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Volume 79 – Number 12

December 2-8, 2015

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Ron Scott, one of Detroit’s most enduring warriors

WHAT’S INSIDE Detroit plans to increase police pay (Page A-3) New contracts will provide a 4 percent across-theboard pay raise and starting pay will increase from $31,700 to $36,000.

By Herb Boyd SPECIAL TO THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Let us hope that a few of these pages are set aside to pay tribute to a fallen warrior—Ron Scott. I was informed, two days after Black Friday, that this noted Detroit activist had joined the ancestors. He was only 68, and a good number of those vital years were devoted to fighting against injustices. He always found a place on the ramparts.

Palmer Woods Holiday Tour (Page B-1) Some of the city’s most magnificent homes in Palmer Woods will be open for public viewing on Dec. 5. There will also be music, food and entertainment.

Jury pool should be increased (Page B-4) State Rep. Brian Banks has introduced House Bills 4406 and 4407 to modify how the jury pool list is created in Michigan.

By expanding the lists, juries will better reflect their communities.

Michigan Black Chamber celebrates neighborhood initiative (Page C-1) Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce President/ CEO Ken Harris unveiled the first Neighborhood Business Directory on Tuesday.

The holiday music we enjoy every year (Page D-1) It is difficult to imagine the holiday season without hearing such perennial favorites as Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” Nat “King” Cole’s “The Christmas Song” and the Temptations’ “Silent Night.”

Two children walk down Cass Ave in front of construction of the new Red Wings arena in Detroit.

Photo Credits: Paul Warner

What about the neighborhoods?

The Detroit bankruptcy one year later

By Keith A. Owens SENIOR EDITOR

Once upon a time, Detroit was about as close to a workingman’s paradise as ever there was in America. Understanding, of course, that there is a rather large gap between a workingman’s paradise and the popular imagining of that other place where everything comes up rainbows and all frowning is banned.

The racism was intense and brutal, the working conditions in the factories were far from ideal, particularly for those workers whose skin color was noticeably darker than their coworkers, and the homes they returned to after hours of exhausting labor were, in many instances, far less than ideal. But compared to where they came from, Detroit was the chance many thought they would never have in life. And Detroit did, in fact, become known as the city with the highest rate of homeownership of any other city – for African Americans as well as in general. In 1950, Detroit was also the fifth largest city in the country with the highest per capita income.

This combination of home ownership and high rates of employment, plus the growth of small neighborhood businesses, led to relatively stable neighborhoods, even if those neighborhoods were starkly segregated based on class and race.

It wasn’t perfect by any means, but at least it offered a foundation on which to build community.

But then came the nearly 20-year-long perfect storm which began in the early 1950s, a

storm fueled by urban removal, white flight, the decline of the auto industry, and the cause/ aftermath of the 1967 riot/ rebellion.

It is the ongoing devastation set in motion by that storm that set Detroit on a course that eventually wound up Lester Porter (L) and Dan the in emergency Man, both homeless, wait down m a n a g e m e n t the street from the Tumani and then bankCenter on Third St. in the Cass ruptcy. It is also what lit Corridor for food. the match that set fire to the stability of many Detroit neighborhoods. Detroit had been known as a city of neighborhoods, but by the time the city filed for bankruptcy on July 18, 2013, an entirely different reality had taken hold and far too many of those neighborhoods were either devastated wastelands or barely hanging on by a thread. Laura Gottesdiener, author of “A Dream Foreclosed”, wrote a blog post entitled “Two Detroits, Separate and Unequal” in the Huffington Post on Nov. 17, 2014, which stated the following: “But the future of the rest of the sprawling

Ron was a teenager when I first met him on the campus of Wayne State University. At such an early age, he seemed to have already put in more than his share of hours of struggle. I tried to induce him into the classroom (he finally agreed), but Ron Scott only to lecture my students on the need for them to become community activists. He needed no degree to teach.

From that moment in the late sixties, to his final breath on Sunday, I’ve read, Ron was still fighting the good fight, still unsatisfied with a status quo that he did battle with throughout his days with us.

During his last visit this year with me in Harlem, I joked that he was the last man standing, one of the few remaining stalwarts of the Detroit wars who still possessed the energy and interest to be on the front lines. From afar, I had learned of his commitment that gained traction in those halcyon days of the Black Panther Party and the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, down to the current Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, that he co-founded.

Whenever I returned to the city, invariably, some way or another, Ron and I had a moment together. Three years ago it was at the Socialists Conference; two years ago he led a march through downtown Detroit, still incensed by the senseless murder of Aiyana Jones. Last year, I bumped into him at a party in Indian Village and he promised to contact me when he came to New York City. He kept his promise and we met at a vegan restaurant with one of his young comrades in tow. He was still the mentor, still the teacher.

There may have been several physical changes about him, but his political outlook was still as sharply focused as ever, and we discussed the possibility of his writing an afterword in a book I was working on. He rattled off a number of things and contacts that might be helpful in the completion of the

See NEIGHBORHOODS page A-4

See RON

SCOTT page A-4

DTE Energy to receive Company of the Year at Legacy in Motion Gala Michigan Chronicle Staff Reports

The Michigan Chronicle recently announced DTE Energy will be honored as Company of the Year at this year’s signature event, the Legacy in Motion Newsmaker’s Gala, on Thursday, Dec. 10, at the Garden Theater in Detroit. DTE Energy will be recognized for its continuous support and commitment to the community.

$1.00

DTE Energy has lead the way in corporate responsibility and citizenship, providing more than $27 million in corporate donations and foundation grants to deserving organizations, including $10 million to the Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) and the United Way. With a proven record of em-

bracing corporate diversity and inclusion, DTE’s senior leadership is reflective of the communities they serve, with nearly 30 percent of the Gerard Anderson company’s senior leadership being comprised of women and minorities. In addition, DTE is committed to the resurgence of Detroit’s neighborhoods. The company recently renovated a former Salvation Army building across from its headquarters on Bagley Street, and is moving ahead with plans to develop a vibrant public park on DTE’s prop-

erty at Grand River, First Avenue and Plaza Street. DTE also is beginning the process to redevelop the Connors Creek Power Plant site on the east side of Detroit.

“We are proud to recognize DTE Energy and president Gerard Anderson for their unwavering commitment to the community in which they serve.

Their support of organizations such as The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW)and the United Way has made a tremendous impact on improving the quality of life for families living in this region and across Michigan,” said Hiram E. Jackson, publisher of the Michigan Chronicle and CEO of Real Times Media.

The Legacy in Motion Newsmaker’s Gala is one of metropolitan Detroit’s premier events that

celebrates individuals who have made outstanding community contributions. The event is regularly attended by area newsmakers from senior level executives and political officials to community stakeholders.

This year’s theme, “Back to Paradise,” is also the theme for the Michigan Chronicle’s 80year anniversary. Eight decades ago, in 1936, the Chronicle was founded in the area of Detroit called Paradise Valley. In 2016, 80 years later, the Chronicle will return home to a new Paradise Valley location at 1452 Randolph. This year’s event will formally kick off our year-long 80th Anniversary Celebration.

For more ticket information please call the Michigan Chronicle at (313) 963- 5522.

news

December 2-8, 2015

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

REGIONAL NEWS Oakland Southfield Human Services and P&R partner to provide Emergency Food Assistance Program The Southfield Human Services Department, in conjunction with the Southfield Parks & Recreation Department, has become a distribution site for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a Federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. It provides food and administrative funds to States to supplement the diets of these groups. Income-eligible Oakland County residents can pick up a box of nonperishable food by calling Southfield Human Services at (248) 796-4542 to be added to the list.

The next distribution date will be Wednesday, December 9 at 9 a.m. at Southfield Human Services (Inside the Burgh Church), 26080 Berg Road.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Southfield Human Services at (248) 796-4540.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015 Page A-3

Sheriff Napoleon alerts Detroiters to holiday scam CHRONICLE STAFF REPORTS Wayne County Sheriff Benny N. Napoleon wants citizens to be on alert for a con man or con men claiming to be a deputy threatening them with prosecution. A number of people have called in to local police departments, Circuit Court, the Prosecutor’s Office and also the Sheriff’s Office to say they were almost taken by con artists claiming to be Wayne County deputies, but they threatened these unsuspecting citizens with arrest in an attempt to extort money from them.

The scammer claims to be Deputy Mike Harris — another said he’s Deputy James Marshall -- calling from the court Benny Napoleon to inform the person that he or she missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. The con man then instructs the potential victim to purchase a pre-paid debit card in the amount of $1,500, and to call him back with the card numbers.

He goes on to instruct them to show up at Frank Murphy Hall of Justice at which time the $1,500 will be refunded.

So far at least one woman in Livonia has fallen prey to the ploy and did as she was instructed. She followed up with a call to a friend in the Prosecutor’s Office who told her to call Livonia Police immediately. Fortunately, Kroger officials canceled the funds on the card before they could be accessed. Sheriff Napoleon wants Wayne County citizens to be aware of this scam because once the scammer is paid it can be extremely difficult to investigate since they’ve been known to use internet phones lines and disposable cells.

“What makes this particularly disturbing is they’re using the courts and law enforcement to scam law abiding citizens and the victims tend to be seniors,” said Napoleon. “With the holidays upon us these criminals are likely to ramp up their efforts, so we’re hoping to warn the public about this latest con so they can hang up the moment that person starts talking.”

Citizens should know that deputies and court employees will not call individuals with a request for money. If you do miss any type of court appearance you will always be notified in writing and requested to correct the situation at court. Individuals who receive calls of this type should take note of the details and contact their local police department immediately.

Detroit announces plan to boost police officer pay

By Adriane Davis The City of Detroit doesn’t have much discretionary funding coming out of bankruptcy, but city officials made clear today that public safety would be the priority for the funds that are available.

Mayor Mike Duggan and Police Chief James Craig announced on Monday, Nov. 30 that tentative collective-bargaining agreements were reached with three unions representing the city’s 2,224 sworn police officers: Detroit Police Officers Association, the Detroit Police Lieutenants & Sergeants Association, and the Detroit Police Command Officers Association (DPCOA). The contracts will provide a 4 percent across the board raise for all sworn officers and will provide a major raise in starting pay from $31,700 to $36,000, allowing the city to put more officers on the street.

In the closing weeks of the bankruptcy proceedings, Judge Steven Rhodes allowed Mayor Duggan to intervene in order to contest the fees being paid to the consultants. With the help of Mediator Judge Jerry Rosen, the consultants’ fees were cut nearly $30 million. The proposed contracts will raise the officers’ pay $41 million

over the next four years, which will be paid largely with the cuts in consultant payments.

“When our CFO, John Hill, announced that the savings in consultants’ fees could be available to fund other city services over the next four years, I urged the mayor to invest those funds in the Detroit Police Department,” said Chief Craig. “We are trying to fill more than 200 vacant police officer positions, which is a problem that will become critical if we don’t address it.”

Mayor Duggan agreed with the Chief’s assessment. “We had a contract running into 2019 that pays our officers much less than suburban departments. We just aren’t going to be able to continue to recruit or retain the quality of officers this city deserves if we don’t start to address this problem.”

Hill indicated that the plan of adjustment had allocated $8 million of police operating funds to pay for the construction of a new 8th Precinct on Grand River near Meijers. Hill and the city’s finance staff identified unused funds in capital accounts that could be appropriately used for construction, freeing up money for this agreement.

“The [Financial Review Commission] retains their right to review and approve the final contract,” Duggan said, “but I believe they will be supportive of this package.”

Members of all three unions took a 10 percent cut in wages in 2012, in addition to pension and health care cuts received by other unions. In 2014, under bankruptcy proceedings, the unions agreed to a 5-year collective bargaining agreement in which DPOA received an 8 percent base wage increase and DLSA and DPCOA a 5% increase. DPOA received higher base wages because they agreed to significant work rule changes that paid for the difference.

“We often lose the officers we train to other police departments that can pay a higher wage,” said Mark Young, president of the DPLSA. “These changes are not only good for our officers and their families, they are good for the Detroit Police Department.”

The unions will be submitting the contracts to their members in the next two weeks. If they are ratified by the unions, the parties hope to get City Council and FRC approval by the end of December so that the officers will see the raises this January.

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Neighborhood city -- once the symbol of American industrialization and working-class power -- remains at best insecure, physically and financially. In the 1940s, President Franklin Roosevelt declared Detroit, then the nation’s fourth largest city, the “great arsenal of democracy” for churning out bombers for the Allied powers, as in peacetime it rolled out cars for the consumer economy. Then the auto giants began closing their urban factories and reopening their plants in white suburbs. In the same era, the industry, national unions, and the FBI all cracked down on the labor organizations founded by radical black workers.

“The foreclosure crisis of this century, fueled by racially discriminatory predatory lending, forced hundreds of thousands of residents out of the city.

The governor’s office placed the public school system and then the entire local government under emergency management, suspending the democratic process in the “arsenal of democracy.”

And now, after seven decades of these slow-moving storms, including acts that are almost impossible to see as anything but retribution against the city’s

Terrance, right, sits outside the entrance to the new Red Wings stadium construction site on Cass Ave. predominantly African American population, Detroit is often viewed from afar as a cautionary tale, a post-industrial dystopia of vacant buildings and dormant factories.”

One year after the bankruptcy, the verdict is somewhat mixed as to how well the neighborhoods are benefiting once you step outside of downtown and Midtown. John George, one of the men who founded Motor City Blight Busters 27 years ago as part of a collective effort involving three fathers determined to clean up their own neighborhood, is one of those who is unabashedly optimistic about his city’s prospects in the shadow of the bankruptcy.

“The bankruptcy, as difficult as it was, that was something that had to be perfected,” he said. “We’ve got new streetlights. We haven’t had lights in this community in years. We’ve got new buses. We haven’t had any buses in years.

“Right now I’m at the corner of Grand River and 6 Mile. To my left there’s a brand new Meyer’s gas station and Meyer’s. They spent $33 million. Next to that there’s two brand new strip malls coming up. Across the street there’s another brand new strip mall. They’re getting ready to restore the old library into a community center. Behind that they’re bringing the AP thing back. So, you know, I’m in the epicenter of redevelopment in northwest Detroit. And it’s not just because of the bankruptcy, and not just because we’ve got a progressive mayor, and not just because we now have councilmembers elected by district, and not just because of what the blight busters and other groups have done to keep these neighborhoods on life support, literally, until we could get some kind of coordinated effort out of city hall. All of those are the reasons why this city is coming back. And I believe that Detroit is on the front porch of the greatest urban comeback story in this nation’s history. But we gotta learn to work together, and we gotta put our petty differences aside. We gotta stop pointing fingers and blaming people and say what am I gonna do today to make my city better.”

James Ribbron, one of the co-founders of Process Leaders/Impact Detroit, agrees that there has been some positive change happening in some of the neighborhoods, but he is reluctant to shout hallelujah just yet. For one thing, none of that positive change has arrived at his own east side neighborhood.

In fact, things have gotten noticeably worse with little sign of improvement on the horizon.

“I look at my neighborhood, and I stay on Hereford Street. It’s on the east side on the border of Harper Woods and Grosse Pointe, and I moved over there 15 years ago, and it was a pretty thriving neighborhood. Just this past holiday weekend when we rode down the street, we were looking at more abandoned houses and it concerns me.

“That’s due in part to the lack of population growth, but it’s still a concern.

We chose that neighborhood because of the density and the proximity to businesses and things like that. And the fact that there are more abandoned houses today and they seem to be coming faster than the neighborhood can redevelop concerns me. … The bankruptcy has opened the door for some things to happen, but I’m not sure that I see it happening in the neighborhoods like I see it happening downtown or Midtown, or even in a neighborhood like Brightmoor, or the Avenue of Fashion. So obviously there are some things happening in the neighborhood, I’m not sure that I see it in my neighborhood. So yeah it’s happening, but maybe not fast enough for me.”

But Ribbron does have faith in the Detroiters who remain committed to ensuring that Detroit’s revival benefits all Detroiters, not just the newcomers or

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page A-4

From page A-1 those with comfortable incomes.

“Here’s the other side of things, though. I’m heavily involved with Detroit Future City. I’m on the board. Luther (Luther Keith, CEO of ARISE! Detroit) and I meet with a group that has been meeting every week for the last three years to talk about how we can change things for the city. So from that standpoint, there are a group of us that are working diligently to ensure that our city does come back.”

Mildred Hunt Robbins, who co-founded the West Grand Boulevard Collaborative in 2004 with her husband, Tommie E. Robbins Jr., remains unconvinced that the bankruptcy has benefited the neighborhoods, and is perplexed by those who claim to see a silver lining.

“My feeling is that, yes, the neighborhood is improving, but not necessarily for those who have been longtime residents,” she said. “There are a lot of barriers to people who have been suffering economically for a long time, and it sounds good, but then you’re not able to access it because of conditions that are a part of the economic downturn that devastated so many people.

“In our particular community, we have a lot of new residents because DMC, (Detroit Medical Center), Wayne State and Henry Ford Health System were giving monetary incentives for people who would either buy homes in this community or rent in this community. So that was a great benefit for people who lived elsewhere, and had an opportunity to get monetary support in relocating closer to where they worked, but as far as the people who actually live here and have been living here longterm, I don’t see how that was a benefit to them.

“We don’t want a situation as has happened in so many communities where hospitals and universities expand and they just simply push folks out. We lost Paradise Valley, and before that we lost Black Bottom, and we don’t want it to end up where we’ll look up 20 years from now and the only people who actually live here will be college professors and students and hospital personnel, and then the rest of us will be pushed out. And as taxes go up, it’s going to be difficult for a lot of folks to stay in this neighborhood.

“We’re talking about democracy; my definition of democracy is it means fair play, and so there has to be a reciprocal condition where there are benefits that flow both ways to the private corporate sector and to the taxpayers.”

Luther Keith, founder of ARISE! Detroit, an organization founded to empower neighborhoods and best known for its annual Neighborhoods Day celebration, understands the cynicism and distrust expressed by Robbins and others, and he is cautious not to dismiss those observations out of hand because he knows they have merit. Still, what he has seen since the bankruptcy has caused him to lean more towards optimism.

“Detroit is not there yet, but I think we’re going in the right direction.”

“I do think that the bankruptcy, for all of its controversy, it’s opened the door for real change in the city, and we’re seeing that. I think some of the investments we’ve seen, some of the initiatives we’ve seen, couldn’t and wouldn’t have been done if the city had been crushed by that debt, because that debt would have taken priority.

“At the end of the day – and I know this for a fact because I’m at meetings every week with Detroit Future City, with Impact Detroit, with all sorts of organizations - and you’re seeing where the foundations are putting much more money into neighborhoods. They’re specifically targeting more money at the grassroots level to give neighborhood people the resources to transform neighborhoods, and that was not happening five years ago. Now I think there’s a real concerted effort to push the funding down into neighborhoods.

“It’s not an accident that it’s happening in sync with this bankruptcy piece and that the narrative about Detroit has changed.”

“There’s some real excitement that Detroit is in the throes of some real change. …there’s a feeling that we’re at a great turning point in the history of Detroit.”

This piece is part of the series “Detroit Bankruptcy: One Year Later,” presented by the partners of the Detroit Journalism Cooperative.

The DJC journalists continue to explore the impacts of the city’s bankruptc y, including effects on people, neighborhoods and southeast Michigan, and the case’s long-term implications. Their collective work, which is archived at NextChapterDetroit.com, continues to inform regional conversations.

Ron Scott From page A-1

project. He suggested someone else to write the afterword, again minimizing his insight and legacy.

It is my hope that he will get a few more words about what he stood for, and how he stood unflinching and unimpeachable against the forces of repression. I will always remember—and cherish—the few moments we spent together, and even more so for those coming moments in which his spirit of “a luta continua” (the struggle continues) will be alive and well.

Young people step up to the 490 Challenge

By Jamilah Jackson

they are my sisters in spirit.

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

By joining in on this effort, I am also ensuring that this type of injustice doesn’t happen to other young girls in the future. Not only are we bringing justice to those who have been wronged, we are also holding people accountable for their mistakes and helping change procedures.

Editor’s note: This is one in a series of articles the Michigan Chronicle will be running in support of the African American 490 Challenge.

Oftentimes, the youth of today is looked at as detached and uninformed.

The word “millennial” is usually accompanied with an eye-roll and thoughts of selfishness. But with recent events, such as the football player boycott at the University of Missouri, we are seeing more and more young people step up to the plate.

After my college graduation in May, I looked for ways to stay involved. One day I got a call from Kim Trent that I just couldn’t refuse. She asked me to serve on the core committee for a campaign that sought to test thousands of neglected rape kits. Trent told me that she wanted me on the African American 490 Challenge committee---a campaign to raise money and awareness--- because of my dedication to social justice.

She didn’t see me as a young 22-yearold, she saw me as a mature woman with fresh ideas.

One-fifth of the untested rape kits belonged to victims who were under 16 at the time of the assault. Any of those young women could have been my sister, cousin, or even one of my Math Corps students. I may not be personally connected to these girls but it is my duty to help give them justice because

Luckily, I’m not the only “young” person getting involved. The Detroit NAACP Youth Council is joining the cause too. Program and Member Services Director of the Detroit NAACP, Kamilia Landrum, was one of the women who stood with the AA 490 Challenge when we launched our campaign in October. After that day, she wanted to get the NAACP more involved.

On December 8, the organization is hosting Cocktails and Conversations.

The idea of the event is to gather young professionals of Detroit and get them talking about different issues. One of those issues will be our campaign to test and investigate these rape kits. By having this genuine conversation, we as young people are making each other aware of the injustice and persuading each other to get involved.

Cocktails and Conversations is from 6 p.m.-8p.m. at PV Lounge, 1435 Randolph St. in Detroit. Tickets are $10. All of your friends will start to come back in town for the holiday so bring them along. Show our elders that we are willing to step up to the plate and join in the fight for social justice as well.

Top 6 Reasons Millennials Are Tuning Out GOP Presidential Candidates

By Lynette Holloway NEWS ONE

It’s no secret that the youth vote helped propel President Barack Obama into office during his historic election in 2008, and again in 2012.

He garnered 60 percent of the vote among those younger than 30 in his re-election, according to Pew Research Center. Those numbers were down from 2008, when he won nearly two-thirds, or 66 percent, of the votes among young people.

Still, support from young voters may have played a bigger role in his second victory than in the first win. Why? Well, the under 30 demographic in 2012 was “by far the most racially and ethnically diverse age group,” the report says, and the president keyed into issues of great concern and urgency to them, including health care, immigration reform, and same-sex marriage.

Now in 2015, the young voting bloc has not changed much, and neither have the issues of importance to them, which is why the Republican Party is failing to draw in the millennial voters it needs to be successful in the 2016 general election, according to The Brookings Institution.

Despite hauling in a record number of older viewers for its GOP debate on CNN, the Brookings Institution said millennials were likely to view the event as a free-for-all “where cultures and generations clash.” The campaign rhetoric also flies in the face of this generation’s beliefs and views.

Here are six top reasons why millennials are not tuning in to 2016 presidential candidates: 1. Black Lives Matter Despite having Ben Carson, the sole black presidential hopeful this election cycle, the Republican Party ignored #BlackLivesMatter, the most powerful movement to emerge since the civil rights era, during its second presidential debate last week at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.

PolitickerOne noted in August that “white privilege was on full display” at the group’s first debate in Cleveland, Ohio, which occurred on the same day as the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. None of the candidates or debate hosts from Fox News mentioned the landmark law that prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

2. Immigration Reform Most of the Republican candidates hold stances on immigration reform that are untenable for millennials, who are mostly immigrants, and who have been repeatedly targeted – chiefly by Donald Trump. With immigration adding more

numbers to its generation than any other, millennials are projected to peak in 2036 at 81.1 million, according to Pew Research Center.

The Census Bureau projects that the Millennial population was 74.8 million in 2014. By 2015's end, Millennials will have increased in size to 75.3 million, becoming the largest group.

3. Same-Sex Marriage An estimated 70 percent of millennials support same-sex marriage, while it’s not discussed at all among some Republican candidates. Former Arkansas Gov. and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee made a splash over his support of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who received national attention and went to jail for violating a federal order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

But not all Republican presidential candidates sided with Davis. MSNBC News reports Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and Trump said she had “an obligation to perform her duties as an elected county clerk, which include issuing marriage licenses.”

4. Millennials Support Obamacare While most Republican presidential candidates talk about repealing the popular Affordable Care Act, the formal name for Obamacare, Brookings notes that “52 percent of millennials approve of the program.” Enough said.

5. Millennials Favor Legalization of Marijuana About 68 percent of Millennials support legalizing marijuana, but few Republican candidates have come out in support.

Rand Paul’s insistence on a state’s rights approach to (medical) legalization choices was as close as the field came.

Instead, Jeb Bush, in the best Boomer presidential candidate tradition, apologized for using the stuff when he was young, chalking it up to youthful indiscretion. Governor Chris Christie asserted that maintaining pot’s illegality was so important as president that he would go against traditional Republican deference to state’s rights and assert the supremacy of federal law over state law to prosecute offenders.

6. Millennials Are Concerned About Climate Change Climate change, an important issue to Millennials, has been showing up on the presidential campaign trail among Democrats, but barely registers among Republicans, according to a NewsOne report. For example, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told Face the Nation that “human activity has nothing to do with climate change,” while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has made it clear he doesn’t believe in climate change, but also says he isn’t a ‘denier.’

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page A-5

Morgan State University hosts Health and Hip Hop Conference

By Freddie Allen NNPA NEWS WIRE

In an effort to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS among young black men, a group disproportionately impacted by the epidemic, health care providers and community stakeholders hosted the Health and Hip Hop Conference in October at the Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Students from Maryland’s four historically black colleges and universities — the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Bowie State University, Coppin State University and Morgan State University — participated in the event which included a spoken word competition, breakout sessions on hip-hop, sexual health and HIV/AIDS prevention, and performances by local hip hop artists. Roughly 150 students attended, according to conference organizers, and more than 50 people were tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The daylong program was sponsored by the Black AIDS Institute, the Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, and the Morgan State University School of Community Health and Policy’s Get SMART (Students/Society Mobilized and Retooled to Transform) Project.

Get SMART Project Director Lorece Edwards, DrPH, the director of community practice and outreach in the department of behavioral health sciences at Morgan State’s School of Community Health and Policy, said that health-care providers and HIV/AIDS advocates and researchers wanted to educate young minority men about sexual-health choices and their possible outcomes. “This is a platform, a safe and brave space for men, that allows them to talk about health and hip-hop and their life experiences,” she said.

Justin Wooley, a consultant with the Black AIDS Institute, agreed. “We need HIV prevention messages with an attitude.

The same way we talk about Magic Johnson, we have to talk about Eazy-E,” the N.W.A member who died of AIDS in 1995, nearly four years after Johnson announced his retirement from the NBA after testing positive for HIV. Although the story of Eazy-E’s death was covered in magazines like Newsweek,

Grim Jackson, an 18-year-old freshman communications major at Morgan State University performs during the spoken word competition during the Health and Hip-Hop Conference at Morgan State University. (Freddie Allen/BAI) Vibe, and Jet, reports of heterosexual transmission were rare, and therefore the possibility that Eazy-E had acquired HIV heterosexually was easily dismissed in favor of rumors of closeted homosexual activity, illicit-drug use, murder by HIV injection, tainted acupuncture needles and other urban legends.

During the panel titled “Hip-

Grim Jackson, an 18-yearold freshman communications major at Morgan State, said that he can relate to people who suffer from the stigma associated with AIDS; when he was younger, students made fun of his mental disability.

Although reluctant to discuss the challenge it presented, Jackson said that the taunts and ridicule changed to cheers when he started performing. “I was in high school and I just started writing, and people were like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re good,’” said Jackson, who won second place in the spoken word competition.

Messaiah Ramiskoon, an MC, youth advocate and three-time winner of “Showtime at the Apollo,” comments on homophobia in hip hop at the Health and Hip Hop Conference at Morgan State University in Baltimore. (Freddie Allen/BAI)

Hop, Health and Healing,” students and featured guests discussed masculinity, the perception that hip-hop perpetuates misogyny, homophobia and more.

Messiah Ramkissoon, an MC youth advocate and threetime winner of Showtime at the Apollo for his spoken word performances, said that homophobia is a sensitive subject in hip hop and that people with perspectives on both sides need to be more tolerant.

“People live their lives the way they choose, and they should not be disrespected or counted out from the culture because of it, but those that are homosexual also have to understand that certain people don’t agree with homosexuality,” Ramkissoon said. “The conversation is so sensitive that when you say you have a different perspective, well, now you’re homophobic.”

He continued: “We have to understand how to nation build, acting civilized whether you’re gay or you’re straight.

We have to be able to have differences and still love each other as family. These conversations have to happen without hate getting involved.”

Kenton Dunson, a hip hop artist on a panel about ways the music has affected health

outcomes among black men, suggested that artists be more creative and less afraid to use their art to raise awareness about health disparities affecting black communities.

“J. Cole is probably a step away from doing that,” Dunson said. “He can say it and do it and be fine because he’s an established artist, but for someone like me who is still trying to get their numbers up and create awareness around my music, it might set a trend or it might not.”

Dr. Edwards explained that health disparities persist because health care providers fail to include marginalized communities in the discourse about prevention strategies and the development of best practices that are necessary to address those disparities. “We need to give a voice to the people that we want to reach,” she said. “They can tell researchers and academics and community-based organizations what best works for them. They’re the experts. We’re not the experts.”

Dr. Edwards continued, “If we can create spaces where men can be themselves and feel safe in sharing what’s in their hearts and minds and their experiences, then we can all heal.”

FREE ADMISSION: THIS WEEKEND, DEC. 5 & 6 Through January 18, 2016. Tickets at dia.org.

This exhibition has been organized by the Rubell Family Collection, Miami. Funding for Free First Weekends has been provided for visitors by the Ford Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Support for the exhibition has been provided the Friends of African and African American Art and DTE Energy Foundation. Additional support has been provided by MGM Grand Detroit, Dickinson Wright PLLC, Richard and Jane Manoogian Foundation, Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., L.L.C., Reuben & Cheryl Munday, The Skillman Foundation, Lorna Thomas, M.D., P.C., BLAC Detroit Magazine, Comerica Bank, Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, Global Automotive Alliance, Roy S. & Maureen Roberts, Mark & Tiffany Douglas and Avis Ford, St. John Providence, Fifth Third Bank, Greektown Casino, U.S. Trust, and other generous supporters. Image: The New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club (Thurgood) (detail), Rashid Johnson, 2008, lambda print, Ed. 2/5. Courtesy of Rubell Family Collection, Miami

Page A-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • December 2-8, 2015

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Celebrating the Holidays for 100 Years:

Home Tour & Soirée

CHRONICLE STAFF REPORTS

Take a great holiday journey through the past century at the Palmer Woods Home Tour and Soirée. Six magnificent homes, including the 35,000-sq.-ft Bishop’s Mansion, will open their doors, and display distinctive architecture, history, art and holiday decor.

On Saturday, Dec. 5, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., motor coaches will provide door-to-door service to the homes, where docents will guide visitors through five very diverse homes built between 1915 and the 1960s. All will be aglow for the holiday season.

At 8 p.m., the Bishop’s Mansion will open, where jazz from Gwen and Charles Scales will fill the halls while holiday fare and beverages are served.

“Not only is the Soiree’ held at THE most magnificent home in Detroit,” said Palmer Woods Association President Craig Vanderburg, “but arrangements for the event were handled by one of southeastern Michigan’s premier event planners, Blossoms owners, Palmer Woods neighbors Dale Morgan and Norm Silk.”

Guides will lead tours through the home and provided insights into the architecture, sculpture, design and history of the Mansion. Once the regal residence of Bishop Gallagher, it has been the residence for Cardinals (Mooney and Dearden) and basketball star John Salley. Since 1995, it has been owned by

a Detroit-area church. This is a very rare opportunity to view this Mansion.

The oldest home in Palmer Woods, built 100 years ago by architect Richard Marr for the neighborhood’s first developer Charles Burton, will be on the tour for the first time, as well as other beauties: a Tudor, a Mediterranean-style villa, an English Manor Style, a California Contemporary and the Bishop’s Mansion.

In 1915, when the Palmer Park area was still mostly farmland and woodland, Burton purchased land from the Palmer Estate. His mission was to develop a residential subdivision honoring Palmer’s wishes to build first-class homes and respect and maintain the beauty of the natural elements. Palmer Woods has grown to a beloved and elegant neighborhood of charming, winding streets, canopies of trees and approximately 290 homes, hidden gems tucked within a garden-like enclave just north of Seven Mile and west of Woodward Avenue.

Tickets are $85 and can be purchased online at www.palmerwoods. org, at Blossoms Birmingham, 33866 Woodward Ave. in Birmingham, or by calling 313-891-2514. All tickets must be purchased in advance. Ticketholders begin the tour by parking at the 12 Precinct Detroit Police Station and boarding motor coaches, which will drive to each home on the tour.

Since 1990, the Palmer Woods Home Tour has been a holiday tradition to showcase history and architectural splendors in our neighborhood, and elegant examples of beauty, warmth and historic preservation. ­Docents will guide visitors through art and antique collections, fabulous fur-

nishings and outstanding design, as they explore each home’s charm and decor. Tribute is payed to the homeowners who lovingly care for, protect, renovate, and add personal touches to their homes.

Over the years, Palmer Woods has featured numerous homes, some designed by nationally and globally-renowned architects. Two of this year’s homes were designed by architect Richard Marr, who designed the first home in Palmer Woods in 1915 for the neighborhood’s developer, Charles Burton. Marr designed some 14 homes in Palmer Woods, each elegant and highly distinctive.

Detroit’s image, and showcase Palmer Woods as a wonderful place to live and visit. The goal is to further enrich the quality of life in the community and culture in our city. Each year, a portion of the proceeds from the home tour is donated to a local charity that serves the needs of the larger Detroit community, especially those in need of food and shelter.

Palmer Woods Home Tour~Soirée and Palmer Woods Music in Homes is presented by the Palmer Woods Association with support from Barefield DesignWorks and Blossoms Birmingham.

The Palmer Woods Association, with the help of numerous supporters and volunteers, presents this tour to strengthen our neighborhood and

Home Repair Program to invest $30 million to rejuvenate blighted Detroit neighborhoods

By Adriane Davis The AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust announced that it will invest up to $30 million in the Detroit Neighborhood Home Repair Program, a partnership with leading civic and community organizations to rejuvenate up to 300 single-family homes and properties that have faced decades of blight.

“It is wonderful to see the AFL-CIO, an organization that played such an important role in building Detroit, investing so much to help build Detroit again through the Housing Investment Trust,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “This will create jobs and training opportunities to Detroit residents, and will do so much to strengthen our neighborhoods.”

The HIT, a fixed-income investment company, aims to create a sustainable and replicable model program to acquire, repair, and finance abandoned homes and properties in the Detroit Land Bank Authority inventory utilizing

union labor over the next three to five years.

“Union workers using union pension money to rebuild homes for working families is the right formula for rebuilding Detroit,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

In addition to the Detroit Land Bank Authority, the HIT’s partners include the City of Detroit, Detroit City Council, Michigan Building Trades, Jim Jenkins, Jenkins Construction, as well as Building Detroit Futures and Southwest Housing Solutions.

“The Building Trades are happy to be part of this partnership, which will put union workers to work and provide training, skills and a career path for Detroit residents,” said Pat Devlin, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. “We look forward to helping to provide rehabilitated homes for the community.”

Initially, the program will focus on homes in Detroit’s Bagley, Shultz, Crary/St. Mary’s, and East English Village neighborhoods, but will expand to include Grandmont Rosedale and other neighborhoods with housing in need of renovations. The neighborhoods will also benefit from union apprentice programs that are specifically aimed at providing union construction jobs for Detroit residents, especially minorities and women.

“In addition to providing an investment that will lead to the creating of more workforce housing, this project will provide employment opportunities for residents of Detroit, while also revitalizing neighborhoods by giving life to vacant and abandoned properties.” said Eric W. Price, HIT’s Executive Vice President and CEO of its affiliate Building America CDE, Inc. The city’s widespread blight and abandonment has led to extremely low appraisal values, making it difficult for potential homeowners to obtain financing. The Neighborhood Home Repair Program is designed to create homeownership opportunities and foster long-term neighborhood stabilization.

Incentives will be given to municipal workers, including teachers, firefighters, and police, as well as union members, and current and former neighborhood residents.

community

Where do clowns go after the parade?

By Roz Edward As thousands of Thanksgiving day revelers lined Woodward this past week for the America’s Thanksgiving Parade — the second largest in the nation— the Distinguished Clown Corps is a number one crowd pleaser.

But being a clown is more than just fun and games. “It’s real hard being a clown and it’s harder to keep 192 clowns in order,” admits Dr. Dr. Luther (Skip) Rosemond, America’s Thanksgiving Parade Grand Jester and the first African American to have the distinction. Rosemond, an 11-year veteran of the Clown Corps, and one of 15 Black clowns in the corps, is a practicing chiropractor and a former Wayne County Deputy Sheriff. “the corps has been in existence for 32 years, and I am only the 11th Grand Jester in its history.”

The Distinguished Clown Corps is one of the key organizations that took up the fight to save Detroit’s Thanksgiving Parade when financial difficulties and apathy threatened to eliminate the holiday tradition. “The Clown Corps along with Art Van have helped maintain the parade and keep it going … some of our founding members include Paul Borman, the late Esther Gordy and others who said ‘we have to help keep this parade alive after Hudsons left.” This year the parade was broadcast in 166 television viewing markets, online and in Mexico.

“Most of the people in the Clown Corps are your top people in business and philanthropy and are the movers and shakers around the city,” explains Rosemond, “but you don’t know who they are because their all dressed up in makeup and clown costumes.”

Clown Corps members ach pay $1,000 for the opportunity to perform in the popular parade. And along with bringing beads, smiles and laughter to parade fans, most like Dr. Rosemond make significant contributions to the communities in which they live and work by giving of their time, money and expertise. Rosemond, a Cass Tech graduate and Morehouse alumni, Association; former member of the Board of Directors for Don Bosco Hall; former fundraising chair for the Detroit Area Council- Boy Scouts of America; former mentor with New Detroit’s Project MR; and current mentor for the “Boys to Men” program at the Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men. He continues to speak and participant in a is a mentor for the Boys to Men program at the Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men. But a leadership shakeup maybe in the works may be in the works as Rosemond says he’s enjoyed the position so much, in particular greeting arriving passengers at Detroit’ Metropolitan airport day before parade performance and surprising incoming passengers, he will find it difficult to hand over the reins to next year’s Grand Jester. “We may have a clown coup on our hands,” laughs Rosemond.

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page B-2

Tis’ the Season - Holiday Depression

Tom Watkins

about generosity, your own needs do not become less important this time of year. Neglecting your own needs in an attempt to create the perfect holiday can just put a damper on your own holiday spirit.

With Thanksgiving leftovers in our refrigerators and the chaos of Black Friday behind us, we are in the midst of the winter holiday season. Togetherness, generosity, and tradition surround this time of year with a glow that some of us anticipate for months beforehand. But many others find its glow shadowed by holiday stress, apathy, or sadness. Rather than a time for celebration, the holidays may be lusterless or downright dreadful to some. If you’d rather hide away than gather in cheer, seasonal depression may be to blame.

Seasonal depression can arise for many reasons.

The holidays can be a stressful time.

Tom Watkins Expensive gifts, time commitments, and social pressures can add to the stress we already experience on a daily basis. In addition, winter days in Michigan are short and getting shorter. Those with day jobs can go without seeing sunlight for days at a time.

This combination of stress and shortened days can impact mental health, during the time we are encouraged to have “happy holidays.” When this is the case, the phrase stings, rather than uplifts.

These symptoms have a name, and they are not uncommon. “The holidays are one of the most common periods for depression, even among those who don’t experience it at any other point in the year,” says Dr. Carmen McIntyre, Chief Medical Officer at Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority. “Some people also suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or “SAD,” during this time, which extends throughout the whole winter season and recurs each year for these individuals.”

If you think you may be struggling with symptoms of holiday depression or SAD, there are steps you can take

Finally, do not let fear prevent you from talking to a licensed therapist about what you are going through. The symptoms experienced during SAD or holiday depression can be as severe and debilitating as any other mental health condition. If you experience extreme mood changes, such as lethargy, loss of interest, or isolation, it may be time to reach out. “Many people experiencing depression do not reach out because our culture stigmatizes help-seeking, but without help, these symptoms tend to worsen,” according to Dr. McIntyre. to improve your wellbeing over the holidays. For one, you should know that you aren’t alone. Although the holidays are generally revered as a time of “good cheer,” a large number of people also feel lonely and stressed during the winter months. Reaching out to some of these people can help build a support system that shields you from stress.

Similarly, it is important to be realistic about what to expect from yourself over the holidays. Many compare their circumstances to the perfect images created by the media in commercials and holiday movies. Be mindful of how often you compare your finances, family, or partner to those you unrealistically see portrayed by the media.

Some people find the holidays challenging because they remind them of lost loved ones. Traditions can remind people of the way things were before, turning the holidays into a time of grief.

There is no deadline on grief, but establishing new traditions, such as volunteering or cooking a new dish, can provide a new perspective and something new to look forward to each year.

If at any point during holiday celebrations – whether you’ve been cooking and cleaning all day, attended five parties in one week, or spent the entire afternoon buying your entire family gifts – it all becomes too much, give yourself permission to stop and do something for yourself. Although the holidays are

Similarly, if you aren’t personally experiencing holiday depression, still keep in mind that not everyone may be having “happy holidays.” If you notice that one of your friends or relatives is not acting like their usual self, take the time to reach out to them. Let them know that you are there for them, and give them a space to express their feelings. Spending time with someone, even quietly, can help buffer the loneliness many experience this time of year.

Be mindful of how your own expectations of what a “happy holiday” entails can influence your expectations of someone who is struggling. Because one source of emotional pain during the holidays can be comparing circumstances to how the holidays “should” be or have been in the past, it is important to not amplify these messages. Instead this season, send the message of, “I’m here for you.”

If you or a loved one is struggling with SAD or holiday depression, contact Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority 24-hours-a-day at 800-241-4949.

Tom Watkins is the president and CEO of the Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority (www.dwmha.com).

He has served the residents of Michigan as state superintendent of schools and state mental health director. Follow Watkins on twitter @tdwatkins88

Cricket Wireless awards $1,000 to Key Elementary Michigan Chronicle Staff Funds will keep positivity programs moving forward in communities across the country.

Each and Every day, Detroiters are bombarded with stories about how local schools are failing children or how students are engaging in negative behavior.

But Cricket’s “Go Positive” campaign has identified Key Elementary – along with 15 other schools across the country –to spotlight educa-

tional programs dedicated to ensuring that students are involved in positive activities at school every day. These programs go largely unnoticed although they provide great service to communities across the country. Sixteen winning schools nationwide were awarded $1,000 to continue their work to spread “positivity” among students.

Cricket Wireless received more than 500 nominations during the campaign from teachers, parents and community members across the

country. The nominations recognized programs that support character development and leadership skills, improve literacy to provide strong foundations, teach integrity and perseverance, empower young adults to build self-esteem and encourage positive behavior among students.

from TheItMom.com.

“As I read through these nominations, I was so moved by this outpouring of community support,” said family/lifestyle expert and “Go Positive” judge, Daisy Teh

To find out more about the “Go Positive” campaign, as well as other Cricket news and information, visit the new Cricket Wireless Newsroom.

Teh continued, “I am so proud to be a part of Cricket’s ‘Go Positive’ campaign.

Together, we have helped recognize the many deserving schools and amazing programs made possible by faculty, teachers and parents that give students something to smile about every day.”

Your letter to Santa can help raise a million dollars for Make-A-Wish®.

For every letter to Santa dropped in the big red letterbox at any Macy’s, or sent online at macys.com/believe, we’ll donate $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $1,000,000. #MacysBelieve

LettersToSanta_11.5x10.5.indd 1

11/5/15 6:36 PM

community

“Light Up the Aquarium”: A glass act Belle Isle Aquarium 900 Inselruhe Ave. Detroit The 3rd annual “Light Up the Aquarium” event will raise funds to support the maintenance and operation of the Belle Isle aquarium, as well as continuing building restoration and improvement of exhibits.

For more information call 313-331-7760.

Most major city institutions partake, helping create a truly inspired event that includes horse-drawn carriages, music, dancing and family craft activities. The whole spectacle culminates on Woodward Avenue for a singalong.

For more information call 313.577.5088 or visit www.midtowndetroitinc.org/.

Henry Ford Health Systems – Corporate Office 1 Ford Place Detroit During this project based class you will learn to code interactive websites using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. Whether you are looking to re-career into the field of technology, become a front-end developer, design a personal or business website, start a business, or simply try something new, this class is for you.

4th Annual Cheers for Children The Garden Theater 3929 Woodward Ave Detroit

For More information call 313.347.8481 or visit www.sisters-code.org/event

Leaders for Kids will host the 4th Annual Cheers for Children event proceeds will benefit the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation.

“Come Hungry, Leave Happy” holiday edition walking tours

For More information call (313) 993-8814 or visit www.leadersforkids.com

NOW - DECEMBER 19

Eastern Market 2489 Russell Street Detroit Experience, explore and enjoy Detroit’s Historic Eastern Market shed, restaurants and shops during the holiday season.

For more information call 313.393-2055 or visit www.enjoythed.com Campus Martius Park Detroit

Palmer Woods Centennial Holiday Home Tour & Soirée

Returning Showcase “D” Holidays, a crowd favorite of Quicken Loans Season Winter Magic in and around Campus Martius Park, features five weekends of Detroit’s top brands, favorite restaurants, and holiday beverages that reflect the best the “D” has to offer, with new Ikea sponsored Cozy Lounges.

1441 W. Seven Mile Rd. Detroit Celebrate the holiday season and Palmer Woods’ centennial year at the Bishop’s Mansion and five magnificent historic homes. The 2015 Palmer Woods Home Tour will transport you on a 100-year journey of history, architecture and design.

For more information call 313.963.9363 or visit www.campusmartiuspark.org/.

For more information call 313.891.2514 or visit www.palmerwoods.org

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December 2-8, 2015

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

HIRAM E. JACKSON Publisher

A Real Times Media Newspaper 479 Ledyard, • Detroit, MI 48201

(313) 963-5522 e-mail:newsdesk@michronicle.com December 2-8, 2015

Page B-4

Quote of the Week:

CATHY NEDD Associate Publisher

“You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you’re consistent, you will succeed.”

— Congressman John Lewis

KEITH A. OWENS Senior Editor SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher 1933-2011

JOHN H. SENGSTACKE Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997 LONGWORTH M. QUINN Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989

Expand jury pool eligibility to ensure a representative jury

By State Rep. Brian Banks Jury duty is an important civic responsibility. While many are proud to serve when called, we also may wonder how we are repeatedly called for jury duty while our family members, friends and neighbors may never get called.

I have introduced House Bills 4406 and 4407 to modify how the jury pool list is created in Michigan. By expanding to use additional lists for jury pools, I believe that juries could better Brian Banks reflect their communities, and more people who haven’t served will likely be called for jury duty.

Currently, the jury board uses a list that combines the names of people holding a driver’s license or an official state identification card to select people that are to serve as jurors. Many residents, however, do not have a driver’s license or state ID card. This is particularly true in urban areas where residents use public transportation, and so are not called for jury duty. Because of this, it could be difficult to seat a jury that could truly be considered of jury of one’s peers if a significant number of jurors have to be drawn from another community because of the lists that are used.

My legislation, House Bills 4406 and 4407, would expand the number of people eligible for jury duty, thereby creating a more diverse jury pool and likely reducing the frequency that people are called to serve for jury duty. This method would give everyone a fair chance of getting called to the courthouse. It is important to ensure that a jury closely

mirrors the racial, religious and gender make-up of the community. By expanding the number of people eligible for the jury pool, these bills take the steps to ensure that happens. Jury service is truly government in the hands of the people.

Specifically, House Bill 4407 would require the jury list to also include the current voter registration list and individuals who had filed a state income tax return. The jury board would also have to reorder the jury list so that persons residing in each ZIP code within a county would have their names on the list in proportion to that specific postal ZIP code’s percentage of the county’s total population, as reflected in the most recent federal census. House Bill 4406 simply allows the State Treasurer to disclose the names of taxpayers to the extent necessary to implement the changes discussed above.

Only weeks after the incidents that took place at Mizzou, Black Student Unions from across the country came together at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Whitewater, Wisconsin for the National Black Student Union Conference (NBSU). The conference is an opportunity for Black Student Mario Morrow, Jr. Unions, from various schools across the nation, to network, share ideas, and create fellowship during a weekend of workshops and seminars.

The weekend is not only for the students, but for the advisors of each respective BSU to network with fellow advisors from around the country. Last year’s conference was held in Lincolnshire, IL and the focus was on organizational advancement and how to better run a Black Student Union. The DePaul Black Student Union expected this year’s conference to be centered around the racial issues on college campuses nationwide and how Black Student Unions can take part in fighting these injustices; however, the conference had a schedule that was geared towards a different message than what was initially expected.

The first day of the conference was actually the 13th annual NEON Corporate and Graduate School Fair. The fair focused on how to present oneself to prospective employers and potential internship opportunities. There were various panels with representative from different companies that expressed what they were looking for and answered any questions that the students may have had. That evening, a praise dance group gave a powerful performance and a storyteller named TEJU performed a piece describing the fact the power that Black students had and the impact they are capable of.

The longest day of the conference, Saturday, began promptly at 7:45am with breakfast and a few speakers describing the various activities planned for the day and the intent of each session/workshop. Similar to Friday, the sessions on Saturday focused more on networking and individual success.

These workshops attempted to cover topics ranging from careers in the government and entrepreneurship to how to build your own website and financial planning.

The sessions proved to be very helpful — the entrepreneurship session gave

By Bill Fletcher, Jr. NNPA COLUMNIST

I will never forget the debate that engulfed Black America at the time of the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the US Supreme Court. On the one side was the fact of his conservative record and his not having any semblance of a history as a staunch advocate for African American rights.

Too often we hear people complain about being repeatedly called to serve on juries. This is unfortunate because the very fact that we are asked to serve on juries is a cornerstone of our criminal justice system and our democracy.

We’ve also all heard people remark on the fact that they are never, or are rarely, called for jury duty. By expanding the lists used to find jury members, we can give more people the opportunity to serve their community as a juror. Using these additional lists could also possibly give frequent jurors more time between their service because more people would make up the jury pool.

On the other hand, he was (and remains) genetically a person of African descent. Bill Fletcher, Jr. There were those who argued, quite forcefully, that the mere fact of his being genetically a person of African descent should be the deciding factor in whether to support him because, as was argued at the time, the moment that he had the job security of a Supreme Court appointment, African Americans could count on him to do the right thing.

Jury service should be looked on as a privilege and not an annoyance. I hope that my legislation wins the support of my colleagues in the House and Senate so that more people can serve and understand the importance, and privilege, of jury duty.

Since the appointment of Justice Thomas there has been little, if any, indication that his genetic connection to Black America has translated into decisions in favor of Black America. Justice Thomas has repeatedly sided against the interests of the majority of Black America, and actually, he has been quite unapologetic about it.

National Black Student Union Conference

By Mario Morrow, Jr. and Kendall Sprinkle

Dr. Ben Carson and the lessons from Clarence Thomas

a wide range of valuable information for future business owners — and there were enough speakers to avoid any overlap; however, the lack of a Black collegiate student focus was apparent and the scheduling proved to be tiring. The sessions were either back to back or overlapped each other; additionally, at one point in the day, there were a variety of sessions to choose from and people found themselves leaving one to go to Kendall Sprinkle another because they were interested in both. In an ideal world, the session times would be longer and allow for attendees to switch, so that they can learn from both.

Mother Nature took the opportunity to unleash a snowstorm onto the Midwest and, from Friday night to Saturday afternoon, Whitewater was an icy winter wonderland. The turnout for the conference was not what many expected it to be. It can be assumed that the lack of colleges and universities in attendance were the result of the snowstorm prediction. This lack of attendees did not help foster the opportunity to learn of the experiences various BSUs across the country were having. Many of the sessions, though interesting in their varied perspectives, would have been more helpful if more BSUs had been able to come. Though the low attendance could have been affected by the space available at the conference venue, meeting students from other Black student unions would have been instrumental in understanding how other Black students are reacting to the events in Mizzou and anything taking place on their own campus.

Despite the low attendance of the conference and the personal advancement workshops, each Black Student Union was alike in their mindsets to see a change on their respective campuses.

There was time for each BSU to network during the meals, as well as in the hotels. During this time, true networking and the planning of future events took place along with conversations that discussed how to combat racial issues on campuses around the country. Black student unions, located in the same state, began to brainstorm on collaborative events. Based on conversations with other BSU members, this is what they would have liked the conference to look like all along.

Mario Morrow Jr. is a junior at DePaul University and president of the Black Student Union. Kendall Sprinkle is a sophomore at DePaul University and Black Student Union historian.

How terribly wrong this analysis proved to be.

Which brings us to presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson. I am already hearing those who wish to make excuses for him or to refrain from criticisms.

There are those who are so appropriately proud of what he has accomplished as a neurosurgeon that they are — inappro-

priately — prepared to turn a blind eye to the policies that he advocates, not to mention some of the observations that he has offered.

Yet, one does not have to dig too deeply to see that his politics are extremely right-wing and that he is prepared to regularly take stands that deny the extent—if not the reality—of the racist oppression under which Black America continues to exist.

Carson has pleased Fox News and the Tea Party in his condemnation of #BlackLivesMatter and the movement for Black Lives, accusing #BlackLivesMatter of bullying. He has also participated in the demonization of the late Michael Brown, killed by the Ferguson Police. What is that about? He has compared the Affordable Health Act (“Obamacare”) to slavery. How can anyone in their right mind make a comparison between chattel slavery and a piece of legislation that has increased healthcare for more than seventeen million people?

Carson actually goes beyond Justice Thomas in his, let’s say, unusual behavior. It is not just that Carson sides against Black America, but that he also seems to feel that he can say whatever is on his mind. The recent exchange about the Egyptian Pyramids is an example.

His conclusion that the Pyramids were built by Joseph for the storing of grain has no scientific basis, yet this Presidential candidate seems to feel unconstrained by science, research, and, indeed, by the truth.

As we get deeper into the election season it is important to keep these points in mind. One can always hope that Dr. Carson rediscovers the realities facing Black America, but the smart money actually suggests the opposite.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the host of “The Global African” on Telesur-English.

Republicans ignore black people

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA COLUMNIST

As I watched the Republican debate on recently, I thought about Kanye West and the comments he made after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans. He said, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”. Later he tiptoed away from the comment by saying he “regretted” it, but he never apologized.

Five years later, in 2010, Bush gave the “Today Show’s” Matt Lauer an interview.

Bush stated that West’s remarks were an “all-time low” in his presidency. He went on to say, “I didn’t appreciate it then, and I don’t appre- Julianne Malveaux ciate it now…I resent it.” He then said that West’s comments were “one of the most disgusting moments” of his Presidency.

Let’s see. Former President Bush took us into Iran, and we’re still there.

His actions were partly the cause of the Great Recession. He was widely described as less than intelligent and, in fact, a doofus. But remarks from Kanye West were “one of the most disgusting moments” of his presidency? These remarks suggest that George W. Bush has as little judgment as he was often accused of. Consider Iraq, New Orleans, and a tax code that favored the wealthy.

Yet Kanye West’s remarks were an “alltime low?”

Why does this Kanye West kerfuffle remind me of the last Republican debate? Ben Carson is the only person on stage that used the work “black,” and he said it in connection to increasing the minimum wage, which he opposes.

None of the others uttered a peep about African American people, not in terms of entrepreneurship, the wealth gap, nor discrimination in the workplace. It’s fair to say that none of the moderators asked about race and the economy. But just as the candidates jumped into the conversation when they wanted to, none jumped in after Carson’s remark (a perfect opening).

Kanye West said, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” One might say the same thing for the eight major Republican candidates who stood on stage and ignored Black people. Re-

publicans keep saying they want to reach out to people of color, but ignoring Black people suggests that they are thinking about us as much as George Bush did in 2005.

They did talk about immigration, or the Latino population (Trump isn’t trying to build a wall between the United Stated and Canada, but between the United States and Mexico). That part of the conversation was, in my opinion, impractical and disparaging. How is the United States going to expel millions of people and then allow them to come back? Each of the candidates talked about shrinking the size of government, but building a wall and deporting people would increase the federal payroll.

I’ve had about enough of Marco Rubio’s immigrant parents story. He could score a couple of points by adding comments about involuntary immigrants.

Such a comment might suggest to African-Americans that they at least slightly get some of the race issues that plague our country, but those candidates ignore African Americans on one hand, and offer rhetoric about including African Americans on the other.

The moderators of this debate — Fox Business staff Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo, along with the Wall Street Journal’s Gerard Baker did a great job in keeping things moving forward and imposing time limits (although many ignored the bell that Cavuto said would ring when time was up.) And then there’s the to-be-expected interrupting and crosstalk. There were far fewer personal attacks. The debate showed that none of the candidates had developed comprehensive policy positions. All that was missing for me was a question about race and the economy.

Race is a low priority for all of the candidates, Democratic and Republican, in the 2016 election. The Democrats will say some of the appropriate things because they have no choice but to recognize that African Americans are part of their base. The Republicans talk diversity, but they don’t practice it, and haven’t figured out how to weave a narrative about race into their conversations.

Kanye West said that George W. Bush “doesn’t care about black people.” This group of candidates ignores black people and behaves as if there are no consequences when they turn their backs on the ones they might woo later.

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, DC.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page B-5

WCSO 6th Annual Christmas Party

Sheriff Napoleon, community join in the fundraising to bring kids Christmas joy!

It’s that time of year again as we remember the reason for the season of giving. For another year, Sheriff Benny N. Napoleon and his many elves plan to make Christmas brighter this year for dozens of area children in Wayne County. On Dec. 10, Sheriff Napoleon (along with Local 3317 and WCDSA/P.O.A.M.) What: WCS Benny N. Napoleon will host his annual along with Local 3317 and Goodfellows FundWCDSA/POAM 3rd Annual raiser party benefitGoodfellow’s Fundraiser ting “No Child Withbenefitting “No Child Without out a Christmas.” a Christmas” It’s a massive heartWhen: D ecember 10, 2015 – 5p-8p warming event conTickets: (Santa’s Helper ducted by dozens of Donation: $20.00) Checks Wayne County Sherpayable to: WCSO Kids iff’s Deputies who Christmas Fund experience the joy of brightening lives Where: TV Lounge by raising money 2548 Grand River to buy toys for area (east of Motor City Casino) girls and boys at Detroit Christmas. (Families are identified throughout Wayne County and pre-selected in advance based on need).

“We want to ensure that when Christmas rolls around that those in need have even more incentive to smile and that they know they are loved and cared for at home and also by those of us in the community,” said Sheriff Benny Napoleon.

This year’s party — co-sponsored by Local 3317 and WCDSA/P.O.A.M — will feature a raffle, live auction, food and music. The public is invited to share in the celebration. Every $20 ticket purchased goes entirely to buying gifts for needy children. Businesses are also invited to participate at special levels.

Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, National Ford Department

Dr. O’Neil D. Swanson, president and CEO of Swanson Funeral Homes

Gail Perry-Mason, senior director of investments, Oppenheimer & Company, Inc.

Franklin Wright Settlements

2015 Spirit of Giving Honoree’s

Alma Stallworth, Honorable State Representative (retired)

Franklin Wright Settlements, Inc. will pay tribute to six Detroit area community leaders for outstanding commitment to excellence, innovation and community service.

The proceeds from the annual SOG event will benefit the world class youth educational programs at Franklin Wright. This year’s black tie event will be held at the Outdoor Adventure Center 1801 Atwater Street, Detroit, on Dec. 12. For more information regarding the 2015 Spirit of Giving Gala, contact Ahmad N. Nassar, V.P. of development at 313-579-1000, ext. 241.

Malaya, 2013-2014 American Idol runner up

THAW partners with Wayne County for ‘Healthy, Safe and Warm Home Giveaway’ As temperatures drop and Michigan’s heating season quickly approaches, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), in partnership with Wayne County, will be giving away two energy-efficient homes, newly renovated by the Wayne Metro Community Action Agency, to deserving families this winter through its “Healthy, Safe and Warm Home Giveaway.”

“Cold winter months can be burdensome for many of Michigan’s vulnerable families. It is particularly difficult on families living in homes with drafty windows, leaky roofs and/or outdated heating systems,” said Saunteel Jenkins, CEO of THAW. “This year, in celebration of our 30-year anniversary, THAW will go beyond its traditional heating and utility assistance programs and give away two single-family homes to deserving families.

“Everyone deserves to be healthy, safe and warm, especially during the holidays. This is a holiday gift that will change a family’s life forever. It is a new beginning that provides an opportunity for long-term self-sufficiency and stability.”

Courtesy: WCSO Archives

Leslie Andrews, director of community relations, Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans

To be eligible for the giveaway, appli-

cants must be at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) and submit a 500-word essay about how a new home would change their lives. Additionally, those hoping to receive one of the homes located in Inkster, Michigan must meet further eligibility guidelines, including the completion of homebuyer education and financial capabilities classes prior to receiving a home. A full list of eligibility requirements is available on THAW’s website, www.THAWFUND.org.

“This partnership with THAW and the Wayne Metro Community Action Agency is important because it helps to bring stability to the lives of two families while supporting the growth of a Wayne County neighborhood in Inkster,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “This is a win for everyone and it sends a positive message about building community. We look forward to seeing deserving families in these homes.”

Essay submissions began Wednesday, Nov. 25 and continue through Friday, Dec. 4 at 5:30 pm. Winners will be notified on Wednesday, Dec. 23. For more information, visit www.THAWFUND.org.

This holiday, give the gift of Snoopy!

Celebrate the season with an old friend! Bundled up in winter gear, Snoopy comes complete with a backpack clip of Snoopy’s sister Belle, all yours for just $15.95. ©2015 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

FRIENDS & FAMILY SALE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

SAVE ON THE DESIGNERS THAT RARELY GO ON SALE + EXTRA SAVINGS ON SPECIALS!

FREE SHIPPING ONLINE & FREE RETURNS

FREE SHIPPING WITH $99 PURCHASE. U.S. ONLY. EXCLUSIONS APPLY; SEE MACYS.COM/FREERETURNS

USE YOUR MACY’S CARD OR THIS PASS DURING FRIENDS & FAMILY SALE FRIENDS & FAMILY WED, DEC. 2–THURS, DEC. 1O, 2015 SAVINGS OFF REGULAR, SALE & CLEARANCE PRICES TAKE AN EXTRA Excludes: Everyday Values (EDV), cosmetics/fragrances; athletic apparel, shoes & accessories; Breitling, Jack Spade, Kate Spade,

25% OFF STOREWIDE

Samsung watches, Tag Heuer, Tempur-Pedic, The North Face, Tumi, products offered by vendors who operate leased departments in any of our stores including: Burberry, Dallas Cowboys merchandise, Gucci, Longchamp, Louis Vuitton, maternity, New Era, Nike on Field. Not valid on: Macy’s Backstage merchandise/locations, gift cards, gourmet foods, jewelry trunk shows, payment on credit accounts, previous purchases, restaurants, select designer jewelry, watches, special orders, services, wine. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. EXTRA SAVINGS % APPLIED TO REDUCED PRICES. Only one promo code may be used per transaction. Additional exclusions apply online, see macys.com/friend.

Friends & Family discount code valid online Dec. 1-Dec. 10 , 2015.Promotional code for macys.com: FRIEND

OR, TAKE AN EXTRA 10% OFF ELECTRICS/ELECTRONICS, FURNITURE, MATTRESSES & RUGS/FLOOR COVERINGS

FRIENDS & FAMILY SALE PRICES IN EFFECT 12/2-12/10/2015. MERCHANDISE WILL BE ON SALE AT THESE & OTHER SALE PRICES THROUGH 1/2/16, EXCEPT AS NOTED. OPEN A MACY’S ACCOUNT FOR EXTRA 20% SAVINGS THE FIRST 2 DAYS, UP TO $100, WITH MORE REWARDS TO COME. Macy’s credit card is available subject to credit approval; new account savings valid the day your account is opened and the next day; excludes services, selected licensed departments, gift cards, restaurants, gourmet food & wine. The new account savings are limited to a total of $100; application must qualify for immediate approval to receive extra savings; employees not eligible.

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11/24/15 9:06 AM

Page B-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • December 2-8, 2015

D-INSURANCE: is NOT the ANSWER

Lower benefits = more medical debt

Under D-Insurance, your family will be capped at just $25,000 in care. The costs of a serious auto accident can easily reach into the millions, and many important services are not covered by standard health insurance. Where will you make up the difference?

Detroit deserves better!

We need lawmakers to focus on the real problems: stop credit scoring, end auto insurance redlining and reduce fraud.

Tell your legislator: Vote no on D-Insurance! www.ProtectNoFault.org

BUSINESS Powered by Real Times Media

SECTION C

December 2-8, 2015

michiganchronicle.com

Michigan Black Chamber and Mayor celebrate neighborhood business initiative Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Ken Harris unveiled their first Neighborhood Business Directory on Tuesday, a major initiative to spotlight the thousands of small businesses in the city.

This first edition includes more than 170 businesses and in-depth profiles on about 70. The directory is one of several city efforts aimed at steering more customers to these shops and restaurants ahead of Small Business Saturday.

Earlier this year, the mayor and the Michigan Black Chamber started ongoing conversations with more than 100 small-business owners to discuss how the city can help them flourish. Many felt that new businesses were getting all the attention and that the longtime

entrepreneurs were being ignored. So the City and Chamber set out to change that. This Neighborhood Business Directory shines a light on the diversity and strength of Detroit’s business community.

“Though it’s great that we have all of these new businesses opening up shop in our city, it’s important to celebrate those who have been here, too,” Mayor Duggan said. “We’re committed to making sure everyone is part of Detroit’s resurgence. Our neighborhood businesses played a key role in Detroit getting back on track.”

“The mayor wanted to know directly from business owners what the problems were,” said Harris. “The directory highlights the diversity and strength of Detroit’s business community, and this

Don’t believe the holiday hype

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA

trying to separate consumers from their dollars because they depend on fourth quarter sales to make a profit.

The build-up began right after Halloween, when the newspapers got thicker, the advertising inserts longer, and e-mails touting shopping bargains coming more frequently. Buy! Buy! Buy! The exhortations are almost hypnotic. Buy, buy more, and buy even Julianne Malveaux more. Sellers have become far more aggressive in is lower.

The term “Black Friday” does not refer to black people, but to the Friday after Thanksgiving when retailers can forecast whether they will end the year “in the black.”

Consumer confidence is higher than it has been in the past several years, and unemployment Spending is up. Have

is only a sample of the many shops and restaurants in our city.”

The City partnered with the Challenge Detroit fellows and had them go out into all seven council districts to track down the best small-business stories they could find. The mayor’s office also reached out to business associations and had them work with entrepreneurs in their districts to get them involved, and district managers came up with a lengthy list of shops and restaurants that deserved to be highlighted. There is no shortage of small businesses in the city to include. Next year, the City and Chamber plan to highlight even more.

“We were honored to work with the Mayor’s Office to help build awareness for and capture stories of neighborhood small businesses,” said Shelley Danner,

consumers shed the cautionary approach they had to holiday spending last year?

Whether you plan to spend or not, don’t fall for the holiday hype. The big box stores will advertise unbelievable bargains such as a 58” wide screen TV for $129, for example. What they won’t tell you is that they have five of them. Exactly five.

They are hoping that you will get to the store early, stand in line, and when you learn there are no more cheap TV bargains, you’ll buy something else.

Meanwhile, you and the other fools (yes, fools) who stood in line all day or night will perform for the cameras that record you stampeding through the store, trampling each other, in search of “deals.”

Why not, instead, consider the meaning of holidays, holy days? Why not use these last few weeks of the year to do some of the good we neglected to do earlier in the year? Why not show love, regard, respect through words and deeds, and not through stuff? Why feed the great consumer machine that exploits consumers? WalMart, the largest of the mass retailers, pays its workers little to nothing, adjusts their hours to

program director of Challenge Detroit.

“Launching the hashtag #ShopDetroit on social media and in the community with Detroit Experience Factory and other partners is an integral next step to further that effort, encouraging residents and visitors to shop local this holiday season and all year ‘round.”

Last week’s kickoff event was held at the new location of Mo Better Blues.

Owner Gerald Watson had difficulties in his previous location. He is now in Bricktown, having reopened thanks to $50,000 in grants from the City’s Motor City Match after benefiting from the help of the Department of Neighborhoods, the Jobs and Economy Team, and the family of support represented through the City’s small-business community.

See Neighborhood business Page D-2

avoid offering health care, and fires employees when they protest. They are the easiest to call out, but they aren’t the only retailer that touts great prices but offers workers low pay and benefits.

If there is shopping that should be done (and don’t get me wrong – I like to shop as much as the next person does) why not spend your dollars with black-owned businesses? Why not gift your friends (especially children and young adults) with great books? As you contemplate holiday giving, consider Maggie Anderson’s “Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest to Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy”.

Anderson’s book is both sobering and empowering. Sobering – it was a chore to buy black, because black folks don’t own things like gas stations. Empowering – it was important to see how black business could be strengthened with more patronage. Unfortunately, African Americans spend less than ten percent of our income with black businesses. While there are “reasons,” there are also reasons we should go out of our way to support black business.

Supporting black business

generates jobs in our communities, which means providing opportunities for some of the young people who desperately need employment.

According to a Gallup consumer survey, Americans plan to spend $830 on gifts this year, 15 percent more than we spent in 2014, and more than any year since 2007. My snarly tone about holiday hype isn’t likely to change hearts, minds, or spending habits. Without snarling, then, my suggestion is to think before you spend, and to let your spending reflect your values. You appreciate small businesses? Shop with them. You care about black entrepreneurship?

Look for black businesses. If you can’t find a bricks and mortar store, shop online.

And whatever you do, don’t go galloping down the aisles of a big box store and get featured on the news chasing that elusive bargain. Holidays, our holy days, ought to be our season to be grateful, not our season to spend mindlessly. Just a word from the Grinch!

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, DC.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page C-2

Neighborhood business From page C-1 The full-color guide will be made available for free at the Detroit Experience Factory downtown and at businesses throughout the city. You also can download a print-your-own PDF version at www.dreamitdoitdetroit.org.

The online version will expand, and businesses can add themselves to the guide by submitting their information through an online form.

The City also has partnered with Pure Detroit to expand the popular shop’s Detroit Small Business Passport, which offers discounts at small businesses and encourages metro Detroiters to shop local. The passport has expanded this year to include 41 independent shops and restaurants throughout the city of Detroit. View the map of all 41 businesses here: http://bit.ly/1OR51X6.

“The success of Detroit’s small businesses is everyone’s business,” said Duggan. “Today is a celebration of small businesses in Detroit and all they do for our neighborhoods.”

Free directory available in stores around city and at www.dreamitdoitdetroit.org

New minimum wage for Michigan employees CHRONICLE STAFF REPORTS

Beginning December 1, 2015, Michigan workers will see an increase in the minimum wage rate from $8.15 to $8.50. This new change to state law marks the second of a gradual 25 percent increase of the minimum wage resulting in $9.25 per hour by 2018.

New online resources are available at www.michigan.gov/wagehour to help workers and employers understand the facts as the new rate takes effect.

On May 27, 2014, the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, Public Act 138 of 2014 (Act 138) took immediate effect, replacing the Michigan Minimum Wage and Overtime Act (Act 154). Act 138 is enforced by the Wage and Hour Program within the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).

Act 138 applies to employers in Michigan that have two or more employees age 16 and older. A copy of Act 138, along with the required poster may be downloaded from the Wage and Hour Pro-

gram website.

Tipped Employees

Dates of Minimum Wage Rate Increases

Act 138 allows employers to take a tip credit on minimum wage under certain conditions for those employees who customarily and regularly receive tips.

The current minimum wage is $8.15. The rate increases as follows: • January 1, 2016 - $8.50 • January 1, 2017 - $8.90 • January 1, 2018 - $9.25 Youth Training Wage Act 138 allows an employer to pay a newly hired employee age 16 to 19 $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days of employment.

85 Percent Wage

Minimum

Act 138 also allows an employer in Michigan to pay 85 percent of the minimum wage to employees aged 16 and 17; however, note that the current Federal Minimum Wage rate is $7.25 per hour.

Employers that are covered by both State and Federal Minimum Wage law should pay the higher applicable rate. Information on Federal Minimum Wage can be obtained by calling the United States Department of Labor at 866-487-9243.

The following conditions apply to taking a tip credit on the state minimum wage rate:

• If a credit is taken for gratuities received by an employee, then the employment records for each pay period shall contain the credit that was taken along with a written statement of the amount of gratuities received by the employee. The statement shall be signed by the em-

• The employee is in a position which customarily and regularly receives gratuities from a guest, patron, or customer for services rendered to that guest, patron, or customer.

• If the gratuities plus the minimum hourly wage rate do not equal or exceed the minimum hourly wage otherwise established, the employer pays any shortfall to the employee.

• The gratuities are proven gratuities as indicated by the employee’s declaration for Federal Insurance Contribution Act. • The employee was informed by the employer of the provisions of Act 138.

The Michigan Chronicle in partnership with Talmer Bank and Trust, will kick off the new S.W.A.G. Awards in Detroit. S.W.A.G., which stands for Students Wired for Achievement and Greatness, is a scholarship program recognizing outstanding high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to community, integrity and service. Current students that are economically disadvantaged, live and attend school in Detroit, and are planning to attend college or a trade school are eligible to apply.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY. 2015-2016 Michigan Chronicle and Talmer Bank and Trust S.W.A.G. Awards entry period starts at 12:00 AM ET on 10/5/15 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 12/31/15. Open only to 12th graders who are 16 and older who are legal residents of the City of Detroit, MI who: (a) attend a public, charter, or private Detroit high school, (b) are economically disadvantaged (as defined in Section 2b of the complete Official Rules); (c) will graduate in spring 2016; (d) have at least a 2.5 grade point average (or equivalent); and (e) are in good community standing. Visit www.michronicleonline.com/swag-awards for entry instructions, Submission requirements, prizes and complete details. Only one (1) Submission per entrant. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Only one (1) Contest Submission per entrant. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. SPONSORS: The Michigan Chronicle and Talmer Bank and Trust.

ployee and dated before the date the paycheck was received.

Employees covered by the overtime provisions of the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act must be paid one and a half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked exceeding 40 hours in a workweek.

For further questions or information, call the Wage and Hour Program toll free at 855-4649243 or visit www.michigan.gov/MinimumWageAct. For more information about MIOSHA, please visit www.michigan.gov/ miosha

business

Detroit Branch

NAACP launches ‘Shop Detroit’ on Avenue of Fashion

BY MICHIGAN CHRONICLE STAFF

The Detroit Branch NAACP’s Shop Detroit campaign kicked-off its timely annual Shop Detroit Campaign during the whirlwind buying season known as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. The Shop Detroit program which was organized in 1988 to encourage consumers to support Detroit-based businesses during the holiday season. The campaign kickedoff on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 1917 American Bistro located in the City’s historic Avenue of Fashions.

“The Detroit Branch NAACP, in conjunction with local businesses, particularly … on the Avenue of Fashion, reminds all Detroiters not to forget to deposit some resources inside our own communities,’ said Rev. Wendell Anthony president of the Detroit Branch NAACP. On the heels of the Shop Detroit campaign launch, Wayne County Executive, Warren C. Evans with the support of the Avenue of Fashion Business Association and University Commons announced the installation of overhead lighting along the front and rear of businesses and in alleys and parking lots along Livernois located between Clarita and St. Martins in Detroit.

On Saturday, Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., shoppers will be encouraged to visit vendors participating in the 22nd Annual Holiday Christmas Bazaar that will be held at Fellowship Chapel located at 7707 W. Outer Drive.

Additionally, during the Shop Detroit campaign, the Detroit Branch NAACP will feature local businesses and special promotions on their social media pages and website. The Detroit Branch NAACP’s Shop Detroit campaign is done in partnership with the City of Detroit and their recent release of “Dream It. Do. It. Detroit,” a neighborhood small business directory.

The Detroit Branch NAACP first began its efforts to increase in-store traffic for Black-owned and Detroit based business in 1988. “The Buy Black, Buy Detroit” Campaign provided a retail shop and services guide to assist holiday shoppers. Now known as “Shop Detroit,” the campaign is very much alive and involves African American retailers throughout the City of Detroit.

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page C-3

Auto Review: 2016 Toyota Corolla S Plus

By Frank S. Washington NNPA

Toyota’s Camry has been the best-selling car for years, but the company’s Corolla has defined the brand for decades. And it is still America’s best-selling compact.

The new Corolla was big, for a compact. And that meant there was a bunch of rear-seat room. Two adults could get in the back seats and have plenty of head, hip and legroom.

The test model was a 2016 Toyota Corolla S and yes that S did stand for Sport. The car had a 1.8-liter direct injection four-cylinder engine that made 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Fuel consumption was pretty good.

The Corolla S got 28 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway and 31 mpg combined. It has an exclusive piano-black grille, rear spoiler, fog lights, and chrome-tipped tailpipe and 17-inch alloy wheels. Springs, dampers and bushings were all are unique to the S model.

It took a couple of days to get the feel of the manual gearbox; each manual shifter has its own personality. But once mastered it was a smooth shifting gearbox. Like most low horsepower cars

with a manual transmission, there was some downshifting to build torque, thus power, but surprisingly not that much.

The car had an independent strut suspension in the front and a torsion beam rear suspension. This set up gave the Corolla a smooth ride, the car handled the ruts and crevices of city streets without a lot of fuss and it didn’t transfer much of the road noise of the streets into the car.

Its electric power steering system was adequate. Response to driver input was decent and stopping power generated by ventilated disc brakes in the front and solid disc brakes in the rear was pretty good. Turning radius was 35.6 ft. but we thought 3.19 lock-to-lock turns was a bit much. But the Toyota Corolla was not a sports car.

The dash was a clean horizontal layout that was made to look wider with the use of piano black surfacing on either side of the infotainment system.

The manual seats were comfortable and they were nicely done with a sort of herringbone pattern in the cloth.

There was a TFT screen between the odometer and speedometer. It was coded to deliver all sorts of information but one thing it didn’t have, at least we couldn’t find it, was a digital readout of mph. Yes, the speedometer was there but the numerals were small and they were in blue coming out of a black background; not that easy to see.

Once we thought we were doing 70 mph but it was really 80 mph. That brings us to the Corolla’s characteristic of power. Acceleration was just about nonexistent but give the car just a little bit of time to get up to speed and it cruises really well.

This test car had a sunroof, Bluetooth, a backup camera, satellite radio, Toyota’s Entune app –filled infotainment system and a navigation system. There was USB and auxiliary jacks, as well as a high definition radio and a 12-volt socket. For $22,430 the 2016 Toyota Corolla S Plus was not a bad deal.

Frank S. Washington is the editor of AboutThatCar.com.

Rep. Lawrence introduces H.R. 4068, the Promote Startups Act of 2015 Rep. Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) on Nov. 18, introduced H.R. 4068, the Promote Startups Act of 2015, which would permanently increase the limitations on deductions for startup and organizational expenditures that entrepreneurs face. The act seeks to raise the current tax deduction limit for startup expenses from $5,000 to $15,000 and raise the deduction limit for organizational expenses from $5,000 to $10,000.

“My bill sends a message to entrepreneurs across America that the cost of starting a new business must not get in the way of the ambition and innovation that drives entrepreneurs to create jobs and boost our economy,” Lawrence said.

She was joined by the bill’s original co-sponsors, the ranking Democrat of the House Small Business Committee Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-7), Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-9), and Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10).

“This legislation will lower barriers for entrepreneurs looking to launch new ventures, creating greater economic opportunity in our communities. I applaud Congresswoman Lawrence for authoring this bill and am proud to support her efforts,” Rep. Velázquez said.

According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses continue to add more new jobs than large businesses nationwide. Through the first three quarters of 2014, small businesses added 1.4 million net new jobs to the American economy.

“Entrepreneurship offers the opportunity for families to enter the middle class and build wealth. By increasing tax deductions for small business owners, the Promote Startups Act of 2015 has the potential to increase the number of people who start small businesses and the percentage of small businesses that succeed,” Rep. Clarke said.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s annual report, which tracks entrepreneurship across the U.S., revealed that startup activity rose in 2015, reversing a five-year downward trend.

“Reducing the costs associated with starting a business is critical to job creation and economic prosperity,” said Rep. Payne. “With this legislation, entrepreneurs will be able to innovate, hire American workers and grow our economy for years to come.”

H.R. 4068 has also received the endorsement of the Michigan Black Cham-

ber of Commerce PAC. Ken. L. Harris, president and CEO of the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc., said the bill will undoubtedly have a positive impact on minority-owned businesses in Michigan and across the nation.

“The Michigan Black Chamber PAC believes that this type of progressive policy, which supports small and medium-sized businesses, is essential to the long-term economic stability of urban communities where the majority of Black and minority businesses operate,” Harris said.

Rep. Lawrence added that the bill is one important step toward increasing federal support for entrepreneurs and American businesses, but that more needs to be done to promote this important segment of the American economy.

“Congress must come together to support America’s entrepreneurial trailblazers and foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurship so that the next generation of business leaders are motivated to put great ideas into action and, in the process, become pioneers of business innovation and job creation while contributing to our economy,” Lawrence said.

Page C-4 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • December 2-8, 2015

business

December 2-8, 2015

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Page C-5

Crowdfunding campaign launched for The Commons: 7900 Mack Avenue The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Mack Avenue Community Church Community Development Corporation today announced a new crowdfunding campaign through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. The campaign will support the project to renovate and create a dynamic mixedused community space on Mack Avenue in Detroit that will feature a literacy center, legal clinic, pastor’s workshop, collaborative workspace, coffee shop and laundromat, and cross-cultural gathering point for all members of the neighboring community.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $50,000 by Dec. 31, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MSHDA and MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program.

“Renovation of 7900 Mack Avenue and the creation of the Commons will be an asset to the community for youth and

mixed-used community space on Mack Ave. The building will house a coffee shop, laundromat, literacy center, legal clinic, window-lit common space, and a publicly-available work and office space. The Commons will be a center for community development, a cross-cultural gathering point, a place of learning and a rallying point for the diverse neighboring communities.

adults, bringing resources to community members that were previously not accessible,” said MEDC Community Development Director Katharine Czarnecki. “Public Spaces Community Places is a great resource for communities to help turn vision into reality.”

“Residents of Indian Village, Pingree Park, and the surrounding areas will really benefit from

these changes happening at 7900 Mack Avenue,” said Kevin Elsenheimer, executive director at MSHDA. “The Commons [has] the potential to inspire meaningful community-led collaboration by bringing together the diversity of the surrounding neighborhoods to boost business, development and programming.”

As of the summer of 2015, MACC Development

completed major repairs to the facade of 7900 Mack Ave., a 12,000 sq. foot commercial property abandoned years ago to the county tax auction.

Now, new cedar siding and clean, grey brickface have both left intact the historic appeal of the building while replacing its deteriorating elements. These improvements have created local buzz for a new, dynamic,

“We are very proud to call home a community many so-called experts declared too far gone.” said Jonathan Demers, executive director of MACC Development. “The Commons is a wager, a confirmation that genuine, equitable stabilization in Detroit should begin and end in the city’s neighborhoods.

We’re excited to play a small part in that stabilization through returning business, resources, and community space back to Mack Avenue.”

residents can use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and get backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, non-profits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity. com/puremichigan.

Pure Michigan is a brand 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 advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

AT YOUR SERVICE

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Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, MSHDA, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity where local

Detroit-based SEEL to support local charitable organizations over holiday season Michigan Chronicle Staff Reports SEEL is currently issuing a call to charitable organizations in Detroit that are seeking assistance with their charitable endeavors this holiday season to contact them for sponsorship inquiries. Philanthropy for James plays a large part in defining what makes a company successful. While the city continues to experience a surge in new business upstarts, entrepreneurial success, and employment expansion, James recognizes that there are still large segments of the city’s population that remain severely economically disenfranchised. With that understanding, he has vowed to continue making corporate citizenship a top priority for SEEL. His belief is that companies truly invested in growing within Detroit must

also position themselves to be a resource for the city’s most marginalized communities.

Louis E. James, president and CEO of Detroit-based Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics (SEEL), LLC, recently honored with the 2015 Luminary Award by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) at the MMSDC’s 32nd annual ACE Award Celebration held at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit, vows to continue philanthropic efforts in the city.

“In a city like Detroit, there is an overabundance of worthy causes and deserving organizations that are committed to genuinely helping people,” he said.

“SEEL is honored to be a part of that movement. It is not a matter of doing what we can, but doing what we must, to create and sus-

tain positive change within our community.”

The MMSDC established the Luminary Award in 2015 to recognize individuals who demonstrate a sustained and successful commitment to mentorship of other minority business enterprises (MBEs), MBE-to-MBE spending and high percentages of hiring within minority communities, as well as outstanding efforts to ensure diversity within companies. James’ nomination was also based on his longtime commitment to supporting employment and advancement in the Detroit area, demonstrated by the fact that 60% of his Michigan-based staff and leadership are Detroit residents. Since SEEL was founded in 2009, the company has exceeded its mission to spend 25 percent of its

annual procurement dollars each year on certified MBEs and WBEs (woman business enterprises).

Recent community relation initiatives include Harvest Fest 2015, in partnership with Detroit church, In His Image Worship Center, under the direction of An’Drese L. Hopkins, where SEEL volunteers supplied 350 local families with free food baskets, as well as backpacks for school-aged youth; and Bridging the Gap 2014, a Detroit Police Department initiative, where SEEL volunteers assisted in providing over 1200 families with coats and winter accessories in preparation for the winter.

For information on sponsorship requests, contact Patrice Suggs, Outreach Manager at psuggs@seelllc.com or by calling 313-294-7408.

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Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • December 2-8, 2015

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SECTION D

Reflections

By Steve Holsey

When groups shatter It’s always sad when groups fall apart after making history, enjoying plenty of hit records and having a lot of good times.

Names such as En Vogue, Contours and Sister Sledge come to mind, as well as duos like Sam & Dave and René and Angela. Sometimes the falling out comes after the act has disbanded.

The Gap Band is among the latest to go down that road. Brothers Charlie and Ronnie Wilson seem to want to “burn rubber” on each other. The fight is over the name “Gap Band,” even though Charlie has been a solo act for a long time.

December 2-8, 2015

michiganchronicle.com

Music for the

holidays …every year

By Steve Holsey It is virtually impossible to imagine a holiday season without hearing certain songs. They are an essential element during that time, and they sound good, year after year.

In his lawsuit, Ronnie charges that Charlie is doing everything within his power to stop the Charlie Wilson and comeback tour Ronnie Wilson during he was plan- better times. ning to launch.

He said two important engagements have already been blocked.

Some go way back, to the 1950s and far, far beyond. For example, the beautiful “Silent Night” dates back to 1818.

But of far more recent origin — 1970 to be exact — is the irresistible “This Christmas,” sung by one the greatest singers the world has ever known, Donny Hathaway. As soon as we heard it, we knew it would become a classic.

Ronnie would be working with a new “Gap Band” since Charlie works alone and their brother Robert passed.

Speaking of incredible singers, anyone who owns Luther Vandross’ “This is Christmas” album is familiar with a masterpiece titled “Every Year, Every Christmas.” The production is stunning and the song concept is unique.

The Gap Band existed before Charlie Wilson joined, as Ronnie Wilson is quick to point out.

WHAT IS it that Shonda Rhimes and Oprah Winfrey have in common? That is, besides being super-successful, super-rich black women? Neither is “the marrying kind.”

Vandross also does a remarkable job on one of the loveliest songs ever written, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

The Temptations gave the classic children’s Christmas favorite “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” a unique R&B spin with Eddie Kendricks on lead and later offered a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night,” this time with Glen Leonard up front.

The Temptations also gave us something special with “Give Love on Christmas Day.” WE’RE NOT just talking about black Christmas songs here. That would not be in keeping with the season.

Shonda Rhimes And Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah thought she wanted to marry longtime boyfriend Stedman Graham, but when he finally asked, she said to herself, “Now I actually have to get married.” So at his suggestion they called it off and, according to Oprah, “We never discussed it again.”

One of the most bouncy, fun holiday songs is “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by a lady with a special voice, Brenda Lee. One of the most creative and outstanding pop/soul Christmas albums ever recorded was released in 1963, titled "A Christmas Wish for You" and produced by Phil Spector. There are plenty of standout moments, especially “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love, who sang it every December on David Letterman’s show.

Rhimes is even more blunt. She said, “I don’t want to get married. If you’re a woman in your thirties or forties, everybody’s asking you all the time if it’s going to happen. I love having boyfriends and I love dating, but I do not want a husband in my house.”

One of the most thought-provoking songs of the season is “Happy

See MUSIC FOR THE HOLIDAYS Page D-2

Give them both points for pure honesty.

IT IS MY hope that people in the industry are not shunning the former “Clair Huxtable” and “Cosby kids” because of what happened to Bill Cosby. (And I still refuse to persecute him.)

But when you think about it, Phylicia Rashad, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe, Kesha Knight PulPhylicia Rashad liam and Lisa Bonet have not been seen much — or heard from much — since the revelations.

Recently I wrote that Chaka Khan had gained back most the weight she had lost.

But on the Nov. 24 “Dancing with the Stars” finale, she was slim and looked and sounded fantastic.

The Ronettes

Maybe the costumes she wore when she — very unsuccessfully — performed as a contestant made her look bigger. Or maybe she lost weight by basically not eating, which is how took the pounds off in the first place.

Speaking of looking good in every possible way, it is very difficult to believe that Jennifer Lopez is 46.

A NEW date has been set for the release of Chris Brown’s “Royalty” album, named after his new daughter. It comes out Dec. 18.

Brown had a rather strange response when Chris Brown and his asked if the content of some of his daughter, Royalty. songs would change now that he has an infant daughter.

“Most of the records that I make are

See Reflections Page D-2

Darlene Love on the David Letterman show.

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

PHOTO GALLERY

December 2-8, 2015 Page D-2

Week’s Best

LOTTERY

P I CK S

647 381 459 401 805 770 650 378 121 768 280 491 6-8-9-17-23-33 2204 7962 DIGITAL DAILY RAP PIONEER Darryl McDaniels, who along with Joseph Simmons and Jason Mizell formed the legendary rap group Run-D.M.C., participated in America’s Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Detroit. He was accompanied by his wife, Zuri. — Barbara Orto photo

AMONG THOSE entertaining at this year’s Hob Nobble Gobble at Ford Field was rapper-actor Tone Loc, best known for the hits “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina.” — Barbara Orto photo

WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

STEVIE WONDER recently brought his “Songs in the Key of Life” show to Joe Louis Arena. Many believe this is Wonder’s greatest recording achievement. — Andre Smith photo

WILLIE HORTON, Detroit Tigers icon, had a great time at America’s Thankgiving Parade. He was accompanied by his granddaughter, Alisha. — Barbara Orto photo

TIM ALLEN, comedian-actor who used to live in Birmingham, Michigan, served as grand marshall for America’s Thanksgiving Parade. With him are wife Jane and daughter Elizabeth. — Barbara Orto photo

Music for the holidays

From page D-1

Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono backed by the Harlem Community Choir.

And then there’s Stevie’s Wonder’s great “Someday at Christmas” and the Emotions’ “What do the Lonely do at Christmas?”

At Your Finger Tips!

LIZ HERNANDEZ, correspondent for the popular TV show “Access Hollywood,” waves to fans at America’s Thankgiving Parade.” — Barbara Orto photo.

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Stevie Wonder also does a sensational job on the classical gem “Ave Maria” as well as the rockin’ “What Christmas Means to Me.” Quite possibly, the most essential holiday number is “The Christmas Song” by the legendary Nat “King” Cole. The opening line is a clincher: “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...” It was written by the great jazz vocalist Mel Tormé.

of his own.

the One You Love.”

PLENTY OF artists have updated classic Christmas songs and that works frequently, but Babyface went the traditional route with his “Christmas with Babyface” album.

No one would have expected the Drifters to deliver a holiday classic, but their highly stylized version of “White Christmas” has been heard every year since 1954. The arrangement was originally used by the Ravens in 1948.

It is always fun hearing the Jackson 5 singing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause” and “Up on the Housetop.”

On the bluesy side of things there are two classics by Charles Brown, “Merry Christmas Baby” and “Please Come Home for Christmas.”

If you want to hear Christmas in a deeply traditional gospel vein, any one of gospel queen Mahalia Jackson’s albums will be what you need.

“Christmas Moments" by the Whispers is another great album.

And for playful sexiness, Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” has taken on a life

Every holiday season the mighty O’Jays remind us that “Christmas Just Ain’t Christmas Without

Barbra Streisand never does anything unless it is classy and the epitome of perfection. So it is with her “A Christmas Album.”

Many artists have recorded “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” but none are better than the exquisite version done by Nancy Wilson.

Reflections so sexual. That’s how my daughter was made,” he said. “I would never change my whole regimen or how I move on stage. I make music that can appeal to all different ages and races.”

Loved Will Smith candidness when discussing his 20-year marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith.

“You can’t expect it to be easy,” he stated. “Our marriage has been the most difficult, grueling thing that we have taken on in our lives, but we are just not quitters.

“We never went into working our on relationship. We only worked on ourselves individually and then presented ourselves to one another better than we were previously.”

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that even though he had hits from 1955 to 1961, including “Fever,” “Talk to Me, Talk to Me” and “Sleep,” there is no known film footage of the outstanding Detroit-raised singer Little Willie John. Hopefully something will turn up at some point.

MEMORIES: “I Love Your Smile” (Shanice), “Trying to Hold on to My

From page D-1 Woman” (Lamont Dozier), “Maybe Tomorrow” (the Jackson 5), “Careless Whisper” (Wham! featuring George Michael), “Shake Your Groove Thing” (Peaches & Herb), “Oh Sheila” (Ready for the World), “Bye Bye Baby” (Mary Wells), “If This World Were Mine” (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell), “Supernatural Thing” (Ben E. King), “He Will Break Your Heart” (Jerry Butler).

BLESSINGS to all of the news anchors, reporters and meteorologists on Detroit stations, including Huel Perkins, Carolyn Clifford, Andrew Humphrey, M.L. Elrick, Rhonda Walker, Carmen Harlan, Jason Carr, Alicia Smith, Ruth Spencer, Lee Thomas, Anqunette Jamison, Dave Rexroth, Devin Scillian, Stephen Clark and Malcom Maddox.

LEGENDARY PICTURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENT A LEGENDARY PICTURES/ZAM PICTURES PRODUCTION ‘ KRAMPUS’’ A FILM BY MICHAEL DOUGHERTY ADAM SCOTT TONI COLLETTE DAVID KOECHNER ALLISON TOLMAN CONCHATA FERRELL EMJAY ANTHONY STEFANIA LAVIE OWEN WIWRITH TKRITEN STA STADLER EXECUTIPRODUCERVE DANIEL M. STILLMAN PRODUCEDBY THOMASDIRECTEDTULLp.g.a. JON JASHNIp.g.a.

ALEX GARCIAp.g.a. MICHAEL DOUGHERTYp.g.a. BY TODD CASEY & MICHAEL DOUGHERTY & ZACH SHIELDS BY MICHAEL DOUGHERTY A UNIVERSAL RELEASE VISUAL EFFECTS BY WETA DIGITAL LTD.

© 2015 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Alan Cohen: “The key to happiness is gratitude.”

Let the music play!

Steve Holsey can be reached at Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 42802.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

December 2-8, 2015

Page D-3

Pearl Mae Spence

It is said that one of the greatest things that can be said about someone is that they left the world a better place than it was when they entered it. So it was with Pearl Mae Spence.

She was the rock of the family and took special pleasure in being in their presence because she loved them so much. She also enjoyed sharing wisdom and offering words of encouragement and support.

Mrs. Spence was born on March 5, 1927 in Hapeville, Georgia, the second oldest child born to Robert and Lillie Mae Tomlin. She moved to Detroit in the early 1940s with an uncle.

Mrs. Spence was a very honest person who always said precisely what she meant.

She was also very much into fashion.

She continued her education in the Detroit Public Schools and was a longtime active member St. Philip’s Lutheran Church.

Pearl Mae Spence made her her transition on Aug. 18, 2015, leaving behind to cherish her memory her daughter, Sharon; son, Arther; two brothers, Robert and James; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In 1983, she married the love of her life, O.C. Spence, and they had one beautiful daughter, Sharon Palmore, and a special son, Arthur Spence.

“Don’t look at the end of my life and mourn for me,” Mrs. Spence said. “Look at the whole of my life. Celebrate, for I lived life to its fullest.”

Maribodine Robinson Services for Maribodine Robinson took place on Monday, Nov. 23, at Christ Church Detroit with Rev. Rollin Norris officiating. Mrs. Robinson passed away on Nov. 17, 2015.

Marie Bodine Busey Robinson was born on April 20, 1909 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Nathaniel Busey and Fannie Coleman Busey, the eldest of three siblings. At an early age the family moved to Springfield, Ohio.

After high school she attended Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and a Master’s in Chemistry. Following college

she raught elementary school and in 1933, married Dr. Remus G. Robinson.

Mrs. Robinson’s life was one filled community activism and she was honored many times for her efforts.

She will be missed by many.

Mrs. Maribodine Robinson’s memory is being cherished by three children, Carole Y. Cromwell, Ilene E. Robinson and Frederick E. Robinson; five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.

Arrangements were entrusted Swanson Funeral Home.

to

Theodore Hunt Theodore Hunt Sr. made his transition on Friday, Nov. 20 at the age of 91. His family was at his side as he shed a single tear and transcended. He is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Leona, their three children Theodore Jr. (Jan), Bruce (Debra), and Michele; two granddaughters Alise Larder (Brian), and Nicole; two great granddaughters Sophia and Vivian; his niece, Karyn Skelton (Moses); his sisters Thelma, Gloria, and Mildred (Tommie), and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Ted lived an extraordinary life and was the epitome of ‘a life well lived.’ Ted served 23 years in the military, three of those in service to the U.S. Navy, and 20 in the U.S. Air Force. He performed in and produced USO shows all over the world.

When Ted retired in 1967, he created the “YES I CAN” program to help young people around the country discover selflove. He was a prolific and inspired mo-

tivational speaker and served as a mentor to hundreds.

Ted also touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with his generous love, humanity and optimism. He was awarded numerous commendations including the Michiganian of the Year award in 1983.

Ted Hunt was a gift to the spirit. His memorial service will be held Dec. 7 at Fellowship Chapel, 7701 W Outer Drive, Detroit, MI. Family hour will be held at 5 p.m, and the funeral service will commence at 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy, Ted Hunt, Sr. Scholarship Fund, 3031 W. Grand Blvd. Ste. 350 Detroit MI 48202.

Please share memories at wwwfacebook/memoriesoftedhuntsr.

To learn more about his exceptional life, see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ michele-hunt/a-tribute-to-my-parentsi_b_1284226.html

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OBITUARIES

PERSONAL SERVICES

Augusta Beatrice Banks passed away on Sunday, November 22, 2015 in Detroit.

Known as “Gussie,” Mrs. Banks was born the second of 12 children to Willie and Mary Marbury on November 16, 1921 in segregated Leeds, Alabama. She accepted Christ as a child at the Historic Hills Chapel Church in Leeds.

She married Simon Thomas Madden and the couple had two daughters, Carolyn Jean and Marian Louise. This union ended and she moved to Detroit in 1953. After working a short time as an elevator operator at Hudson’s Department Store in downtown Detroit, she became one of the first female employees at the Ford Motor Company’s Sterling plant in 1953. UAW Local 228 honored her for her ground-breaking employment in 2007. As a retiree, she continued work faithfully as a union delegate until her health declined

Augusta joined Fred as a member of New Calvary Baptist Church, where she served as a Sunday school teacher and was honored as the first recipient of the church’s Helen Odean Butler Award.

She was a member of the Sigma Shadows, wives of the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. She also helped organize a social group called “The Independent Women Club,” which started as a Christmas savings club hosting fashion shows and cabarets at historic clubs like the 666 Club and the 20 Grand. She was crowned the “queen” on many occasions for saving and raising the most money for the club. She was a hat maker, hair dresser and an excellent baker. Her recipes remain a secret. She was a print model and was often featured on billboards and print advertisements.

Throughout the years she helped her siblings and extended family complete college, secure jobs and purchase homes for their families. In addition to her daughters, she cared for Fred’s nephews - John Lewis Banks and Herbie C Banks - as if they were their own children.

She leaves to cherish her memory: four brothers - Lonnie (Loretta) Marbury, Leonard Curtis Marbury, Dr. Carl Harris Marbury and Raymond Edward (Jackie) Marbury, a loving sister-in-law, Shirley Scott; brother-in-law, Mitchell Jerald; her three daughters: Carolyn Madden Hall, Marian Louise Gabriel and Janet Elaine McElrath; her nephews: John Lewis (Genevieve) Banks, Herbie C (Gloria) Banks; twelve grandchildren: Talitha Elise (Brian) Meyer, Kenneth Gabriel, Diona Torres, Christian (Jasmin) Gabriel, Marianna Gabriel, Eric and Derrick Gabriel. Whitney Olivia Hall, Michael Anthony (Dr. Tiffani) McElrath, Sean McElrath, Lauren McElrath and Johnathan McElrath; nine great grand children; s special niece and caregiver, Kimwonna Banks (Jerry) Ealey and a host of nieces, nephews, family members and friends.

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While working at Ford, she met and married Fred J. Banks. This union produced a daughter, Janet Elaine.

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The 2016 Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Property List is in the December 2nd, 9th and 16th, 2015 Detroit Legal News.

When you’re busy making trays of cookies for your big holiday party, consider making an extra batch or two, and encouraging friends and neighbors to do the same. With your combined efforts, you can host a bake sale, which can be a lucrative and enjoyable way to raise money for your favorite charity.

If you don’t have time to organize an event like this, you can still give back through your

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Burton International, MGM Grand Detroit celebrate diversity education, and fun during Count Day 2015 October

2015

Oct. 28 -

By Scott Talley Special to the Michigan Chronicle An early MGM Grandstart to the workday is not generally Detroit’s after beginning Oscar a source his shift at Davis was all smiles of joy, 5 a.m.

The occasion just a few but hours was Count and Davis, people who

Issue

Academy, delight in the surroundings were eating his scrumptious cuisine.

Continue

Nov. 3, 2015

Winter’s coming, don’t freeze

Day at Burton a sous-chef, Rogers Foster and International took special the young

• MGM Grand Detroit tradition with visit team members to Burton continue • DAPCEP International a proud Academy. educationhelps area youth with assistance aim high through from MGM • Greater STEM Grand Detroit. services.Works Foundation aims to fill gaps in community more!

To purchase a copy please visit their offices at 2001 West Lafayette Blvd., Detroit near the corner of West Lafayette and Rosa Parks Blvd. or visit their Oakland County office at 1409 Allen Rd, Suite B, Troy. Copies are also available at local city and township offices as well as the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office at 400 Monroe, Fifth Floor, Detroit.

C-1

79 – Num

WHAT’S INSI ber 7 DE

Photo by

on page 3

• And much

Equality not yet reality (Page B-4)

In his hard-h itting commentary, Jesse Jackso states, “For n ress we haveall the prograce in this made on is still a starkcountry, there differe between black and nce poverty,” adding thatwhite “morally indefensible it is socially explos and ive.”

By Keith

A.

Owens SENIOR EDITOR

Remem ber the 2013? Remem winter of ber last winter?

Well chances get ready becau se way againare we’re heade once winter d that on the knock door. And it feels as good s to be as last stretc enjoying this h of er and breath warm weathdoors withou ing in the Al Jarrea outu, five-tim t the ing sensa e Grammy-winn tion of discomfortlungs ing singer having and one freeze your of the most your chest, inside unique artists it might of all time, be adwill perfor visable m to set Don Bosco on Nov. 7 at aside some annual “Get Hall’s 18th time — and do a little ning.” Funds Jazzy Everaised will preve ntive go directl y planning the organi to supporting zation’s variou to prepar — programs Monica Morgan s energy e for those terrify photos bills that families. for youth and ing that icy It accompany

By Keith weath at the Fordwill take place er. Hallow may be A. Owen just SENIOR een s and Perfor Community but nothin a few days EDITOR Center. ming Arts ening than g is more away, fright#BlackLivesM can’t afford a heating bill you atter. in the winter.

It has dead of world, a become the hashta Indeed reflection g heard unrest that of the has led , inclement weath round the to for “black has been simmemore visible for financ increasing demaner rage and ”) Ameri ring in “urban ial assist was Trayvo ca heating ance withd ” (code The Nation n Martin ever since the chael Brown traged , and 2-1-1 and bills, so Michig Publishers al Newspaper ening forest , Eric Garne then on througy that an Michigan the Coalition to Association r, and h Miof dead Keep and the Nation Warm the groun the ing reside are encou ever-th black hashtag d by police brutal bodies plante ickation of Hispanal AssociThe groupnts to get help ragd in ity. Name early. ic Publis fracas to that has elbow , includ ers have service ed another become announced horganizationing public presidential a front its way throug formation companies the row s, energy h debate.

There isn’tissue in the the agencies, and govern task force of a national But black 2016 mental one. likely to says that needs the DIA, more than lives in Ameri keters on to educate marwhich are the able fundinoutweigh the Nation Under winds up which too simply the rageca are about and benefi importance so much at the g, and those availand A Groov ing help That Is ing shock many whites e’s Anoin front door of One American ts of the African are only frustration with Funky, sider theirare advised to seekted Overlo who weave Georg ly — acquaingly — and in recently rd of All newspaperand Hispanic becom inted. Being some cases meaning e Clinton. It possible. options as soonconing the is the artists disbelieving out of the markets. black perpetually This all as chaos. that still fits togeth turbul in America, naviga “The numb er. Hones tus — or hasn’t quite figureent waters of Valerie er one t. people call Mercer, a nation Gener if it even who happe 211 is utilityreason wants to d out how to deal al tance. Rough Which ns — is no with and also Motors Cente ly a third assissimple task. r for Africato be head of the 40 percen to the “30 is where art comes to is visibly is the curator Americans” in. for Africa n American Art looking t of our calls. 35 to People exhibit, Which brings hibit now excited about for help n Ameri us which brings gas or the can on displa electric paying their y at the “30 Americans” Art, us to translates bill. So DIA as exthat last year she takes 170,000 See EXHIB to about a IT page A-4 utilities people called 211 statewide,” for igan 211 Executivesaid MichDirector

By Moni

Al Jarreau headlines fundraise r (Page B-4)

Blacks, Hisp working togeanics ther (Page C-4)

For a free listing of all the properties please go to www.legalnews.com or www.waynecounty.com/treasurer.

Black folk s like art to o

The Michigan Chronicle Musical fami soars, then ly crashes (Page D-1)

DNC denie s Black Liv que John HOME HEATI es Matter NG its own pre sidential de bate

REAL TIMES

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page A-4

There were the DNC, wrote: the group times when “We believ Blacks DeBarge, band Switch (BLM) activisLives Matter organization e that your the would ts are now an ideal liberating artist Chico and solo be host for deon wheth DeBarge a presipopular attract er they dential candid were will accept an the Demo offer from — where all ate forum ions. But they were, of the ocratic Committee cratic Nation Demcandid tracked by sadly, sideal to host idential a pres- showcase their ates can personal an array of ing with town hall meet- policy positio ideas and proble candidates ns that of them drug ms, many expand 2016 electio will in related. ns. This the all, strengopportunity for following then MEDIA

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is the ment that the DNC’s state- class and address middle be provid they would not in Ameri racism ca…Th ing Black would Matter with be happy e DNC its own Lives promo featuring te the event. to help debate ” didates. presidential canThe day ey’s notice prior to DacIn the , activis the BLM the Washiletter obtained ts in network by had conK. Dacey ngton Post, Amy tacted the DNC reques , chief executive ing a debate mandated tSee DEBAT to

WELL IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE Look insid e this editio n of

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and discover Magazine what peop are talking le about.

Five Things to Know about the Health Insurance Why the Affordable Marketplace Care Act Matters Tips for Traveling to African Americans with Diabetes

Five Thing Know abou s to Health Ins t the ura Marketplac nce e

Why the Affo Matters to rdable Care Act African Ame ricans

‘Tis the Season to Sweeten Holiday Gatherings (StatePoint) Hosting holiday celebrations can mean a lot of preparation and pressure to impress.

To help, See’s Candies has partnered with entertaining expert, Alexandra Hedin, to develop some easy-toexecute ideas that are sure to make this year’s festivities memorably sweet and delicious.

Prepare Before Guests Arrive Plan seating arrangements ahead of time to ensure friends and family mix and mingle. You never know who will become new best friends!

Combining classic treats into your holiday décor will add an innovative twist to your celebrations, taking them to the next level. Place unexpected pops of seasonal color throughout the house by using festive candy pieces as decorative accents. See’s Foil Covered Milk Chocolate Balls make for a nice burst of color when added to glass jars, planted pots or tea lights.

The Gift of Literacy

Bake Sale

!

Inside This

(StatePoint) When making this year’s holiday gift list, consider how you might also give back to your local community. The holiday season is the perfect time of year to do this, when volunteer and donation opportunities increase. Here are a few ideas to give back in your community:

One-hundred percent of all proceeds go to support local children and literacy programs. Your donations go even further thanks to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which is able to purchase books at a deep discount. To find a participating location near you and make a donation that will help ensure families everywhere have access to books, visit theupsstore.com.

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Ways to Give Back this Holiday Season

Only one-third of all students entering high school are proficient in reading, according to a National Assessment of Education Progress report. Brighten children’s smiles this holiday season while also giving them an opportunity to succeed at school and beyond.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has given new toys to children in need for more than 60 years. The organization also extends its reach through a partnership with The UPS Store through the Toys for Tots Literacy Program, which provides economically disadvantaged children an opportunity to succeed in school and beyond. Donations can be made at The UPS Store locations nationwide or online at toysfortots.org/literacy.

HELP WANTED

LIVING

Augusta Beatrice Banks

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Page D-4

baking. Wrap packs of cookies or other goodies in bags as thank you gifts to your children’s teachers, coaches and others in your community who have served or been kind to your family all year.

Volunteer Your Time One of the best ways to give back is by donating your valuable time. Make a trip to a local nursing home and spend time with residents who may not have family or anyone else to visit them this season. Additionally, soup kitchens are often in need of extra hands during the holidays. Ask your local organizations about volunteer opportunities.

While holiday wish lists are often full of fun gadgets, clothes and toys, there are still many in your community lacking more basic necessities. This season, think beyond your personal wants and do your best to give back.

Give Guests a Warm Welcome Kick off the party on a festive note by offering a signature cocktail, such as a Peppermint Martini. To wow guests as they enter, line a Lucite tray with candy canes and top with a piece of Plexiglas to create a holiday-themed tray that hints to the cocktail’s contents.

Don’t forget the kids! Serve them a signature drink of steamed milk with a See’s Candies Cinnamon Lollypop to stir in the delicious cinnamon flavor.

Invite friends and family to get comfortable at the table with a centerpiece of candies and cakes that they can snack on throughout the party. Remember to keep in mind that not everyone has the same tastes, so offer guests an assortment of milk and dark chocolates, eggnog truffles, gourmet lollypops, and peppermint patties.

Always make sure to serve candy and chocolates made with high-quality ingredients. American-made delicious, See’s Candies is one of the few remaining candy makers that ages its chocolate -- a process that imparts a smoother, mellower flavor and elevates the overall taste experience. It’s a musthave for hosts this holiday season.

Keep Guests Entertained To keep guests entertained, play a fun game of tic-tac-toe. It’s a game people of all ages enjoy, especially if you use festive holiday truffles as the game pieces!

To keep little ones busy at the children’s table, have them make a candy cane ornament out of felt, Ric Rac, jewels, and candy canes. It’s easy and fun, and makes a great gift for grandparents.

End the Festivities on a Sweet Note As guests head home, make sure they don’t go empty-handed! Wrap treats in a festive box and place them near the door – it’s the perfect way to end the festivities on a sweet note.

See’s Candies offers treats in a variety of sizes and price ranges that are sure to fit within your entertaining budget and satisfy each of your guests. You can find See’s at holiday gift center locations in major malls nationwide or at www.Sees. com. For more gifting and entertaining tips, visit @SeesCandies on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter or www.sees.com/HolidayEntertaining.

With a little planning and some simple festive touches, you can make this year’s holiday celebrations a whole lot sweeter.

praise connect

December 2-8, 2015

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Page D-5

The Power Of Prayer We participate in giving gifts, travel, parties, special church services and other events unique to Thanksgiving, Christmas and The New Year.

While handling our tasks that spread many of us too thin, join me in prayer. Nothing formal.

But while shopping, in church, working, eating, in church, discussing the events of 2015, remember to say a silent prayer for those who are hurting and going through a tough time.

New Salem MBC Church membership celebrates their pastor for 17 years of leadership with a banquet at The Athena Hall in Roseville. Linda Swanson V.P. Executive Director of the Swanson Funeral Homes Inc. was present . Photo L. to R. Ashley Johnson ,(daughter) Honorees 1st lady Deborah, Rev. Dr. Kevin Johnson , La Niya Johnson( grand daughter) and Linda Swanson (standing). New Salem MBC is located at 2222 Illinois st. Detroit.

Family Victory Fellowship offers education and business training to students Family Victory Fellowship has been serving the Detroit community for the past 17 years The family-oriented ministry is dedicated to building, strengthening and restoring families. The ministerial leadership also encourages an entrepreneurial spirit among members of the congregation. Many church and non-church members know first lady Sylvia Jordan as the Council President for City of Southfield, who also recently ran for mayor of Southfield. Family Victory Fellowship members refer to Jordan as a kind soul who guides mothers and daughters in life choices, all the while encouraging a closer walk with God. Her husband and senior pastor, Larry Jordan is an architect by trade, and is the founder of The School of Entrepreneurship and Business.

On weekdays, Family Victory Fellowship is immersed in teaching young people reading, writing, arithmetic, science, technology and business. The

church houses Victory Learning Center and the Children’s Technological Academy, a daycare and grade school in its building on 10 Mile Road in Southfield, and reports that children learn two grade levels above their peers. Both schools have been open since 1998, and there are currently 80 students on their combines rosters.

The school offers small class sizes with a maximum of ten students per instructor, Special elective classes are also offered and range from art and music, to technology and entrepreneurship. “The entrepreneurship classes encourage students to own their own business by having them start with managing school stores, putting their money into the business and at the end of the year, the students receive a profit share. As they progress, the students have to market and create their own businesses by the time they graduate sixth grade” said Mary Donaldson, Program Di-

rector for Victory Learning Center and Children’s Technological Academy.

Family Victory Fellowship offers something for everyone on Sunday with the teachings of the Bible to help you get through your week and offer a promising educational future for families with children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Family Victory Fellowship is located at 19421 W. 10 Mile Rd. in Southfield.

Sunday worship service begins at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., and Saturday worship experience is from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Michigan Chronicle and Humana would like to thank Family Victory Fellowship for allowing us to worship with them on Nov. 8 and share our literature on healthcare marketplace. For more information about Humana, call 1-866-6729165 or go to www.humanahelps.com To read this article in its entirety visit michiganchronicle.com

COURT-ORDERED GED CERTIFICATE TRAINING FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS PERSONAL ATTENTION HELPFUL SUPPORT SERVICES

CALL 313-557-4818

However, I have a personal request for all who read this column. PRAY FOR YOU! It is not selfish. It is not wrong. It is necessary. Pray for your strength, state of mind, wisdom, good judgment,

excellent health and all of the things you pray for God to do for others.

Don’t get so overwhelmed that you forget God loves you, I love you and you must love you too! It is the end of a trying year in our city, country and world. As we begin 2016, love you enough to stop, rest and pray for yourself and let’s look for our 2016 blessings together!

Thank you for the

overwhelming number of requests for prayer CD’s!

For Christmas, I want to give as my gift the free Prayer CD for Peace Of Mind.

When we have peace of mind, we get quiet, then we can stand in the storm and hear God’s encouragement and direction. Please call 313-2823382 or visit www.prayersoncd.com to download your gift prayer and scriptures for Peace of Mind.

Caregiver needed.

For more information, please call Michael Johnson at (313) 875-3978.

PRAISE CONNECT

Are you hosting a concert or faith-friendly event?

Are you celebrating an anniversary or special occasion?

PROMOTE IT HERE!

Contact us at: nblack@realtimesmedia.com

PRAISE CONNECT Are you hosting a concert or faithfriendly event?

Are you celebrating an anniversary or special occasion?

PROMOTE IT HERE! Contact us at: nblack@realtimesmedia.com

T:10” Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • December 2-8, 2015

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