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Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 81 - No. 1 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, January 11, 2019
UNMC/Nebraska Medicine to host Martin Luther King Jr. Event Jan. 21 On Jan. 21, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine will once again honor the life and work of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with the keynote presentation, “All Life is Inter-related,” by Ben Gray, president of the Omaha City Council. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Clarkson Tower, Lower Storz Pavilion. Gray’s presentation is sponsored by UNMC and Nebraska Medicine. Gray was elected to the Omaha City Council in 2009 and was re-elected in 2013 and 2017. He is a council member for District 2, located in the northeast quadrant of Omaha. During his time on the council, Gray has championed a number of social and political issues, which include requiring a more level playing field for small contractors and securing funds to create the “Step Up” summer jobs program. He worked to push a master plan for north Omaha, fought for the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community, worked with council colleagues to pass legislation in an effort to help those chronically unemployed, and supported and helped create the “Good Neighbor” ordinance that addresses problem liquor establishments. Omaha City Council President Gray also championed the newly formed Land Ben Gray is featured speaker. Bank in an effort to address problem properties and the numerous empty lots across the city, but specifically in his council district. Prior to being elected to the city council, Gray was a photojournalist for the ABC affiliate, KETV Ch. 7. While in television, he produced and hosted the longest running public affairs show in the history of Omaha television, “Kaleidoscope,” which was on the air for 30 years. He has won numerous local, regional and national awards as a journalist, talk show host and photographer. He also has won numerous awards for his ongoing work with “at risk” youth as well as hardcore gang members. Food and beverages are available for the first 150 people. Keyboardist Nate Asad and drummer Billy Foeman Quartey will provide musical accompaniment. Parking for off-campus visitors is available in Lot 63, at 40th and Marcy streets, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A shuttle will run between Clarkson Tower and Lot 63 from 11 a.m. to noon and again from 1 -2 p.m.
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Cyntoia Brown granted Clemency, has Life Sentence Commuted By NewsOne Staff A Black woman serving life in prison in Tennessee for fatally defending herself as a teenager has had her sentence commuted, according to a new report. Cyntoia Brown, who was 16 years old in 2004 when she shot and killed Johnny Mitchell Allen, 43, in self-defense, was on Monday granted clemency by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, the Associated Press reported. The 30-year-old was reportedly expected to be released from prison in August of this year. “Haslam said Monday that he would show mercy to the now 30-year-old,” the AP wrote. “She will remain on parole for 10 years.” The AP continued: “Brown said in a statement that she Cyntoia Brown will do everything to justify Haslam’s faith in her and thanked her family for their support.” It should be noted that Haslam commuted Brown’s sentence and didn’t pardon her, which means she will still have a criminal record. The Tennessean published Brown’s full statement about being granted clemency: “Thank you, Governor Haslam, for your act of mercy in giving me a second chance. I will do everything I can to justify your faith in me. “I want to thank those at the Tennessee Department of Corrections who saw something in me worth salvaging, especially Ms. Connie Seabrooks for allowing me to participate in the Lipscomb LIFE Program. It changed my life. I am also grateful to those at the Tennessee Department of Corrections who will work with me over the next several months to help me in the transition from prison to the free world. “Thank you to Dr. Richard Goode and Dr. Kate Watkins and all of you at Lipscomb University for opening up a whole new world for me. I have one course left to finish my Bachelor’s degree, which I will complete in May 2019.” Brown was arrested in 2004 after she thought Allen was reaching for a gun when he tried to solicit her for sex. Prosecutors argued she wanted to rob him and was not defending herself. After being tried as an adult, Brown was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006. Due in part to outrage on social media and attention from celebrities including Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, Brown’s story went viral. Her case went all the way to the Tennessee Supreme Court, which ruled last month that she couldn’t become eligible for parole until she served at least 50 years in prison. She had already served more than a decade behind bars as of Monday’s ruling. The jubilant reactions from Monday’s decision reverberated across social media and underscored how big of a legal win this was for social justice advocates who have been fighting for Brown’s freedom for years.
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters makes History By Charlene Crowell As 2019 begins, there is also a new Congress with leadership in the House of Representatives that makes history for people of color and women alike. Long-time California Representative Nancy Pelosi returns as Speaker of the House – the first time in 50 years that a Member of Congress has achieved this feat. On a gender note, Speaker Pelosi becomes the most powerful woman on Capitol Hill and the only female in the nation’s history to do so. There’s also another key woman and legislator that is making history. Congresswoman Maxine Waters is now the first Black and the first woman to chair the powerful House Financial Services Committee. Having served on this committee since 1995, and its Ranking Member in the previous Congress, Waters will set the committee’s agenda in key areas affecting the economy, banking, housing, insurance and securities. The House Financial Services Committee oversees the activities and responsibilities for major financial regulators, agencies, and the nation’s central bank, the Federal Reserve. These agencies include but are not limited to the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – that insures monies in depository institutions, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission that is charged with maintaining fair and efficient investment markets. In other words, the fiery and bold Black lawmaker who earned a reputation for challenging Wall Street and major lenders during the housing crisis will now set the direction for a range of financial players, regulators, and institutions. From monetary policy to the production and distribution of currency, and expanding financial access to affordable housing options, a progressive and principled committee chair is running the show. She is also expected to set standards of performance that level the financial playing field and hold lenders accountable when they take advantage of consumers or discriminate in their lending. With the right kind of regulation and committee oversight, the nation may be able to change financial trends that have worsened both racial and gender wealth gaps. For example, a December 2018 report by the Asset Funder’s Network analyzed racial and gender disparities in wealth and found that
Hip-hop dancers wanted. See article on the Events page.
And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.
Maxine Waters
Black and Latina women have “lost substantial amounts of wealth in the last two decades”. From 2007 to 2016, Black women ages 45-65 had a 74 percent drop in median wealth, compared to that of White women who experienced a 28 percent drop. Further, the Asset Funders Network concluded the median “quasi-liquid” savings for single Black and Latina women aged 45-50 was $0. Earlier in 2017 the Federal Reserve found that nearly 1 in 5 Black families have zero or negative net worth – twice the rate of white families. Additionally the median See Waters continued on page 3
MLK Jr. Celebration Week Events slated at Creighton Creighton University’s annual celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., will take place Jan. 18-23, featuring performances, recognition, education and food and faith-filled events throughout the week. Freedom & Famine is the theme for the 2019 MLK Jr. Celebration Week, focusing on the mission and hardship, the trials and the triumph that dotted Dr. King’s ministry and life. This year’s celebration begins with Cake and Choir, a beloved tradition often staged at the conclusion of the week, now taking the opening act, Jan. 18 at 11:30 a.m. at the fireplace in the Skutt Student Center. Also Jan. 18, the Creighton School of Law and the Black Law Students Association hosts a panel with city, county and state officials exploring challenges and opportunities faced by African American elected officials. Among those taking part in the panel are the Hon. Chris Rodgers, BA’92, MBA’99, of the Douglas County Commissioners, the Hon. Benjamin Gray of the Omaha City Council, and the Hon. Justin Wayne, BSBA’03, JD’05, of the Nebraska Legislature. The panel will convene between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. in Room 124 of the Ahmanson Law Center. Sunday, Jan. 20, the Unity Worship Service will begin at 6 p.m. at Salem Baptist Church, 3131 Lake St., sponsored by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. The 2019 Martin Luther King Luncheon and Scholarship Ceremony will take place
January is National Mentoring Month. Support young people by becoming a mentor. To learn how, visit MENTORNebraska.org
between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 21, at the Hilton Omaha, 1001 Cass St. Sponsored by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance for more than 30 years, the luncheon and scholarship ceremony honors local and national civil rights leaders. This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Diane Nash, a veteran of the Freedom Rides and the Selma Voting Rights Campaign. Tickets for the luncheon can be ordered at Eventbrite. Later Jan. 21, Nash will sit down for a conversation with Creighton students, faculty and staff at 3 p.m., in the HixsonLied Auditorium at the Harper Center, 602 N. 20th St., on the Creighton campus. Register for the event at Eventbrite. Tuesday, Jan. 22, a student recognition ceremony will take place in the Ahmanson Ballroom of the Harper Center at 6 p.m. The week rounds out with the Jan. 23 Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Prayer Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Ahmanson Ballroom of the Harper Center. The luncheon caps a celebratory week with a reminder of the call to inclusion and fellowship that was central to the message and teachings of Dr. King. The Drum Major Award, given to an individual who serves as an advocate for social justice, will be awarded at the luncheon. This year’s keynote speaker is Bishop Eric L. Butler, founder and pastor of Joy of Life Ministries in Omaha. Register at Eventbrite for the MLK Jr. Luncheon.
See MLK Holiday events throughout this issue.
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LOCAL NEWS Midlands Mentoring Partnership is Now MENTOR Nebraska
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The Midlands Mentoring Partnership resource for mentoring organizations. in Mayors for Mentoring, a national network (MMP), a coalition that advocates for youth “This alignment also represents MENTOR of mayors across the country partnering mentoring and the activities of its member Nebraska’s continued efforts to close with affiliate mentoring organizations and MAILING ADDRESS: agencies, is now MENTOR Nebraska. the mentoring gap, expand quality youth coalitions to mobilize their communities 2216 North 24th Street Omaha, Nebraska 68110 MENTOR Nebraska is expanding mentoring, and provide leadership for the around youth mentoring. “Mentoring is statewide to meet the need for training mentoring movement. We’re so proud to such a simple way to make a personal WEB ADDRESS: and support for nonprofits and school have their local leadership and partnership.” connection with young people,“ said Mayor www.theomahastar.com districts throughout the state that want to MENTOR Nebraska is also celebrating Jean Stothert. “The investment we make Like Us on Facebook strengthen or introduce new mentoring National Mentoring Month this January by today as mentors and role models provides programs, but currently lack the expertise kicking off its 6th annual city- wide mentor opportunities for success in school, sports, E-MAIL ADDRESSES: and resources to do so. “We are thrilled with recruitment campaign. The campaign is and community service. A commitment to fwilliams@omahastarinc.com the opportunity to expand the number and aligned with a national campaign led by mentoring is a commitment to the future phyllis@omahastarinc.com quality of mentoring opportunities for more MENTOR. The campaign was announced at of our city.” The City of Omaha Mayor’s tcooper@omahastarinc.com youth in Nebraska,” said Deborah Neary, a multi-agency media conference presented Office, Grant Administration Division, has Notary Services available during business hours Executive Director of MENTOR Nebraska. by MENTOR Nebraska and the Greater also awarded MENTOR Nebraska a $10,000 Monday – Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. “We are also truly grateful to our partner Omaha Chamber, with support from Omaha grant to be used for mentor recruitment Thursday – 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. mentoring programs and stakeholders whose Mayor Jean Stothert. events. Member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association commitment to mentoring excellence have Again this year, MENTOR Nebraska is As part of the recruitment campaign, provided the mainstay of our work more including a Corporate Mentoring Challenge MENTOR Nebraska is teaming up with MILDRED D. BROWN: Founder, July 9, 1938 than twenty years. This expansion will allow in partnership with the Omaha Chamber Starbucks to help recruit mentors during DR. MARGUERITA L. WASHINGTON: MENTOR Nebraska to ensure that more and Mayor. The goal is to challenge Omaha Martin Luther King week, Jan. 21-25. Publisher, 1989 - 2016 youth are being served safely and effectively businesses to create or expand an existing Thirteen local Starbucks locations in Omaha through adherence to national standards for mentoring culture within their companies and ten Starbucks locations throughout Phyllis Hicks: Publisher & Managing Editor Frankie Jean Williams: Copy Editor evidence-based mentoring.” and to encourage employee participation Nebraska will distribute handouts with Tanya Cooper: Circulation/Retail Coordinator “MENTOR Nebraska’s name change in mentoring programs for youth in the information on how customers can get Carl Hill: Retail Distributor and geographic expansion is an exciting community. Companies must participate involved with mentoring. Starbucks is also Debra Shaw: Social Media Administrator evolution that reflects its incredible in three mentoring activities in order providing space at every Omaha location leadership throughout Nebraska and within to complete the challenge. For a list of for MENTOR Nebraska’s mentoring THE OMAHA STAR believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national the network of MENTOR’s Affiliates for businesses participating in the Challenge, organizations to recruit mentors on Jan. antagonism when it accords every man, regardless of race, color or creed, his human and legal rights. many years,” said David Shapiro, CEO please visit www.MENTORNebraska.org/ 23. You can read more about the national Hating no man, fearing no man in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as one is held back. of MENTOR. MENTOR: The National get-involved/corporate-involvement. partnership with Starbucks at https://www. Mentoring Partnership, is a national Mayor Stothert will further support the mentoring.org/closethegap/ nonprofit that serves as an advocate and initiative through her continued participation The United States provides opportunities for free expression of ideas. The Omaha Star has its views, but others may differ. Therefore the Omaha Star ownership reserves the right to publish views and opinions by syndicated and local columnists, professional writers and other writers whose opinions are solely their own. Those views do not necessarily reflect the policies Local philanthropic organizations have provided a financial boost and position of the staff and management of the Omaha Star to Heartland 2050, the regional visioning project of the Omahanewspaper. Council Bluffs Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA), for work Readers are encouraged to email letters to the editor commenting LINCOLN – State Senator Justin Wayne (District 13, Omaha) on current events as well as what they would like to see included in centered on transportation and accessibility issues. has announced plans to introduce a constitutional amendment the paper. Those emails should be sent to: phyllis@omahastarinc. Peter Kiewit Foundation has awarded MAPA a challenge grant addressing slavery in Nebraska. com and must include the writer’s name, address, email address for a total of $170,000 during the next three years, while Iowa West Since 1875, Nebraska’s Constitution has banned slavery and and telephone number. The ownership has editorial rights and Foundation has awarded $15,000 to be used during a six-month period involuntary servitude, with one exception: punishment of a crime. does not guarantee that all submissions will be published. of time. Nebraska was granted statehood after the American Civil War, and Please be advised that the Omaha Star ownership does not Funding awarded by Peter Kiewit Foundation will support public as such was never a slave state, but has continued to allow slavery employ staff writers who charge for preparing and submitting outreach, the Heartland 2050 Speaker Series and learning site visits as punishment for a crime. This was a loophole to arrest former articles for the general public. Should you encounter such, please with the core work around transportation and accessibility issues. enslaved people and force them back into “involuntary servitude”, advise Phyllis Hicks at 402.346.4041. Funding from Iowa West Foundation will support public engagement a system known as “convict leasing”. and education and work that relates specifically to transportation and “Our Constitution is not a symbolic document; it is the moral accessibility issues in Council Bluffs. and legal foundation of our State and our laws,” said Wayne, who “Heartland 2050 has become more self-sustaining since it was serves as Chairman of the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee. restructured in mid-2018. This funding will help us with our public “Removing this language from our Constitution shows that outreach work. We appreciate the assistance both Peter Kiewit slavery is not a Nebraska value.” Foundation and Iowa West Foundation have provided us during the last Article I, Section 2 of the Nebraska Constitution currently reads, In order to be included in the Omaha Star, all articles and several years,” said Karna Loewenstein, Heartland 2050 Coordinator. “There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in this announcements must be submitted by e-mail to fwilliams@ Iowa West Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in state, otherwise than for punishment of crime, whereof the party omahastarinc.com no later than two weeks in advance of the the Midwest. It has distributed more than $430 million to nonprofits shall have been duly convicted.” Under Senator Wayne’s proposal event. All articles and announcements should be prepared in a and governmental agencies throughout southwest Iowa and eastern the language would be amended to read, “There shall be neither word document using Times New Roman, 10 pt. Submissions Nebraska since the inception of its grant program. The Foundation slavery nor involuntary servitude in this state.” must be limited to 500 words. Any accompanying photographs targets resources into programs and projects that focus on economic “I hope one hundred percent of my colleagues support this should be submitted in a jpeg or pdf file. The deadline for all development, education, placemaking and healthy families. amendment,” said Wayne. In introducing the proposed amendment, articles is Monday at 3:00 p.m., two weeks prior to the event The Peter Kiewit Foundation is an independent philanthropic trust Wayne stressed the importance of eliminating the exception so date. Articles and announcements will not be accepted at the established in 1979. 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LOCAL NEWS/NATIONAL NEWS
Homelessness In Nebraska Down Modestly In 2018 WASHINGTON – Local communities throughout Nebraska report homelessness declined modestly in 2018, according to the latest national estimate by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD’s 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found that 2,421 Nebraskans experienced homelessness on a single night in 2018, a decrease of 3.2 percent since last year. Meanwhile, homelessness among veterans declined nearly 2% percent and homelessness experienced by families with children declined 11.27 percent statewide since 2017. As in previous years, there is significant local variation in the data reported from different parts of the country. Thirty-one (31) states and the District of Columbia reported decreases in homelessness between 2017 and 2018 while 19 states reported increases in the number of persons experiencing homelessness. “Our state and local partners are increasingly focused on finding lasting solutions to homelessness even as they struggle against the headwinds of rising rents,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “Much progress is being made and much work remains to be done but I have great hope that communities all across our nation are intent on preventing and ending homelessness.” “Communities across the country are getting better and better at making sure that people exit homelessness quickly through Housing First approaches,” said Matthew Doherty, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. “We know, however, that a lack of housing that people can afford is the fundamental obstacle to making further progress in many communities.” “Local and state housing and service providers are on the front lines battling homelessness in their communities,” said Regional Administrator Jason Mohr. “Their collaborative efforts are supporting a decline in homelessness across the region.” HUD’s national estimate is based upon data reported by approximately 3,000 cities and counties across the nation. Every year on a single night in January, planning agencies called ‘Continuums of Care,” along with tens of thousands of volunteers, seek to identify the number of individuals and families living in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs and in unsheltered settings. These one-night ‘snapshot’ counts, as well as full-year counts and data from other sources (U.S. Housing Survey, Department of Education), are crucial in understanding the scope of homelessness and measuring progress toward reducing it. In Nebraska, local planning agencies (Continuums of Care) reported: • 2421 people were homeless representing an overall 3.2 percent decline from 2017 and 37.6 percent since 2010. • Most homeless persons (2,277) were located in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs while 144 persons were unsheltered. • The number of families with children experiencing homelessness declined nearly 11.27 percent since 2017. • On a single night in January 2018, 171 veterans experienced homelessness, a decline of nearly 2 percent since January 2017. Since 2010, Veteran homelessness in Nebraska declined by nearly 44 percent. • Chronic or long-term homelessness among individuals increased 17.58 percent over 2017 levels. Key Findings of HUD’s 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report: On a single night in January 2018, state and local planning agencies (Continuums of Care) across the nation reported: • 552,830 people were homeless representing an overall 0.3 percent increase from 2017 but a 13.2 percent decrease since 2010. This small increase is due to two factors: 1. A 2.3 percent increase of unsheltered homelessness; and, 2. Nearly 4,000 persons staying in emergency shelters set up in areas impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate; western wildfires;
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Page Three
Chamber’s Annual Meeting Will Blend Inspiration, Activation
and other storms and events. • Most homeless persons (358,363) were located in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs while 194,467 persons were unsheltered. • The number of families with children experiencing homelessness declined 2.7 percent since 2017 and 29 percent since 2010. • On a single night in January 2018, 37,878 veterans experienced homelessness, a decline of 5.4 percent (or 2,142 persons) since January 2017. The number of female veterans dropped nearly 10 percent since last year. Overall, Veteran homelessness in the U.S. declined by 49 percent since 2010. • 88,640 individuals experienced long-term homelessness in 2018, an increase of 2.2 percent over 2017 levels though chronic homelessness declined by 16.4 percent (or 17,422 persons) since 2010. • The number of unaccompanied homeless youth and children in 2018 is estimated to be 36,361, a 5.1 percent decline since 2017. Last year, HUD and local communities launched a more intense effort to more accurately account for this important, difficult-to-count population. HUD is treating 2017 as a baseline year for purposes of tracking progress toward reducing youth homelessness.
An economically strong 2018 has positioned 2019 to perhaps be the Greater Omaha Chamber’s most future-focused year yet; the year the organization unleashes its $32 million Prosper Omaha 2.0 economic development campaign and fast-tracks the community’s collaborative vision for Greater Omaha 2040. “Our push toward 2040, and a Greater Omaha that leads in innovation and access to prosperity, starts now,” said David G. Brown, Greater Omaha Chamber president and CEO. The Chamber will be rallying the community at its Annual Meeting on Jan. 23 at CHI Health Center Omaha. The program and networking reception will blend inspiration and activation to celebrate the community-changing power of “we.” “This is an incredibly exciting time for the Chamber and our Greater Omaha region. The Annual Meeting is a chance for all of us to look ahead to an even stronger future and look back on the shared achievements this year that helped pave the way,” Brown said. Aligned with the Annual Meeting is the release of the Chamber’s Annual Report. It will detail the organization’s region-building accomplishments, including the attraction of a rush of high-profile companies, The Startup Collaborative’s new capacity to invest in and accelerate early stage startups, and the expansion of the multi-partner REACH initiative, which supports the success of small & emerging businesses. “We all want to make our communities more competitive, and it seems like the more we work on creating our own opportunities, the more direct results there are,” Brown said. The Annual Meeting also includes a slate of annual recognitions:
Terence “Bud” Crawford, Headliner of the Year
• Chairman’s Award of Excellence: Justin Hughes, Renaissance Financial and Greater Omaha Chamber’s Engagement Council; Jill Schoenherr, Southwest YMCA and Greater Omaha Chamber’s Engagement Council • Headliner of the Year: Terence Crawford, WBO welterweight champion, B&B Sports Academy • Volunteer of the Year: Tim Kerrigan, Investors Realty, Inc. Deb Calvert, president, People First Productivity Solutions, and coauthor of Stop Selling & Start Leading, is this year’s keynote speaker. The Chamber’s Annual Meeting will be held from 4– 6:30 p.m., on Jan. 23. Tickets in open seating are available for Chamber members and non-members, and include parking, appetizers and drinks. Reservations are due Jan. 16, 2019. For more information or to register, visit omahachamber.org/am.
Family Homelessness HUD’s latest national estimate notes a continuing decline in family homelessness in the U.S. In January of 2018, there were 56,342 family households with children experiencing homelessness, a 29 percent decline since 2010. These declines are largely a consequence of HUD’s policy shift from supporting higher cost transitional housing to rapid rehousing programs across the country. Following HUD’s guidance and best practices, local planners are increasingly using rapid rehousing to move families into permanent housing more quickly and at lower cost. Communities are also implementing more prevention activities to help families avoid needing shelter as well as more robust coordinated Waters continued from page 1 entry efforts. Taken together, these ‘Housing First’ net worth of Black families was one-tenth of that held by White families. models have proven to be a more effective and These wealth disparities continue to plague communities of color in large part because of disparities efficient response to help families experiencing in home ownership that enable consumers to build wealth. Year after year, the Home Mortgage temporary crisis as well as those enduring the Disclosure Act (HMDA) report has consistently found that consumers of color are denied access most chronic forms of homelessness. to mortgages, especially private conventional loans that remain the most sustainable and affordable loans. Veteran Homelessness Last year, the Center for Investigative Reporting published its analysis of the most recent HMDA Veteran homelessness in the U.S. is nearly half report. “It found a pattern of troubling denials for people of color across the country, including in of what was reported in 2010. Last year alone, the major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis and San Antonio,” states number of homeless veterans declined by 5.4 percent the report. “African Americans faced the most resistance in Southern cities – Mobile, Alabama; and homelessness experienced by female veterans Greenville, North Carolina; and Gainesville, Florida – and Latinos in Iowa City, Iowa.” dropped by nearly 10 percent. These declines A second but equally harmful trend is predatory lending that targets these same consumers with are the result of intense planning and targeted high-cost credit that creates debt traps. When consumers find themselves short of cash before paydays, interventions, including the close collaboration overdraft fees, payday and car title loans are among the most predatory due to their extremely high between HUD and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Both agencies jointly administer interest rates and failure to consider whether borrowers have the financial capacity to repay the loans the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) without taking on additional debt. For all of Black America, as well as consumer advocates and others who believe financial Program, which combines permanent HUD rental assistance with case management and clinical fairness should be the nation’s watchword, an expectation of a new era of accountability, access and services provided by the VA. This year, more than transparency is hoped to soon unfold. 4,400 veterans, many experiencing chronic forms “She is a tough and savvy defender of consumer protection and holds the feet of the banks and of homelessness, will find permanent housing the Trump administration regulators to the fire,” said Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for and critically needed support services through Responsible Lending in a recent interview. the HUD-VASH program. An additional 50,000 Should anyone doubt the resolve of Congresswoman Waters, consider her reaction last fall when she veterans found permanent housing and supportive and other prominent progressives faced a series of bomb threats and other violence. services through VA’s continuum of homeless “We have to keep doing what we’re doing in order to make this country right,” Waters told the programs. Washington Post. “That’s what I intend to do. And as the young people say, ‘I ain’t scared.’” Chronic Homelessness Long-term or chronic homelessness among individuals with disabilities grew by 2.2 percent since 2017 though that is 16.4 percent below the levels reported in 2010. This longer trend is due in part to a concerted effort to make more permanent supportive housing opportunities more available for people with disabling health conditions who otherwise continually cycle through local shelters or the streets. Research demonstrates that for those experiencing chronic homelessness, providing permanent housing, coupled with appropriate lowbarrier supportive services, is the most effective solution for ending homelessness. This ‘housing first’ approach also saves the taxpayer considerable money by interrupting a costly cycle of emergency room, hospital, detox, and even jail visits.
Lawyers’ Group Condemns Trump’s Assault on Anti-Discrimination Protections
★
As part of its ongoing rollback of civil rights protections, the Trump Administration is directing Justice Department officials to look for ways to eliminate one of the most potent tools of civil rights advocacy: the disparate impact doctrine. Lawyers for Civil Rights condemns this action, which would dramatically undermine anti-discrimination efforts in numerous areas, including transportation, housing, and education. Under disparate impact analysis, an aggrieved individual may challenge practices of an employer, landlord, school, or other actor that have an unjustified disproportionate impact on a protected class without having to prove discriminatory intent. This is an important vehicle to challenge practices that, while not facially discriminatory, predictably and inevitably deny equal opportunities to people of color. Lawyers for Civil Rights and other racial justice advocacy groups have long employed the doctrine to advance the fundamental goals of our longstanding federal civil rights laws. It has allowed challenges to practices ranging from the provision of subprime loans to Latinx and Black borrowers – while white borrowers were granted prime loans – to disaster relief practices that disproportionately harmed Black homeowners trying rebuild their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Under the Trump Administration, the federal government has consistently sought to undermine civil rights and legal protections for everyone from transgender workers to voters of color. The proposed elimination of disparate impact regulations will deepen this erosion by making it more difficult for people of color to challenge systemic barriers to equal housing, public transportation, and education. Lawyers for Civil Rights will not allow these rollbacks to go unchallenged. They have advocated against the U.S. Department of Education’s attempts to undermine guidance created to ensure that schoolchildren of color are not disproportionately disciplined. They have submitted extensive comments to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development urging the retention of its disparate impact rule. “We are prepared to fight these efforts – in federal court if necessary – so that we can continue our life-changing advocacy to protect the rights of communities of color and ensure that they are accorded dignity and equality under the law,” said Lawyers for Civil Rights Executive Director Iván EspinozaMadrigal.
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Page Four
THE OMAHA STAR
PRAISE, WORSHIP, DEVOTION, OBITUARIES & INSPIRATION
A Wonderful Time To Begin Brand New
Deaths & Funerals
By Dr. William Holland A brand-new year is here and I’m excited to see what the Lord has for us! Keeping Christ at the center of our thoughts takes a great deal of discipline and determination but so does everything else we really care about. It comes down to how serious we are about knowing God and how willing we are to give him total control of our life. Whatever we become involved with, he simply wants us to listen and obey his instructions which is the reason we are here. If we abide under the shadow of his wings, we will walk in the peace and joy of his Spirit but if we choose to live our own way, we will remain empty and miserable. Matthew chapter 22 gives us the meaning of life, “Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Actually, the Bible contains many passages where God declares how much he loves us and wants to save us but most of the time we’re so busy making our own decisions that we hardly ever consider the distractions that are preventing us from serving him. In the book of Revelation, chapter two, he’s disappointed with how the Ephesians had left their “first love” and today is a perfect time for us to examine our heart and think about this important decision. The incarnation, crucifixion, and the resurrection is all about God’s passion to have a personal relationship with us. At this time of year, we start planning our resolutions and it’s the perfect occasion to start developing spiritual lifestyle changes. You notice I used the word “developing” because drawing closer to God is a process of patience much like losing weight, exercising or any other type goal in which we are working toward a goal. For example, eating a salad today is not going to automatically fix our weight problem but it’s a positive first step and the same is true with learning how to become a follower of Christ. There have been many adaptations from the original Al-anon credo that warns everyone to be realistic about trying to change everything all at once because personal transformation is a lifestyle change that will require serious concentration and perseverance. It’s great to have long-term goals and we should release our faith into accomplishing our destiny, but it’s also important to focus on our mission one day at a time. It would be much better to go slow with permanent results than to rush and become overwhelmed with frustration and disappointment. Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus” and this reveals a critical truth that no one else can do this for us. Personal change is always between us and God! A great place to begin would be to dedicate a few minutes each day simply talking with God. Daily Bible reading is another excellent place to give our attention because his words are spiritual nourishment to our soul and will help fill our mind and heart with strength and confidence. A new way of thinking will require courage and a fierce tenacity because our old nature hates to be disciplined and to surrender control. Also, as many of you know, the Christian life is a serious challenge because of the added resistance from the dark side. Long story short; it’s not easy but absolutely worth it! I’ve recorded an 80-minute CD where I narrate over 100 encouraging Bible passages and it includes prayers, and several original songs that are filled with hope, joy and faith. This is an encouraging resource for those who would like to fill their mind and soul with God’s promises. Contact me and I would be glad to send you a free copy. God is always faithful, and if we look at the past year, we will notice that he has been working in our lives even when we did not realize it. This coming year, may you discover the wonders of God’s love and receive the peace and contentment you are searching for. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become brand new” II Corinthians 5:17.
Life Care Center To Honor Calvin Phillips With MLK Award In observance of the King Holiday, Life Care Center of Omaha, 6032 Ville de Sante Drive, will present their “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award” to Calvin Phillips. The event will be Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. Rev. Anthony Williams from Second Baptist Church will officiate. The guest soloist will be Bill Rhames. Phillips is being honored for his service to the Omaha community. He has dedicated his life to the Lord and the work of the ministry. After years of battling health issues; he tenaciously moves upward Calvin Phillips and onward to play hand-clapping, toe-taping gospel music for the residents and staffs at various nursing homes. He played piano for Clair Memorial United Methodist Church for many years; and recently became Minister of Music at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Rev. Harvey Prentice is the Pastor. Calvin says it’s his pleasure to fellowship with the residents and friends at community nursing facilities. He also enjoys being in the gospel group “Thee Amigos.” Life Care Center of Omaha invites the community to attend and share in the celebration of Dr. King’s legacy and Mr. Phillips’ dedication to our community. For more information, phone 402-5716770.
Julius H. Ballard Mr. Julius H. Ballard, age 80, passed away Monday, Dec. 24, at his residence. Survived by wife: Willie Jo Ballard; sons: Julius, Justin K. (Rosella Hilburn), Maurice (Deshauna), Markee Ballard, Omaha; daughters: Theresa (Jens) Pfister, Chicago, IL, Treasure J. Ballard, Omaha; sister: Mildred J. Andrews, Chicago; 9 grandchildren, great-grand, nieces, nephews, other relatives. Funeral Services were held 11 am Friday, Jan. 4, at St John AME, Bishop John Ford, officiated. Interment: Mt. Hope Cemetery Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home. *** Linda S. Briggs Ms. Linda S. Briggs, age 70, passed away Friday, Dec. 21, at her residence. Funeral Services were held 1 pm Thursday, Jan. 10, at Salem Baptist Church. Interment: Monroe, Louisiana Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home. *** Arvin D. Gordon Mr. Arvin D. Gordon, age 81, passed away Sunday, Dec. 16, at a local care center. Survived by son: Curtis Gordon, Omaha; daughters: Sara Westbrook, LaVista, Ne, Rene (Charles) Jones, Savannah, GA, Sheila
Thornton; brothers: Larry & Robert Gordon; sisters: Marsha, Omaha, Clydelle, Yvette, Debbie, Denver, Co; grandchildren, greatgrand, great-great-grand, nieces, nephews, other relatives. Funeral Service were held 10 am Thursday, Dec. 20, at the mortuary. Interment: Forest Lawn Cemetery Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home. *** Sheila R. Nelson Ms. Sheila R. Nelson, age 62, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 11, at a local care center. Survived by sons: Todd Harrison, Houston, TX, Steven Nelson, Omaha; daughters: Nicole, Palestine, TX, Amanda, Raven Nelson, Omaha; brother: David Jones, Sr, Anaheim, CA; sister: Judith Hill, Omaha. Memorial Services 1 pm Saturday, Dec. 22, Simple Simon’s. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home. *** Yvonne Pettis Ms. Yvonne Pettis, age 60, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 3, at her residence. Arrangements are pending Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home. *** Wanda R. Smith Ms. Wanda R. Smith, age 52, passed away
Thursday, Dec. 13, at a local hospital. Survived by daughters: Vinie Webb, Ruthie Smith, Omaha; mother: Lillie Williams, Los Angeles, CA; other relatives. Funeral Services were held 11 am Friday, Dec. 21, at the mortuary. Interments: Mt Hope Cemetery Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home. *** Retha B. Harris-Thomas, Mrs. Retha B. Harris-Thomas, age 86, passed away Saturday, Dec. 22, at a local care center. Preceded in death by husband, Carl Thomas and son, Delbert Harris. Survived by children: William (Toni), WA, Leonard, MD, Donald, Kevin (Annie), Irvin (Jacqueline), NH, Luther (Andrea) Harris, TX, Kathy (Tyrone) Tillman, IA, Keith (LaTricia) Harris, Omaha; siblings: Dorothy Thornton, TX, Hannah Jean Moore, Jonathan Nash, James Nash, Althea Lee, N.C. Robert Earl McFadden, AZ; grandchildren, greatgrand, nieces, nephews, step-children, other relatives. Funeral Services were held 9 am Saturday, Jan. 5, at Pilgrim Baptist Church, Rev Cedric Perkins, officiated. Interment: Mt. Hope Cemetery Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home.
Risen Son Baptist Church Merges With Mount Moriah The Risen Son Baptist Church-GBC has officially merged with one of Omaha’s oldest Baptist churches, Mount Moriah. The decision followed several months of prayer and discussion. “Ultimately, it became clear that we could accomplish much more together than we could independently,” said Dr. Ralph Lassiter, Mount Moriah Senior Pastor. He further stated that “each church possessed unique gifts and in almost every instance, we found them to be complementary.” “Without a doubt, the challenges of the present time require united efforts to share the gospel,” said the Rev. T. Michael Williams, pastor of Risen Son. Each congregation, according to its constitution and based on their doctrinal compatibility, affirmed the union, and on Jan. 3 fellowshipped together for the first time as one church. The united congregations will continue as the Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church and continue to meet at 2602 N. 24th St. Dr. Lassiter will serve as Senior Pastor and Rev. Williams will serve as Evangelism and NextGen Pastor. Mount Moriah Baptist Church is a member of the New Era Baptist State Convention of Nebraska Inc. and the Heartland Church Network.
Dr. Lassiter and Rev. Williams
ATTENTION READERS Looking for Death and Funeral Notices If you want a notice of death or obituary published in the Omaha Star Newspaper, call or let your funeral director know that you want a notice placed in the Omaha Star Newspaper. Funeral directors should contact the Omaha Star office to submit notices and/or Obituaries.
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Kids Talk About God
Why Is Gossip Wrong? By Carey Kinsolving And Friends “Knowledge is power, if you know it about the right person,” wrote Ethel Watts. Or, as Ivern Ball quipped, “A small town is a place where there is little to see or do, but what you hear makes up for it.” In small towns or large cities, gossip wreaks havoc wherever it spreads. And it does spread, says Scott, 11: “A rumor is in all likelihood an expanded lie, which becomes larger as it goes along. A lot of rumors spread from jealous people who aren’t at peace with themselves and have a big mouth the size of a western African Safari Elephant.” Thanks, Scott, for being specific. Africans are quick to point out that their elephants are bigger than those in India. Like a charging elephant, a tongue out of control can destroy, says Maddie, 11: “You can never take back the words you say. Once I was called a bad name in the 4th grade. It hurt me very bad, but I decided to go up and face the world.” Way to go, Maddie. It takes courage to ignore gossip. The Lord takes care of those who entrust themselves to him. The Book
of Proverbs is full of sayings about how those who lay a trap for a righteous person will be caught in it themselves. The Bible says this about Jesus: “He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly” (I Peter 2:23 NLT). If you gossip, you might find yourself living in fear, says Kaci, 10: “My sister was hurt by some mean gossip at school. But the boy is too afraid to tell more gossip about her now because her boyfriend is 6’4”.” This is called the Terminator Method for controlling gossip. It’s very effective until the gossip gets a friend who’s 6’8”. For permanent results, Karlyn, 11, recommends the Golden Rule. “God said do unto others as you would have done to you. We don’t like it when people are rude and start rumors about us. So we shouldn’t do that to others.” Your tongue needs the Golden Rule because “it’s the most powerful thing you have,” says Holly, 10. The Bible compares the destructive potential of the tongue to a spark that starts a forest fire. Both are
small, but the effects are devastating. The Bible calls anyone who can bring the tongue under control “perfect” or “mature” (James 3:2). If you’re a woman looking for the perfect man or a man looking for Miss Right, ask yourself if God is in control of his or her words? “Gossip is wrong because the Bible tells us not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, and we should build up people with our words, not tear them down,” says Jonathan, 12. The Apostle Paul wrote that our words should “impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). The Bible is clear that eternal salvation comes to us by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and that this kind of faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It’s humbling to realize that God allows us to impart grace to others through the words we speak. Think about this: Grace builds up, and gossip tears down. Memorize this truth: “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:2). Ask this question: Do your words build up or tear down?
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January 11, 2019
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7909 Mormon Bridge Rd 402-451-1000. Free Space for Veterans www.forestlawnomaha.com
Together, The Press And the Pulpit Can Give Us Full Citizenship Immediately
3920 North 24th St. Omaha, NE 68110 402-453-7111 www.omahathomasfh.com
Both Born Out of Necessity For Self-Expression
PRAISE & WORSHIP DIRECTORY
January 11, 2019
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
ST. MARK BAPTIST CHURCH
MOUNT CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH
ALLEN CHAPEL A.M.E.
THE OMAHA STAR Page Five
“Jesus is the light of the world” mtcalvarycommunitychurch.org
Pastor Jarrod S. Parker 3616 Spaulding Street, Omaha, NE 68111 Phone: 402-451-0307 Email: smbcsecretary@stmarkbaptist.org
5112 Ames Avenue Omaha, NE 68104 Ph: 402-457-4216
Sunday School – Sunday 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School .................................................... 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship Experience ......... 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Food and Fellowship.................... 6:00 p.m. Wednesday (WOW) Word On Wednesday... 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.
Pastor Jarrod S. Parker
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.”
“Where Life is for Everyone” Drs. Mar n & Lynnell Williams
MT. MORIAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Founders & Lead Pastors SUNDAYS Prayer 9:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM
WEDNESDAYS Prayer 6:00 PM Worship 7:00 PM
Dr. Ralph B. Lassiter, Pastor 2602 N. 24th St. Off: (402) 451-8800 - Fax: (402) 451-8522 mtmoriahomaha.net pastorlassiter@gmail.com
www.ambassadorswc.com 402-341-1866 5417 N 103rd St. Omaha, NE 68134 Rev. Ralph Lassiter, Sr.
Sunday School ...................................... 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship ..................................10:45 a.m. Overcomers in Christ...............Sunday 7:00 p.m. Wednesday Bible-Prayer Service 11:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m
BIBLE TRUTH MINISTRIES
Pastor Rordy Smith Pastor Ramona Smith
“Strengthing Families for Victorious Living” Pastor Rordy Smith Pastor Ramona Smith PO Box 1703 2402 Franklin St. Bellevue, NE 68005 402-292-9499 Web: www.BibleTruthMinistries.org Sunday School..................................9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service...............10:00 a.m. Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study......6:00 p.m
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.
MT. NEBO MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
“The Church Where Fellowship is Real” Pastor Terry L. Arvie 5501 N. 50th Street Ph: 402-451-4245 Fx: 402-451-2130 office@mtneboomaha.org www.mtneboomaha.org
TABERNACLE OF FAITH CHURCH Pastor Barbara Mitchell 2404 Fort Street, Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1800 Church 402-455-3390 Fax
Pastor Terry L. Arvie
“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 Sunday School………………………8:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Experience………...10:00 a.m. Monday Bible Study…………………6:00 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study….…….…….7:00 p.m.
Pastor Barbara Mitchell
Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor
3131 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1000 www.salembc.org
Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus
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.
CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH Serving God and One Another in the Spirit of Excellence Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus Senior Pastor
PLEASANT GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH
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
“Where CHRIST is Preeminent and the Word Prevails!” Pastor Brian Page 5555 Larimore Avenue Church: 402-346-8427 www.pleasantgreenomaha.org
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Rev. Kent H. Little, Lead Pastor Services on Sundays at 8:30 am & 10:50 am
Rev. Kenneth A. Allen, Pastor
Wednesday: Prayer Power Hour ......................................12:00 p.m
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.
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
Pastor Brian Page
Thursday: Youth For Christ ............................................6:00 p.m Prayer & Bible Study ....................................7:30 p.m Rev. Kent H. Little
Televised Broadcast Sunday @ 10pm on KPAO Cox Communication channel 22 & Century Link channel 89
Sunday: Worship..............................................8:00 a.m. Sunday School..................................9:30 a.m. Worship............................................11:00 a.m.
2215 Grant Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-346-1502 Fax: 402-344-2720 SUNDAY Sunday Morning Worship……………9:00 A.M. Sunday School……………………...11:15 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)
Pastor Kenneth A. Allen
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC 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
HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod 2723 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
& HOLY NAME CATHOLIC CHURCH
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
JOY OF LIFE MINISTRIES COGIC Pastors Eric and Cynthia Butler 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
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 Radio Broadcast: 101.3 fm 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each Sunday Worship Service .............10:00 a.m. Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr.
Sunday School .................8:45 a.m. Excluding First Sunday Tuesday Evening Service.........7:00 p.m.
THE WORSHIP CENTER
Dr. Stan Rone Senior Pastor
North 24th Street Church of God “Presenting the Never-Changing GOD to an ever-changing World!” Dr. Stan Rone - Senior Pastor 2021 N. 24th Street • Omaha, NE 68110 (402) 341-4297 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
COMMENTARY
THE OMAHA STAR
Keeping Your Resolutions & Goals For 2019
A More Diverse Congress, A More Perfect Union? By Julianne Malveaux
By Joseph Ellick In high school, one of my greatest passions was playing basketball. During my senior year, as the new season approached, I noticed during the first practice that our coach had the same plays that we had been using in previous seasons. So I told him, “coach I think we should try different plays because it’s a new season.” He responded with a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that I remember still today: “With each new day comes new strength and thoughts.” He continued, “So there is no need to change. Because of our growth each day and year, we automatically see things differently even if they are the same as before.” Every New Year, people tend to reevaluate their past year and come to the conclusion to reinvent themselves completely and that makes it difficult to not only set realistic resolutions and goals, but makes it even harder to keep them. Don’t set yourself up for failure this year by vowing to make huge changes that will be hard to keep. Instead, follow these steps for successfully making a new year’s resolution and goals you can see through until the end. 1. One At A Time An abundant amount of people’s resolutions are to change their entire lifestyle or life at once. It will never work. Instead ask yourself, what is the one habit or goal that is most important to you? After you identify your top resolution, continue to list goals, in order of importance, then attack them one at a time. Make each goal something concrete so you know exactly what change you’re planning to make. If you’re successful with the first change, you can go ahead and make another change, as time permits itself. By making small changes one at a time, you still have the chance to be a whole new you at the end of the year and it’s a much more realistic way of doing it. 2. Be Precise Generalizing or being vague about what you want to do leaves room for procrastination and confusion at times. You have to be precise in your action to properly plan and map out your strategy for the New Year. If you want to lose weight, target a precise number of pounds to shed, then set concrete mini-goals and the dates on which you aim to accomplish each of them. Want to save money? Determine the amount you will put aside each month and identify explicit changes in behavior you’ll make to get there, whether that means skipping your afternoon latte or carpooling to work to save on fuel costs. Want to be more organized? Single out in what area you would like to be more organized, whether its home, job, or extracurricular hobbies. 3. Be Mentally Tough Be mentally tough. Not every day is going to be easy, the second you wake up the battle begins against your old habits. Knowing this ahead of time will prepare you for when you are tempted to break your resolution. Have the power to keep moving towards your goal, no matter what setbacks may occur. There is a saying, “When the going gets tough, get tougher,” and that is exactly what you have to do.
4. Switch Your “Bad” Habits to “Good” Habits Don’t rely on willpower alone to help you change, because even the strongest person you know have their days. Instead, build in a healthy behavior that’s incompatible with the one you want to change. So if eating your usual midafternoon treat runs contrary to your goal of dropping a few pounds, put together a small like-minded group of alternatives and commit to taking a quick, brisk walk at your normal snack time. Or if you want to dedicate more time to write that book you’ve been wanting to start for years, during the normal time you watch television, take out your notebook and jot down ideas. Eventually you will turn the T.V. off completely and have that novel half way done. Each time you put the brakes on “bad” behavior, you’ll increase your confidence in your ability to make the change. 5. Be Determined Not To Fail. No one but you can make your resolution come true or last in your favor. Choose not to let mistakes derail you, take a day off every once in a while, power through the tough times, and drive toward your end result. Already having a winning mindset goes a long way. When you make the decision to succeed, you leave no room to fail. Keeping track of a resolution all year long can be difficult, but only if you let it. Over the years you may have already made drastic changes in life that could help cultivate your goals for 2019. The important thing is to remember that successfully changing your behavior comes from the inside out. Accept that it will take small steps in the right direction to reach a positive outcome. Joseph Ellick Jr (@JLife_22), a Florida Memorial University graduate, is the Newsroom Editor and National News Correspondent for the nation’s Number 1 African American PR/Media Firm, Black PR Wire (@BlackPRWire). He is also the host and producer of BPRW’s Youtube series Thrivin’ Online.
January 11, 2019
The 116th Congress, sworn in on Jan. 3, is the most diverse our nation has ever seen. There are more women – 102 – than ever before. More members of the Congressional Black Caucus – 55 – than ever before. Indeed, a former Congressional Black Caucus intern, Lauren Underwood (D-IL) is part of the incoming first-year class. At 32, she is the youngest Black woman to serve. This Congress includes the first Native American woman, two Muslim women, openly gay representatives, and others. Much of this diversity was displayed at the ceremonial swearing-in of the Congressional Black Caucus, an inspirational event that preceded the official swearing-in on Capitol Hill. There, as I listened to speeches by the top Congressional Democrats – incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA), incoming Majority leader Steny Hoyer (MD), and incoming Whip James Clyburn (SC), I was awash in hope and optimism. These leaders, along with outgoing Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond (LA) and incoming Chair Karen Bass (CA) spoke of challenge, struggle, and optimism and focused on possibilities. As I listened to them I could not help but think of the poet Langston Hughes, and his poem Let America Be America Again. Written in 1935, the poem was first published in Esquire Magazine in 1936. Though Hughes did not consider it one of his favorites, it captures the duality of our nation, the marked difference between our nation’s soaring establishing rhetoric and the stark reality that many experience. In the words of Malcolm X, it is the difference between the American dream and the American nightmare. Here is what Langston Hughes writes in his poem: “Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe.” (There’s never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”)
No freedom in this homeland of the free, but this Congress offers freedom possibilities. It offers the possibility of fixing the Voting Rights Act, even as the Supreme Court has attempted to erode voting rights, even as at least two elections were stolen in 2018, those of Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Andrew Gillum in Florida. This Congress offers freedom possibilities in resisting the insanity of a “wall” that the Great Negotiator (and purported author of The Art of the Deal) swore that Mexico was paying for. Not. This Congress offers freedom possibilities in its efforts to preserve the Affordable Health Care Act and to move us to Medicare for all. This colorful Congress offers a sharp contrast to the dismal (as in grey and navy suits) set of Republicans, overwhelmingly white and male, and overwhelmingly staid. It’s not about MAGA (Make America Great Again), it’s about MAF, or Make America Fair. This is what Congressman James Clyburn shared when he spoke at the ceremonial swearing-in. He opened with the words of French historian Alexis Tocqueville, who observed when visiting this country: “the greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” Clyburn went on to list the many ways our nation has attempted to self-correct, from the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation to the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring “separate but equal” to be “inherently unequal.” Clyburn talked about the Great Society legislation, another of our nation’s attempts at self-repair, and he concluded by saying that, “America does not need to be made great again, she is already great. Our challenge is to make that greatness apply fairly and equitably to all of our citizens.” Can this diverse new Congress make our nation fair for many who have never experienced our nation in the way it is supposed to be? In the words of Langston Hughes, “It never was America to me.” We’ve come a long way since he wrote his 1935 poem, but we still have so much to do. After these last two dystopian years under the leadership of President Genital Grabber (let’s just call him GG), this new Congress offers us many possibilities. May they manifest!
(Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available via www.amazon. com for booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visit www.juliannemalveaux.com)
Mentoring Matters Take a Moment to Start a Movement By Debra L. Shaw A moment is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as a ‘minute portion’ or ‘point of time’. Every moment is precious. How it is used is valuable. Therefore, what happens in a moment can change the direction and focus of one’s life. Taking time to help someone gain insight into his or her potential can have a lasting impact on a child trying to discover his/her potential or on an adult struggling to achieve his/her career goals. There are many national and local organizations with members who spend moments helping others reach beyond their circumstances of helplessness and hopelessness. Such an organization was started back in the 1930s. The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) was founded in 1935 by Mary McLeod Bethune, child of slave parents, distinguished educator and government consultant. Mrs. Bethune saw the need for harnessing the power and extending the leadership of Black women through a national organization. NCNW is an “organization of organizations,” and serves as a clearinghouse for the activities of women. From the beginning, women of all racial and cultural backgrounds were included and welcome to work together. Mrs. Bethune stated, “There is the need for a united organization of women to open doors for our young women, united so that when it speaks, its power will be felt.” As a voluntary nonprofit membership organization, NCNW helps women to improve the quality of life for themselves, their families, and their community. (https://www.facebook.com/Omaha-SectionNCNW-INC-143380942499933/.)
The Omaha Section which is a communitybased section of NCNW has been in existence in Omaha for over 30 years. Its mission is to fervently advocate for opportunities and improve the quality of life for women, their families and the community. The Omaha Section has partnered with agencies to mentor girls and young women on their educational goals. Members of the Omaha Section have participated with Girls Inc. to inspire girls to learn and grow strong in who they are to become. Some Section members are mentors with Partnership for Kids, serving as book buddies and goal buddies, and others mentor youth in their churches or through their sorority affiliations. To broaden its reach, the Section adopted Mount View and Central Park as AdoptA-School partners. Through these programs, the Section identifies families to assist during the holidays. Additionally, the leadership team created a Bethune Cookman Concept fund to award book stipends for non-traditional female students. This stipend was named in honor of Mary McLeod Bethune. The Section began these activities with a moment that grew into a movement to make a difference in lives filled with promise and hope but short on resources. The Omaha Section membership is comprised of women from a myriad of industries, various levels of educational experiences and different socioeconomic backgrounds. However, they have one common denominator which is that they all took a moment to decide to join the movement to become instruments of change to empower others to reach their goals. To learn more about the Omaha Section, NCNW, visit this website https://omahasectionncnw.weebly.com/. Take a moment and join a movement. Mentoring Matters!
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LIFE & STYLE/HEALTH & WELLNESS THE OMAHA STAR Page Seven Tyler Perry hosting #MichelleTaughtMe: Michelle Obama’s the Aretha Franklin Book inspires Curriculum for Black Girls Tribute We All Need By NewsOne Staff
January 11, 2019
There have been many public figures who have inspired educational courses. Songstress Beyoncé’s work has inspired college courses across the country, her hubby Jay Z was the subject of a course at Georgetown, and last year Jordan Peele’s work was the focal point of a class at UCLA. The latest person to have a curriculum centered on her achievements and experiences is former first lady Michelle Obama, Black Enterprise reported. After reading Obama’s best-selling book Becoming, Lauren Christine Mims identified valuable lessons that would be impactful for Black girls who are coming of age, the news outlet writes. Mims – who served as the assistant director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans and is currently enrolled in the University of Virginia’s Educational Psychology doctorate program – was so inspired that she conceptualized a curriculum for young Black girls that intertwines Obama’s journey and key principles for success. For Mims, it’s all about representation. When young girls see themselves reflected in successful Black women it changes their perspective on life. “Reading Becoming was like sitting on the couch with your best friend and having one of those soulful conversations about life,” she told the news outlet. “Reading about how Michelle Obama felt unchallenged in elementary school, teased for the way she spoke, and noticed a difference in how she was perceived during adolescence was affirming. I disrupt the traditional practice of talking about Black girls in pejorative ways and center them and their unique experiences to study how we can support them.” She also added that there should be safe spaces for Black girls to discuss their challenges and how they can overcome them. Michelle Obama is nothing short of an inspiration. In fact, she recently topped Gallup’s “Most Admired Woman list; edging out Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey.
By NewsOne Staff
We are all still missing the Queen of Soul, who passed away on Aug. 16. However, her life is going to be celebrated by the one and only … Tyler Perry. The special will be called “Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration for the Queen of Soul” and will be taped Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. No date is set on when the show will air but it will be televised on CBS. Recording Academy President/ CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement to Grammy.com, “For more than six decades, her extraordinary artistic achievements coupled with her passionate dedication to her philanthropic work – which ranged from children’s and artists’ issues to civil rights activism – served as a testament to her power, majesty, and genius. These gifts positioned her as a true cultural icon, and the Recording Academy is honored to celebrate her inspirational legacy.” The legendary Clive Davis also said, “I am thrilled to have the Recording Academy and CBS as partners in this global tribute to my very dear friend Aretha Franklin. Aretha was more than the Queen of Soul; she was a national treasure. This unique concert – featuring many of today’s greatest artists – will celebrate Aretha in a spectacular manner befitting her once-in-a-lifetime talent.” Grammy.com reports the performers will be Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, Alessia Cara, Kelly Clarkson, Common, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and BeBe Winans.
‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ adapts James Baldwin’s Novel into Haunting, Gorgeous Film By Alissa Wilkinson It seems natural that Barry Jenkins settled on James Baldwin’s novel If Beale Street Could Talk for his first post-Moonlight film project. At Beale Street’s world premiere in Toronto, Jenkins was introduced as a filmmaker whose movies are not just about love, but are themselves love letters to the audience. And Beale Street is both a love story and one suffused by love for its characters, as well as the world in which they’re trying to get by. That’s familiar territory for Jenkins, who tells unconventional stories of love and intimacy about Black America. His 2008 debut Medicine for Melancholy is about a one-night stand between a social activist and a young, affluent professional that turns into a long day of talking about everything, including the differences that may keep them apart. His 2016 film Moonlight, which won the Best Picture Oscar, is a triptych spanning three stages of a young man’s life as he grasps for connection and comes to term with desire. If Beale Street Could Talk applies that approach to 1970s New York City, centering on a young black couple who grew up together, then fell in love. And then conflict takes over – not from inside their relationship, but pressing in from the outside world. It’s a beautiful, lyrical film, at times feeling (as Moonlight did) like a tone poem or a lyrical plaint: though Jenkins’s filmmaking is nearperfect and the film’s images are indelible, without Baldwin’s prose it may scan more as a series of vignettes than a narrative feature film. But it’s nonetheless hard not to fall under If Beale Street Could Talk’s somber, lustrous spell. The title of Baldwin’s 1974 New York-set novel evokes a significant street in Memphis, both as a reference to W.C. Handy’s
song “Beale Street Blues” and because, as the film’s epigraph quotes Baldwin saying, “Every Black person born in America was born on Beale Street, born in the Black neighborhood of some American city, whether in Jackson, Mississippi, or in Harlem, New York. Beale Street is our legacy.” Memphis’s Beale Street is a place of triumph and tragedy. A center of black life and culture, it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966. By an Act of Congress, it was named the “Home of the Blues” in 1977. But whole sections were razed in the same period, rendering it a virtual ghost town. That same mix of triumph and tragedy dominates If Beale Street Could Talk. One day 19-year-old Tish (newcomer Kiki Layne) realizes that her childhood friend Alonzo (Stephan James), whom everyone calls “Fonny,” is in love with her. The pair grew up together in Harlem, where Tish lives with her parents Sharon (Regina King) and Joseph (Colman Domingo) and her sister Ernestine (Teyonah Parris). Fonny grew up there, too, with his alcoholic father (Michael Beach), unforgivingly pietistic mother (Aunjanue Ellis), and judgmental sisters (Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne). Now Fonny lives downtown in the Village, where he makes sculptures and eats at a local Spanish restaurant, and Tish shyly joins him to walk through the neighborhood’s streets and, soon, discovers she’s fallen for him too. They belong to each other already, she realizes. Their bodies and souls are already joined. All that’s left to do is be happy. Which she is, when she discovers she’s pregnant. But Tish’s and Fonny’s joy comes on the heels of something much darker: having angered a beat cop in the Village, Fonny finds himself identified as the assailant by a woman who was raped across town. Tish knows
Health and Spirituality Our Weakness is Strength By Mark Darby, RN APRN, FNP-C Director of North Omaha Academy of Healthy Living
Our weaknesses cause us great trouble in life. I don’t mean physical weakness, though for some this is certainly a concern. I refer to the weakness in our character which drives us to do so many crazy things. Yet such weaknesses with a small amount of release can become great strengths. I have long spoken of a desire for approval from external sources as such a weakness. This weakness alters the way we think about our life, shapes our responses and rationalizes the consequences we experience. For example, a person who recently came to the clinic had paid a great deal of money to have her nails done even though she could not afford the purchase. She justified the purchase because “she wants to look good.” A few days later she had removed the polish because others did not give her the approval she craved. She justified the expense by saying, “everyone does it.” Though it may be easy to judge this person’s weakness as mere vanity she has a strength that is connected to vanity. She has an incredible ability to relate to other human beings who are in distress. She has a wellspring of empathy. She can relate to others who many would consider “odd”. I believe there is a connection between the two. It is as if she has a sensitivity to others that is part of her make up. Psychologist would call this a personality trait.
This sensitivity can either be a weakness or a strength depending on how it is used. Sympathy to seek approval is a weakness, sympathy to help others is a strength. This leads to the role of spirituality. Spirituality provides the goal we strive for when we use our personality traits. When our personality traits are connected to our spiritual side, they are integrated, becoming strengths. A sensitive person in contact with his/her spirit has little need for approval from the outside because it arises from our deepest wells. There is the old Gospel question which asks why do we worry? The sparrows which do not worry are fed. This is not a lesson in raising birds but an admonishment that our spirit is the foundation for our personality traits. Grounded in spirit, all our personality traits become strengths. This grounding changes all weaknesses into strengths. Anger over little things becomes passion and courage. Perfectionism becomes determination to overcome obstacles. Judging the motives of others becomes keen observations of life. This is particularly appropriate in the new year. During this time, we normally take stock of who we are and what we hope to become. We may focus on our weaknesses and feel unable to rid ourselves of them, which leads only to self-loathing and put downs. Connecting to our spirit can remind us that each weakness is also a strength and should be embraced for the gift it is.
Kiki Layne and Stephan James co-star in “If Beale Street Could Talk” Courtesy of TIFF
he couldn’t have done it – the timing and geography don’t work out – but Fonny is sent to jail anyway, and Tish and her family set about trying to exonerate him. As in the novel, the way Jenkins tells this story is loping and elliptical, starting in the middle and moving forward and backward over the timeline in ways that make it feel like we’re watching a painter carefully cover a canvas in brush strokes. That painting at first looks like a romance, but the more the details are filled in, the more tragic and angry and helpless it feels. It’s a story about Tish and Fonny, but it’s just one part of the larger American story.
Rise in Flu Cases prompts Three Locations to Expand Services With the number of flu cases in Douglas County on the rise, Nebraska Medicine is offering walk-in flu clinics to respond to the increase. Patients are able to walk into clinics at Chalco, Clarkson Family Medicine and Plattsmouth if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms, without making an appointment. “As part of our commitment to caring for our community, we want to offer this service to our patients so they can be seen quickly if they’re concerned they may have the flu,” says Ann Blanchard, director, Primary Care and Immediate Care Clinics. Hours and locations of the walk-in clinics are: • Nebraska Medicine - Chalco, 8343 S. 168th Ave.: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. • Nebraska Medicine - Clarkson Family Medicine, 4200 Douglas St.: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. • Nebraska Medicine - Plattsmouth, 1938 E. Hwy. 34: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Nebraska Medicine also has four Immediate Care Clinics, which are open weekday evenings, holidays and weekends: • Nebraska Medicine – Chalco, 8343 S. 168th Ave., Omaha • Nebraska Medicine – Family Medicine at Bellevue Clinic, 2510 Bellevue Medical Center Drive, Suite 200, Bellevue • Nebraska Medicine – Eagle Run, 3685 N. 129th St., Omaha • Nebraska Medicine – Midtown, 139 S. 40th St., Omaha The Douglas County Health Department has reported nearly 700 cases of influenza in our community so far this season. One person over the age of 65 has died in Douglas County and one child in Nebraska has also died from the flu. Flu shots are still widely available across the community and will still be effective.
UNMC, Health Dept. working with Pharmacies on Vaccine Campaign Vaccines are the best way to prevent life-threatening diseases, and now it’s easier for parents to get these critical shots for their adolescent-aged children. All they have to do is visit their neighborhood Omaha pharmacy. The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy and the Douglas County Health Department have launched an information campaign to let parents know that vaccines can be given to children nine years old and above at the local pharmacy. The campaign is part of a two-year, community-based research study in partnership with CVS, Walgreens and Hy-Vee pharmacies in the
greater Omaha area. The goal is to increase awareness of this service, provide information about vaccines and improve the rate of vaccinated children in Douglas County. It is funded by a $300,000 anonymous donation through the University of Nebraska Foundation. Many families are unaware that pharmacies are an option for vaccinating their children, said Shannon Maloney, Ph.D., assistant professor, health promotion, UNMC College of Public Health, and co-principal investigator of the study. “Most families live within five miles of a pharmacy that typically offer vaccines at hours convenient for
working families – late evenings and weekends. “The Healthy People 2020 initiative set a national target to reach at least 80 percent coverage of adolescents who are up-to-date on these three vaccines. In Nebraska, only 61 percent of females and 56 percent of males are up-to-date on their HPV vaccine. We have a vaccine that can protect against cancer. Let’s help make Nebraska the healthiest state in the nation by ensuring all our children are protected against cancers associated with HPV.” Donald Klepser, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacy practice and co-principal investigator, said adolescents are less likely to have
regular (or annual) visits with their physician when compared to babies and preschoolers. “One of the goals of this project is to increase adolescent vaccination rates by offering all of the recommended adolescent vaccines at the same time as the adolescent gets their annual flu shot. There is no need to make a special visit or separate appointment.” Over the years, vaccines have prevented countless cases of disease and saved millions of lives. The three vaccines that adolescents need – diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough or pertussis (Tdap), human papillomavirus (HPV) and meningococcal – can now be given
together in one visit. A booster dose is needed for HPV and meningococcal at age 16. The vaccines are normally covered by health insurance. All 11- to 12-year-olds should get three shots: TDap, HPV vaccine and meningococcal. The vaccines protect adolescents against future illness and help protect younger children who haven’t yet received their vaccinations. Although it is recommended that adolescents get their vaccines early, at ages 11-12, for the best protection – older teens should get these shots if they haven’t already.
EVENTS/CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING January 11, 2019 Auditions For Puremovement Hip-Hop Dancers To Be Held Jan. 16 (LINCOLN) Auditions for experienced hip-hop choreographer in America” by the New Yorker. dancers to perform with the renowned Rennie Rennie Harris was born and raised in an AfricanThings to do, people to see, places to go. Harris Puremovement dance company will be held American community in North Philadelphia. Page Eight
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Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. at Mabel Lee Hall dance studio on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. The audition will select one UNL student and up to two people from the wider community to perform with Rennie Harris Puremovement during its public performance of “Lifted” on Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. The auditions will take place from 8 to 9:30 p.m. in Mabel Lee Hall in the Mabel Lee Dance Studio. Candidates will be notified of whether or not they have been selected on the night of Jan. 16. The dancers selected must be able to attend 4- to 5-hour daily rehearsals from Jan. 17-26. To be eligible to audition, you must complete the registration form available at bit.ly/2C8vXzl. Once you complete the form, you will receive a link to a video containing choreography for “Lifted.” You must come to the audition with the choreography learned. Selected dancers will receive a $500 stipend. For more information on the Lied Center’s performance of Rennie Harris Puremovement, please visit https://www.liedcenter.org/event/ rennie-harris. About Rennie Harris Puremovement Lorenzo “Rennie” Harris, founder, artistic director, choreographer and stage director of Rennie Harris Puremovement, has been called “the most respected – and the most brilliant – hip-hop
Since the age of 15, he has been teaching workshops and classes at universities around the country, advocating for the significance of “street” origins in any dance style. In 1992 Harris founded Rennie Harris Puremovement, a street dance theater company dedicated to preserving and disseminating street dance culture through workshops, classes, lectures and lecture demonstrations, residencies, mentoring programs and public performances. Harris founded his company based on the belief that hip-hop culture is the most important original expression of a new generation. With its roots in inner-city African-American and Latino communities, hip-hop can be characterized as a contemporary indigenous form, one that expresses universal themes that extend beyond racial, religious and economic boundaries and one that, because of its pan-racial and transnational popularity, can help bridge these divisions. Harris’ work encompasses the diverse and rich African American traditions of the past, while simultaneously presenting the voice of a new generation through ever-evolving interpretations of dance. Harris is committed to providing audiences with a sincere view of the essence and spirit of hip-hop rather than the commercially exploited stereotypes portrayed by the media.
Jan. 15 – Jesse Bell, Ph.D., will discuss why climate change matters to our health at the next Omaha Science Café at 7 p.m. at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St Pizza will be provided for the first 50 people by the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. Jan. 16 – The Jewell, a new state-of-theart jazz club in downtown Omaha’s Capitol District at 1030 Capitol Ave., will host a softopening featuring Dominick Farinacci and Lucy Woodward. Shows begin at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. For more info, visit jewellomaha.com. Jan. 18 – “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike” premieres globally, only on Netflix. Jan. 21 – MLK Holiday. It’s a day on, not a day off! Do something for somebody. Articles on events are included throughout this issue. Jan. 21 – Fliye Productions presents MLK Festival at Love’s Jazz & Arts Center, 2510 N. 24th St. The festival begins with the Juneteenth Nebraska Pancake Breakfast at 8 a.m. and concludes with a poetic tribute to the work of MLK at 8 p.m. Other activities include a fashion show, hair show, youth talent show, an art gallery and more. For costs and more info, phone 402-502-5291. Jan. 22 – Get tickets now to ROE ON THE ROCKS, a one-of-a-kind show celebrating the
46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, featuring Omaha-area women musicians and benefiting Planned Parenthood and the Abortion Access Fund, Inc. Felicia Webster and Alisa Monique Moore are among the many female performers. The evening begins at 6:00 and concludes at 9:00. For more info, visit Roe on the Rocks’ Facebook page. Jan. 24 – Build Up Omaha! Join Civic Nebraska along with co-host Natalie Simmonds for an evening to celebrate and recognize community leaders and young Nebraskans who work to build a strong civil and civic society. The keynote speaker will be Shawn Healy, Director of Democracy for the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Chicago, Illinois. Heavy hors d’oeuvre and refreshments will be served. The event will be held at the Livestock Exchange Ballroom, 4920 S. 30th St. from 5-7 p.m. For more info, visit Build Up Omaha’s Facebook page. Jan. 31 – Ed Archibald will host Omaha State of Mind album release party at the Ozone Lounge, 7220 F St. from 6:30-9:30 p.m. There will be a live performance featuring songs from the album. For tickets, visit www.archmoments. com.
David Sanborn Jazz Quintet Set for Play to Showcase North Omaha History Grand Opening of Omaha’s The Jewell Metropolitan Community College, in Omaha. collaboration with the Union for Contemporary Art, will present the play “More Than Neighbors” on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. inside the Swanson Conference Center at the Institute for Culinary Arts on MCC’s Fort Omaha Campus, 32nd Street and Sorensen Parkway. The event is free and open to the public. “More Than Neighbors” was written by local playwright and educator Denise Chapman. The play explores the memories and perspectives of those who participated in, and were impacted by, the dramatic construction of the North Freeway in
The play also displays how the freeway project contributed to the destruction of a community still recovering from civil unrest and rioting in the mid-to-late 1960s. This presentation is funded in part by Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment in support of efforts that enable citizens to explore Nebraska heritage, build community awareness and strengthen awareness and understanding of our shared cultural, historical and humanitiesbased experiences.
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Jazz legend David Sanborn will bring his Jazz Quintet to Omaha in February for the grand opening of The Jewell – a new stateof-the-art jazz club that pays homage to Omaha’s rich jazz history. Sanborn is a 6-time Grammy Award winner with 8 Gold albums. His Jazz Quintet will make its first-ever Sanborn Omaha appearance to celebrate The Jewell’s Grand Opening on Feb. 6 and 7, with two shows each night. Tickets are on sale now at www.jewellomaha.com. Sanborn’s Jazz Quintet will feature Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums, Geoffrey Keezer on piano, Ben Williams on bass, and Michael Deese on trombone. The group will be just one of the major touring acts expected to grace the new stage at The Jewell. The club, in downtown Omaha’s Capitol
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District at 1030 Capitol Ave., is an exceptional music and dining experience in an intimate setting – unlike anything else in Omaha. In the style of major jazz clubs in larger cities across the United States, The Jewell will offer two shows nightly at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. to allow customers to enjoy incredible food and drinks. The club is classy and sleek, with each detail chosen to provide customers with a one-ofa-kind experience. The Jewell is named in honor of north Omaha music promoter Jimmy Jewell Jr., who booked the Dreamland Ballroom and helped bring jazz legends through Omaha from the 1920s through the 50s and 60s. Artists like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, and Nat King Cole all performed at Dreamland Ballroom and other venues in Omaha alongside homegrown stars like Preston Love, Anna Mae Winburn, and Lloyd Hunter. The club will have a soft opening starting Jan. 16, with both local and national artists performing, leading up to the Grand Opening. Information about upcoming shows can be found on the website www.jewellomaha.com.
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST NHTF FUNDS AND PUBLIC MEETING January 24th 2019 On or about February 10th 2019 Notre Dame Housing (a not-for-profit 501c3) will submit a request to the State of Nebraska, Department of Economic Development, for $700,000 of National Housing Trust Funds for a project in Omaha, Nebraska named Notre Dame Living Center’s I & II. Funds will be utilized for the rehabilitation of 45 HUD 202 elderly-disabled housing units, utilizing NHTF and Private Financing. This Project will be discussed at a Public Meeting to be held on Thursday, January 24th, 2018 at Seven Oaks Senior Center, 3439 State St, Omaha NE 68112 from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments to Notre Dame Housing, 3439 State Street, Omaha, NE or via email to cweber@ndhinc.org.
F.Y.I.
In order to be included in the Omaha Star, all articles and announcements must be typed in Word and must be received no later than two weeks in advance of the event. Articles may be brought to the Omaha Star Office at 2216 North 24th St. on Monday before 3:00 p.m. or e-mailed to phyllis@omahastarinc.com. Any announcements or articles that are received the same week as the current publication will not be included in the current week’s edition. The distribution day for the Omaha Star has been changed to Friday of each week.
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LOCAL NEWS
January 11, 2019
THE OMAHA STAR
4
How does a refrigerator door become a wall of honor? With a great teacher.
Nominate an Omaha Public Schools teacher for
If you know an Omaha Public Schools teacher who belongs on this list and deserves recognition, 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.
Tell us about the teacher you want to nominate. Visit BuffettOutstandingTeachers.org by January 15, 2019. 1988 Marlene Bernstein Matilda Browne Ronald Cisar Ronald Garofolo Dorothy Hallstrom Elizabeth Hoffman Kay Keiser Mellanee Kvasnicka Jerline Leverette Eurleyne Levison Cleo Snyder Beverly Urbach John Waterman Margaret Whitmore Elaine Wiesner
1990 Barbara Davis Nancy Drawbridge Carol Hipp Paul Jensen John Keenan Patrick Kennedy Mary Alice Kubovy Barbara Lebedz Corrine Navarette Rita Ryan Roxanne Smith Carole Stendahl Pinkie Wheatfall Pamela Williams Michael Young
1993 Cherie Barg Barbara Carlson James Coulter James Eisenhardt Connie Farmer Linda Heibel Sharon Hempel Susan Koba Myrna Lierz Nancy Matsukis Roland Munro Shirley Roder Lois Rupe Dianne Sedlacek Antoinette Turnquist
Mary Kay Leatherman Susan L. Nelson Mary Palmesano Terrie Saunders Robert Shirck Lynn Sorensen Sara Wachter Linda M. Wells
1989 Ruth Bersagel Dan Daly Kent Day Lois Decker Colleen Eickelman Thomas M. Gaherty Ann Grill Patrick Holston Judith Kerkhoff Evelyn Knutson Jeanne Krelle Dorothy Meisenbach Erwin Rehder Judy Schubert Dorothy Schultz
1991 JoAnne Carlson Janis Christensen Alfred DiMauro Linda Drozda Mary Ann Fields Joan Hobart Larry Jacobsen Mary King Merlin Lempke Terence Mauro Mary Moran Janet Prey Carol Valdrighi Betty Vela Edward Waples
1994 Carla Bissell Jack Blanke Beverly Carroll Arlene Christofferson John Dennison Gregory Doty Susan Halpine Diane Hansen Kaye Hensley Sharon Kelly Eunice Levisay Juanita Merrigan-Potthoff Jerelean Mitchell Dan Whipkey James Yelnek
1992 Sally Fellows Robert Frank David Haar Norma Houchin Carol Milliner Mildred Mobley Harris Payne Rebecca Rhoads John Robertson Carol Robson Josalyn Rutledge Dolores Seeley Joanne Sokalsky Mary Lou Strauss Suzanne Wies
1995 Carol Berger Marianne Bruner Norman Edwards Harry Gaylor Kristy Gilbert Karen Gustafson Pamela Novacek Christie Miller Patricia Miltner Catherine Neneman Cathleen Pierson Lisa Rush Betty Schuler-Weingarten Sandra Slobotski Lisa Young
2001 Ann Allen Ella Blakeney Rebecca Buxter Karen Clark Linda Cramer Matthew Deabler Woody Dillman Linda Ely 1998 JoAnne Grove Judy Bednarz Julie Hansen Mary Grossman Margaret Hein Janet Helms Andrea Jensen Hopkinson Jo Ellen Leifert Jennifer Peterson Thomas Jodlowski Katherine Snyder Marvin Lodes Pamela Williams Nancy McPherson Cheryl Murray 2002 Christine Pfeifer Phyllis Christiansen Kathrin Rank Elaine Craig Peggy Seibel Victoria Deniston-Reed Vicki Smith Beverly Fellman Sherry Swanger Lisa Gatzemeyer Linda Templeton Debra Harris Keith Thiessen Cheri Helmer-Riensche Mary Holiday 1999 Johnny Johnson Jennifer Beck Mary Ellen Johnson Michelle Bluford Nancy Langenfeld Lyn Bouma Nancy Lykke Susan Carson Karen McElroy Kathleen Casey Mark Pursel Carole DeBuse Linda Trant Shari Hess
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation BuffettOutstandingTeachers.org
1996 Karen Brooks Eileen Egan Kristen Freeman Mary Kay Gnam Faye Holmes Kenneth Kielniarz Dolores Kovarik
1997 Vickie Anderson Marilyn Browder Susan Drumm Carole Gaughan Jacqueline Johnson Ken Koop Margaret Maher Kathleen Maloney Mae McGee Tom Novak Rosemarie Prystai Patrick Ribar Rosemary Santoni Suzanne Van Dusen Brian Walker
Shawn Hoschar Karen Johns Michael Krainak Darlene Palmer Russell Parsons Karen Shramek Amy Thomas Dorothy Whitten
2000 Debra Brewer William Deardoff Nancy Emanuel Kris Halbersleben Malia Hammerstrom Gary Kastrick Kathleen Klosterman Judy Kniewel Elma Morrow Phyllis O’Brien Astra Patterson Ann Rowe Leslie Rowland Marjorie Waterman Victoria Wiles
2003 Kathleen Anderson Karen Cirulis Rita Glass Amy Hansen Kim Kromberg Hugh Lawson John Moore Judy Pelowski Lynn Petersen Gwen Powell
Steven Pulverenti Kenyon Sharp Joan Tekippe Marsha Urban Deborah Ward
Jennifer Di Ruocco Jo Ann Flaxbeard Pamela Galus Nancy Gengler Virginia Gerhardt Sandra Guzallis 2004 Susana Lara Nancy Allgood Jennifer Loges Elizabeth Barbary Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek Gail May Carla Phister Susan Cloyed Jennifer Stastny Bridget Donovan Sue Durfee 2008 Shelly Eisenman Christina Berzina Brenda Ellis Penny Coonce Kristy Fahnolz Karen Drickey Linda Ganzel Ronda Harvey-Shaheen Elsie Scharton Lindsey Holley Sharon Smith Kimberly Juranek Susan Troyer Doug Keel Ann Underriner Sarah Powers Michaela Vanacek Michaela Reilly William Scarborough 2005 Mary Steinbruck Wendy Badders Melissa Stern Nancy Burkhart Judy Storm Ann Chapman Peter Wilger Marilyn Donohoe Jeff York Larry Flairty Irma Franco Brenda Harris Janis Keim Deborah Madej Carolyn Nickerson Jeffrey Potter Sheri Stewart Sara Tingelhoff Adriana Vargas Ruth Wassom 2006 Jay Ball Mindy Bechaz Laura Callahan Judi Crick Sally Domet Nita Frost Carole Kline Nancy Marty Robert Naujokaitis Denise Niemann Susan Page Bonnie Smith Kristi Tjelle Scott Wilson Kim Wyllie 2007 Cynthia Boettner Jenna Buckley Connie Coltrane Sharon Daugherty
2009 Colleen Aagesen Cari Briscoe Kim Cooper Matthew Geerts John Gibson Amanda Gilmore Linda Hankins Myra Hudson Cheryl Hurley Kelly Karkosky Renee McMains Deborah Mosier Elizabeth Preston Charles Thomas Jennifer Thompson 2010 Cathy Andrus Robert Bacome Thelma Bell Sally Rosanne Carmichael William Cosgrove Cathy Eichorn Margo Forsythe Faith Keim Kelene Langenfeld Marcella Mahoney Chad McAndrews Luisa Palomo Sara Point Kathleen Prusha Deana Rainey
2011 Barbara Brimmerman Mary Ann Caputo Benjamin Darling Howard Faber Sherri Frisbie Shana Frodyma Jan Haun Darren Holley Lisa Jorgensen Robin Knudtson William Lovgren Angela Meyer Gregory Sand Anton Schmidt Maria Walinski-Peterson 2012 Michelle Avilla Jamie Brown Judy Brown Emily Dolphens Cindy Farrell Joe Gregory Laurie Janecek Lee Kallstrom Connie Kellen Kerri Kratina Eric Lundberg Abbey McNair Ruth Powell Anthony Schik Mark Seaberg 2013 Tanya Archie Heather Bryan Patrick Derr Rebecca Herskovitz Mary Lincoln Teri Lisko Lori Maestas Donna McGonigal Nancy Rampey-Biniamow Dara Rosenberg Diane Sorensen Cindy Thielfoldt Connie Tippery Linda Vernon Linda Wood 2014 Brad Armstrong Jay Beyer Stephanie Carlson-Pruch Jane Colling Cheryl Connors Darci Coolidge Joyce Hurless
Melissa Kandido Jennifer Kawecki Brenda Larsen Shari McWilliams Tracey Menten Angela Page Melissa Peterson Karolyn Roby 2015 Cassie Benzel Dawn Buller-Kirke Raquel Caldwell Annie Catania Cynthia Gamerl Sharon Hostler Jennifer MagnusonStessman Mary Malone James Mayberger Therese McGee Sarah Monzu Cathy Nelson Diane Stauffer Angela Tetschner Irene Urzendowski 2016 Rachael Baxa Barbara Boltinghouse Thomas Gamble Amanda Gutierrez John Huber Krystal Kolb Daniel Lopez Jennifer Miller Michael Mingo Catrina Nahayo Daniel Nowak Holly Ortega John Tripp Carolynn Virgillito David Weisser 2017 Amye Aggen Thomas Allen Amy Batten Connie Colton Patricia Freyermuth Tomie Green Kathleen Higgins
Pamela Homan Randall Howard Jodi Kelly Leandra London Pamela Schmeits Celio Silva Kimberly Talamantes Julie Trimble 2018 Rachael Arens S. Hakan Armagan Penny Eastwood Jimmie Foster Colleen Kurmel Laura Marr Jodie Martinez Debbie Oshlo Durkhany Prososki Ana Rivera Danielle Rowe Rose Rydberg Nicholas Spath John Urbanski Gregory Verraneault
Page Nine
Page Ten
YOUTH/EDUCATION NEWS
THE OMAHA STAR
Peru State College Players Receive Football Honors Peru State College has awarded multiple honors to Papillion / LaVista High School graduate Stephen Bowers, son of Richard and Dinesha Medina, and Omaha North High School graduate Quentin King, son of Rodney and Pamela King. Both students will receive degrees in Psychology from the college in May. Bowers and King were among 4 seniors selected to serve as captains of the 2018 Peru State Bobcat football team. Both young men acknowledged that it was an honor to be voted as captains and entrusted to lead the team for the season. The pair was nominated by their football coach to participate in the 2018 360 Sports All American Bowl played on Dec. 22 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The stadium is the home of the Minnesota Vikings football team. They both received the individual player All American Bowl Award during the weekend events. These young men were also recently named to the Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska NAIA/NCAA Division III Football first team. King was an offensive lineman and Bowers was a defensive lineman.
Stephen Bowers
Quentin King
‘Grown-ish’ Teams Up With Scholly App to Pay Off Student Loan Debt
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By NewsOne Staff The Freeform series “grown-ish” follows the chronicles of students adjusting to life in college and now the show is making the effort to help real-life students. According to Black Enterprise, the show has teamed up with the app Scholly to help students pay off their student loans. The app – which was launched in 2013 – was designed to help students find scholarships, the news outlet writes. It was featured on Shark Tank and backed by investors Daymond John and Lori Greiner and subsequently garnered national attention. Cognizant of the burden that student loan debt can have on students, the company has decided to join forces with “grown-ish” and pay off $125,000 in student loan debt. “Scholly, up until now, has focused on helping students avoid student loan debt, but we want to help those who have already amassed a certain amount of student loan debt break free of it,” Scholly founder Chris Gray said in a statement, according to Black Enterprise. “This is just the beginning. Our plan is to do a lot more of these sorts of grants in the near future.” Since its inception, Scholly has helped students across the nation secure $100 million in scholarship money. The winners of the student loan contest will be revealed at the 2019 Freeform Summit. Many companies and institutions have been stepping up to help individuals pay off their student loan debt. Last month Jasmin Ford – a single Black mother from Chicago – had $150,000 of her student loan debt paid off by Fifth Third Bank. After witnessing the impact that the generous act had on Ford, the bank decided to launch a contest similar to “grown-ish” and Scholly’s.
Girl Scouts Introduce New Cookie for 2019 “All across Nebraska, Girl Scouts are gaining new leadership skills and experiences made possible by the sale of every package of Girl Scout Cookies,” said Fran Marshall, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska. “A cookie purchase is an investment in the Girl Scouts in your community who are learning to become leaders.” One hundred percent of the net revenue from Girl Scout Cookie purchases stays in Nebraska. With their proceeds, Girl Scouts take part in formative leadership experiences in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), camping and outdoor adventures, community service projects and so much more. To find Girl Scouts selling cookies near you, visit GirlScoutsNebraska.org or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, free on iOS and Android devices.
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska is launching the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program by introducing a tasty new cookie and celebrating the largest annual financial investment in girls in the United States. The new cookie, Caramel Chocolate Chip, features rich caramel, semisweet chocolate chips and a hint of sea salt in a chewy gluten-free cookie and is slightly more per package. The remainder of the 2019 Girl Scout Cookie line-up includes Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Girl Scout S’mores, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Shortbread, Thanks-a-Lot and Lemonades (there is no increase per package). Cookies will be sold through March 10. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a powerful entrepreneurship incubator for the next generation of female leaders. Research shows that femalefounded start-ups generate more revenue over time and per dollar than male-founded start-ups, but only 17 percent of start-ups are femalefounded. Given that over half (53 percent) of female entrepreneurs and business owners are Girl Scout alums, supporting local Girl Scouts is key to supporting the changemakers of today and tomorrow. The cookie program teaches girls to unleash their Girl Scout Cookie CEO superhero skills – goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.
January 11, 2019
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s isn’t easy. Reaching us is.
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
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Asthma In-Home Response
Does Your Child Have Asthma?
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT PROJECT AIR
Project AIR helps reduce in-home hazards for kids with asthma We make home improvements to address asthma triggers We educate families about hazards in their home We empower families to make positive behavior changes
LEARN MORE AT: OMAHAHEALTHYKIDS.ORG To enroll, call us at 402.934.9700 or talk to your doctor about Project AIR
Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance
We work to ensure every child in Omaha lives in a lead-safe, Healthy Home
PRESENTS SOFT OPENING SERIES
MITCH TOWNE/MARCUS LEWIS QUARTET
WED
FEATURING CJ MILLS
01.23 6:30 & 8:30 SHOWTIMES DOORS OPEN 5PM FOR 6:30PM SHOW & 7:45PM FOR 8:30PM SHOW
FRI - SUN
DOMINICK FARINACCI FEATURING SHENEL JOHNS
01.25 - 01.27 6:30 & 8:30 SHOWTIMES DOORS OPEN 5PM FOR 6:30PM SHOW & 7:45PM FOR 8:30PM SHOW
WED
CURLY MARTIN FEATURING MIKAL MAJEED & WALI ALI
01.30 6:30 & 8:30 SHOWTIMES DOORS OPEN 5PM FOR 6:30PM SHOW & 7:45PM FOR 8:30PM SHOW
DARRYL TOOKES & FAMILY
01.31 - 02.03 6:30 & 8:30 SHOWTIMES DOORS OPEN 5PM FOR 6:30PM SHOW & 7:45PM FOR 8:30PM SHOW
BOOK TIX @ JEWELLOMAHA.COM
MUSIC
DINING
EXPERIENCE
The Jewell is home to local, emerging artists and national acts – master craftsmen of jazz and other original American music genres – performing in a space that is truly one-of-a-kind.
1030 Capitol Ave. Omaha • JewellOmaha.com
T H E H I T B R O A D W AY M U S I C A L
JANUARY 16-27 Orpheum Theater
TicketOmaha.com • 402.345.0606 G RO U P S ( 10 + ) 4 02 . 6 61 . 8 516 ©Disney
THU - SUN
FEATURING GIL GOLDSTEIN & LOUIS CATO