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Revisiting Martin Luther King Jr. with 20/20 Vision

By Terri L. Crawford, J.D. “Let us be dissatisfied until America will no longer have high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds. Let us be dissatisfied until the tragic walls that separate the outer city of wealth and comfort from the inner city of poverty and despair shall be crushed by the battering rams of the fires of justice. …”

– Martin Luther King Jr. As we prepare our minds and spirits to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., we must honor the entire legacy, and not just the portion of the “I Have a Dream Speech” that makes us comfortable. The “content of our character” portion of the speech, we remember, but can we have a conversation about the March 12, 1968 speech delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. titled “The Other America”? Not just within its historical context, but with 20/20 vision in a contemporary context for the year 2020.

If we are truthful with ourselves, some of the annual celebrations of Dr. King are an exercise in absurdity considering where we find ourselves in the fight for economic equity. Most modern memorials take stock of Dr. King around the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 – likely his popular high

point in the eyes of white onlookers.

However, few bother to look beyond that speech or the few passages wherein “We Shall Overcome” gives us a warm fuzzy feeling to walk away with. Far fewer peer into his early or latter years. They miss the fraught political landscape of his death and the “white backlash” he warned about (a manifestation repeated after an Obama presidency).

They missed the ways in which his legacy has been whitewashed from the very beginning to lessen his more pointed economic and societal critiques.

It’s quite amusing (not in a good way), that we are still having this conversation in 2020 with little to no movement towards true equity of all humans. Why has this not occurred? Dr. King in “The Other America” proffered an answer by stating, “The first thing I’d like to mention is that there must be a recognition on the part of everybody

National Pay It Forward Challenge for Education HOUSTON – The National Pay It Forward Challenge for Education is set to launch on Jan. 20 to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a national challenge that provides hope, inspiration and support to our students.

To learn more about the campaign, take a look at the video at https://payitforwardeducation. org.

To kick off the year, Natalia Peart, Ph.D., founder of Pay It Natalia Peart, Ph.D Forward Education, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is challenging everyone on Jan. 20, Dr. King’s National Day of Service, to create a short video or post on social media, share their favorite Dr. King quote and then Pay it Forward by offering a piece of advice that can help students succeed. Participants are encouraged to use #PayItForwardChallenge to post on their favorite social media platform - Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Dr. Peart is encouraging everyone to tag their friends and share the posts. She’s hoping this is the beginning of a national call to action on behalf of our students that lasts throughout the rest of the school year.

“All kids need a good education to succeed in our world today,” says Dr. Peart, a nationally acclaimed author and psychologist, “But our system, from elementary school all the way to college is in crisis. So, they need us now more than ever. The purpose of the Pay it Forward Challenge is to pay tribute to Dr. King, as well as bring awareness to the continued challenges our students face, and how critical it is that we support them.”

Dr. Peart says, “Dr. King’s holiday provides us all with an opportunity to honor his legacy and to make a real difference by letting students know their future matters and that we stand with them.”

As Dr. Peart loves to say, “No one can do everything but everyone can do something.” This challenge gives everyone a way to be a part of a campaign that will hopefully spark a groundswell by seeing the power we all have to change a student’s life through one small act.

Dr. Natalia Peart is a psychologist, business and educational consultant who has spent more than 25 years helping students, people and organizations achieve success. She has served on the Federal Reserve Board, 10th District, is a Forbes Contributor, and has been featured in various media outlets including Harvard Business Review, Wall St. Journal, Oprah Magazine, and Black Enterprise. Pay it Forward Education is a 501(c)3 societal benefit organization that brings together students, families, educators, interested adults, and organizations to support student preparedness for the 21st century and to expand opportunity for all students.

A Raisin in the Sun opens at OCP – Jan. 17.

See In the Village

in this nation that America is still a racist country. Now however unpleasant that sounds it is the truth and we will never solve the problem of racism until there is a recognition of the fact that racism still stands at the center of so much of our nation and we must see racism for what it is.”

Dr. King had several policies he advocated for in order to reverse the evils of white supremacy.

He outlined these policies, often in full detail, in many of his speeches before and after “I Have a Dream.” He sought race-specific measures such as affirmative action, outlined support for universal jobs and housing guarantees in his “Freedom Budget” (first released in 1966).

In speeches he announced his support for universal health care. Dr. King did not necessarily advance a comprehensive view on immigration. Although, he evinced a clear support for global citizenship and for

America’s mandate to shoulder the burden of global antipoverty programs. In his speech in East Berlin in 1964, Dr. King made that position clear: “For here on either side of the wall are God’s children, and no man-made barrier can obliterate that fact. Whether it be East or West, men and women search for meaning, hope for fulfillment, yearn for faith in something beyond themselves, and cry desperately for love and community to support them in this pilgrim journey.”

Dr. King also spoke of the three major evils – the evil of racism, the evil of poverty, and the evil of war. “These are the three things that I want to deal with today. Now let us turn first to the evil of racism. There can be no gainsaying of the fact that racism is still alive all over America. Racial injustice is still the Black man’s burden and America’s shame. And we must face the hard fact that many Americans would like to have a nation which is a democracy for white Americans but simultaneously a dictatorship over black Americans.” We must face the fact that we still have much to do in the area of race relations.

We rarely unpack the conversation of what Dr. King was openly stating to the world; human rights are the rights See MLK continued on page 2

Request for Early Ballots by Mail Can be Submitted in January

LINCOLN – Those who wish to get an early jump on the 2020 primary will soon be able to request an early ballot by mail. The first day to submit applications for an early ballot at county offices is Jan. 13. “Counties receiving early voting requests for early ballots will accumulate those requests on a list,” said Nebraska Secretary of State Robert B. Evnen. “Those will be among the first ballots mailed starting April 6, 2020.”

Evnen noted that some counties also maintain a permanent early voting list, which allows counties to reach out to voters who have indicated an ongoing preference to vote by mail. Each voter on the list will receive a postcard, which the voter can return indicating that he or she would like to receive a ballot by mail.

Only in precincts designated as all-mail will voters automatically receive a ballot by mail for the primary election. To date, there are 145 precincts in 17 counties. By law, all-mail precincts are located in counties that have a population of less than 10,000, for which the county clerk has made a request that has been approved by the Secretary of State.

For questions or additional information phone the Secretary of State Elections Division at 402-4712555 or visit the website www.sos.nebraska.gov.

Neighborhood Rallies to Clean Up Eyesore

By LaVonya Goodwin Neighbors and businesses around the 24th and Burdette area noticed that trash was accumulating behind Skeet’s Barbecue, a North Omaha restaurant that closed in October after the passing of the owner, David Deal.

But it wasn’t until a local news station aired a story on Jan. 2, reporting illegal dumping on the property, that the community took action.

The news story sparked members of the newly formed North 24th Street Business Improvement District to get involved. One email prompted a chain reaction and before long the 24th Street neighbors had a plan (along with a list of donations and volunteers) to host a cleanup the next day.

Little did they know that a Good Samaritan had the same idea. Early Friday morning, a local resident who also saw the story began cleaning up the trash, refusing any reimbursement or compensation and insisting on remaining anonymous.

“It hurt my heart to see all of the trash,” said the Good Samaritan, who owns a lawn care and hauling company in Omaha. “I grew up around here.”

Habitat for Humanity also pitched in to offer to pay the dumping fees. By mid-afternoon, The City of Omaha had dispatched personnel from Litter and Weeds and the area was completely cleared.

This is the kind of collaboration that is needed if we are going to see the North 24th Street community revitalized. It’s not one person, one organization or one government entity that can do it all. But if each of us makes a sincere commitment to change, we can turn our community around.

One of the primary goals of the North 24th Street Business Improvement District is to implement a litter control program in 2020. If you see illegal dumping, call the mayor’s hotline at 402-4445555.

See MLK Jr. National Holiday events inside this issue.

Kathy Tyree performs at the Jewell – Jan. 26.

See In the Village

Page Two

LOCAL NEWS

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Youngblood’s Barbershop

MLK continued from page 1 possessed by all persons, by virtue of their common humanity, to live a life of freedom and dignity. Dr. King believed human rights are universal and they are the same for everyone, everywhere. They are inalienable and can neither be taken away, nor given up. And they are indivisible. There is no hierarchy among rights, and no right can be suppressed in order to promote another right.

So, what have we learned since the murder/assassination of Dr. King?

What we know for sure is that the current administration has abjured any attempts at universal health care, sought to end affirmative action as it is implemented, and has looked to walk back existing measures to ensure affordable housing. The current president’s history as a public figure is tied to violations of the Fair Housing Act and his referral to developing nations as “shithole countries.” Surely, this is causing Dr. King to turn over in his grave. Trump’s philosophy and policy agenda is in complete conflict with King’s, it is rooted firmly in a conservative movement that built itself in opposition to King and on racist ideology.

We have learned (or already knew) in the past 50 years that few of our race-related problems are new. We continue to experience them in slightly different ways, but they remain ever present. As violence spread in the aftermath of King’s death, Saville Davis, a writer for the Christian Science Monitor struggled to explain America’s racial dynamic: “An event like the murder of Dr. King … is generally regarded by whites as an incident, deplorable, but still an incident. It is merely one more tragic example of the boiling emotions … they feel when they walk down their unsightly streets and pass a policeman.” How we view racism depends on your lens, right? Davis was hinting at the difference in lenses of those who are in the “arena” versus those who are on the outside looking in. We continue to experience this phenomenon – wellintentioned White allies often see racial problems as isolated events, while many people of color see racism as an omnipresent force deeply implicated in every aspect of their lives woven into the fabric of America. Whereas whites typically minimize or even dismiss the impact of race, many Blacks see racial bias as a constant threat. Our experiences help shape our worldview and because of that deep difference in perspectives and experiences, we disagree on how to achieve solutions for the problem of structural racism in America. We never solve many of the

Peace with Iran & the Rest of the Middle East / World This is Nebraskans for Peace’s board of directors’ statement on the US drone attack on General Qasem Soleimani and Succeeding International Actions.

“Nebraskans for Peace supports the passage of the new War Powers Act introduced in the House of Representatives.

It asks Nebraska’s Representatives and Senators to vote for the bill but with the additional requirement that, if the President invokes the ‘imminent threat’ provisions of the Act, he must disclose to the Congress and Senate what the evidence of imminent threat is.

“In addition, Nebraskans for Peace decries the US attack on Iraqi soil without the constitutionally required consultation with Congress and without either a declaration of war or an invoking of the provisions of the 1970’s War Powers Act. We are appalled by the actions of nation states, especially Russia and the United States, that kill individual persons deemed opponents of those states. The venue for the handling of such persons is a trial at the International Criminal Court under the auspices of the United Nations.

“If the United States and Russia continue to kill individual ‘enemies’ without a trial, without evidence, and without congressional action, we will contribute to the development of an international anarchy that in the age of drones will be extremely difficult for any leader, any nation, or any international body to limit.

“We call on Senators Sasse and Fischer and Representatives Fortenberry, Bacon and Smith to stand up for international rule of law and publicly oppose reckless, renegade behavior by the Executive Branch of our Federal government.”

Could you spend 50 years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit?

The Malcolm X Foundation will be hosting an event on Martin Luther King weekend to discuss the case of Ed Poindexter who has been in prison since 1970.

Sunday, January 19 • 3 p.m.

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problems that separate us.

At the end of the day, Dr. King’s fight was never just about race, or even just about ending certain hateful practices and racial entitlements built on the myth of white supremacy. It was also about teaching us that structural racism blinds us to much of reality, including the reality of our own potential as a nation and as individuals. It is sad that 51 years after King’s death, we still need leaders to remind us of that. It’s even sadder that no one among our current crop of leaders seems capable of filling those shoes.

Dr. King changed our collective lens and language. He spoke truth to life and gave voice to fight for his prophetic and radical vision of racial liberation for America in honoring her creed for its citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution. His vision of justice extended beyond our nation’s borders and addressed the racism, poverty, war, and intolerance present in other countries. Through his words and demonstrations of direct nonviolent resistance, he articulated timeless lessons on how to achieve social justice. He left us a blueprint for success. We have failed to adequately use the blueprint to build the house. We have been provided a “wake up call” with a new lens that gives us 20/20 vision. Get back to building, brick by brick, until equity is achieved and victory is won.

(Terri L. Crawford, B.A., M.A, J.D. ; University of Nebraska Omaha, Department of Black Studies - Graduate and Adjunct Professor; Political Awareness and Involvement Chair, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (OAC ); Policy Director League of Women Voter Greater Omaha.)

Mentors Needed to Help Youth Reach Full Potential

MENTOR Nebraska (formerly Midlands Mentoring Partnership), a coalition that advocates for youth mentoring and the activities of its member agencies, is celebrating National Mentoring Month by launching its 7th annual mentor recruitment campaign. The local campaign is aligned with a national campaign led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, a nonprofit that serves as an advocate and resource for mentoring organizations.

The campaign was announced today at a multi-agency media conference presented by MENTOR Nebraska and the Greater Omaha Chamber, with support from Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert.

Mayor Stothert was recognized as a finalist for the 2019 Excellence in Mentoring Awards in the Public Elevation category, a national award presented by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership.

The City of Omaha Mayor’s Office, Grant Administration Division, has also awarded MENTOR Nebraska a $10,000 grant to be used for mentor recruitment events.

“The future of our community is strengthened when caring adults support our young people to help them reach their full potential,” said Mayor Stothert. “I am proud of the many local businesses, organizations, and individuals who support mentoring as a way to create opportunities for youth in our city.”

In January 2019, MENTOR Nebraska rebranded from Midlands Mentoring Partnership. The name change is a reflection of the organization’s expanded reach, now serving mentoring programs across the state of Nebraska.

Along with that transition, MENTOR Nebraska has placed a strategic focus on helping mentoring agencies reach the youth who are most in need of mentors.

• This school year, MENTOR Nebraska introduced a new evidence-based mentoring model called Success Mentors, which now supports more than 650 chronically absent youth in Omaha Public Schools (OPS) • The percentage of juvenile justice youth being served with mentors has increased 250% in the last 5 years • The percentage of youth in north Omaha schools being served with mentors increased by 150% in the last 2 years • The number of refugee youth being served in Omaha has increased by 300% in the last year Although MENTOR Nebraska and its partner agencies have made great strides in serving young people, the need is still great. There are over 40,000 school-aged youth living below the poverty level in Omaha alone, and 80,000 across the state of Nebraska.

“Mentoring is one of the simplest, yet most effective and rewarding ways to make a lasting impact in a child’s life,” said Deborah Neary, Executive Director of MENTOR Nebraska. “With a commitment of just four hours per month, you can be the trusted adult that so many young people need in their lives. You don’t need to have any special expertise to be a mentor – just being there for your mentee as a role model will make a great impact.”

As part of the recruitment campaign, MENTOR Nebraska is conducting a Corporate Mentoring Challenge in partnership with the Greater Omaha Chamber and the Mayor’s office. The goal is to challenge Omaha businesses to create or expand an existing mentoring culture within their companies and to encourage employee participation in mentoring programs for youth in the community.

Companies must participate in three mentoring activities in order to complete the challenge.

For information on how to become a mentor or to participate in the Corporate Mentoring Challenge, please visit www.MENTORNebraska.org.

About MENTOR Nebraska Formerly Midlands Mentoring Partnership, MENTOR Nebraska’s work is research-based and collaborative with the ultimate vision to bring about systemic changes that will allow mentoring programs to serve more youth with higher quality services. This is achieved through standardized background checks, data collection and evaluation, and training and technical support.

MENTOR Nebraska will continue the important work of raising awareness, standards, and numbers around mentoring, but now formally extends this work outside of Omaha and across the state of Nebraska. Training, support, technical assistance, and background checks will be provided to nearly 200 mentoring programs around the state. For more information about MENTOR Nebraska, visit www.MENTORNebraska.org.

STAR SPECIAL COVERAGE

January 10, 2020

THE OMAHA STAR

Page Three

Down for the Cause Not Down for the Count Development & Gentrification in North Omaha

Wayne Hopes ‘Extremely Blighted’ Designation Will Create Investment in North Omaha

By Lynn Sanchez North Omaha residents who want to learn more about future development in North Omaha are encouraged to attend a meeting with members of the Omaha Planning Department on Jan. 21 at Heart Ministry Center, 2222 Binney St., from 4-7 p.m. Many topics will be on the table, including the 2020 Action Plan, the Manderson Market Redevelopment Plan, the North Omaha Trail, Forever North, the OOIC building and more.

Senator Justin Wayne is playing the long game. The District 13 representative is reshaping Community Development law to help Omahans living in the city’s oldest, most substandard areas to achieve home ownership and get a bigger slice of the economic pie. But it begins with two words some might interpret as negative: “Extremely Blighted.”

In May 2019, Wayne introduced the new designation in LB 86 to re-characterize Omaha neighborhoods with the most severe poverty and highest unemployment.

The designation applies to 18 “block groups” lying primarily in North and South Omaha, from Harrison to Interstate 680, east of 72nd St. What LB 86 means to the community is twofold, says Wayne.

It creates a $5,000 nonrefundable tax credit for those who purchase homes in these areas over the next six years. (It is not available to those who already own homes.) There will be an additional line to fill out for this tax credit on Nebraska state income tax forms beginning in 2020.

The bill also changes funding provisions under the Nebraska Affordable Housing

Act so development projects in these areas will go to the top of the funding pile. “It creates an additional layer of incentive” for development, says Wayne.

“If you look at the bill, it requires that somebody has to live in the home, it has to be their primary residence. They can’t rent it for at least five years. That was our intention. So we were saying if you’re going to take advantage of TIF or anything else regarding ‘Extremely Blighted,’ then you need to live in the community.

I assume most people are going to be from the community, Omaha being as segregated as it is. I’m trying to build up the area where, frankly, I grew up.”

“Extremely is not the greatest word,” Wayne admits. “I don’t like the connotations, but we have to be truthful about what’s happening in our communities.”

The affected areas were Wayne assessed using US census and American Community Survey data, showing them to have at least 200% of the state’s average unemployment, with at least 20% of the households living at poverty level. “That sounds extreme to me, something we need to fix,” says Wayne.

For years, the Omaha Planning Department has been able to designate aging structures or neglected properties “Blighted” and “Substandard.” Both terms have lengthy legal definitions that are

open to interpretation, but essentially it means they have a high percentage of deterioration, and hazards conducive to neglect, crime and other social ills.

Many such areas are also recognized as Community Redevelopment Areas (CRAs), which qualifies them for Tax Increment Financing to incentivize development.

An announcement of the Omaha City Council’s approval of the “Extremely Blighted” designation at their December 17th meeting was met with some outcry by several North Omaha residents on the Omaha Star Facebook group. One called the plan “dangerous.” One said developers wanted “cheap land to build a corporate office campus along Cummings (sic).”

Several predicted that eminent domain would be used to acquire homes to make way for development.

While he acknowledges the reality of this fear within the community, Wayne dismisses the idea that the bill creates a greater risk of eminent domain. “I don’t see how,” he says. “With eminent domain they have to meet a certain requirement and any political subdivision has to go through a process. This bill doesn’t do anything of that nature, it doesn’t even touch on those issues. In fact, we’re trying to prevent gentrification and prevent eminent domain. We’re trying to establish home ownership.”

Nebraska’s eminent domain laws require the government to establish a “public purpose” before they can legally acquire private property. This is a broad term, and might includes roads, parks, schools or other public buildings. The city has used “blighted” and “substandard” designations for years, long before “Extremely Blighted.”

“The last major eminent domain project was Highway 75. After that, there really haven’t been a lot,” Wayne says. “The reality of how most people lose their homes in North Omaha is with the tax lien process. So if you don’t pay your taxes somebody can buy that lien and then after three years, they can start the process of foreclosing on your home.”

Wayne sees LB 86 as a way to correct how TIF is used, which he says is not true to its original intent. “TIF was designed for urban development. Through Supreme Court cases, now wherever you have just ONE of these 11 - 15 factors, you can make (property) substandard and blighted!

So as a developer, why would I come to North and South Omaha if the only benefit I got from TIF is the same as I got at 108th and Dodge or 144th and Maple? There’s less risk in these areas out west, so I’m going to keep developing out west and using TIF. So when I came into the legislature I said we have got to do something different. Instead of reinvent the entire wheel, I’m trying to say that in this subset of ‘Substandard and Blighted,’ this is ‘Extremely Blighted.’ You’re going to eventually get more benefits, because I’m going to encourage development in North and South Omaha east of 72nd.”

Five Ways to Win at Home Owning

By Lynn Sanchez In mid-December, Metropolitan Community College hosted a public screening of the documentary “Priced Out; 15 Years of Gentrification in Oregon” to an audience of about 30 viewers. The film was followed by a lively panel discussion with the audience and Amanda Brewer, CEO of Habitat for Humanity; Alexis Bromley, Director of ONE Omaha; Teresa Coleman Hunter, CEO of Family Housing Advisory Services; and Cydney Franklin, CEO of 75 North.

The ensuing discussion yielded some helpful tips about home ownership and ways the community can proactively approach gentrification.

1. Knowledge is Power Finding a home and qualifying for a mortgage can be a roller coaster of excitement and stress, especially for inexperienced buyers. Without good information, unsuspecting home buyers could quickly find themselves victimized by predatory loans. Family Housing Advisory Services (FHAS) has been helping people make smart choices and get into stable, affordable housing for 50 years.

“What FHAS tries to do is make sure that people are prepared,” says CEO Teresa Coleman Hunter. “Because WHEN the development comes – and we know it’s coming, right? – people will have their finances in order. We are trying to educate people about what it really means to own a home, because if we’re not the owners, we have to abide by whatever somebody else is telling us as far as rent is concerned.”

FHAS’s free programs supply necessary information before, during and after a home purchase. FHAS offers Financial Education, Homebuyer Education, What To Do PostPurchase, and one-on-one counseling services.

“We have a menu of services starting with homelessness prevention. The next is financial education and credit repair. We do matched savings. (Clients) can save money and we match it so they end up having enough money to make the downpayment or pay their closing costs. We do free tax preparation.”

Cydney Franklin of 75 North mentioned that the Highlander’s Accelerator building at 2112 N. 30th St. “partners with agencies like FHAS, Omaha Habitat for Humanity and Legal Aid of Nebraska so that we are providing resources to the community around housing access and affordability. Folks can come in and visit the satellite campuses for Creighton University and MCC. They can receive either low cost or no cost training for the services that are offered in terms of career and college pipeline at MCC – the trades prep, ESL learning, Re-Entry. CU also has a satellite campus where people can get health and wellness tools to combat a lot of the lifestyle diseases and illnesses that afflict that community.”

Further information about Highlander programs is available at highlanderomaha.com.

FHAS has locations in North Omaha at Lake Point Center, 2401 Lake St., in South Omaha at 3605 Q St., and in Council Bluffs at 10 S. 4th St., (402) 934-7921 (Lake Point office), www. fhasinc.org 2. Make Sure You Have a Clear Title

In real estate, “title” is proof of ownership of the property. Titles can be burdened by “involuntary liens,” to allow creditors to collect money owed to them by preventing the sale of the property until the liens are satisfied. Unpaid taxes are the most common type of liens, but court judgments, child support, or mechanic’s liens may also cloud a title. While government lien holders like the IRS typically send a release one to three months after payment, other lien holders may not be aware of their obligation to remove the lien or assume it will be done automatically by the bank. So even if you paid a lien, it may still be attached to your title.

Many homeowners hire a professional title company ($75 - $200) to make sure the title is clear. Amanda Brewer, CEO of Omaha’s Habitat for Humanity, said that their organization has recently begun helping their clients clear titles.

“It’s a big problem here (in Omaha), so it’s something we’re working on,” she said. “If people don’t have clear title to the property, then they lose their chance for that equity too.”

Before hiring a title company, you can check whether there are liens on your property online or in person through the Douglas County Register of Deeds office, Omaha/Douglas Civic Center, Suite H-09 (Harney Street Level), 1819 Farnam St., Omaha, NE 68183 (402) 444-7159 www.dcregisterofdeeds.org.

3. Make a Will If you own property and you want to pass it on to someone, don’t leave it to chance.

Make a will. “If someone passes away, the next generation may be living in the house or on a piece of land and it hasn’t transferred properly, it’s locked out,” says Omaha Habitat For Humanity’s Amanda Brewer. “Get a will if you own your property, make sure it goes to the next generation.”

A will can be typed up or written by hand.

You don’t need to know any special legal jargon. A will can be a “Do It Yourself” project, created using a book, an online program with a flat, one-time fee, or will software. In Nebraska, wills must be signed by the decedent and also by two witnesses who physically watched the decedent’s signature. You should also name an executor in your will who will carry out the wishes you’ve put in writing. The executor should be a trusted person who is familiar with your life and the property you own.

If you are prone to procrastination or your situation is too complicated to do yourself, hire a lawyer. Each case is different, but will preparation could cost anywhere from $600 to $1,000. You can also blend the DIY and professional approaches by researching Nebraska inheritance law and writing a draft of your will before you speak to a lawyer. You’ll spend less time with the attorney and increase the likelihood that your will says exactly what you want it to.

Once finished, your will must be securely stored so that your executor can easily find the original document after you die. Because the executor will need the original will to handle your affairs efficiently, the executor should know exactly where it is kept. It may be kept in a safe deposit box at your bank, in a firesafe box in your home or in your lawyer’s possession.

Update your will as needed after major life events like births, deaths and divorce.

You can search for area lawyers specializing in

wills at www.nebar.com or www.superlawyers. com 4. Talk to the Seniors in Your Family ONE Omaha’s Alexis Bromley recommended that younger family members consider homes that have been in their families for years. “I think having those conversations with your family members is where it starts. My grandma lives (in North Omaha) and she gets people who knock on her door monthly, saying I can buy your house for cash. That’s very enticing to someone who’s lived in their house for 25 years and is probably upside down on their mortgage.

“I told my grandma, Never sell your house without talking to me first. At least let me have that opportunity, so I can make the decision if I can (afford to purchase it) or not.”

A 2019 research report on single family housing in Omaha by UNO’s College of Business Administration found, “An astounding 47% of all homes sold over the 2016-18 period in North Omaha were purchased for cash.”

The reason is likely driven by “relatively low housing prices and/or high levels of investors and house ‘flipping.’” “Many We Buy Houses” companies are not reputable. There are some legitimate cash buyers, but in return for a quick sale, they pay well-below fair market value for homes. They want to turn it over and resell or rent for a profit, particularly if it needs extensive renovations.

Consider speaking to a professional real estate agent for advice on how to sell your home quickly and get a great price.

5. Pay Your Property Taxes (This point was repeatedly emphasized during the discussion. The quotes from Senator Wayne and Treasurer Ewing were excerpted from previous articles in the series.)

Tax liens are the number one reason North Omaha residents lose their homes, according to Senator Justin Wayne. Of the over 200,000 tax bills sent out every year, Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing says between 3,000 4,000 people fail to pay any taxes at all by March 31. After that deadline, Nebraska state statute requires 14% interest to be added to the total amount owed. For those that remain unpaid, every Nebraska county holds a public auction of tax lien certificates, selling these delinquent tax bills to the highest bidder, individuals or companies.

Ewing says the worst thing a homeowner can do is ignore delinquent property taxes out of embarrassment. “These things are not going away. It’s only going to continue to grow.”

The Treasurer’s office does not offer programs for abatement, deferral or repayment. But Ewing recommends calling his office sooner than later. “We can give people advice that might help them figure out a way to get through the situation and get their taxes paid,” he says.

The phone number for the Douglas County Treasurer is 402-444-7103.

Family Housing Advisory Services also provides intervention and one-on-one counseling services to those at risk of losing their home to foreclosure. Counselors are certified by the national organizations: LA RAZA and NeighborWorks America. FHAS has locations in North Omaha, South Omaha, and in Council Bluffs, (402) 934-7921 (Lake Point office), www.fhasinc.org.

Homestead Exemptions

By Lynn Sanchez Nebraska homeowners who are most likely to be cost-burdened by property taxes may qualify for up to 100% relief through the “Homestead Exemption” program. Douglas County is actively trying to “grow” the program. Applications are taken between Feb. 1 and June 30, 2020, for the following year’s (2021) property taxes.

“It’s an awesome, awesome program,” says Douglas County Assessor Diane Battiato. “We probably go through about 13,000 homesteaders each year, which is only probably a handful of those who could be qualified.

So we urge everyone if they’re in that situation to apply. We have a whole section on our website for Homestead Exemption, it gives you all the information and you can get all the forms.” The program is designed to help: • Seniors 65 and over • Disabled persons • Disabled veterans or widows/widowers of a veteran Applications for the program are taken between Feb. 1 and June 30. Call the Assessor’s office at (402) 444-7060 option 2 to have application mailed to you.

If you move during the eligibility period (Jan. 1 - Aug. 15) you may transfer your homestead exemption to your new property.

“There’s a lot of criteria involved,” says Battiato, including documentation of income and medical expenses, but there is also help available.

“We always have onsite help sites from April through June at various places in the community. I have representatives from my office and we partner with Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS.) Applicants can come into our office and my staff is dedicated to help them through their forms.

If they’re homebound, we will go to their house. They have to call and make the appointment, but we will go to their home. We’re trying to grow this program.”

A full list of 2020 locations for assistance in filling out applications will be available on the Assessor’s website.

Contact the Douglas County Assessor’s Office http://www.dcassessor.org/ homestead-exemptions (402) 444-7060 option 2

PRAISE, WORSHIP, DEVOTION, OBITUARIES & INSPIRATION Life Care to Honor Rev. Charlene Thomas Lest we forget!

Page Four THE OMAHA STAR

January 10, 2020

In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Life Care Center of Omaha, 6032 Ville De Sante Drive, will present their Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award to Rev. Charlene Thomas on Jan. 20 at 2:30 p.m. Rev. Anthony Williams from Second Baptist Church will officiate. Calvin Phillips and Thee Amigos will perform.

Pastor Thomas is being honored for her dedicated service to Life Care Center and the Omaha community. She is the founder of God’s Deliverance Ministries, Inc. and the Alliance Clergy Women Inc. She has twenty years pastoral experience with American Baptist USA. She has worked as a youth director, Sunday School Superintendent, church trustee, Missionary Education Director, District Prayer Team Rev. Thomas Chairperson, convention delegate, Pastor’s Aid Advisor, licensed evangelist, Police Chaplain, Urban Ethnic Minority Project Coordinator, Church Management Consultant, counselor for parents and teens and as an advocate for women in crisis. She was previously Director of Religious Affairs for Maple Crest Care Center.

She has led workshops, seminars, revivals and youth ministries. Her philosophy is Each One-Teach One-to Reach One. The community is invited to share in the celebration of the MLK holiday and Pastor Thomas’ dedication to our community. For more information, phone 402-571-6770.

Our Spiritual Evolution

By Dr. William Holland People believe many different things about God and spirituality. Some are convinced that it’s arrogant to assume that we can know God’s will or walk with the Lord personally, however, what most people never stop to consider is how could the creator ask His creation to accomplish something without knowing who He is or what He expects from them? The divine reality of absolute truth includes the concept that God sincerely desires to share His mysteries and to work alongside His children to help them accomplish His will. I do not believe like the deist who are convinced in their theology that God does not intervene in the affairs of humans. I personally embrace the conviction that our maker wants to help us and walk with us every second of every hour and patiently waits for us to ask for His assistance.

Have you considered that deists do not look to prayer as an answer but rather turn to their own intelligence to find solutions to their problems? It can also be noted that when deists do succeed from their labors, we generally know who receives the glory. For those who are proud to pull up their own boot straps, these individuals relate to God through logical reasoning and the observation of nature, but not by revelation or supernatural manifestations, such as miracles which is a phenomenon they regard with skepticism. How sad that many live a lonely and miserable existence as they believe that humans are unable to have a personal relationship with the God who loves them more than anything. Like many of you, I’m grateful that we are not living on our own or need to rely on our own strength for everything. The deeds that have been manifested to the glory of God are spiritually empowered and accomplished by the very one who inspired them!

So, how can we learn to draw closer to God in this new year? The first step is to understand that in order to do His will, we must surrender ours. We hope and pray that everyone would want to fulfill the destiny that God has

made for them, but sadly we know this is not going to happen. Yes, we can be energetic and have a certain amount of worldly success, but this is not the same as following the blueprints of God’s perfect plan for our lives. You see, I believe that God has a general will and a perfect will for each of His children. His general will is our obedience to the truth of His written Word, while His perfect will is the unique individual direction that He has chosen for each of us. Every person has been called and a specific design has been drawn by the one who knew us before we were born.

When we fall at His feet and surrender our mind and heart to Him, the light of His glorious presence can illuminate our path and then we make the decision to follow or refuse.

Those who respond to His voice can look forward to hearing Him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your Lord” Mathew 25:21. For the ones who ignore their spiritual calling and would rather follow their own imaginations, they have not only wasted this life but are in danger of missing their heavenly invitation.

Is the Lord seeking someone who is perfect? I hope not, because Jesus is the only one who is perfect. However, He is searching for an individual who wants to be transformed into what Christ died for them to be. Why do we have such a hard time with this? Because our level of determination has not risen to the conscious state of complete surrender to God’s demands. “We will only succeed for Christ when our desire to change becomes greater than our desire to remain the same.” Until we develop an attitude that we will not compromise with carnality, we are a “sitting duck” to defeat. Personal change does not happen with a “whim” and being controlled by God’s Spirit is a wonderful and noble suggestion, but it will take more than charisma, intelligence, or happy thoughts. Spiritual advancement requires a complete transformation as Jesus replied in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Kids Talk About God

What Did Jesus Mean When He Said, ‘Knock, and It Will Be Opened to You’?

By Carey Kinsolving And Friends “I keep on asking my mom if I can play Nintendo, and she finally says yes,” says Clyde, 7.

Well, Clyde, there’s no doubt you’ve learned that persistence pays off. Your mother knows this, too. Give your mom a break, and apply that same persistence to things of God. You might be surprised at how much more rewarding it is.

“When you are dead, you are knocking on the door to get into heaven. When you ask to come in, the door will open,” says Connor, 6.

Jokes abound about Saint Peter examining credentials for entering the pearly gates. Some people believe in second chances such as reincarnation. Let’s see what the Bible says.

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:2728).

Jesus died for our sins one time, and we have one life in which to decide whether we’ll trust him with our eternal destiny.

“Keep on trying hard, and you will receive everlasting life,” says Bruce, 11.

This is a common belief that appeals to our pride. Many things in this life are earned by persistent hard work.

Eternal life is not one of them. The price is higher than anyone can pay. That’s why God sent the Lord Jesus to pay the price for us.

“If you keep asking Jesus into your heart, someday he will come,” says Sara, 8.

Sara, Jesus isn’t reluctant to impart his life to those who want it. Begging isn’t required. Jesus freely gives his eternal life to anyone who will “believe in him,” as John

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3:16 so clearly states.

If our eternal destiny isn’t at stake here, why did Jesus command us to knock?

“If you pray for something, and God doesn’t answer it right away, he will answer you if you keep on praying,” says Gerald, 6.

When Jesus spoke of knocking, he also mentioned asking and seeking. To illustrate what he meant, Jesus asked, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11).

Even evil people give good gifts to their children. How much more does a good God give gifts to his children who ask? This is where persistence pays huge dividends. The key is to make sure you’re asking for the right things and persist in asking, seeking and knocking.

“Don’t quit following Jesus for one day. He will reward you,” says Grace, 10.

In the context of knocking, this is persistent prayer for the advance of God’s purpose and plan. We can pray boldly and confidently about many situations revealed in Scripture.

For example, we know it’s God’s will for Christians to pray for government leaders “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (I Timothy 2:2).

Think about this: Knocking on heaven’s door on behalf of our country and friends is a ministry to which every Christian is called.

Memorize this truth: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Ask this question: Do you believe in the goodness of God so that you will persist in asking him for good things that glorify him?

THE BLACK PRESS

Pastor John Gray Skips Church after Eviction Reports: ‘We Have Paid’

By Bruce C.T. Wright Pastor John Gray was a no-show in his megachurch on Sunday, just days after it was reported that steps were being taken to evict the house of worship in South Carolina. But he was there in spirit when a video showed him from a remote location delivering a defiant message of reassurance to his congregation amid apparent uncertainty surrounding the future of Relentless Church.

Without going too deep into details, Gray calmly explained on the video that his absence was “preplanned before there was a setup with a camera to serve papers to our church.”

It was unclear what “setup” Gray was referring to, but Thursday the Redemption Church, which owns the property that Relentless Church has been leasing, filed documents in court to seek eviction, the start of a process that could – but hasn’t yet – lead to serving eviction papers to a tenant.

Redemption Church has alleged a breach of lease centering on a sports and fitness center on the property used by Relentless Church, incurring a debt that Redemption said it was forced to take over to avoid going into foreclosure.

Sunday marked the first time that the pastor had publicly spoken about the controversy in person.

“We have paid what we owe, according to our agreement, and everything is going to be shared at the right time through the proper legal channels,” said Gray, who has vehemently defended his association with President Donald Trump. “But until then, we, the Relentless Church, will continue to have service and we will maintain the moral high ground.”

Gray went on to say he was “greatly grieved that there would be anyone or any spirit that would seek to harm a church open in the name of Jesus.” Chances are he was talking about Ron Carpenter, a pastor who owns the same Redemption Church that filed court papers in an apparent effort to begin eviction proceedings against Relentless.

The Greenville News reported last week that Gray had unsuccessfully tried to arrange new agreements, ultimately leaving Relentless Church on a month-tomonth lease that expired as soon as it turned 2020 last week. That, in turn, prompted Redemption Church to file the papers last Thursday.

Gray’s video address Sunday to his congregation also explained that he was not in church so he could take “a necessary day with my bride … to build my marriage so that it can be healthy and vibrant.”

In the past, Gray has been very open about his marriage, including an extra-marital affair he acknowledged during an interview on national TV. He also bought his wife a Lamborghini Urus, which is priced around $200,000, for their eight-year anniversary before defending the extravagance and subsequently denying plundering money from his church treasury to purchase the expensive vehicle.

Gray also denied to the women of “The Real” talk show that his affair resulted in a child being born outside of his marriage.

“There’s no baby, none of that. It’s important for me to take responsibility for the areas where I did come up short,” Gray said in March. “Sharing things about my marriage, outside of my wife and outside of trusted counselors, is an emotional affair. It was wrong. I take responsibility for that. But I will not take responsibility for that which I did not do.”

As far as Relentless Church’s possible eviction, there was no indication of how much money was allegedly owed. But in the recent past, Gray has gone to extreme lengths to maintain an air of wealth, like in April when he was wearing a pair of expensive Nike Air Yeezy sneakers, which have retailed for thousands of dollars.

Gray, whose net worth is estimated to be about $7 million, also lives in a home that was purchased by Relentless Church for $1.8 million.

AND THE BLACK CHURCH: Both Born Out of Necessity For Self-Expression And Both Black - Owned.

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PRAISE & WORSHIP DIRECTORY

January 10, 2020

ALLEN CHAPEL A.M.E.

Rev. Benjamin R. Finnell

Rev. Benjamin R. Finnell, Presiding Elder and Pastor Tammi Tate, Public Relations Chairperson 2842 Monroe St. Ph: (402) 502-8003 Fx: 934-8581 Sunday School...........................9:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship......................10:00 a.m.

Thursday Bible Study..............8:00 p.m. via teleconference, dial-in number 563-999-2090 and access code 576989

MOUNT CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH

Page Five

ST. MARK BAPTIST CHURCH

“Jesus is the Light of the World” Bishop Kevin Chambers, Senior Pastor (Elect) www.m3comaha.org 5112 Ames Avenue Omaha, NE 68104 (402) 457-4216 Church Phone (402) 453-4084 Pastor’s Office

THE OMAHA STAR

Pastor Jarrod S. Parker 3616 Spaulding Street, Omaha, NE 68111 Phone: 402-451-0307 Email: smbcsecretary@ stmarkbaptist.org Bishop Kevin Chambers

Pastor Jarrod S. Parker

Sunday School – Sunday 9:00 a.m.

Services: Sunday School .................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship Experience ......... 11:00 a.m.

Word On Wednesday (WOW) ........................ 7:00 p.m.

Worship Service – Sunday 10:15 a.m.

Children’s Church (except 2nd Sunday) Holy Communion every 1st Sunday Prayer and Bible Doctrine Study Midday - 12:00 noon; Evening – 7:00 p.m.

MT. MORIAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

“Where Life is for Everyone”

Dr. Ralph B. Lassiter, Pastor 2602 N. 24th St. Off: (402) 451-8800 Fax: (402) 451-8522 mtmoriahomaha.net pastorlassiter@gmail.com

Drs. Mar n & Lynnell Williams Founders & Lead Pastors SUNDAYS Prayer 9:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM

WEDNESDAYS Prayer 6:00 PM Worship 7:00 PM

www.ambassadorswc.com 402-341-1866 5417 N 103rd St. Omaha, NE 68134

Televised Broadcast – Sundays at 6:00 p.m., KPAO Cox Channel 22 & CenturyLink Channel 89 Our Mission: “To exalt the Savior, edify saints, evangelize sinners and elevate society.”

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH

Rev. Ralph Lassiter, Sr.

Fr. Dave Korth

Sunday School .............................................. 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship ..........................................10:45 a.m.

Overcomers in Christ......................Sunday 7:00 p.m.

2207 Wirt Street Omaha, NE 68110 Phone: 402-451-5755

Wednesday Bible-Prayer Service 11:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m Fr. Dave Korth

CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH “Come Get Your Hilltop Experience” Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor 5544 Ames Avenue, Omaha, NE 68104 Telephone: 402-451-8322 • Website: www.cmumc.net Email: clairumc@cumc.omhcoxmail.com Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor

Sunday School………………………8:45 a.m.

Sunday Worship Experience………...10:00 a.m.

Wednesday Bible Study….…….…….6:00 p.m.

Mass Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - 8:00 am in Rectory (2218 Binney)

MT. NEBO MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Thursday - School Mass 8:10 am in Church

“The Church Where Fellowship is Real”

Saturday - 5:00 pm Sunday - 8:15 am and 10:30 am

Pastor Terry L. Arvie 5501 N. 50th Street Ph: 402-451-4245 Fx: 402-451-2130 office@mtneboomaha.org www.mtneboomaha.org Pastor Terry L. Arvie

Sunday Morning Worship ...................................9:00 a.m.

Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting .....................7:00 p.m.

Wednesday Night Church School ......................7:30 p.m.

Youth/Children Ministry Focus (Wed.) ............7:30 p.m.

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH Serving God and One Another in the Spirit of Excellence Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus Senior Pastor 3131 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1000 www.salembc.org

Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus

Rev. Kent H. Little, Lead Pastor Services on Sundays at 8:30 am & 10:50 am

PLEASANT GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH

7020 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132 402.556.6262 www.fumcomaha.org First United Methodist Church is a welcoming and inclusive community, inspired to grow with and in God.

Weekly Services Sunday Morning Worship Service .....................8:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.

Children’s Church (2nd & 4th Sunday) ................8:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.

Life Development (Sunday School) .........................................10:15 a.m.

Wednesday Word and Worship (WWW) ................................ 6:30 p.m.

“Where CHRIST is Preeminent and the Word Prevails!”

Rev. Kent H. Little

Pastor Brian Page 5555 Larimore Avenue Church: 402-346-8427 www.pleasantgreenomaha.org

TABERNACLE OF FAITH CHURCH

Pastor Brian Page

Pastor Barbara Mitchell 2404 Fort Street, Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1800 Church 402-455-3390 Fax

Wednesday: Prayer Power Hour ......................................12:00 p.m Thursday: Youth For Christ ............................................6:00 p.m Prayer & Bible Study ....................................6:30 p.m Sunday: Sunday School.................................................9:00 a.m.

Morning Worship..........................................10:15 a.m.

Televised Broadcast Sunday @ 10pm on KPAO Cox Communication channel 22 & Century Link channel 89

Charles Galloway - President, Rev John Deang - Pastor, Dr John Beasley - Elder

Pastor Barbara Mitchell

8:30 am Early Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 - 10:15 am Sunday Morning Breakfast 10:15 - 11:15 am Sunday School 11:30 am Sunday Morning Worship 6:30 pm Wednesday Bible Study 8:00 pm Friday Night Service Noon day prayer Thursday - Saturday

HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod 2721 N. 30th Street 402-453-1583 Sunday School................................10:00 a.m.

Church Service...............................11:00 a.m.

YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

Rev. Vitalis Anyanike

ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH

ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

2423 Grant St. Omaha, NE 68111 Ph: 402-348-0631 • Fax 402-342-4451 Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m.

Reconciliation: Sunday after Mass or by appointment

Rev. Kenneth A. Allen, Pastor

&

JOY OF LIFE MINISTRIES COGIC

HOLY NAME CATHOLIC CHURCH

Pastors Eric and Cynthia Butler

2901 Fontenelle Blvd. 68104 Ph: 402-451-6622 • Fax 402-457-6901 Mass Schedule: Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m., Sat. 8:30 a.m. & 5:00 p.m.

Sun. 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. & Noon (Spanish) Reconciliation: Sat. 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. or by appointment

6401 N. 56th Street Omaha, NE 68104 Ph: 402-399-9628 E-Mail: Jolpastor@aol.com Sunday School..........................9:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship......................10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship.......6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Night ....................7:00 p.m.

Bible Study and Youth Ministries

Pastor: Rev. Vitalis Anyanike

Pastor Eric Butler and Co-Pastor Cynthia Butler

2215 Grant Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-346-1502 Fax: 402-344-2720

Pastor Kenneth A. Allen

SUNDAY Sunday Morning Worship……………10:00 A.M. Sunday School……………………….. 9:00 A.M. WEDNESDAY 11:00 A.M. ~ Hour of Power Bible Study Wednesday is Family Night!

6:00 P.M. ~ Prayer & Praise Service 6:30 P.M. ~ Feast & Fellowship (Light Meal) 7:15 P.M. ~ Discipleship Academy (Classes for ages 5 & up)

THE WORSHIP CENTER North 24th Street Church of God “Presenting the Never-Changing GOD to an ever-changing World!”

MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH

“Where Christ Jesus Is the Center of Attention” Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr. Senior Pastor 2019 Burdette Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-342-0018 Fx: 402-346-9300 Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr.

Radio Broadcast: 101.3 fm 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each Sunday Worship Service .............10:00 a.m.

Sunday School .................8:45 a.m.

Excluding First Sunday Tuesday Evening Service.........7:00 p.m.

Dr. Stan Rone - Senior Pastor 2021 N. 24th Street • Omaha, NE 68110 (402) 341-4297 Dr. Stan Rone Senior Pastor

Sunday Kingdom Academy 9:00 a.m.

Worship Celebration 10:15 a.m.

Tuesday Prayer Hour 7:00 a.m. & 12:00 noon Wednesday Power Hour (Prayer/Bible Study) 6:30 p.m.

Youth and Children 6:30 p.m. www.theworshipcenter24cog.org

Page Six THE OMAHA STAR

LOCAL NEWS MLK Day Activities

“Yes, if you want to, say that I was a drum major. Say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

– MLK Jr. Jan. 15 – Metropolitan Community College (Fort Omaha Campus) Institute Culinary Arts will host the 35th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Luncheon from noon-1:30 p.m. The keynote speaker is Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre, National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Tickets are available by phoning 531-MCC-5231.

Jan. 19 – The dynamic Dr. Maurice Watson, Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, DC and Largo, MD will be the guest speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Service. The community worship service begins at 6 p.m., at Salem Baptist Church, 3131 Lake St. Jan. 20 – MLK Volunteers Needed for Open Door Mission and UNO Service Projects.

The start times vary. If you are interested in volunteering phone 402-554-4083 or email unoserve@unomaha.edu.

Jan. 20 – 36th Annual Martin Luther King Luncheon and Scholarship Ceremony, hosted by The Alliance (IMA), will be held at the Hilton Omaha, 1001 Cass St., from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Guest speaker is North Omaha’s own, 1972 Heisman Trophy winner, Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite. For more info, contact Tony Sanders Jr. at 402-451-3732.

Jan. 20 – Our young visual and performing artists will be showcased at the 5th annual Martin Luther King Talent Show hosted by FLIYE Arts, Love Jazz and Kaneko at Kaneko, 1111 Jones St., from 2-7p.m. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. For more info, phone 402-341-3800 or email info@kaneko.org.

Jan. 20 – The Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St., will

January 10, 2020

be open from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. to host the Youth Theatre Day Camp.

Youth will spend their day experiencing the art of theater. Registration is required by phoning 402-553-4980, x131 or emailing mdehmer@ omahaplayhouse.com Jan. 20 – View a screening of the 1965 film documentary Sisters of Selma, hosted by Progressive Omaha and First Unitarian Church.

The screening will be at 7 p.m. at 3114 Harney St. The story is about the experiences of black women and white catholic nuns fighting for voting rights in Selma, AL. For more info, phone 402-345-3039 or email admin@firstuuomaha.org.

Jan. 20 – Creighton University will kick off their 3-day MLK celebration, “The Drum Major Instinct” with 24th & Glory Past, Present and Beyond at 3:00 p.m., at Mike and Josie Harper Center in the Hixon-Lied Auditorium.

For more info, phone 402-280-1207 or go to mlk@creighton.edu.

Jan. 21 – Creighton’s celebration continues with a Unity Prayer Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in the Mike and Josie Harper Center HixsonLied Auditorium; a National Day of Racial Healing Dialogue in partnership with the Omaha Community Council for Racial Justice and Reconciliation from 1:45-3:30 p.m. in the Mike and Josie Harper Center Room 3028, and a Student Recognition Ceremony at 6 p.m. in the Mike and Josie Harper Center Hixson-Lied Auditorium. For more info, phone 402-280-1207 or go to mlk@creighton.edu.

Jan. 21 – View a free screening of A Time for Burning at the Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey St., at 7 p.m. A brief intro and post-film discussion will be facilitated by Omaha Community Council for Racial Justice and Reconciliation steering committee members Brenda Council and Vickie Young.

Jan. 22 – Creighton concludes their celebration with Cake & Choir in the VJ and Angela Skutt Student Center, fireplace at 11:30 a.m. For more info, phone 402-280-1207 or go to mlk@creighton.edu.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s isn’t easy.

Reaching us is.

Thalia Rodgers’ Other Dimensional Paintings Come to the Union for Contemporary Art This month, Omaha-based artist Thalia Rodgers opens The Union for Contemporary Art’s 2020 exhibitions series with “You make my heart smile but you also make my eyes cry.”

“Being me is one of the hardest, most amazing things I’ve ever done,” says the painter and digital artist.

“This exhibition is a never ending series of gifts to myself and a journey to learn everything I can learn about myself.”

Rodgers’ world swirls with color and psychedelic forms. Figures emerge from chaotic voids. Fierce and joyous energies wrestle for place within the frame. Visions. Vibrations. A strange and urgent naturalism.

“There are a lot of places and imagined, dreamy landscapes in this work because I have been thinking a lot about our precious earth and where I want to go next in her. … Almost everything I do within my work is because it’s satisfying.”

Join The Union in kicking of the 2020 season with an Opening Reception with the artist from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 18 in The Union’s Wanda D. Ewing Gallery. The exhibit runs through March 14.

If you care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss or dementia, you are not alone. We’re here day or night — whenever you need us — offering reliable information and support.

Free 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900 Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center: alz.org/care

CC

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, Jan. 25 • 10 a.m.-noon South Omaha Campus 2909 Edward Babe Gomez Ave.

About the Artist Thalia Rodgers loves eating good food, making Trillers, and Tik Toks, tweeting, posting on her Instagram, browsing the Web, crying, and laughing.

She received her BFA from The University of NebraskaLincoln. She has won the Dan and Barbara Howard Award for Creative Achievement 2 years in a row, and the Wendy Jane Bantam Outlook Award. She wants you all to have a great day and to have lots of fun :)

35 THAnnual

REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Celebration

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15, 2020 · NOON–1:30 P.M. FORT OMAHA CAMPUS, INSTITUTE FOR THE CULINARY ARTS, BUILDING 22 Swanson Conference Center, rooms 201 A-D 32nd Street and Sorensen Parkway

featured programs include: • Creative Writing

•

Dental Assisting

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

• Culinary

•

Respiratory Therapy

Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre 24th National President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

• Cyber Security

B.A. Early Childhood Education, Dillard University

Learn more about scholarship opportunities,

M.A., Curriculum and Instruction/Educational Administration, University of New Orleans

International and Intercultural education, Secondary Partnerships and Veterans Upward Bound.

enter for THE chance to win prizes, including one free class (up to 4.5 credit hours).

ENJOY LIGHT REFRESHMENTS.

Honorary Doctorate of Divinity, Religious Education, Louisiana Christian Bible College

MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT Ananias “Markey” Montague, minister of music and fine arts, Salem Baptist Church, Omaha

REGISTER To reserve your seat, call 531-MCC-5231 or register online at mccneb.edu/MLK For additional information, contact 531-MCC-2253 or bvelazquez@mccneb.edu.

To learn more, visit mccneb.edu/events or call 531-MCC-2400.

MCC students $10 MCC personnel and MCC retirees $15 (MCC employees exempt from additional discounts) General admission $20 Seating is limited.

Reservations will close when full or on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

No refunds after Jan. 7, 2020.

Metropolitan Community College affirms a policy of equal education, employment opportunities and nondiscrimination in providing services to the public. To read our full policy statement, visit mccneb.edu/nondiscrimination.

Metropolitan Community College affirms a policy of equal education, employment opportunities and nondiscrimination in providing services to the public. To read our full policy statement, visit mccneb.edu/nondiscrimination.

COMMENTARY

January 10, 2020

Roses for Rodney Wead

By Preston Love Jr African Americans born in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s to a great degree are a very unique generation. That generation of African Americans was born and raised during the height and horribleness of Jim Crow, bigotry, racism, segregation, violence and all of its horror. The uniqueness of those individuals is that they withstood those indignities and fought, demanded, and began the struggle of progress and change for its people and communities.

Said simply, that generation had one leg mired in Jim Crow and the other leg mired in actually “being” the agents of change. We are unique in that way.

Prior generations experienced the horribleness, but while efforts were made, the overall change did not happen in their lifetime. The latter generations were the recipients of the change.

Included in that generation were the few, nationally and locally, whose heads stood above Wead the masses. That unique few were the real agents that led to change. This article is directed to one such person, Rodney Wead.

Rodney Wead’s role as a change agent in North Omaha has historically has been understated, but his vision, drive, and body of work should be legendary. He was the driving force for the unique economic and social development of North Omaha, as it transitioned from a red lined, segregated community to one that began to take its destiny into its own hands On a recent Saturday, 50 or so friends joined Rodney for brunch at Omaha Marriott Downtown. It is not a coincidence that the author of the best-selling book “24th and Glory,” Dirk Chatelain, was in attendance. In a very cosmic, spiritual sort of way, The Glory of north Omaha was captured in that room. It was most impactful that every seat was occupied by someone who contributed historically, culturally or economically to the development of North Omaha. North Omaha is now in the process of a rebirth, both economically and socially, but Wead’s legacy is rooted in our generation’s contributions to the economic re-birth of our proud, vibrant beloved community.

Below are some excerpts of Wead’s biography written

by Adam Fletcher Sasse, infused with my input.

Rodney S. Wead began his life in the Logan Fontenelle

Public Housing Projects. While attending Lake Grade School, Rodney served as a newspaper carrier for the Omaha Star. A 1953 graduate of Omaha Central High School, Rodney was a star basketball and track & field athlete who was often highlighted in the Omaha Star and Omaha World-Herald. In 1957, Wead earned a bachelor’s degree from Dana College.

In 1958, Wead worked at the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute as an educational therapist teaching emotionally disturbed and mentally handicapped children. Then in 1966, Wead became a VISTA program director for Catholic Social Action of Nebraska. While he was there, he established the Lake-Charles Community Organization and began its powerhouse newspaper, the Lake-Charles Action.

At the age of 32, Wead became the executive director of the Mission Society, a United Methodist outreach organization. The next year, it was renamed the United Methodist Community Centers, Inc., Wesley House.

During his leadership there, Wead was instrumental in starting the Franklin Community Credit Union in 1968.

In 1970, he worked with native Omahans to establish the city’s first Black-owned radio station, KOWH. NBL star Bob Gibson, NFL star Gayle Sayers, and NBA star Bob Boozer, local leaders including Wead and Charles B. Washington stayed involved throughout the existence of the station. He also oversaw the establishment of Community Bank of Nebraska and the development of Omaha Economic Development Corporation. During his leadership OEDC built a 200-unit housing development and a 10-unit strip shopping mall, as well as the nation’s first 24-hour day care center.

After leaving Omaha in 1974, Wead earned his master’s degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago, and completed his PhD in sociology at the Union Institute in Cincinnati in 1980.

Rodney returned to North Omaha in 1983, when he was hired as the executive director of the United Methodist Community Centers, Inc. In addition to administering 23 social service programs through the organization, he developed programs for incarcerated women and their children and developed a sweat equity housing project in North Omaha. He was served as an assistant professor of Black studies at the UNO and later as an associate professor at Creighton University. During this era, he also reinvigorated Omaha’s Juneteenth celebration.

Dr. Wead lives in St. Louis, Mo., with his wife Vanessa who he married in 1992.

In 2018, the Omaha City Council renamed the section of North 52nd Street from Ames to Fowler Avenue in honor of Dr. Wead. The event brought him back to the community, causing legions of friends, family and supporters to celebrate with him at the street naming ceremony. The street was chosen because the Community Bank, founded in 1973, was built on the corner of 52nd & Ames.

It is an honor, a privilege and a pleasure to be able to send these “Roses” to Rodney, while he is still with us.

Thank you Rodney Wead from North Omaha with Love!

Mentoring Matters NCBW Supports National Mentoring Month

By Debra L. Shaw January is National Mentoring Month.

This year the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) is partnering with the CARES Mentoring Movement.

This is an excellent opportunity for the NCBW Chapters to showcase their local mentoring programs. This annual Mentoring Awareness effort may also be utilized to highlight the great mentoring activities that chapters will be involved in within their communities this year.

Chapter members may also utilize this opportunity to plan and implement an exciting activity with their mentees as well as celebrate their activities with local schools, churches and other non-profit organizations. NCBW’s mentoring programs can educate and mentor the next generation of leaders in areas that will supplement and enhance education programs. Mentoring programs will teach the next generation of leaders the significance of giving back in order to impact the lives of others. Feel free to reach out to the National Education Committee at nationalprograms@nc100bw.org if any chapters need ideas of ways to promote their NCBW mentoring program.

NCBW’s national office suggests local chapters partner with the National CARES Mentoring Movement.

National CARES Mentoring Movement is a pioneering community-galvanizing movement dedicated to alleviating intergenerational poverty among African Americans. It was founded in 2006 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina as Essence CARES. It offers Black children in low-income families and unstable communities the social, emotional and academic supports they need to unleash their potential and graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college or vocational-training programs and 21st-century careers. They employ two primary strategies. The proveneffective, consciousness-shifting model, ideated and built

by experts over a decade, unearths hope and resilience in our young living with trauma-causing impacts of poverty – homelessness, hunger, unrelenting violence, gravely under-resourced schools and overwhelmed parents and teachers. The traumatic stress children in poverty live with fuels mental illness and physical disease, including anxiety, depression, hypertension, substance abuse, obesity, violence and also the recent spike in suicide.

A wide body of research shows that adverse childhood experiences combine with poverty to undermine children’s wellbeing and their ability to learn and thrive. They are unable to sit still and focus. Their parents, who are overstressed and struggling to make ends meet, are at risk for higher levels of depression, substance abuse and domestic violence. Black children overall are scoring the lowest in all academic, health and developmental indicators compared to their peers. CARES’ unique, 36-week-long curricula are built to help children heal the multiple traumas of impoverishment and override their debilitating effects, which unaddressed will be lifelong. CARES’ evidence-based healing initiatives unearth understanding, resilience and faith. They instill hope, critical thinking skills, racial pride, and a love for learning and wellness in mind, body and spirit. Our beloved young ones come to understand that they are greater than even their greatest challenges, authors of their futures, as they share their stories and heal together, supported by trained psychologists, social workers and volunteer mentors in CARES’ wide-spreading Wellness Mentoring Circles.

Students and children in detention learn to transform their thinking and behaviors, how to love themselves, as well as one another, and prepare for success in school, careers and life. At CARES, they believe that transformation does not begin in the statehouses, but in our hearts and our homes.

Join the movement and become a mentor. Visit http:// www.caresmentoring.org/ for more details about CARES nationally and locally.

Mentoring Matters!

THE OMAHA STAR

Page Seven

Don’t Expect Fair Elections in 2020

By Oscar Blayton

The African American journey through American history can be summed up in two words – UNJUST and UNFAIR. From the moment we first set foot on the North American continent, we have been subjected to atrocities both great and small. Armed with a culture of white supremacy bolstered by their religion and world view, Europeans seeking to create empires spanning the globe built their dream with the lives and labor stolen from Africans and other peoples from around the world.

And while the flames of former imperial aspirations have settled into the glowing embers of financial and military hegemony, control over much of the world’s resources remains in the grip of European nations and the Western nation states they spawned.

America, one of those spawns of European colonialism, is a curious mix of posturing as a rebellious breakaway from old European values while being the most ardent advocate of the old-world concept of white supremacy.

America has managed for centuries to juggle its race hatred and notions of democratic fervor with a skill unmatched elsewhere in the world.

As 2020 dawns, it is imperative that people of color accept the reality that significant numbers of European Americans are willing to deny us of our rights in order to maintain a world order that favors them. These people who identify most with their European ancestry and have an explicit or implicit bias against people of color are preparing to trash the constitutional values they hypocritically claim to love so dearly in order to put people of color “back in our place.”

With the national disgrace who squats in the White House leading the hate-mongering, Republicans and other conservatives are preparing to strip the vote from people of color and make it impossible for our voices to be heard in the nation’s elections in November.

People of color are being purged from voting rolls, and the polling places most convenient to us are being closed.

Conservative judges recently appointed by Trump are not likely to find fault with these tactics. They will find no fault in these injustices and illegalities being carried out by even the worst violators of the Constitution.

But this is not the time to give up. Nor is it the time to give in. I am old enough to remember when white bigots ruled the South and threw up barricades in front of every Black person who wanted to exercise his or her right to cast a ballot. I remember the marches, the fire hoses, the dogs and the baton wielding “law enforcement officers” used against our people. And I remember the courts ruling that this was the way it should be in America.

Today, there are many European Americans we can count as our allies, just as there were during the civil rights movement. But we must not lull ourselves into believing that they are in the majority. Fifty-three percent of white women voted for Donald Trump despite his crudeness, dishonesty, ignorance and all the other negative qualities he possesses.

Many pundits tried to sugarcoat the reason for Trump’s popularity by saying his message of economic prosperity was his appeal. But they never tried to explain why his message had no appeal for poor people of color. The truth is Donald Trump had only one thing to sell to America, and that was white supremacy. This nation had just been through eight years of a president with dark skin, and it is no secret that this drove many European Americans into a type of madness. They saw their world of white supremacy, which took centuries to build, beginning to crumble before their eyes. And this was something they could never allow.

With the law once again bending back towards their advantage, white supremacists want to keep people of color away from the voting booths in order to continue this regression. And we must do everything we can to prevent that.

We must organize and support groups to review the latest voting rolls in order to identify people who were unfairly purged.

We need to urge those who have been unfairly purged to re-register to vote.

We must help those who have been purged for cause to become qualified to register and vote. But if a person is ineligible to register, they need to be informed so that they do not fall in the trap of violating local election laws by trying to register.

And we need to arrange to get people to the polls, especially in communities where nearby polling places have been closed and transportation is needed to reach the new ones.

We also need to encourage people to vote by letting them know how important this election is.

Finally, we need to encourage qualified people to become candidates and support them, both during their campaigns and once they have been elected to office.

We are in for a fight and it will not be a fair one, but it is a fight we can win, just like we won more than a half century ago.

(Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.)

Financial Tips from Veridian Use Your Tax Refund to Advance Your Goals A tax refund could be the biggest deposit you see in your account all year. That makes it a great opportunity to advance your financial goals.

Start by checking your credit report to get an accurate picture of your situation. You can get free reports once a year from annualcreditreport.com, or if you’re a Veridian member, you can see a report for free through Credit Central in online banking.

Once you’ve done that, you can start setting priorities.

Since a refund is one-time income, you should avoid making ongoing commitments with that money. Here are some smart ways to use your refund: • Build your savings. Unexpected expenses seem to pop up at the worst time. Having some savings put aside can

help you be prepared.

• Get caught up. Focus on current bills first, then older debt. If you’re trying to improve your credit score, making on-time payments is critical, even if it’s the minimum due.

• Negotiate a settlement. If you have debt in collections, you may be able to work out a deal to pay some and get the rest forgiven. Don’t tell creditors how much your refund was. Make an offer and pay in one or two lump sums instead of over time to protect your credit score.

• Leave really old debt alone. Some types of debt fall off your credit report after seven years of inactivity. If something is about to expire, let it. This only applies to certain kinds of debt, so be sure to get financial advice first.

• Ask for advice. This stuff can be confusing, but Veridian staff can help you create a spending plan, prioritize your debt and set goals. We’re here for your successful financial future – it’s literally our job.

Be aware that as you pay off debt, you’ll likely be contacted by other creditors, who will notice the action on your credit report. Next month, we’ll go over what your rights are when debt collectors start calling.

If you could use some financial advice, Veridian is here to help. We’re a not-for-profit credit union with branches in Council Bluffs, Omaha and Papillion. Simply stop by a Veridian branch or phone 800-235-3228 and ask to speak to Areli to schedule a one-on-one consultation today.

Page Eight

THE OMAHA STAR

LIFE & STYLE/HEALTH & WELLNESS

American Black Film Festival to Recognize Achievements of Hollywood Trailblazers LOS ANGELES, CA – The American Black Film perspective and challenging audiences to think outside Festival (ABFF) Honors has announced the recipients of conventional norms. She has become a champion for of two of their most prominent awards – Hollywood underserved voices in the industry, creating writing and Legacy Award and Industry Renaissance Award – which development opportunities for people of color as well as promoting diversity and representation on each honor outstanding accomplishments the screen through her production company, in film and television. Academy Award Hillman Grad. Currently, she serves as a winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (“Watchmen,” writer and executive producer of two BET “An Officer and a Gentleman”) will be shows: the new series “Twenties” which is honored with the Hollywood Legacy Award based off her own early years in LA and the for his contributions to the entertainment second season of the “Boomerang” revival industry. The Hollywood Legacy Award which she created alongside Halle Berry. honors a legendary artist whose trailblazing Both shows are set to air in early 2020. work has inspired generations and made an Waithe has also received critical acclaim for enduring contribution to film and television. creating Showtime’s “The Chi,”’ which will Additionally, Emmy Award-winning debut its third season this year. Waithe has producer, writer, and actor, Lena Waithe proven herself a talent to be reckoned with, (“The Chi,” “Boomerang,” “Queen & Slim”) Lena Waithe will receive the prestigious Industry Renaissance Award, continuing to grow her body of work which includes: which recognizes content creators whose exemplary an overall deal to create and produce original series for work in film and television contributes to changing Amazon Prime Video; Showtime’s “How To Make Love perceptions of people of color in the entertainment to a Black Woman,” which she will executive produce; the groundbreaking film, “The 40-Year-Old Version,” industry.

“We’re honored to celebrate these two extraordinary which is premiering at Sundance 2020; the horror talents,” said ABFF Ventures CEO, Jeff Friday. anthology series “Them” for Amazon; and Sundance “These awards not only recognize how Mr. Gossett’s darling “Dear White People,” among others. Waithe first contributions have propelled the industry forward but made headlines in front of the camera as Denise, in the also acknowledge a new generation of trailblazers in critically acclaimed Netflix series “Master of None.” In a people like Ms. Waithe, who will continue to create role that was originally intended for a straight, Caucasian change and new opportunities in film and television for female, Waithe has made Denise’s experience as a queer black woman uniquely her own and became the first people of color.”

Louis Gossett Jr. has been disrupting Hollywood woman of color to win an Emmy award in the category for over 40 years making his film debut alongside of “Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.” Waithe’s Sidney Poitier in the 1961 classic “A Raisin in the feature screenwriting debut, “Queen & Slim,” is also Sun.” Gossett Jr. was the first African American to nominated for ABFF Honors “Movie of the Year” Award.

ABFF Honors recently announced their nominees for win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his unforgettable performance as drill Sergeant Emil “Movie of the Year,” a competitive award presented to Foley in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” Additionally, the best feature length film of the year directed by and/ he has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy or starring a lead actor or actress of African descent.

Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, five NAACP Voting is now open to the public at www.ABFFHonors.

Images Awards, two Daytime Emmy Awards and in 1992 com/vote. And for the second year, American Airlines he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Other will sponsor the ABFF Honors “VIP Fan Experience,” notable film and television credits include “The Deep,” which is an opportunity for one consumer to attend “Blue Chips,” “Daddy’s Little this exclusive event and celebrate Black excellence Girls,” Tyler Perry’s “Why among the most influential artists, executives, and Did I Get Married Too?,” stakeholders in the entertainment industry. One fan will “Firewalker,” “Jaws-3D,” be randomly selected by the ABFF organization from “Enemy Mine,” “Iron Eagle,” the pool of individuals who vote for the “Movie of the “Extant,” “Madam Secretary,” Year”, and receive two (2) tickets for the ceremony, “Boardwalk Empire,” “Family two (2) round trip domestic economy-class tickets on Guy,” and “ER,” among others. American Airlines, hotel accommodations and a chance Gossett Jr. is the founder of The to walk the “red carpet” on the night of the ceremony.

Eracism Foundation, a non- The announcement will be made on or about Jan. 20.

Presented by ABFF Ventures, the 2020 ABFF Honors, profit organization dedicated to hosted by Emmy-nominated comedian and actor Deon eradicating racism.

Louis Gossett Jr. A triple-threat in the Cole (Black-ish), will take place Feb. 23 in Los Angeles. entertainment industry, Lena Waithe expertly taps Previously announced honorees include Cynthia Erivo into emerging cultural sensibilities with a sharp wit, with the Rising Star Award and “The Wire” with the speaking to a myriad of experiences from her unique Classic Television Award.

Live Well Omaha and WELLCOM Merge to Form New Nonprofit Two local nonprofits, Live Well Omaha, the leading convener of diverse stakeholders to advocate for policy, systems, and environmental change, and WELLCOM, the leader in providing high-level worksite health and wellness strategies for improved organizational culture, have merged to form The Wellbeing Partners.

“Today marks the launch of a new total health model that will connect employees and their home zip codes in an integrated strategy that builds wellbeing into the way communities do business,” declares Sarah Sjolie, former Chief Executive Officer of Live Well Omaha and newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Wellbeing Partners. “By delivering the combined capabilities of our two evidence-driven organizations, we will leverage traditional health and wellness models into a ‘both-and’ approach that places individuals in the driver’s seat of their wellbeing while engaging businesses and community members together to align work in critical issues such as healthy food access, connected neighborhoods, and mental wellbeing.”

“The potential impact for The Wellbeing Partners is incredible,” notes Board Chair Frank Venuto, Chief Human Capital Officer with Nebraska Medicine. “One major issue that has already revealed itself for our mission is mental health and wellbeing. It’s a talent retention and recruitment issue for employers and it is still surrounded with stigma in our communities.”

The Wellbeing Partners will engage its diverse membership of more than 150 organizations from various sectors such as health care, education, manufacturing, retail food, architecture, government, public health, and more.

The new organization has the mission to “Build wellbeing into the way communities grow and do business,” and will draw from the 56 years of institutional knowledge of its two parent organizations. WELLCOM was the first nonprofit in the country dedicated to worksite wellness, while Live Well Omaha led the region’s first shared community health needs assessment and community improvement plan.

The Wellbeing Partners is an answer to the evolution of the role businesses play in their communities, and an increased understanding of the social determinants of health and eight dimensions of wellbeing. The organization will ensure that businesses, community organizations, and residents have equitable opportunity to engage in the economy, live their vision, and contribute their purpose.

In the coming months and throughout 2020, The Wellbeing Partners plans to introduce new programs and services focused on topics the community has identified as priorities, including: mental health stigma, food security, community safety and connectedness, and strategic consulting and training for workplace and community health programs. Additionally, the organization will be launching services to connect employers to community resources such as transportation and healthy food.

New offerings will not affect the programs and services previously provided by WELLCOM or Live Well Omaha.

“In fact, the opposite is true,” says Sjolie. “By combining our resources, we are able to continue the great work our members, partners, and stakeholders have come to rely upon, and take on more of the work they have been asking us for.”

Theresa Nelson, former President and CEO of WELLCOM and current Chief Operations Officer of The Wellbeing Partners, adds, “The businesses WELLCOM served will see a difference by getting more for their memberships, not less. I have talked to many business leaders in preparation for this transition, and the business communities in Iowa and Nebraska are excited and looking forward to benefiting from more data, community connections, and expertise.”

The Wellbeing Partners is launching a fully-developed event calendar for the first quarter of 2020, including Trek Up the Tower, previously presented by WELLCOM. Trek Up the Tower is a community vertical stair climb event that will support the mission of The Wellbeing Partners, and will take place on Feb. 15 at the First National Tower in downtown Omaha.

January 10, 2020

Get Beautiful Curls, No Matter Your Hair Type

By Princess Gabbara

These days, rocking natural hair is a go-to option, especially with the growing category of products designed for curls, kinks and coils. And the natural hair movement extends to people in the public eye, too. Recently-crowned Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi rocks a low ’fro. Michelle Obama debuted ombre curls at the Essence Festival. Taraji P. Henson teased her upcoming hair care brand after flaunting her twist out on Instagram. And Tracee Ellis Ross, who has proudly rocked her larger-than-life spirals for years, launched Pattern Beauty, a hair care line that caters to curl wearers.

Want to join the crew for the first time or get the most out of the texture you’ve been sporting? Check out this easy guide.

Remember your curl pattern. As you’ve likely heard: “Curl patterns have been alpha-numerically categorized on a scale from 1 to 4c – the number 1 referencing straight hair, 2 referencing wavy hair, 3 referencing loose, curly hair and 4 referencing tightly coiled hair,” says Darrius Peace, master hairstylist and natural-hair expert with Hayah Beauty. “The letters a, b and c subcategorize the hair texture according to its tightness [with c being the tightest]. It’s [not uncommon] for people to have multiple curl patterns.” Knowing your numbers are important. The more we stretch the hair, the more dehydrated it becomes, and the more likely it is to break off, Peace adds. “When we [preserve] the natural size of the curl, that’s when we have the best results and longevity with our curls and style,” he explains.

Know your hair’s porosity. This refers to how your hair absorbs and retains moisture. To find out how porous your strands are, place a clean strand of hair in a clear glass of water, then wait a couple minutes. If it floats on the surface, your hair’s porosity is low. A slowly sinking strand indicates normal porosity. If it sinks to the bottom rather quickly, you have high-porosity hair. This hair type can be challenging to work with since it absorbs moisture quickly, causing curls to appear frizzy since there are gaps and holes in the cuticle. But low-porosity hair can be challenging, too, since it often doesn’t absorb enough moisture and can end up feeling dry and looking dull. A protein-based deep conditioner (weekly or biweekly) could help high-porosity hair, and using water-soluble products (to avoid buildup) can help with low porosity.

Use your fingers to detangle. Finger detangling minimizes breakage. If you’re pressed for time, use a wide-tooth comb to get rid of stubborn knots and tangles – and it’s OK to be generous with detangling products.

Keep your regimen simple. Many naturalistas enjoy creating their own “cocktail,” which refers to mixing different styling products, but it’s easy to overdo it. “Heavy oils on the hair can decrease the longevity of curl definition,” notes Peace. “When the hair is fixated with gels, mousses or foams, the curls last longer.” Consider limiting your “cocktail” to no more than three products to avoid buildup, and apply products to damp hair.

Seal cuticles to retain shine. Using a sealing product after you moisturize can help to keep moisture in and prevent moisture loss. Oils like olive oil and coconut oil can act as sealants as well as hair butters. Read the label, as always, when you buy.

Use a diffuser if you blow-dry. Diffusers can speed the drying process while enhancing your curl pattern and adding volume. Let your hair air-dry for about 30 minutes before diffusing, use your blow-dryer on low to medium heat and gradually turn up the heat as you begin to dry. Alternate between the cool and warm setting, especially if you want lifted roots. And whether you air-dry or get drying assistance, don’t fuss with your coils once they’re defined.

Get regular trims. Freshly trimmed kinks, coils and curls can appear fuller and bouncier. They also can be easier to style because you help avoid split ends that can cause unnecessary friction. Go for a snip every six to eight weeks, and make sure you see a stylist familiar with cutting curly hair. Then bounce your way out and enjoy your pretty tresses.

Health and Spirituality The Government Got This Right

By Mark Darby, RN APRN, FNP-C Director of North Omaha Academy of Healthy Living In the last budget bill, the government (that’s right OUR government) got something right. The age to buy tobacco products rose from 18 to 21 years. That means everything tobacco related including E-cigarettes and vaping products. This is a good thing.

Many may say that despite this law, teens will still smoke.

However, from a public health standpoint tobacco control policies work, leading up to a 30% reduction in tobacco use. So, while some teens may still smoke, many will not.

The goal of any public health initiative is to decrease harm for as many people as possible. This law will have this effect.

Raising the age limit will hopefully stem the dramatic increase in tobacco use amongst teens. This increase can be attributed to E-cigarettes and vaping.

However, there will be some who continue to smoke. To them I say, with the new year, it may be a good time to follow the lead of the government and make a change. It is time to set a quit date.

Quitting nicotine is hard. In the last month, I have seen a man dying (literally) of lung disease and saying it was not related to smoking 2 packs per day. WRONG! During the conversation I blurted out, “Your brain is not making decisions for you. The nicotine is doing your thinking.”

The nicotine dependent brain can deny all the evidence that

tobacco kills everything from the heart and lungs to the arteries in your fingers and toes. Study after study shows that smoking has numerous and disastrous health effects. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (or COPD), which kills thousands is caused by smoking.

Such facts don’t deter some from smoking, however. Once nicotine gets into the amygdala and other lower parts of the brain, people no longer choose to use tobacco. They can resist the urge for a few moments or even weeks, but they eventually go back to smoking, chewing or vaping.

Fortunately, there is help that is effective. If you are smoking and thinking of quitting remember: • It is not about will power. Quitting requires help from outside. Enlist family, friends, co-workers, therapists or health care providers.

• Many nicotine replacement products such as patches and/or gum work but people don’t know how to use them. For example, if you chew nicotine gum like gum it does not work. You have to chew it until it tingles then place if in your cheek and gum. Then you have to go back and forth until there is no tingling.

• Help is available by calling 1-800-QUIT NOW or through on-line apps such as QutiNow. There is also a spiritual lesson about perseverance here. Most people who attempt to quit fail the first time, and the second and the third. Have faith! Eventually it works when the time is right.

Stay with it!

What You Need to Know About Intermittent Fasting

By Rebekah Sager What do Halle Berry, 53, and TV host Terry Crews, 51, have in common? Beyond good looks and big bank accounts, both reportedly manage their weight by intermittent fasting (IF). That means cycling between periods of eating and periods of fasting, which can range from 12 hours with no food to two days (yikes!) per week of eating fewer than 500 calories.

The 16/8 method, however, is one of the most popular. Followers of this method fast for 16 hours. For many people, that means skipping breakfast, then consuming all their meals between an eight-hour window, say between 1 and 9 p.m.

Fitness influencer Janielle Wright, 29, has used various timeframes and credits IF, plus a low-carb diet and six days per week of exercise, with her losing more than 100 pounds. She details her holistic wellness journey from 337 pounds to less than 237 pounds within a year on social media. Wright stresses the importance of thoroughly researching a weight-loss approach before trying it, as well as nutrition fundamentals such as proper hydration.

While her experience shows that IF is trendy (she has 189,000 YouTube subscribers), it doesn’t portray it as a magic bullet: Wright also limited calories.

I took a personal interest in IF after a doctor’s appointment at which I discovered that I was 20 pounds over my happy weight.

I talked to my physician and did some online research. I also chatted with my friend Beverly Greene, 76, who had been doing IF for more than a year at the time and had dropped 12 pounds. She skips dinner and reported that her late-afternoon hunger had all but disappeared – and her acid reflux was less severe. “I wish I’d known about it at 50,” she told me.

I decided to try IF for myself. If you’re curious about the craze, read on for answers to some commonly asked questions.

Is it safe for me? IF may be an option for many people, but according to Kristen Gradney, dietitian and nutritionist spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, individuals diagnosed with diabetes or who are on diabetes medications should only attempt it under the close supervision of a physician. Ask your health care provider if it’s a good move for you.

How does it work? Monique Tello, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, explained it like this in the Harvard Health Blog: Everything we eat is broken down by enzymes and ends up as molecules in our bloodstream. Carbohydrates, for example, are reduced to sugars, which the body uses for energy. If we eat more sugar than we need, the excess is delivered to our fat cells by the hormone insulin and stored as fat.

But a few hours after eating (provided we haven’t snacked), insulin levels drop, cueing our fat cells to release stored sugar for energy. The idea is that IF allows our insulin levels to drop low enough, and stay low long enough, that our bodies burn fat and we lose weight.

Besides weight loss, how else does IF change the body? IF may protect against diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a 2017 report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A 2018 study of overweight men in the journal Cell Metabolism found improvements in blood pressure after IF. But future, more inclusive research would help to confirm or clarify these findings.

Isn’t skipping breakfast discouraged by many health experts? More research is needed to better understand how morning eating habits affect weight control.

According to a study published in April in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers found a link between skipping breakfast and deaths by heart attack. “Our study supports the benefits of eating breakfast in promoting cardiovascular health,” they said. Plus, breakfast fuels our

body and muscles, and it can help us avoid cravings, dietitian Katherine Zeratsky writes on MayoClinic.org. Fasting in the evening and eating in the morning may be a more beneficial option.

Do you need to cut calories? Simply by restricting your mealtimes during IF, you may cut your caloric intake. But eating within an eight-hour window doesn’t mean you can gorge on whatever you want. I was advised by Gradney to eat a Mediterranean diet – lean protein, legumes, fruits and vegetables – and drink tons of water.

According to Gradney, “You need some carbs to feed your brain, your muscles and fuel yourself. But fruits and vegetables should be the primary source.” Also, you’re allowed to have coffee, tea and water during fasting hours.

What’s it like in real life? Experiences can vary. Real talk: My first few days on IF were terrible. I had a tough time concentrating and endured what felt like a week-long headache. The good news: Because I eat pretty healthy, meaning I don’t eat fast food, beef or pork, and I consume several servings of vegetables and fruit daily, I didn’t have to significantly change what I ate. I did watch my sugar intake and limited myself to one alcoholic drink per week.

Here’s my conclusion: Giving up nighttime snacking was hard. And when I’d go out to dinner, my 16-hour fast couldn’t start until after the final bite, which meant that sometimes I couldn’t eat until midafternoon the next day. But after about a month, I’d lost six pounds and noticed I had a lot more energy, even when I didn’t get a great night’s sleep.

Gradney cautioned me that over the long term my weight loss might be modest, but since IF can increase metabolism, it may help followers avoid future weight gain. I chose not to continue with the program, as I found that I loved breakfast way too much!

EVENTS/CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

January 10, 2020

In The Village!

Things to do, people to see, places to go.

Jan. 13 – The Urban League of NE funds and awareness of Omaha North Career Boot Camp is an intensive three High’s Black Student Leadership Council week program designed to teach skills and and Sickle Cell Anemia. Tickets for the training needed to master a demanding 6-10 p.m. event to be held at Omaha Design career. Registrations can be made at Center, 1502 Cuming St., are available on urbanleagueneb.org. For more info, phone Eventbrite.

Jan. 21 – YOU MUST GO: CITY 402-453-9730 or email Lawanda Gould at lawandagould@urbanleagueneb.org. PLANNING UPDATE AT HEART Classes will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Location MINISTRY CENTER, 2222 BINNEY ST., 4-7 P.M. TBA. Jan. 25 – Metropolitan Community Jan. 15 – Visit Urban League of Nebraska’s Working Wednesday Career College will host an open house at the South Fair from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. at Urban League Omaha Campus, 2909 Edward Babe Gomez Family Resource Center, 3040 Lake St. Ave., from 10 a.m.-noon. Attendees can Employers include: Lozier, Embassy learn more about scholarship opportunities, Suites/Marriott, AAA Life Insurance, US International and Intercultural Education, Census Bureau, UNMC, Hy-Vee, G4S, and Veterans Upward Bound and high school more. For more info, phone 402-453-9730. career academies. Those in attendance will Jan. 15 – Marque Snow will host a also have the opportunity to win prizes, Postcard Party from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at including a free class. For more info, visit Spielbound, 3229 Harney St. Come out and mccneb.edu/events or phone 531-MCCsupport his campaign for Legislature by 2400. writing a few letters to the voters of LD9.

Jan. 26 – The legend, Kathy Tyree, May is fast approaching. He needs your performs at the Jewell, 1030 Capital Ave, help. from 6:30-8:30 p.m. For tickets, visit Jan. 15 – It’s a Stuffed Animal Jewellomaha.com Sleepover and Storytime at Florence Jan. 30 – Thank Your Mentor Day Branch, 2920 Bondesson St., from 7-7:30 A day to show gratitude for your mentor p.m. Let your child bring a stuffed animal by posting on social media using hashtag to hear stories, followed by a sleepover #ThankYourMentor. for the stuff animals only. But, children Feb. 1 – NOAH Free Clinic, 5620 Ames are encouraged to wear their pajamas. For Ave, will host Women’s Health Day more info, phone 402-444-5299 or email 2020 from 11 a.m. 3 p.m. The day will ragler@omahalibrary.org. feature an array of services including free Jan. 17 – You don’t want to miss The blood pressure and diabetes screening, pap Omaha Community Playhouse’s production tests, mental health assessments, financial of “A Raisin in the Sun.” It’s a popular wellness info, food and more. Guest classic play featuring life in America for speakers include Patique Collins, Nicka black people in the 1950s. For dates, times Johnson and Joanna Leflore. For more and tickets phone 402-553-0800 or visit info, phone 402-933-0737. www.omahaplayhouse.com.

Jan. 18 – The Union for Water Restoring Software Engineer Contemporary Art will host “You Make My Heart Determine the best way to dry & clean structures damaged by Smile but You Also Make water using engineering principles with hydro-sensors, moisMy Eyes Cry,” the work of ture meters, and thermal hygrometers. Duties: work with local artist Thalia Rodgers. colleagues, insurance companies, and customers to resolve Rodger’s world swirls with the water damage to the structures within a 50 mile radius of color and psychedelic forms. Omaha, NE. BS in Systems Engineering or a related required.

For more info, visit u-ca.org Resume: J&A Cleaning & Restoration, Inc. or phone 402-933-3161.

8402 Maple St., Omaha, NE 68134 Jan. 18 – The First annual Wakanda Gala is a formal affair organized to raise

Update: Traffic Restriction – Orbt Platform Construction Metro Transit’s ORBT platforms are taking shape.

Traffic lanes and sidewalks at 90th and 49th & Dodge are open, and canopies will be installed this spring. Work continues on eastbound Douglas Street at 19th and 15th with access to all traffic lanes and sidewalks.

The following locations will continue to have curb lane closures for platform construction until Jan. 31, weather-dependent: • Eastbound Nicholas Street at 102nd Street • Westbound W. Dodge Road at 84th Street • Westbound Dodge Street at 72nd Street • Westbound Dodge Street at 62nd Street • Westbound Dodge Street at 42nd Street • Westbound Dodge Street at 33rd Street Stay up to date on ORBT construction at rideORBT. com/construction, by signing up for the ORBT Dispatch Newsletter, or by following ORBT on Twitter. If you have any comments or questions, please contact Jason Rose with Metro Transit at jrose@ ometro.com or (402) 6309342.

QA Coordinator

Responsible for training all members of the QA department to perform all testing & food safety-related procedures necessary to comply with the company’s Hazzard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) quality standards. MS in Animal Science or related or BS in Animal Science or related and 5 years of experience required.

Responsible for Lvl 1 & 2 tech support for end user desktop & enterprise applications, desktop computers, laptops, network access, E-mail, Web, local/networking printing, e-mail, iPhone, iPad, connectivity, remote access, and hardware issues.

BS in Computer Science or related & 2 yrs of IT exp. or a MS in Computer Science.

Resume: HR, Greater Omaha Packing, 3001 L Street, Omaha, NE 68107

Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) has announced The Anthem, a competition to develop a new theme song for the company.

The contest is part of a larger rebranding strategy started by NFM in 2019. Earlier in the year, the retailer unveiled a new logo and has begun updating in-store displays and advertising. The rebranding efforts will include a new TV spot, launching in 2020.

NFM is inviting artists to compose a unique theme song that embodies the spirit and history of NFM to be featured in the upcoming TV spot as well as future commercials and advertising vehicles.

“Rooted in an incredible history and four successful stores serving millions of customers throughout the Midwest, we decided that any old song wouldn’t do,” said Jennifer Bryan, General Manager of Content Marketing for NFM. The contest will kick off on Saturday with events at NFM’s stores in Omaha; The Colony, Texas; Kansas City, Kan.; and Des Moines, Iowa. The launch event will feature music and food and entrants will be able to pick up packets with complete contest rules. Submissions will be accepted at nfm.com/anthem from Jan. 13 through March 1. After an initial review, voting will be open to the public and the top five finalists will have the opportunity to perform their songs for a live audience on April 2 in Omaha.

The grand prize winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize and credit in NFM’s upcoming TV spots that will air in 6 states. Other finalists will receive curated packages of soundsystem gear and electronics from NFM brands and contest sponsors.

The grand prize winner will be announced on April 5.

Business Connection To advertise your business, please contact Tanya Cooper.

Call 402-346-4041 Ext. 5 or email tcooper@omahastarinc.com

Arborist

Wanted: An RN for Health Ministry North Omaha Area Health (NOAH) is a nurse-lead ministry that strives to live out the principles of the Good Samaritan by providing a holistic understanding of a person’s health challenges. This is a paid position with a competitive salary, between 15 and 20 hours per week mainly afternoons including some Saturday afternoons.

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Page Nine

NFM Announces $25,000 Songwriting Contest

Resume: HR, Greater Omaha Packing, 3001 L St, Omaha, NE 68107

IT Specialist

THE OMAHA STAR

Tyrone Hayes (Owner) 1822 N. 33rd St. Omaha, NE 68111

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Have you heard about the Business Connection?

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Call 402-346-4041 Ext. 5 or email tcooper@omahastarinc.com

Page Ten THE OMAHA STAR

YOUTH/EDUCATION NEWS

January 10, 2020

Educators, Advocates Oppose Child Restraint Bill Beyond the Books: Lincoln – The new year is bringing a Administrators added, “The current law, new effort to pass LB 147, a bill that would under the Nebraska Student Discipline Act, Building Character with the Words of allow all teachers to physically restrain already permits teachers and administrators to take reasonable steps necessary in Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. children under their care.

By Amanda Myroniuk

At 8 a.m., staff and scholars at Nelson Mandela Elementary assemble to cite a mantra. It states, “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world. ‌ I will change the world with my hope, strength, service, unity, peace and wisdom.â€?

The first half of the mantra contains famous words spoken

by Nelson Mandela. The second half was created by the Mandela team to inspire scholars to recognize their own power and give them Mrs. Wells, with scholars tools to make positive change in the world. Scholars cite the mantra with physical actions to help with memory and unite the body and mind – a powerful combination that prepares the scholars for a day of inspired learning.

Team members at Mandela believe in a holistic education, in which scholars not only learn math, reading, writing, etc. but also skills that teach them to be the best versions of Bulletin board recognizing scholars for their themselves. As Martin Luther achievements King Jr., who is celebrated this month, get their picture taken, are honored in the said, “Intelligence plus character – that is weekly newsletter, and set a good example the goal of true education.� for the other scholars.

Therefore, the mantra is paired with a The lessons aren’t completed for weekly Social Emotional Lesson (SEL) certificates alone; the scholars are that targets one of the six values stated encouraged to live them every day. In doing in the mantra. Using Sanford Harmony so, they prepare themselves for future curriculum, scholars work with our Family careers in a world filled with challenges.

Support Coordinator, Monica Wells, and This month, Martin Luther King Jr. partake in different activities that help is honored. Every day, Nelson Mandela them understand these values.

Elementary honors Nelson Mandela. Both Scholars who demonstrate the mantra leaders remind the scholars that they can value for the week are awarded and change the world with their hope, strength, recognized at the morning assembly. They service, unity, peace, and wisdom.

Educators and advocates – including the ACLU of Nebraska, the Arc of Nebraska, Voices for Children in Nebraska, and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators – are concerned about this bill and urge lawmakers to do everything they can to limit physical use of force in the classroom.

Data shows use of physical restraint disproportionately impacts Nebraska students of color and students with disabilities. According to the Department of Education’s most recent Civil Rights Data Collection, about eight in 10 of all Nebraska kids who were physically restrained are covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Likewise, Nebraska kids who are Black / African American or Native / American Indian were also overrepresented among kids who were physically restrained. “In about 80% of cases that restraint is used it is on a child with a disability. While some may say it is about safety, it is truly about not taking the time or consideration to properly train staff to ensure the safety of people with disabilities,� stated Edison McDonald, Executive Director of the Arc of Nebraska Dr. Michael Dulaney, Executive Director of the Nebraska Council of School

discipline matters. A more productive legislative pursuit would be for the state to provide funding to train certificated staff, including training to defuse difficult situations in the classroom.� “We have an obligation as a state to support our students, teachers, and schools so that every child has an opportunity to thrive. This bill would move Nebraska in the wrong direction, putting the use of physical contact and removal into statute while declining the opportunity to give schools any resources that will actually help struggling students,� said Juliet Summers, Policy Coordinator for Child Welfare & Juvenile Justice, Voices for Children in Nebraska Rose Godinez, Legal and Policy Counsel of the ACLU of Nebraska, concluded, “Nebraska has outstanding teachers who have tough jobs but opening the door for increased use of force in the classroom is only going to hurt the learning environment they’ve worked so hard to create. We know that restraint hurts kids and that kids of color and kids with disabilities suffer the most. At best, this is a misguided effort to tackle a problem that could be better solved with more training, smarter policies and more much-needed resources.�

Black College & Cultural Enrichment Tour The Black College & Cultural Enrichment Tour in conjunction with Morning Star Baptist Church, Salem Baptist Church and Urban League of Nebraska will host the final college tour meeting on Feb. 6 at Salem Baptist Church, 3131 Lake St., at 6 p.m. in the Watson Conference Room.

Once again, the sponsors will embark on providing an educational opportunity for high school students, freshmen - seniors.

This year’s tour dates are March 8-14. The Black College & Cultural Enrichment Tour is a wonderful opportunity for youth to be exposed to various institutions of higher

learning and cultural opportunities. The final meeting is the last chance to pay and reserve seats for the tour.

Schools to be visited are: Langston University (Langston, Okla.); Alabama State University (Montgomery, Ala.); Jackson State University (Jackson, Miss.); Grambling State University (Grambling, La.; Fisk University (Nashville, Tenn.); Tennessee State University (Nashville); and Alabama A&M University (Normal/ Huntsville, Ala.). For additional information, contact Rachelle Tucker at 402-210-1568 or Kathy J. Trotter at 402-658-1259.

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QUALITY

Girl Scout Cookies Go on Sale Feb. 7 The Girl Scout Cookie Program, the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, is coming to Nebraska in February. The 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Program will begin Feb. 7. Cookie booths will open Feb. 14, and cookies will be sold through March 15.

Girl Scout Cookies can only be purchased from a registered Girl Scout. To find Girl Scouts selling cookies near you, visit GirlScoutsNebraska.org or download the Girl Scout Cookie Finder app on your smart phone, beginning Feb. 7.

As Girl Scouts run their cookie businesses, they learn financial literacy, build their leadership skills and position themselves for future success. What’s more, the proceeds from every cookie purchase stay local to power amazing experiences and fund community service projects.

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How does a refrigerator door become a wall of honor?

With a great teacher.

5

Nominate an Omaha Public Schools teacher for

If you know an Omaha Public Schools teacher who deserves recognition, please share it with us. To be eligible, a nominee must be a certiďŹ ed Omaha Public Schools teacher or counselor with at least two years’ experience. Anyone can submit a nomination: students, parents, school staff, former students, you (teachers cannot nominate themselves).

Tell us about the teacher you’d like to nominate and share your story about how he or she has made a difference.

Please be descriptive as the information you provide will be the deciding factor in selecting the winners.

Fifteen teachers will receive the public recognition they so richly deserve and a $10,000 gift.

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by January 15, 2020.

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH