotorCityCasino. com. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

DARIUS RUCKER, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Sunday, June 30. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone call 1.800.745.3000.

MITCH RYDER, Royal Oak Music Theatre, Aug. 15. For ticket information visit royaloakmusictheatre.com.

JILL SCOTT, Fox Theatre, July 12. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

STEELY DAN, Fox Theatre, July 27. Fox Theatre, May 4. Tickets sold at all Ticketmaster locations and the Fox Theatre box office. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

WAYANS BROTHERS, Sound Board at Motor City Casino, Sept. 26. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations and MotorCityCasino.com. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

4 FLIGHTS CHAMPIONSHIP, 1ST 2ND, & 3RD Golf Cart, Refreshments, Etc.

“OLDIES AND MORE” BYOB parties for older adults, St. George Cathedral Cultural Center, 18405 W. Nine Mile Road, Friday, June 28, July 26, Aug. 9, Aug. 23, Sept. 13, Sept. 27. Call Bobby Green at 313.530.2933 for more information.

SENIOR MUST BE 62 & OLDER SUPER SENIOR 70 UP

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From page D-1

released in 2009 and “My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act 1)” in 2011.

Sales remained solid and consistent.

Bad All By Myself” (2009), “30 Rock” (2009) and “Rock of Ages” (2012).

She also portrayed Betty Shabazz, wife of Malcolm X, in the Lifetime movie “Betty and Coretta.”

Mary J. Blige had long since been elevated to superstardom.

BY 1998, Blige had decided that she wanted to try her hand at acting and did so on “The Jamie

29TH ANNUAL

BRUNO MARS, The Palace of Auburn Hills, July 11. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone call 1.800.745.3000.

Mary J. Blige

As for her personal philosophy by this time, it could be summed up in her “declaration” statement: “Only God knows where the story ends for me, but I know where the story begins. It’s up to us to choose whether we win or lose, and I choose to win.”

June 26 - July 2, 2013 Page D-3

She had been set to portray Nina Simone in a biopic on the iconic and enigmatic singer, but she later dropped out and was replaced by Zoe Saldana.

Foxx Show,” portraying a preacher’s daughter who wanted to sing more than gospel. Interestingly, Ron Isley played her father.

Other TV and film credits include “Ghost Whisperer” (2007), “I Can Do

Reflections a record company.

And as for his management skills, he may have been good for his sons in the early days, but it’s easy to see why his kids (including Janet) cut ties with their father once they were old enough and established enough to do so.

One of the worst things Joe Jackson has ever done was announcing (on camera) that he was starting a new record label and was interested in signing Michael Jackson’s kids — and Michael had just died days before!

However, that doesn’t stop yours truly from hoping that Mr. Jackson is fighting a winning battle following his severe 2012 health challenge.

GREAT QUOTE from tennis icon Serena Williams: “There’s always something you have to give up for success.

Everything comes at a cost. What are you willing to pay?”

It’s interesting how certain movies can seem great, or at least very good, at the time of their release, but many years later come up short.

I recently watched “Lady Sings the Blues” on television and rented “Purple Rain,” and the flaws were so clear.

One of the problems with “Lady Sings the Blues,” in addition to some cornball dialogue and several examples of overacting, Diana Ross never really seemed like Billie Holiday.

Sorry to hear about Lenny Kravitz not being received well at the recent Country Music Association Music Festival in Nashville, but why would a rock star appear at a country event in the first place?

Mary J. Blige, who is among those who keep R&B alive, has a life and career that have been a series of “breakthroughs” with, in all probability, more to come.

Steve Holsey contributed to this story.

From page D-1 Patti LaBelle says her marriage to educator Armstead Edwards lasted for so long (30 years) because they were so different. LaBelle quipped at mid-marriage point, “He thinks I’m crazy and he’s such a square.”

No explanation was given as to why they eventually divorced. Perhaps “opposites attract” turned into “opposites can get on each other’s nerves.” Or maybe the marriage just ran its course.

That can happen.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that the Isley Brothers’ big hit from 1973, “That Lady,” was originally recorded in 1964 as “Who’s That Lady?”

MEMORIES: “Gloria” (Enchantment), “Grazing in the Grass” (the Friends of Distinction), “Make Me the Woman That You Go Home To” (Gladys Knight & the Pips), “Got To Be There” (Michael Jackson), “Muscles” (Diana Ross), “Reelin’ in the Years” (Steely Dan), “It’s Growing” (the Temptations), “Shake” (Sam Cooke), “A Little Bit More” (Melba Moore with Freddie Jackson), “Ecstasy” (the Ohio Players).

BLESSINGS to Frankie Darcell, Michael “Tiger” Price, Deborah Smith Pollard, Montez Miller, Greg Mitchell, Alisa Giddens, Greg Giddens, Duane Parham, Jill Day-Foley and Aaron Foley.

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Dr. Wayne Dyer: “If you feel it and it harms no one, it is authentic.”

Let the music play!

Steve Holsey can be reached at Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR AND SHOWTIMES STARTS WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 THEATERS DOWNLOAD THE MINION RUSH GAME NOW!

Classified

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE ANNOUNCEMENTS

PERSONAL SERVICES

The 7th Daughter without asking you a single word. I will tell you what you want to know. Tell your present, past and future. Tell you who your friends and enemies are.

Why you’re so unlucky. If your loved one is true or false.I will advise you all problems of life, such as love, marriage, business and health, etc. Why suffer, you can be free from all troubles. I guarantee Sucess where others failed. I am superior to any other reader you have seen.

Don’t let distance keep you away from Health and Happiness. Hrs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily and Sunday.

before the City Council of Detroit. Advertisements for bids and contracts for purchases by the City of Detroit appear daily in the Detroit Legal News.

Copies are available at the City County Bldg. and at 2001 W. Lafayette, Detroit.

Blessed Be! I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING WITHOUT YOU TELLING ME ANYTHING!

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SUBURBAN MOBILITY AUTHORITY FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION (SMART)

ADOPTION ADOPTION: DEVOTED FAMILY PROMISES TO cherish your child unconditionally. Financially secure; expenses paid. Your child is already loved in our hearts!

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www.broharrisrootman.com LOUISIANA ROOTMAN FIXER I don’t care what your problem maybe I’ll Fix It!!

HEALTH LOVE MONEY ETC. HELP IS HERE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NOTICE OF HEARINGS REGARDING MATTERS TO COME

MRS. LINN

BORN GIFTED READER

June 26 - July 2, 2013

A HAPPILY MARRIED COUPLE

(SHE-38/HE-41) seek adoption. Will be F/T MOM, Prof Dad. Financially secure. Warm and loving home. Expenses paid.

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June is Black Music History Month

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Service Reductions Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing has been scheduled to consider the following proposals to modify service on the following routes: Route 740 12 Mile Road: Split Route at Royal Oak Transit Center creating two distinct routes.

Route 760 13/14 Mile Road: Split Route at Oakland Mall creating two distinct routes.

Route 780 15 Mile Road: Split Route at Oakland Mall creating two distinct routes.

Date and Time: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM

THIS CLASSIFIED SPOT FOR SALE! ADVERTISE your product or recruit an applicant in more than 100 Michigan newspapers! Only $299/week.

Call this paper of 800-227-7636 www.cnaads.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EDUCATION

PUBLIC NOTICE

MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES NEEDED!

DETROIT EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS CORPORATION A Michigan Works! Agency, in cooperation with the DETROIT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS DEMAND-DRIVEN TRAINING THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF EMPLOYMENT The Detroit Workforce Development Board (DWDB), in partnership with the local Chief Elected Official, is directly responsible and accountable to the Workforce Development Agency, State of Michigan (WDASOM) for the planning and oversight of all workforce training and services in the workforce development area.

Train to become a Medical Office Assistant. NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training gets you Job ready ASAP HS Diploma/GED & PC/ Internet needed!

1-877-253-6495

Location: Royal Oak Transit Center 202 Sherman Drive Royal Oak, Michigan An interpreter for the hearing impaired will be made available if SMART is contacted seven (7) days prior to the public hearing.

Comments will also be accepted by telephone via Michigan Relay: 711/866-962-5515 option #2.

For those unable to attend the meetings, written comments will be accepted through July 22, 2013. Written comments should be addressed to “Public Hearing” and mailed to SMART Administrative Offices, 535 Griswold Street, Suite 600, Detroit, MI 48226. Comments may also be emailed to PublicHearing@smartbus.org.

Additional information will be posted on SMART’s website www.

Smartbus.org or you may call SMART Fixed Route and General Information at (866) 962-5515.

The contract period will be August 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

The contracts for Demand- Driven Training will operate with funds from the Title 1 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and other sources of funds that may become available.

DWSD LOCAL CONTRACTS SECTION 00030

ADVERTISEMENT

DESC reserves the right to waive any irregularities in any bid or to reject any or all bids, should it be deemed in its best interest.

DESC, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, does not discriminate in employment or in the provision of services based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, height, weight, genetic information, marital status, arrest without conviction, political affiliation or belief, and for beneficiaries only, citizenship or participation in any federally assisted program or activity.

Auxiliary aids and services will be made available upon request to individuals with disabilities (TTY Number: 1-800-649-3777). Information contained in this document will be made available in alternative format upon written request to DESC. DAVE BING, MAYOR DAVID BAKER LEWIS, ESQ., DWDB CHAIRMAN CALVIN SHARP, DESC BOARD CHAIRMAN PAMELA J. MOORE, DESC PRESIDENT/CEO JOSE REYES, DESC CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER/PROGRAM FUNDED BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, STATE OF MICHIGAN AUXILIARY AIDS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST TO INDIVIDUALS

WAYNE COUNTY HEALTH COMMUNITY NURSE PRACTITIONER DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH The WCHC FQHC Nurse Practitioner reports to and assists the Medical Director in managing andjiLcilitaling !he assurance that the FQHC’s clinical measures are being met.

Mus/ possess a Nurse Practitioner Specialty Certificate by the State of Michigan. Two years of primary care! pediatrics experience desired. Possess a current Basic Cardiac Life Support certification or obtain certification within six months of hire.

Send Resume and cover letter by July 31, 2013 to Southeastern Michigan Health Associates (SEMH) 3011 W. Grand Blvd.

200 Fisher Building, Detroit, MI 48202 Att: Jody Connolly

Institute for Population Health, Inc. (IPH) is seeking a firm that is creative and innovative which will provide media to increase public awareness about the prevention of communicable diseases and immunizations. Also, the importance of nutrition through the Woman’s Infant and Children’s Food Supplement Program (WIC).

2. Project Description - The Work, Upsizing the Rochester Pump Station Suction Line, Contract No. DWS-893, includes, but is not necessarily limited to installation of 100 linear feet of 42-inch water main and a 36 inch x 96 inch tapping sleeve and valve on the existing 96 inch water main at Rochester Pump Station as shown on the contract drawings and as specified herewith.

Sealed bids are due on July 9, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. Bids will be opened on July 10, 2013 at the Institute for Population Health, (IPH) at 10:00 am at 1151 Taylor, Room 346-C, Detroit, Michigan 48202.

The site is located as follows: Rochester Pump Station located at 2851 E. 24 Mile Road, Rochester, Michigan.

qObituaries q

Bidding Documents wi ll be shipped only if the requesting party assumes responsibi lity for all related charges.

DESC shall not extend the due date for bids on the basis that the U. S. Postal Service or another mail courier has lost or failed to deliver the bid. DESC is not responsible for bids delivered to the wrong location. Faxed or emailed bids will not be accepted. Bids received late will be returned unopened.

Learn more about career opportunities at our Company Overview session. Join Us on June 29th at 9:30am at the Holiday Inn (Metro-Detroit Airport) 8400 Merriman Rd Romulus MI. Admission is free. Training provided for qualified candidates. Call Kim Wright-Windom Office: 734-331-0379

Copies of the Request for Qualifications is available. Interested vendors should e-mail their interest to the following e-mail address: gdaniels@ipophealth.org. In the subject box, state: Request for Qualifications. The proposal will be e-mailed to you.

Reservations for the Pre-Proposal Bidder’s Conference are requested by Thursday, June 27,2013, 12:00 p.m. Please RSVP by contacting Kourtney Neloms via e-mail, kneloms@detempsol.org.

Sealed bids must be received at the DESC’s Planning Unit, 707 W. Milwaukee – Second Floor, Detroit, Michigan 48202, no later than Monday, July 9, 2013, 4:00 p.m. Each vendor is responsible for ensuring that its bid is received by DESC on a timely basis. Late bids will not be accepted. A public opening of proposals will be held July 10, 2013 at 9 a.m. at the above address.

NMCFS is looking for energetic, self-motivated, coachable individuals with excellent communication skills and customer service orientation. If you are focused on results and have the ability to be a key player in the multi-million Metro Detroit territory, we want to meet you.

1. Bids - The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSDJ will receive sealed Bids for the Work delivered to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department,Contracts and Grants Division, Rm. #1510, Detroit, Michigan 48226,untiI 2:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on Thursday, J uly 25, 2013, when all Bids duly received will be opened publicly and read aloud.

Bidders should arrive in a timely manner.

3. Bidding Documents - Beginning Friday, June 28, 2013, Sets of Bidding Documents may be obtained from the DWSD Contracts Section, 1504 Water Board Building, 735 Randolph, Detroit, Ml 48226 on Business Days between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:30P.M. Copies may be obtained upon the payment of $100.00 per set, in the form of a certified or cashier’s check made payable to the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners (which will not be refunded).

All DESC Bid Packages will be sent via email only. Bid packages will not be available for hardcopy pickup and will not be mailed by U.S. mail. Requests for the RFP package may be emailed to Robert Shimkoski, Jr., Manager – Planning Unit at rshimkoski@detempsol.org.

In order to receive an RFP package, qualified vendors must submit the following information via email: company name, address, office phone number, fax number, contact person’s name, and valid email address.

Senior SOX Analyst General Motors Co. seek a Senior SOX Analyst for its Detroit, MI facility, to monitor and enhance the workflow and internal controls of the Global (Sarbanes - Oxley) SOX Program; analyze quantitative data or complex problems of various types; develop new methods of analysis, select methods of data presentation (charts, diagrams, graphs); work with internal GM organizations, internal audit, external auditors on various accounting, reporting and internal control matters, among other duties. Min. BS and 2 yrs experience.

Please send resumes to: GM Co., Resume Processing, Ref. # 4141215, 300 Renaissance Center, Mail Code 482C32-D46, Detroit, MI 48265-3000

Institute for Population Health, Inc. (IPH) Attn: Media and Public Relation Firms

A Pre-Proposal Bidder’s Conference is scheduled for Friday, June 28, 2013, 3:00 p.m. at: Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation A Michigan Works! Agency 707 W. Milwaukee—First Floor Orientation Room Detroit, Michigan, 48202.

ALL questions must be submitted in writing via email to rshimkoski@ detempsol.org no later than Thursday, June 27, 2013, 12:00 p.m.

HELP WANTED

EOE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Effective July 1, 2012, the Chief Elected Official, the Detroit Workforce Development Board, and Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) became parties to a Governance Agreement dated June 28, 2012 pursuant to which DESC became the depository and primary administrative and fiscal agent for workforce development funds available to the Board for use and disbursement in the local workforce development area.

DESC is seeking one to three training providers to provide work readiness, literacy skills, and Career Education Consumer Report approved demand-driven training that will help eligible individuals overcome barriers to academic and employment success. DESC’s goal is to provide a comprehensive program that places WIA-eligible participants into employment through the provision of work readiness, literacy skills and training in high-growth, high-demand sectors. This goal is to be met through the provision of a wide array of offerings to customers that (1) are unable to obtain or retain a job through WIA core and intensive services alone, (2) deemed eligible for participation through the DESC One-Stop Career Centers, and (3) will choose a training program directly linked to demand-driven employment opportunities in Detroit or the surrounding metropolitan area.

Page D-4

Halbert Vernon Tillman, Jr.

4. Bid Security - Each Bid shall enclose Bid Security, as specified in the Instructions to Bidders (and Section 00310,Bid Bond), in the amount of five percent (5%) of the Bidder’s Bid. 5. Pre-Bid Conference and Site Tour- A pre-bid conference will be held at the Water Board Building, Room 1606, 735 Randolph, Detroit, Ml 48226, on Monday, July 15, 2013 at 2:00PM, Eastern Standard Time. For information on the pre-bid conference call Daniel Edwards at (313) 964-9471. A site tour will be held on Monday, July 15, 2013 at 10:00 AM. Eastern Standard Time. For information on the site tour, call Larry Witt at (313) 267-4861. Addenda may be issued, in response to issues raised at the pre-bid conference or as the DWSO and/ or Contracting Officer may otherwise consider necessary.

6. Local Contracting Requirements - Local requirements applicable to this contract are reproduced in thei r entirety and available for review on the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s website: www.dw sd.org. Potential Bidders are specifically directed to review requirements of this contract before submitting their bid. Note: Prevailing Wage Rates must be updated and paid each year by the contractor and subcontractors for the duration of the contract.

7. Contract Times - The Contract Times are specified in Exhibit A, Genera l Description of Work and Project. The associated liquidated damages are specified in Article IV, Paragraph 4.02 of the Agreement.

8. Award - Subject to any agreed extension of the period for holding Bids, Bids shall be open for acceptance by the DWSD for 180 days after the date of Bid opening. In addition, the DWSD expressly reserves the right to reject any or all Bids, waive any non-conformances, to issue post-BidAddenda and re­Bid the Work without readvertising, to re-advertise for Bids, to withhold the award for any reason the DWSD determines and/or to take any other appropriate action.

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Halbert Vernon Tillman, Jr. was born to the union of Halbert V. Tillman, Sr. of Carlisle, Arkansas, and Cora (Williams) Tillman of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

His parents migrated to Detroit from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Augusta, Georgia, respectively. His father was a Mason, a Shriner and retired from Ford Motor Company. His mother, an Eastern Star, was a beautician.

Halbert received the Lord at an early age while attending services at St. Stephens African Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit. As a young boy he joined the WestSiders’ Boy Scouts, Cub Pack. He attended McMichael Intermediate School and graduated from Northwestern High School. He was captain of the track team, winning the City Championship in 1947 and inducted into Northwestern High School’s Hall of Fame.

He attended Western Michigan University, majoring in biology and physics. He was a member WMU’s Kappa Alpha Psi, Gamma Beta Chapter.

After college he joined the United States Army 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Far East Command. While deployed in the Korean War, he ran track for the U.S. Army. He won the 100-yard dash at the Tokyo Conference on June 6, 1953.

He was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States James Europe Post 2233. He was also a member of Detroit WestSiders. He retired from the United States Postal Service.

While enlisted, he met and married the loving Emma (Smith) Tillman. Four children were born of this union.

Halbert leaves to mourn his daughters, Veronika Fimbres, Vicki Tillman and Elena Tillman; grandchildren, Paul Patterson, Jada Patterson, Valencia Tillman and Marcus McNutt; and two nieces, Regina Jones and Cora (Jones) Williams. His sons, Vincent Tillman and Mark Tillman, and sister, Haroldine Jones, preceded him in death.

Mr. Halbert Vernon Tillman, Jr. will be buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery with military funeral honors to veterans, “Honoring Those Who Served.”

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

STAR CHART (June 21 – July 22)

Naomi Demps celebrated her 105fith birthday June 25, 2013.

Ruling Planet: The (ever-changing) Moon Element: Water

Ms. Demps was born in Havana Florida on June 25, l908. She was the ninth child born of 10 children. Her father was the late Rev. William H Haygood.

Ms. Demps, accepted Jesus at an early age and was taught by her parents to love everyone and God with all their heart.

Quality: Cardinal Mission: Domestic Bliss Famous Cancers: Jaden Smith, Thurgood Marshall, Forest Whitaker, Bill Cosby and 50 Cent.

Cancer, this month you will look within and examine your emotions and motivations.

Try to write down your thoughts in a journal to find out what may be the root of your fears. This may not be a comfortable process, but you will benefit from some soul searching or talking it out. Pluto, opposite your sign, will continue to bring chaos and transformation regarding your relationships. Career matters will be unpredictable again this month.

Cancer Weekly Horoscope You’ll have to deliberately change your course of action due to the conflicting opinions. You’ll find yourself the meat in the sandwich, so to speak, which requires you to stick to your own agenda rather than following other people’s whims.

Love probability: 56% Lucky Numbers: 35, 47, 21, 15, 12, 23

Leo Weekly Horoscope The finer workings of your game plan roll along smoothly and probably get taken for granted if you don’t take extra effort to notice them. Cooperation is a given, and if you give it you will get it. No blame, no strain, no pain. Mutual pats on the back let everyone know that all is in sync, so give them freely.

Love probability: 99% Lucky Numbers: 35, 18, 9, 38, 12, 21

Virgo Weekly Horoscope You’re possibly being a little idealistic this week and your imagination could be projecting things that aren’t there. You need to be very careful not to deceive yourself or be duped by others. Be a little more perceptible and not so gullible.

Love probability: 5% Lucky Numbers: 28, 10, 26, 17, 30, 48

Libra Weekly Horoscope Confidence and inner harmony prevail.

You can move forward with creative projects and express yourself more easily and comfortably now. Your efforts will be well received at this time.

Love probability: 60% Lucky Numbers: 4, 16, 7, 22, 15, 20

Scorpio Weekly Horoscope This is the time that is closest to the “pits.”

Most likely time to catch cold, get overlooked, find yourself ignored. Energy is low and efforts are more ineffectual than usual.

Either push twice as hard or take the day off and wait for improvement. You’ll be back in style faster than you think.

Love probability: 21% Lucky Numbers: 1, 41, 4, 49, 22, 25

Sagittarius Weekly Horoscope This is a time when those around you can give you support and acknowledgement.

You feel at peace with others due to open communication. The support you need is there, you may just have to ask for it, but taking no risks will result in nothing gained.

Love probability: 80% Lucky Numbers: 15, 46, 28, 2, 26, 33

Bill Cosby

Capricorn Weekly Horoscope

This is an excellent time to create a cooperative attitude with your coworkers, employers or employees, depending on your status. You may have to play peacemaker or matchmaker at this time and bring people together. This will bring a sense of satisfaction as well as a relief from any tension that has precipitated your involvement.

Love probability: 93% Lucky Numbers: 37, 18, 43, 34, 15, 20

Aquarius Weekly Horoscope Recent events are likely to bring some minor changes in your everyday activities.

Women are apt to play an active role in personal affairs or new acquaintances may enter your life. You may decide to alter conditions of your living quarters, consider new occupational offers or make travel plans for the near future.

Love probability: 87% Lucky Numbers: 10, 1, 33, 19, 27, 17

Pisces Weekly Horoscope Something you’ve awaited can now be successful. You’ve worked hard and played just as hard as well, and in any case you can start to reap the benefits of your efforts and the investment of the past few months.

Take care of yourself. There’s also a need for relaxation and time out from the daily grind.

Love probability: 48% Lucky Numbers: 40, 36, 14, 27, 32, 20

Aries Weekly Horoscope Emotional outbursts may be unleashed against those whom you feel are trying either to dominate you or to create changes that are upsetting to your environment. Although these changes will be necessary in the scheme of things, you will find it difficult adjusting to them.

Love probability: 56% Lucky Numbers: 2, 39, 24, 13, 5, 4

Taurus Weekly Horoscope Being obsessive about relationships is what scares people away. Either you or someone you’re involved with is becoming particularly demanding or probing. Sometimes it’s best to step away and not entangle yourself in these sorts of mental dilemmas.

Sure, relationships should be serious but they should also be fun and relaxed and based on trust.

Ms. Demps was married to the late Hezekiah Demps. She moved to Detroit in 1969 and worked as a housekeeper at a hotel. She became a resident at Omni Continuing Care Facility in 2001.

She enjoys gospel music and Bible reading. She is a member of Beulah First Missionary Baptist Church.

We all scream – for the winning Pure Michigan ice cream flavor Pure Michigan, Hudsonville Ice Cream and Detroit Tigers unveil winning flavor

Pure Michigan, Hudsonville Ice Cream and the Detroit Tigers kicked off the official start of summer by announcing Pure Michigan Double Berry Pie as Michigan’s next great ice cream flavor at tonight’s Tigers home game at Comerica Park.

The winning flavor features vanilla ice cream and swirls of blueberries and strawberries surrounded by real pie crust pieces. The flavor was submitted by Linda Ann Stewart of Taylor, Michigan, who drew her inspiration from Michigan lighthouses. Stewart described the flavor as “rays of blueberry and strawberry,” with the pie crust pieces representing golden sand around the state’s lighthouses.

“We love partnering with Pure Michigan and this year’s flavor competition has been no exception,” said Caryn Beatty of Hudsonville Ice Cream. “We received an overwhelming number of Michigan inspired ideas that highlighted Michiganders’ great pride for their state.

Linda Ann’s combination of fresh produce was a unique entry that wonderfully embodies the taste of Pure Michigan.”

“Pairing Hudsonville ice cream with Michigan blueberries and strawberries is a great way to get a taste of Pure Michigan agriculture,” said Jamie Clover Adams, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director.

“With June being dairy month, and the kick-off of Michigan’s fresh fruit season, I thank MEDC and Hudsonville for their ongoing support of the state’s food and agriculture industry.”

In addition to winning a two night stay at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, a year’s supply of Hudsonville ice cream and Pure Michigan merchandise, Stewart and her family were invited to throw out the first pitch prior to tonight’s game between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox.

The District’s series of youth summer camps will run from July until the end of August on its five campuses, and are structured to stimulate creativity, expand students’ interests, and provide a unique and fun learning experience on a college campus.

The camps emphasize hands-on learning and focus on programs ranging from sports, college prep, the performing and traditional arts, reading and writing, science and math, game design and computer technology, and more.

Provided below are some of the featured camps conducted by WCCCD. Camp College for Kids!

(July 1-5, July 8-25): Taking place at the Western

“Enjoying a Hudsonville Ice Cream during the summer months is a natural for Tigers fans and part of the Comerica Park experience,” said Steve Harms, Tigers’ Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “The Pure Michigan Double Berry Pie flavor is certain to be a hit.”

More than 7,000 flavor suggestions were submitted during the course of the two weeks to determine the next great Pure Michigan ice cream flavor. Other flavors submitted included Michigan Chardonnay Cherry Fudge, Pure Maple Syrup Sunday and Pictured Rocks Swirl. Pure Michigan Double Berry Pie was chosen as the winning flavor

by Hudsonville based on its inclusion of Michigan produce and unique flavor combination.

“This flavor speaks to the spirit of Pure Michigan we wanted to tap into with this contest – from highlighting our vast agricultural offerings to drawing on our shoreline and natural beauty for inspiration,” said George Zimmermann, vice president of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “This is an engaging and fun way to celebrate Pure Michigan as America’s perfect summer destination.”

Pure Michigan Double Berry Pie will be available as a limited edition flavor in grocery stores beginning in October, 2013.

Pure Michigan is a brand on the rise, representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead agency for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

Love probability: 18% Lucky Numbers: 4, 26, 35, 21, 46, 34

Gemini Weekly Horoscope Don’t worry about those around you. They can take care of themselves. Focus your energies solving your own dilemmas, and don’t hesitate to consult those close to you when the quandaries before you seem to be irreparable. People can provide you with information that would not have discovered on your own.

IN MEMORIAM

In Loving Memory of

Love probability: 76% Lucky Numbers: 21, 17, 7, 15, 20, 6

WCCCD camps provide summer fun while inspiring creativity, learning and confidence A wide variety of summer learning experiences await children ages 4-18 years at Wayne County Community College District.

Page D-5

Celebrating a century and beyond

Cancer Symbol: The Crab

June 26-July 2, 2013

Campus, “Camp College for Kids!” features a oneweek camp that runs from July 1-5 (M,T,W,F) and a three-week camp that runs from July 8-25 (M,T,W,R).

Activities include fencing, forensic photography, lego robotics, mini soccer, video game design, and more.

Camp 911 (August 12 – August 16): Taking place at the Downriver Campus’ emergency training complex, campers will learn about careers in EMS and Firefighter Services, and first aid skills.

Children will also learn the basic terminology and skills needed to an entrepreneur.

STEM Camp (June 24 – June 28): Located on WCCCD’s Northwest Campus, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Match camp builds knowledge while encouraging teamwork and creativity.

Your child can learn, create and innovate in a hands-on environment, while building a strong STEM foundation using tools like the LEGO® Mindstorm.

Campers will have the opportunity to participate in drills on the District’s small fire simulator.

Camp fees vary and each program requires a minimum number or participants.

Entrepreneurship Camp (August 12 - August 16): Taking place at the Downtown Campus, campers will explore entrepreneurial opportunities and learn about successful entrepreneurs and the journey they traveled to success.

Your child or children will benefit greatly from these summer camps.

For a complete catalog of summer programs, visit www.wcccd.edu You may also call the District School of Continuing Education at 313496-2704.

Edward Lawrence

November 5, 1947 - June 15, 2011 Dear Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Cousin and Friend.

Many Thanks to God and our parents for giving us life. Our destiny was decided by God at the time we were born.

What a difference one single life made. Thank you dear husband for filling my life with laughter, excitment, Love and Tender moments such beautiful memories.

You touched the heart of all who knew you Until we meet again. Love: Val, Kyle, Scott, EJ, Brenda, Sheila, and your loving family.

IN MEMORIAM

Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • June 26 - July 2, 2013

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